Part 782

He asked the brachygrapher whether he wrote the notes of the sermon. Gayton.

Bra*chyg"ra*phy (&?;), n. [Gr. brachy`s short + -graphy: cf. F. brachygraphie.] Stenography. B. Jonson.

Bra*chyl"o*gy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; : brachy`s short + &?; discourse: cf. F. brachylogie.] (Rhet.) Conciseness of expression; brevity.

Brach`y*pin"a*coid (&?;), n. [Gr. brachy`s short + E. pinacoid.] (Crytallog.) A plane of an orthorhombic crystal which is parallel both to the vertical axis and to the shorter lateral (brachydiagonal) axis.

||Bra*chyp"te*ra (&?;), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; short-winged; brachy`s short + &?; feather, wing.] (Zoöl.) A group of Coleoptera having short wings; the rove beetles.

||Bra*chyp"te*res (&?;), n.pl. [NL. See Brachyptera. ] (Zoöl.) A group of birds, including auks, divers, and penguins.

Bra*chyp"ter*ous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; : cf. F. brachyptère.] (Zoöl.) Having short wings.

Bra*chys"to*chrone (&?;), n. [Incorrect for brachistochrone, fr. Gr. bra`chistos shortest (superl. of brachy`s short) + &?; time : cf. F. brachistochrone. ] (Math.) A curve, in which a body, starting from a given point, and descending solely by the force of gravity, will reach another given point in a shorter time than it could by any other path. This curve of quickest descent, as it is sometimes called, is, in a vacuum, the same as the cycloid.

Brach"y*ty`pous (&?;), a. [Gr. &?; short + &?; stamp, form.] (Min.) Of a short form.

||Brach`y*u"ra (&?;), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. brachy`s short + &?; tail.] (Zoöl.) A group of decapod Crustacea, including the common crabs, characterized by a small and short abdomen, which is bent up beneath the large cephalo-thorax. [Also spelt Brachyoura.] See Crab, and Illustration in Appendix.

{ Brach`y*u"ral (&?;), Brach`y*u"rous (&?;) }, a. [Cf. F. brachyure.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Brachyura.

Brach`y*u"ran (&?;), n. One of the Brachyura.

Bra"cing (&?;), a. Imparting strength or tone; strengthening; invigorating; as, a bracing north wind.

Bra"cing (&?;), n. 1. The act of strengthening, supporting, or propping, with a brace or braces; the state of being braced.

2. (Engin.) Any system of braces; braces, collectively; as, the bracing of a truss.

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Brack (brk), n. [Cf.D. braak, Dan. bræk, a breaking, Sw. & Icel. brak a crackling, creaking. Cf. Breach.] An opening caused by the parting of any solid body; a crack or breach; a flaw.

Stain or brack in her sweet reputation. J. Fletcher.

Brack, n. [D. brak, adj., salt; cf. LG. wrak refuse, G. brack.] Salt or brackish water. [Obs.] Drayton.

Brack"en (&?;), n. [OE. braken, AS. bracce. See 2d Brake, n.] A brake or fern. Sir W. Scott.

Brack"et (&?;), n. [Cf.OF. braguette codpiece, F. brayette, Sp. bragueta, also a projecting mold in architecture; dim. fr.L. bracae breeches; cf. also, OF. bracon beam, prop, support; of unknown origin. Cf. Breeches.]

1. (Arch.) An architectural member, plain or ornamental, projecting from a wall or pier, to support weight falling outside of the same; also, a decorative feature seeming to discharge such an office.

This is the more general word. See Brace, Cantalever, Console, Corbel, Strut.

2. (Engin. & Mech.) A piece or combination of pieces, usually triangular in general shape, projecting from, or fastened to, a wall, or other surface, to support heavy bodies or to strengthen angles.

3. (Naut.) A shot, crooked timber, resembling a knee, used as a support.

4. (Mil.) The cheek or side of an ordnance carriage.

5. (Print.) One of two characters [], used to inclose a reference, explanation, or note, or a part to be excluded from a sentence, to indicate an interpolation, to rectify a mistake, or to supply an omission, and for certain other purposes; -- called also crotchet.

6. A gas fixture or lamp holder projecting from the face of a wall, column, or the like.