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The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section I, J, K, and L · Project Gutenberg — chapter 370 of 826 · ~594 words · public domain

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6. (Gram.) A change of the usual order of words or phrases; as, "of all vices, impurity is one of the most detestable," instead of, "impurity is one of the most detestable of all vices."

7. (Rhet.) A method of reasoning in which the orator shows that arguments advanced by his adversary in opposition to him are really favorable to his cause.

8. (Mus.) (a) Said of intervals, when the lower tone is placed an octave higher, so that fifths become fourths, thirds sixths, etc. (b) Said of a chord, when one of its notes, other than its root, is made the bass. (c) Said of a subject, or phrase, when the intervals of which it consists are repeated in the contrary direction, rising instead of falling, or vice versa. (d) Said of double counterpoint, when an upper and a lower part change places.

9. (Geol.) The folding back of strata upon themselves, as by upheaval, in such a manner that the order of succession appears to be reversed.

10. (Chem.) The act or process by which cane sugar (sucrose), under the action of heat and acids or ferments (as diastase), is broken or split up into grape sugar (dextrose), and fruit sugar (levulose); also, less properly, the process by which starch is converted into grape sugar (dextrose).

The terms invert and inversion, in this sense, owe their meaning to the fact that the plane of polarization of light, which is rotated to the right by cane sugar, is turned toward the left by levulose.

In*vert" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Inverted; p. pr. & vb. n. Inverting.] [L. invertere, inversum; pref. in- in + vertere to turn. See Verse.]

1. To turn over; to put upside down; to upset; to place in a contrary order or direction; to reverse; as, to invert a cup, the order of words, rules of justice, etc.

That doth invert the attest of eyes and ears, As if these organs had deceptious functions.

Shak.

Such reasoning falls like an inverted cone, Wanting its proper base to stand upon.

Cowper.

2. (Mus.) To change the position of; - - said of tones which form a chord, or parts which compose harmony.

3. To divert; to convert to a wrong use. [Obs.] Knolles.

4. (Chem.) To convert; to reverse; to decompose by, or subject to, inversion. See Inversion, n., 10.

In*vert", v. i. (Chem.) To undergo inversion, as sugar.

In"vert (?), a. (Chem.) Subjected to the process of inversion; inverted; converted; as, invert sugar.

Invert sugar (Chem.), a variety of sugar, consisting of a mixture of dextrose and levulose, found naturally in fruits, and produced artificially by the inversion of cane sugar (sucrose); also, less properly, the grape sugar or dextrose obtained from starch. See Inversion, Dextrose, Levulose, and Sugar.

In"vert, n. (Masonry) An inverted arch.

In*ver"te*bral (?), a. (Zoöl.) Same as Invertebrate.

||In*ver`te*bra"ta (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. in- not + vertebratus ||vertebrate.] (Zoöl.) A comprehensive division of the animal kingdom, ||including all except the Vertebrata. || In*ver"te*brate (?), a. (Zoöl.) Destitute of a backbone; having no vertebræ; of or pertaining to the Invertebrata. -- n. One of the Invertebrata.

Age of invertebrates. See Age, and Silurian.

In*ver"te*bra`ted (?), a. Having no backbone; invertebrate.

In*vert"ed (?), a.

1. Changed to a contrary or counterchanged order; reversed; characterized by inversion.

2. (Geol.) Situated apparently in reverse order, as strata when folded back upon themselves by upheaval.

Inverted arch (Arch.), an arch placed with crown downward; -- much used in foundations.

In*vert"ed*ly, adv. In an inverted order. Derham.

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