Part 131

Gauss (gous), n. [So named after Karl F. Gauss, a German mathematician.] (Elec.) The C.G.S. unit of density of magnetic field, equal to a field of one line of force per square centimeter, being thus adopted as an international unit at Paris in 1900; sometimes used as a unit of intensity of magnetic field. It was previously suggested as a unit of magnetomotive force.

||Gauss"age (?), n. (Elec.) The intensity of a magnetic field expressed in C.G.S. units, or gausses.

||Ga`vage" (g`vzh"), n. [F., fr. gaver to gorge.] Forced feeding (as of poultry or infants) by means of a tube passed through the mouth down to the stomach.

Gay"ley proc"ess. (Med.) The process of removing moisture from the blast of an iron blast furnace by reducing its temperature so far that it will not remain suspended as vapor in the blast current, but will be deposited as snow in the cooling apparatus. The resultant uniformly dehydrated blast effects great economy in fuel consumption, and promotes regularity of furnace operation, and certainty of furnace control.

Gee"zer (?), n. [Dial. corrupt. of Guiser a mummer.] A queer old fellow; an old chap; an old woman. [Contemptuous, Slang or Dial.]

Gei"sha (g"sh), n.; pl. Geisha (-sh), Geishas (- shz). [Jap.] A Japanese singing and dancing girl.

Gen"er*a`tor, n. (Elec.) Any machine that transforms mechanical into electrical energy; a dynamo.

Gen"ip (?), n., or Genip tree. 1. Any tree or shrub of the genus Genipa.

2. The West Indian sapindaceous tree Melicocca bijuga, which yields the honeyberry; also, the related trees Exothea paniculata and E. trifoliata.

Gen"o*a cake (?). (Cookery) A rich glazed cake, with almonds, pistachios, filberts, or other nuts; also, a rich currant cake with almonds on the top.

||Gen"re (?), n. Kind; genus; class; form; style, esp. in literature.

French drama was lisping or still inarticulate; the great French genre of the fabliau was hardly born.

Saintsbury.

A particular demand . . . that we shall pay special attention to the matter of genres -- that is, to the different forms or categories of literature.

W. P. Trent.

Gen"tle*men's a*gree"ment (?). An agreement binding only as a matter of honor; often, specif., such an agreement among the heads of industrial or merchantile enterprises, the terms of which could not be included and enforced in a legal contract.

Gen*too" (jn*t"), n.; pl. Gentoos (-tz"). A penguin (Pygosceles tæniata). [Falkland Is.]

{ Ge`o*cen"tric (?), Ge`o*cen"tric*al (?) }, a. } Having, considering, or based on, the earth as center; as, the geocentric theory of the universe.

Ge`o*chem"is*try (j`*km"s*tr), n. [Gr. ge`a, gh^, the earth + chemistry.] The study of the chemical composition of, and of actual or possible chemical changes in, the crust of the earth. -- Ge`o*chem"ic*al (#), a. -- Ge`o*chem"ist (#), n.

Geor"gi*an (?), a. Of or pertaining to Georgia, one of the United States.

Georgian architecture. British or British colonial architecture of the period of the four Georges, especially that of the period before 1800.

Germ, n. (Biol.) The germ cells, collectively, as distinguished from the somatic cells, or soma. Germ is often used in place of germinal to form phrases; as, germ area, germ disc, germ membrane, germ nucleus, germ sac, etc.

Germ cell. (Biol.) A cell, of either sex, directly concerned in the production of a new organism.

Ger"mi*nal, a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to the germ, or germ cells, as distinguished from the somatic cells.

Germ theory. 1. (Biol.) The theory that living organisms can be produced only by the development of living germs. Cf. Biogenesis, Abiogenesis.

2. (Med.) The theory which attributes contagious and infectious diseases, suppurative lesions, etc., to the agency of germs. The science of bacteriology was developed after this theory had been established.

||Ges"so (?), n. [It., chalk, plaster.] 1. Plaster of Paris, or gypsum, esp. as prepared for use in painting, or in making bas-reliefs and the like; by extension, a plasterlike or pasty material spread upon a surface to fit it for painting or gilding, or a surface so prepared.

2. A work of art done in gesso. [Obs.]