Part 245

Ther`mo*ther"a*py (?), n. [Thermo- + therapy.] (Med.) Treatment of disease by heat, esp. by hot air.

Ther*mot"o*nus (?), n. [NL.; thermo- + tonus.] (Plant Physiol.) A condition of tonicity with respect to temperature.

The"roid (?), a. [Gr. qh`r, qhro`s, wild beast + -oid.] (Med.) Resembling a beast in nature or habit; marked by animal characteristics; as, theroid idiocy.

Thig`mo*tac"tic (?), a. (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to thigmotaxis.

||Thig`mo*tax"is (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; touch + &?; an arranging.] (Physiol.) The property possessed by living protoplasm of contracting, and thus moving, when touched by a solid or fluid substance.

When the movement is away from the touching body, it is negative thigmotaxis; when towards it, positive thigmotaxis.

{ Thing, ||Ting } (?), n. [Dan. thing, ting, Norw. ting, or Sw. ting.] In Scandinavian countries, a legislative or judicial assembly; -- used, esp. in composition, in titles of such bodies. See Legislature, Norway.

Think, n. Act of thinking; a thought. [Obs. or Colloq.]

Third rail. (Electric Railways) (a) The third rail used in the third-rail system. (b) An electric railway using such a rail. [Colloq.]

Third-rail system. (Electric Railways) A system in which a third rail is used for carrying the current for operating the motors, the rail being insulated from the ground and the current being taken off by means of contact brushes or other devices.

{ Thom"as phos"phate or slag }. Same as Basic slag, above.

Thom"as proc"ess (?). (Iron Metal.) Same as Basic process, above.

Thomson process. [After Elihu Thomson, American inventor.] A process of electric welding in which heat is developed by a large current passing through the metal.

Thought transference. Telepathy.

Three"-col`or, a. Designating, or pert. to, a photomechanical process employing printings in three colors, as red, yellow, and blue.

Three"-mile`, a. Of or pertaining to three miles; as, the three-mile limit, or the limit of the marine belt (the three-mile belt or zone) of three miles included in territorial waters (which see) of a state.

Three"-port`, a. Having three ports; specif.: Designating a type of two-cycle internal-combustion engine in which the mixture enters the crank case through a port uncovered by the piston near the end of its stroke.

Three"-torque` system of control. (Aëronautics) Any system of rudders by which the pilot can exert a turning moment about each of the three rectangular axes of an aëroplane or airship.

Throm"bin (?), n. [See Thrombus.] (Physiol. Chem.) The fibrin ferment which produces the formation of fibrin from fibrinogen.

Throw, v. i. -- To throw back, to revert to an ancestral type or character. "A large proportion of the steerage passengers throw back to their Darwinian ancestry." The Century.

Throw"ing stick`. (Anthropol.) An instrument used by various savage races for throwing a spear; -- called also throw stick and spear thrower. One end of the stick receives the butt of the spear, as upon a hook or thong, and the other end is grasped with the hand, which also holds the spear, toward the middle, above it with the finger and thumb, the effect being to bring the place of support nearer the center of the spear, and practically lengthen the arm in the act of throwing.

Thud (?), v. i. & t. To make, or strike so as to make, a dull sound, or thud.

Hardly the softest thudding of velvety pads.

A. C. Doyle.

The waves break into spray, dash and rumble and thud below your feet.

H. F. Brown.

Thug, n. An assassin; a ruffian; a rough. "Thugs and midnight rounders." The Century.

Tick"er, n. A telegraphic receiving instrument that automatically prints off stock quotations (stock ticker) and other news on a paper ribbon or "tape."