Part 52

A"ër*o*gun` (?), n. [Aëro- + gun.] A cannon capable of being trained at very high angles for use against aircraft.

A`ër*o*me*chan"ic (?), n. A mechanic or mechanician expert in the art and practice of aëronautics.

{ A`ër*o*me*chan"ic (?), A`ër*o*me*chan"ical (?) }, a. Of or pert. to aëromechanics.

A`ër*o*me*chan"ics (?), n. The science of equilibrium and motion of air or an aëriform fluid, including aërodynamics and aërostatics.

A"ër*o*nat` (?), n. [F. aéronat. See Aëro-; Natation.] A dirigible balloon.

A"ër*o*nef` (?), n. [F. aéronef.] A power-driven, heavier-than-air flying machine.

A"ër*o*phone` (?), n. [Aëro- + Gr. &?; voice.] (a) A form of combined speaking and ear trumpet. (b) An instrument, proposed by Edison, for greatly intensifying speech. It consists of a phonograph diaphragm so arranged that its action opens and closes valves, producing synchronous air blasts sufficient to operate a larger diaphragm with greater amplitude of vibration.

A"ër*o*plane` (?), n. [Aëro- + plane.] (Aëronautics) A light rigid plane used in aërial navigation to oppose sudden upward or downward movement in the air, as in gliding machines; specif., such a plane slightly inclined and driven forward as a lifting device in some flying machines; hence, a flying machine using such a device. These machines are called monoplanes, biplanes, triplanes, or quadruplanes, according to the number of main supporting planes used in their constraction. Being heavier than air they depend for their levitation on motion imparted by one or more propellers actuated by a gasoline engine. They start from the ground by a run on small wheels or runners, and are guided by a steering apparatus consisting of horizontal and vertical movable planes. There are many varieties of form and construction, which in some cases are known by the names of their inventors.

A"ër*o*plan`ist (?), n. One who flies in an aëroplane.

A"ër*o*stat (?), n. (Aëronautics) A passive balloon; a balloon without motive power.

A`ër*o*sta"tion (?), n. That part of aëronautics that deals with passive balloons.

||A"ër*o*tax`is (?), n. [NL. See Aëro-; Taxis.] (Bacteriology) The positive or negative stimulus exerted by oxygen on aërobic and anaërobic bacteria. -- A`ër*o*tac"tic (#), a.

A`ër*o*ther`a*pen"tics (?), n. [Aëro- + therapeutics.] (Med.) Treatment of disease by the use of air or other gases.

A"ër*o*yacht` (?), n. [Aëro- + yacht.] A form of hydro- aëroplane; a flying boat.

||Æ"sir (?), n. pl. [Icel., pl. of ss god.] In the old Norse mythology, the gods Odin, Thor, Loki, Balder, Frigg, and the others. Their home was called Asgard.

Af*fect" (?), n. (Psychotherapy) The emotional complex associated with an idea or mental state. In hysteria, the affect is sometimes entirely dissociated, sometimes transferred to another than the original idea.

||Af`fiche" (?), n. [F., fr. afficher to affix.] A written or printed notice to be posted, as on a wall; a poster; a placard.

Af"fri*cate (?), n. [L. affricatus, p. p. of affricare to rub against; af- = ad- + fricare to rub.] (Phon.) A combination of a stop, or explosive, with an immediately following fricative or spirant of corresponding organic position, as pf in german Pfeffer, pepper, z (= ts) in German Zeit, time.

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A*float", adv. & a. Covered with water bearing floating articles; flooded; as, the decks are afloat.

A. F. of L. (Abbrev.) American Federation of Labor.

Aft"er*sen*sa`tion (?), n. (Psychol.) A sensation or sense impression following the removal of a stimulus producing a primary sensation, and reproducing the primary sensation in positive, negative, or complementary form. The aftersensation may be continuous with the primary sensation or follow it after an interval.

A`gar-a"gar (?), n. A gelatinlike substance, or a solution of it, prepared from certain seaweeds containing gelose, and used in the artificial cultivation of bacteria; -- often called agar, by abbreviation.

Age, n. In poker, the right belonging to the player to the left of the dealer to pass the first round in betting, and then to come in last or stay out; also, the player holding this position; the eldest hand.

Ag*grade" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Aggraded; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggrading.] (Phys. Geog.) To bring, or tend to bring, to a uniform grade, or slope, by addition of material; as, streams aggrade their beds by depositing sediment.

||Ag"nus Scyth"i*cus (?). [L., Scythian lamb.] (Bot.) The Scythian lamb, a kind of woolly-skinned rootstock. See Barometz.

Ag"ro*tech`ny (?), n. [Gr. &?; field, land + &?; an art.] That branch of agriculture dealing with the methods of conversion of agricultural products into manufactured articles; agricultural technology.

Ai"le*ron (?), n. [F., dim. of aile wing.] 1. A half gable, as at the end of a penthouse or of the aisle of a church.