Part 2387

<hw>Con"vert</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A person who is converted from one opinion or practice to another; a person who is won over to, or heartily embraces, a creed, religious system, or party, in which he has not previously believed; especially, one who turns from the controlling power of sin to that of holiness, or from unbelief to Christianity.</def>

<blockquote>The Jesuits did not persuade the <b>converts</b> to lay aside the use of images. <i>Bp. Stillingfleet.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A lay friar or brother, permitted to enter a monastery for the service of the house, but without orders, and not allowed to sing in the choir.</def>

<syn>Syn. -- Proselyte; neophyte.</syn> <usage> -- <er>Convert</er>, <er>Proselyte</er>, <er>Pervert</er>. A <i>convert</i> is one who turns from what he believes to have been a decided error of faith or practice. Such a change may relate to religion, politics, or other subjects. properly considered, it is not confined to speculation alone, but affects the whole current of one's feelings and the tenor of his actions. As such a change carries with it the appearance of sincerity, the term <i>convert</i> is usually taken in a good sense. <i>Proselyte</i> is a term of more ambiguous use and application. It was first applied to an adherent of one religious system who had transferred himself externally to some other religious system; and is also applied to one who makes a similar transfer in respect to systems of philosophy or speculation. The term has little or no reference to the state of the heart. <i>Pervert</i> is a term of recent origin, designed to express the contrary of <i>convert</i>, and to stigmatize a person as drawn off perverted from the true faith. It has been more particulary applied by members of the Church of England to those who have joined the Roman Catholic Church.</usage>

<h1>Convertend</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con`ver*tend"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>convertenus</ets> to be converted.]</ety> <fld>(Logic)</fld> <def>Any proposition which is subject to the process of conversion; -- so called in its relation to itself as converted, after which process it is termed the <i>conversae</i>. See <er>Converse</er>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Logic)</fld>.</def>

<h1>Converter</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con*vert"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>One who converts; one who makes converts.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Steel Manuf.)</fld> <def>A retort, used in the Bessemer process, in which molten cast iron is decarburized and converted into steel by a blast of air forced through the liquid metal.</def>

<h1>Convertibility</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con*vert`i*bil"i*ty</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The condition or quality of being convertible; capability of being exchanged; convertibleness.</def>

<blockquote>The mutual <b>convertibility</b> of land into money, and of money into land. <i>Burke.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Convertible</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con*vert"i*ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>convertibilis</ets>: cf. F. <ets>convertible</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Capable of being converted; susceptible of change; transmutable; transformable.</def>

<blockquote>Minerals are not <b>convertible</b> into another species, though of the same genus. <i>Harvey.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Capable of being exchanged or interchanged; reciprocal; interchangeable.</def>

<blockquote>So long as we are in the regions of nature, miraculous and improbable, miraculous and incredible, may be allowed to remain <b>convertible</b> terms. <i>Trench.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Convertibleness</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con*vert"i*ble*ness</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The state of being convertible; convertibility.</def>

<h1>Convertibly</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con*vert"i*bly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In a convertible manner.</def>

<h1>Convertite</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con"vert*ite</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. It. <ets>convertito</ets>, p.p. of <ets>convertire</ets> to convert.]</ety> <def>A convert.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Convex</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con"vex</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>convexus</ets> vaulted, arched, convex, concave, fr. <ets>convehere</ets> to bring together: cf. F. <ets>convexe</ets>. See <er>Vehicle</er>.]</ety> <def>Rising or swelling into a spherical or rounded form; regularly protuberant or bulging; -- said of a spherical surface or curved line when viewed from without, in opposition to <i>concave</i>.</def>

<blockquote>Drops of water naturally form themselves into figures with a <b>convex</b> surface. <i>Whewell.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Double convex</col>, <cd>convex on both sides; convexo-convex.</cd></cs>