Part 4384

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Capable or being adapted or molded; plastic,; <as>as, a <ex>flexible</ex> language</as>.</def>

<blockquote>This was a principle more <b>flexible</b> to their purpose. <i>Rogers.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- Pliant; pliable; supple; tractable; manageable; ductile; obsequious; inconstant; wavering.</syn>

-- <wordforms><wf>Flex"i*ble*ness</wf>, <tt>n.</tt> -- <wf>Flex"i*bly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt></wordforms>

<h1>Flexicostate</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flex`i*cos"tate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>flexus</ets> bent + E. <ets>costate</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <def>Having bent or curved ribs.</def>

<h1>Flexile</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flex"ile</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>flexilis</ets>.]</ety> <def>Flexible; pliant; pliable; easily bent; plastic; tractable.</def>

<i>Wordsworth.</i>

<h1>Flexion</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flex"ion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>flexio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>flexion</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of flexing or bending; a turning.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A bending; a part bent; a fold.</def>

<i>Bacon.</i>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Gram.)</fld> <def>Syntactical change of form of words, as by declension or conjugation; inflection.</def>

<blockquote>Express the syntactical relations by <b>flexion</b>. <i>Sir W. Hamilton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <fld>(Physiol.)</fld> <def>The bending of a limb or joint; that motion of a joint which gives the distal member a continually decreasing angle with the axis of the proximal part; -- distinguished from <i>extension</i>.</def>

<h1>Flexor</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flex"or</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[NL.]</ety> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <def>A muscle which bends or flexes any part; <as>as, the <ex>flexors</ex> of the arm or the hand</as>; -- opposed to <contr>extensor</contr>.</def>

<h1>Flexuose</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flex"u*ose`</hw> <tt>(?; 135)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Flexuous.</def>

<h1>Flexuous</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flex"u*ous</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>flexuosus</ets>, fr. <ets>flexus</ets> a bending, turning.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Having turns, windings, or flexures.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>Having alternate curvatures in opposite directions; bent in a zigzag manner.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Wavering; not steady; flickering.</def>

<i>Bacon.</i>

<h1>Flexural</h1> <Xpage=570>

<hw>Flex"u*ral</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[From <er>Flexure</er>.]</ety> <def>Of, pertaining to, or resulting from, flexure; of the nature of, or characterized by, flexure; <as>as, <ex>flexural</ex> elasticity</as>.</def>

<h1>Flexure</h1> <Xpage=570>