Part 5505

<hw>Hy*poth"e*ca`tor</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Law)</fld> <def>One who hypothecates or pledges anything as security for the repayment of money borrowed.</def>

<h1>Hypothenal, Hypothenar</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw><hw>Hy*poth"e*nal</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>Hy*poth"e*nar</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>,<hw> <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>hypo-</ets> + <ets>thenar</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <def>Of or pertaining to the prominent part of the palm of the hand above the base of the little finger, or a corresponding part in the forefoot of an animal; <as>as, the <ex>hypothenar</ex> eminence</as>.</def>

<h1>Hypothenar</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw>Hy*poth"e*nar</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <def>The hypothenar eminence.</def>

<h1>Hypothenusal</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw>Hy*poth`e*nu"sal</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Of or pertaining to hypothenuse.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<h1>Hypothenuse</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw>Hy*poth"e*nuse</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Same as <er>Hypotenuse</er>.</def>

<h1>Hypothesis</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw>Hy*poth"e*sis</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>pl. <plw>Hypotheses</plw> <tt>(#)</tt></plu>. <ety>[NL., fr. Gr. <?/ foundation, supposition, fr. <?/ to place under, <?/ under + <?/ to put. See <er>Hypo-</er>, <er>Thesis</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A supposition; a proposition or principle which is supposed or taken for granted, in order to draw a conclusion or inference for proof of the point in question; something not proved, but assumed for the purpose of argument, or to account for a fact or an occurrence; <as>as, the <ex>hypothesis</ex> that head winds detain an overdue steamer</as>.</def>

<blockquote>An <b>hypothesis</b> being a mere supposition, there are no other limits to <b>hypotheses</b> than those of the human imagination. <i>J. S. Mill.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Natural Science)</fld> <def>A tentative theory or supposition provisionally adopted to explain certain facts, and to guide in the investigation of others; hence, frequently called a <i>working hypothesis</i>.</def>

<syn>Syn. -- Supposition; assumption. See <er>Theory</er>.</syn>

<cs><col>Nebular hypothesis</col>. <cd>See under <er>Nebular</er>.</cd></cs>

<h1>Hypothetic, Hypothetical</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw><hw>Hy`po*thet"ic</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>Hy`po*thet"ic*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>,<hw> <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>hypotheticus</ets>, Gr. <?/: cf. F. <ets>hypoth\'82tique</ets>.]</ety> <def>Characterized by, or of the nature of, an hypothesis; conditional; assumed without proof, for the purpose of reasoning and deducing proof, or of accounting for some fact or phenomenon.</def>

<blockquote>Causes <b>hypothetical</b> at least, if not real, for the various phenomena of the existence of which our experience informs us. <i>Sir W. Hamilton.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Hypothetical baptism</col> <fld>(Ch. of Eng.)</fld>, <cd>baptism administered to persons in respect to whom it is doubtful whether they have or have not been baptized before.</cd></cs>

<i>Hook.</i>

-- <wordforms><wf>Hy`po*thet"ic*al*ly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt></wordforms>

<i>South.</i>

<h1>Hypothetist</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw>Hy*poth"e*tist</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who proposes or supports an hypothesis.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<h1>Hypotrachelium</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw>Hy`po*tra*che"li*um</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L., fr. Gr. <?/; <?/ under + <?/ neck.]</ety> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>Same as <er>Gorgerin</er>.</def>

<h1>Hypotricha</h1> <Xpage=722>

<hw>Hy*pot"ri*cha</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n. pl.</tt> <ety>[NL., fr. Gr. <?/ beneath + <?/. <?/, a hair.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A division of ciliated Infusoria in which the cilia cover only the under side of the body.</def>