Part 721

<hw>As"tel</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>astelle</ets> piece of wood, OF. <ets>astele</ets> splinter, shaving, F. <ets>attelle</ets>, <ets>astelle</ets>: cf. L. <ets>astula</ets>, dim. of <ets>assis</ets> board.]</ety> <fld>(Mining)</fld> <def>An arch, or ceiling, of boards, placed over the men's heads in a mine.</def>

<h1>Aster</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>As"ter</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>aster</ets> aster, star, Gr. <?/ star. See <er>Star</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>A genus of herbs with compound white or bluish flowers; starwort; Michaelmas daisy.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Floriculture)</fld> <def>A plant of the genus <spn>Callistephus</spn>. Many varieties (called <stype>China asters</stype>, <stype>German asters</stype>, etc.) are cultivated for their handsome compound flowers.</def>

<h1>Asterias</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>As*te"ri*as</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[NL., fr. Gr. <?/ starred, fr. <?/ star.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A genus of echinoderms.</def>

<note>&hand; Formerly the group of this name included nearly all starfishes and ophiurans. Now it is restricted to a genus including the commonest shore starfishes.</note>

<h1>Asteriated</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>As*te"ri*a`ted</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[See <er>Asterias</er>.]</ety> <def>Radiated, with diverging rays; <as>as, <ex>asteriated</ex> sapphire</as>.</def>

<h1>Asteridian</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>As`ter*id"i*an</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>Of or pertaining to the Asterioidea.</def> -- <def2><tt>n.</tt> <def> A starfish; one of the Asterioidea.</def></def2>

<h1>Asterioidea, Asteridea</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw><hw>As*te`ri*oid"e*a</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <hw>As`ter*id"e*a</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>,<hw> <tt>n. pl.</tt> <ety>[NL., fr. Gr. <?/ + <ets>-oid</ets>. See <er>Asterias</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A class of Echinodermata including the true starfishes. The rays vary in number and always have ambulacral grooves below. The body is starshaped or pentagonal.</def>

<h1>Asterion</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>As*te"ri*on</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Gr. <?/ starry.]</ety> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <def>The point on the side of the skull where the lambdoid, parieto-mastoid and occipito-mastoid sutures.</def>

<h1>Asteriscus</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>As`ter*is"cus</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L., an asterisk. See <er>Asterisk</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <def>The smaller of the two otoliths found in the inner ear of many fishes.</def>

<h1>Asterisk</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>As"ter*isk</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>asteriscus</ets>, Gr. <?/, dim. of <?/ star. See <er>Aster</er>.]</ety> <def>The figure of a star, thus, <?/, used in printing and writing as a reference to a passage or note in the margin, to supply the omission of letters or words, or to mark a word or phrase as having a special character.</def>

<h1>Asterism</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>As`ter*ism</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ star; cf. F. <ets>ast\'82risme</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <fld>(Astron.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>A constellation.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>A small cluster of stars.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Printing)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>An asterisk, or mark of reference.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>Three asterisks placed in this manner, &asterism;, to direct attention to a particular passage.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Crystallog.)</fld> <def>An optical property of some crystals which exhibit a star-shaped by reflected light, as star sapphire, or by transmitted light, as some mica.</def>

<h1>Astern</h1> <Xpage=93>

<hw>A*stern"</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>adv.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>a-</ets> + <ets>stern</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Naut.)</fld> <p><b>1.</b> <def>In or at the hinder part of a ship; toward the hinder part, or stern; backward; <as>as, to go <ex>astern</ex></as>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Behind a ship; in the rear.</def> "A gale of wind right <i>astern</i>." <i>De Foe</i>. "Left this strait <i>astern</i>." <i>Drake</i>.

<cs><col>To bake astern</col>, <cd>to go stern foremost.</cd> -- <col>To be astern of the reckoning</col>, <col>to be behind the position given by the reckoning</col>.</cd> -- <col>To drop astern</col>, <cd>to fall or be left behind.</cd> -- <col>To go astern</col>, <cd>to go backward, as from the action of currents or winds.</cd></cs>

<h1>Asternal</h1> <Xpage=93>