n. [ Gr. 'a priv. + bi`os life + ge`nesis, origin, birth. ] (Biol.) The supposed origination of living organisms from lifeless matter; such genesis as does not involve the action of living parents; spontaneous generation; -- called also abiogeny, and opposed to biogenesis. [ 1913 Webster ]

I shall call the . . . doctrine that living matter may be produced by not living matter, the hypothesis of abiogenesis. Huxley, 1870. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to abiogenesis. Ab`i*o*ge*net"ic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. (Biol.) One who believes that life can be produced independently of antecedent. Huxley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) Produced by spontaneous generation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Biol.) Same as Abiogenesis. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a priv. + E. biological. ] Pertaining to the study of inanimate things. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. suspended animation in organisms during periods of extreme drought from which they revive when moisture returns. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to anabiosis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. [ See Baboon. ] A baboon. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See under Force. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.[ F., from It. gabbione a large cage, gabion, from gabbia cage, L. cavea. See Cage. ] 1. (Fort.) A hollow cylinder of wickerwork, like a basket without a bottom. Gabions are made of various sizes, and filled with earth in building fieldworks to shelter men from an enemy's fire. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Hydraul. Engin.) An openwork frame, as of poles, filled with stones and sunk, to assist in forming a bar dyke, etc., as in harbor improvement. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. gabionnade. ] 1. (Fort.) A traverse made with gabions between guns or on their flanks, protecting them from enfilading fire. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A structure of gabions sunk in lines, as a core for a sand bar in harbor improvements. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. gabionnage. ] (Mil.) The part of a fortification built of gabions. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. a. Furnished with gabions. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. See Gabionade. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Labium + dental. ] (Phonetics) Formed or pronounced by the cooperation of the lips and teeth, as f and v. -- n. A labiodental sound or letter. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Labium + nasal. ] (Phonetics) Formed by the lips and the nose. -- n. A labionasal sound or letter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Labium + -plasty. ] (Surg.) A plastic operation for making a new lip, or for replacing a lost tissue of a lip. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ From Labium. ] (Bot.) Having the appearance of being labiate; -- said of certain polypetalous corollas. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Fierce. [ Obs. ] Daniel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. scabiosus, from scabies the scab: cf. F. scabieux. ] Consisting of scabs; rough; itchy; leprous; as, scabious eruptions. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. scabieuse. See Scabious, a. ] (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Scabiosa, several of the species of which are common in Europe. They resemble the Compositae, and have similar heads of flowers, but the anthers are not connected. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sweet scabious. (a) Mourning bride. (b) A daisylike plant (Erigeron annuus) having a stout branching stem. [ 1913 Webster ]