n.; pl. Academies [ F. académie, L. academia. Cf. Academe. ] 1. A garden or grove near Athens (so named from the hero Academus), where Plato and his followers held their philosophical conferences; hence, the school of philosophy of which Plato was head. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An institution for the study of higher learning; a college or a university. Popularly, a school, or seminary of learning, holding a rank between a college and a common school. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A place of training; a school. “Academies of fanaticism.” Hume. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A society of learned men united for the advancement of the arts and sciences, and literature, or some particular art or science; as, the French Academy; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; academies of literature and philology. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A school or place of training in which some special art is taught; as, the military academy at West Point; a riding academy; the Academy of Music. [ 1913 Webster ]

Academy figure (Paint.), a drawing usually half life-size, in crayon or pencil, after a nude model. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a priv. + &unr_;. &unr_;. a short cloak. ] (Zool.) Not possessing a mantle; -- said of certain gastropods. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Naked; having no floral envelope, neither calyx nor corolla. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 1 filamentous or rod-shaped bacteria.
Syn. -- order Actinomycetales [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. branched gram-positive bacteria, often found in soil, some of which are pathogenic for humans and animals. some species have been found to produce metabolites which are useful in medicine. Many species of these bacteria have been isolated and extensively screened by pharmaceutical companies and university research groups for production of useful therapeutic agents. Among the agent produced by actinomycetes are tetracyclines, streptomycin, avermectin, and thienamycin [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to actinomycetes.
Syn. -- actinomycetal [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ From actinomyces, the genus of the organism in which they were first found. ] 1. any of various red antibiotics isolated from soil bacteria with a three-ring heterocyclic nucleus with an attached peptide chain. Actinomycin D is the most well-known and has been used to treat certain tumors. They act by binding to DNA and inhibiting the transcription of RNA. Their binding to DNA has been much studied.
Syn. -- actinomycin actinomycin C actinomycin F1 actinomycin D [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ From actinomyces, the genus of the organism in which they were first found. ] The most well-known of the actinomycins (C62H86N12O16), a class of antibiotics which act by binding to DNA and inhibiting synthesis of RNA; they act agains gram-positive bacteria and many eukaryotic organisma. Actinomycin D has been used in human medicine to treat certain tumors.
Syn. -- dactinomycin, actinomycin IV, Cosmegen[ trade name ], actinomycin C1, actinomycin I1 [ PJC ]

n. [ NL. ] (Med.) A chronic infectious disease of cattle and man due to infection with actinomycetes, especially by Actinomyces bovis in cattle and by Actinomyces israeli or Arachnia propionica in man. It is characterized by hard swellings usually in the mouth and jaw. In man the disease may also affect the abdomen or thorax. In cattle it is called also lumpy jaw or big jaw. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. + AS ]

adj. (Med.) Of or pertaining to actinomycosis. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. an order comprising parasites of worms.
Syn. -- order Actinomyxidia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a type of parasite of worms. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Adeno- + Gr. &unr_; a cutting, &unr_; to cut. ] (Anat.) Dissection of, or incision into, a gland or glands. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; unfettered; 'a priv. + &unr_; a fetter. ] (Bot.) The division or defective coherence of an organ that is usually entire. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Adynamia. [ R. ] Morin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; rural; as a noun, an overseer of the public lands; &unr_; field + &unr_; usage, &unr_; to deal out, manage: cf. F. agronomie. ] The management of land; rural economy; agriculture. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. alkemie, arquemie, F. alchimie, Ar. al-kīmīa, fr. late Gr. &unr_;, for &unr_;, a mingling, infusion, &unr_; juice, liquid, especially as extracted from plants, fr. &unr_; to pour; for chemistry was originally the art of extracting the juices from plants for medicinal purposes. Cf. Sp. alquimia, It. alchimia. Gr. &unr_; is prob. akin to L. fundere to pour, Goth. guitan, AS. geótan, to pour, and so to E. fuse. See Fuse, and cf. Chemistry. ] 1. An imaginary art which aimed to transmute the baser metals into gold, to find the panacea, or universal remedy for diseases, etc. It led the way to modern chemistry. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mixed metal composed mainly of brass, formerly used for various utensils; hence, a trumpet. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Miraculous power of transmuting something common into something precious. [ 1913 Webster ]

Kissing with golden face the meadows green,
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a., n., a., n. See Alchemic, Alchemist, Alchemistic, Alchemy. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. [ Gr. &unr_; other + &unr_; marriage. ] (Bot.) Fertilization of the pistil of a plant by pollen from another of the same species; cross-fertilization. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ami, fr. L. amicus. ] A friend. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'amy`elos without marrow. ] (Med.) Characterized by lack of the spinal cord. [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

‖n.; pl. -læ /plu>. [ L., an almond, fr. Gr. 'amygda`lh. See Almond. ] 1. An almond. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Anat.) (a) One of the tonsils of the pharynx. (b) One of the rounded prominences of the lower surface of the lateral hemispheres of the cerebellum, each side of the vallecula. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. (Bot.) Akin to, or derived from, the almond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Med.) An emulsion made of almonds; milk of almonds. Bailey. Coxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Chem.) A salt of amygdalic acid. Called also mandelate. [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

a. [ L. amygdala, amygdalum, almond, Gr. 'amygda`lh, 'amy`gdalon. See Almond. ] Pertaining to, resembling, or made of, almonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to almonds; derived from amygdalin; as, amygdalic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) An organic acid (C6H5.CH(OH).COOH) extracted from bitter almonds; called also mandelic acid and α-Hydroxybenzeneacetic acid. [ PJC ]

a. [ L. amygdalum almond + -ferous. ] Almond-bearing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A glucoside extracted from bitter almonds as a white, crystalline substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. amygdalinus. ] Of, pertaining to, or resembling, almonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; almond + -oid: cf. F. amygdaloïde. ] (Min.) A variety of trap or basaltic rock, containing small cavities, occupied, wholly or in part, by nodules or geodes of different minerals, esp. agates, quartz, calcite, and the zeolites. When the imbedded minerals are detached or removed by decomposition, it is porous, like lava. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. 1. Almond-shaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to, or having the nature of, the rock amygdaloid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. amylum starch + -yl. Cf. Amidin. ] (Chem.) A univalent hydrocarbon radical, C5H11, of the paraffine series found in amyl alcohol or fusel oil, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. amylum starch, Gr. &unr_;. See Amidin. ] Pertaining to starch; of the nature of starch; starchy. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Org. Chem.) Any of eight isomeric liquid alcohols (C5H11.OH), transparent, colorless liquids. It is the hydroxide of amyl. Also called amylic alcohol. The amyl alcohol obtained from fusel oil is mostly isoamyl alcohol (3-methyl-1-butanol or 1-hydroxy-3-methylbutane), with some sec-amyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-butanol or 2-pentanol), and has a characteristic peculiar odor. Other than n-amyl alcohol (also called 1-pentanol) the other isomeric pentanols are not usually refered to as amyl alcohol. The amyl alcohol mixture in fusel oil forms a colorless liquid with a peculiar cough-exciting odor and burning taste. It is used as a source of amyl compounds, such as amyl acetate, amyl nitrite, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. (Chem.) A compound of the radical amyl with oxygen and a positive atom or radical. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) One of a group of metameric hydrocarbons, C5H10, of the ethylene series. The colorless, volatile, mobile liquid commonly called amylene is a mixture of different members of the group. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, amyl; as, amylic ether. [ 1913 Webster ]

Amylic alcohol (Chem.), same as amyl alcohol. --
Amylic fermentation (Chem.), a process of fermentation in starch or sugar in which amyl alcohol is produced. Gregory. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A yellowish oily volatile liquid, C5H11NO2, used in medicine as a heart stimulant and a vasodilator. The inhalation of its vapor instantly produces flushing of the face. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. amylum starch + NL. bacterium. See Bacterium. ] (Biol.) A microörganism (Bacillus amylobacter) which develops in vegetable tissue during putrefaction. Sternberg. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Amylum + -gen. ] (Chem.) That part of the starch granule or granulose which is soluble in water. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Amylum + genesis. ] The formation of starch. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to amylogen. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. Forming starch; -- applied specif. to leucoplasts. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } a. [ L. amylum starch + -oid. ] Resembling or containing starch; starchlike. AS
Syn. -- starchlike, amylaceous [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A starchlike substance. [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

2. (Med.) Any of a group of diverse starchlike glycoproteins deposited in the organs under some pathological conditions, such as amyloidosis; they are composed of linear nonbranching fibrils when viewed under the electron microscope. Stedman 25 [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

Amyloid degeneration (Med.), Same as amyloidosis; -- called also waxy degeneration or lardaceous degeneration. [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

n. (Med.) A disorder characterized by deposit of extracellular amyloid{ 2 } in organs or tissues in an amount that interferes with normal function of the affected organ; it is often secondary to chronic rheumatoid arthritis or tuberculosis or multiple myeloma. Called also amyloid degeneration waxy degeneration and lardaceous degeneration. [ WordNet 1.5 + AS ]

n. [ Amylum + Gr. ly`sis a loosing. ] (Chem.) The conversion of starch into soluble products, as dextrins and sugar, esp. by the action of enzymes. -- Am`y*lo*lyt"ic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; starch + &unr_; solvent; &unr_; to dissolve. ] (Physiol.) Effecting the conversion of starch into soluble dextrin and sugar; as, an amylolytic ferment. Foster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Amylum + -meter. ] Instrument for determining the amount of starch in a substance. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ Amylum + -plastic. ] Starch-forming; amylogenic. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]