adj. 1. stimulating or acting on the adrenal cortex [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a growth hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland; it stimulates the adrenal cortex.
Syn. -- adrenocorticotropic hormone, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, adrenocorticotrophin, corticotropin, corticotrophin, ACTH [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; changeful + &unr_; a turning, &unr_; to turn. ] (Physics) Exhibiting differences of quality or property in different directions; having properties with different values along different axes; not isotropic. In specialized contexts, synonymous with anisotropic. [ Also spelled eolotropic. ] Sir W. Thomson.
Syn. -- [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Physics) Difference of quality or property in different directions. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. 'a`llos other + trophic. ] (a) (Physiol.) Changed or modified in nutritive power by the process of digestion. (b) (Plant Physiol.) Dependent upon other organisms for nutrition; heterotrophic; -- said of plants unable to perform photosynthesis, as all saprophytes; -- opposed to autotrophic. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } a. [ Cf. F. allotropique. ] Of or pertaining to allotropism. -- Al`lo*trop"ic*al*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

Allotropic state, the several conditions which occur in a case of allotropism. [1913 Webster]

n. Allotropic property or nature. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To change in physical properties but not in substance. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Gr. &unr_; other + direction, way, &unr_; to turn: cf. F. allotropie. ] (Chem.) The property of existing in two or more conditions which are distinct in their physical or chemical relations. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Thus, carbon occurs crystallized in octahedrons and other related forms, in a state of extreme hardness, in the diamond; it occurs in hexagonal forms, and of little hardness, in black lead; and again occurs in a third form, with entire softness, in lampblack and charcoal. In some cases, one of these is peculiarly an active state, and the other a passive one. Thus, ozone is an active state of oxygen, and is distinct from ordinary oxygen, which is the element in its passive state. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Gr. 'a`metros irregular + 'w`ps, 'wpo`s, eye. ] (Med.) A visual impairment resulting from faulty refraction of light rays in the eye. Subtypes include myopia astigmatism and hyperopia. -- Am`e*trop"ic a. AS [1913 Webster +PJC]

adj. Of or pertaining to ametropia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } a. [ Gr. 'amfi` + tre`pein to turn. ] (Bot.) Having the ovule inverted, but with the attachment near the middle of one side; half anatropous. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to turn up or back; 'ana` + &unr_; to turn. ] (Rhet. & Gram.) An inversion of the natural order of words; as, echoed the hills, for, the hills echoed. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_; up + &unr_; to turn. ] (Bot.) Having the ovule inverted at an early period in its development, so that the chalaza is as the apparent apex; -- opposed to orthotropous. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; + &unr_; measure + &unr_;, &unr_;, eye. ] Unequal refractive power in the two eyes. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_; unequal + &unr_; a turning, &unr_; to turn. ] (Physics) Not isotropic; having different properties in different directions; thus, crystals of the isometric system are optically isotropic, but all other crystals are anisotropic. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Anisotropic. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to turn to the opposite side; 'anti` against + &unr_; to turn. See Strophe. ] 1. In Greek choruses and dances, the returning of the chorus, exactly answering to a previous strophe or movement from right to left. Hence: The lines of this part of the choral song. [ 1913 Webster ]

It was customary, on some occasions, to dance round the altars whilst they sang the sacred hymns, which consisted of three stanzas or parts; the first of which, called strophe, was sung in turning from east to west; the other, named antistrophe, in returning from west to east; then they stood before the altar, and sang the epode, which was the last part of the song. Abp. Potter. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Rhet.) (a) The repetition of words in an inverse order; as, the master of the servant and the servant of the master. (b) The retort or turning of an adversary's plea against him. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;. ] Of or pertaining to an antistrophe. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Gr. &unr_; turned opposite ways. ] (Rhet.) An argument retorted on an opponent. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Pref. anti- + Gr. &unr_; turn, &unr_; to turn. ] (Bot.) At the extremity most remote from the hilum, as the embryo, or inverted with respect to the seed, as the radicle. Lindley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_; + &unr_; sun + &unr_; belonging to a turning. ] Turning away from the sun; -- said of leaves, etc. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The habit of bending from the sunlight; -- said of certain plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. apo- + Gr. &unr_; earth + &unr_; turning. ] (Bot.) Bending away from the ground; -- said of leaves, etc. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The apogeotropic tendency of some leaves, and other parts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ (1) L., fr. Gr. &unr_; a turning away, fr. &unr_; to turn away; &unr_; from + &unr_; to turn. (2) F., fr. L. apostrophus apostrophe, the turning away or omitting of a letter, Gr. &unr_;. ] 1. (Rhet.) A figure of speech by which the orator or writer suddenly breaks off from the previous method of his discourse, and addresses, in the second person, some person or thing, absent or present; as, Milton's apostrophe to Light at the beginning of the third book of “Paradise Lost.” [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gram.) The contraction of a word by the omission of a letter or letters, which omission is marked by the character [ ' ] placed where the letter or letters would have been; as, call'd for called. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The mark [ ' ] used to denote that a word is contracted (as in ne'er for never, can't for can not), and as a sign of the possessive, singular and plural; as, a boy's hat, boys' hats. In the latter use it originally marked the omission of the letter e. [ 1913 Webster ]

The apostrophe is used to mark the plural of figures and letters; as, two 10's and three a's. It is also employed to mark the close of a quotation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to an apostrophe, grammatical or rhetorical. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t., [ imp. & p. p. Apostrophized p. pr. & vb. n. Apostrophizing. ] 1. To address by apostrophe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To contract by omitting a letter or letters; also, to mark with an apostrophe (') or apostrophes. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To use the rhetorical figure called apostrophe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. 'apotro`paios averting evil. ] Intended to protect from evil. [ PJC ]

n. See Astrofel. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Astro- + photography. ] The application of photography to the delineation of the sun, moon, and stars. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. astro- + photometer. ] (Astron.) A photometer for measuring the brightness of stars. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Astron.) The determination of the brightness of stars, and also of the sun, moon, and planets. -- As`tro*pho`to*met"ric*al a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

a. Pertaining to the physics of astronomical science. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. an astronomer who studies the physical properties of celestial bodies. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Astro- + physics. ] (Astron.) The science treating of the physical characteristics of the stars and other heavenly bodies, their chemical constitution, light, heat, atmospheres, etc. It is a branch of astronomy. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Its observations were traditionally made with the spectroscope, bolometer, etc., usually in connection with the telescope. In modern times, radiotelescopes, infrared telescopes, X-ray and gamma ray detectors and neutrino detection equipment located deep underground are all put into service to observe and test theories about astronomical phenomena. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. 1. the concerned with the physical and chemical properties of celestial bodies. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ Astro- + Gr. fyton a plant. ] (Zool.) A genus of ophiurans having the arms much branched. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a genus of plants of the nightshade family, including the belladonna (Atropa belladonna).
Syn. -- genus Atropa. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Relating to atrophy. [ 1913 Webster ]

p. a. Affected with atrophy, as a tissue or organ; arrested in development at a very early stage; rudimentary. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. atrophia, Gr. &unr_;; 'a priv. + &unr_; to nourish: cf. F. atrophie. ] A wasting away from lack of nourishment; diminution in bulk or slow emaciation of the body or of any part. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ p. p. Atrophied ] To cause to waste away or become abortive; to starve or weaken. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To waste away; to dwindle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Atropine. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; inflexible; hence &unr_; &unr_;, one of the three Parcæ; 'a priv. + &unr_; to turn. ] (Chem.) A poisonous, white, crystallizable alkaloid, extracted from the Atropa belladonna, or deadly nightshade, and the Datura Stramonium, or thorn apple. It is remarkable for its power in dilating the pupil of the eye. Called also daturine. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) A condition of the system produced by long use of belladonna. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Gr. &unr_;; 'a priv. + &unr_; to turn. ] (Bot.) Not inverted; orthotropous. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an organism which is autotrophic, i. e., an organism (such as most plants and certain microorganisms) which are capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances, requiring only minerals as nutrients for growth, and using carbonate or carbon dioxide as a source of carbon and simple inorganic nitrogen as a nitrogen source; the energy required is derived from photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Opposed to heterotroph. See also auxotroph.
Syn. -- autophyte, autophytic plant, autotrophic organism. [ WordNet 1.5 + PJC ]