n. 1. A blowgun. Tylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A similar instrument, commonly of tin, used by boys for discharging paper wads and other light missiles. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Glassmaking) A long wrought iron tube, on the end of which the workman gathers a quantity of “metal” (melted glass), and through which he blows to expand or shape it; -- called also blowing tube, and blowpipe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bulb, n.+ tuber. ] (Bot.) A corm. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , a. [ L. contubernalis a tent companion, fr. contubernium tent companionship. ] Living or messing together; familiar; in companionship. [ 1913 Webster ]

Humble folk ben Christes friends: they ben contubernial with the Lord, thy King. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Phys.) A vacuum tube in which the exhaustion is carried to a very high degree, with the production of a distinct class of effects; -- so called from W. Crookes who introduced it. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A swelling or rising; protuberance. [ R. ] Moxon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Extuberance. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. extuberare. ] Swollen out; protuberant. [ R. ] “Extuberant lips.” Gayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ L. extuberatus, p. pr. of extuberare to swell; ex out + tuber a swelling. ] To swell out. [ Obs. ] Cockeram. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. extuberatio. ] Protuberance. [ Obs. ] Farindon. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Elec.) A glass tube provided with platinum electrodes, and containing some gas under very low tension, which becomes luminous when an electrical discharge is passed through it; -- so called from the name of a noted maker in germany. It is called also Plücker tube, from the German physicist who devised it. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Elec.) (a) A highly exhausted glass tube with metallic electrodes nearly in contact so as to exhibit the insulating effects of a vacuum. It was used by the German physicist W. Hittorf (b. 1824). (b) A Crookes tube. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Elec.) A tube for producing Lenard rays. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Bot.) A woody swelling on a tree or shrub, usually contained entirely below or just above the surface of the ground, and having buds which enable the plant to survive cutting or a fire that destroys the portion of the plant above ground. After such damage to the plant, sprouting commences from the lignotuber. [ Jeremy Lunn ]

(Hydraul.) A bent tube used to determine the velocity of running water, by placing the curved end under water, and observing the height to which the fluid rises in the tube; a kind of current meter. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ So named after Julius Plücker, a German physicist. ] (Physics) (a) A vacuum tube, used in spectrum analysis, in which the part through which the discharge takes place is a capillary tube, thus producing intense incandescence of the contained gases. (b) Crookes tube. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Cf. F. protubérance. See Protuberant. ] That which is protuberant swelled or pushed beyond the surrounding or adjacent surface; a swelling or tumor on the body; a prominence; a bunch or knob; an elevation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Solar protuberances (Astron.), certain rose-colored masses on the limb of the sun which are seen to extend beyond the edge of the moon at the time of a solar eclipse. They may be discovered with the spectroscope on any clear day. Called also solar prominences. See Illust. in Append. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Projection, Protuberance. protuberance differs from projection, being applied to parts that rise from the surface with a gradual ascent or small angle; whereas a projection may be at a right angle with the surface. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being protuberant; protuberance; prominence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. protuberans, -antis, p. pr. of protuberare. See Protuberate. ] Prominent, or excessively prominent; bulging beyond the surrounding or adjacent surface; swelling; as, a protuberant joint; a protuberant eye. -- Pro*tu"ber*ant*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

v. i. [ L. protuberare; pro forward + tuber a hump, protuberance. See Tuber. ] To swell, or be prominent, beyond the adjacent surface; to bulge out. S. Sharp. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of swelling beyond the surrounding surface. Cooke (1615). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Protuberant. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. super- + tuber. ] (Bot.) The production of young tubers, as potatoes, from the old while still growing. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Nav.) A tube fixed below or near the water line through which a torpedo is fired, usually by a small charge of gunpowder. On torpedo vessels the tubes are on deck and usually in broadside, on larger vessels usually submerged in broadside and fitted with a movable shield which is pushed out from the vessel's side to protect the torpedo until clear, but formerly sometimes in the bow. In submarine torpedo boats they are in the bow. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. (a) Having or designating teeth with three cusps or tubercles; tricuspid. (b) Pertaining to trituberculy. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Pref. tri- + L. tuberculum tubercle. ] (Zool.) A theory of the development of mammalian molar teeth. The primitive stage is that of simple cones, as in reptiles. The simple cone then developed a smaller cone in front and another behind. Next, a cingulum was developed, and the three cones became arranged in a triangle, the two smaller cusps having moved to the outer side in upper and to the inner in lower molars. This primitive triangle is called the trigon or trigonid and this stage the tritubercular or trigonodont. The trigon being a cutting apparatus, an extension of the posterior part of the crown was developed in lower molars for crushing, and a smaller corresponding part appeared in upper molars. Another large cone then arose, usually from the cingulum. In more complex forms, smaller intermediate cusps appeared. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. tubus; akin to tuba a trumpet: cf F. tube. ] 1. A hollow cylinder, of any material, used for the conveyance of fluids, and for various other purposes; a pipe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A telescope. “Glazed optic tube.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A vessel in animal bodies or plants, which conveys a fluid or other substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Bot.) The narrow, hollow part of a gamopetalous corolla. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Gun.) A priming tube, or friction primer. See under Priming, and Friction. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Steam Boilers) A small pipe forming part of the boiler, containing water and surrounded by flame or hot gases, or else surrounded by water and forming a flue for the gases to pass through. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Zool.) (a) A more or less cylindrical, and often spiral, case secreted or constructed by many annelids, crustaceans, insects, and other animals, for protection or concealment. See Illust. of Tubeworm. (b) One of the siphons of a bivalve mollusk. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Elec. Railways) A tunnel for a tube railway; also (Colloq.), a tube railway; a subway. [ Chiefly Eng. ] In the New York area, the subways running under the Hudson River are sometimes referred to as the tube. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

Capillary tube, a tube of very fine bore. See Capillary. --
Fire tube (Steam Boilers), a tube which forms a flue. --
Tube coral. (Zool.) Same as Tubipore. --
Tube foot (Zool.), one of the ambulacral suckers of an echinoderm. --
Tube plate, or
Tube sheet (Steam Boilers), a flue plate. See under Flue. --
Tube pouch (Mil.), a pouch containing priming tubes. --
Tube spinner (Zool.), any one of various species of spiders that construct tubelike webs. They belong to Tegenaria, Agelena, and allied genera. --
Water tube (Steam Boilers), a tube containing water and surrounded by flame or hot gases. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Tubed p. pr. & vb. n. Tubing. ] To furnish with a tube; as, to tube a well. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. In the form of a tube; tubular; tubiform. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) (a) Having the nostrils prolonged in the form of horny tubes along the sides of the beak; -- said of certain sea birds. (b) Belonging to the Tubinares. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.[ L., a hump. knob; probably akin to tumere to swell. Cf. Tumid. ] 1. (Bot.) (a) A fleshy, rounded stem or root, usually containing starchy matter, as the potato or arrowroot; a thickened root-stock. See Illust. of Tuberous. (b) A genus of fungi. See Truffle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) A tuberosity; a tubercle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an electrically powered railroad with tracks running through a tunnel underground; a subway. [ PJC ]

n. [ L. tuberculum, dim. of tuber: cf. F. tubercule, OF. also tubercle. See Tuber. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A small knoblike prominence or excrescence, whether natural or morbid; as, a tubercle on a plant; a tubercle on a bone; the tubercles appearing on the body in leprosy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) A small mass or aggregation of morbid matter; especially, the deposit which accompanies scrofula or phthisis. This is composed of a hard, grayish, or yellowish, translucent or opaque matter, which gradually softens, and excites suppuration in its vicinity. It is most frequently found in the lungs, causing consumption. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tubercle bacillus (Med.), a minute vegetable organism (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, formerly Bacillus tuberculosis, and also called Koch's bacillus) discovered by Koch, a German physician, in the sputum of consumptive patients and in tuberculous tissue. It is the causative agent of tuberculosis. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. Having tubercles; affected with, tubercles; tuberculate; as, a tubercled lung or stalk. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having tubercles; affected with tubercles; tubercled; tuberculate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Like a tubercle; as, a tubercular excrescence. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Med.) Characterized by the development of tubercles; as, tubercular diathesis. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. -ized p. pr. & vb. n. i-zing ] [ Tubercular + -ize. ] (Med.) To infect with tuberculosis. -- Tu*ber`cu*lar*i*za"tion n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

{ } a. [ NL. tuberculatus: cf. F. tuberculé. ] Tubercled; tubercular. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Tubercle. ] A fluid containing the products formed by the growth of the tubercle bacillus in a suitable culture medium. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hypodermic injection of tuberculin, used as a test for past or present infection with tuberculosis. It is used both for humans and cattle. In humans, a previous or acive infection with tuberculosis will cause a distinct reaction to the injection of tuberculin. The test is thus used to screen populations to discover those who may harbor an active tuberculosis infection, and more definitive tests are performed on those showing a positive reaction, to determine if the infection is active. In cattle there is little or no effect of the injection of tuberculin on healthy animals, but there is a marked rise in temperature in tuberculous animals. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. (Med.) The development of tubercles; the condition of one who is affected with tubercles. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Tuberculum + root of L. caedere to kill. ] able to kill Mycobacterum tuberculosis. [ PJC ]

n. [ Tuberculum + root of L. caedere to kill. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A special substance contained in tuberculin, supposed to be the active agent of the latter freed from various impurities. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ Tuberculum + -oid. ] (Med.) Resembling a tubercle. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. (Med.) Affected with tuberculosis. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ NL. See Tubercle. ] (Med.) A constitutional disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (also called the Tubercle bacillus), characterized by the production of tubercles in the internal organs, and especially in the lungs, where it constitutes the most common variety of pulmonary phthisis (consumption). The Mycobacteria are slow-growing and without cell walls, and are thus not affected by the beta-lactam antibiotics; treatment is difficult, usually requiring simultaneous administration of multiple antibiotics to effect a cure. Prior to availability of antibiotic treatment, the cure required extensive rest, for which special sanatoriums were constructed. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

{ } a. Having tubercles; affected with, or characterized by, tubercles; tubercular. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Med.) Pertaining to, or affected with, a tuberculosis. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n.; pl. Tubercula [ L., dim. of tuber a swelling. ] (Zool.) A tubercle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Tuber + -ferous. ] Producing or bearing tubers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. G. tuberose, F. tubéreuse, NL. Polianthes tuberosa. See Tuberous. ] (Bot.) A plant (Polianthes tuberosa) with a tuberous root and a liliaceous flower. It is much cultivated for its beautiful and fragrant white blossoms. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tuberous. [ 1913 Webster ]