Part 14

Tent bed, a high-post bedstead curtained with a tentlike canopy. — Tent caterpillar (Zoöl.), any one of several species of gregarious caterpillars which construct on trees large silken webs into which they retreat when at rest. Some of the species are very destructive to fruit trees. The most common American species is the larva of a bombycid moth (Clisiocampa Americana). Called also lackery caterpillar, and webworm.

Tent, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Tented; p. pr. & vb. n. Tenting.] To lodge as a tent; to tabernacle. Shak.

We 're tenting to-night on the old camp ground.

W. Kittredge.

Ten"ta*cle (?), n. [NL. tentaculum, from L. tentare to handle, feel: cf. F. tentacule. See Tempt.] (Zoöl.) A more or less elongated process or organ, simple or branched, proceeding from the head or cephalic region of invertebrate animals, being either an organ of sense, prehension, or motion.

Tentacle sheath (Zoöl.), a sheathlike structure around the base of the tentacles of many mollusks.

Ten"ta*cled (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having tentacles.

Ten*tac"u*lar (?), a. [Cf. F. tentaculaire.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to a tentacle or tentacles.

||Ten*tac`u*la"ta (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) A division of Ctenophora ||including those which have two long tentacles. || { Ten*tac"u*late (?), Ten*tac"u*la`ted (?), } a. (Zoöl.) Having tentacles, or organs like tentacles; tentacled.

||Ten`ta*cu*lif"e*ra (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) Same as Suctoria, 1. || Ten`ta*cu*lif"er*ous (?), a. [Tentaculum + -ferous.] (Zoöl.) Producing or bearing tentacles.

Ten`ta*cu"li*form (?), a. (Zoöl.) Shaped like a tentacle.

Ten*tac"u*lite (?), n. (Paleon.) Any one of numerous species of small, conical fossil shells found in Paleozoic rocks. They are supposed to be pteropods.

Ten*tac"u*lo*cyst (?), n. [Tentaculum + cyst.] (Zoöl.) One of the auditory organs of certain medusæ; — called also auditory tentacle.

||Ten*tac"u*lum (?), n.; pl. Tentacula (#). [NL. See Tentacle.] 1. ||(Zoöl.) A tentacle. || 2. (Anat.) One of the stiff hairs situated about the mouth, or on the face, of many animals, and supposed to be tactile organs; a tactile hair.

Tent"age (?), n. [From Tent a pavilion.] A collection of tents; an encampment. [Obs.] Drayton.

Ten*ta"tion (?), n. [L. tentatio: cf. F. tentation. See Temptation.] 1. Trial; temptation. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

2. (Mech.) A mode of adjusting or operating by repeated trials or experiments. Knight.

Ten*ta"tive (?), a. [L. tentare to try: cf. F. tentatif. See Tempt.] Of or pertaining to a trial or trials; essaying; experimental. "A slow, tentative manner." Carlyle. — Ten*ta"tive*ly, adv.

Ten*ta"tive, n. [Cf. F. tentative.] An essay; a trial; an experiment. Berkley.

Tent"ed (?), a. Covered with tents.

Ten"ter (?), n. 1. One who takes care of, or tends, machines in a factory; a kind of assistant foreman.

2. (Mach.) A kind of governor.

Ten"ter, n. [OE. tenture, tentoure, OF. tenture a stretching, spreading, F. tenture hangings, tapestry, from L. tendere, tentum, to stretch. See Tend to move.] A machine or frame for stretching cloth by means of hooks, called tenter-hooks, so that it may dry even and square.

Tenter ground, a place where tenters are erected. — Tenter-hook, a sharp, hooked nail used for fastening cloth on a tenter. — To be on the tenters, or on the tenter-hooks, to be on the stretch; to be in distress, uneasiness, or suspense. Hudibras.

Ten"ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Tentered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tentering.] To admit extension.

Woolen cloth will tenter, linen scarcely.

Bacon.

Ten"ter, v. t. To hang or stretch on, or as on, tenters.

Tent"ful (?), n.; pl. Tentfuls (&?;). As much, or as many, as a tent will hold.

Tenth (?), a. [From Ten: cf. OE. tethe, AS. teó&?;a. See Ten, and cf. Tithe.] 1. Next in order after the ninth; coming after nine others.

2. Constituting or being one of ten equal parts into which anything is divided.

Tenth (?), n. 1. The next in order after the ninth; one coming after nine others.

2. The quotient of a unit divided by ten; one of ten equal parts into which anything is divided.

3. The tenth part of annual produce, income, increase, or the like; a tithe. Shak.

4. (Mus.) The interval between any tone and the tone represented on the tenth degree of the staff above it, as between one of the scale and three of the octave above; the octave of the third.

5. pl. (Eng. Law) (a) A temporary aid issuing out of personal property, and granted to the king by Parliament; formerly, the real tenth part of all the movables belonging to the subject. (b) (Eccl. Law) The tenth part of the annual profit of every living in the kingdom, formerly paid to the pope, but afterward transferred to the crown. It now forms a part of the fund called Queen Anne's Bounty. Burrill.

Tenth"ly, adv. In a tenth manner.

{ Tenth"me`ter, Tenth"me`tre } (?), n. (Physics) A unit for the measurement of many small lengths, such that 1010 of these units make one meter; the ten millionth part of a millimeter.

||Ten`thre*din"i*des (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a kind of wasp.] ||(Zoöl.) A group of Hymneoptera comprising the sawflies. || Ten"tif (?), a. Attentive. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ten"tif*ly, adv. Attentively. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ten*tig"i*nous (?), a. [L. tentigo, -inis, a tension, lecherousness, fr. tendere, tentum, to stretch.] 1. Stiff; stretched; strained. [Obs.] Johnson.

2. Lustful, or pertaining to lust. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Tent"mak`er (?), n. One whose occupation it is to make tents. Acts xviii. 3.

||Ten*to"ri*um (?), n. [L., a tent.] (Anat.) A fold of the dura mater ||which separates the cerebellum from the cerebrum and often incloses a ||process or plate of the skull called the bony tentorium. || Tent"o*ry (?), n. [L. tentorium a tent.] The awning or covering of a tent. [Obs.] Evelyn.

Tent"wort` (?), n. (Bot.) A kind of small fern, the wall rue. See under Wall.

Ten"u*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tenuated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tenuating.] [L. tenuatus, p. p. of tenuare to make thin, fr. tenuis thin. See Tenuous.] To make thin; to attenuate. [R.]

Ten`u*i*fo"li*ous (?), a. [L. tenuis thin + folium a leaf.] (Bot.) Having thin or narrow leaves.

Te*nu"i*ous (?), a. [See Tenuous.] Rare or subtile; tenuous; — opposed to dense. [Obs.] Glanvill.

Ten`u*i*ros"ter (?), n.; pl. Tenuirosters (#). [NL., fr. L. tenuis thin + rostrum a beak.] (Zoöl.) One of the Tenuirostres.

Ten`u*i*ros"tral (?), a. (Zoöl.) Thin-billed; — applied to birds with a slender bill, as the humming birds.

||Ten`u*i*ros"tres (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) An artificial group of ||passerine birds having slender bills, as the humming birds. || ||Ten"u*is (?), n.; pl. Tenues (#). [NL., fr. L. tenuis fine, thin. See ||Tenuous.] (Gr. Gram.) One of the three surd mutes κ, π, τ; — so ||called in relation to their respective middle letters, or medials, γ, ||β, δ, and their aspirates, χ, φ, θ. The term is also applied to the ||corresponding letters and articulate elements in other languages. || Te*nu"i*ty (?), n. [L. tenuitas, from tenuis thin: cf. F. ténuité. See Tenuous.] 1. The quality or state of being tenuous; thinness, applied to a broad substance; slenderness, applied to anything that is long; as, the tenuity of a leaf; the tenuity of a hair.

2. Rarily; rareness; thinness, as of a fluid; as, the tenuity of the air; the tenuity of the blood. Bacon.

3. Poverty; indigence. [Obs.] Eikon Basilike.

4. Refinement; delicacy.

Ten"u*ous (?), a. [L. tenuis thin. See Thin, and cf. Tenuis.] 1. Thin; slender; small; minute.

2. Rare; subtile; not dense; — said of fluids.

Ten"ure (?), n. [F. tenure, OF. teneure, fr. F. tenir to hold. See Tenable.] 1. The act or right of holding, as property, especially real estate.

That the tenure of estates might rest on equity, the Indian title to lands was in all cases to be quieted.

Bancroft.

2. (Eng. Law) The manner of holding lands and tenements of a superior.

Tenure is inseparable from the idea of property in land, according to the theory of the English law; and this idea of tenure pervades, to a considerable extent, the law of real property in the United States, where the title to land is essentially allodial, and almost all lands are held in fee simple, not of a superior, but the whole right and title to the property being vested in the owner. Tenure, in general, then, is the particular manner of holding real estate, as by exclusive title or ownership, by fee simple, by fee tail, by courtesy, in dower, by copyhold, by lease, at will, etc.

3. The consideration, condition, or service which the occupier of land gives to his lord or superior for the use of his land.

4. Manner of holding, in general; as, in absolute governments, men hold their rights by a precarious tenure.

All that seems thine own, Held by the tenure of his will alone.

Cowper.

Tenure by fee alms. (Law) See Frankalmoigne.

Te`o*cal"li (?), n.; pl. Teocallis (#). [Mexican.] Literally, God's house; a temple, usually of pyramidal form, such as were built by the aborigines of Mexico, Yucatan, etc.

And Aztec priests upon their teocallis Beat the wild war-drums made of serpent's skin.

Longfellow.

Te`o*sin"te (?), n. (Bot.) A large grass (Euchlæna luxurians) closely related to maize. It is native of Mexico and Central America, but is now cultivated for fodder in the Southern United States and in many warm countries. Called also Guatemala grass.

Tep"al (?), n. [F. tépale, fr. pétale, by transposition.] (Bot.) A division of a perianth. [R.]

Tep*ee" (?), n. An Indian wigwam or tent.

Tep`e*fac"tion (?), n. Act of tepefying.

Tep"e*fy (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Tepefied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tepefying (?).] [L. tepere to be tepid + -fy; cf. L. tepefacere. See Tepid.] To make or become tepid, or moderately warm. Goldsmith.

Teph"ra*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. &?; ashes + - mancy.] Divination by the ashes of the altar on which a victim had been consumed in sacrifice.

Teph"rite (?), n. [Gr. &?; ashes.] (Geol.) An igneous rock consisting essentially of plagioclase and either leucite or nephelite, or both.

Teph"ro*ite (?), n. [See Tephrosia.] (Min.) A silicate of manganese of an ash-gray color.

||Te*phro"si*a (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; ash- colored, from &?; ashes.] ||(Bot.) A genus of leguminous shrubby plants and herbs, mostly found ||in tropical countries, a few herbaceous species being North American. ||The foliage is often ashy-pubescent, whence the name. || The Tephrosia toxicaria is used in the West Indies and in Polynesia for stupefying fish. T. purpurea is used medicinally in the East Indies. T. Virginia is the goat's rue of the United States.

Tep"id (?), a. [L. tepidus, fr. tepere to be warm; akin to Skr. tap to be warm, tapas heat.] Moderately warm; lukewarm; as, a tepid bath; tepid rays; tepid vapors. — Tep"id*ness, n.

Te*pid"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. tépidité.] The quality or state of being tepid; moderate warmth; lukewarmness; tepidness. Jer. Taylor.

Te"por (?), n. [L., fr. tepere to be tepid.] Gentle heat; moderate warmth; tepidness. Arbuthnot.

Te*qui"la (?), n. An intoxicating liquor made from the maguey in the district of Tequila, Mexico.

Ter- (?). A combining form from L. ter signifying three times, thrice. See Tri-, 2.

Ter`a*con"ic (?), a. [Terebic + citraconic.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained by the distillation of terebic acid, and homologous with citraconic acid.

Ter`a*cryl"ic (?), a. [Terpene + acrylic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid of the acrylic series, obtained by the distillation of terpenylic acid, as an only substance having a peculiar cheesy odor.

Ter"aph (?), n.; pl. Teraphs (&?;). See Teraphim.

Ter"a*phim (?), n. pl. [Heb. terphm.] Images connected with the magical rites used by those Israelites who added corrupt practices to the patriarchal religion. Teraphim were consulted by the Israelites for oracular answers. Dr. W. Smith (Bib. Dict.).

Ter"a*pin (?), n. (Zoöl.) See Terrapin.

Te*rat"ic*al (?), a. [Gr. &?; a wonder.] Wonderful; ominous; prodigious. [Obs.] Wollaston.

Ter`a*tog"e*ny (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, a wonder, monster + the root of &?; to be born.] (Med.) The formation of monsters.

Ter"a*toid (?), a. [Gr. &?;, &?;, monster + -oid.] Resembling a monster; abnormal; of a pathological growth, exceedingly complex or highly organized. S. D. Gross.

Ter`a*to*log"ic*al (?), a. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to teratology; as, teratological changes.

Ter`a*tol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, a wonder, monster + -logy: cf. Gr. &?; a telling of wonders, and F. tératologie.] 1. That branch of biological science which treats of monstrosities, malformations, or deviations from the normal type of structure, either in plants or animals.

2. Affectation of sublimity; bombast. [Obs.] Bailey.

Ter`a*to"ma (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, &?;, monster + -oma.] (Med.) A tumor, sometimes found in newborn children, which is made up of a heterigenous mixture of tissues, as of bone, cartilage and muscle.

Ter"bic (?), a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or containing, terbium; also, designating certain of its compounds.

Ter"bi*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Ytterby, in Sweden. See Erbium.] (Chem.) A rare metallic element, of uncertain identification, supposed to exist in certain minerals, as gadolinite and samarskite, with other rare ytterbium earth. Symbol Tr or Tb. Atomic weight 150.

Terce (?), n. See Tierce.

Ter"cel (?), n. See Tiercel. Called also tarsel, tassel. Chaucer.

Terce"let (?), n. (Zoöl.) A male hawk or eagle; a tiercelet. Chaucer.

Ter"cel*lene (?), n. (Zoöl.) A small male hawk. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Ter*cen"te*na*ry (?), a. [L. ter thirce + E. centenary.] Including, or relating to, an interval of three hundred years. — n. The three hundredth anniversary of any event; also, a celebration of such an anniversary.

Ter"cet (?), n. [F., fr. It. terzetto, dim. of terzo, third, L. tertius. See Tierce, and cf. Terzetto.] 1. (Mus.) A triplet. Hiles.

2. (Poetry) A triplet; a group of three lines.

Ter"cine (?), n. [F., from L. tertius the third.] (Bot.) A cellular layer derived from the nucleus of an ovule and surrounding the embryo sac. Cf. Quintine.

Ter"e*bate (?), n. A salt of terebic acid.

Ter"e*bene (?), n. (Chem.) A polymeric modification of terpene, obtained as a white crystalline camphorlike substance; — called also camphene. By extension, any one of a group of related substances.

<! p. 1487 !>

Ter`e*ben"thene (?), n. (Chem.) Oil of turpentine. See Turpentine.

Te*reb"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or obtained from, terbenthene (oil of turpentine); specifically, designating an acid, C7H10O4, obtained by the oxidation of terbenthene with nitric acid, as a white crystalline substance.

Ter`e*bi*len"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a complex acid, C7H8O4, obtained as a white crystalline substance by a modified oxidation of terebic acid.

Ter"e*binth (?), n. [L. terbinthus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. térébinthe. Cf. Turpentine.] (Bot.) The turpentine tree.

Ter`e*bin"thic (?), a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to turpentine; resembling turpentine; terbinthine; as, terbinthic qualities.

Ter`e*bin"thi*nate (?), a. Impregnating with the qualities of turpentine; terbinthine.

Ter`e*bin"thine (?), a. [L. terbinthinus, Gr. &?;.] Of or pertaining to turpentine; consisting of turpentine, or partaking of its qualities.

||Ter"e*bra (?), n.; pl. E. Terebras (#), L. Terebræ (#). [L., a ||borer.] 1. (Zoöl.) A genus of marine gastropods having a long, ||tapering spire. They belong to the Toxoglossa. Called also auger ||shell. || 2. (Zoöl.) The boring ovipositor of a hymenopterous insect.

Ter"e*brant (?), a. [L. terebrans, -antis, p. pr.] (Zoöl.) Boring, or adapted for boring; — said of certain Hymenoptera, as the sawflies.

||Ter`e*bran"ti*a (?), n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) A division of Hymenoptera ||including those which have an ovipositor adapted for perforating ||plants. It includes the sawflies. || Ter"e*brate (?), v. t. [L. terebratus, p. p. of terebrare, from terebra a borer, terere to rub.] To perforate; to bore; to pierce. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Ter"e*bra`ting (?), a. 1. (Zoöl.) Boring; perforating; — applied to molluskas which form holes in rocks, wood, etc.

2. (Med.) Boring; piercing; — applied to certain kinds of pain, especially to those of locomotor ataxia.

Ter`e*bra"tion (?), n. [L. terebratio.] The act of terebrating, or boring. [R.] Bacon.

||Ter`e*brat"u*la (?), n.; pl. Terebratulæ (#). [Nl., dim. fr. ||terebratus, p. p., perforated.] (Zoöl.) A genus of brachiopods which ||includes many living and some fossil species. The larger valve has a ||perforated beak, through which projects a short peduncle for ||attachment. Called also lamp shell. || Ter`e*brat"u*lid (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any species of Terebratula or allied genera. Used also adjectively.

Ter`e*bra*tu"li*form (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having the general form of a terebratula shell.

Ter"e*dine (?), n. [F. térédine.] (Zoöl.) A borer; the teredo.

Te*re"do (?), n.; pl. E. Teredos (#), L. Teredines (#). [L., a worm that gnaws wood, clothes, etc.; akin to Gr. &?;, L. terere to rub.] (Zoöl.) A genus of long, slender, wormlike bivalve mollusks which bore into submerged wood, such as the piles of wharves, bottoms of ships, etc.; — called also shipworm. See Shipworm. See Illust. in App.

Ter*eph"tha*late (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of terephthalic acid.

Ter`eph*thal"ic (?), a. [Terebene + phthalic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a dibasic acid of the aromatic series, metameric with phthalic acid, and obtained, as a tasteless white crystalline powder, by the oxidation of oil of turpentine; — called also paraphthalic acid. Cf. Phthalic.

Ter"et (?), a. Round; terete. [Obs.] Fotherby.

Te*rete" (?), a. [L. teres, - etis, rounded off, properly, rubbed off, fr. terere to rub.] Cylindrical and slightly tapering; columnar, as some stems of plants.

Te*re"tial (?), a. [See Terete.] (Anat.) Rounded; as, the teretial tracts in the floor of the fourth ventricle of the brain of some fishes. Owen.

Ter"e*tous (?), a. Terete. [Obs.]

Ter"gal (?), a. [L. tergum the back.] (Anat. & Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to back, or tergum. See Dorsal.

Ter"gant (?), a. (Her.) Showing the back; as, the eagle tergant. [Written also tergiant.]

{ Ter*gem"i*nal (?), Ter*gem"i*nate (?), } a. [See Tergeminous.] (Bot.) Thrice twin; having three pairs of leaflets.

Ter*gem"i*nous (?), a. [L. tergeminus; ter thrice + geminus doubled at birth, twin-born. Cf. Trigeminous.] Threefold; thrice-paired. Blount.

Ter*gif"er*ous (?), a. [L. tergum the back + -ferous.] Carrying or bearing upon the back.

Tergiferous plants (Bot.), plants which bear their seeds on the back of their leaves, as ferns.

Ter"gite (?), n. (Zoöl.) The dorsal portion of an arthromere or somite of an articulate animal. See Illust. under Coleoptera.

Ter"gi*ver*sate (?), v. i. [L. tergiversatus, p. p. of tergiversari to turn one's back, to shift; tergum back + versare, freq. of vertere to turn. See Verse.] To shift; to practice evasion; to use subterfuges; to shuffle. [R.] Bailey.

Ter`gi*ver*sa"tion (?), n. [L. tergiversario: cf. F. tergiversation.] 1. The act of tergiversating; a shifting; shift; subterfuge; evasion.

Writing is to be preferred before verbal conferences, as being freer from passions and tergiversations.

Abp. Bramhall.

2. Fickleness of conduct; inconstancy; change.

The colonel, after all his tergiversations, lost his life in the king's service.

Clarendon.

Ter"gi*ver*sa`tor (?), n. [L.] One who tergiversates; one who suffles, or practices evasion.

||Ter"gum (?), n.; pl. Terga (#). [L., the back.] (Zoöl.) (a) The back ||of an animal. (b) The dorsal piece of a somite of an articulate ||animal. (c) One of the dorsal plates of the operculum of a cirriped. || Te"rin (?), n. [F. tarin, Prov. F. tairin, térin, probably from the Picard tère tender.] (Zoöl.) A small yellow singing bird, with an ash-colored head; the European siskin. Called also tarin.

Term (?), n. [F. terme, L. termen, -inis, terminus, a boundary limit, end; akin to Gr. &?;, &?;. See Thrum a tuft, and cf. Terminus, Determine, Exterminate.] 1. That which limits the extent of anything; limit; extremity; bound; boundary.

Corruption is a reciprocal to generation, and they two are as nature's two terms, or boundaries.

Bacon.

2. The time for which anything lasts; any limited time; as, a term of five years; the term of life.

3. In universities, schools, etc., a definite continuous period during which instruction is regularly given to students; as, the school year is divided into three terms.

4. (Geom.) A point, line, or superficies, that limits; as, a line is the term of a superficies, and a superficies is the term of a solid.

5. (Law) A fixed period of time; a prescribed duration; as: (a) The limitation of an estate; or rather, the whole time for which an estate is granted, as for the term of a life or lives, or for a term of years. (b) A space of time granted to a debtor for discharging his obligation. (c) The time in which a court is held or is open for the trial of causes. Bouvier.

In England, there were formerly four terms in the year, during which the superior courts were open: Hilary term, beginning on the 11th and ending on the 31st of January; Easter term, beginning on the 15th of April, and ending on the 8th of May; Trinity term, beginning on the 22d day of May, and ending on the 12th of June; Michaelmas term, beginning on the 2d and ending on the 25th day of November. The rest of the year was called vacation. But this division has been practically abolished by the Judicature Acts of 1873, 1875, which provide for the more convenient arrangement of the terms and vacations. In the United States, the terms to be observed by the tribunals of justice are prescribed by the statutes of Congress and of the several States.

6. (Logic) The subject or the predicate of a proposition; one of the three component parts of a syllogism, each one of which is used twice.

The subject and predicate of a proposition are, after Aristotle, together called its terms or extremes.

Sir W. Hamilton.

The predicate of the conclusion is called the major term, because it is the most general, and the subject of the conclusion is called the minor term, because it is less general. These are called the extermes; and the third term, introduced as a common measure between them, is called the mean or middle term. Thus in the following syllogism, —

Every vegetable is combustible; Every tree is a vegetable; Therefore every tree is combustible, -

combustible, the predicate of the conclusion, is the major term; tree is the minor term; vegetable is the middle term.

7. A word or expression; specifically, one that has a precisely limited meaning in certain relations and uses, or is peculiar to a science, art, profession, or the like; as, a technical term. "Terms quaint of law." Chaucer.

In painting, the greatest beauties can not always be expressed for want of terms.

Dryden.

8. (Arch.) A quadrangular pillar, adorned on the top with the figure of a head, as of a man, woman, or satyr; — called also terminal figure. See Terminus, n., 2 and 3.

The pillar part frequently tapers downward, or is narrowest at the base. Terms rudely carved were formerly used for landmarks or boundaries. Gwilt.

9. (Alg.) A member of a compound quantity; as, a or b in a + b; ab or cd in ab - cd.

10. pl. (Med.) The menses.

11. pl. (Law) Propositions or promises, as in contracts, which, when assented to or accepted by another, settle the contract and bind the parties; conditions.

12. (Law) In Scotland, the time fixed for the payment of rents.

Terms legal and conventional in Scotland correspond to quarter days in England and Ireland. There are two legal terms — Whitsunday, May 15, and Martinmas, Nov. 11; and two conventional terms — Candlemas, Feb. 2, and Lammas day, Aug. 1. Mozley & W.

13. (Naut.) A piece of carved work placed under each end of the taffrail. J. Knowels.

In term, in set terms; in formal phrase. [Obs.]

I can not speak in term.

Chaucer.