from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Weight \Weight\, n. [OE. weght, wight, AS. gewiht; akin to D.
gewigt, G. gewicht, Icel. v[ae]tt, Sw. vigt, Dan. v[ae]gt.
See {Weigh}, v. t.]
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1. The quality of being heavy; that property of bodies by
which they tend toward the center of the earth; the effect
of gravitative force, especially when expressed in certain
units or standards, as pounds, grams, etc.
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Note: Weight differs from gravity in being the effect of
gravity, or the downward pressure of a body under the
influence of gravity; hence, it constitutes a measure
of the force of gravity, and being the resultant of all
the forces exerted by gravity upon the different
particles of the body, it is proportional to the
quantity of matter in the body.
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2. The quantity of heaviness; comparative tendency to the
center of the earth; the quantity of matter as estimated
by the balance, or expressed numerically with reference to
some standard unit; as, a mass of stone having the weight
of five hundred pounds.
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For sorrow, like a heavy-hanging bell,
Once set on ringing, with his own weight goes.
--Shak.
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3. Hence, pressure; burden; as, the weight of care or
business. "The weight of this said time." --Shak.
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For the public all this weight he bears. --Milton.
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[He] who singly bore the world's sad weight.
--Keble.
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4. Importance; power; influence; efficacy; consequence;
moment; impressiveness; as, a consideration of vast
weight.
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In such a point of weight, so near mine honor.
--Shak.
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5. A scale, or graduated standard, of heaviness; a mode of
estimating weight; as, avoirdupois weight; troy weight;
apothecaries' weight.
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6. A ponderous mass; something heavy; as, a clock weight; a
paper weight.
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A man leapeth better with weights in his hands.
--Bacon.
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7. A definite mass of iron, lead, brass, or other metal, to
be used for ascertaining the weight of other bodies; as,
an ounce weight.
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8. (Mech.) The resistance against which a machine acts, as
opposed to the power which moves it. [Obs.]
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{Atomic weight}. (Chem.) See under {Atomic}, and cf.
{Element}.
{Dead weight}, {Feather weight}, {Heavy weight}, {Light
weight}, etc. See under {Dead}, {Feather}, etc.
{Weight of observation} (Astron. & Physics), a number
expressing the most probable relative value of each
observation in determining the result of a series of
observations of the same kind.
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Syn: Ponderousness; gravity; heaviness; pressure; burden;
load; importance; power; influence; efficacy;
consequence; moment; impressiveness.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Atomic \A*tom"ic\, Atomical \A*tom"ic*al\, a. [Cf. F. atomique.]
1. Of or pertaining to atoms.
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2. Extremely minute; tiny.
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{Atomic bomb}, see {atom bomb} in the vocabulary.
{Atomic philosophy}, or {Doctrine of atoms}, a system which,
assuming that atoms are endued with gravity and motion,
accounted thus for the origin and formation of all things.
This philosophy was first broached by Leucippus, was
developed by Democritus, and afterward improved by
Epicurus, and hence is sometimes denominated the Epicurean
philosophy.
{Atomic theory}, or the {Doctrine of definite proportions}
(Chem.), teaches that chemical combinations take place
between the supposed ultimate particles or atoms of
bodies, in some simple ratio, as of one to one, two to
three, or some other, always expressible in whole numbers.
{Atomic weight} (Chem.), the weight of the atom of an element
as compared with the weight of the atom of hydrogen, taken
as a standard.
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