fixed stars

Fixed \Fixed\ (f[i^]kst), a.
   1. Securely placed or fastened; settled; established; firm;
      imovable; unalterable.
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   2. (Chem.) Stable; non-volatile.
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   {Fixed air} (Old Chem.), carbonic acid or carbon dioxide; --
      so called by Dr. Black because it can be absorbed or fixed
      by strong bases. See {Carbonic acid}, under {Carbonic}.

   {Fixed alkali} (Old Chem.), a non-volatile base, as soda, or
      potash, in distinction from the volatile alkali ammonia.
      

   {Fixed ammunition} (Mil.), a projectile and powder inclosed
      together in a case ready for loading.

   {Fixed battery} (Mil.), a battery which contains heavy guns
      and mortars intended to remain stationary; --
      distinguished from movable battery.

   {Fixed bodies}, those which can not be volatilized or
      separated by a common menstruum, without great difficulty,
      as gold, platinum, lime, etc.

   {Fixed capital}. See the Note under {Capital}, n., 4.

   {Fixed fact}, a well established fact. [Colloq.]

   {Fixed light}, one which emits constant beams; --
      distinguished from a flashing, revolving, or intermittent
      light.

   {Fixed oils} (Chem.), non-volatile, oily substances, as
      stearine and olein, which leave a permanent greasy stain,
      and which can not be distilled unchanged; -- distinguished
      from volatile or {essential oils}.

   {Fixed pivot} (Mil.), the fixed point about which any line of
      troops wheels.

   {Fixed stars} (Astron.), such stars as always retain nearly
      the same apparent position and distance with respect to
      each other, thus distinguished from planets and comets.
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Star \Star\ (st[aum]r), n. [OE. sterre, AS. steorra; akin to
   OFries. stera, OS. sterro, D. ster, OHG. sterno, sterro, G.
   stern, Icel. stjarna, Sw. stjerna, Dan. stierne, Goth.
   sta['i]rn[=o], Armor. & Corn. steren, L. stella, Gr. 'asth`r,
   'a`stron, Skr. star; perhaps from a root meaning, to scatter,
   Skr. st[.r], L. sternere (cf. {Stratum}), and originally
   applied to the stars as being strewn over the sky, or as
   being scatterers or spreaders of light. [root]296. Cf.
   {Aster}, {Asteroid}, {Constellation}, {Disaster}, {Stellar}.]
   1. One of the innumerable luminous bodies seen in the
      heavens; any heavenly body other than the sun, moon,
      comets, and nebulae.
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            His eyen twinkled in his head aright,
            As do the stars in the frosty night.  --Chaucer.
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   Note: The stars are distinguished as {planets}, and {fixed
         stars}. See {Planet}, {Fixed stars} under {Fixed}, and
         {Magnitude of a star} under {Magnitude}.
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   2. The polestar; the north star. --Shak.
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   3. (Astrol.) A planet supposed to influence one's destiny;
      (usually pl.) a configuration of the planets, supposed to
      influence fortune.
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            O malignant and ill-brooding stars.   --Shak.
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            Blesses his stars, and thinks it luxury. --Addison.
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   4. That which resembles the figure of a star, as an ornament
      worn on the breast to indicate rank or honor.
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            On whom . . .
            Lavish Honor showered all her stars.  --Tennyson.
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   5. Specifically, a radiated mark in writing or printing; an
      asterisk [thus, *]; -- used as a reference to a note, or
      to fill a blank where something is omitted, etc.
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   6. (Pyrotechny) A composition of combustible matter used in
      the heading of rockets, in mines, etc., which, exploding
      in the air, presents a starlike appearance.
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   7. A person of brilliant and attractive qualities, especially
      on public occasions, as a distinguished orator, a leading
      theatrical performer, etc.
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   Note: Star is used in the formation of compound words
         generally of obvious signification; as, star-aspiring,
         star-bespangled, star-bestudded, star-blasting,
         star-bright, star-crowned, star-directed, star-eyed,
         star-headed, star-paved, star-roofed, star-sprinkled,
         star-wreathed.
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   {Blazing star}, {Double star}, {Multiple star}, {Shooting
   star}, etc. See under {Blazing}, {Double}, etc.

   {Nebulous star} (Astron.), a small well-defined circular
      nebula, having a bright nucleus at its center like a star.
      

   {Star anise} (Bot.), any plant of the genus Illicium; -- so
      called from its star-shaped capsules.

   {Star apple} (Bot.), a tropical American tree ({Chrysophyllum
      Cainito}), having a milky juice and oblong leaves with a
      silky-golden pubescence beneath. It bears an applelike
      fruit, the carpels of which present a starlike figure when
      cut across. The name is extended to the whole genus of
      about sixty species, and the natural order ({Sapotaceae})
      to which it belongs is called the Star-apple family.

   {Star conner}, one who cons, or studies, the stars; an
      astronomer or an astrologer. --Gascoigne.

   {Star coral} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of stony
      corals belonging to {Astraea}, {Orbicella}, and allied
      genera, in which the calicles are round or polygonal and
      contain conspicuous radiating septa.

   {Star cucumber}. (Bot.) See under {Cucumber}.

   {Star flower}. (Bot.)
      (a) A plant of the genus {Ornithogalum};
          star-of-Bethlehem.
      (b) See {Starwort}
      (b) .
      (c) An American plant of the genus {Trientalis}
          ({Trientalis Americana}). --Gray.

   {Star fort} (Fort.), a fort surrounded on the exterior with
      projecting angles; -- whence the name.

   {Star gauge} (Ordnance), a long rod, with adjustable points
      projecting radially at its end, for measuring the size of
      different parts of the bore of a gun.

   {Star grass}. (Bot.)
      (a) A small grasslike plant ({Hypoxis erecta}) having
          star-shaped yellow flowers.
      (b) The colicroot. See {Colicroot}.

   {Star hyacinth} (Bot.), a bulbous plant of the genus {Scilla}
      ({Scilla autumnalis}); -- called also {star-headed
      hyacinth}.

   {Star jelly} (Bot.), any one of several gelatinous plants
      ({Nostoc commune}, {Nostoc edule}, etc.). See {Nostoc}.

   {Star lizard}. (Zool.) Same as {Stellion}.

   {Star-of-Bethlehem} (Bot.), a bulbous liliaceous plant
      ({Ornithogalum umbellatum}) having a small white starlike
      flower.

   {Star-of-the-earth} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Plantago}
      ({Plantago coronopus}), growing upon the seashore.

   {Star polygon} (Geom.), a polygon whose sides cut each other
      so as to form a star-shaped figure.

   {Stars and Stripes}, a popular name for the flag of the
      United States, which consists of thirteen horizontal
      stripes, alternately red and white, and a union having, in
      a blue field, white stars to represent the several States,
      one for each.

            With the old flag, the true American flag, the
            Eagle, and the Stars and Stripes, waving over the
            chamber in which we sit.              --D. Webster.

   {Star showers}. See {Shooting star}, under {Shooting}.

   {Star thistle} (Bot.), an annual composite plant ({Centaurea
      solstitialis}) having the involucre armed with stout
      radiating spines.

   {Star wheel} (Mach.), a star-shaped disk, used as a kind of
      ratchet wheel, in repeating watches and the feed motions
      of some machines.

   {Star worm} (Zool.), a gephyrean.

   {Temporary star} (Astron.), a star which appears suddenly,
      shines for a period, and then nearly or quite disappears.
      These stars were supposed by some astronomers to be
      variable stars of long and undetermined periods. More
      recently, variations star in start intensity are
      classified more specifically, and this term is now
      obsolescent. See also {nova}. [Obsolescent]

   {Variable star} (Astron.), a star whose brilliancy varies
      periodically, generally with regularity, but sometimes
      irregularly; -- called {periodical star} when its changes
      occur at fixed periods.

   {Water star grass} (Bot.), an aquatic plant ({Schollera
      graminea}) with small yellow starlike blossoms.
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