from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sun \Sun\, n. [OE. sunne, sonne, AS. sunne; akin to OFries.
sunne, D. zon, OS. & OHG. sunna, G. sonne, Icel. sunna, Goth.
sunna; perh. fr. same root as L. sol. [root]297. Cf. {Solar},
{South}.]
1. The luminous orb, the light of which constitutes day, and
its absence night; the central body round which the earth
and planets revolve, by which they are held in their
orbits, and from which they receive light and heat. Its
mean distance from the earth is about 92,500,000 miles,
and its diameter about 860,000.
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Note: Its mean apparent diameter as seen from the earth is
32' 4[sec], and it revolves on its own axis once in
251/3 days. Its mean density is about one fourth of
that of the earth, or 1.41, that of water being unity.
Its luminous surface is called the photosphere, above
which is an envelope consisting partly of hydrogen,
called the chromosphere, which can be seen only through
the spectroscope, or at the time of a total solar
eclipse. Above the chromosphere, and sometimes
extending out millions of miles, are luminous rays or
streams of light which are visible only at the time of
a total eclipse, forming the solar corona.
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2. Any heavenly body which forms the center of a system of
orbs.
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3. The direct light or warmth of the sun; sunshine.
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Lambs that did frisk in the sun. --Shak.
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4. That which resembles the sun, as in splendor or
importance; any source of light, warmth, or animation.
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For the Lord God is a sun and shield. --Ps. lxxiv.
11.
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I will never consent to put out the sun of
sovereignity to posterity. --Eikon
Basilike.
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{Sun and planet wheels} (Mach.), an ingenious contrivance for
converting reciprocating motion, as that of the working
beam of a steam engine, into rotatory motion. It consists
of a toothed wheel (called the sun wheel), firmly secured
to the shaft it is desired to drive, and another wheel
(called the planet wheel) secured to the end of a
connecting rod. By the motion of the connecting rod, the
planet wheel is made to circulate round the central wheel
on the shaft, communicating to this latter a velocity of
revolution the double of its own. --G. Francis.
{Sun angel} (Zool.), a South American humming bird of the
genus {Heliangelos}, noted for its beautiful colors and
the brilliant luster of the feathers of its throat.
{Sun animalcute}. (Zool.) See {Heliozoa}.
{Sun bath} (Med.), exposure of a patient to the sun's rays;
insolation.
{Sun bear} (Zool.), a species of bear ({Helarctos Malayanus})
native of Southern Asia and Borneo. It has a small head
and short neck, and fine short glossy fur, mostly black,
but brownish on the nose. It is easily tamed. Called also
{bruang}, and {Malayan bear}.
{Sun beetle} (Zool.), any small lustrous beetle of the genus
{Amara}.
{Sun bittern} (Zool.), a singular South American bird
({Eurypyga helias}), in some respects related both to the
rails and herons. It is beautifully variegated with white,
brown, and black. Called also {sunbird}, and {tiger
bittern}.
{Sun fever} (Med.), the condition of fever produced by sun
stroke.
{Sun gem} (Zool.), a Brazilian humming bird ({Heliactin
cornutus}). Its head is ornamented by two tufts of bright
colored feathers, fiery crimson at the base and greenish
yellow at the tip. Called also {Horned hummer}.
{Sun grebe} (Zool.), the finfoot.
{Sun picture}, a picture taken by the agency of the sun's
rays; a photograph.
{Sun spots} (Astron.), dark spots that appear on the sun's
disk, consisting commonly of a black central portion with
a surrounding border of lighter shade, and usually seen
only by the telescope, but sometimes by the naked eye.
They are very changeable in their figure and dimensions,
and vary in size from mere apparent points to spaces of
50,000 miles in diameter. The term sun spots is often used
to include bright spaces (called faculae) as well as dark
spaces (called maculae). Called also {solar spots}. See
Illustration in Appendix.
{Sun star} (Zool.), any one of several species of starfishes
belonging to {Solaster}, {Crossaster}, and allied genera,
having numerous rays.
{Sun trout} (Zool.), the squeteague.
{Sun wheel}. (Mach.) See {Sun and planet wheels}, above.
{Under the sun}, in the world; on earth. "There is no new
thing under the sun." --Eccl. i. 9.
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Note: Sun is often used in the formation of compound
adjectives of obvious meaning; as, sun-bright,
sun-dried, sun-gilt, sunlike, sun-lit, sun-scorched,
and the like.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Tiger \Ti"ger\, n. [OE. tigre, F. tigre, L. tigris, Gr. ti`gris;
probably of Persian origin; cf. Zend tighra pointed, tighri
an arrow, Per. t[imac]r; perhaps akin to E. stick, v. t.; --
probably so named from its quickness.]
1. A very large and powerful carnivore ({Felis tigris})
native of Southern Asia and the East Indies. Its back and
sides are tawny or rufous yellow, transversely striped
with black, the tail is ringed with black, the throat and
belly are nearly white. When full grown, it equals or
exceeds the lion in size and strength. Called also {royal
tiger}, and {Bengal tiger}.
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2. Fig.: A ferocious, bloodthirsty person.
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As for heinous tiger, Tamora. --Shak.
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3. A servant in livery, who rides with his master or
mistress. --Dickens.
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4. A kind of growl or screech, after cheering; as, three
cheers and a tiger. [Colloq. U. S.]
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5. A pneumatic box or pan used in refining sugar.
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{American tiger}. (Zool.)
(a) The puma.
(b) The jaguar.
{Clouded tiger} (Zool.), a handsome striped and spotted
carnivore ({Felis macrocelis} or {Felis marmorata}) native
of the East Indies and Southern Asia. Its body is about
three and a half feet long, and its tail about three feet
long. Its ground color is brownish gray, and the dark
markings are irregular stripes, spots, and rings, but
there are always two dark bands on the face, one extending
back from the eye, and one from the angle of the mouth.
Called also {tortoise-shell tiger}.
{Mexican tiger} (Zool.), the jaguar.
{Tiger beetle} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of active
carnivorous beetles of the family {Cicindelidae}. They
usually inhabit dry or sandy places, and fly rapidly.
{Tiger bittern}. (Zool.) See {Sun bittern}, under {Sun}.
{Tiger cat} (Zool.), any one of several species of wild cats
of moderate size with dark transverse bars or stripes
somewhat resembling those of the tiger.
{Tiger flower} (Bot.), an iridaceous plant of the genus
{Tigridia} (as {Tigridia conchiflora}, {Tigridia
grandiflora}, etc.) having showy flowers, spotted or
streaked somewhat like the skin of a tiger.
{Tiger grass} (Bot.), a low East Indian fan palm ({Chamaerops
Ritchieana}). It is used in many ways by the natives. --J.
Smith (Dict. Econ. Plants).
{Tiger lily}. (Bot.) See under {Lily}.
{Tiger moth} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of moths of
the family {Arctiadae} which are striped or barred with
black and white or with other conspicuous colors. The
larvae are called {woolly bears}.
{Tiger shark} (Zool.), a voracious shark ({Galeocerdo
tigrinus} syn. {Galeocerdo maculatus}) more or less barred
or spotted with yellow. It is found in both the Atlantic
and Indian Ocean. Called also {zebra shark}.
{Tiger shell} (Zool.), a large and conspicuously spotted
cowrie ({Cypraea tigris}); -- so called from its fancied
resemblance to a tiger in color and markings. Called also
{tiger cowrie}.
{Tiger snake} (Zool.), either of two very venomous snakes of
Tasmania and Australia, {Notechis scutatis} and {Notechis
ater}, which grow up to 5 feet in length.
{Tiger wolf} (Zool.), the spotted hyena ({Hyaena crocuta}).
{Tiger wood}, the variegated heartwood of a tree ({Machaerium
Schomburgkii}) found in Guiana.
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