from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Pile \Pile\, n. [F. pile, L. pila a pillar, a pier or mole of
stone. Cf. {Pillar}.]
1. A mass of things heaped together; a heap; as, a pile of
stones; a pile of wood.
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2. A mass formed in layers; as, a pile of shot.
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3. A funeral pile; a pyre. --Dryden.
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4. A large building, or mass of buildings.
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The pile o'erlooked the town and drew the fight.
--Dryden.
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5. (Iron Manuf.) Same as {Fagot}, n., 2.
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6. (Elec.) A vertical series of alternate disks of two
dissimilar metals, as copper and zinc, laid up with disks
of cloth or paper moistened with acid water between them,
for producing a current of electricity; -- commonly called
{Volta's pile}, {voltaic pile}, or {galvanic pile}.
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Note: The term is sometimes applied to other forms of
apparatus designed to produce a current of electricity,
or as synonymous with battery; as, for instance, to an
apparatus for generating a current of electricity by
the action of heat, usually called a thermopile.
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7. [F. pile pile, an engraved die, L. pila a pillar.] The
reverse of a coin. See {Reverse}.
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{Cross and pile}. See under {Cross}.
{Dry pile}. See under {Dry}.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Voltaic \Vol*ta"ic\, a. [Cf. F. volta["i]que, It. voltaico.]
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1. Of or pertaining to Alessandro Volta, who first devised
apparatus for developing electric currents by chemical
action, and established this branch of electric science;
discovered by Volta; as, voltaic electricity.
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2. Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as,
voltaic induction; the voltaic arc.
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Note: See the Note under {Galvanism}.
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{Voltaic arc}, a luminous arc, of intense brilliancy, formed
between carbon points as electrodes by the passage of a
powerful voltaic current.
{Voltaic battery}, an apparatus variously constructed,
consisting of a series of plates or pieces of dissimilar
metals, as copper and zinc, arranged in pairs, and
subjected to the action of a saline or acid solution, by
which a current of electricity is generated whenever the
two poles, or ends of the series, are connected by a
conductor; a galvanic battery. See {Battery}, 4.
(b), and Note.
{Voltaic circuit}. See under {Circuit}.
{Voltaic couple} or {Voltaic element}, a single pair of the
connected plates of a battery.
{Voltaic electricity}. See the Note under {Electricity}.
{Voltaic pile}, a kind of voltaic battery consisting of
alternate disks of dissimilar metals, separated by
moistened cloth or paper. See 5th {Pile}.
{Voltaic protection of metals}, the protection of a metal
exposed to the corrosive action of sea water, saline or
acid liquids, or the like, by associating it with a metal
which is positive to it, as when iron is galvanized, or
coated with zinc.
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