organ harmonium

Organ \Or"gan\ ([^o]r"gan), n. [L. organum, Gr. 'o`rganon; akin
   to 'e`rgon work, and E. work: cf. F. organe. See {Work}, and
   cf. {Orgue}, {Orgy}.]
   1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is
      performed, or an important end accomplished; as,
      legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are
      organs of government.
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   2. (Biol.) A natural part or structure in an animal or a
      plant, capable of performing some special action (termed
      its function), which is essential to the life or
      well-being of the whole; as, the heart, lungs, etc., are
      organs of animals; the root, stem, foliage, etc., are
      organs of plants.
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   Note: In animals the organs are generally made up of several
         tissues, one of which usually predominates, and
         determines the principal function of the organ. Groups
         of organs constitute a system. See {System}.
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   3. A component part performing an essential office in the
      working of any complex machine; as, the cylinder, valves,
      crank, etc., are organs of the steam engine.
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   4. A medium of communication between one person or body and
      another; as, the secretary of state is the organ of
      communication between the government and a foreign power;
      a newspaper is the organ of its editor, or of a party,
      sect, etc. A newsletter distributed within an organization
      is often called its {house organ}.
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   5. [Cf. AS. organ, fr. L. organum.] (Mus.) A wind instrument
      containing numerous pipes of various dimensions and kinds,
      which are filled with wind from a bellows, and played upon
      by means of keys similar to those of a piano, and
      sometimes by foot keys or pedals; -- formerly used in the
      plural, each pipe being considered an organ.
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            The deep, majestic, solemn organs blow. --Pope.
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   Note: Chaucer used the form orgon as a plural.
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               The merry orgon . . . that in the church goon
               [go].
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   {Barrel organ}, {Choir organ}, {Great organ}, etc. See under
      {Barrel}, {Choir}, etc.

   {Cabinet organ} (Mus.), an organ of small size, as for a
      chapel or for domestic use; a reed organ.

   {Organ bird} (Zool.), a Tasmanian crow shrike ({Gymnorhina
      organicum}). It utters discordant notes like those of a
      hand organ out of tune.

   {Organ fish} (Zool.), the drumfish.

   {Organ gun}. (Mil.) Same as {Orgue}
      (b) .

   {Organ harmonium} (Mus.), an harmonium of large capacity and
      power.

   {Organ of Corti} (Anat.), a complicated structure in the
      cochlea of the ear, including the auditory hair cells, the
      rods or fibers of Corti, the membrane of Corti, etc. See
      Note under {Ear}.

   {Organ pipe}. See {Pipe}, n., 1.

   {Organ-pipe coral}. (Zool.) See {Tubipora}.

   {Organ point} (Mus.), a passage in which the tonic or
      dominant is sustained continuously by one part, while the
      other parts move.
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