See Also: stalactite(medicine)
stalactite(dictionary)
stalactite(dictionary)
stalactite and stalagmite(encyclopedia)
stalactite work(encyclopedia)

octave (iou) and stalactite (medicine)


octave (iou)



octave noun & verb. In sense A.1 also utave. ME.
[Old & mod. French from Latin octava (sc. dies day) fem. of octavus eighth, from octo eight. See also UTAS noun.]
A. noun.
1. Ecclesiastical. The seventh day after a festival (the eighth day when counted inclusively). Also, a period of eight days beginning with the day of a festival. Orig. in pl. ME.
2. Music. An interval embracing eight notes on the diatonic scale, the highest note having twice the frequency of and the same alphabetical name as the lowest; a series of notes or instrument keys etc. extending through this interval. Also, the note an octave below or (usu.) above a given note; two notes an octave apart sounding together. Cf. EIGHTH noun 2. L16.
V. Brittain My hands were too small to stretch an octave easily. K. Amis His voice was..an octave higher than she..expected.
b. An organ-stop sounding an octave higher than the ordinary pitch; a principal. E18.
c. Physics. An interval, analogous to the musical octave, between two electromagnetic waves one of which has twice the frequency of the Other. L19.
3. A group or stanza of eight lines of verse, an octet; spec. = OTTAVA RIMA. L16.
4. Fencing. Orig. (now rare) octave parade. The last of eight recognized parrying positions, used to protect the lower outside of the body, with the sword-hand to the right in supination and the tip of the blade pointing at the opponent's head; a parry in this position. L18.
5. = OCTET 3. E19.
Tit-Bits The..tallest brother of this remarkable octave.
6. A small Wine-cask containing an eighth of a pipe, 13 1 / 2 gallons (approx. 61.4 litres). L19.
Phrases: Law of Octaves Chemistry (now Hist.) the principle according to which, when the lighter elements are arranged in order of their atomic weights, similar properties recur at every eighth term of the series; also called Newlands' Law of Octaves. short octave: see SHORT adjective.
Comb.: octave coupler a device in an organ etc. enabling a note an octave higher or lower to be sounded with the note being played; octave flute (a) a piccolo; (b) a flute stop in an organ sounding an octave higher than the ordinary pitch; octave key a key on a wind instrument used to produce a note an octave higher than the note that is being fingered; octave stanza = sense 3 above; octave stop = sense 2b above.
B. verb intrans. Play Music in octaves. rare. L19.
octaval adjective of or pertaining to an octave; proceeding by octaves or eights: L19.

stalactite (medicine)


stalactite


Origin: Gr. Oozing out in drops, dropping, fr. To drop: cf. F. Stalactite.

<geology> A pendent cone or cylinder of calcium carbonate resembling an icicle in form and mode of attachment. Stalactites are found depending from the roof or sides of caverns, and are produced by deposition from waters which have percolated through, and partially dissolved, the overlying limestone rocks.

In an extended sense, any mineral or rock of similar form and origin; as, a stalactite of lava.

Source: Websters Dictionary