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4 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  Valve \Valve\, n. [L. valva the leaf, fold, or valve of a door:
     cf. F. valve.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A door; especially, one of a pair of folding doors, or one
        of the leaves of such a door.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Swift through the valves the visionary fair
              Repassed.                             --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Heavily closed, . . . the valves of the barn doors.
                                                    --Longfellow.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A lid, plug, or cover, applied to an aperture so that by
        its movement, as by swinging, lifting and falling,
        sliding, turning, or the like, it will open or close the
        aperture to permit or prevent passage, as of a fluid.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: A valve may act automatically so as to be opened by the
           effort of a fluid to pass in one direction, and closed
           by the effort to pass in the other direction, as a
           clack valve; or it may be opened or closed by hand or
           by mechanism, as a screw valve, or a slide valve.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Anat.) One or more membranous partitions, flaps, or
        folds, which permit the passage of the contents of a
        vessel or cavity in one direction, but stop or retard the
        flow in the opposite direction; as, the ileocolic, mitral,
        and semilunar valves.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Bot.)
        (a) One of the pieces into which a capsule naturally
            separates when it bursts.
        (b) One of the two similar portions of the shell of a
            diatom.
        (c) A small portion of certain anthers, which opens like a
            trapdoor to allow the pollen to escape, as in the
            barberry.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Zo["o]l.) One of the pieces or divisions of bivalve or
        multivalve shells.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Air valve, Ball valve, Check valve, etc. See under
        Air. Ball, Check, etc.
  
     Double-beat valve, a kind of balance valve usually
        consisting of a movable, open-ended, turban-shaped shell
        provided with two faces of nearly equal diameters, one
        above another, which rest upon two corresponding seats
        when the valve is closed.
  
     Equilibrium valve.
        (a) A balance valve. See under Balance.
        (b) A valve for permitting air, steam, water, etc., to
            pass into or out of a chamber so as to establish or
            maintain equal pressure within and without.
  
     Valve chest (Mach.), a chamber in which a valve works;
        especially (Steam Engine), the steam chest; -- called in
        England valve box, and valve casing. See Steam
        chest, under Steam.
  
     Valve face (Mach.), that part of the surface of a valve
        which comes in contact with the valve seat.
  
     Valve gear, or Valve motion (Steam Engine), the system of
        parts by which motion is given to the valve or valves for
        the distribution of steam in the cylinder. For an
        illustration of one form of valve gear, see Link motion.
        
  
     Valve seat. (Mach.)
        (a) The fixed surface on which a valve rests or against
            which it presses.
        (b) A part or piece on which such a surface is formed.
  
     Valve stem (Mach.), a rod attached to a valve, for moving
        it.
  
     Valve yoke (Mach.), a strap embracing a slide valve and
        connecting it to the valve stem.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 :   [ gcide ]

  Equilibrium \E`qui*lib"ri*um\, n.; pl. E. Equilibriums, L.
     Equilibria. [L. aequilibrium, fr. aequilibris in
     equilibrium, level; aequus equal + libra balance. See
     Equal, and Librate.]
     1. Equality of weight or force; an equipoise or a state of
        rest produced by the mutual counteraction of two or more
        forces.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A level position; a just poise or balance in respect to an
        object, so that it remains firm; equipoise; as, to
        preserve the equilibrium of the body.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Health consists in the equilibrium between those two
              powers.                               --Arbuthnot.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A balancing of the mind between motives or reasons, with
        consequent indecision and doubt.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Equilibrium valve (Steam Engine), a balanced valve. See
        under Valve.
        [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  Valve \Valve\, n. [L. valva the leaf, fold, or valve of a door:
     cf. F. valve.]
     1. A door; especially, one of a pair of folding doors, or one
        of the leaves of such a door.
  
              Swift through the valves the visionary fair
              Repassed.                             --Pope.
  
              Heavily closed, . . . the valves of the barn doors.
                                                    --Longfellow.
  
     2. A lid, plug, or cover, applied to an aperture so that by
        its movement, as by swinging, lifting and falling,
        sliding, turning, or the like, it will open or close the
        aperture to permit or prevent passage, as of a fluid.
  
     Note: A valve may act automatically so as to be opened by the
           effort of a fluid to pass in one direction, and closed
           by the effort to pass in the other direction, as a
           clack valve; or it may be opened or closed by hand or
           by mechanism, as a screw valve, or a slide valve.
  
     3. (Anat.) One or more membranous partitions, flaps, or
        folds, which permit the passage of the contents of a
        vessel or cavity in one direction, but stop or retard the
        flow in the opposite direction; as, the ileocolic, mitral,
        and semilunar valves.
  
     4. (Bot.)
        (a) One of the pieces into which a capsule naturally
            separates when it bursts.
        (b) One of the two similar portions of the shell of a
            diatom.
        (c) A small portion of certain anthers, which opens like a
            trapdoor to allow the pollen to escape, as in the
            barberry.
  
     5. (Zo["o]l.) One of the pieces or divisions of bivalve or
        multivalve shells.
  
     Air valve, Ball valve, Check valve, etc. See under
        Air. Ball, Check, etc.
  
     Double-beat valve, a kind of balance valve usually
        consisting of a movable, open-ended, turban-shaped shell
        provided with two faces of nearly equal diameters, one
        above another, which rest upon two corresponding seats
        when the valve is closed.
  
     Equilibrium valve.
        (a) A balance valve. See under Balance.
        (b) A valve for permitting air, steam, water, etc., to
            pass into or out of a chamber so as to establish or
            maintain equal pressure within and without.
  
     Valve chest (Mach.), a chamber in which a valve works;
        especially (Steam Engine), the steam chest; -- called in
        England valve box, and valve casing. See Steam
        chest, under Steam.
  
     Valve face (Mach.), that part of the surface of a valve
        which comes in contact with the valve seat.
  
     Valve gear, or Valve motion (Steam Engine), the system of
        parts by which motion is given to the valve or valves for
        the distribution of steam in the cylinder. For an
        illustration of one form of valve gear, see Link motion.
        
  
     Valve seat. (Mach.)
        (a) The fixed surface on which a valve rests or against
            which it presses.
        (b) A part or piece on which such a surface is formed.
  
     Valve stem (Mach.), a rod attached to a valve, for moving
        it.
  
     Valve yoke (Mach.), a strap embracing a slide valve and
        connecting it to the valve stem.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) :   [ web1913 ]

  Equilibrium \E`qui*lib"ri*um\, n.; pl. E. Equilibriums, L.
     Equilibria. [L. aequilibrium, fr. aequilibris in
     equilibrium, level; aequus equal + libra balance. See
     Equal, and Librate.]
     1. Equality of weight or force; an equipoise or a state of
        rest produced by the mutual counteraction of two or more
        forces.
  
     2. A level position; a just poise or balance in respect to an
        object, so that it remains firm; equipoise; as, to
        preserve the equilibrium of the body.
  
              Health consists in the equilibrium between those two
              powers.                               --Arbuthnot.
  
     3. A balancing of the mind between motives or reasons, with
        consequent indecision and doubt.
  
     Equilibrium valve (Steam Engine), a balanced valve. See
        under Valve.

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