catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A mass formed in layers; as, a pile of shot.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A funeral pile; a pyre. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. A large building, or mass of buildings.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The pile o'erlooked the town and drew the fight.
                                                    --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Iron Manuf.) Same as Fagot, n., 2.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     7. [F. pile pile, an engraved die, L. pila a pillar.] The
        reverse of a coin. See Reverse.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Cross and pile. See under Cross.
  
     Dry pile. See under Dry.
        [1913 Webster]

  Voltaic \Vol*ta"ic\, a. [Cf. F. volta["i]que, It. voltaico.]
     [1913 Webster]
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as,
        voltaic induction; the voltaic arc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: See the Note under Galvanism.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]

  Voltaic \Vol*ta"ic\, a. [Cf. F. volta["i]que, It. voltaico.]
     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.
  
     2. Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as,
        voltaic induction; the voltaic arc.
  
     Note: See the Note under Galvanism.
  
     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 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.

  voltaic pile
       n : battery consisting of voltaic cells arranged in series; the
           earliest electric battery devised by Volta [syn: pile,
           galvanic pile]

  voltaic pile /vəʊltˈeɪɪk pˈaɪl/
  Volta‘sche Säule , Voltasäule  [chem.]  [electr.]