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and i~8ej, like ; resembling a hinge. Ap- 

 plied to that species of hinge-like joint 

 which admits of flexion and extension. 



GIN'GLTIMUS, from y/yyAti^y, a hinge. 

 Articulation admitting flexion and exten- 

 sion. 



GIX'NIXO, the operation by which the 

 filaments of cotton are separated from the 

 seeds by means of an apparatus called a 

 cotton-gin. 



GIN'SENG, the root of a small plant 

 (I'anaz quinqnefolium) , common in China 

 and several parts of North America. It 

 is highly valued in China for its medicinal 

 virtues, but is little used in Europe. 



GIRAF'FE, the specific name of the 

 camelopard (C. girafa, F. Cuv.), found in 

 the deserts of Africa. See CAMELOPAHDALIS. 

 GIRASOL' or GIRASOLE, a mineral of a 

 milk-white colour, named from gyro, to 

 turn, and sol, the sun, in allusion to a 

 remarkable property of reflecting a red 

 colour whon turned towards the sun or 

 any bright light. It is a variety of opal. 

 The finest specimens resemble translucid 

 jelly. 



GIRD'ER, the name given to both tim- 

 ber and iron beams, when resting upon 

 walls or piers at each end, and employed 

 for the purpose of supporting a super- 

 structure, or any superincumbent weight, 

 as a floor, wall, or the roadway of a bridge, 

 &c. When a girder is employed to carry 

 the superincumbent part of an external 

 wall, it is styled a bressummer (brestsum- 

 mer). 



GIR'DLE. In architecture, the circular 

 band of a column. Also , a band of leather 

 or other material, used in girding up the 

 loins. 



GIUON'DE, a republican party in the 

 time of the French Revolution, termed 

 Girondists, from the department whence 

 the representatives were sent to the legis- 

 lative assembly. 



GIRT-LINE, a rope to lift the rigging to 

 the mast-head in rigging a ship. 



GI'VEN. In mathematics, a term synony 

 mous with known. If a magnitude is 

 known, it is called a given magnitude, 

 quantity, &c. 



GLA'BROCS, Lat. glaber, smooth. Ap- 

 plied to parts of plants, and opposed to 

 hirsute, hairy, or pubescent. 



GLA'CIER, Fr. from glace, ice. A field or 

 immense mass of ice formed in deep but 

 elevated valleys, or on the sides of the 

 Alps and other mountains. The ice of 

 glaciers is not transparent, being com- 

 posed for the mon part of snow, which 

 previous to freezing, had been imper- 

 fectly dissolved. They are little affected 

 by the heat of summer, and are so nu- 

 merous in Tyrol, Switzerland, Piedmont 

 art 1 fiivoy,as to form collectively a super 

 flcial exit-lit of about 1500 square miles. 



GLA cis (Fr.), a sloping bank. Used in 

 fortification for the mass of earth which 

 serves as a parapet to the covered way, 

 sloping easily towards the champaign o. 



GLA'DIATE, from gladius, a sword ; sword- 

 ihaped. Applied to parts of plants, &c. 



GLADIA'TOR, from gladius, a sword; a 

 sword-player; a prize-fighter. The gla- 

 diators of Rome were at first prisoners of 

 war, slaves, or condemned criminals, who 

 were made to fight in the arena for the 

 entertainment of the people; but after- 

 wards fought in the arena cither for hire 

 or from choice. 



GLANCE, Ger. glanz, splendour. A word 

 attached to the name of certain minerals 

 which have a metallic or pseudo-metallic 

 :ustre, as glance-coal, lead-glance, anti- 

 mony-glance, &c. 



GLAND, Lat. glans,armt. 1. In anatomy, 

 an organ composed of blood-vessels, 

 nerves, and absorbents, and destined for 

 the secretion or alteration of some parti- 

 cular fluid; according to the nature of 

 which, glands are mucous, sebaceous, 



lymphatic, salivary, or lachrymal. 2. 



In botany, a small transparent vesicle, 

 discharging a fluid, and situated oh va 

 rious parts of plants, as the stalk, calyx, 

 leaves, &c. 3. Inmechanics (see COLLAR). 



GLAX'DERS, from gland. A disease of 

 horses, evinced by the running of corrupt, 

 slimy matter from the nose. 



GLAN'DULAR 1 Lat. glandulosus. Hav- 



GLAN'DCLOCS, j ing the appearance, 

 structure, or function of a gland. Applied 

 Iso to leaves of plants having little glan- 

 diform elevations. 



GLASS is formed by the fusion of sili- 

 ceous and alkaline matter. The glasses 

 may be thus chemically distributed: (1.) 

 Soluble glass, silicate of potash or soda. 

 (2.) Crown glass, silicate of potash and 

 lime. (3.) Common window glass, silicate 

 of soda and lime. (4.) Bottle glass, silicate 

 of soda, lime, alumina, and iron. (5.) 

 flint glass, silicate of potash and lead. 



GLASS'-BLOWER. Glass while hot being- 

 perfectly ductile and plastic, it is blown 

 into shapes by the breath of the work- 

 man (hence called a glass-blower), through 

 an iron tube about three feet long, as- 

 sisted by a very few trifling tools. 



GI.ASS'-GALL, the neutral salt skimmed 

 off the surface of melted crown glass : 

 called also sandive-r. 



GLASS PAINTING. The method of stain- 

 ing glass in such a way as to represent 

 all the subjectsof which the art is capable. 



GLASS'-WORT, the Salsoln !;ali, a plant 

 which affords soda used in the manufac- 

 ture of glass. The nauio is .-.pinUy appli 

 cable to other species of the Sulsola. 



OLAC'EER-S^LTS, Gl((!>i-r's salt. An old 

 name for sulphate of soda, from th> ciis- 

 coverer. 



2 A 



