S T A C 



the words staple commodities came in 

 time to signify the principal commodities 

 produced by a country for exportation or 



use. 2. The thread or pile of the textile 



articles, cotton, wool, and flax. Thus, 

 Sea-island cotton is of a fine long staple. 



3. A loop of iron formed with two 



points to be driven into wood, &c. 



STAR. Stars are fixed or planetary. 

 1. The fixed stars are known by their 

 twinkling, and by their being always in 

 the same position in relation to each 

 other. The planets shine with a steady 

 light, and are constantly changing their 

 position with regard to the other heavenly 

 bodies. The pole star is a bright star in 

 the tail of the little Bear (Ursa minor), 

 and is so called from its being very near 



the North pole. 2. The figure of a star : 



a radiated mark in writing or painting : 

 called also an asterisk, and marked thus*. 

 It is used as a mark of reference, or to 

 fill a blank where letters are omitted. 



STAR'-AP'PLE. The fruit of a species of 

 Chrysophyllum, which grows in the warm 

 climates of America. It is an olive- 

 shaped fleshy fruit, eaten by way of 

 dessert. 



STAR'BOARD. In navigation, the right- 

 hand side of a ship, looking forward, as 

 larboard is on the left-hand side. 



STARCH. A white pulverulent substance, 

 consisting of microscopic spheroids, con- 

 <:aining amylaceous matter. It exists in 

 a great many plants. Potatoes yield it 

 in large quantity ; it exists abundantly 

 in the stems of some monocotyledonous 

 plants, especially of the palm tribe ; and 

 all the edible grains, as wheat, rye, rice, 

 &c. ; and siliquose seeds, as beans and 

 peas, afford in it such quantity that the 

 preparation of it from these is now an ex- 

 tensive manufacture. Wheat is the grain 

 commonly employed for making starch. 



STAR-CHAM'BER. Formerly a court of 

 criminal jurisdiction in England. It was 

 abolished by Stat. 16 Charles I. 



STAR'TISU. Sea-star. A name common 

 to a genus of zoophytes, from the shape 

 of the animals. See ASTERIAS. 



STAR'-FORT. In fortification, a work 

 with several faces, and salient and re- 

 entering angles. A -star-redoubt is built 

 of the same form. 



STAR'LINO. 1. In ornithology, see STCH- 

 3NU8. 2. In engineering, st-e CUTWATER. 



STAR'OSTS. Polish noblemen who pos- 

 sessed certain castles and domains, called 

 stnrosties, 



STAR-SHOOT. The Tremella nostoc, an 

 indigenous greenish jelly, which is edible. 



STAR-THIS'TLE. 1. The Carlina acaulis. 

 2. The Centaurea calcitrapa, an indi- 

 genous perennial. The Jersey Star-thistle 

 is another species of centaury found in 

 Jersey. 



STA'TER. An ancient Greek con. 



j S T A 



STA'TICE. The Sea Drift. A. genus ct 

 plants. PentaiidriaPentagynia. Name 

 from trru,Tf<v, to stop, on account of its 

 supposed efficacy in restraining fluxes. 

 The marsh-rosemary of America, and the 

 sea-lavender or red behen, are examples. 

 STAT'ICS, from a-mrss , standing. 1. That 

 branch of mechanical science which 

 treats of the equilibrium, pressure, 

 weight, &c. of solid bodies when at rest. 



2. The science which considers the 



weight of bodies. 



STA'TION. 1. In astronomy, a planet is 

 at its station, or is stationary, when its 



motion in right ascension ceases. 2. In 



surveying, the place of observation for 



measuring angles. 3. In the Romish 



Church, station is applied to churches in 

 which indulgences are granted on certain 

 days. 4. In railway economy, halting- 

 places along the line, for taking-up and 

 setting-down passengers, the extremes 

 being named termini. 



STA'TIONARY. Fixed, not progressive 

 or regressive. The sun is stationary in 

 Cancer. The Court of England, which 

 was formerly itinerary, is now stationary. 

 Steam-engines which work permanently 

 at the same place are stationary, as dis- 

 tinct from locomotives. Some railways are 

 worked by stationary-engines. 



STATIONERY. Writing-paper and the 

 general contents of a stationer's shop. 



STA'TION POIN'TER. In maritime fur- 

 veying, an instrument for laying down on 

 a chart the position of a place, from 

 which the angles subtended by three 

 known distant objects are measured. 



STATIS'TICS, Lat. status, condition. The 

 science which determines the condition of 

 a country, in reference to its extent, po- 

 pulation, industry, wealth, power, and 

 the like. 



STA'TCARY. The art of carving images, 

 or representations of life ; also one who 

 practises or professes the art of making 

 statues. Statuary is a branch of sculpture. 



STAT'UE, Lat. itatua, from statuo, to set. 

 Statues are figures of men, and other ob- 

 jects, formed out of marble by the chisel. 



STA'TCS QUO. In politics, a treaty be- 

 tween two or more belligerents, by which 

 each party is restored to the same state 

 as before the war, possessing the same 

 territories, fortresses, &c. 



STAT'CTE, Lat. statutum, from statuo, to 

 set. An act of the legislature of a state, 

 which extends as law to all the subject* 

 of that state ; as distinguished from an 

 act, which relates only to an individual or 

 company. Statutes are positive law, and 

 dinti.ittnliihed from common law: the for- 

 mer owe their binding force to a positive 

 declaration of the supreme power ; the 

 latter owes its binding force to the prin- 

 ciples of justice, and long use and consent 

 of the people. 



