SYS 6 



brated and very elegant poem on this very 

 inelegant subject. 



SYR'IAC. The language of Syria, espe- 

 cially the ancient language of that 

 country. 



SYR'IAN OIL. A fragrant essential oil, 

 obtained by distilling the canary balsam 

 plant, or moldavica. 



STR'INGE, from g-ugfyZ, a pipe. A pipe 

 through which water or other liquid may 

 he squirted. It is used by surgeons, &c., 

 for washing wounds, for injecting fluids 

 into animal bodies, and other purposes. 



SYRINGODES'DROS. The name given by 

 Count Sternberg to certain species of Si- 

 gillaria, on account of their parallel pipe- 

 shaped flutings: <ro^y|, a pipe, and 

 SsvSfsv, a tree. The trunks, many of 

 which are of the size of forest trees, are 

 without joint, and fluted from one end to 

 the other. 



SYRIJS-GOT'OMY, from rv/y|, a fistula, 

 and nuvw, to cut. The operation of cut- 

 ting for fistula. 



STR'ISX, Sug/yf, a pipe. 1. In surgery, 

 a fistula. - 2. In music, an instrument 

 composed of reeds, of different lengths, 

 tied together. 



SYSSAR'COSIS, from avi, and <rat,(>%, flesh. 

 A species of unien of bones, in which one 

 is united to another by means of an in- 

 tervening muscle. 



SYS'TEM, trva-rrtfJM, composition. In 

 logic, (1.) any combination of things act- 

 ing together ; (2.) a scheme which reduces 

 many things to regular dependency or 

 co-operation ; (3.) a scheme which unites 

 many things in order ; (4.) an assemblage 

 or chain of principles and conclusions. 

 In astronomy, the word system denotes a 

 hypothesis, or supposition of a certain 

 order and arrangement of the several 

 parts of the universe, according to which 

 philosophers explain all the phenomena 

 of the heavenly bodies, their motions, 

 changes, &c.. &c. Thus, the Ptolemaie 

 system places the earth at rest in the cen- 

 tre of the universe, and makes the heavens 

 revolve round it, every 24 hours, from 

 east to west, carrying along the heavenly 

 bodies, stars, planets, &c. The Coper- 

 nican system makes the sun the centre of 

 the solar system, and makes the earth and 

 other planets revolve round the great 

 luminary as a centre. In music, a system 

 is an interval compounded, or supposed 

 to be compounded, of several lesser in- 

 tervals, as the fifth octave, &c., the ele- 

 ments of which are called diastema. 



SYS'TOLE. SwroAij, contraction. A 

 term used to denote the contraction of 

 the heart, by which the blood is forced 

 nto the arteries. The reverse of diat- 



from rut and rrv\os, a column. 



le (q. T.). 

 STS'T YI.E, 



3 TAB 



In architecture, that kind of intercolum- 

 niation which has two diameters betweea 

 the columns. 



SYZ'YOY. 2i/?yy;, conjunction, from 

 trvv, together, and wyou, to join. A term 

 used in astronomy both for the conjunc- 

 tion and opposition of a planet with the 

 sun. Thus the syzygies of the sun and 

 moon occur at the time of full and new 

 moon. 



T. 



T, the 20th letter of the English alpha- 

 bet, stood as a numeral among the Latins 

 for 160, and with a dash over it, T, for 

 160,000. In music, T is the initial, of tenor 

 vocal and instrumental, of facet for si- 

 lence, as adagio facet, when a performer is 

 to rest during the whole movement. In 

 concertos and symphonies, it is the initial 

 of tutti, the whole band, after a solo. It 

 sometimes stands for tr. or trillo,a. shake. 



TBAJJD'AGE. A bandage, so named 

 from its shape, used to suppoit dressings 

 after certain surgical operations. 



TABANI'DES. The name given by La- 

 treille to a family of dipterous insects, 

 characterised by a salient proboscis, 

 usually terminated by two lips, with pro- 

 jecting palpi; by the last joint of the an- 

 tenngo being annulated; and by a sucker 

 composed of six pieces. It comprises the 

 genus Tabanus, Lin. 



TABA'NCS. The ox or horse-fly : a genus 

 of dipterous insects, comprising the family 

 Tabanides, Lat. The tabani appear to- 

 wards the end of spring, and are very 

 common in the woods and pastures. They 

 are much dreaded by beasts of burden ; 

 these, having no means of repelling their 

 attacks, are sometimes covered with 

 blood from the wounds they inflict. They 

 even attack man to suck his blood. The 

 T. 6ornus,Lin.,is the best known species 

 in Britain : it is *e cleg of Scotland. 



TAB'ARD. A sort of mantle, which covers 

 the body,reachinp rather below the loins, 

 but open at the sides from the shoulders 

 downward. 



TABASHE'ER. A Persian word, used to 

 designate a siliceous concretion, found in 

 the joints of the bamboo. It is in high 

 repute with Eastern physicians, as a spe 

 cific for bilious vomitings, bloody flux,&c 

 It has peculiar optical properties. 



TAB'BY, Fr. tabis. In manufacture, a 

 variety of thick silk stuff, usually waved 

 or watered by a peculiar process of calen- 

 dering. It is manufactured like taffeta. 



TAB'EYINO. The process of giving stuffs 

 a wavy appearance in the calender, like 

 that given to tabby : called also watering. 



TA'BES. A Latin word of doubtful origin, 

 used to designate a wasting of the body, 

 characterised by emaciation, weakness, 

 and fever, but without cough or spitting. 



