TER 



709 



TER 



the idea it expresses is rendered more in- 

 sulated and peculiar. 2. In geometry, a. 



point or line that limits : a point is the 

 term of a line, a line is the term of a sur- 

 face, and a surface is the term of a solid. 



3. In architecture, a kind of statues 



or columns, adorned on the top with the 

 figure of a head, either of a man, woman, 

 or satyr. Terms are sometimes used as 

 consoles, and sustain entablatures; and 

 sometimes as statues to adorn gardens, 

 Ac. 4. In algebra, a member of a com- 

 pound quantity. Thus a and b are the 



terms of a + b. 5. In logic, a syllogism 



consists of three terms, the major, the 



minor, and the middle. 6. In law, the 



time during which a court is held or open 

 for the trial of causes : the rest of the year 

 is> called vacation. In England there are 

 four terms, viz., Hilary term, which be- 

 gins on the 23rd of January, and ends on 

 the 21st of February ; Easter term, which 

 begins 18 days after Easter, and ends on 

 the Monday next after Ascension day ; 

 Trinity term, which begins on the Friday 

 after Trinity Sunday, and ends the "\Ved~- 

 nesday fortnight after; and Xichadmeu 

 term, which begins on the Gth November, 



and ends on the 28th of November. 2. 



In agreements, the terms are the condi- 

 tions ; propositions stated or promises 

 made, and when assented to or accepted 

 by another, settle the contract and bind 

 the parties. 



TER'MES. In entomology, the Termites 

 form an extensive genus of neuropterous 

 insects. They inhabit the countries si- 

 tuated between the tropics, or which are 

 adjacent, and are known by the name of 

 white ants, poux de bois, caria, &c., from 

 their manner of living in communities, 

 destructive habits, &c. They live under 

 cover in the ground, and destroy trees 

 and all sorts of ligneous articles, as furni- 

 ture and the planks, timbers, &c., of 

 houses. The larvae are the working termites 

 or labourers; another sort are the neuters 

 or soldiers, which defend the domicile 

 and compel the labourers to work. The 

 perfect insects leave their original re- 

 treat, flying off during the night in incal- 

 culable numbers. At sunrise they lose 

 their wings, which are dried up, fall to 

 the ground, and are mostly devoured by 

 birds, lizards, and their other enemies. 



TER'MINAL, Lat. terminalis, growing at 

 the terminus or extremity. Applied, in 

 botany, to flowers and umbels which pro- 

 ceed from the extremity of the stem or 

 branches. 



TER'MINI, pi. of terminus, limit. In ar- 

 chitecture, columns having a head for a 

 capital, and ending below in a sort of 

 sheath or scabbard. See TERM. 



THR'KINTHUS. In surgery, a black ar- 

 dent pustule, which attacks the legs ; so 



named from its resemblance to the fruit 

 of the ttyju*8a; or turpentine tree 



TER'MINUS (Lat.), termination. Applied 

 technically to the extreme point at either 

 end of a railway. 



TERMS OF EQUA'TIONS. The parts of 

 which they are composed. 



TER'NA FOLIA. In botany, leaves grow- 

 ing three together in a whorl. 



TER'NARY, Lat. ternarius, proceeding 

 by threes ; consisting of three. Applied 

 to things arranged in ordei by threes, as 

 a flower having three sepals, three petals, 

 three stamina, &c., or twice or thice as 

 many. 



TEH/NATE. 1. Lat. ternatus, from terni, 

 three. Applied to a leaf which has three 



leaflets, as that of the trefoil. 2. Lat. 



ternus, by threes. Applied to leaves when 

 there are three together. 



TER'RA-COT'TA (Latin;. Baked earth. 

 Many ancient temples were built of terra- 

 cotta ; and it was very generally adopted 

 for statues and architectural ornaments, 

 as those of friezes. It is still used for 

 similar purposes. The materials are pot 

 ter's clay, and tine white sand, as that of 

 Reigate, with pulverised potsherds. 



TER'RA SIEN'XA. A brown bole or ochre 

 from Sienna in Italy, used as a pigment. 



TER'RACE, Fr. terrasse, from Lat terra. 

 1. In architecture, a balcony ; also the flat 



roof of a house. 2. In gardening, a 



raised bank of earth with sloping sides, 

 laid with turf, and gravelled on the slope 

 for a walk. 



TEKRE'-PLEIN (French). In fortification , 

 the top platform or horizontal surface of 

 the rampart on which the cannon are 

 placed. 



TERRES'TRES, Lat. terra. A section of 

 the class Aves ; also of a family of pulmo- 

 nated gasteropods, and of a division of 

 isopodous crustaceans. 



ERRE'VKRTE (French). Green earth : 

 an earth of a green colour, found in Ger- 

 many, France, Italy, and North America. 

 It is ground with oil, and used as a pig- 

 ment. 



TER'RIER, from terra, earth. 1. A little 

 dog used to hunt animals which burrow. 



2. In laiv, originally, a collection of 



acknowledgments of the vassals or tenants 

 of a lordship, containing the rents, ser- 

 vices, &c., they owe to the lord. At pre- 

 sent, a book or roll, in which the lands of 

 private persons, corporations, &c., are 

 described by their sites, boundaries, ex- 

 tent, &c. 3. From tero, to bore, an 



auger. 



TER'TIARY, third ; tertius, three. Ap- 

 plied in geology to those formations which 

 have been deposited subsequently to the 

 chalk formation. The most remarkable 

 feature of the tertiary strata is tha; they 

 consist of repeated alternations of muriaa 

 deposits and those of fresh water. 



