axile 
axile (ak'sil). n. [< L. as it' *a.rili>t. < turin: sec 
.)/*!.] 1. Of or belonging to an axis or tin- 
axis; axial. 2. Situated in an axis or t lip axis, 
as an embryo which lies in the axis of a seed. 
A large sinus, which separates the axilr portion of the 
stem of the proboscis from its investing emit. 
lluxlrii, Anat. Invert., p. 55o. 
3. Iii rwV/., axial, with reference to ovarian or- 
gans or ova : opposed in this sense to periph- 
eral. 
This mass IICCIMIICS differentiated into nn axile cord of 
piiitoiiliisniie mtetuiee, the rhachis, anil peripheral 
masses, . . . which are the developing ova. 
nuxlfii, Anat. Invert., p. 64S. 
axilla (ak-sil'ii), .; pi. nrilhe (-). [L.: see 
axil.] In (indt., the armpit; a region of the 
body in the recess between the upper arm (or 
in birds the upper part of the wing) and the 
side of the chest beneath the shoulder, it is 
pyramidal in shape, its apex corresponding to the inter- 
val between the scaleni muscles opposite the first rib. 
Axilla thermometer, a clinical thermometer: so named 
because it is placed in the axilla in observing the temper- 
ature of a person. 
axillant(ak-sirant),</. [< axil + -mill."] Form- 
ing an axil, as a leaf with another leaf in whose 
axil it is. [Rare.] 
For him the tree is a colony of phytons, each being a 
bud with its axilltuit leaf and fraction of the stem and 
root. Unctjc. Brit., XVI. 841. 
axillar (ak'si-liir), a. and . [< ML. axillarix, 
< L. axilla, axil : see axil.'] I. a. Same as ax- 
illary. 
II. . In ornith., one of the under wing-cov- 
erts of a bird, growing from the axilla or arm- 
pit, and distinguished from the under coverts 
in general by being the innermost feathers lin- 
ing the wing, lying close to the body, and al- 
most always longer, stiff er, and narrower than 
the rest. Commonly used in the plural. 
axillary (ak'si-la-ri), a. and n. [As axillar : 
see -/*, -nry 2 .] I. a. 1. In anat., pertaining 
to the axilla; contained in the axilla: as, the 
axillary boundaries; the axillary vessels. 2. 
In the arthropod animals, pertaining to an 
articulation or joint : said of parts which are 
attached to the point of union of two joints 
or other movable parts of the body. 3. In 
hot., pertaining to or growing from the axil (of 
plants). Bee cut under axil. Axillary arches, in 
anat., muscular slips which sometimes pass from the latis- 
simus dorsi (broadest muscle of the back), near its inser- 
tion, across the axilla, to terminate in the tendon of the 
pectoralis major (greater pectoral muscle), in the coraco- 
brachialis, or otherwise. Axillary artery, the contin- 
uation of the subclavian artery, after it has passed the 
lower border of the first rib, as far as the lower border of 
the axilla, where it takes the name of brachial artery. 
It is divided into three portions, that above, that behind, 
and that l>elow the pectoralis minor (smaller pectoral) 
muscle, and gives off numerous branches, thoracic, sub- 
scapular, and circumflex. Axillary feathers, In ornith., 
the axillars. See axilla?, n. Axillary nerve, the cir- 
cumflex nerve of the arm. Axillary vein, in anat., the 
continuation through the axilla of the basilic vein rein- 
forced by the venie comites of the brachial artery and 
other veins, and ending in the snbclavian. 
II. n. Same as axillar. 
axine (ak'sin), a. and . [< axis 2 + -il.] I. 
a. Of or pertaining to the group of deer of 
which the axis, or spotted Indian hog-deer, is 
the type. 
II, n. A deer of the axine group. 
axinite (ak'si-nit), n. [< Gr. afi'w/, ax (see nx 1 ), 
+ -ite a .] A mineral occurring commonly in 
crystals, whose general form is that of a very 
oblique rhomb, so flattened that some of its 
edges become thin and sharp like the edge of 
an ax (whence its name), also sometimes found 
in lamellar masses. It is a silicate of aluminium, 
iron, and manganese and calcium, with 5 per cent, of boron 
trioxid, and is commonly of a clove-brown or plum-blue 
color. 
axinomancy (ak'sin- or ak-sin'o-man-sij, w. 
[< L. axinomantia, < Gr. "at-tvo/javreia, < of/w/, 
ax, + /imrreia, divination: see Mantis.] An 
ancient kind of divination for the detection 
of crime by means of an ax or axes. One ionn 
consisted in poising an ax on a bar, and repeating the 
names of persons suspected. If the ax moved at the name 
of any one, he was pronounced guilty. For another form, 
see extract. 
[Jet] was moreover employed in the form of divination 
called axinuinancy. Laid on a hatchet made hot, it was 
stated not to consume if the desires of the consulting party 
were destined to be fulfilled. 
Archteolugia, XLIII. 517. (Dai'iet' Sup. Glons.) 
axinometry, >i. See axonometry. 
axiolite (ak'si-o-lit), w. [<L. axis, axis, + Gr. 
'Ai6of, stone.] An aggregation of rudimentary 
crystal-fibers and products of devitrification, 
occurring in certain rocks like rhyolite. Axio- 
lites resemble spherulites, except that their arrangement 
is divergent from a line instead of from a point. 
402 
Axiolite. Specimen of rhyolite from Virginia Range, Nevada, 
magnified too diameters. 
(From Zirkel's " Microscopical Petrography.") 
axiolitic (ak"si-o-lit'ik), a. Of, pertaining to, 
or of the nature of axiolite. 
axiom (ak'si-om), n. [< L. axioma, < Gr. a^iuua, 
that which is thought fit, a requisite, that which 
a pupil is required to know beforehand, a self- 
evident principle, < uS-toiv, think fit or worthy, 
require, demand, < af'of, worthy, fit, lit. weigh- 
ing as much as, of like value, < aj'ov, drive, 
lead, also weigh, = L. agere, drive, do, etc. : see 
act, v., agent, etc.] 1. A self-evident, un- 
demonstrable, theoretical, and general propo- 
sition to which every one who apprehends its 
meaning must assent. The Greek word was prob- 
ably applied by Plato (though it does not occur in his 
dialogues in this sense) to certain first premises of mathe- 
matics ; and this continues to be the ordinary use of the 
term. It was extended by Aristotle to similar principles 
supposed to underlie other branches of knowledge. The 
axioms or "common notions" of Euclid, as given in Eng- 
lish translations, are twelve in number, viz. : (1) Things 
which are equal to the same are equal to one another. (2) 
If equals be added to equals, the wholes are equal. (3) If 
equals be taken from equals, the remainders are equal. (4) 
If equals be added to unequals, the wholes are unequal. 
(5) If equals he taken from unequals, the remainders are 
unequal. (6) Things which are double of the same are 
equal to one another. (7) Things which are halves of the 
same are equal to one another. (8) Magnitudes which 
coincide with one another, that is, which exactly fill the 
same space, are equal to one another. (0) The whole 
is greater than its part. (10) Two straight lines cannot 
inclose a space. (11) All right angles are equal to one 
another. (12) If a straight line meets two straight lines, 
so as to make the two interior angles on the same side of 
it taken together less than two right angles, these straight 
lines, being continually produced, shall at length meet 
upon that side on which are the angles which arc less 
than two right angles. Only the flrst three of these are 
universally acknowledged to be authentic, though the 
latest editor, Heiberg, allows the eighth and ninth also. 
Euclid gives besides a list of postulate*, which, as given 
in English translations, are : (1) Let it he granted that a 
straight line may he drawn from any one point to any 
other point. (2) That a terminated straight line may be 
produced to any length in a straight line. (3) And that a 
circle may be described from any center, at any distance 
from that center. What the English editions give as 
the eleventh and twelfth axioms formed originally the 
fourth and fifth jiosttilates, and in the best Ms. the tenth 
axiom appeal's as the sixth postulate. It would thus 
seem that he understood by "postulate "a geometrical 
premise which was asked to be taken for granted, and 
by "axiom" or "common notion," a not specially geo- 
metrical principle with the use of which the learner 
would be already familiar. This agrees with Aristotle's 
definition of an axiom as a principle which he who would 
learn must bring of himself. The Leihnitzians distin- 
guish a postulate as a self-evident practical principle 
from an axiom as a self-evident theoretical principle. Ac- 
cording to Kant, an axiom is a necessary and general syn- 
thetical proposition which declares a property of pure 
space or time and rests directly on intuition, and is thus 
self-evident. He refused the name to the genuine "com- 
mon notions " of Euclid, holding these to he analytical 
propositions. Modem mathematicians seem to regard the 
axioms of geometry as an analysis of the independent 
properties of space, so that the longer the list, provided 
the propositions are really independent, the more per- 
fectly has the design been fulfilled. Many eminent mathe- 
maticians hold that there is no reason to think these 
axioms to be exactly true, but that they must be assumed 
to be slightly erroneous one way or the other ; although 
experience shows that they approximate so nearly to the 
truth that it may he doubted whether it will ever be pos- 
sible to measure the amount of their error. A similar 
doctrine is held by some thinkers concerning metaphysi- 
cal axioms, such as the axiom that every event is deter- 
mined by causes. 
2. Any higher proposition, obtained by gen- 
eralization ai\d induction from the observation 
of individual instances; the enunciation of a 
general fact; an empirical law. This use origi- 
nated with Bacon, influenced probably by the employ- 
ment of axiom by the Stoics to mean any proposition. 
3f. In logic, a proposition, whether true or false : 
a use of the term which originated with Zeno 
the Stoic. -Syn. 1. Maxim, Trvim,etc. See aphorism. 
axiomatic (ak"si-o-mat'ik), a. [< Gr. nfiu/ummif, 
< ufj,ua(r-), an axiom: see attorn.] 1. Of the 
nature of an axiom, self-evident truth, or re- 
ceived principle ; self-evident. 
axis 
Many controversies arise touching tin 1 'i.rii,nttii' charac- 
ter of the law. Sir )!'. llamillnn, Ixigic, I. 88. 
2. Full of axioms or maxims ; aphoristic. 
The mo.st uriinttntir of English poets. 
Snlttltfll. lloctor, p. 381. 
axiomatical (ak"si-o-mat'i-kal), a. 1. Of the 
nature of an axiom ; axiomatic. 2. ( )f or per- 
taining to axioms or received first principles: 
as. "materials of axiomatical knowledge," lio- 
linghrolv. 3f. In logic, of, pertaining to, or 
of the nature of a proposition, whether true or 
I'alsr. 
axiomatically (ak'si-o-mafi-kal-i), adv. In 
an axiomatic manner, (a) By the use of axioms ; 
as an axiom or axiomatic truth, (fef) In <V//'c. 
in the form of asimple proposition. 8e<-.''/'i. !!. 
axiometer (ak-si-orn'o-ti-r), . [< L. axis, axis, 
+ mctrum, a measure.] An instrument for show- 
ing the position of the tiller of a vessel which 
uses a steering-wheel. 
axiopistyt (ak'si-o-pis-ti), . [< Gr. aSinmaria, 
< d|iu7rn-of, trustworthy, < nfif. worthy, + 
-IOTOS, verbal adj. of Keifcatiai, trust, believe.] 
Worthiness to be believed: trustworthiness. 
Imp. Diet. 
axis 1 (ak'sis), . ; pi. axes (-sez). [L., axle, axis, 
pole of the earth; poet., the heavens; also, a 
board or plank (see ashler) ; = AS. eax, E. a* 2 , 
axle: seej' 2 , axle."] 1. The motionless, or rela- 
tively motionless, imaginary line about which 
a rotating body, such as the earth, turns: spe- 
cifically called in this sense the axis of revolu- 
tion or rotation (which see, below). 
On their own axis as the planets run, 
Yet make at once their circle round the sun. 
I'npe, Essay on Man, iii. 31:i. 
2. The axle of a wheel; the cylindrical portion 
of any mechanical piece intended to turn in 
bearings: as, the axis of a transit instrument. 
The weightines of the wheele doth settle it vpon his 
Axis. l-'ntlterbti, Atheomastix, xi. 1. (A". E. D.) 
3. In anat.: (a) The second cervical vertebra : 
so called because the atlas turns upon it as 
about a pivot or axis, bearing the head with it. 
A Sf 
Human Axis (upper figure, right side; lower figure, leftside). 
ft, body ; f>, odontoid process; c, articulatory surface for atlas; rf, 
foramen for vertebral artery ; e, superior articulating surface ; f, spi- 
nous process ; f, inferior articulating surface ; h, transverse process. 
It is usually distinguished from the other vertebra by hav- 
ing an odontoid or tooth-like process, furnishing the pivot 
about which the atlas turns : hence called the toothed wpr- 
tebra (vertebra dentata), or the odontoid vertebra (vertebra 
odontoidea). (ft) The odontoid process of the axis. 
(c) The entire vertebral column. (<7) The 
central or axial nervous system of a vertebrate : 
as, the cerebrospiual axis, (e) The columella 
or modiolus of the cochlea. (/) A short thick 
artery which immediately divides into several 
branches: as, the celiac axis; the thyroid axis, 
(g) The axis-cylinder of a nerve, (h) Same as 
axon. 4. The central line of a solid of revo- 
lution; the central line of any symmetrical, or 
nearly symmetrical, body : as, the axis of a cyl- 
inder, of the eye, etc. 5. Any line with refer- 
ence to which the physical properties of a body, 
especially its elasticity, are symmetrical. 6. 
In Trilobita, specifically, the tergum; the me- 
dian colivex portion of a thoracic somite, inter- 
vening between the pleura or flattened lateral 
portions of the thorax. See cut under Trilnhi tit . 
7. In conch., the imaginary line or space 
around which the whorls of a spiral shell turn. 
8. In hot., the stem; the central part or 
longitudinal support on which organs or parts 
are arranged. The root has sometimes been 
called the descending axis. A. Gntif. 
In many cases the floral axix is prolonged beyond one or 
more circles of floral organs, and the sti-m again assumes 
the ordinary leaf-bearing form. frit'itce, III. 302. 
