central 
terl.J 1. Pertaining to or constituting the cen- 
ter: as, the a iilnil point of a circle ; a central 
country of Europe. 
I'almyra, central in the desert, . . . felt 
W'<:r<l*/c<trth, Excursion, viii. 
2. Nuclear in constitution or principle; con- 
stituting that from which other related things 
proceed, or upon which they depend: as, Hie 
central facts of history; a central idea. 
The ducal palace of Venice contains the three eh-im-nt.- 
in exactly equal proportions the Human, Lombard, and 
Arab. It is tile central building of the world, 
liitukin, Stones of Venice, I. 17. 
The Roman dominion is the fi'ntral fact in the history of 
tile world. . . . Home is the lake in which all the .strcani> 
of older history lose themselves, and out of which all the 
streams of later history Mow. 
K. A. freeman, Amer. Lects., p. HPi 
3. Passing through or near the center or mid- 
dle ; median: as, a central line; the New York 
Central Railroad. Central artery and vein of ret- 
ina, the artery and vein passing in the optic nerve to the 
middle nf the optic papilla, where they subdivide. Cen- 
tral canal, sec auutli. Central capsule. See capsule. 
- Central eclipse, an annular (ir total eclipse. (See an- 
nular. ) It is so named because the centers of the sun and 
moon appear to coincide. - Central ellipsoid. See < ilij>- 
Ktiid. Central force, in nn'<-h., a force of attraction or 
repulsion. Central ligament, the fllum terminate of 
the spinal cord. Central lobe of the brain, the island 
of Rcil ; that part of the superficies of the cerebral hemi- 
sphere which lies deeply within the beginning of the fis- 
sure of Sylvius. It is triangular in shape, and consists of 
5 or 6 straight gyri. Central projection, a represcnta 
tion in perspective. 
centrale (sen-tra'le), n. ; pi. centralia (-li-fi). 
[NL., neut. of L. centralis, central : see central.] 
A bone situated in the middle of the typical 
carpus and tarsus of the higher I'ertebrata, be- 
tween the proximal and distal rows of carpal 
and tarsal bones. It is often wanting. See 
cuts under carpus and tarsus. 
centralisation, centralise, etc. See centrali- 
?<(tiu)i, etc. 
centralism (sen'tral-izm), n. [< central + -ism.] 
Centralizing tendency or tendencies ; the prin- 
ciple of centralization, especially in regard to 
political and governmental influence and con- 
trol. 
It is the true mission of Democracy to resist central, 
ism and the absorption of unconstitutional powers by the 
President and Congress. J. Buchanan, in Curtis, II. 23. 
centralist (sen'tral-ist), . [< central + -ist; = 
Sp. centralista.] "One who favors or promotes 
political centralization, or the control of all the 
functions of government by a central authority. 
centrality (sen-tral'i-ti), n. [< central + -ity.] 
The quality of being central. 
centralization (sen^tral-i-za'shon), n. [< cen- 
tralize + -ation ; = F. centralisation = Sp. cen- 
tralizacion = Pg. centralizacSo = It. cen tralizza- 
zione.] 1. The act of centralizing or bringing 
to one center: as, the centralization of com- 
merce in a city; the centralization of control, 
as in stock companies. 
The centralisation of labour in cities has assisted the 
birth of the trade-union and the co-operative society, 
which are among the best agencies for diffusing wealth. 
Roe, Contemporary Socialism, p. 4O4. 
While his [Charlemagne's] policy of centralization was 
abandoned as impossible, the civilizing Influences of his 
rule and his example were ne' 
887 
centralizer (scn'tral-i-zer), . One who cen- 
tralizes or is in favor of administrative central- 
ization. Also spelled centraliaer. 
If I'ulhoun had become President he would in all proba- 
bility have been as strong a centralizer as JehVi-nn. 
N. A. Rer., rXXIII. :;<. 
centrally (sen'tral-i), atli*. In a central man- 
ner or position ; with regard to the center ; 
along a central line : as, to be centrally situated ; 
to How rrntrally, as a river through a region of 
country. 
centraluess (seu'tral-nes), . [< central + 
-n 1. 1.1.] The state or quality of being central; 
centrality. 
Centranthus (sen-tran'thus), w. [NL., < Gr. 
K{VT/WV, a spur (see center^), + avdoc, a flower.] 
A genus of plants, natural order VaU-rianacxr, 
distinguished from the true valerian by having 
a spur to the corolla and a single stamen. The 
species are perennial smooth herbs, with white or red 
flowers. C. ritbr.r (spur valerian) is a sweet-scented plant 
from southern Europe, often cultivated for ornament. 
centrarchid (sen-trar'kid), a. and n. I. a. 
Pertaining to or having the characters of the 
Ci'iitrarchidte. 
II. n. A fish of the family Crntrarcltidti: 
Centrarchida? (sen-trar'ki-de), n. 
rygiau fishes, typified by the genus Centrarchux, 
containing the forms known as sunfish, rock- 
bass, and black-bass, all of which are inhabi- 
tants of the United States. The Chamobryttu* /;,/- 
centrifugal 
_r). (From Report of U. S. 
Fish Commission, j 
losus is abundant in the southern streams, where it is 
known as the warmouth. They are all fresh-water fishes, 
with compressed oval Ixjdy, continuous lateral line con- 
current with the back, head of moderate size with nostrils 
normally double and scaly cheeks and gill-covers, the 
operculum ending in a colored lobe or point, a long dorsal 
fin usually with 10 spines and 10 rays, and the anal fin op- 
posite the soft part of the dorsal. There are 10 genera and 
nearly 50 species. 
Centrarchinae (sen-trar-ki'ne), n. pi. [NL., < 
Centrarcnus + -ince.] A subfamily of centrar- 
choid fishes, including those of a compressed 
ovate form, and with the dorsal and anal fins 
nearly equally developed and obliquely oppo- 
site each other. It embraces only the genera Cen- 
trarchus and Pomoxys of which the former is a southern 
United States type and the latter common to the southern 
and western United States. 
centrarchine (sen-trar'kin), a. and n. I. a. 
Pertaining or relating to the Centrarchiiue or 
Centrarchida;. 
II. n. A fish of the subfamily Centrarchina. 
centrarchoid (sen-triir'koid), a. and n. I. a. 
. ., . . 
Also spelled centralisation. 
centralize (sen'tral-Iz), v. t. ; pret. and pp. cen- 
tralized, ppr. centralizing. [< central + 4ze; = 
F. centraliser = Sp. Pg. centralizar = It. cen- 
tralizzare.] To draw to a central point ; bring 
to a center; render central; concentrate in 
some particular part as an actual or a conven- 
tional center : generally applied to the process 
of transferring local administration to the cen- 
tral government. Also spelled centralise. 
The first task of a modern despot is to centraliie to the 
highest point, to bring every department of thought and 
action under a system of police regulation, and, above all, 
to unpose Iiu shacklmg tyrannj .upon the human mind. 
centralized (sen'tral-izd), p. a. L - r ,^ 
i'~<', i'.] Centered m one point or on the au- 
thority of one person, party, etc. ; vested in a 
central authority. Also spelled centralised. 
Spain is not, and never has been, one of those central- 
tied countries in which the capture of the capital implies 
the subjugation of the nation. Ledty, Eng. in 18th Cent., i. 
Bail as the old poor-law was in many of its aspects, it 
gave a far greater freedom to those who had to work its 
provisions Ulan the present centralized system allows. 
.V. mid tj., 8th ser., X. 260. 
uuu w*. i .. i . . i' i. ' 1 1.- iiomjo, vj ^ji\jei or the family 
Centrarchida;, having many spines in the anal 
fin, whence the name. 
centrationt (sen-tra'shon), n. [< L. as if *cen- 
tratio(n-), < centrum, center: see center 1 .] Ten- 
dency toward the center. Dr. H. More. 
centraxonial (sen-trak-so'ni-al), a. [< Or. xtv- 
rpov, center, + &uv, axis, +"-ial.] Having a 
median axial line ; having the center of the body 
definable by a line: the correlative of monajco- 
nial and stauraxonial. Encyc. Brit. 
centre 1 , . and r. See center*-. 
centre 2 , n. See center"*. 
centreityt (sen-tre'i-ti), n. [< L. centrum, cen- 
ter, + -e-ity.] The state of being a center, as 
Some that ha\- ,)ei j-r ,ii-x '1 l."\ ~ mine than 1, 
Say, where M centric happine*n duth lie. 
Uttnut, Love H .Uehclny. 
2. Originating at or connected with a central 
point : as, u n // ('< nervous disease (that is, one 
depending on a brain-lesion, f(jr example, .is 
contracted with a peripheral disease affecting 
the nerves in their course). 
Il.t n. A circle the center of which is the 
same as that of the earth. 
The .-phcre 
With centric and eccentric scribbled > er. 
Milton, I'. I,., viii. 83. 
centrical (seu'tri-kiilj, . Same as milrie. 
The popular fen.mr of the drama had now a centrical 
attraction ; a place of social resort, with a facility of ad- 
mission, was now o]>cncd. 
/. Ifltrueli, Amen, of Lit., II. 171. 
centrically (sen'tri-kal-i), adr. In a centric 
position; centrally. [Rare.] 
The city of Herat is . . . very centrically situated, ureat 
lines of communication radiating from it in all din - 
Encyc. llrit., XL Tin. 
centricalness (sen'tri-kal-nes), n. The quality 
or state of being situated in a central position. 
centricipital (sen-tri-sip'i-tal), a. [< L. een- 
t r n in, center, + caput (in cpmp. -cipit), head, 
+ -a/.] Situated in the middle part, region, 
or segment of the head, between the sincipital 
and occipital portions ; of or pertaining to the 
centriciput ; parietal, as a cranial segment. 
His [Oarns's] three principal cranial vertebra corre- 
spond to the three cerebral masses, and are the occipital, 
centricipital, and sincipital. 
S. Kneeland, Jr., Amer. Cyc., XIII. 424. 
centriciput (sen-tris'i-put), . [For centricaput, 
< L. centrum, center, -f caput, head.] laanat., 
the mid-head, between the sinciput and the 
occiput, or fore-head and hind-head ; a part of 
the head, or segment of the skull, correspond- 
ing to the mesencephalon, and constituting the 
second cranial segment counting from benind 
forward. See centricijntal. 
centricity (sen-tris'i-ti), n. [< centric + -%.] 
The state of being centric ; centricalness. 
centrifugal (sen-trif'u-gal), o. and n. [Cf. F. 
centrifuge = Sp. centrifuyb = Pg. It. centrifugo ; 
< NL. centrifugug, < L. centrum, the center^ + 
fugere, flee: see fugacious, fugue, etc.] I. a. 1. 
Flying off or proceeding from a center; radiating 
or sent outward from a focus or central point : 
opposed to centripetal: as, centrifugal force or 
energy ; centrifugal rays or spokes. 2. Oper- 
ating by radial action; producing effects by 
centrifugal force : as, a centrifugal filter, pump, 
or machine. (See phrases below.) 3. In psy- 
chol., moving from the brain to the periphery. 
Centrifugal drier, centrifugal drill. See the nouns. 
Centrifugal filter, a filter having a hollow, perfo- 
rated, rotary cylinder, in which a saturated substance can 
be placed, when the cylinder is revolved rapidly, the 
fluid contained in the substance to be filtered is forced by 
centrifugal action through the perforations. Centrifu- 
gal force. See force. Centrifu- 
gal gun, a kind of machine-cannon 
having a chambered disk revolv- 
ing very rapidly, from which balls 
are discharged by centrifugal force. 
I Not in use. l Centrifugal Inflo- 
rescence, a form of inflorescence, 
otherwise called definite or determi- 
nate, in which the central axis is ter- 
minated by a flower-hud, which Is 
the first to open, the lower or outer 
ones following in succession. The 
elder and valerian furnish examples. 
Centrifugal machine, a name 
given to many machines for rais- 
ing water, ventilating mines, drying 
yarn, clothes, sugar, etc. In centrifu- 
gal drying machines the material is ,., 
placed in a cylinder of wire gauze, eduction-pipe, L. 
the rapid rotation of which causes the 
water (or in the case of sugar the molasses) to fly off by 
centrifugal action. Centrifugal pump, a rotary pump 
in which water is raised by centrifugal action, by means 
of a fan-wheel operating directly upon the mass of water. 
Keeps to itself : it shrinks not to a nullity. 
Dr. U. More, Psychathanasia, III. it 20. 
centric (sen'trik), a. and n. [= Sp. It. centrico, 
< NL. centricus, < Gr. nevrpiKOf, of or from the 
center, < Ktvrpav, center: see center!, and cf. 
central.] I. a. 1. Central; basic; fundamen- 
tal. [Bare.] 
Section of Gwynnc's 
Centrifugal Pump. 
The wheel rotates in 
the direction of the ar- 
row, and delivers the 
water upward into the 
Centrifugal Pump, exterior view. 
There are numerous devices for the application of this 
principle. Centrifugal radicle, in hot., an embryonic 
radicle turned away from the center of the seed. Cen- 
trifugal sugar, a trade-name for sugar prepared in a 
centrifugal machine. 
