isthmian 
Isthmian games, ;inirs in honor of I'osi-ftlon ancirntly 
rrli'licilr.l fit the ls!liiiii;m sanctuary, un tin- latbmus of 
Tori nl h, conBtftutiiiK the srconil in import mire "t thf tnui 
Kiv:it national fr*ti\ al <-t (Jivir. '. Th.-y ttx.k plai-t- in A pi il 
a 11' I May ill tin' lil'M anil thin I >r:u ,t.t .-irli I Uymplad, ami 
im'liitlnl lltr sainr o.ntcstH as tin', Olympian KltmeB, atll- 
U'tic, poetic, aii-1 ninsiral. The vii'tnrswere crowned with 
wreaths of pine-leaves, which were the only prizes. Isth- 
mian sanctuary, a HIUTIM! .ir^cinrt on the northeast 
shore of the Isthmus of Corinth, inclosed hy walls ami 
rontainiiiK rii'li temples, altars, a theater, a stadium, iitul 
ninny otlu-r public ami jiitvalr iimmiincntK, within wliirli 
the uthmiu c -:;i!iirs urro celebrated from time iuinn nni 
rial until tin- pn -valence of the Christian religion. 
iathmiate (1st'- or is'mi-at), a. [< iethmua + 
-i-ate.] In zoiil., having a narrow part con- 
necting two broader portions. Isthmlate tho- 
rax, in Ciileaptera, a thorax having a narrowed space he- 
tween the prothorax and the elytra, either in consequence 
of the former being constricted behind, or because the an- 
terior part of the mcsothorax in not covered by the pro- 
thorax. 
isthmitis (ist- or is-mi'tis), n. [NL., < iatlinin.i, 
3, + -itix.] liilhiiiiiiint icin of tho throat. 
isthmoid (ist'- or is'moid), a. [< Gr. lotiiioetiqi; , 
like an isthmus, < loOfitif, an isthmus, + eliof, 
form.] Kesembling an isthmus; specifically, 
resembling the isthmus faucium. 
isthmus (isf- or is'mus), . [Formerly alsowt//*- 
mon (and intlim, q. v.); = F. infinite = Pg. ixthmo 
= Sp. It. intmtt, < L. isthmus, < Gr. ioSfi&:, a nar- 
row passage, a narrow strip of land between two 
seas (esp. the Isthmus of Corinth); akin to Wfta, 
a step, (ievat (= L. in), go : see j/o.] 1. A narrow 
strip of land bordered by water and connecting 
two larger bodies of land, as two continents, a 
continent and a peninsula, or two parts of an 
island. The two isthmuses of most importance are that 
of Suez, connecting Asia and Africa, and that of Panama or 
Uarien, connecting North and Mouth America. The Isth- 
mus most famous in ancient times is that of Corinth, called 
distinctively the Isthmus, separating the Peloponnesian 
peninsula from the mainland of c recce. A small Isthmus 
is often called a neck. 
There want not good Geographers who hold that this 
Island was tied to France at first ... by an Inthmos or 
neck of laud 'twixt Dover and Bullen. 
UmceU, Pref. to Cotgrave's French Diet. (ed. 1678). 
2. In hot. and cool., some connecting part or 
organ, especially when narrow or joining parts 
larger than itself. 3. The contracted passage 
from the cavity of the mouth into that of the 
pharynx. It Is bounded above by the pendulous veil of 
the palate and uvula, at the sides by the pillars of the 
fauces, and in low hy the base of the tongue. More fully 
called isthmus faucium, isthmus of the fauces. Isthmus 
cerebrl, the isthmus of the brain ; the narrow part inter- 
vening between the cerebrum and the cerebellum. Isth- 
mus of the thyroid gland, a contracted part of this 
gland, lying across the middle line of the windpipe, and 
connecting the two lateral lobes which chiefly compose 
the thyroid body. 
-istic. [< -i.it 4- -ic.~\ A termination of adjec- 
tives (and in tho plural of nouns from adjec- 
tives) formed from nouns in -ist, and having 
reference to such nouns, or to associated nouns 
in -ixm, as in dei-itic, theintic, euphuintic, euphe- 
mistic, puristic, linguistic, sabjectivistic, objecti- 
I'ixlii; etc. In nouns it has usually a plural 
form, as in linguinticn. 
-istical. [< -istic + -al.~\ Same as -istic. 
Istiophorus (is-ti-of'o-rus), . See Histiophn- 
riin, 1 and 2. 
IstiurilS (is-ti-u'rus), n. See Histiiirits, 1. 
istle. ystle (is'tl), it. [Mex. ; also ixtle.'] An ex- 
ceedingly valuable fiber produced principally 
from Kromelia si//fe,Am\akindof wild pineapple. 
It is called pita in Central America, and xilk-frraw in British 
Honduras. These names, with the exception of the last, are 
also applied to the fiber obtained from various species of 
Agave, particularly A. rijida, A. Ixtli, etc., but the spe- 
cies are much confused. Rroinelia gylvegtris, which is ex- 
tensively cultivated in Mexico, produces leaves 1 to 3 
inches wide and 5 to 8 feet long, which yield a very strong 
tlber extensively used in the manufacture of bagging, car- 
pets, hammocks, cordage, nets, belts, ete. See henequen. 
istle-grass ( is'tl-gras), n. The plant, Broun Hit 
xilh'egtris, which yields the fiber istle. 
Istrian (is'tri-an), a. and n. [< Istria (see def.) 
+ -an.'] I. a. Of or pertaining to Istria, a 
crownland belonging to the Cisleithan division 
of Austria-Hungary, situated near the head of 
the Adriatic sea. 
The Istrian shore has lost its beauty, though the Istrian 
hills, now and then capped by a hill-side town, and the 
higher mountains beyond them, tell us something of the 
character of the inland scenery. 
S. A. Freeman, Venice, p. 98. 
II. n. A native or an inhabitant of Istria. 
The Istrians are Slavs and Italians, the former 
being much the more numerous, 
it (it), /iron. [< ME. it, yt, hit, lii/t, < AS. hit (gen. 
his, dat. him), neut. of he, he: seeAe 1 .] 1. Aper- 
sonal pronoun, of the third person and neuter 
gender, corresponding to the masculine lie and 
the feminine .tin; ami having the same plural 
forms, tlmj. their, Ihfin. (a) A substitute for the name 
3201 
of an object (previously mentioned, or understood from the 
context or circumstances) not regarded aa possessing sex, 
or without regard to the Bex, or for an abstract noun, a 
phrase, or a clause : as. ft (a stone) is very heavy ; feed it 
i a n Infant) with a spoon ; the moon waa red when it rose ; 
the horse stumbles when it (or he) is driven fast ; how 
did il (an event) happen? /' is often used vaguely for a 
thing, notion, or circumstance not definitely conceived, or 
left to the imagination : as, how far do you call in plague 
take it ! you'll catch it ! 
How is it with our general ? Shak., Cor., T. S. 
('0 As the nominative of an impersonal verb or verb used 
Impersonally, when the thing for which it stands is ex- 
pressed or implied by the verb Itself : as, it rains (the rain 
rains or Is falling) : il is blowing (the wind Is blowing). 
( ) As the grammatical subject of a clause of which the logi- 
cal subject is a phrase or clause, generally following, and 
regarded as in apposition with it: as, it is said that he has 
won the prize ; he is poor, il is true, but he la honest ; it 
behooves you to bestir yourself ; /' is they that have done 
this mischief. 
Tis these that gave the great Apollo spoils. Pope, 
(d) After an intransitive verb, used transitively for the kind 
of action denoted or suggested by the verb : as, to foot it 
all the way to town. 
Come, and trip it as you go, 
On the light fantastic toe. 
Miltnn, L 1 Allegro, 1. S3. 
Whether the charmer sinner it or saint it, 
If folly grow romantic I must paint it. 
Pope, Moral Essays, IL IS. 
(<r) The possessive case, originally Aw (see hel), nowite; 
the form it without the possessive suffix having been used 
for a time in works written during the period of transition 
from the use of hit to that of its. 
That which groweth of it [now ito) own accord. 
Lev. xxv. 6 (ed. 1611). 
ft knighthood shall do worse. It shall fright all ."' 
friends with borrowing letters. B. Jonson. 
2. In children's games, that player who is called 
upon to perform some particular task, as in 
I-spy or tag the one who must catch or touch 
the other players: as, he's it; who's iff 
[In old usage the substantive verb after it often agrees with 
the succeeding nominative in the first or second person : 
as, " It am I, fader," In Chaucer.] 
It. A common abbreviation of Italian. 
-it 1 , -it 2 . A dialectal (Scotch) form of -erfi, -er/ 2 . 
Twas then we luvtf ilk ither weel. 
Mutheru'ell, Jeanie Morrison. 
itabirite (i-tab'i-rit). n. [< Itabira, a place 
in Minns Geraes, Brazil, + -!<e 2 .] A quartzose 
iron-slate or iron-mica slate ; a rock made up 
chiefly of alternating layers of quartz and spec- 
ular iron ore. The term is used by writers on 
tho geologv of Brazil. 
itacism (o'ta-sizm), H. [= F. itacinnie ; < Gr. 
f/ra, as pron. e'tft (that is, as if spelled *<ra), + 
-c-ixm. Cf. etaclitm, iotacism.~\ Same as iota- 
cism. 
itacist (e'ta-sist), n. [= F. itacinte; as itac-ixm 
+ -int.'] C)ne who practises or upholds itacism. 
itacistic (e-ta-sis'tik), a. [As itac-ism + -ist-ic.] 
Pertaining to or consisting in itacism; Reuch- 
liniau: as, the itacistic pronunciation of ot. 
The flothic iliph thong represents the itacixtic pronunci- 
ation current In Greece at the time of Ulfilas. 
Amer. Jour. Philul., VI. 420. 
itacolumite (it-a-kol'u-mit), w. [< Itacolumi, 
a mountain in Minns Geraes, Brazil, -I- -ife 2 .] 
A fine-grained, quartzose, talcomicaceous slate, 
an important member of the gold-bearing for- 
mation of Brazil. In thin slabs it is sometimes 
more or less flexible. 
itaka-WOOd (it'a-ka-wud), n. [< itaka, a Guiana 
name. + K. wow? 1 .'] A beautiful cabinet-wood 
of British Guiana, furnished by a leguminous 
tree, Macliti-rium Sehomburgkii. It is richly 
streaked with black and brown, and is called 
tiger-wood on this account. 
Ital. An abbreviation of Italian. 
ital. An abbreviation of italic or italics. 
Italian (i-tal'yan), a. and n. [= F. Italien = 
Sp. Pg. It. Itali'ano (cf. D. Itnliaansch = G. Ita- 
lidniscli = Dan. Sw. Italiensk), < ML. "Italianus, 
< L. Italia, Italy, < Italug, an Italian, also a 
legendary eponymous king. The supposed 
deriv. < Gr. iraP-of, a bull ("on account of the 
abundance and excellence of its [Italy's] horned 
cattle "), is mere conjecture.] I. a. Of or per- 
taining to Italy, a country and kingdom of Eu- 
rope, which comprises the central one of the 
three southern European peninsulas, together 
with the adjoining region northward to the 
Alps, and the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, etc. ; 
pertaining to the inhabitants of Italy. The king- 
dom of Italy has developed from the former kingdom of 
Sardinia, which, through the events of 185&-60, annexed 
Lomhardy, Tuscany, Modena, Parma, the kingdom of the 
Two Sicilies, and part of the 1'apal States, acquired Venetia 
in 1806, and finally Rome in 1870. The title of King of Italy 
was assumed by Victor Emmanuel II. of Sardinia in 1861. 
Mine Italian brain 
'Gan in your duller Britain operate. 
Shak., Cymbeline, v. 5, 196. 
Italian 
Tiber, now no longer Unman, rolls. 
Vain of Italian hearth, /talinn muiln. 
Pope, bunclad, IT. 800. 
Italian architecture, the architectural style* developed 
In and characteristic uf Italy; specifically, the architec- 
ture of the Italian Kenalaaauce, which was developed 
through study of ancient Roman models by BraneUeachl 
nnd a few great contemporaries in the fifteenth century, 
and quickly disseminated ita influence throughout Europe. 
Italian Architecture. Church of Sta. Maria delta Salute. Venice ; 
constructed 1633. 
Among the rare merits of this architecture are its liberal 
application of the hemiapheruidal dome, and the impres- 
sive proportions of many of its palace facades, which show 
a great projecting cornice crowning an imposing arrange- 
ment of architectural masses. Much of the carved or- 
nament of the first decades of the style Is delicate and 
refined ; but it soon degenerated to the most offensive 
and pretentious vulgarity and coarseness. .See Lombard 
architecture (under Lombard) and Italian Gothic (below). 
Italian cloth, a kind of linen jean with satin face, eni- 
Eloyed chieflyfor linings. Italian ferret, a kind of silk 
raid or binding. Italian Gothic, the Pointed archi- 
tecture (see Gothic, a., 3) of Italy during the thirteenth 
and fourteenth centuries. The style Is based upon the 
Romanesque as developed in Italy, which does not dif- 
fer essentially from the Romanesque of France and other 
countries, though it made more liberal use of ranges of 
somewhat small columns (see cut under 'W/ri/j, and 
tended to the elaboration of surface-effects of color, 
owing to the abundant presence of beautifully tinted 
building-marbles. The Italian Pointed forms were in- 
fluenced by those of northern Europe, but these were 
profoundly modified by the Italian architects. The ex- 
teriors of their buildings, particularly the facades, are 
hardly more than beautiful screens, bavin*.' little or no 
connection with the systems of con struct ion employed 
in the buildings themselves. There are no flying but- 
tresses, for the carefully studied northern system of vault- 
ing was never adopted In Italy ; the walls are in general 
comparatively flat, with few projections, the rich and deli- 
cate sculpture being placed generally immediately about 
the windows and doom, and the large wall-spaces being 
treated in colored marbles, incrustation, mosaic, or paint- 
ing in fresco; tracery seldom occurs in the windows, ex* 
cept as plate-tracery, often pierced with subtle study of 
effect. Every district in Italy produced its own school 
of Pointed architecture, each admirable in its own way. 
(See Venetian architecture, under Venetian.) The Pointed 
architecture of Sicily is not properly Italian ; it ap< 
proaches more closely the northern style of the Norman 
French conquerors, but Is affected by the Saracenic tradi- 
tions which abounded on the Island, and influenced by 
Byzantine models, particularly In its carvings and in its 
wealth of mosaics. Italian iron, millet, etc. See the 
nouns. Italian painting, the art of painting as de- 
veloped and practised itiltaly ; specifically, the group of 
schools which had their origin in ancient Roman tradi- 
tion and in the imitation of Byzantine models in the early 
middle ages, received their first vital impulse from Giotto 
in the beginning of the fourteenth century, and culmi- 
nated in the great masters of the Renaissance Tintoret, 
Titian, Paul Veronese, and Raphael. I ntil the close of the 
fourteenth century the consistent object of this painting 
was to manifest to the unlettered the miraculous things 
chronicled in the Holy Writ and accomplished by the 
sanctiflcation of religious faith. With the fifteenth cen- 
tury the modern spirit of naturalism appeared in art, and 
made its way until by the hist half of that century the re- 
ligious and didactic spirit had vanished, and pictures had 
come to be painted in the mere cult of outward beauty, 
and for the personal glory and profit of the painter. For 
some of the chief schools uf Italian painting, see Bolo>int9t t 
/toman, Sienese^ I'mbrian, Venetian. See also Florentine 
painting, under Renaiatance, Italian sixth, in music, a 
chord of the extreme sixth, containing the 
major third of the bass. See figure. Italian 
string, a superior kind of catgut violin-string, 
made in Italy. Italian warehouse, a shop 
where Italian groceries and fruits are sold. 
Italian-warehouseman, a dealer in fine groceries, in- 
cluding macaroni, vermicelli, dried fruits, olive-oil, etc. 
