ANGLE. The s.p.a.ce or aperture intersected by the natural inclination of two lines or planes meeting each other, the place of intersection being called the vertex or angular point, and the lines legs. Angles are distinguished by the number of degrees they subtend, to 360, or the whole circ.u.mference of a circle. Angles are acute, obtuse, right, curvilinear, rectilinear, &c. (all of which see).
ANGLE-DOG, OR ANGLE-TWITCH. A large earth-worm, sought for bait.
ANGLE-IRONS. Certain strips of iron having their edges turned up at an angle to each other; they are of various sizes, and used for the ribs and knees of the framing of iron vessels.
ANGLE OF COMMUTATION. The difference between the heliocentric longitudes of the earth and a planet or comet, the latter being reduced to the ecliptic.
ANGLE OF ECCENTRICITY. An astronomical term denoting the angle whose sine is equal to the eccentricity of an orbit.
ANGLE OF ELEVATION. _See_ ELEVATION.
ANGLE OF INCIDENCE. _See_ INCIDENCE.
ANGLE OF LEE-WAY. The difference between the apparent compa.s.s-course and the true one--arising from lateral pressure and the effect of sea when close-hauled. It is not applicable to courses when the wind and sea are fair.
ANGLE OF POSITION. A term usually confined to double stars, to distinguish the line of bearing between them when they are apparently very near to each other.
ANGLE OF REFLECTION. _See_ REFLECTION.
ANGLE OF SITUATION. This was formerly called the _angle of position_, and is also termed the _parallactic angle_ (which see).
ANGLE OF THE CENTRE. In fortification, the angle formed at the centre of the polygon by lines drawn from thence to the points of two adjacent bastions.
ANGLE OF THE SHOULDER. _See_ EPAULE.
ANGLE OF THE VERTICAL. The difference between the geographical and geocentric lat.i.tudes of a place upon the earth"s surface.
ANGLER. A fisherman, or one who angles for recreation rather than profit. Also a species of _Lophius_ or toad-fish; from its ugliness and habits called also the _sea-devil_. It throws out feelers by which small fry are enticed within its power.
ANGLES OF TIMBERS. _See_ BEVELLING.
ANGLING. The practice of catching fish by means of a rod, line, hook, and bait, which by its mixture of idleness and chance forms recreation; but however simple the art appears, it requires much nicety.
ANGON. A javelin formerly used by the French, the point of which resembled a _fleur-de-lis_: it is also generally applied to the half-pike or javelin.
ANGOSIADE. An astronomical falsehood; a term originating from the pretended observations of D"Angos at Malta.
ANGRA [Sp.] Bay or inlet.--_Angra grande_, _pequena_, &c., on the coasts of Spanish and Portuguese settlements.
ANGUILLIFORM. Applied to fishes having the shape, softness, and appearance of eels.
ANGULAR CRAB. An ugly long-armed crustacean--the _Goneplax angulata_--with eyes on remarkably long stalks.
ANGULAR DISTANCE. This term, when applied to celestial bodies, implies that the sun and moon, or moon and stars, are within measuring distance for lunars.
ANGULAR MOTION is that which describes an angle, or moves circularly round a point, as planets revolving about the sun.
ANGULAR VELOCITY. This is a term used in the orbits of double stars, and implies the motion in a certain time of one star round the other.
ANILLA. A commercial term for indigo, derived from the plant whence it is prepared. [Sp. _anil_, indigo, Indigofera; _alnyl_, Arab.]
ANIMAL FLOWERS. _Actiniae_, or sea-anemones and similar animals, which project a circle of tentacula resembling flowers. Formerly they were all cla.s.sed under zoophytes.
ANIMATE. The giving power or encouragement.--_To animate a battery_, to place guns in its embrasures.--_To animate a needle_, to magnetize it.--_To animate the crew_ in various ways for any special duty.
ANKER. An anker of brandy contains ten gallons. The kegs in which Hollands is mostly exported are ankers and half-ankers.
ANKER-FISH. A name of a kind of cuttle-fish.
ANKLE-BONE. An old seaman"s term for the crawfish.
ANNELIDS. A cla.s.s of worm-like animals, of which the body is composed of a series of rings.
ANNET. A sea-gull, well known in Northumberland and on the northern coasts.
ANNIVERSARY WINDS. Those which blow constantly at certain seasons of the year, as monsoon, trade, and etesian winds.
ANNONA. An ancient tax for the yearly supply of corn or provisions for the army and capital: still in use in Italy.
ANNOTINae. The ancient Roman victuallers or provision vessels.
ANNOTTO (_Bixa orellana_). The plant from the dried pulp of the seed-vessels of which a delicate red dye is obtained, used to give a rich colour to milk, b.u.t.ter, and cheese.
ANNUAL. Those astronomical motions which return or terminate every year.
ANNUAL ACCOUNTS. The ship"s books and papers for the year.
ANNUAL EQUATION. An inequality in the moon"s march, arising from the eccentricity of the earth"s...o...b..t, whereby the diurnal motion is sometimes quicker and at other times slower than her mean motion.
ANNUAL PARALLAX. _See_ PARALLAX.
ANNUAL RETURNS. In addition to the general accounts of the year, there are three returns to be transmitted to the admiral or senior officer for the Admiralty. They are, a report of the sailing and other qualities of the ship; state of the ship as to men; and progress of the young gentlemen in navigation.
ANNUAL VARIATION. The change produced in the right ascension or declination of a star by the precession of the equinoxes and proper motion of the star taken together. Also, the annual variation of the compa.s.s.
ANNUL, TO. To nullify a signal.
ANNULAR. Resembling an annulus or ring. An _annular_ eclipse takes place when the apparent diameter of the moon is less than that of the sun, and a zone of light surrounds the moon while central.
ANNULAR SCUPPER. A contrivance for fitting scuppers so that the whole can be enlarged by a movable concentric ring, in order that a surcharge of water can be freely delivered; invented by Captain Downes, R.N.
ANNULUS. A geometrical figure. (_See_ RING.)
ANNULUS ASTRONOMICUS. A ring of bra.s.s used formerly in navigation. In 1575 Martin Frobisher, when fitting out on his first voyage for the discovery of a north-west pa.s.sage, was supplied with one which cost thirty shillings.
ANOMALISTIC MONTH. _See_ ANOMALISTIC PERIOD.
ANOMALISTIC PERIOD. The time of revolution of a primary or secondary planet in reference to its line of apsides; that is, from one perigee or apogee to another.