Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Electric \E*lec"tric\, Electrical \E*lec"tric*al\, a. [L.
electrum amber, a mixed metal, Gr. ?; akin to ? the beaming
sun, cf. Skr. arc to beam, shine: cf. F. ['e]lectrique. The
name came from the production of electricity by the friction
of amber.]
1. Pertaining to electricity; consisting of, containing,
derived from, or produced by, electricity; as, electric
power or virtue; an electric jar; electric effects; an
electric spark.
2. Capable of occasioning the phenomena of electricity; as,
an electric or electrical machine or substance.
3. Electrifying; thrilling; magnetic. ``Electric Pindar.''
--Mrs. Browning.
{Electric atmosphere}, or {Electric aura}. See under {Aura}.
{Electrical battery}. See {Battery}.
{Electrical brush}. See under {Brush}.
{Electric cable}. See {Telegraph cable}, under {Telegraph}.
{Electric candle}. See under {Candle}.
{Electric cat} (Zo["o]l.), one of three or more large species
of African catfish of the genus {Malapterurus} (esp. {M.
electricus} of the Nile). They have a large electrical
organ and are able to give powerful shocks; -- called also
{sheathfish}.
{Electric clock}. See under {Clock}, and see
{Electro-chronograph}.
{Electric current}, a current or stream of electricity
traversing a closed circuit formed of conducting
substances, or passing by means of conductors from one
body to another which is in a different electrical state.
{Electric, or Electrical}, {eel} (Zo["o]l.), a South American
eel-like fresh-water fish of the genus {Gymnotus} ({G.
electricus}), from two to five feet in length, capable of
giving a violent electric shock. See {Gymnotus}.
{Electrical fish} (Zo["o]l.), any fish which has an
electrical organ by means of which it can give an
electrical shock. The best known kinds are the torpedo,
the gymnotus, or electrical eel, and the electric cat. See
{Torpedo}, and {Gymnotus}.
{Electric fluid}, the supposed matter of electricity;
lightning.
{Electrical image} (Elec.), a collection of electrical points
regarded as forming, by an analogy with optical phenomena,
an image of certain other electrical points, and used in
the solution of electrical problems. --Sir W. Thomson.
{Electrical light}, the light produced by a current of
electricity which in passing through a resisting medium
heats it to incandescence or burns it. See under {Carbon}.
{Electric, or Electrical}, {machine}, an apparatus for
generating, collecting, or exciting, electricity, as by
friction.
{Electric motor}. See {Electro-motor}, 2.
{Electric osmose}. (Physics) See under {Osmose}.
{Electric pen}, a hand pen for making perforated stencils for
multiplying writings. It has a puncturing needle driven at
great speed by a very small magneto-electric engine on the
penhandle.
{Electric railway}, a railway in which the machinery for
moving the cars is driven by an electric current.
{Electric ray} (Zo["o]l.), the torpedo.
{Electric telegraph}. See {Telegraph}.
Fluid \Flu"id\, n.
A fluid substance; a body whose particles move easily among
themselves.
Note: Fluid is a generic term, including liquids and gases as
species. Water, air, and steam are fluids. By analogy,
the term is sometimes applied to electricity and
magnetism, as in phrases electric fluid, magnetic
fluid, though not strictly appropriate.
{Fluid dram}, or {Fluid drachm}, a measure of capacity equal
to one eighth of a fluid ounce.
{Fluid ounce}.
(a) In the United States, a measure of capacity, in
apothecaries' or wine measure, equal to one sixteenth of
a pint or 29.57 cubic centimeters. This, for water, is
about 1.04158 ounces avoirdupois, or 455.6 grains.
(b) In England, a measure of capacity equal to the twentieth
part of an imperial pint. For water, this is the weight
of the avoirdupois ounce, or 437.5 grains.
{Fluids of the body}. (Physiol.) The circulating blood and
lymph, the chyle, the gastric, pancreatic, and intestinal
juices, the saliva, bile, urine, aqueous humor, and muscle
serum are the more important fluids of the body. The
tissues themselves contain a large amount of combined
water, so much, that an entire human body dried in vacuo
with a very moderate degree of heat gives about 66 per
cent of water.
{Burning fluid}, {Elastic fluid}, {Electric fluid}, {Magnetic
fluid}, etc. See under {Burning}, {Elastic}, etc.