| materia medica | 1. Material or substance used in the composition of remedies; a general term for all substances used as curative agents in medicine. 2. That branch of medical science which treats of the nature and properties of all the substances that are employed for the cure of diseases. Origin: L. See Matter, and Medical. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| actual | 1. Involving or comprising action; active. "Her walking and other actual performances." (Shak) "Let your holy and pious intention be actual; that is . . . By a special prayer or action, . . . Given to God." (Jer. Taylor) 2. Existing in act or reality; really acted or acting; in fact; real; opposed to potential, possible, virtual, speculative, coceivable, theoretical, or nominal; as, the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion. 3. In action at the time being; now exiting; present; as the actual situation of the country. Actual cautery. See Cautery. Actual sin, that kind of sin which is done by ourselves in contradistinction to "original sin." Synonym: Real, genuine, positive, certain. See Real. Origin: OE. Actuel, F. Actuel, L. Actualis, fr. Agere to do, act. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| actual cautery | A cautery, such as electrocautery, acting directly through heat and not by chemical means. Synonym: technocausis. (05 Mar 2000) |