| piston | <machinery> A sliding piece which either is moved by, or moves against, fluid pressure. It usually consists of a short cylinder fitting within a cylindrical vessel along which it moves, back and forth. It is used in steam engines to receive motion from the steam, and in pumps to transmit motion to a fluid; also for other purposes. Piston head, a slide valve, consisting of a piston, or connected pistons, working in a cylindrical case which is provided with ports that are traversed by the valve. Origin: F. Piston; cf. It. Pistone piston, also pestone a large pestle; all fr. L. Pinsere, pistum, to pound, to stamp. See Pestle, Pistil. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| piston pulse | <radiology> Corrigan's sign: increased pulse at wrist, aortic insufficiency, widened pulse pressure due to increased stroke volume, diastolic regurgitation (12 Dec 1998) |
| bubbler irrigation | <botany> An irrigation system which injects a slow trickle of water into the ground next to plant roots. (09 Oct 1997) |
| drip-suck irrigation | A type of drainage in which antibiotics are continuously infused into a cavity at the same time fluid is being drained (aspirated) from the cavity. Synonym: drip-suck irrigation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| irrigation | Washing by a stream of water or other fluid. Origin: L. Irrigatio, rigare = to carry water (18 Nov 1997) |