| feminine | 1. Of or pertaining to a woman, or to women; characteristic of a woman; womanish; womanly. "Her letters are remarkably deficient in feminine ease and grace." (Macaulay) 2. Having the qualities of a woman; becoming or appropriate to the female sex; as, in a good sense, modest, graceful, affectionate, confiding; or, in a bad sense, weak, nerveless, timid, pleasure-loving, effeminate. "Her heavenly form Angelic, but more soft and feminine." (Milton) "Ninus being esteemed no man of war at all, but altogether feminine, and subject to ease and delicacy." (Sir W. Raleigh) Origin: L. Femininus, fr. Femina woman; prob. Akin to L. Fetus, or to Gr. To suck, to suckle, Skr. Dha to suck; cf. AS. Famme woman, maid: cf. F. Feminin. See Foetus. 1. A woman. "They guide the feminines toward the palace." (Hakluyt) 2. Any one of those words which are the appellations of females, or which have the terminations usually found in such words; as, actress, songstress, abbess, executrix. "There are but few true feminines in English." (Latham) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| guard | 1. One who, or that which, guards from injury, danger, exposure, or attack; defense; protection. "His greatness was no guard to bar heaven's shaft." (Shak) 2. A man, or body of men, stationed to protect or control a person or position; a watch; a sentinel. "The guard which kept the door of the king's house." Kings xiv. 27. 3. One who has charge of a mail coach or a railway train; a conductor. 4. Any fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure against injury, soiling, or defacement, theft or loss; as: That part of a sword hilt which protects the hand. Ornamental lace or hem protecting the edge of a garment. A chain or cord for fastening a watch to one's person or dress. A fence or rail to prevent falling from the deck of a vessel. An extension of the deck of a vessel beyond the hull; especially, in side-wheel steam vessels, the framework of strong timbers, which curves out on each side beyond the paddle wheel, and protects it and the shaft against collision. A plate of metal, beneath the stock, or the lock frame, of a gun or pistol, having a loop, called a bow, to protect the trigger. An interleaved strip at the back, as in a scrap book, to guard against its breaking when filled. 5. A posture of defense in fencing, and in bayonet and saber exercise. 6. An expression or admission intended to secure against objections or censure. "They have expressed themselves with as few guards and restrictions as I." (Atterbury) 7. Watch; heed; care; attention; as, to keep guard. 8. <zoology> The fibrous sheath which covers the phragmacone of the Belemnites. Guard is often used adjectively or in combination; as, guard boat or guardboat; guardroom or guard room; guard duty. Advanced guard, Coast guard, etc. See Advanced, Coast, etc. Grand guard, one of the posts of the second line belonging to a system of advance posts of an army. Guard boat. A boat appointed to row the rounds among ships of war in a harbor, to see that their officers keep a good lookout. A boat used by harbor authorities to enforce the observance of quarantine regulations. <botany> Guard cells, to go on duty as a guard or sentinel. To run the guard, to pass the watch or sentinel without leave. Synonym: Defense, shield, protection, safeguard, convoy, escort, care, attention, watch, heed. Origin: OF. Guarde, F. Garde; of German origin; cf. OHG. Wart, marto, one who watches, mata a watching, Goth. Wardja watchman. See Guard. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| guard cell | <plant biology> Plant cells occurring in pairs in the epidermis, flanking each stoma. Changes in turgor in the guard cells cause the stoma to open and close. (18 Nov 1997) |
| air bladder | 1. <anatomy> An air sac, sometimes double or variously lobed, in the visceral cavity of many fishes. It originates in the same way as the lungs of air-breathing vertebrates, and in the adult may retain a tubular connection with the pharynx or oesophagus. 2. A sac or bladder full of air in an animal or plant; also an air hole in a casting. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| allantoic bladder | A type of bladder formed as an outgrowth of the cloaca. (05 Mar 2000) |
| apex of urinary bladder | The junction of the superior and anteroinferior surfaces of the bladder, continuous above with the median umbilical ligament. Synonym: apex vesicae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| atonic bladder | A large, dilated, and nonemptying bladder; usually due to disturbance of innervation or to chronic obstruction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| autonomic neurogenic bladder | Malfunctioning bladder, secondary to low spinal cord lesions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bar of bladder | A fold of mucous membrane extending from the orifice of the ureter of one side to that of the other side. Synonym: plica interureterica, bar of bladder, Mercier's bar, plica ureterica, torus uretericus, ureteric fold. (05 Mar 2000) |
| base of bladder | The fundus is formed by the posterior wall which is somewhat convex. Synonym: fundus vesicae urinariae, bas-fond, base of bladder. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bladder | A membranous sac that serves as a reservoir for urine. Contraction of the bladder results in urination. (27 Sep 1997) |
| bladder calcification | <radiology> Schistosomiasis (bilharziasis), major cause worldwide, 50% have calcification, can cause squamous cell carcinoma, TB and other infections, radiation cystitis, calculi, bladder neoplasms, transitional cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, leiomyosarcoma, haemangioma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma (12 Dec 1998) |
| bladder calculi | Calculi of the urinary bladder; also known as vesical calculi, bladder stones or gravel, and cystoliths. Vesicoprostatic calculi are prostatic calculi extending into the bladder. (12 Dec 1998) |
| bladder cancer | The most common warning sign of bladder cancer is blood in the urine. The diagnosis of bladder cancer is supported by findings in the medical history and examination, blood, urine, and X-ray tests, and confirmed with a biopsy (usually during a cystoscope exam). Treatment of bladder cancer depends on the growth, size, and location of the tumour. (12 Dec 1998) |
| bladder cancer risks | Smoking is a major risk factor. Cigarette smokers develop bladder cancer 2-3 times more often than do nonsmokers. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of bladder cancer, lung cancer, several other types of cancer, and a number of other diseases as well. Workers in some occupations are at higher risk of developing bladder cancer because of exposure to carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) in the workplace. These workers include people in the rubber, chemical, and leather industries, as well as hairstylists, machinists, metal workers, printers, painters, textile workers, and truck drivers. (12 Dec 1998) |