| inform | 1. To take form; to become visible or manifest; to appear. "It is the bloody business which informs Thus to mine eyes." (Shak) 2. To give intelligence or information; to tell. "He might either teach in the same manner,or inform how he had been taught." (Monthly Rev) To inform against, to communicate facts by way of accusation against; to denounce; as, two persons came to the magistrate, and informed against A. 1. To give form or share to; to give vital ororganising power to; to give life to; to imbue and actuate with vitality; to animate; to mold; to figure; to fashion. ""The informing Word."" (Coleridge) "Let others better mold the running mass Of metals, and inform the breathing brass." (Dryden) "Breath informs this fleeting frame." (Prior) "Breathes in our soul,informs our mortal part." (Pope) 2. To communicate knowledge to; to make known to; to acquaint; to advise; to instruct; to tell; to notify; to enlighten; usually followed by of. "For he would learn their business secretly, And then inform his master hastily." (Spenser) "I am informed thoroughky of the cause." (Shak) 3. To communicate a knowledge of facts to,by way of accusation; to warn against anybody. "Tertullus . . . Informed the governor against Paul." (Acts xxiv. 1) Synonym: To acquaint, apprise, tell, teach, instruct, enlighten, animate, fashion. Origin: OE. Enformen, OF. Enformer, F. Informer. L. Informare; pref. In- in + formare to form, share, fr. Forma form. See Form. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| perspective | 1. A glass through which objects are viewed. "Not a perspective, but a mirror." 2. That which is seen through an opening; a view; a vista. "The perspective of life." 3. The effect of distance upon the appearance of objects, by means of which the eye recognised them as being at a more or less measurable distance. Hence, aerial perspective, the assumed greater vagueness or uncertainty of outline in distant objects. "Aerial perspective is the expression of space by any means whatsoever, sharpness of edge, vividness of colour, etc." (Ruskin) 4. The art and the science of so delineating objects that they shall seem to grow smaller as they recede from the eye. Synonym: linear perspective. 5. A drawing in linear perspective. Isometrical perspective, an inaccurate term for a mechanical way of representing objects in the direction of the diagonal of a cube. Perspective glass, a telescope which shows objects in the right position. Origin: F. Perspective, fr. Perspectif: cf. It. Perspettiva. See Perspective. 1. Of or pertaining to the science of vision; optical. 2. Pertaining to the art, or in accordance with the laws, of perspective. Perspective plane, the plane or surface on which the objects are delineated, or the picture drawn; the plane of projection; distinguished from the ground plane, which is that on which the objects are represented as standing. When this plane is oblique to the principal face of the object, the perspective is called oblique perspective; when parallel to that face, parallel perspective. <zoology> Perspective shell, any shell of the genus Solarium and allied genera. See Solarium. Origin: L. Perspicere, perspectum, to look through; per + spicere, specere, to look: cf. F. Perspectif; or from E. Perspective, n. See Spy. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Haworth perspective formula | <biochemistry> Of cyclic sugars, perspective representations of furanose or pyranose structures as pentagons or hexagons, respectively, with the connecting bonds so shaded as to make them appear as though the plane of the ring is at an angle of 30 |
| genome project | <molecular biology> Research and technology development effortsaimed at mapping and sequencing some or all of the genome of human beings and otherorganisms. (09 Oct 1997) |
| project | 1. To shoot forward; to extend beyond something else; to be prominent; to jut; as, the cornice projects; branches project from the tree. 2. To form a project; to scheme. 1. The place from which a thing projects, or starts forth. 2. That which is projected or designed; something intended or devised; a scheme; a design; a plan. "Vented much policy, and projects deep." (Milton) "Projects of happiness devised by human reason." (Rogers) "He entered into the project with his customary ardor." (Prescott) 3. An idle scheme; an impracticable design; as, a man given to projects. Synonym: Design, scheme, plan, purpose. Project, Design. A project is something of a practical nature thrown out for consideration as to its being done. A design is a project when matured and settled, as a thing to be accomplished. An ingenious man has many projects, but, if governed by sound sense, will be slow in forming them into designs. See also Scheme. Origin: OF. Project, F. Projet, fr. L. Projectus, p. P. Of projicere to project; pro forward + jacere to throw. See Jet a shooting forth, and cf. Projet. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| human genome project | <molecular biology> A worldwide project to determine the DNA sequence of all the DNA in humans, funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the European Commission (EC), and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The project will be completed in stages, beginning with a genetic map of man and a sequencing of all human cDNA. As part of the Human Genome Project, the genomes of several other plant and animal models are being studied. (14 Nov 1997) |