| hummer | 1. One who, or that which, hums; one who applauds by humming. 2. <zoology> A humming bird. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| humming | A sound like that made by bees; a low, murmuring sound; a hum. Hummingale, lively or strong ale. Humming bird, a hawk moth. See Hawk moth, under Hawk, the bird. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| humor | 1. Moisture, especially, the moisture or fluid of animal bodies, as the chyle, lymph, etc.; as, the humors of the eye, etc. The ancient physicians believed that there were four humors (the blood, phlegm, yellow bile or choler, and black bile or melancholy), on the relative proportion of which the temperament and health depended. 2. <medicine> A vitiated or morbid animal fluid, such as often causes an eruption on the skin. "A body full of humors." 3. State of mind, whether habitual or temporary (as formerly supposed to depend on the character or combination of the fluids of the body); disposition; temper; mood; as, good humor; ill humor. "Examine how your humor is inclined, And which the ruling passion of your mind." (Roscommon) "A prince of a pleasant humor." (Bacon) "I like not the humor of lying." (Shak) 4. Changing and uncertain states of mind; caprices; freaks; vagaries; whims. "Is my friend all perfection, all virtue and discretion? Has he not humors to be endured?" (South) 5. That quality of the imagination which gives to ideas an incongruous or fantastic turn, and tends to excite laughter or mirth by ludicrous images or representations; a playful fancy; facetiousness. "For thy sake I admit That a Scot may have humor, I'd almost said wit." (Goldsmith) "A great deal of excellent humor was expended on the perplexities of mine host." (W. Irving) Aqueous humor, Crystalline humor or lens, Vitreous humor. <anatomy> See Eye. Out of humor, dissatisfied; displeased; in an unpleasant frame of mind. Synonym: Wit, satire, pleasantry, temper, disposition, mood, frame, whim, fancy, caprice. See Wit. Origin: OE. Humour, OF. Humor, umor, F. Humeur, L. Humor, umor, moisture, fluid, fr. Humere, umere, to be moist. Alternative forms: humour. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| humor aquosus | <physiology> A transparent liquid contained in the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye, produced by the ciliary process it passes to the venous system via the canal of Schlemm. (27 Sep 1997) |
| humor vitreus | <ophthalmology> The gel-like substance that fills the eyeball between the lens and the retina. (11 Nov 1997) |
| humoral | <physiology> Of, relating to, proceeding from or involving a bodily humour now often used of endocrine factors as opposed to neural or somatic. (18 Nov 1997) |
| humoral antibodies | <immunology> Antibodies which are secreted by B lymphocytes circulating in the blood, in response to antigens found in body fluids. (06 Mar 1998) |
| humoral doctrine | The ancient Greek theory of the four body humors (blood, yellow and black bile, and phlegm) that determined health and disease. The humors were associated with the four elements (air, fire, earth, and water), which in turn corresponded to a pair of the qualities (hot, cold, dry, and moist). A proper and evenly balanced mixture of the humors was characteristic of health of body and mind; an imperfect balance resulted in disease. Temperament of body or mind also was supposed to be determined, e.g., sanguine (blood), choleric (yellow bile), melancholic (black bile), or phlegmatic (phlegm). Synonym: fluidism, humoralism, humorism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| humoral immune response | <immunology> Those immune responses mediated by antibody. (06 Mar 1998) |
| humoral immunity | <immunology> A form of immunity whereby B lymphocytes and plasma cells produce antibodies to foreign agents (antigens) and stimulate T lymphocytes to attack them (cellular immunity). These antibodies also stimulate the release of chemical mediators (for example interferon, complement) which enhance antigen destruction. (06 Mar 1998) |
| humoral pathology | The thesis that disorders in the fluids of the body, especially the blood, are the basic factors in disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| humoral theory | The ancient Greek theory of the four body humors (blood, yellow and black bile, and phlegm) that determined health and disease. The humors were associated with the four elements (air, fire, earth, and water), which in turn corresponded to a pair of the qualities (hot, cold, dry, and moist). A proper and evenly balanced mixture of the humors was characteristic of health of body and mind; an imperfect balance resulted in disease. Temperament of body or mind also was supposed to be determined, e.g., sanguine (blood), choleric (yellow bile), melancholic (black bile), or phlegmatic (phlegm). Synonym: fluidism, humoralism, humorism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| humoralism | 1. <medicine> The state or quality of being humoral. 2. <medicine> The doctrine that diseases proceed from the humors; humorism. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| humoralist | One who favors the humoral pathology or believes in humoralism. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| humorism | 1. <medicine> The theory founded on the influence which the humors were supposed to have in the production of disease; Galenism. 2. The manner or disposition of a humorist; humorousness. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |