| starlike | 1. Resembling a star; stellated; radiated like a star; as, starlike flowers. 2. Shining; bright; illustrious. "The having turned many to righteousness shall confer a starlike and immortal brightness." (Boyle) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| starling | 1. <ornithology> Any passerine bird belonging to Sturnus and allied genera. The European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is dark brown or greenish black, with a metallic gloss, and spotted with yellowish white. It is a sociable bird, and builds about houses, old towers, etc. Called also stare, and starred. The pied starling of India is Sternopastor contra. 2. <zoology> A California fish; the rock trout. 3. A structure of piles driven round the piers of a bridge for protection and support; called also sterling. Rose-coloured starling. Origin: OE. Sterlyng, a dim. Of OE. Stare, AS. Staer; akin to AS. Stearn, G. Star, staar, OHG. Stara, Icel. Starri, stari, Sw. Stare, Dan. Staer, L. Sturnus. Cf. Stare a starling. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Starling's curve | A graph in which cardiac output or stroke volume is plotted against mean atrial or ventricular end-diastolic pressure; with increasing venous return and atrial pressure the output proportionately increases until further increments overload the heart and the output falls. Synonym: Frank-Starling curve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Starling's hypothesis | The principle that net filtration through capillary membranes is proportional to the transmembrane hydrostatic pressure difference minus the transmembrane oncotic pressure difference; although well established, it is called Starling's hypothesis to distinguish it from Starling's law of the heart. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Starling's law | The energy liberated by the heart when it contracts is a function of the length of its muscle fibres at the end of diastole. Synonym: Starling's law. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Starling's reflex | Tapping the volar surfaces of the fingers causes flexion of the fingers; analogous to Rossolimo's reflex, for the toes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Starling, Ernest | <person> English physiologist, 1866-1927. See: Starling's curve, Starling's hypothesis, Starling's law, Starling's reflex, Frank-Starling curve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| starn | <ornithology> The European starling. (26 Nov 1998) |
| starnose | <zoology> A curious American mole (Condylura cristata) having the nose expanded at the end into a stellate disk. Synonym: star-nosed mole. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| starosty | A castle and domain conferred on a nobleman for life. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Starr, Albert | <person> U.S. Physician, *1926. See: Starr-Edwards valve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Starr-Edwards valve | A cage and ball artificial cardiac valve with high reliability and durability. (05 Mar 2000) |
| starry | 1. Abounding with stars; adorned with stars. "Above the starry sky." 2. Consisting of, or proceeding from, the stars; stellar; stellary; as, starry light; starry flame. "Do not Christians and Heathens, Jews and Gentiles, poets and philosophers, unite in allowing the starry influence?" (Sir W. Scott) 3. Shining like stars; sparkling; as, starry eyes. 4. Arranged in rays like those of a star; stellate. <zoology> Starry ray, a European skate (Raita radiata); so called from the stellate bases of the dorsal spines. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| starstone | <chemical> Asteriated sapphire. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| start | 1. To leap; to jump. 2. To move suddenly, as with a spring or leap, from surprise, pain, or other sudden feeling or emotion, or by a voluntary act. "And maketh him out of his sleep to start." (Chaucer) "I start as from some dreadful dream." (Dryden) "Keep your soul to the work when ready to start aside." (I. Watts) "But if he start, It is the flesh of a corrupted heart." (Shak) 3. To set out; to commence a course, as a race or journey; to begin; as, to start business. "At once they start, advancing in a line." (Dryden) "At intervals some bird from out the brakes Starts into voice a moment, then is still." (Byron) 4. To become somewhat displaced or loosened; as, a rivet or a seam may start under strain or pressure. To start after, to set out after; to follow; to pursue. To start against, to act as a rival candidate against. To start for, to be a candidate for, as an office. To start up, to rise suddenly, as from a seat or couch; to come suddenly into notice or importance. Origin: OE. Sterten; akin to D. Storten 8hurl, rush, fall, G. Sturzen, OHG. Sturzen to turn over, to fall, Sw. Stora to cast down, to fall, Dan. Styrte, and probably also to E. Start a tail; the original sense being, perhaps, to show the tail, to tumble over suddenly. 166. Cf. Start a tail. 1. A tail, or anything projecting like a tail. 2. The handle, or tail, of a plow; also, any long handle. 3. The curved or inclined front and bottom of a water-wheel bucket. 4. <chemical> The arm, or level, of a gin, drawn around by a horse. Origin: OE. Stert a tail, AS. Steort; akin to LG. Stert, steert, D. Staart, G. Sterz, Icel. Stertr, Dan. Stiert, Sw. Stjert. 166. Cf. Stark naked, Start. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |