Term, tėrm, n. any limited period: the time for which anything lasts: the time during which the courts of law are open: certain days on which rent is paid: that by which a thought is expressed, a word or expression: a condition or arrangement (gener. in pl.): (alg.) a member of a compound quantity.—v.t. to apply a term to: to name or call.—n. Term′er, one who attends a court term, often with the sense of a shifty rogue: one holding an estate for a term of years—also Term′or.—adj. Terminolog′ical.—adv. Terminology′ically.—n. Terminol′ogy, doctrine of terms: the terms used in any art, science, &c.—adj. Term′less, having no term or end: (Spens.) unlimited, boundless.—adv. Term′ly, term by term.—Be on terms with, to be on friendly relations with; Bring to terms, to compel to the acceptance of conditions; Come to terms, to come to an agreement: to submit; Eat one's terms (see Eat); In terms of, in the language peculiar to anything, in modes of; Keep a term, to give the regular attendance during a period of study; Major term, in a syllogism, that which is the predicate of the conclusion; the Minor term, that which is the subject of the conclusion; Make terms, to come to an agreement; Speak in terms, to speak plainly; Stand upon one's terms (with), to insist upon conditions. [Fr. terme—L. terminus, a boundary.]
Terma, ter′ma, n. the terminal lamina of the brain.—adj. Termat′ic.—n. the termatic artery. [Gr., 'a limit.']
Termagant, tėr′ma-gant, n. a boisterous, bold woman.—adj. boisterous: brawling: tumultuous.—n. Ter′magancy, state or quality of being a termagant: turbulence.—adv. Ter′magantly. [M. E. Termagant or Tervagant, a supposed Mohammedan idol, represented in the old plays and moralities as of a violent character—O. Fr. Tervagant, Tervagan—It. Trivigante, perh. from the moon as wandering under three names of Selene (Luna) in heaven, Artemis (Diana) on earth, and Persephone (Proserpine) in the lower world.]
Termes, tėr′mēz, n. a genus of pseudoneuropterous insects. [Termite.]
Terminate, tėr′min-āt, v.t. to set a limit to: to set the boundary: to put an end to: to finish.—v.i. to be limited: to end either in space or time: to close.—adj. Ter′minable, that may be limited: that may terminate or cease.—n. Ter′minableness.—adj. Ter′minal, pertaining to, or growing at, the end or extremity: ending a series or part: occurring in every term.—n.pl. Terminā′lia, an annual Roman festival in honour of Terminus, the god of boundaries.—adv. Ter′minally.—n. Terminā′tion, act of terminating or ending: limit: end: result: the ending of words as varied by their signification.—adjs. Terminā′tional, pertaining to, or forming, a termination; Ter′minātive, tending to terminate or determine: absolute.—adv. Ter′minātively.—n. Ter′minātor, one who, or that which, terminates: the boundary between the illuminated and dark portions of the moon or of a planet.—adj. Ter′minātory. [L. terminus.]
Terminus, tėr′mi-nus, n. the end or extreme point: one of the extreme points of a railway, &c.: the ancient Roman god of boundaries:—pl. Ter′mini (ī).—ns. Ter′miner (law), the act of determining; Ter′minism, the theological doctrine that there is a limit in the life of each man and of mankind for the operation of grace; Ter′minist, one who believes in terminism.
Termite, ter′mīt, n. the white ant.—ns. Termitā′rium, Ter′mitary, a mound of termites.—adj. Ter′mitine. [L. termes, termitis, a wood-worm.]
Tern, tėrn, n. a long-winged aquatic fowl allied to the gull.—n. Ter′nery, a place where terns breed. [Allied to Dan. terne, sea-swallow, Ice. therna.]
Tern, tėrn, adj. threefold: consisting of three: growing in threes.—n. that which consists of three things or numbers together: a prize in a lottery got by drawing three favourable numbers.—adjs. Ter′nal, threefold; Ter′nary, proceeding by, or consisting of, threes.—n. the number three.—adj. Ter′nāte, threefold, or arranged in threes.—adv. Ter′nātely.—n. Ter′nion, a section of paper for a book containing three double leaves or twelve pages. [L. terni, three each—tres, three.]
Terne, tėrn, n. an inferior tin-plate for roofs and the inside of packing-cases. [Fr. terne, dull.]