Halos

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Halo \Ha"lo\ (h[=a]"l[-o]), n.; pl. {Halos} (-l[=o]z). [L.
     halos, acc. halo, Gr. "a`lws a thrashing floor, also (from
     its round shape) the disk of the sun or moon, and later a
     halo round it; cf. Gr. e'ily`ein to enfold, 'ely`ein to roll
     round, L. volvere, and E. voluble.]
     1. A luminous circle, usually prismatically colored, round


        the sun or moon, and supposed to be caused by the
        refraction of light through crystals of ice in the
        atmosphere. Connected with halos there are often white
        bands, crosses, or arches, resulting from the same
        atmospheric conditions.
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     2. A circle of light; especially, the bright ring represented
        in painting as surrounding the heads of saints and other
        holy persons; a glory; a nimbus.
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     3. An ideal glory investing, or affecting one's perception
        of, an object.
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     4. A colored circle around a nipple; an areola.
        [1913 Webster]