Phalanx

3 definitions found

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

  Phalanx \Pha"lanx\, n.; pl. {Phalanxes}, L. {Phalanges}. [L.,
     from Gr. fa`lagx.]
     1. (Gr. Antiq.) A body of heavy-armed infantry formed in
        ranks and files close and deep. There were several
        different arrangements, the phalanx varying in depth from
        four to twenty-five or more ranks of men. "In cubic


        phalanx firm advanced." --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The Grecian phalanx, moveless as a tower. --Pope.
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     2. Any body of troops or men formed in close array, or any
        combination of people distinguished for firmness and
        solidity of a union.
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              At present they formed a united phalanx. --Macaulay.
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              The sheep recumbent, and the sheep that grazed,
              All huddling into phalanx, stood and gazed.
                                                    --Cowper.
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     3. A Fourierite community; a phalanstery.
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     4. (Anat.) One of the digital bones of the hand or foot,
        beyond the metacarpus or metatarsus; an internode.
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     5. [pl. {Phalanges}.] (Bot.) A group or bundle of stamens, as
        in polyadelphous flowers.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  phalanx
       n 1: any of the bones (or phalanges) of the fingers or toes
       2: any closely ranked crowd of people
       3: a body of troops in close array

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  75 Moby Thesaurus words for "phalanx":
     KP, age group, army, army group, band, battalion, battery,
     battle group, bevy, body, brigade, bunch, cabal, cadre, cast,
     clique, cohort, column, combat command, combat team, company,
     complement, contingent, corps, coterie, covey, crew, crowd,
     detachment, detail, division, faction, field army, field train,
     file, fleet, flying column, gang, garrison, group, grouping,
     groupment, in-group, junta, kitchen police, legion, maniple, mob,
     movement, organization, out-group, outfit, pack, party, peer group,
     platoon, posse, rank, regiment, salon, section, set, squad,
     squadron, stable, string, tactical unit, task force, team, train,
     tribe, troop, troupe, unit, wing