Pneumatical

1 definition found

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

  Pneumatic \Pneu*mat"ic\, Pneumatical \Pneu*mat"ic*al\, a. [L.
     pneumaticus, Gr. ?, fr. ?, ?, wind, air, ? to blow, breathe;
     cf. OHG. fnehan: cf. F. pneumatique. Cf. {Pneumonia}.]
     1. Consisting of, or resembling, air; having the properties
        of an elastic fluid; gaseous; opposed to dense or solid.
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              The pneumatical substance being, in some bodies, the
              native spirit of the body.            --Bacon.
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     2. Of or pertaining to air, or to elastic fluids or their
        properties; pertaining to pneumatics; as, pneumatic
        experiments. "Pneumatical discoveries." --Stewart.
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     3. Moved or worked by pressure or flow of air; as, a
        pneumatic instrument; a pneumatic engine.
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     4. (Biol.) Fitted to contain air; Having cavities filled with
        air; as, pneumatic cells; pneumatic bones.
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     5. Adapted for containing compressed air; inflated with air;
        as, a pneumatic cushion; a pneumatic tire, a tire formed
        of an annular tube of flexible fabric, as India rubber,
        suitable for being inflated with air.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     {Pneumatic action}, or {Pneumatic lever} (Mus.), a
        contrivance for overcoming the resistance of the keys and
        other movable parts in an organ, by causing compressed air
        from the wind chest to move them.
  
     {Pneumatic dispatch}, a system of tubes, leading to various
        points, through which letters, packages, etc., are sent,
        by the flow and pressure of air.
  
     {Pneumatic elevator}, a hoisting machine worked by compressed
        air.
  
     {Pneumatic pile}, a tubular pile or cylinder of large
        diameter sunk by atmospheric pressure.
  
     {Pneumatic pump}, an air-exhausting or forcing pump.
  
     {Pneumatic railway}. See {Atmospheric railway}, under
        {Atmospheric}.
  
     {Pneumatic syringe}, a stout tube closed at one end, and
        provided with a piston, for showing that the heat produced
        by compressing a gas will ignite substances.
  
     {Pneumatic trough}, a trough, generally made of wood or sheet
        metal, having a perforated shelf, and used, when filled
        with water or mercury, for collecting gases in chemical
        operations.
  
     {Pneumatic tube}. See {Pneumatic dispatch}, above.
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