X-ray

5 definitions found

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

  radiograph \ra"di*o*graph\ (r[=a]"d[i^]*[-o]*gr[a^]f), n.
     [Radio- + -graph.]
     1. An instrument for measuring and recording solar radiation.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     2. An image or picture produced upon a sensitive surface, as


        of a photographic or fluorescent plate, by some form of
        penetrating radiation other than light, as X-rays, beta
        rays, etc.; esp., a picture of the internal structure of
        opaque objects traversed by the rays; a skiagraph. When
        the picture is produced upon photographic film by X-rays,
        the picture is usually called an {X-ray photo} or {X-ray}.
        When an image is produced on photographic film by a
        radioactive substance in close proximity to the film, in a
        manner so as to record the spatial distribution of the
        radioactive substance, the resulting image is called an
        {autoradiograph} or {{autoradiogram}}.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

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

  Ray \Ray\, n. [OF. rai, F. rais, fr. L. radius a beam or ray,
     staff, rod, spoke of a wheel. Cf. {Radius}.]
     1. One of a number of lines or parts diverging from a common
        point or center, like the radii of a circle; as, a star of
        six rays.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.) A radiating part of a flower or plant; the marginal
        florets of a compound flower, as an aster or a sunflower;
        one of the pedicels of an umbel or other circular flower
        cluster; radius. See {Radius}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Zool.)
        (a) One of the radiating spines, or cartilages, supporting
            the fins of fishes.
        (b) One of the spheromeres of a radiate, especially one of
            the arms of a starfish or an ophiuran.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Physics)
        (a) A line of light or heat proceeding from a radiant or
            reflecting point; a single element of light or heat
            propagated continuously; as, a solar ray; a polarized
            ray.
        (b) One of the component elements of the total radiation
            from a body; any definite or limited portion of the
            spectrum; as, the red ray; the violet ray. See Illust.
            under {Light}.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     5. Sight; perception; vision; -- from an old theory of
        vision, that sight was something which proceeded from the
        eye to the object seen.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              All eyes direct their rays
              On him, and crowds turn coxcombs as they gaze.
                                                    --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. (Geom.) One of a system of diverging lines passing through
        a point, and regarded as extending indefinitely in both
        directions. See {Half-ray}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Bundle of rays}. (Geom.) See {Pencil of rays}, below.
  
     {Extraordinary ray} (Opt.), that one of two parts of a ray
        divided by double refraction which does not follow the
        ordinary law of refraction.
  
     {Ordinary ray} (Opt.) that one of the two parts of a ray
        divided by double refraction which follows the usual or
        ordinary law of refraction.
  
     {Pencil of rays} (Geom.), a definite system of rays.
  
     {Ray flower}, or {Ray floret} (Bot.), one of the marginal
        flowers of the capitulum in such composite plants as the
        aster, goldenrod, daisy, and sunflower. They have an
        elongated, strap-shaped corolla, while the corollas of the
        disk flowers are tubular and five-lobed.
  
     {Ray point} (Geom.), the common point of a pencil of rays.
  
     {Roentgen ray}, {R["o]ntgen ray} (r[~e]nt"g[e^]n r[=a]`)
        (Phys.), a form of electromagnetic radiation generated in
        a very highly exhausted vacuum tube by an electrical
        discharge; now more commonly called {X-ray}. It is
        composed of electromagnetic radiation of wavelength
        shorter than that of ultraviolet light but longer than
        that of gamma rays. It is capable of passing through many
        bodies opaque to light, and producing photographic and
        fluorescent effects by which means pictures showing the
        internal structure of opaque objects are made, called
        X-rays, radiographs, sciagraphs, X-ray photographs,
        radiograms. So called from the discoverer, W. C.
        R["o]ntgen.
  
     {X ray}, the R["o]ntgen ray; -- so called by its discoverer
        because of its enigmatical character, x being an algebraic
        symbol for an unknown quantity.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]

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

  X ray \X ray\, X-ray \X-ray\([e^]ks"r[=a]`), n. [so called by
     its discoverer because of its enigmatical character, x being
     an algebraic symbol for an unknown quantity.] (Physics)
     Originally, any of the rays produced when cathode rays strike
     upon surface of a solid (as a copper target or the wall of
     the vacuum tube); now defined as electromagnetic radiation
     with a wavelength of 0.1 to 10 nanometers. X-rays are noted
     for their penetration of many opaque substances, as wood and
     flesh, their action on photographic plates, and their
     fluorescent effects. They were called {X rays} by their
     discoverer, W. K. R["o]ntgen, but were also referred to for
     some time as {Roentgen rays}. The term X-ray has become the
     most common designation. They also ionize gases, but cannot
     be reflected, or polarized, or deflected by a magnetic field.
     They are used in examining objects opaque to visible light,
     as for imaging bones or other structures inside the human
     body, and for detecting flaws in metal objects, such as in
     welds.
     [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC] X ray

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

  X ray \X ray\, X-ray \X-ray\([e^]ks"r[=a]`), v. t.
     To examine by means of X-rays; to irradiate with X-rays.
     [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  x-ray
       v 1: examine by taking x-rays
       2: take an x-ray of something or somebody; "The doctor x-rayed
          my chest"