Aikinite

1 definition found

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

  Needle \Nee"dle\ (n[=e]"d'l), n. [OE. nedle, AS. n[=ae]dl; akin
     to D. neald, OS. n[=a]dla, G. nadel, OHG. n[=a]dal,
     n[=a]dala, Icel. n[=a]l, Sw. n[*a]l, Dan. naal, and also to
     G. n[aum]hen to sew, OHG. n[=a]jan, L. nere to spin, Gr.
     ne`ein, and perh. to E. snare: cf. Gael. & Ir. snathad
     needle, Gael. snath thread, G. schnur string, cord.]


     1. A small instrument of steel, sharply pointed at one end,
        with an eye to receive a thread, -- used in sewing.
        --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In some needles (as for sewing machines) the eye is at
           the pointed end, but in ordinary needles it is at the
           blunt end.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. See {Magnetic needle}, under {Magnetic}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A slender rod or wire used in knitting; a knitting needle;
        also, a hooked instrument which carries the thread or
        twine, and by means of which knots or loops are formed in
        the process of netting, knitting, or crocheting.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Bot.) One of the needle-shaped secondary leaves of pine
        trees. See {Pinus}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. Any slender, pointed object, like a needle, as a pointed
        crystal, a sharp pinnacle of rock, an obelisk, etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. A hypodermic needle; a syringe fitted with a hypodermic
        needle, used for injecting fluids into the body.
        [Informal]
        [PJC]
  
     7. An injection of medicine from a hypodermic needle; a shot.
        [PJC]
  
     {Dipping needle}. See under {Dipping}.
  
     {Needle bar}, the reciprocating bar to which the needle of a
        sewing machine is attached.
  
     {Needle beam} (Arch.), in shoring, the horizontal cross
        timber which goes through the wall or a pier, and upon
        which the weight of the wall rests, when a building is
        shored up to allow of alterations in the lower part.
  
     {Needle furze} (Bot.), a prickly leguminous plant of Western
        Europe; the petty whin ({Genista Anglica}).
  
     {Needle gun}, a firearm loaded at the breech with a cartridge
        carrying its own fulminate, which is exploded by driving a
        slender needle, or pin, into it. [archaic]
  
     {Needle loom} (Weaving), a loom in which the weft thread is
        carried through the shed by a long eye-pointed needle
        instead of by a shuttle.
  
     {Needle ore} (Min.), acicular bismuth; a sulphide of bismuth,
        lead, and copper occuring in acicular crystals; -- called
        also {aikinite}.
  
     {Needle shell} (Zool.), a sea urchin.
  
     {Needle spar} (Min.), aragonite.
  
     {Needle telegraph}, a telegraph in which the signals are
        given by the deflections of a magnetic needle to the right
        or to the left of a certain position.
  
     {Sea needle} (Zool.), the garfish.
        [1913 Webster]