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butterfly
butterfly any of a large group of insects found throughout most of the world; with the moths , they comprise the order Lepidoptera. There are about 12 families of butterflies. Most adult moths and butterflies feed on nectar sucked from flowers. In the process they may transfer pollen from one... Read more |
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conjunctivitis
conjunctivitis , inflammation or infection of the mucosal membrane that covers the eyeball and lines the eyelid, usually acute, caused by a virus or, less often, by a bacillus, an allergic reaction, or an irritating chemical. Commonly called pinkeye, mild conjunctivitis usually causes redness,... Read more |
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procarcinogen
procarcinogen The precursor of an active carcinogen. The procarcinogen itself is not usually carcinogenic but is converted to the active carcinogen after it has been metabolized. For example, the drug diethylstilboestrol (a synthetic oestrogen no longer in clinical use) is metabolized to an epoxide... Read more |
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Raincoat
Raincoat Background Raincoats are jackets made of fabric that is specially treated to repel water. In 1836, Charles Macintosh invented a method for combining rubber with fabric, which was used in the first modern raincoats. Because of his inventions, all raincoats are called... Read more |
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Dies irae
Dies irae [Lat.,=day of wrath], hymn of the Roman Catholic Church. A part of the Requiem Mass, it is a powerful description of the Judgment and a prayer to Jesus for mercy. Suggested in part by Zeph. 1.14-16, it was probably written by Thomas of Celano. In 16th-century polyphonic masses it was... Read more |
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Biochemical Assassination Weapons
Biochemical Assassination Weapons ¦ JUDYTH SASSOON Assassination is usually defined as politically inspired murder. The term is probably derived from the Arabic word for hemp (Hashish), which was apparently used by Hasan-ban-Sabah (c. 1034–1124) to induce motivation in his... Read more |
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dislocation
dislocation displacement of a body part, usually a bone. When a bone is dislocated, the ends of opposing bones are usually forced out of connection with one another. In the process, bruising of tissues and tearing of ligaments may occur. The condition may be congenital, but usually it is the result... Read more |
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conception
conception To conceive usually implies the establishment of a pregnancy — receiving an embryo into the womb for further development, comparable to conceiving an idea in the mind. But conception is essentially defined as the successful entry of sperm into ovum — synonymous with... Read more |
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Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the first large optical orbiting observatory . Built from 1978 to 1990 at a cost of $1.5 billion, the HST (named for astronomer E. P. Hubble ) was expected to provide the clearest view yet obtained of the universe. Using a Ritchey-Chrétien design that affords... Read more |
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Lame Duck
LAME DUCK An elected official, who is to be followed by another, during the period of time between the election and the date that the successor will fill the post. The term lame duck generally describes one who holds power when that power is certain to end in the near future. In the United... Read more |
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