Fixed air (Old Chem.), carbonic acid or carbon dioxide; -- so called by
Dr. Black because it can be absorbed or fixed by strong bases. See
Carbonic acid, under Carbonic. -- Fixed alkali (Old Chem.), a
non-volatile base, as soda, or potash, in distinction from the volatile
alkali ammonia. -- Fixed ammunition (Mil.), a projectile and powder
inclosed together in a case ready for loading. -- Fixed battery (Mil.),
a battery which contains heavy guns and mortars intended to remain
stationary; -- distinguished from movable battery. -- Fixed bodies,
those which can not be volatilized or separated by a common menstruum,
without great difficulty, as gold, platinum, lime, etc. -- Fixed
capital. See the Note under Capital, n., 4. -- Fixed fact, a well
established fact. [Colloq.] -- Fixed light, one which emits constant
beams; -- distinguished from a flashing, revolving, or intermittent
light. -- Fixed oils (Chem.), non-volatile, oily substances, as
stearine and olein, which leave a permanent greasy stain, and which can
not be distilled unchanged; -- distinguished from volatile or essential
oils. -- Fixed pivot (Mil.), the fixed point about which any line of
troops wheels. -- Fixed stars (Astron.), such stars as always retain
nearly the same apparent position and distance with respect to each
other, thus distinguished from planets and comets.
Fix"ed*ly (fks"d*l), adv. In a fixed, stable, or constant manner.
Fix"ed*ness, n. 1. The state or quality of being fixed; stability;
steadfastness.
2. The quality of a body which resists evaporation or volatilization by
heat; solidity; cohesion of parts; as, the fixedness of gold.
Fix*id"i*ty (fks*d"*t), n. Fixedness. [Obs.] Boyle.
Fix"ing (fks"ng), n. 1. The act or process of making fixed.