3. (a) A round dance, often with a waltz movement, abounding in
capriciosly involved figures. (b) A social party at which the german is
danced.
High German, the Teutonic dialect of Upper or Southern Germany, --
comprising Old High German, used from the 8th to the 11th century;
Middle H. G., from the 12th to the 15th century; and Modern or New H.
G., the language of Luther's Bible version and of modern German
literature. The dialects of Central Germany, the basis of the modern
literary language, are often called Middle German, and the Southern
German dialects Upper German; but High German is also used to cover
both groups. -- Low German, the language of Northern Germany and the
Netherlands, -- including Friesic; Anglo-Saxon or Saxon; Old Saxon;
Dutch or Low Dutch, with its dialect, Flemish; and Plattdeutsch (called
also Low German), spoken in many dialects.
Ger"man, a. [L. Germanus. See German, n.] Of or pertaining to Germany.
German Baptists. See Dunker. -- German bit, a wood-boring tool, having
a long elliptical pod and a scew point. -- German carp (Zoˆl.), the
crucian carp. -- German millet (Bot.), a kind of millet (Setaria
Italica, var.), whose seed is sometimes used for food. -- German paste,
a prepared food for caged birds. -- German process (Metal.), the
process of reducing copper ore in a blast furnace, after roasting, if
necessary. Raymond. -- German sarsaparilla, a substitute for
sarsaparilla extract. -- German sausage, a polony, or gut stuffed with
meat partly cooked. -- German silver (Chem.), a silver-white alloy,
hard and tough, but malleable and ductile, and quite permanent in the
air. It contains nickel, copper, and zinc in varying proportions, and
was originally made from old copper slag at Henneberg. A small amount
of iron is sometimes added to make it whiter and harder. It is
essentially identical with the Chinese alloy packfong. It was formerly
much used for tableware, knife handles, frames, cases, bearings of
machinery, etc., but is now largely superseded by other white alloys.
-- German steel (Metal.), a metal made from bog iron ore in a forge,
with charcoal for fuel. -- German text (Typog.), a character resembling
modern German type, used in English printing for ornamental headings,
etc., as in the words,
This line is German Text.
-- German tinder. See Amadou.
Ger*man"der (?), n. [OE. germaunder, F. germandrÈe, It. calamandrea, L.
chamaedrys, fr. Gr.&?;; &?; on the earth or ground + &?; tree. See
Humble, and Tree.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Teucrium (esp. Teucrium
ChamÊdrys or wall germander), mintlike herbs and low shrubs.
American germander, Teucrium Canadense. -- Germander chickweed,
Veronica agrestis. -- Water germander, Teucrium Scordium. -- Wood
germander, Teucrium Scorodonia.
Ger*mane" (?), a. [See German akin, nearly related.] Literally, near
akin; hence, closely allied; appropriate or fitting; relevant.
The phrase would be more germane to the matter.
Shak.
[An amendment] must be germane.
Barclay (Digest).
Ger*man"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or containing, germanium.
Ger*man"ic, a. [L. Germanicus: cf. F. germanique. See German, n.] 1. Of
or pertaining to Germany; as, the Germanic confederacy.