3. (Zoöl.) Any species of limicoline birds belonging to Himantopus and
allied genera, in which the legs are remarkably long and slender.
Called also longshanks, stiltbird, stilt plover, and lawyer.
The American species (Himantopus Mexicanus) is well known. The European
and Asiatic stilt (H. candidus) is usually white, except the wings and
interscapulars, which are greenish black. The white-headed stilt (H.
leucocephalus) and the banded stilt (Cladorhynchus pectoralis) are
found in Australia.
Stilt plover (Zoöl.), the stilt. -- Stilt sandpiper (Zoöl.), an
American sandpiper (Micropalama himantopus) having long legs. The bill
is somewhat expanded at the tip.
Stilt (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stilted (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Stilting.]
To raise on stilts, or as if on stilts.
Stilt"bird` (?), n. (Zoöl.) See Stilt, n., 3.
Stilt"ed, a. Elevated as if on stilts; hence, pompous; bombastic; as, a
stilted style; stilted declamation.
Stilted arch (Arch.), an arch in which the springing line is some
distance above the impost, the space between being occupied by a
vertical member, molded or ornamented, as a continuation of the
archivolt, intrados, etc.
Stilt"i*fy (?), v. t. [Stilt + -fy.] To raise upon stilts, or as upon
stilts; to stilt.
Stilt"y (?), a. Unreasonably elevated; pompous; stilted; as, a stilty
style.
Stime (?), n. [Etymology uncertain.] A slight gleam or glimmer; a
glimpse. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
Stim"u*lant (?), a. [L. stimulans, p. pr.; cf. F. stimulant. See
Stimulate.] 1. Serving to stimulate.
2. (Physiol.) Produced increased vital action in the organism, or in
any of its parts.
Stim"u*lant, n. [Cf. F. stimulant.] 1. That which stimulates, provokes,
or excites.
His feelings had been exasperated by the constant application of
stimulants.
Macaulay.
2. (Physiol. & Med.) An agent which produces a temporary increase of
vital activity in the organism, or in any of its parts; -- sometimes
used without qualification to signify an alcoholic beverage used as a
stimulant.
Stim"u*late (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stimulated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Stimulating.] [L. stimulatus, p. p. of stimulare to prick or goad on,
to incite, fr. stimulus a goad. See Stimulus.] 1. To excite as if with
a goad; to excite, rouse, or animate, to action or more vigorous
exertion by some pungent motive or by persuasion; as, to stimulate one
by the hope of reward, or by the prospect of glory.
To excite and stimulate us thereunto.
Dr. J. Scott.
2. (Physiol.) To excite; to irritate; especially, to excite the
activity of (a nerve or an irritable muscle), as by electricity.
Syn. -- To animate; incite; encourage; impel; urge; instigate;
irritate; exasperate; incense.
Stim`u*la"tion (?), n. [L. stimulatio: cf. F. stimulation.] 1. The act
of stimulating, or the state of being stimulated.
2. (Physiol.) The irritating action of various agents (stimuli) on
muscles, nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked;
especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves,
or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is
thrown into a state of activity; irritation.
Stim"u*la*tive (?), a. Having the quality of stimulating. -- n. That
which stimulates.
Stim"u*la`tor (?), n. [L.: cf. F. stimulateur.] One who stimulates.
Stim"u*la`tress (?), n. A woman who stimulates.
Stim"u*lism (?), n. (Med.) (a) The theory of medical practice which
regarded life as dependent upon stimulation, or excitation, and disease
as caused by excess or deficiency in the amount of stimulation. (b) The
practice of treating disease by alcoholic stimulants. Dr. H.
Hartshorne.
Stim"u*lus (?), n.; pl. Stimuli (#). [L., for stigmulus, akin to L.
instigare to stimulate. See Instigare, Stick, v. t.] 1. A goad; hence,
something that rouses the mind or spirits; an incentive; as, the hope
of gain is a powerful stimulus to labor and action.
2. That which excites or produces a temporary increase of vital action,
either in the whole organism or in any of its parts; especially
(Physiol.), any substance or agent capable of evoking the activity of a
nerve or irritable muscle, or capable of producing an impression upon a
sensory organ or more particularly upon its specific end organ.
Of the stimuli applied to the sensory apparatus, physiologists
distinguish two kinds: (a) Homologous stimuli, which act only upon the
end organ, and for whose action the sense organs are especially
adapted, as the rods and cones of the retina for the vibrations of the
either. (b) Heterologous stimuli, which are mechanical, chemical,
electrical, etc., and act upon the nervous elements of the sensory
apparatus along their entire course, producing, for example, the flash
of light beheld when the eye is struck. Landois & Stirling.
Sting (?), n. [AS. sting a sting. See Sting, v. t.] 1. (Zoöl.) Any
sharp organ of offense and defense, especially when connected with a
poison gland, and adapted to inflict a wound by piercing; as the caudal
sting of a scorpion. The sting of a bee or wasp is a modified
ovipositor. The caudal sting, or spine, of a sting ray is a modified
dorsal fin ray. The term is sometimes applied to the fang of a serpent.
See Illust. of Scorpion.
2. (Bot.) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secrets
an acrid fluid, as in nettles. The points of these hairs usually break
off in the wound, and the acrid fluid is pressed into it.
3. Anything that gives acute pain, bodily or mental; as, the stings of
remorse; the stings of reproach.
The sting of death is sin.