LANTERN
lantern
(noun) light in a transparent protective case
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
lantern (plural lanterns)
A case of translucent or transparent material made to protect a flame, or light, used to illuminate its surroundings.
(theatre) Especially, a metal casing with lens used to illuminate a stage (e.g. spotlight, floodlight).
(architecture) An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior.
(architecture) A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns.
(architecture) A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for ornament, or to admit light.
(engineering) A lantern pinion or trundle wheel.
(steam engines) A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of steam, etc.; a lantern brass.
(rail transport) A light formerly used as a signal by a railway guard or conductor at night.
(metalworking) A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
(zoology) Aristotle's lantern
Verb
lantern (third-person singular simple present lanterns, present participle lanterning, simple past and past participle lanterned)
(transitive) To furnish with a lantern.
Anagrams
• trannel
Source: Wiktionary
Lan"tern, n. Etym: [F. lanterne, L. lanterna, laterna, from Gr.
Lamp.]
1. Something inclosing a light, and protecting it from wind, rain,
etc. ; -- sometimes portable, as a closed vessel or case of horn,
perforated tin, glass, oiled paper, or other material, having a lamp
or candle within; sometimes fixed, as the glazed inclosure of a
street light, or of a lighthouse light.
2. (Arch.)
(a) An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give
light and air to the interior.
(b) A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the
building or tower which it crowns.
(c) A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for
ornament, or to admit light; such as the lantern of the cupola of the
Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral.
3. (Mach.)
Definition: A lantern pinion or trundle wheel. See Lantern pinion (below).
4. (Steam Engine)
Definition: A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box and surrounding a
piston rod, to separate the packing into two parts and form a chamber
between for the reception of steam, etc. ; -- called also lantern
brass.
5. (Founding)
Definition: A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
6. (Zoöl.)
Definition: See Aristotle's lantern.
Note: Fig. 1 represents a hand lantern; fig. 2, an arm lantern; fig.
3, a breast lantern; -- so named from the positions in which they are
carried. Dark lantern, a lantern with a single opening, which may be
closed so as to conceal the light; -- called also bull's-eye.
– Lantern fly, Lantern carrier (Zoöl.), any one of several species
of large, handsome, hemipterous insects of the genera Laternaria,
Fulgora, and allies, of the family Fulgoridæ. The largest species is
Laternaria phosphorea of Brazil. The head of some species has been
supposed to be phosphorescent.
– Lantern jaws, long, thin jaws; hence, a thin visage.
– Lantern pinion, Lantern wheel (Mach.), a kind of pinion or wheel
having cylindrical bars or trundles, instead of teeth, inserted at
their ends in two parallel disks or plates; -- so called as
resembling a lantern in shape; -- called also wallower, or trundle.
– Lantern shell (Zoöl.), any translucent, marine, bivalve shell of
the genus Anatina, and allied genera.
– Magic lantern, an optical instrument consisting of a case
inclosing a light, and having suitable lenses in a lateral tube, for
throwing upon a screen, in a darkened room or the like, greatly
magnified pictures from slides placed in the focus of the outer lens.
Lan"tern, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lanterned; p. pr. & vb. n. Lanterning.]
Etym: [Cf. F. lanterner to hang at the lamp post, fr. lanterne. See
Lantern.]
Definition: To furnish with a lantern; as, to lantern a lighthouse.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition