Simple \Sim"ple\, a. [Compar. Simpler; superl. Simplest.]

[F., fr. L. simplus, or simplex, gen. simplicis. The first part of the Latin words is probably akin to E. same, and the sense, one, one and the same; cf. L. semel once, singuli one to each, single. Cg. Single, a., Same, a., and for the last part of the word cf. Double, Complex.]

1. Single; not complex; not infolded or entangled; uncombined; not compounded; not blended with something else; not complicated; as, a simple substance; a simple idea; a simple sound; a simple machine; a simple problem; simple tasks.

2. Plain; unadorned; as, simple dress. ``Simple truth.'' --Spenser. ``His simple story.'' --Burns.

3. Mere; not other than; being only.

A medicine . . . whose simple touch Is powerful to araise King Pepin. --Shak.

4. Not given to artifice, stratagem, or duplicity; undesigning; sincere; true.

Full many fine men go upon my score, as simple as I stand here, and I trust them. --Marston.

Must thou trust Tradition's simple tongue? --Byron.

To be simple is to be great. --Emerson.

5. Artless in manner; unaffected; unconstrained; natural; inartificial;; straightforward.

In simple manners all the secret lies. --Young.

6. Direct; clear; intelligible; not abstruse or enigmatical; as, a simple statement; simple language.

7. Weak in intellect; not wise or sagacious; of but moderate understanding or attainments; hence, foolish; silly. ``You have simple wits.'' --Shak.

The simple believeth every word; but the prudent man looketh well to his going. --Prov. xiv. 15.

8. Not luxurious; without much variety; plain; as, a simple diet; a simple way of living.

Thy simple fare and all thy plain delights. --Cowper.

9. Humble; lowly; undistinguished.

A simple husbandman in garments gray. --Spenser.

Clergy and laity, male and female, gentle and simple made the fuel of the same fire. --Fuller.

10. (BOt.) Without subdivisions; entire; as, a simple stem; a simple leaf.

Note: A simple body is one that has not as yet been decomposed. There are indications that many of our simple elements are still compound bodies, though their actual decomposition into anything simpler may never be accomplished.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Simple \Sim"ple\, v. i. To gather simples, or medicinal plants.

As simpling on the flowery hills she [Circe] strayed. --Garth.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Simple \Sim"ple\, n. [F. See Simple, a.]

1. Something not mixed or compounded. ``Compounded of many simples.'' --Shak.

2. (Med.) A medicinal plant; -- so called because each vegetable was supposed to possess its particular virtue, and therefore to constitute a simple remedy.

What virtue is in this remedy lies in the naked simple itself as it comes over from the Indies. --Sir W. Temple.

3. (Weaving)
   (a) A drawloom.
   (b) A part of the apparatus for raising the heddles of a drawloom.

4. (R. C. Ch.) A feast which is not a double or a semidouble.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Pendulum \Pen"du*lum\, n.; pl. Pendulums. [NL., fr. L. pendulus hanging, swinging. See Pendulous.]

A body so suspended from a fixed point as to swing freely to and fro by the alternate action of gravity and momentum. It is used to regulate the movements of clockwork and other machinery.

Note: The time of oscillation of a pendulum is independent of the arc of vibration, provided this arc be small.

Ballistic pendulum. See under Ballistic.

Compensation pendulum, a clock pendulum in which the effect of changes of temperature of the length of the rod is so counteracted, usually by the opposite expansion of differene metals, that the distance of the center of oscillation from the center of suspension remains invariable; as, the mercurial compensation pendulum, in which the expansion of the rod is compensated by the opposite expansion of mercury in a jar constituting the bob; the gridiron pendulum, in which compensation is effected by the opposite expansion of sets of rodsof different metals.

Compound pendulum, an ordinary pendulum; -- so called, as being made up of different parts, and contrasted with simple pendulum.

Conical or Revolving, pendulum, a weight connected by a rod with a fixed point; and revolving in a horizontal cyrcle about the vertical from that point.

Pendulum bob, the weight at the lower end of a pendulum.

Pendulum level, a plumb level. See under Level.

Pendulum wheel, the balance of a watch.

Simple or Theoretical, pendulum, an imaginary pendulum having no dimensions except length, and no weight except at the center of oscillation; in other words, a material point suspended by an ideal line.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)