Solar \So"lar\, a. [L. solaris, fr. sol the sun; akin to As.
s[=o]l, Icel. s[=o]l, Goth. sauil, Lith. saule, W. haul,.
sul, Skr. svar, perhaps to E. sun:F. solaire. Cf. Parasol.
Sun.]
1. Of or pertaining to the sun; proceeding from the sun; as,
the solar system; solar light; solar rays; solar
influence. See Solar system, below.
2. (Astrol.) Born under the predominant influence of the sun.
[Obs.]
And proud beside, as solar people are. --Dryden.
3. Measured by the progress or revolution of the sun in the
ecliptic; as, the solar year.
4. Produced by the action of the sun, or peculiarly affected
by its influence.
They denominate some herbs solar, and some lunar.
--Bacon.
Solar cycle. See under Cycle.
Solar day. See Day, 2.
Solar engine, an engine in which the energy of solar heat
is used to produce motion, as in evaporating water for a
steam engine, or expanding air for an air engine.
Solar flowers (Bot.), flowers which open and shut daily at
certain hours.
Solar lamp, an argand lamp.
Solar microscope, a microscope consisting essentially,
first, of a mirror for reflecting a beam of sunlight
through the tube, which sometimes is fixed in a window
shutter; secondly, of a condenser, or large lens, for
converging the beam upon the object; and, thirdly, of a
small lens, or magnifier, for throwing an enlarged image
of the object at its focus upon a screen in a dark room or
in a darkened box.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) |
Day \Day\, n. [OE. day, dai,, dei, AS. d[ae]g; akin to OS., D.,
Dan., & Sw. dag, G, tag, Icel. dagr, Goth. dags; cf. Skr. dah
(for dhagh ?) to burn. [root]69. Cf. Dawn.]
1. The time of light, or interval between one night and the
next; the time between sunrise and sunset, or from dawn to
darkness; hence, the light; sunshine.
2. The period of the earth's revolution on its axis. --
ordinarily divided into twenty-four hours. It is measured
by the interval between two successive transits of a
celestial body over the same meridian, and takes a
specific name from that of the body. Thus, if this is the
sun, the day (the interval between two successive transits
of the sun's center over the same meridian) is called a
solar day; if it is a star, a sidereal day; if it is
the moon, a lunar day. See Civil day, Sidereal day,
below.
3. Those hours, or the daily recurring period, allotted by
usage or law for work.
4. A specified time or period; time, considered with
reference to the existence or prominence of a person or
thing; age; time.
A man who was great among the Hellenes of his day.
--Jowett
(Thucyd. )
If my debtors do not keep their day, . . . I must
with patience all the terms attend. --Dryden.
5. (Preceded by the) Some day in particular, as some day of
contest, some anniversary, etc.
The field of Agincourt, Fought on the day of Crispin
Crispianus. --Shak.
His name struck fear, his conduct won the day.
--Roscommon.
Note: Day is much used in self-explaining compounds; as,
daybreak, daylight, workday, etc.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) |