Astriction to At
Astriction
(As*tric"tion) n. [L. astrictio.]
1. The act of binding; restriction; also, obligation. Milton.
2. (Med.) (a) A contraction of parts by applications; the action of an astringent substance on the animal
economy. Dunglison. (b) Constipation. Arbuthnot.
3. Astringency. [Obs.] Bacon.
4. (Scots Law) An obligation to have the grain growing on certain lands ground at a certain mill, the
owner paying a toll. Bell.
The lands were said to be astricted to the mill.
Astrictive
(As*tric"tive) a. Binding; astringent. — n. An astringent. — As*tric"tive*ly, adv.
Astrictory
(As*tric"to*ry) a. Astrictive. [R.]
Astride
(A*stride") adv. [Pref. a- + stride.] With one leg on each side, as a man when on horseback; with
the legs stretched wide apart; astraddle.
Placed astride upon the bars of the palisade.
Sir W. Scott.
Glasses with horn bows sat astride on his nose.
Longfellow.
Astriferous
(As*trif"er*ous) a. [L. astrifer; astrum star + ferre to bear.] Bearing stars. [R.] Blount.
Astringe
(As*tringe") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Astringed (-trinjd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Astringing ] [L. astringere;
ad + stringere to draw tight. Cf. Astrict, and see Strain, v. t.]
1. To bind fast; to constrict; to contract; to cause parts to draw together; to compress.
Which contraction . . . astringeth the moisture of the brain and thereby sendeth tears into the eyes.
Bacon.
2. To bind by moral or legal obligation. Wolsey.
Astringency
(As*trin"gen*cy) n. The quality of being astringent; the power of contracting the parts of the
body; that quality in medicines or other substances which causes contraction of the organic textures; as,
the astringency of tannin.
Astringent
(As*trin"gent) a. [L. astringens, p. pr. of astringere: cf. F. astringent. See Astringe.]
1. Drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; — opposed to laxative; as, astringent medicines; a
butter and astringent taste; astringent fruit.
2. Stern; austere; as, an astringent type of virtue.
Astringent
(As*trin"gent), n. A medicine or other substance that produces contraction in the soft organic
textures, and checks discharges of blood, mucus, etc.
External astringents are called styptics.
Dunglison.
Astringently
(As*trin"gent*ly), adv. In an astringent manner.
Astringer
(As*trin"ger) n. [OE. ostreger, OF. ostrucier, F. autoursier, fr. OF. austour, ostor, hawk, F.
autour; cf. L. acceptor, for accipiter, hawk.] A falconer who keeps a goshawk. [Obs.] Shak. Cowell.
[Written also austringer.]
