Universal chuck
(Mach.),
a chuck, as for a lathe, having jaws which can be moved simultaneously so
as to grasp objects of various sizes. — Universal church, the whole church of God in the world; the
catholic church. See the Note under Catholic, a., 1. — Universal coupling. (Mach.) Same as Universal
joint, below. — Universal dial, a dial by which the hour may be found in any part of the world, or under
any elevation of the pole. — Universal instrument (Astron.), a species of altitude and azimuth instrument,
the peculiarity of which is, that the object end of the telescope is placed at right angles to the eye end,
with a prism of total reflection at the angle, and the eye end constitutes a portion of the horizontal axis
of the instrument, having the eyepiece at the pivot and in the center of the altitude circle, so that the eye
has convenient access to both at the same time. — Universal joint (Mach.), a contrivance used for
joining two shafts or parts of a machine endwise, so that the one may give rotary motion to the other
when forming an angle with it, or may move freely in all directions with respect to the other, as by means
of a cross connecting the forked ends of the two shafts Since this joint can not act when the angle of
the shafts is less than 140°, a double joint of the same kind is sometimes used for giving rotary motion
at angles less than 140° — Universal umbel (Bot.), a primary or general umbel; the first or largest set
of rays in a compound umbel; — opposed to partial umbel. A universal involucre is not unfrequently
placed at the foot of a universal umbel.
Syn. — General; all; whole; total. See General.
Universal
(U`ni*ver"sal), n.
1. The whole; the general system of the universe; the universe. [Obs.]
Plato calleth God the cause and original, the nature and reason, of the universal.
Sir W. Raleigh. 2. (Logic) (a) A general abstract conception, so called from being universally applicable to, or predicable
of, each individual or species contained under it. (b) A universal proposition. See Universal, a., 4.
Universalian
(U`ni*ver*sa"li*an) a. Of or pertaining to Universalism; Universalist. [R.]
Universalism
(U`ni*ver"sal*ism) n. [Cf. F. universalisme.] (Theol.) The doctrine or belief that all men
will be saved, or made happy, in the future state.
Universalist
(U`ni*ver"sal*ist) n. [Cf. F. universaliste.]
1. (Theol.) One who believes in Universalism; one of a denomination of Christians holding this faith.
2. One who affects to understand all the particulars in statements or propositions. [Obs.] Bentley.
Universalist
(U`ni*ver"sal*ist) a. Of or pertaining to Unversalists of their doctrines.
Universalistic
(U`ni*ver`sal*is"tic) a. Of or pertaining to the whole; universal.
Universality
(U`ni*ver*sal"i*ty) n.; pl. Universalties [Cf. F. universalité.] The quality or state of being
universal; unlimited extension or application; generality; — distinguished from particularity; as, the unversality
of a proposition; the unversality of sin; the unversality of the Deluge.
Universalize
(U`ni*ver"sal*ize) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Universalized ; p. pr. & vb. n. Universalizing ] [Cf.
F. universaliser.] To make universal; to generalize. Coleridge.
Universally
(U`ni*ver"sal*ly), adv. In a universal manner; without exception; as, God's laws are universally
binding on his creatures.
Universalness
(U`ni*ver"sal*ness), n. The quality or state of being universal; universality.