| 释义 |
ˈair-vessel
[air- 7.]
1. Nat. Hist. Any vessel whose function is to contain air; especially, the tracheæ or respiratory tubes of insects, and the spiral vessels in plants. Also fig.
1676Grew Anat. Plants ii. iii. (1682) 70 The Lignous Part is also Compounded of Two kinds of Bodies scil. succiferous or Lignous and Aer-Vessels. 1692Ray Creation i. (1704) 82 Insects..having more Air-vessels for their Bulk. 1753Chambers Cycl. Supp., Air-vessels are found in the leaves of all plants. 1819Pantologia, s.v., Air-vessels are distinguished from sap-vessels. 1857Geo. Eliot Amos Barton ii in Blackw. Mag. LXXXI. 7/1 We are poor plants buoyed up by the air-vessels of our own conceit.
2. Hydraulics; = air-chamber.
1744J. T. Desaguliers Course Exper. Philos. II. xii. 510 A large Copper Air-Vessel, which receives the Water forced into it by the Action of 2 pumps. 1819Pantologia, s.v., Air-vessels..metalline cylinders placed between the two forcing-pumps in the improved fire-engine. c1850Nat. Phil. (S.S.B.A.) 90 The fire-engine consists of two forcing-pumps, both communicating with an air-vessel.
†3. [air- III.] A flying-machine. Obs.
1821–2Byron in Medwin Convers. Byron (1824) I. 199, I suppose we shall soon travel by air-vessels; make air instead of sea-voyages. 1916Sphere 9 Dec. 183 The strafing of Germany's zeppelin fleet: a pictorial presentation of the air vessels brought down and wrecked.
†4. The gas-bag of a balloon. Obs.
1870Sci. Amer. 8 Jan. 33/2 An air vessel of 100 feet diameter, two thirds filled with coal gas..would be all sufficient for a practicing machine. |