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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Bracket \Brack"et\, noun [Cf. OF. braguette codpiece, F. brayette, Sp. bragueta, also a projecting mold in architecture; dim. fr. L. bracae breeches; cf. also, OF. bracon beam, prop, support; of unknown origin. Cf. {Breeches}.]
1. (Arch.) An architectural member, plain or ornamental, projecting from a wall or pier, to support weight falling outside of the same; also, a decorative feature seeming to discharge such an office.
Note: This is the more general word. See {Brace}, {Cantalever}, {Console}, {Corbel}, {Strut}.
2. (Engin. & Mech.) A piece or combination of pieces, usually triangular in general shape, projecting from, or fastened to, a wall, or other surface, to support heavy bodies or to strengthen angles.
3. (Naut.) A shot, crooked timber, resembling a knee, used as a support.
4. (Mil.) The cheek or side of an ordnance carriage.
5. (Print.) One of two characters [], used to inclose a reference, explanation, or note, or a part to be excluded from a sentence, to indicate an interpolation, to rectify a mistake, or to supply an omission, and for certain other purposes; -- called also {crotchet}.
6. A gas fixture or lamp holder projecting from the face of a wall, column, or the like.
7. (Gunnery) A figure determined by firing a projectile beyond a target and another short of it, as a basis for ascertaining the proper elevation of the piece; -- only used in the phrase, to establish a bracket. After the bracket is established shots are fired with intermediate elevations until the exact range is obtained. In the United States navy it is called {fork}. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{Bracket light}, a gas fixture or a lamp attached to a wall, column, etc.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Bracket \Brack"et\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Bracketed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Bracketing}]
1. To place within brackets; to connect by brackets; to furnish with brackets.
2. (Gunnery) To shoot so as to establish a bracket for (an object). [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
bracket
noun
1: a category falling within certain defined limits
2: either of two punctuation marks ([ or ]) used to enclose textual material [syn: {square bracket}]
3: either of two punctuation marks ('
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |