From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Nucleus \Nu"cle*us\, noun; pl. E. {Nucleuses}, L. {Nuclei}. [L., a kernel, dim. fr. nux, nucis, nut. Cf. {Newel} post.]
1. A kernel; hence, a central mass or point about which matter is gathered, or to which accretion is made; the central or material portion; -- used both literally and figuratively.
It must contain within itself a nucleus of truth. --I. Taylor.
2. (Astron.) The body or the head of a comet.
3. (Bot.) (a) An incipient ovule of soft cellular tissue. (b) A whole seed, as contained within the seed coats.
4. (Biol.) A body, usually spheroidal, in a eukaryotic cell, distinguished from the surrounding protoplasm by a difference in refrangibility and in behavior towards chemical reagents, which contains the chromosomal genetic material, including the chromosomal DNA. It is more or less protoplasmic, and consists of a clear fluid (achromatin) through which extends a network of fibers (chromatin) in which may be suspended a second rounded body, the nucleolus (see {Nucleoplasm}). See {Cell division}, under {Division}. [1913 Webster +PJC]
Note: The nucleus is sometimes termed the endoplast or endoblast, and in the protozoa is supposed to be concerned in the female part of the reproductive process. See {Karyokinesis}.
5. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The tip, or earliest part, of a univalve or bivalve shell. (b) The central part around which additional growths are added, as of an operculum. (c) A visceral mass, containing the stomach and other organs, in Tunicata and some mollusks.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: a part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction [syn: {cell nucleus}, {karyon}]
2: the positively charged dense center of an atom
3: a small group of indispensable persons or things; "five periodicals make up the core of their publishing program" [syn: {core}, {core group}]
4: (astronomy) the center of the head of a comet; consists of small solid particles of ice and frozen gas that vaporizes on approaching the sun to form the coma and tail
5: any histologically identifiable mass of neural cell bodies in the brain or spinal cord [also: {nuclei} (pl)]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
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Let's see what we can do if we put our heads together.
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