n. [ See Leprous. ] (Med.) A cutaneous disease which first appears as blebs or as reddish, shining, slightly prominent spots, with spreading edges. These are often followed by an eruption of dark or yellowish prominent nodules, frequently producing great deformity. In one variety of the disease, anæsthesia of the skin is a prominent symptom. In addition there may be wasting of the muscles, falling out of the hair and nails, and distortion of the hands and feet with destruction of the bones and joints. It is incurable, and is probably contagious. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The disease now called leprosy, also designated as Lepra or Lepra Arabum, and Elephantiasis Græcorum, is not the same as the leprosy of the ancients. The latter was, indeed, a generic name for many varieties of skin disease (including our modern leprosy, psoriasis, etc.), some of which, among the Hebrews, rendered a person ceremonially unclean. A variety of leprosy of the Hebrews (probably identical with modern leprosy) was characterized by the presence of smooth, shining, depressed white patches or scales, the hair on which participated in the whiteness, while the skin and adjacent flesh became insensible. It was an incurable disease. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Nitroso- + -yl. ] (Chem.) The radical -NO, called also the nitroso group. The term is sometimes loosely used to designate certain nitro compounds; as, nitrosyl sulphuric acid. Used also adjectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or containing, nitrosyl; as, nitrosylic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Prosier superl. Prosiest. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Of or pertaining to prose; like prose. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Dull and tedious in discourse or writing; prosaic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. pro- + syllogism. ] (Logic) A syllogism preliminary or logically essential to another syllogism; the conclusion of such a syllogism, which becomes a premise of the following syllogism. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Rosier superl. Rosiest. ] Resembling a rose in color, form, or qualities; blooming; red; blushing; also, adorned with roses. [ 1913 Webster ]

A smile that glowed
Celestial rosy-red, love's proper hue. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

While blooming youth and gay delight
Sit thy rosy cheeks confessed. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Rosy is sometimes used in the formation of self&unr_;xplaining compounde; as, rosy-bosomed, rosy-colored, rosy-crowned, rosy-fingered, rosy-tinted. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rosy cross. See the Note under Rosicrucian, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Thermo- + Gr. &unr_; coloring. ] (Physics) The property possessed by heat of being composed, like light, of rays of different degrees of refrangibility, which are unequal in rate or degree of transmission through diathermic substances. [ 1913 Webster ]