n. [ L., fr. abigere to drive away; ab + agere to drive. ] (Law) One who steals and drives away cattle or beasts by herds or droves. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. actor, fr. agere to act. ] 1. One who acts, or takes part in any affair; a doer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A theatrical performer; a stageplayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

After a well graced actor leaves the stage. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) (a) An advocate or proctor in civil courts or causes. Jacobs. (b) One who institutes a suit; plaintiff or complainant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, attracts. Sir T. Browne [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. [ L. ] One who confers a benefit or benefits. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an apparatus in which a suspension of microorganisms in a liquid are used to perform chemical reactions, as in synthesis of pharmaceutical agents or the conversion of harmful waste to less harmful substances. The reactor consists of a vessel to contain the suspension of microorganisms, plus a variety of attached devices used to control the reaction. [ PJC ]

n. A heater; one who, or that which, makes hot, as a stove, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a therapist who practics chiropractic. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. ] One who contracts; one of the parties to a bargain; one who covenants to do anything for another; specifically, one who contracts to perform work on a rather large scale, at a certain price or rate, as in building houses or making a railroad. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L.: cf. F. détracteur. ] One who detracts; a derogator; a defamer. [ 1913 Webster ]

His detractors were noisy and scurrilous. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Slanderer; calumniator; defamer; vilifier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who enacts a law; one who decrees or establishes as a law. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L.: cf. F. exacteur. ] One who exacts or demands by authority or right; hence, an extortioner; also, one unreasonably severe in injunctions or demands. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, extracts; as: (a) (Surg.) A forceps or instrument for extracting substances. (b) (Breech-loading Firearms) A device for withdrawing a cartridge or spent cartridge shell from the chamber of the barrel. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A centrifugal drying machine. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. (Apiculture) A machine for clearing combs of honey; also, a device for rendering wax. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. factor a doer: cf. F. facteur a factor. See Fact. ] 1. (Law) One who transacts business for another; an agent; a substitute; especially, a mercantile agent who buys and sells goods and transacts business for others in commission; a commission merchant or consignee. He may be a home factor or a foreign factor. He may buy and sell in his own name, and he is intrusted with the possession and control of the goods; and in these respects he differs from a broker. Story. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

My factor sends me word, a merchant's fled
That owes me for a hundred tun of wine. Marlowe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A steward or bailiff of an estate. [ Scot. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Math.) One of the elements or quantities which, when multiplied together, form a product. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. One of the elements, circumstances, or influences which contribute to produce a result; a constituent; a contributory cause. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

The materal and dynamical factors of nutrition. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Factored p. pr. & vb. n. Factoring. ] (Mach.) To resolve (a quantity) into its factors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a term or factor inserted into a calculation to compensate for anticipated errors, or to arbitrarily make the result conform to some desired conclusion. [ PJC ]

n. [ Hydro-, 1 + extractor. ] An apparatus for drying anything, as yarn, cloth, sugar, etc., by centrifugal force; a centrifugal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. infracteur. ] One who infracts or infringes; a violator; a breaker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. malefacere to do evil; male ill, evil + facere to do. See Malice, and Fact. ] 1. An evil doer; one who commits a crime; one subject to public prosecution and punishment; a criminal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who does wrong by injuring another, although not a criminal. Opposite of benefactor. H. Brooke. Fuller.
“Malefactors of great wealth.” [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Syn. -- Evil doer; criminal; culprit; felon; convict. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (phys.) Any of several devices that maintain and control a sustained nuclear fission chain reaction, for the production of energy, heat, or artificial elements, or for research purposes. The main fuel sustaining the reaction and consumed by the process is typically uranium or plutonium. Syn. -- reactor, atomic pile, fission reactor, nuclear pile [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. A smelling organ; a nose. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, protracts, or causes protraction. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mathematical instrument for laying down and measuring angles on paper, used in drawing or in plotting. It is of various forms, semicircular, rectangular, or circular. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Surg.) An instrument formerly used in extracting foreign or offensive matter from a wound. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Anat.) A muscle which extends an organ or part; -- opposed to retractor. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An adjustable pattern used by tailors. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Elec.) A choking coil. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A nuclear reactor. [ PJC ]

n. One who redacts; one who prepares matter for publication; an editor. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Anything that refracts; specifically: (Opt.) A refracting telescope, in which the image to be viewed is formed by the refraction of light in passing through a convex lens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, retracts. Specifically: (a) In breech-loading firearms, a device for withdrawing a cartridge shell from the barrel. (b) (Surg.) An instrument for holding apart the edges of a wound during amputation. (c) (Surg.) A bandage to protect the soft parts from injury by the saw during amputation. (d) (Anat. & Zool.) A muscle serving to draw in any organ or part. See Illust. under Phylactolaemata. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who takes a portion of a contract, as for work, from the principal contractor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who subtracts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A detractor; a slanderer. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL., from L. trahere, tractum, to draw. ] 1. That which draws, or is used for drawing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. (Med.) Two small, pointed rods of metal, formerly used in the treatment called Perkinism. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. a motor vehicle with a powerful engine and large wheels, used to pull farm equipment such as plows, harvesting machinery, etc., over farm land. Smaller forms of farm tractor are completely open, with only a seat for the driver. [ PJC ]

4. a motor vehicle with a driver's cab and a powerful engine, fitted with a coupling at the rear, and designed to pull a large trailer or semi-trailer on the open highway; -- called also truck tractor. The combination of such a tractor with its trailer is called a tractor-trailer, and is a common form of truck used for commercial shipping of freight. [ PJC ]

5. (Aviation) A propeller screw placed in front of the supporting planes of an aeroplane instead of behind them, so that it exerts a pull instead of a push; -- called also Tractor screw and Tractor propeller. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

6. (Aviation) An airplane having one or more tractor propellers; -- called also tractor airplane. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ L. ] One who transacts, performs, or conducts any business. Derham. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A subordinate actor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a reaction of repugnance or distaste; -- used in discussion of acceptability of proposed new foods, medicines, etc. among potential consumers or patients. [ PJC ]