n. [ F. esturgeon, LL. sturio, sturgio, OHG. sturjo, G. stör; akin to AS. styria, styriga. ] (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of large cartilaginous ganoid fishes belonging to Acipenser and allied genera of the family Acipenseridae. They run up rivers to spawn, and are common on the coasts and in the large rivers and lakes of North America, Europe, and Asia. Caviar is prepared from the roe, and isinglass from the air bladder. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The common North American species are Acipenser sturio of the Atlantic coast region, Acipenser transmontanus of the Pacific coast, and Acipenser rubicundus of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. In Europe, the common species is Acipenser sturio, and other well-known species are the sterlet and the huso. The sturgeons are included in the order Chondrostei. Their body is partially covered by five rows of large, carinated, bony plates, of which one row runs along the back. The tail is heterocercal. The toothless and protrusile mouth is beneath the head, and has four barbels in front. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shovel-nosed sturgeon. (Zool.) See Shovelnose (d). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. surgere, surrectum, to raise, to rise; sub under + regere to direct: cf. OF. surgeon, sourgeon, fountain. See Regent, and cf. Insurrection, Sortie, Source. ] 1. A spring; a fountain. [ Obs. ] “Divers surges and springs of water.” Ld. Berners. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A large wave or billow; a great, rolling swell of water, produced generally by a high wind. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. James i. 6 (Rev. Ver.) [ 1913 Webster ]

He flies aloft, and, with impetuous roar,
Pursues the foaming surges to the shore. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The motion of, or produced by, a great wave. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The tapered part of a windlass barrel or a capstan, upon which the cable surges, or slips. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To swell; to rise hifg and roll. [ 1913 Webster ]

The surging waters like a mountain rise. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) To slip along a windlass. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Surged p. pr. & vb. n. Surging ] [ Cf. F. surgir to cast anchor, to land. Cf. Surge, n. ] (Naut.) To let go or slacken suddenly, as a rope; as, to surge a hawser or messenger; also, to slacken the rope about (a capstan). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Abounding in surges; surgy. “Tossing the surgeful tides.” Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Free from surges; smooth; calm. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. surgens, p. pr. ] Rising; swelling, as a flood. [ R. ] Robert Greene. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. surgien, OF. surgien, contr. fr. chirurgien. See Chirurgeon. ] 1. One whose profession or occupation is to cure diseases or injuries of the body by manual operation; one whose occupation is to cure local injuries or disorders (such as wounds, dislocations, tumors, etc.), whether by manual operation, or by medication and constitutional treatment. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of chaetodont fishes of the family Teuthidae, or Acanthuridae, which have one or two sharp lancelike spines on each side of the base of the tail. Called also surgeon fish, doctor fish, lancet fish, and sea surgeon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Surgeon apothecary, one who unites the practice of surgery with that of the apothecary. Dunglison. --
Surgeon dentist, a dental surgeon; a dentist. --
Surgeon fish. See def. 2, above. --
Surgeon general. (a) In the United States army, the chief of the medical department. (b) In the British army, a surgeon ranking next below the chief of the medical department. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office or employment of a surgeon, as in the naval or military service. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Surgery. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. surgenrie, surgerie; cf. OF. cirurgie, F. chirurgie, L. chirurgia, Gr. &unr_;. See Surgeon. ] 1. The art of healing by manual operation; that branch of medical science which treats of manual operations for the healing of diseases or injuries of the body; that branch of medical science which has for its object the cure of local injuries or diseases, as wounds or fractures, tumors, etc., whether by manual operation or by medicines and constitutional treatment. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A surgeon's operating room or laboratory. [ 1913 Webster ]