| Lantern | n. [ F. lanterne, L. lanterna, laterna, from Gr. lampth`r light, torch. See Lamp. ] 1. Something inclosing a light, and protecting it from wind, rain, etc.; -- sometimes portable, as a closed vessel or case of horn, perforated tin, glass, oiled paper, or other material, having a lamp or candle within; sometimes fixed, as the glazed inclosure of a street light, or of a lighthouse light. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Arch.) (a) An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior. (b) A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns. (c) A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for ornament, or to admit light; such as the lantern of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. (Mach.) A lantern pinion or trundle wheel. See Lantern pinion (below). [ 1913 Webster ] 4. (Steam Engine) A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of steam, etc.; -- called also lantern brass. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. (Founding) A perforated barrel to form a core upon. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. (Zool.) See Aristotle's lantern. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ Fig. 1 represents a hand lantern; fig. 2, an arm lantern; fig. 3, a breast lantern; -- so named from the positions in which they are carried. [ 1913 Webster ]
Dark lantern, a lantern with a single opening, which may be closed so as to conceal the light; -- called also bull's-eye. --
Lantern jaws, long, thin jaws; hence, a thin visage. --
Lantern pinion,
Lantern wheel (Mach.), a kind of pinion or wheel having cylindrical bars or trundles, instead of teeth, inserted at their ends in two parallel disks or plates; -- so called as resembling a lantern in shape; -- called also wallower, or trundle. --
Lantern shell (Zool.), any translucent, marine, bivalve shell of the genus Anatina, and allied genera. --
Magic lantern, an optical instrument consisting of a case inclosing a light, and having suitable lenses in a lateral tube, for throwing upon a screen, in a darkened room or the like, greatly magnified pictures from slides placed in the focus of the outer lens. [ 1913 Webster ]
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