The application of the rectilinear system consists in the use, as a basis of the drawing, of such a series of triangles as shall at once show the exact relation of the points of definition or expression to each other; but the successful application of this depends much on the assistance of the trained eye and hand of a master watching every step we make.

My means of doing this depended on two of the best-established peculiarities of this strange force: its rectilinear direction and its conductibility.

Their calculations on the eccentricity of the moon prove that they had a rectilinear trigonometry and tables of chords.

straight; rectilinear, rectilineal^; direct, even, right, true, in a line; unbent, virgate^ &c v.; undeviating, unturned, undistorted, unswerving; straight as an arrow &c (direct) 278; inflexible &c 323. laser-straight; ramrod-straight.

Adj. oscillating &c v.; oscillatory, undulatory, pulsatory^, libratory, rectilinear; vibratory, vibratile^; pendulous.

But these combined patterns are on the whole the same, instead of rectilinear figures.

Rotative engines are engines provided with a crank, by means of which a rotative motion is produced; and in this important class stand marine and mill engines, and all engines, indeed, in which the rectilinear motion of the piston is changed into a circular motion.

In rotatory engines the steam acts at once in the production of circular motion, either upon a revolving piston or otherwise, but without the use of any intermediate mechanism, such as the crank, for deriving a circular from a rectilinear motion.

In order to measure the acceleration we let the body drop alongside of a vertical measure set solidly on the ground; on this scale we read at every moment the figure that indicates the height, the only co-ordinate that is of importance in this rectilinear movement.

A ray of light can do the same; everybody will admit that in each case, if there is no gravitation, light will certainly extend itself in a rectilinear way.

Part I. Containing Points, Right Lines, Rectilinear Figures, Pencils and Circles.

In the Bois de Boulogne, in spite of military devastation, the curious eye may still distinguish, in the rectilinear disposition of the trees, the traces of this extraordinary achievement.

And he would look across the double mountain of the island of Capri, black in the distance, closing the gulf like a promontory, and the coast of Sorrento as rectilinear as a wall.

We now have a model elastic solid which will have the property that the direction of vibration in waves of rectilinear vibrations propagated through it shall turn round the line of propagation of the waves, just as Faraday's observation proves to be done by the line of vibration of light in a dense medium between the poles of a powerful magnet.

The absorption spectrum observed through a crystal varies with the direction of the rectilinear luminous vibration which propagates itself in this crystal.

Consequently, the slower the motion of the comet, with respect to the velocity of the solar waves, the closer will such resultant approach the line of centers, and the more rectilinear will appear the trace or tail of the comet.

Each drop of water will recede radially in space, the spiral will keep forming at the jet, and if, through any reason, the latter alone be visible, we shall see a nearly rectilinear jet that will seem to revolve with the pipe.

At six we had not got far on our way, and at ten we were but level with Pandrettan, barely three miles from Srinagar as the crow (that model of rectilinear volition) flies.

So Mr. Asche, being rectilinear, was on the square; just as Mr. Hogan, being soft and round, was slippery and hard to hold.

The most considerable inlet, however, which has yet been discovered in this quarter of Australia, is Prince Regent's River, about thirty miles to the south-west of York Sound, the course of which is almost rectilinear for about fifty miles in a south-eastern direction; a fact which will probably be found to be connected with the geological structure of the country.

The outlines on the contrary, on the north, north-west, and western shores, are most commonly uniform, rectilinear, the summits flat, and diversified only by occasional detached and conical peaks, none of which are very lofty.

The eastern coast of Corsica and Sardinia, for a space of more than two hundred geographical miles being nearly rectilinear, in a direction from north to south; and, Captain Smyth has informed me, consisting almost entirely of granite, or, at least, of primitive rocks.

He follows back to the piston of the engine and finds the motor there,satisfied that he has discovered in the transference of rectilinear to rotatory motion the reason for the progress of the boat.

In the draw-head mechanism, the pins move, while in contact with the fibres, in a rectilinear or straight path.

" The Colonel then retired into a sort of ambuscadeat least he mingled with a small clump of three Scotch firs, and stood amongst them so rectilinear he might have passed for the fourth stump.