Adjacent Words

Apparatus definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

APPARA'TUS, n. plu. apparatuses. [L. from apparo, to prepare, of ad and par.]
1. Things provided as means to some end; as the tools of an artisan; the furniture of a house; instruments of war. In more technical language, a complete set of instruments or utensils, for performing any operation.
2. In surgery, the operation of cutting for the stone, of three kinds, the small, the great, and the high.
Apparatus is also used as the title of several books, in the form of catalogues, bibliothecas, glossaries, dictionaries, etc.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: equipment designed to serve a specific function [syn: apparatus, setup]
2: (anatomy) a group of body parts that work together to perform a given function; "the breathing apparatus"

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural -tuses or -tus) Etymology: Latin, from apparare to prepare, from ad- + parare to prepare — more at pare Date: circa 1628 1. a. a set of materials or equipment designed for a particular use b. a group of anatomical or cytological parts functioning together <mitotic apparatus> c. an instrument or appliance designed for a specific operation 2. the functional processes by means of which a systematized activity is carried out <the apparatus of society>: as a. the machinery of government b. the organization of a political party or an underground movement

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the equipment needed for a particular purpose or function, esp. scientific or technical. 2 a political or other complex organization. 3 Anat. the organs used to perform a particular process. 4 (in full apparatus criticus) a collection of variants and annotations accompanying a printed text and usu. appearing below it. Etymology: L f. apparare apparat- make ready for

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Apparatus Ap"pa*ratus, n.; pl. Apparatus, also rarely Apparatuses. [L., from apparare, apparatum, to prepare; ad + prepare to make ready.] 1. Things provided as means to some end. 2. Hence: A full collection or set of implements, or utensils, for a given duty, experimental or operative; any complex instrument or appliance, mechanical or chemical, for a specific action or operation; machinery; mechanism. 3. (Physiol.) A collection of organs all of which unite in a common function; as, the respiratory apparatus.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Apparatus Ap"pa*ratus, n.; pl. Apparatus, also rarely Apparatuses. [L., from apparare, apparatum, to prepare; ad + prepare to make ready.] 1. Things provided as means to some end. 2. Hence: A full collection or set of implements, or utensils, for a given duty, experimental or operative; any complex instrument or appliance, mechanical or chemical, for a specific action or operation; machinery; mechanism. 3. (Physiol.) A collection of organs all of which unite in a common function; as, the respiratory apparatus.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(apparatuses) 1. The apparatus of an organization or system is its structure and method of operation. For many years, the country had been buried under the apparatus of the regime. N-VAR: with supp 2. Apparatus is the equipment, such as tools and machines, which is used to do a particular job or activity. One of the boys had to be rescued by firemen wearing breathing apparatus. N-VAR: oft supp N

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Tools, instruments, utensils, means, mechanism, appliances, contrivances, materiel.

Moby Thesaurus

Bunsen burner, Erlenmeyer flask, Kipp generator, accouterments, alembic, appliance, appliances, appointments, appurtenances, armament, aspirator, bag and baggage, baggage, beaker, blowpipe, burette, capillary tube, condenser, contraption, contrivance, conveniences, crucible, deflagrating spoon, desiccator, device, distiller, duffel, dunnage, equipage, equipment, etna, facilities, facility, fittings, fixtures, furnishings, furniture, gadget, gear, gimcrack, gimmick, gizmo, habiliments, hand tool, impedimenta, implement, installations, instrument, kit, luggage, machine, machinery, materiel, matrass, means, mechanical device, munition, munitions, outfit, paraphernalia, pestle and mortar, pipette, plant, plumbing, power tool, precision balance, precision tool, provisions, reagent bottle, receiver, retort, rig, rigging, speed tool, still, stock-in-trade, supplies, tackle, tackling, test tube, things, tool, traps, utensil, utensils