Adjacent Words

barometer definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: circa 1666 1. an instrument for determining the pressure of the atmosphere and hence for assisting in forecasting weather and for determining altitude 2. something that indicates fluctuations (as in public opinion) <housing sales and other economic barometers> 3. standard, test <a barometer to measure high school talent — Jeff Fellenzer> • barometric adjective • barometrically adverb • barometry noun

NOAA Weather Glossary

An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 an instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, esp. in forecasting the weather and determining altitude. 2 anything which reflects changes in circumstances, opinions, etc. Derivatives: barometric adj. barometrical adj. barometry n.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Barometer Ba*rom"e*ter, n. [Gr. ? weight + -meter: cf. F. barom[`e]tre.] An instrument for determining the weight or pressure of the atmosphere, and hence for judging of the probable changes of weather, or for ascertaining the height of any ascent. Note: The barometer was invented by Torricelli at Florence about 1643. It is made in its simplest form by filling a graduated glass tube about 34 inches long with mercury and inverting it in a cup containing mercury. The column of mercury in the tube descends until balanced by the weight of the atmosphere, and its rise or fall under varying conditions is a measure of the change in the atmospheric pressure. At the sea level its ordinary height is about 30 inches (760 millimeters). See Sympiesometer. --Nichol. Aneroid barometer. See Aneroid barometer, under Aneroid. Marine barometer, a barometer with tube contracted at bottom to prevent rapid oscillations of the mercury, and suspended in gimbals from an arm or support on shipboard. Mountain barometer, a portable mercurial barometer with tripod support, and long scale, for measuring heights. Siphon barometer, a barometer having a tube bent like a hook with the longer leg closed at the top. The height of the mercury in the longer leg shows the pressure of the atmosphere. Wheel barometer, a barometer with recurved tube, and a float, from which a cord passes over a pulley and moves an index.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(barometers) 1. A barometer is an instrument that measures air pressure and shows when the weather is changing. N-COUNT 2. If something is a barometer of a particular situation, it indicates how things are changing or how things are likely to develop. In past presidential elections, Missouri has been a barometer of the rest of the country... N-COUNT: with supp, oft N of n

Moby Thesaurus

aerological instrument, aneroid barometer, aneroidograph, barograph, barometrograph, canon, check, criterion, degree, feeler, gauge, glass, graduated scale, hurricane-hunter aircraft, hygrometer, measure, model, norm, parameter, pattern, pilot balloon, probe, quantity, radiosonde, random sample, reading, readout, recording barometer, rule, sample, scale, sound, sounder, standard, straw vote, test, touchstone, trial balloon, type, vacuometer, value, weather balloon, weather instrument, weather satellite, weather vane, weathercock, weatherglass, yardstick