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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

marine mine \ma*rine" mine`\, n. (Mil.)
A military explosive device designed to be placed on or under
the surface of a body of water, and to explode when ships
pass nearby or come in contact with it. Its function is to
destroy enemy ships or deny hostile naval forces access to
certain areas of the sea, usually near the shoreline. Also
called {underwater mine} and {floating mine}, and previously
referred to as a {torpedo} (See {torpedo}[2]
(a) ).
[PJC]


Mine \Mine\, n. [F., fr. LL. mina. See {Mine}, v. i.]
[1913 Webster]
1. A subterranean cavity or passage; especially:
(a) A pit or excavation in the earth, from which metallic
ores, precious stones, coal, or other mineral
substances are taken by digging; -- distinguished from
the pits from which stones for architectural purposes
are taken, and which are called quarries.
(b) (Mil.) A cavity or tunnel made under a fortification
or other work, for the purpose of blowing up the
superstructure with some explosive agent.
[1913 Webster]

2. Any place where ore, metals, or precious stones are got by
digging or washing the soil; as, a placer mine.
[1913 Webster]

3. (Fig.): A rich source of wealth or other good. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]

4. (Mil.) An explosive device placed concealed in a location,
on land or at sea, where an enemy vehicle or enemy
personnel may pass through, having a triggering mechanism
which detects people or vehicles, and which will explode
and kill or maim personnel or destroy or damage vehicles.
A mine placed at sea (formerly called a {torpedo}, see
{torpedo}[2]
(a) ) is also called an marine mine and underwater mine
and sometimes called a floating mine, even though it
may be anchored to the floor of the sea and not
actually float freely. A mine placed on land (formerly
called a {torpedo}, see {torpedo}[3]), usually buried,
is called a land mine.
[PJC]

{Mine dial}, a form of magnetic compass used by miners.

{Mine pig}, pig iron made wholly from ore; in distinction
from {cinder pig}, which is made from ore mixed with forge
or mill cinder.

{gold mine}
(a) a mine where gold is obtained.
(b) (Fig.) a rich source of wealth or other good; same as
{Mine} 3. --Raymond.
[1913 Webster]


Torpedo \Tor*pe"do\, n.; pl. {Torpedoes}. [L. torpedo, -inis,
from torpere to be stiff, numb, or torpid. See {Torpid}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of elasmobranch fishes
belonging to {Torpedo} and allied genera. They are related
to the rays, but have the power of giving electrical
shocks. Called also {crampfish}, and {numbfish}. See
{Electrical fish}, under {Electrical}.
[1913 Webster]

Note: The common European torpedo ({Torpedo vulgaris}) and
the American species ({Torpedo occidentalis}) are the
best known.
[1913 Webster]

2. An engine or machine for destroying ships by blowing them
up; a mine[4]. Specifically:
[1913 Webster PJC]
(a) A quantity of explosives anchored in a channel,
beneath the water, or set adrift in a current, and so
designed that they will explode when touched or
approached by a vessel, or when an electric circuit is
closed by an operator on shore; now called {marine
mine}. [obsolete]
[1913 Webster PJC]

Damn the torpedoes -- full speed ahead! --Adm.
David Glasgow
Farragut (At
the battle of
Mobile Bay,
1864).
(b) A kind of small submarine boat carrying an explosive
charge, and projected from a ship against another ship
at a distance, or made self-propelling, and otherwise
automatic in its action against a distant ship.
[1913 Webster]

3. (Mil.) A kind of shell or cartridge buried in earth, to be
exploded by electricity or by stepping on it; now called
{land mine}. [obsolete]
[1913 Webster PJC]

4. (Railroad) A kind of detonating cartridge or shell placed
on a rail, and exploded when crushed under the locomotive
wheels, -- used as an alarm signal.
[1913 Webster]

5. An explosive cartridge or shell lowered or dropped into a
bored oil well, and there exploded, to clear the well of
obstructions or to open communication with a source of
supply of oil.
[1913 Webster]

6. A kind of firework in the form of a small ball, or pellet,
which explodes when thrown upon a hard object.
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7. An automobile with a {torpedo body}. [Archaic Cant]
[Webster 1913 Suppl. PJC]

{Fish torpedo}, a spindle-shaped, or fish-shaped,
self-propelling submarine torpedo.

{Spar torpedo}, a canister or other vessel containing an
explosive charge, and attached to the end of a long spar
which projects from a ship or boat and is thrust against
an enemy's ship, exploding the torpedo.

{Torpedo boat}, a vessel adapted for carrying, launching,
operating, or otherwise making use of, torpedoes against
an enemy's ship., especially, a small, fast boat with
tubes for launching torpedoes.

{Torpedo nettings}, nettings made of chains or bars, which
can be suspended around a vessel and allowed to sink
beneath the surface of the water, as a protection against
torpedoes.
[1913 Webster]


Torpedo \Tor*pe"do\, v. t.
1. to destroy by, or subject to the action of, a torpedo.
--London Spectator.
[1913 Webster]

2. [Fig.] To destroy, cause to halt, or prevent from being
accomplished; -- used esp. with reference to a plan or an
enterprise, halted by some action before the plan is put
into execution.
[PJC]


hit man \hit man\ n.
1. A professional murderer, esp. one working for a criminal
organization; also called {torpedo}. [Colloq.]
[PJC]

2. A slanderer working for political purposes to damage the
reputation of an opponent; a {hatchet man}.
[PJC]


Electric \E*lec"tric\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]k), Electrical
\E*lec"tric*al\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]*kal), a. [L. electrum amber,
a mixed metal, Gr. 'h`lektron; akin to 'hle`ktwr the beaming
sun, cf. Skr. arc to beam, shine: cf. F. ['e]lectrique. The
name came from the production of electricity by the friction
of amber.]
1. Pertaining to electricity; consisting of, containing,
derived from, or produced by, electricity; as, electric
power or virtue; an electric jar; electric effects; an
electric spark; an electric charge; an electric current;
an electrical engineer.
[1913 Webster]

2. Capable of occasioning the phenomena of electricity; as,
an electric or electrical machine or substance; an
electric generator.
[1913 Webster]

3. Electrifying; thrilling; magnetic. "Electric Pindar."
--Mrs. Browning.
[1913 Webster]

4. powered by electricity; as, electrical appliances; an
electric toothbrush; an electric automobile.
[WordNet 1.5]

{Electric atmosphere}, or {Electric aura}. See under {Aura}.


{Electrical battery}. See {Battery}.

{Electrical brush}. See under {Brush}.

{Electric cable}. See {Telegraph cable}, under {Telegraph}.


{Electric candle}. See under {Candle}.

{Electric cat} (Zo["o]l.), one of three or more large species
of African catfish of the genus {Malapterurus} (esp. {M.
electricus} of the Nile). They have a large electrical
organ and are able to give powerful shocks; -- called also
{sheathfish}.

{Electric clock}. See under {Clock}, and see
{Electro-chronograph}.

{Electric current}, a current or stream of electricity
traversing a closed circuit formed of conducting
substances, or passing by means of conductors from one
body to another which is in a different electrical state.


{Electric eel}, or {Electrical eel} (Zo["o]l.), a South
American eel-like fresh-water fish of the genus {Gymnotus}
({G. electricus}), from two to five feet in length,
capable of giving a violent electric shock. See
{Gymnotus}.

{Electrical fish} (Zo["o]l.), any fish which has an
electrical organ by means of which it can give an
electrical shock. The best known kinds are the {torpedo},
the {gymnotus}, or {electrical eel}, and the {electric
cat}. See {Torpedo}, and {Gymnotus}.

{Electric fluid}, the supposed matter of electricity;
lightning. [archaic]

{Electrical image} (Elec.), a collection of electrical points
regarded as forming, by an analogy with optical phenomena,
an image of certain other electrical points, and used in
the solution of electrical problems. --Sir W. Thomson.

{Electric machine}, or {Electrical machine}, an apparatus for
generating, collecting, or exciting, electricity, as by
friction.

{Electric motor}. See {Electro-motor}, 2.

{Electric osmose}. (Physics) See under {Osmose}.

{Electric pen}, a hand pen for making perforated stencils for
multiplying writings. It has a puncturing needle driven at
great speed by a very small magneto-electric engine on the
penhandle.

{Electric railway}, a railway in which the machinery for
moving the cars is driven by an electric current.

{Electric ray} (Zo["o]l.), the torpedo.

{Electric telegraph}. See {Telegraph}.
[1913 Webster]