strathspey

[See def.] 1. A kind of dance in duple time, so called from having been first practiced in the district of Strathspey, Scotland. It resembles the reel, but is slower in movement. It was invented about the beginning of the eighteenth century. "The best dancer of a strathspey in the whole strath." Scott : Waverley , ch. xviii. 2. A kind of dance music adapted to this dance. str at-i-fi-ca-tion, s. [English stratify ; c connective; -ation .] I. Ordinary Language : 1. The proce by which substances in the earth have been formed into strata or layers. 2. The state of being stratified; an arrangement of strata or layers one upon another. "A ma in which there is no stratification ."-Hutton: Theory of the Earth , ii. 307. II. Technically : 1. Elect.: A term used of the electric light when it does not appear as an uninterrupted brush, but is arranged in zones of different width and intensity. The cause of this phenomenon is not satisfactorily into skeins. IMG:content-0395.png:[blocks in formation] gained. "An innocent stratagem to draw their attention to his book."-Knox: Winter Evenings , even. 10. IMG:content-0396.png:[blocks in formation] some unlawful act. "The man that hath no music in himself, Is fit for treasons, stratagems , and spoils." Shakesp.: Merchant of Venice, v. *str at-a-gem'-ic, *străt-a-gem-ic-al, a. [Eng. stratagem; -ic, -ical .] Of the nature of, or containing a stratagem. "His wife, to gain entirely his affections, sent him this stratagem i cal epistle."- Swift : Tripos , a igned to him by Dr. Barret. str at-a-rith-met-rỹ, s. [ Gr.stratos =an army; arithmos number, and metron measure.] Mit .: The art of drawing up an army or body of men in a geometrical figure, or of estimating or expre ing the number of men in such a figure. străt-e-get-ic, str at-e-get-Ic-al, a. [Eng. strateg(y); -etic, -etical.] Strategic. -Ic-al-ly, adv . [Eng. str a teg i tical ; străt ě-get-Ic -ly.] Strategically.