ponibilityt (ponibiliti)

[ pons (ponz), n.; pl. pontes (pon'tēz). [L. (> It. ponte = Sp. puente = Pg. ponte = F. pont = W. which connects two parts, as if bridging the interval between them. Except in phrases, it desig. a bridge: see path.] In an at., a part nates the ventral part of the epencephalon, of which the cerebellum constitutes the remaining dorsal part. The ventral part of the pons is formed by the heavy ma es of transverse fibers coming from the middle peduncles of the cerebellum. Also called pons Varolii and pons cerebelli.-Brachium pont is. See brachium. - Pons asinorum. [L., 'bridge of a es, F. pont aux ánes, 'bridge for a es. The Latin expre ion was applied early in the sixteenth century to a diagram showing how to find middle terms to arguments, and "common called on account of its apparent diniculty the fronts in grumes de logique ablathe conversion of propositions" (Cotgrave); hence, " c'est le pont aux asnes (applicable when such as are ignorant of the true reason or cause of things impute them to witchcraft, fortune, etc.), a shift, evasion, help at a pinch, for a dunce" (Cotgrave), in mod. use equiv. to "everybody knows that," "it is a trite thing." The original allusion seems to have been to the difficulty of getting a es to cro a bridge; hence, to the difficulty of getting students to apprehend what is in fact simple enough if attempted.] A name given to the fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid, which sets forth that, if a triangle has two of its sides equal, the angles opposite to these sides are also equal This proposition affords a difficulty to the learner, because it is the first one involving any mathematical puzzle. The name is also carele ly given to the Pythagorean proposition (Euc. I. 47). - Pons hepatis, a prolongation, often present, of the substance of the left lobe of the liver, uniting it with the square lobe acro the umbilical fi ure. Pons Tarini, the posterior perforated space at the base of the brain; a depre ed gray tract between the diverging crura cerebri and behind the corpora albicantia.Pons Varolii, or pons cerebelli. See def.