funambulation (funambulashon)

[ Tread softly and circumspectly in this funambulatory track and narrow path of goodne . Sir T. Browne, Christ. Mor., i. 1. funambulist (fū-nam'bū-list), n. [ fun am bulus , a rope-dancer, + -ist .] A performer on a stretched rope; a rope-walker or rope-dancer. He [Mr. Pitt] described his situation at the end [of his 2407 All these various functions [of living beings], however, may be considered under three heads:-(1) Functions of Nutrition , divisible into functions of absorption and metamorphosis, and comprising all those functions by which an organism is enabled to live, grow, and maintain its existence as an individual.- (2) Functions of Reproduction , comprising all those functions whereby fresh individuals are produced and the perpetuation of the species is secured.-(3) Functions of Relation or Correlation , comprising all those functions (such as sensation and voluntary motion) whereby the outer world is brought into relation with the organism, and the organism in turn is enabled to act upon the outer world. H. A. Nicholson . The very idea of an organ is that of an apparatus for the doing of some definite work, which is its function . Argyll , Nineteenth Century, XXIII. 152. The normal operations of each of these faculties are called its functions. The term is taken from the action of the bodily organs. From these it is transferred to organs in the metaphysical sense, as the "organs of government," and the functions which they perform. In both these applications it has come to mean, first, the appropriate operations of each, and then the activities to which they are appointed, set apart, or destined. N. Porter, Human Intellect, § 37. 4. That which one is bound or which is one's busine to do; busine ; office; duty; employment. You have paid the heavens your function , and the prisoner the very debt of your calling. Shak ., M. for M., iii. 2. The king being dead, and his death concealed, he, under colour of executing the function of another, gather eth strength to himselfe. Holland, tr. of Livy, p. 30. function m is the order of differentiation. - Algebraic function. See algebraic. Alternating function. See alternate, v. i. Analytic function, a function which can be perfectly represented by a series proceeding according to succe ive integral positive powers of the variable, or of the variable plus a constant, or by a multitude of such series, some one of which is convergent for each value of the variable which does not correspond to an infinite value of the function. [This term was introduced by Lagrange in 1797.]-Animal function, arbitrary function, etc. See the adjectives. - Appell's functions, hyper geometrical functions of two variables. - A ociated function. Same as adjunct spherical function. - Bernoullian function. See Bernoullian. Be el's or Be elian functions, functions defined by the equation Jnx = 2(-1){1-2(2n+2)+2.4.(2n+2) (2n+4) etc.}. But some writers substitute everywhere in this equation 2x for x. There are, besides, a ociated functions called Be elian functions of the second order. - Binet's function, the function defined by the integral ω (μ) = (1/(x-1)-x-1+ 1)e-x/x. dx. Biquadratic function, an integral function of the fourth degree. - Borchardt's function, the generating function of symmetric functions of the roots of an equation.Calculus of functions. See calculus. - Carnot's function, a function of the temperature in Carnot's theory of heat, which is now known to be the reciprocal of the absolute temperature. - Characteristic function of a moving system, the time-integral of the vis viva, or the space-integral of the momentum. - Circular function. See circular. Circulating function. Same as circula tor, 3.- Cla of functions with reference to a group of operations, such a collection of functions that any operation of the group performed on any function of the cla produces another function of the cla : the cla of a function is used in another sense by Vivanti.-Complementary function. See complementary. - Complex imaginary - Conical a natural one who was no reputation by the tricks of a funambulist. De Quincey , Style. IMG:content-1941.png:[blocks in formation]