genius loci

[Lat.] The presiding or tutelary deity of a place; hence, the pervading spirit of a place or institution. *ģěn'-lēşe, *ġen'-tēşe, s . [Etym. doubtful.] Arch.: Elaborate carving in open work; the cusps or featherings in the arch of a doorway. Gen-ō-ēşe, a. & s. [Lat. Genoensis . ] A. As adj .: Of or pertaining to Genoa, a town in the northwest of Italy. B. As subst.: A native or inhabitant of Genoa; the people of Genoa. *genouillieres (as zhnôl-yär'), *gen-yllere, s. pl. [Fr., from Lat. genu =the knee.] 1. Arm.: Metal caps for covering the knees of an armed man. They first appeared in the thirteenth century as small circular metal plates, when chain IMG:content-0408.png:[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small] A. Plain Knee-bo or Knee-piece (1325). R. From the monument of the Black Prince in Canterbury Cathedral. (In this case the armor of complete plate has been attained, and here the genouillieres have articulations above and below.) C. From monumental bra of Thos. Cheyne, Esq. (1368), at Drayton Beauchamp, Bucks. D. From the tomb of Hartmann von Kronberg (1379), at Kronberg. E. From statue of a knight of the De Sulney family, in the church of Newton Sulney, Derby shire. (Here the material of the cui ard pa es beneath the bo , terminating in an escallop.) armor covered the leg, and led by degrees to the adoption of greaves and shin-pieces, and ultimately to entire plate armor. They were sometimes deco rated with incised and gilt ornaments, and, in the fifteenth century, took a variety of fanciful forms. 2. Fortification : (1) A part of the interior slope of the parapet be low the sill of an embrasure. It covered the lower part of a gun-carriage. (2) The height of the parapet above the banquette in a barbette battery.