ruling (roʻling)

[Verbal n. of rulel, v.] 1. The determination by a judge or court of a point arising in the course of a trial or hearing.-2. The act of making ruled lines; also, such lines collectively. ruling (rö'ling), p. a. [Ppr. of rulel, v.] Having control or authority; governing; reigning; chief; prevalent; predominant. The ruling pa ion, be it what it will, The ruling pa ion conquers reason still. Pope , Moral E ays, iii. 153. Ruling elder. See elderl , 5.=Syn. Prevailing , Pre- dominant, etc. (see prevalent ), controlling. ruling-engine (rö'ling-en"jin), n . A machine for ruling diffraction gratings. The ruling is per- formed by a fine diamond-point, the spacing of the lines being accomplished by the most refined micrometer- screw mechanism. (See grating2 , 2, and micrometer .) The new ruling-engine at Johns Hopkins University has pro- duced gratings ruled with from 10,000 to 20,000 lines per inch, 6 inches in diameter, with faces formed on a radius of more than 21 feet, and having better definition than any ever before made. Such engines must be placed in as nearly equable a temperature as can be attained, as any sensible expansion or contraction during their opera- tion defeats their purpose. rulingly (rö'ling-li), adv. In a ruling manner; so as to rule; controllingly. Imp. Dict. ruling-machine (röʻling-ma-shēn"), n. 1. A machine used by engravers for ruling in flat tints, etc. The cutting of the lines is done by a tool with a diamond-shaped point. Mechanism for spacing and for lifting the cutting-tool when the carriage which supports the tool is to be shifted in its parallel ways are the other features of the machine. 2. A machine used for ruling parallel colored lines upon writing-paper, or upon paper for the manufacture of blank-books; a paper-ruler. Fountain-pens with mechanism for spacing and for draw. ing them simultaneously upon the surface to be ruled, or in some cases endle bands (each a fine thread pa ing through coloring material) arranged so that a part of each band is brought into contact with the paper to be ruled, mechanism for spacing the lines, intermittent feed for the paper, and mechanism for lifting the ruling-bands from the paper when the latter is fed forward are characteristics of such machines. In ruling columns on pages for blank-books ruling-pens are employed. ruling-pen (röʻling-pen), n. A form of pen used for drawing lines of even thickne . It commonly consists of two blades which hold the ink between IMG:content-2599.png:[blocks in formation]