[syn: auxiliary engine, donkey engine]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
doctor \doc"tor\, n. [OF. doctur, L. doctor, teacher, fr. docere
to teach. See Docile.]
1. A teacher; one skilled in a profession, or branch of
knowledge; a learned man. [Obs.]
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One of the doctors of Italy, Nicholas Macciavel. --
Bacon.
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2. An academical title, originally meaning a man so well
versed in his department as to be qualified to teach it.
Hence: One who has taken the highest degree conferred by a
university or college, or has received a diploma of the
highest degree; as, a doctor of divinity, of law, of
medicine, of music, or of philosophy. Such diplomas may
confer an honorary title only.
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3. One duly licensed to practice medicine; a member of the
medical profession; a physician.
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By medicine life may be prolonged, yet death
Will seize the doctor too. -- Shak.
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4. Any mechanical contrivance intended to remedy a difficulty
or serve some purpose in an exigency; as, the doctor of a
calico-printing machine, which is a knife to remove
superfluous coloring matter; the doctor, or auxiliary
engine, called also donkey engine.
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5. (Zool.) The friar skate. [Prov. Eng.]
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Doctors' Commons. See under Commons.
Doctor's stuff, physic, medicine. --G. Eliot.
Doctor fish (Zool.), any fish of the genus Acanthurus;
the surgeon fish; -- so called from a sharp lancetlike
spine on each side of the tail. Also called barber fish.
See Surgeon fish.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Donkey \Don"key\ (d[o^][ng]"k[y^]), n.; pl. Donkeys
(d[o^][ng]"k[i^]z). [Prob. dun, in allusion to the color of
the animal + a dim. termination.]
1. An ass; or (less frequently) a mule.
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2. A stupid or obstinate fellow; an ass.
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Donkey engine, a small auxiliary engine not used for
propelling, but for pumping water into the boilers,
raising heavy weights, and like purposes.
Donkey pump, a steam pump for feeding boilers,
extinguishing fire, etc.; -- usually an auxiliary.
Donkey's eye (Bot.), the large round seed of the Mucuna
pruriens, a tropical leguminous plant.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
donkey engine
n 1: a locomotive for switching rolling stock in a railroad yard
[syn: switch engine, donkey engine]
2: (nautical) a small engine (as one used on board ships to
operate a windlass) [syn: auxiliary engine, donkey
engine]