1.
[syn: physical geography, physiography]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
geography \ge*og"ra*phy\, n.; pl. Geographies. [F.
g['e]ographie, l. geographia, fr. Gr. ?; ge`a, gh^, the earth
+ ? description, fr. ? to write, describe. See Graphic.]
1. The science which treats of the world and its inhabitants;
a description of the earth, or a portion of the earth,
including its structure, features, products, political
divisions, and the people by whom it is inhabited. It also
includes the responses and adaptations of people to
topography, climate, soil and vegetation
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2. A treatise on this science.
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Astronomical, or Mathematical, geography treats of the
earth as a planet, of its shape, its size, its lines of
latitude and longitude, its zones, and the phenomena due
to to the earth's diurnal and annual motions.
Physical geography treats of the conformation of the
earth's surface, of the distribution of land and water, of
minerals, plants, animals, etc., and applies the
principles of physics to the explanation of the
diversities of climate, productions, etc.
Political geography treats of the different countries into
which earth is divided with regard to political and social
and institutions and conditions.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Physical \Phys"ic*al\ (f[i^]z"[i^]*kal), a.
1. Of or pertaining to nature (as including all created
existences); in accordance with the laws of nature; also,
of or relating to natural or material things, or to the
bodily structure, as opposed to things mental, moral,
spiritual, or imaginary; material; natural; as, armies and
navies are the physical force of a nation; the body is the
physical part of man.
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Labor, in the physical world, is . . . employed in
putting objects in motion. --J. S. Mill.
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A society sunk in ignorance, and ruled by mere
physical force. --Macaulay.
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2. Of or pertaining to physics, or natural philosophy;
treating of, or relating to, the causes and connections of
natural phenomena; as, physical science; physical laws.
"Physical philosophy." --Pope.
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3. Perceptible through a bodily or material organization;
cognizable by the senses; external; as, the physical,
opposed to chemical, characters of a mineral.
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4. Of or pertaining to physic, or the art of medicine;
medicinal; curative; healing; also, cathartic; purgative.
[Obs.] "Physical herbs." --Sir T. North.
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Is Brutus sick? and is it physical
To walk unbraced, and suck up the humors
Of the dank morning? --Shak.
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Physical astronomy, that part of astronomy which treats of
the causes of the celestial motions; specifically, that
which treats of the motions resulting from universal
gravitation.
Physical education, training of the bodily organs and
powers with a view to the promotion of health and vigor.
Physical examination (Med.), an examination of the bodily
condition of a person.
Physical geography. See under Geography.
Physical point, an indefinitely small portion of matter; a
point conceived as being without extension, yet having
physical properties, as weight, inertia, momentum, etc.; a
material point.
Physical signs (Med.), the objective signs of the bodily
state afforded by a physical examination.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
physical geography
n 1: the study of physical features of the earth's surface [syn:
physical geography, physiography]