actual cautery

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

1.Involving or comprising action; active. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Her walking and other actual performances.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Let your holy and pious intention be actual; that is . . . by a special prayer or action, . . . given to God.— Jer. Taylor.[1913 Webster]

2.Existing in act or reality; really acted or acting; in fact; real; -- opposed to potential, possible, virtual, speculative, conceivable, theoretical, or nominal; as, the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion. [1913 Webster]

3.In action at the time being; now exiting; present; as the actual situation of the country. [1913 Webster]

Actual cautery. See under Cautery.

Actual sin (Theol.), that kind of sin which is done by ourselves in contradistinction to "original sin." [1913 Webster]

Syn: Real; genuine; positive; certain. See Real. [1913 Webster]

1.(Med.) A burning or searing, as of morbid flesh, with a hot iron, or by application of a caustic that will burn, corrode, or destroy animal tissue. [1913 Webster]

2.The iron of other agent in cauterizing. [1913 Webster]

Actual cautery, a substance or agent (as a hot iron) which cauterizes or sears by actual heat; or the burning so effected.

Potential cautery, a substance which cauterizes by chemical action; as, lunar caustic; also, the cauterizing produced by such substance. [1913 Webster]