rostrum

Noun

Synonyms: dais podium pulpit ambo stump soapbox snout

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on itSynonyms: dais podium pulpit ambo stump soapbox
beaklike projection of the anterior part of the head of certain insects such as e.g. weevilsSynonyms: snout

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Snout \Snout\ (snout), n. [OE. snoute, probably of Scand, or Low German origin; cf. LG. snute, D. snuit, G. schnauze, Sw. snut, snyte, Dan. snude, Icel. sn?ta to blow the nose; probably akin to E. snuff, v.t. Cf. Snite, Snot, Snuff.]

1.The long, projecting nose of a beast, as of swine. [1913 Webster]

2.The nose of a man; -- in contempt. --Hudibras. [1913 Webster]

3.The nozzle of a pipe, hose, etc. [1913 Webster]

4.(Zool.) (a) The anterior prolongation of the head of a gastropod; -- called also rostrum. (b) The anterior prolongation of the head of weevils and allied beetles. [1913 Webster]

Snout beetle (Zool.), any one of many species of beetles having an elongated snout and belonging to the tribe Rhynchophora; a weevil.

Snout moth (Zool.), any pyralid moth. See Pyralid. [1913 Webster]

Rostrum \Ros"trum\ (-tr[u^]m), n.; pl. L. Rostra, E. Rostrums. [L., beak, ship's beak, fr. rodere, rosum, to gnaw. See Rodent.]

1.The beak or head of a ship. [1913 Webster]

2.pl. (Rostra) (Rom. Antiq.) The Beaks; the stage or platform in the forum where orations, pleadings, funeral harangues, etc., were delivered; -- so called because after the Latin war, it was adorned with the beaks of captured vessels; later, applied also to other platforms erected in Rome for the use of public orators. [1913 Webster]

3.Hence, a stage for public speaking; the pulpit or platform occupied by an orator or public speaker. [1913 Webster]

Myself will mount the rostrum in his favor.— Addison.[1913 Webster]

4.(Zool.) (a) Any beaklike prolongation, esp. of the head of an animal, as the beak of birds. (b) The beak, or sucking mouth parts, of Hemiptera. (c) The snout of a gastropod mollusk. See Illust. of Littorina. (d) The anterior, often spinelike, prolongation of the carapace of a crustacean, as in the lobster and the prawn. [1913 Webster]

5.(Bot.) Same as Rostellum. [1913 Webster]

6.(Old Chem.) The pipe to convey the distilling liquor into its receiver in the common alembic. --Quincy. [1913 Webster]

7.(Surg.) A pair of forceps of various kinds, having a beaklike form. [Obs.] --Coxe. [1913 Webster]

The Devil's Dictionary

ROSTRUM, n. In Latin, the beak of a bird or the prow of a ship. In America, a place from which a candidate for office energetically expounds the wisdom, virtue and power of the rabble.