Indefinite \In*def"i*nite\, a. [L. indefinitus. See In- not,
   and Definite.]
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   1. Not definite; not limited, defined, or specified; not
      explicit; not determined or fixed upon; not precise;
      uncertain; vague; confused; obscure; as, an indefinite
      time, plan, etc.
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            It were to be wished that . . . men would leave off
            that indefinite way of vouching, "the chymists say
            this," or "the chymists affirm that." --Boyle.
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            The time of this last is left indefinite. --Dryden.
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   2. Having no determined or certain limits; large and
      unmeasured, though not infinite; unlimited; as, indefinite
      space; the indefinite extension of a straight line.
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            Though it is not infinite, it may be indefinite;
            though it is not boundless in itself, it may be so
            to human comprehension.               --Spectator.
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   3. Boundless; infinite. [R.]
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            Indefinite and omnipresent God,
            Inhabiting eternity.                  --W. Thompson
                                                  (1745).
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   4. (Bot.) Too numerous or variable to make a particular
      enumeration important; -- said of the parts of a flower,
      and the like. Also, indeterminate.
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   Indefinite article (Gram.), the word a or an, used with
      nouns to denote any one of a common or general class.

   Indefinite inflorescence. (Bot.) See Indeterminate
      inflorescence, under Indeterminate.

   Indefinite proposition (Logic), a statement whose subject
      is a common term, with nothing to indicate distribution or
      nondistribution; as, Man is mortal.

   Indefinite term (Logic), a negative term; as, the not-good.

   Syn: Inexplicit; vague; uncertain; unsettled; indeterminate;
        loose; equivocal; inexact; approximate.
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Indeterminate \In`de*ter"mi*nate\, a. [L. indeterminatus.]
   Not determinate; not certain or fixed; indefinite; not
   precise; as, an indeterminate number of years. --Paley.
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   Indeterminate analysis (Math.), that branch of analysis
      which has for its object the solution of indeterminate
      problems.

   Indeterminate coefficients (Math.), coefficients
      arbitrarily assumed for convenience of calculation, or to
      facilitate some artifice of analysis. Their values are
      subsequently determined.

   Indeterminate equation (Math.), an equation in which the
      unknown quantities admit of an infinite number of values,
      or sets of values. A group of equations is indeterminate
      when it contains more unknown quantities than there are
      equations.

   Indeterminate inflorescence (Bot.), a mode of inflorescence
      in which the flowers all arise from axillary buds, the
      terminal bud going on to grow and sometimes continuing the
      stem indefinitely; -- called also acropetal
      inflorescence, botryose inflorescence, centripetal
      inflorescence, and indefinite inflorescence. --Gray.

   Indeterminate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of an
      infinite number of solutions, or one in which there are
      fewer imposed conditions than there are unknown or
      required results.

   Indeterminate quantity (Math.), a quantity which has no
      fixed value, but which may be varied in accordance with
      any proposed condition.

   Indeterminate series (Math.), a series whose terms proceed
      by the powers of an indeterminate quantity, sometimes also
      with indeterminate exponents, or indeterminate
      coefficients. -- In`de*ter"mi*nate*ly adv. --
      In`de*ter"mi*nate*ness, n.
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