Organic \Or*gan"ic\ ([^o]r*g[a^]n"[i^]k), a. [L. organicus, Gr.
   'organiko`s: cf. F. organique.]
   1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or
      to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or
      containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and
      plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living
      organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic
      remains. Cf. Inorganic.
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   2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.]
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   3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to
      a certain destined function or end. [R.]
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            Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and
            write perspicuously.                  --Milton.
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   4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or
      pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or
      resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic
      government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but
      organic.
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   5. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds which are
      derivatives of hydrocarbons; pertaining to, or denoting,
      any one of a large series of carbon-containing compounds
      which are related to the carbon compounds produced by
      biological processes (such as methane, oils, fats, sugars,
      alcohols, ethers, proteins, etc.) and include many
      substances of artificial production which may or may not
      occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with
      inorganic.

   Note: Borderline cases exist which may be classified as
         either organic or inorganic, such as carbon
         terachloride (which may be viewed as a derivative of
         methane), but in general a compound must have a carbon
         with a hydrogen atom or another carbon atom attached to
         it to be viewed as truly organic, i.e. included in the
         subject matter of organic chemistry.
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   Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are
         identical; but the enormous number and the completeness
         of related series of organic compounds, together with
         their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution,
         offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology
         not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry.
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   Organic analysis (Chem.), the analysis of organic
      compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of
      carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the
      difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent,
      and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide;
      -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from
      proximate analysis.

   Organic chemistry. See under Chemistry.

   Organic compounds. (Chem.) Chemical substances which are
      organic[5]. See Carbon compounds, under Carbon.

   Organic description of a curve (Geom.), the description of
      a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C.

   Organic disease (Med.), a disease attended with morbid
      changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in
      the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to functional
      disease.

   Organic electricity. See under Electricity.

   Organic law or Organic laws, a law or system of laws, or
      declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and
      organization of a political or other association; a
      constitution.

   Organic stricture (Med.), a contraction of one of the
      natural passages of the body produced by structural
      changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic
      stricture, which is due to muscular contraction.
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Electricity \E`lec*tric"i*ty\ ([=e]`l[e^]k*tr[i^]s"[i^]*t[y^]),
   n.; pl. Electricities ([=e]`l[e^]k*tr[i^]s"[i^]*t[i^]z).
   [Cf. F. ['e]lectricit['e]. See Electric.]
   1. (Physics) a property of certain of the fundamental
      particles of which matter is composed, called also
      electric charge, and being of two types, designated
      positive and negative; the property of electric charge on
      a particle or physical body creates a force field which
      affects other particles or bodies possessing electric
      charge; positive charges create a repulsive force between
      them, and negative charges also create a repulsive force.
      A positively charged body and a negatively charged body
      will create an attractive force between them. The unit of
      electrical charge is the coulomb, and the intensity of
      the force field at any point is measured in volts.
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   2. any of several phenomena associated with the accumulation
      or movement of electrically charged particles within
      material bodies, classified as static electricity and
      electric current. Static electricity is often observed
      in everyday life, when it causes certain materials to
      cling together; when sufficient static charge is
      accumulated, an electric current may pass through the air
      between two charged bodies, and is observed as a visible
      spark; when the spark passes from a human body to another
      object it may be felt as a mild to strong painful
      sensation. Electricity in the form of electric current is
      put to many practical uses in electrical and electronic
      devices. Lightning is also known to be a form of electric
      current passing between clouds and the ground, or between
      two clouds. Electric currents may produce heat, light,
      concussion, and often chemical changes when passed between
      objects or through any imperfectly conducting substance or
      space. Accumulation of electrical charge or generation of
      a voltage differnce between two parts of a complex object
      may be caused by any of a variety of disturbances of
      molecular equilibrium, whether from a chemical, physical,
      or mechanical, cause. Electric current in metals and most
      other solid coductors is carried by the movement of
      electrons from one part of the metal to another. In ionic
      solutions and in semiconductors, other types of movement
      of charged particles may be responsible for the observed
      electrical current.
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   Note: Electricity is manifested under following different
         forms: (a)

   Statical electricity, called also

   Frictional electricity or Common electricity, electricity
      in the condition of a stationary charge, in which the
      disturbance is produced by friction, as of glass, amber,
      etc., or by induction. (b)

   Dynamical electricity, called also

   Voltaic electricity, electricity in motion, or as a current
      produced by chemical decomposition, as by means of a
      voltaic battery, or by mechanical action, as by
      dynamo-electric machines. (c)

   Thermoelectricity, in which the disturbing cause is heat
      (attended possibly with some chemical action). It is
      developed by uniting two pieces of unlike metals in a bar,
      and then heating the bar unequally. (d)

   Atmospheric electricity, any condition of electrical
      disturbance in the atmosphere or clouds, due to some or
      all of the above mentioned causes. (e)

   Magnetic electricity, electricity developed by the action
      of magnets. (f)

   Positive electricity, the electricity that appears at the
      positive pole or anode of a battery, or that is produced
      by friction of glass; -- called also vitreous
      electricity. (g)

   Negative electricity, the electricity that appears at the
      negative pole or cathode, or is produced by the friction
      of resinous substance; -- called also resinous
      electricity. (h)

   Organic electricity, that which is developed in organic
      structures, either animal or vegetable, the phrase animal
      electricity being much more common.
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   3. The science which studies the phenomena and laws of
      electricity; electrical science.
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   4. Fig.: excitement, anticipation, or emotional tension,
      usually caused by the occurrence or expectation of
      something unusual or important.