Lantern \Lan"tern\ (l[a^]n"t[~e]rn), n. [F. lanterne, L.
lanterna, laterna, from Gr. lampth`r light, torch. See
Lamp.]
1. Something inclosing a light, and protecting it from wind,
rain, etc.; -- sometimes portable, as a closed vessel or
case of horn, perforated tin, glass, oiled paper, or other
material, having a lamp or candle within; sometimes fixed,
as the glazed inclosure of a street light, or of a
lighthouse light.
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2. (Arch.)
(a) An open structure of light material set upon a roof,
to give light and air to the interior.
(b) A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open
below into the building or tower which it crowns.
(c) A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one,
for ornament, or to admit light; such as the lantern
of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of
the Florence cathedral.
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3. (Mach.) A lantern pinion or trundle wheel. See Lantern
pinion (below).
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4. (Steam Engine) A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box
and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into
two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of
steam, etc.; -- called also lantern brass.
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5. (Founding) A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
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6. (Zool.) See Aristotle's lantern.
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Note: Fig. 1 represents a hand lantern; fig. 2, an arm
lantern; fig. 3, a breast lantern; -- so named from the
positions in which they are carried.
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Dark lantern, a lantern with a single opening, which may be
closed so as to conceal the light; -- called also
bull's-eye.
Lantern jaws, long, thin jaws; hence, a thin visage.
Lantern pinion, Lantern wheel (Mach.), a kind of pinion
or wheel having cylindrical bars or trundles, instead of
teeth, inserted at their ends in two parallel disks or
plates; -- so called as resembling a lantern in shape; --
called also wallower, or trundle.
Lantern shell (Zool.), any translucent, marine, bivalve
shell of the genus Anatina, and allied genera.
Magic lantern, an optical instrument consisting of a case
inclosing a light, and having suitable lenses in a lateral
tube, for throwing upon a screen, in a darkened room or
the like, greatly magnified pictures from slides placed in
the focus of the outer lens.
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