actual cautery

2 definitions found

actual cautery - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Actual \Ac"tu*al\ (#; 135), a. [OE. actuel, F. actuel, L.
     actualis, fr. agere to do, act.]
     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]

  Cautery \Cau"ter*y\, n.; pl. Cauteries. [L. cauterium, Gr. ?.
     See Cauter.]
     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]