indefinite inflorescence

2 definitions found

indefinite inflorescence - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  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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