retiary

2 definitions found

retiary - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Retiary \Re"ti*a*ry\, n. [See Retiarius.]
     1. (Zool.) Any spider which spins webs to catch its prey.
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     2. A retiarius.
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  Retiary \Re`ti*a*ry\, a. [Cf. LL. retiarius.]
     1. Netlike.
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              This work is in retiary, or hanging textures. --Sir
                                                    T. Browne.
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     2. Constructing or using a web, or net, to catch prey; --
        said of certain spiders.
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     3. Armed with a net; hence, skillful to entangle.
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              Scholastic retiary versatility of logic.
                                                    --Coleridge.
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