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carbuncle

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carbuncle


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Carbuncle  \Car"bun*cle\,  n.  [L.  carbunculus  a  little  coal,  a 
  bright  kind  of  precious  stone,  a  kind  of  tumor,  dim.  of  carbo 
  coal:  cf  F.  carboncle.  See  {Carbon}.] 
  1.  (Min.)  A  beautiful  gem  of  a  deep  red  color  (with  a  mixture 
  of  scarlet)  called  by  the  Greeks  anthrax;  found  in  the 
  East  Indies.  When  held  up  to  the  sun,  it  loses  its  deep 
  tinge,  and  becomes  of  the  color  of  burning  coal.  The  name 
  belongs  for  the  most  part  to  ruby  sapphire,  though  it  has 
  been  also  given  to  red  spinel  and  garnet. 
 
  2.  (Med.)  A  very  painful  acute  local  inflammation  of  the 
  subcutaneous  tissue,  esp.  of  the  trunk  or  back  of  the 
  neck,  characterized  by  brawny  hardness  of  the  affected 
  parts  sloughing  of  the  skin  and  deeper  tissues,  and 
  marked  constitutional  depression.  It  differs  from  a  boil 
  in  size,  tendency  to  spread,  and  the  absence  of  a  central 
  core,  and  is  frequently  fatal.  It  is  also  called 
  {anthrax}. 
 
  3.  (Her.)  A  charge  or  bearing  supposed  to  represent  the 
  precious  stone.  It  has  eight  scepters  or  staves  radiating 
  from  a  common  center.  Called  also  {escarbuncle}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  carbuncle 
  n  1:  deep-red  cabochon-cut  garnet  cut  without  facets 
  2:  an  infection  larger  than  a  boil  and  with  several  openings 
  for  discharge  of  pus 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Carbuncle 
  (Ex.  28:17;  39:10;  Ezek.  28:13).  Heb.  barkath  LXX.  smaragdos 
  Vulgate,  smaragdus  Revised  Version,  marg.,  "emerald."  The 
  Hebrew  word  is  from  a  root  meaning  "to  glitter,"  "lighten," 
  "flash."  When  held  up  to  the  sun,  this  gem  shines  like  a  burning 
  coal,  a  dark-red  glowing  coal,  and  hence  is  called 
  "carbunculus",  i.e.,  a  little  coal.  It  was  one  of  the  jewels  in 
  the  first  row  of  the  high  priest's  breastplate.  It  has  been 
  conjectured  by  some  that  the  garnet  is  meant  In  Isa.  54:12  the 
  Hebrew  word  is  _'ekdah_,  used  in  the  prophetic  description  of 
  the  glory  and  beauty  of  the  mansions  above.  Next  to  the  diamond 
  it  is  the  hardest  and  most  costly  of  all  precious  stones. 
 




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