2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Column  \Col"umn\,  n.  [L.  columna,  fr  columen,  culmen,  fr 
  cellere  (used  only  in  comp.),  akin  to  E.  excel,  and  prob.  to 
  holm.  See  {Holm},  and  cf  {Colonel}.] 
  1.  (Arch.)  A  kind  of  pillar;  a  cylindrical  or  polygonal 
  support  for  a  roof,  ceiling,  statue,  etc.,  somewhat 
  ornamented,  and  usually  composed  of  base,  shaft,  and 
  capital.  See  {Order}. 
 
  2.  Anything  resembling,  in  form  or  position,  a  column  in 
  architecture;  an  upright  body  or  mass;  a  shaft  or  obelisk; 
  as  a  column  of  air,  of  water,  of  mercury,  etc.;  the 
  Column  Vend[^o]me;  the  spinal  column. 
 
  3.  (Mil.) 
  a  A  body  of  troops  formed  in  ranks,  one  behind  the 
  other  --  contradistinguished  from  {line}.  Compare 
  {Ploy},  and  {Deploy}. 
  b  A  small  army. 
 
  4.  (Naut.)  A  number  of  ships  so  arranged  as  to  follow  one 
  another  in  single  or  double  file  or  in  squadrons;  --  in 
  distinction  from  ``line'',  where  they  are  side  by  side 
 
  5.  (Print.)  A  perpendicular  set  of  lines,  not  extending 
  across  the  page,  and  separated  from  other  matter  by  a  rule 
  or  blank  space;  as  a  column  in  a  newspaper. 
 
  6.  (Arith.)  A  perpendicular  line  of  figures. 
 
  7.  (Bot.)  The  body  formed  by  the  union  of  the  stamens  in  the 
  Mallow  family,  or  of  the  stamens  and  pistil  in  the 
  orchids. 
 
  {Attached  column}.  See  under  {Attach},  v.  t. 
 
  {Clustered  column}.  See  under  {Cluster},  v.  t. 
 
  {Column  rule},  a  thin  strip  of  brass  separating  columns  of 
  type  in  the  form  and  making  a  line  between  them  in 
  printing. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  column 
  n  1:  a  line  of  (usually  military)  units  following  one  after 
  another 
  2:  a  vertical  glass  tube  used  in  column  chromatography;  a 
  mixture  is  poured  in  the  top  and  washed  through  a 
  stationary  substance  where  components  of  the  mixture  are 
  adsorbed  selectively  to  form  colored  bands  [syn:  {chromatography 
  column}] 
  3:  a  linear  array  of  numbers  one  above  another 
  4:  anything  tall  and  thin  approximating  the  shape  of  a  column 
  or  tower;  "the  test  tube  held  a  column  of  white  powder"; 
  "a  tower  of  dust  rose  above  the  horizon";  "a  thin  pillar 
  of  smoke  betrayed  their  campsite"  [syn:  {tower},  {pillar}] 
  5:  an  article  giving  opinions  or  perspectives  [syn:  {editorial}, 
  {newspaper  column}] 
  6:  a  vertical  structure  standing  alone  and  not  supporting 
  anything  (as  a  monument  or  a  column  of  air)  [syn:  {pillar}] 
  7:  a  tall  cylindrical  vertical  upright  [syn:  {pillar}] 

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