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dolphin

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Dolphin  \Dol"phin\  (d[o^]l"f[i^]n),  n.  [F.  dauphin  dolphin, 
  dauphin,  earlier  spelt  also  doffin;  cf  OF  dalphinal  of  the 
  dauphin;  fr  L.  delphinus,  Gr  delfi`s  a  dolphin  (in  senses 
  1,  2,  &  5),  perh.  properly,  belly  fish;  cf  delfy`s  womb, 
  Skr.  garbha  perh.  akin  to  E.  calf.  Cf  {Dauphin}, 
  {Delphine}.] 
  1.  (Zool.) 
  a  A  cetacean  of  the  genus  {Delphinus}  and  allied  genera 
  (esp.  {D.  delphis});  the  true  dolphin. 
  b  The  {Coryph[ae]na  hippuris},  a  fish  of  about  five  feet 
  in  length,  celebrated  for  its  surprising  changes  of 
  color  when  dying.  It  is  the  fish  commonly  known  as  the 
  dolphin.  See  {Coryph[ae]noid}. 
 
  Note:  The  dolphin  of  the  ancients  ({D.  delphis})  is  common  in 
  the  Mediterranean  and  Atlantic,  and  attains  a  length  of 
  from  six  to  eight  feet. 
 
  2.  [Gr.  delfi`s]  (Gr.  Antiq.)  A  mass  of  iron  or  lead  hung 
  from  the  yardarm,  in  readiness  to  be  dropped  on  the  deck 
  of  an  enemy's  vessel. 
 
  3.  (Naut.) 
  a  A  kind  of  wreath  or  strap  of  plaited  cordage. 
  b  A  spar  or  buoy  held  by  an  anchor  and  furnished  with  a 
  ring  to  which  ships  may  fasten  their  cables.  --R.  H. 
  Dana. 
  c  A  mooring  post  on  a  wharf  or  beach. 
  d  A  permanent  fender  around  a  heavy  boat  just  below  the 
  gunwale.  --Ham.  Nav.  Encyc. 
 
  4.  (Gun.)  In  old  ordnance,  one  of  the  handles  above  the 
  trunnions  by  which  the  gun  was  lifted. 
 
  5.  (Astron.)  A  small  constellation  between  Aquila  and 
  Pegasus.  See  {Delphinus},  n.,  2. 
 
  {Dolphin  fly}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  black,  bean,  or  collier,  Aphis 
  ({Aphis  fable}),  destructive  to  beans. 
 
  {Dolphin  striker}  (Naut.),  a  short  vertical  spar  under  the 
  bowsprit. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  dolphin 
  n  1:  large  slender  food  and  game  fish  widely  distributed  in  warm 
  seas  (especially  around  Hawaii)  [syn:  {dolphinfish},  {mahimahi}] 
  2:  any  of  various  small  toothed  whales  with  a  beaklike  snout; 
  larger  than  porpoises 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Dolphin,  VA 
  Zip  code(s):  23843




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