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proboscismore about proboscis

proboscis

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Proboscis  \Pro*bos"cis\,  n.;  pl  {Proboscides}.  [L.  fr  Gr  ?;  ? 
  before  +  ?  to  feed,  graze.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  A  hollow  organ  or  tube  attached  to  the  head,  or 
  connected  with  the  mouth,  of  various  animals,  and 
  generally  used  in  taking  food  or  drink;  a  snout;  a  trunk. 
 
  Note:  The  proboscis  of  an  elephant  is  a  flexible  muscular 
  elongation  of  the  nose.  The  proboscis  of  insects  is 
  usually  a  chitinous  tube  formed  by  the  modified 
  maxill[ae],  or  by  the  labium.  See  Illusts  of 
  {Hemiptera}  and  {Lepidoptera}. 
 
  2.  (Zo["o]l.)  By  extension,  applied  to  various  tubelike  mouth 
  organs  of  the  lower  animals  that  can  be  everted  or 
  protruded. 
 
  Note:  The  proboscis  of  annelids  and  of  mollusks  is  usually  a 
  portion  of  the  pharynx  that  can  be  everted  or 
  protruded.  That  of  nemerteans  is  a  special  long 
  internal  organ,  not  connected  with  the  mouth,  and  not 
  used  in  feeding,  but  capable  of  being  protruded  from  a 
  pore  in  the  head.  See  Illust.  in  Appendix. 
 
  3.  The  nose.  [Jocose] 
 
  {Proboscis  monkey}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  {Kahau}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  proboscis 
  n  1:  (informal)  the  human  nose  (especially  when  it  is  large) 
  2:  a  long  flexible  snout  as  of  an  elephant  [syn:  {trunk}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  PROBOSCIS,  n.  The  rudimentary  organ  of  an  elephant  which  serves  him 
  in  place  of  the  knife-and-fork  that  Evolution  has  as  yet  denied  him 
  For  purposes  of  humor  it  is  popularly  called  a  trunk. 
  Asked  how  he  knew  that  an  elephant  was  going  on  a  journey,  the 
  illustrious  Jo  Miller  cast  a  reproachful  look  upon  his  tormentor,  and 
  answered,  absently:  "When  it  is  ajar,"  and  threw  himself  from  a  high 
  promontory  into  the  sea.  Thus  perished  in  his  pride  the  most  famous 
  humorist  of  antiquity,  leaving  to  mankind  a  heritage  of  woe!  No 
  successor  worthy  of  the  title  has  appeared,  though  Mr  Edward  bok,  of 
  _The  Ladies'  Home  Journal_,  is  much  respected  for  the  purity  and 
  sweetness  of  his  personal  character.




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