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stratusmore about stratus

stratus

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Stratus  \Stra"tus\,  n.  [L.  stratus  a  spreading  out  scattering, 
  from  sternere,  stratum,  to  spread.]  (Meteor.) 
  A  form  of  clouds  in  which  they  are  arranged  in  a  horizontal 
  band  or  layer.  See  {Cloud}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Cloud  \Cloud\  (kloud),  n.  [Prob.  fr  AS  cl[=u]d  a  rock  or 
  hillock,  the  application  arising  from  the  frequent 
  resemblance  of  clouds  to  rocks  or  hillocks  in  the  sky  or 
  air.] 
  1.  A  collection  of  visible  vapor,  or  watery  particles, 
  suspended  in  the  upper  atmosphere. 
 
  I  do  set  my  bow  in  the  cloud.  --Gen.  ix  13. 
 
  Note:  A  classification  of  clouds  according  to  their  chief 
  forms  was  first  proposed  by  the  meteorologist  Howard, 
  and  this  is  still  substantially  employed.  The  following 
  varieties  and  subvarieties  are  recognized: 
  a  {Cirrus}.  This  is  the  most  elevated  of  all  the  forms 
  of  clouds;  is  thin,  long-drawn,  sometimes  looking  like 
  carded  wool  or  hair,  sometimes  like  a  brush  or  room 
  sometimes  in  curl-like  or  fleecelike  patches.  It  is 
  the  cat's-tail  of  the  sailor,  and  the  mare's-tail  of 
  the  landsman. 
  b  {Cumulus}.  This  form  appears  in  large  masses  of  a 
  hemispherical  form  or  nearly  so  above,  but  flat 
  below,  one  often  piled  above  another,  forming  great 
  clouds,  common  in  the  summer,  and  presenting  the 
  appearance  of  gigantic  mountains  crowned  with  snow.  It 
  often  affords  rain  and  thunder  gusts. 
  c  {Stratus}.  This  form  appears  in  layers  or  bands 
  extending  horizontally. 
  d  {Nimbus}.  This  form  is  characterized  by  its  uniform 
  gray  tint  and  ragged  edges;  it  covers  the  sky  in 
  seasons  of  continued  rain,  as  in  easterly  storms,  and 
  is  the  proper  rain  cloud.  The  name  is  sometimes  used 
  to  denote  a  raining  cumulus,  or  cumulostratus. 
  e  {Cirro-cumulus}.  This  form  consists,  like  the  cirrus, 
  of  thin,  broken,  fleecelice  clouds,  but  the  parts  are 
  more  or  less  rounded  and  regulary  grouped.  It  is 
  popularly  called  mackerel  sky. 
  f  {Cirro-stratus}.  In  this  form  the  patches  of  cirrus 
  coalesce  in  long  strata,  between  cirrus  and  stratus. 
  g  {Cumulo-stratus}.  A  form  between  cumulus  and  stratus, 
  often  assuming  at  the  horizon  a  black  or  bluish  tint. 
  --  {Fog},  cloud,  motionless,  or  nearly  so  lying  near 
  or  in  contact  with  the  earth's  surface.  --  {Storm 
  scud},  cloud  lying  quite  low  without  form  and  driven 
  rapidly  with  the  wind. 
 
  2.  A  mass  or  volume  of  smoke,  or  flying  dust,  resembling 
  vapor.  ``A  thick  cloud  of  incense.''  --Ezek.  viii.  11. 
 
  3.  A  dark  vein  or  spot  on  a  lighter  material,  as  in  marble; 
  hence  a  blemish  or  defect;  as  a  cloud  upon  one's 
  reputation;  a  cloud  on  a  title. 
 
  4.  That  which  has  a  dark,  lowering,  or  threatening  aspect; 
  that  which  temporarily  overshadows,  obscures,  or 
  depresses;  as  a  cloud  of  sorrow;  a  cloud  of  war;  a  cloud 
  upon  the  intellect. 
 
  5.  A  great  crowd  or  multitude;  a  vast  collection.  ``So  great 
  a  cloud  of  witnesses.''  --Heb.  xii.  1. 
 
  6.  A  large  loosely-knitted  scarf,  worn  by  women  about  the 
  head. 
 
  {Cloud  on  a}  (or  the)  {title}  (Law),  a  defect  of  title, 
  usually  superficial  and  capable  of  removal  by  release, 
  decision  in  equity,  or  legislation. 
 
  {To  be  under  a  cloud},  to  be  under  suspicion  or  in  disgrace; 
  to  be  in  disfavor. 
 
  {In  the  clouds},  in  the  realm  of  facy  and  imagination;  beyond 
  reason;  visionary. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  stratus 
  n  :  a  large  dark  low  cloud  [syn:  {stratus  cloud}] 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  Stratus 
 
    A  computer  manufacturer,  one  of  the  the  world's 
  leading  providers  of  {fault-tolerant}  systems  and  solutions, 
  concentrating  on  four  major  vertical  markets:  financial 
  services,  telecommunications,  travel  and  transportation,  and 
  gaming.  While  virtually  all  of  Stratus'  core  hardware  and 
  software  products  are  sold  into  these  markets,  a  broad  range 
  of  specialised  solutions,  both  at  the  {middleware}  and 
  {application}  solutions  levels,  are  developed  and  marketed  by 
  Stratus,  its  subsidiaries  and  third  party  partners. 
 
  Yearly  sales  $609M,  profits  $43.5M  (1996). 
 
  {Home  (http://www.stratus,com)}. 
 
  (1997-04-24)




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