Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Pneumatic?

\Pneu*mat"ic\, n. A vehicle, as a bicycle, the wheels of which are fitted with pneumatic tires.
\Pneu*mat"ic\, Pneumatical \Pneu*mat"ic*al\, a. Adapted for containing compressed air; inflated with air; as, a pneumatic cushion; a pneumatic tire, a tire formed of an annular tube of flexible fabric, as India rubber, suitable for being inflated with air.
\Pneu*mat"ic\, Pneumatical \Pneu*mat"ic*al\, a. [L. pneumaticus, Gr. ?, fr. ?, ?, wind, air, ? to blow, breathe; cf. OHG. fnehan: cf. F. pneumatique. Cf. {Pneumonia}.] 1. Consisting of, or resembling, air; having the properties of an elastic fluid; gaseous; opposed to dense or solid. The pneumatical substance being, in some bodies, the native spirit of the body. --Bacon. 2. Of or pertaining to air, or to elastic fluids or their properties; pertaining to pneumatics; as, pneumatic experiments. ``Pneumatical discoveries.'' --Stewart. 3. Moved or worked by pressure or flow of air; as, a pneumatic instrument; a pneumatic engine. 4. (Biol.) Fitted to contain air; Having cavities filled with air; as, pneumatic cells; pneumatic bones. {Pneumatic action}, or {Pneumatic lever} (Mus.), a contrivance for overcoming the resistance of the keys and other movable parts in an organ, by causing compressed air from the wind chest to move them. {Pneumatic dispatch}, a system of tubes, leading to various points, through which letters, packages, etc., are sent, by the flow and pressure of air. {Pneumatic elevator}, a hoisting machine worked by compressed air. {Pneumatic pile}, a tubular pile or cylinder of large diameter sunk by atmospheric pressure. {Pneumatic pump}, an air-exhausting or forcing pump. {Pneumatic railway}. See {Atmospheric railway}, under {Atmospheric}. {Pneumatic syringe}, a stout tube closed at one end, and provided with a piston, for showing that the heat produced by compressing a gas will ignite substances. {Pneumatic trough}, a trough, generally made of wood or sheet metal, having a perforated shelf, and used, when filled with water or mercury, for collecting gases in chemical operations. {Pneumatic tube}. See {Pneumatic dispatch}, above.