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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Crotchet \Crotch"et\ (kr?ch"?t; 224), n. [F. crochet, prop., a
little hook, a dim. from the same source as croc hook. See
{Crook}, and cf. {Crochet}, {Crocket}, {Crosier}.]
1. A forked support; a crotch.
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The crotchets of their cot in columns rise.
--Dryden.
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2. (Mus.) A time note, with a stem, having one fourth the
value of a semibreve, one half that of a minim, and twice
that of a quaver; a quarter note.
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3. (Fort.) An indentation in the glacis of the covered way,
at a point where a traverse is placed.
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4. (Mil.) The arrangement of a body of troops, either forward
or rearward, so as to form a line nearly perpendicular to
the general line of battle.
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5. (Print.) A bracket. See {Bracket}.
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6. (Med.) An instrument of a hooked form, used in certain
cases in the extraction of a fetus. --Dunglison.
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7. A perverse fancy; a whim which takes possession of the
mind; a conceit.
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He ruined himself and all that trusted in him by
crotchets that he could never explain to any
rational man. --De Quincey.
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Crotchet \Crotch"et\, v. i.
To play music in measured time. [Obs.] --Donne.
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Bracket \Brack"et\, n. [Cf. OF. braguette codpiece, F. brayette,
Sp. bragueta, also a projecting mold in architecture; dim.
fr. L. bracae breeches; cf. also, OF. bracon beam, prop,
support; of unknown origin. Cf. {Breeches}.]
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1. (Arch.) An architectural member, plain or ornamental,
projecting from a wall or pier, to support weight falling
outside of the same; also, a decorative feature seeming to
discharge such an office.
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Note: This is the more general word. See {Brace},
{Cantalever}, {Console}, {Corbel}, {Strut}.
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2. (Engin. & Mech.) A piece or combination of pieces, usually
triangular in general shape, projecting from, or fastened
to, a wall, or other surface, to support heavy bodies or
to strengthen angles.
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3. (Naut.) A shot, crooked timber, resembling a knee, used as
a support.
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4. (Mil.) The cheek or side of an ordnance carriage.
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5. (Print.) One of two characters [], used to inclose a
reference, explanation, or note, or a part to be excluded
from a sentence, to indicate an interpolation, to rectify
a mistake, or to supply an omission, and for certain other
purposes; -- called also {crotchet}.
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6. A gas fixture or lamp holder projecting from the face of a
wall, column, or the like.
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7. (Gunnery) A figure determined by firing a projectile
beyond a target and another short of it, as a basis for
ascertaining the proper elevation of the piece; -- only
used in the phrase, to establish a bracket. After the
bracket is established shots are fired with intermediate
elevations until the exact range is obtained. In the
United States navy it is called {fork}.
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{Bracket light}, a gas fixture or a lamp attached to a wall,
column, etc.
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