ˈair-vessel
[air- 7.]
1. Nat. Hist. Any vessel whose function is to contain air; especially, the tracheæ or respiratory tubes of insects, and the spiral vessels in plants. Also fig.
| 1676 Grew Anat. Plants ii. iii. (1682) 70 The Lignous Part is also Compounded of Two kinds of Bodies scil. succiferous or Lignous and Aer-Vessels. 1692 Ray Creation i. (1704) 82 Insects..having more Air-vessels for their Bulk. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., Air-vessels are found in the leaves of all plants. 1819 Pantologia, s.v., Air-vessels are distinguished from sap-vessels. 1857 Geo. Eliot Amos Barton ii in Blackw. Mag. LXXXI. 7/1 We are poor plants buoyed up by the air-vessels of our own conceit. |
2. Hydraulics; = air-chamber.
| 1744 J. T. Desaguliers Course Exper. Philos. II. xii. 510 A large Copper Air-Vessel, which receives the Water forced into it by the Action of 2 pumps. 1819 Pantologia, s.v., Air-vessels..metalline cylinders placed between the two forcing-pumps in the improved fire-engine. c 1850 Nat. Phil. (S.S.B.A.) 90 The fire-engine consists of two forcing-pumps, both communicating with an air-vessel. |
† 3. [air- III.] A flying-machine. Obs.
| 1821–2 Byron in Medwin Convers. Byron (1824) I. 199, I suppose we shall soon travel by air-vessels; make air instead of sea-voyages. 1916 Sphere 9 Dec. 183 The strafing of Germany's zeppelin fleet: a pictorial presentation of the air vessels brought down and wrecked. |
† 4. The gas-bag of a balloon. Obs.
| 1870 Sci. Amer. 8 Jan. 33/2 An air vessel of 100 feet diameter, two thirds filled with coal gas..would be all sufficient for a practicing machine. |