Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 2.djvu/1040

 XER

13^3 1

XYS

X.

XA double Consonant, and the twenty-fecond Letter in the Englijh Alphabet. See Letter, J Consonant, Alphabet, ($c. The x of the Latins, and £ of the Greeks are compounded of e s, and «>i whence, to this day, the Letter x in the Englijh and French has the fame Sound with

c 5 ol - fc 5. Thus we pronounce Alexander, as if wrote

Alecfander or Alexander. SeeC, K, S, £j?c.

The Italians have no * at all in their Language ; but, both fpeak and write Alejandro The Spaniards pro- nounce the x like our c before a ; viz. Alexandro, as if it were Jlecandro. The Tortugueze pronounce it like our_/&.

In foreign Words ufed in Englijh we fometimes foften the x into a double s ; as SruJJels for Sruxelles, &c.

The Letter is not known in the Hebrew, or other Oriental Languages ; but in lieu of it they write the two Ample

Letters whereof it is compounded And the like do the

modern Germans.

X is alfo a numeral Letter, and fignifies ten ; as repre- fenting two V's placed one a-top of the other. See V.

X Supra denos numero tibi dat retinendos.

When a Dafli is added over it, X, it fignifies ten thmtfand.

XENIA, in antient Cuftoms, wete Gifts or Prefents made to the Governours of Provinces by the Inhabitants thereof. .

The Word occurs pretty frequently in Charters of Privi- leges ; where, Quictos ejje i Xeniis, denotes an Exem- ptfon from making fuch Prefents to Kings and Queens upon their travelling through fuch Precincls. See Munus, £ifc.

XENODOCHUS, an Ecclefiaftical Officer in the Greek Church ; the fame with Boffitaller, or a Perfon who takes cate of the Reception and Entertainment of Strangers. See Hospitaller.

St.Ifidore, aPrieft and Solitary, furnamed the Xenodo-

ckus, liv'd in the IVth Century He was thus call'd,

beca'ufe entrufted with that Office in the Church of Alex- andria.

XEROPHTHALMIA, a kind of Ophthalmia, wherein the Eyes itch, and ate red, but without fwelling or watering. See Ophthalmia.

The Word is compounded of £npo?, dry, and spocfAjUf,

Eye.

XEROPHAGIA, Xerophacy, in Church-Hiflory, the ufe of dried Foods. See Food.

In the firflAges, fome not contented with fimple Falling, added the Xerofhagy thereto; abfiaining not only from Flefh and Wine, but alfo from all frefh.fucculent, and vinous

j- ru j ts And fome even brought themfelves to bare

Bread and Water. See Fasting and Abstinence.

7ertullian in his Book de Abftinentia, c. 0. fpeaks of the Xerojshcgia as a thing commendable in time of Perfection. ,

The Word is form'd from fals, focus, ary, and fzyv,

XESTA, sipii, an Attic Meafure of Capacity. See Measure.

XIPHIAS, a fiery Meteor, in form of a Sword. See Meteor.

It differs from .the Acomias, in that this latter is longer, and more like a Dart; and the former /hotter and broader in the middle. SeeAcoNTiAs.

XV.VIR, gtiindecimvir ; feeQuiNDECrMviR.

Authors, and efpecially the Antiquaties, make ufe of men Abbreviations, which they borrow from Medals, and other Monuments of Antiquity, where thofe Names are fo exprefsd.

XYLO-ALOES, in Medicine, tSc. the Lignum Aloes : calld Mo Agillochum. See Aloes and Agillochum.

I he Word is compounded of fym. Lignum, Wood and aAow, Aloes.

XYLO-Balfamam, a Name which Naturalifls, SSc give to the Wood of the Tree which yields that precious Gum known to the Latins by the Name of Op-Balfamum and among us by the Name ofSalmc/Gilead. See Balm.

We have Branches of this Tree broughr us from Cairo. They are very flreight, brittle, unequal, and full of Knots ; their Bark reddi/h without, and greenifli within. The Wood is whit.fh, and full of Pith, and when broke, yields an agreeable fmell refembling that of the Balm.

The Xylo-Mfi.mum is reputed good to ftrengthen the Brain, and Stomach, and to expel Poifon.

The Word is compounded of JW, Wood, and j3Ara/w, Balfam, Balm. '

XYNOECIA, a Feafl among the antient Athenians, in- flituted on occafion of Thefeus's uniting all the petty Com- munities of Attica into one Common-wealth ; the Affemblies whereof were to be held at Athens, in the 'Prvtanaum. See Feast.

The Word is form'd of the Greek £Ut or tit with, and oiKiv, I inhabit.

XYPHOIDES, in Anatomy, a Cartilage at the bottom of the Sternum ; call'd MoEnJiformis. See Cartilage and Ensiformis.

It is about an Inch long, and iTiaped like the Point of a Sword ; whence its Appellation, from £ip©-, Sword, and Hcf 1 ©-, Figure. See Sternum.

XYSTARCHA, in Antiquity, the Mafler or Director of the Xyftits. See Xvstus.

In the Greek Gymnafmm, the Xyftarcha was the fecond Officet The firft was the Gymnafiarcha.

The Xyftarcha was his Lieutenant, and prefided over the two Xyfti, and all Exercifa of the Atbleta therein. See Gymnasium and Gymnasiarch.

XYSTUS, in the antient Architecture A Xytlus,

among the Greeks, was along Portico, either open, or co- ver'd over ; wherein the Athlete? pracfifed WrelUing, and Running. SeeATHLETA, Wrestling, gfc.

The Gladiators who practifed therein, were call'd Xyftici. See Gladiator.

Among the Romans, the Xyftus was only an Alley, or double Row of Trees, meeting Atbor-wife a-top, and forming a Shade to walk under.

The Word is Greek, JiSot, form'd of gtfeip, to poli/h, ihave, rub.

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