GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found one definition

1.       
   Horizon (?), n. [F., fr. L. horizon, fr. Gr.  (sc. ) the bounding line, horizon, fr.  to bound, fr.  boundary, limit.]
   1. The line which bounds that part of the earth's surface visible to a spectator from a given point; the apparent junction of the earth and sky.
   
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   And when the morning sun shall raise his car
   
   Above the border of this horizon. Shak.
   
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   All the horizon round
   
   Invested with bright rays. Milton.
   
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   2. (Astron.) (a) A plane passing through the eye of the spectator and at right angles to the vertical at a given place; a plane tangent to the earth's surface at that place; called distinctively the sensible horizon. (b) A plane parallel to the sensible horizon of a place, and passing through the earth's center; -- called also rational horizon or celestial horizon. (c) (Naut.) The unbroken line separating sky and water, as seen by an eye at a given elevation, no land being visible.
   
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   3. (Geol.) The epoch or time during which a deposit was made.
   
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   The strata all over the earth, which were formed at the same time, are said to belong to the same geological horizon. Le Conte.
   
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   4. (Painting) The chief horizontal line in a picture of any sort, which determines in the picture the height of the eye of the spectator; in an extended landscape, the representation of the natural horizon corresponds with this line.
   
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   5. The limit of a person's range of perception, capabilities, or experience; as, “children raised in the inner city have limited horizons”.
   
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   6. [fig.] A boundary point or line, or  a time point, beyond which new knowledge or experiences may be found; as, “more powerful computers are just over the horizon”.
   
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   Apparent horizon. See under Apparent. -- Artificial horizon, a level mirror, as the surface of mercury in a shallow vessel, or a plane reflector adjusted to the true level artificially; -- used chiefly with the sextant for observing the double altitude of a celestial body. -- Celestial horizon. (Astron.) See def. 2, above. -- Dip of the horizon (Astron.), the vertical angle between the sensible horizon and a line to the visible horizon, the latter always being below the former. -- Rational horizon, and Sensible horizon. (Astron.) See def. 2, above. -- Visible horizon. See definitions 1 and 2, above.
   
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