Lantern

Lantern Lan"tern (l[a^]n"t[~e]rn), n. [F. lanterne, L. lanterna, laterna, from Gr. lampth`r light, torch. See {Lamp}.] 1. Something inclosing a light, and protecting it from wind, rain, etc.; -- sometimes portable, as a closed vessel or case of horn, perforated tin, glass, oiled paper, or other material, having a lamp or candle within; sometimes fixed, as the glazed inclosure of a street light, or of a lighthouse light. [1913 Webster]

2. (Arch.) (a) An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior. (b) A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns. (c) A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for ornament, or to admit light; such as the lantern of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral. [1913 Webster]

3. (Mach.) A lantern pinion or trundle wheel. See {Lantern pinion} (below). [1913 Webster]

4. (Steam Engine) A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of steam, etc.; -- called also {lantern brass}. [1913 Webster]

5. (Founding) A perforated barrel to form a core upon. [1913 Webster]

6. (Zo["o]l.) See {Aristotle's lantern}. [1913 Webster]

Note: Fig. 1 represents a hand lantern; fig. 2, an arm lantern; fig. 3, a breast lantern; -- so named from the positions in which they are carried. [1913 Webster]

{Dark lantern}, a lantern with a single opening, which may be closed so as to conceal the light; -- called also {bull's-eye}.

{Lantern jaws}, long, thin jaws; hence, a thin visage.

{Lantern pinion}, {Lantern wheel} (Mach.), a kind of pinion or wheel having cylindrical bars or trundles, instead of teeth, inserted at their ends in two parallel disks or plates; -- so called as resembling a lantern in shape; -- called also {wallower}, or {trundle}.

{Lantern shell} (Zo["o]l.), any translucent, marine, bivalve shell of the genus {Anatina}, and allied genera.

{Magic lantern}, an optical instrument consisting of a case inclosing a light, and having suitable lenses in a lateral tube, for throwing upon a screen, in a darkened room or the like, greatly magnified pictures from slides placed in the focus of the outer lens. [1913 Webster]