Lăm'p1, n.
n. [Fr. & Ger. lampe, Pr. & It. lampa, from Lat. lampas, lampadis, Gr. λαμπάς, torch, from λάμπειν, to give light, to shine; It. lampada, lampade, Sp. lampada, lampara.]
Sense 1. A light-producing vessel, instrument, or apparatus; a vessel used for the combustion of liquid inflammable bodies, for the purpose of producing artificial light.
Sense 2. Whatever resembles a light giving vessel, as a source of light or cheerfulness.
Thy gentle eyes send forth a quickening spirit To feed the dying lamp of life within me. Rowe.
Aphlogistic or flameless lamp. See APHLOGISTIC.—Argand lamp, and astral lamp. See ARGAND LAMP and ASTRAL LAMP.—Dobereiner's lamp, an apparatus for producing an instantaneous light;—so called from the inventor, Prof. Dobereiner, of Jena, Germany. It consists of a vessel for containing or generating hydrogen gas, a jet of which, by means of a suitable arrangement, is thrown upon a piece of platinum sponge, which, immediately becoming red-hot, sets fire to the gas, thus instantly producing a flame.—Lamp of safety, or safety lamp, a lamp for lighting coal-mines, without exposing workmen to the explosion of inflammable air. It consists of an ordinary lamp surrounded on every side by fine wire gauze.—Monochromatic lamp. See MONOCHROMATIC.
