Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Atlas"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Atlas \At"las\, n.; pl. {Atlases}. [L. Atlas, -antis, Gr. ?, ?,
one of the older family of gods, who bears up the pillars of
heaven; also Mt. Atlas, in W. Africa, regarded as the pillar
of heaven. It is from the root of ? to bear. See {Tolerate}.]
1. One who sustains a great burden.

2. (Anat.) The first vertebra of the neck, articulating
immediately with the skull, thus sustaining the globe of
the head, whence the name.

3. A collection of maps in a volume;

Note: supposed to be so called from a picture of Atlas
supporting the world, prefixed to some collections.
This name is said to have been first used by Mercator,
the celebrated geographer, in the 16th century.

4. A volume of plates illustrating any subject.

5. A work in which subjects are exhibited in a tabular from
or arrangement; as, an historical atlas.

6. A large, square folio, resembling a volume of maps; --
called also {atlas folio}.

7. A drawing paper of large size. See under {Paper}, n.

{Atlas powder}, a nitroglycerin blasting compound of pasty
consistency and great explosive power.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Atlas \At"las\, n. [Ar., smooth.]
A rich kind of satin manufactured in India. --Brande & C.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

Atlas
n 1: (Greek mythology) a Titan who was forced by Zeus to bear the
sky on his shoulders [syn: {Atlas}]
2: a collection of maps in book form [syn: {book of maps}, {map
collection}]
3: the 1st cervical vertebra [syn: {atlas vertebra}]
4: a figure of a man used as a supporting column [syn: {telamon}]


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