2.Of or pertaining to, or characterized by,
the earth's magnetism; as, the magnetic north; the
magnetic meridian.
3.Capable of becoming a magnet; susceptible
to magnetism; as, the magnetic metals.
4.Endowed with extraordinary personal power
to excite the feelings and to win the affections; attractive;
inducing attachment.
She that had all magnetic force
alone.
Donne.
5.Having, susceptible to, or induced by,
animal magnetism, so called; as, a magnetic sleep. See
Magnetism.
Magnetic amplitude,
attraction, dip,
induction, etc. See under Amplitude,
Attraction, etc. -- Magnetic battery,
a combination of bar or horseshoe magnets with the like poles
adjacent, so as to act together with great power. --
Magnetic compensator, a contrivance connected
with a ship's compass for compensating or neutralizing the effect of
the iron of the ship upon the needle. -- Magnetic
curves, curves indicating lines of magnetic force, as
in the arrangement of iron filings between the poles of a powerful
magnet. -- Magnetic elements.
(a)(Chem. Physics)Those elements, as
iron, nickel, cobalt, chromium, manganese, etc., which are capable or
becoming magnetic.(b)(Physics)In
respect to terrestrial magnetism, the declination, inclination, and
intensity. (c)See under
Element. -- Magnetic equator, the
line around the equatorial parts of the earth at which there is no
dip, the dipping needle being horizontal. -- Magnetic
field, or Field of magnetic force,
any space through which a magnet exerts its influence. --
Magnetic fluid, the hypothetical fluid whose
existence was formerly assumed in the explanations of the phenomena
of magnetism. -- Magnetic iron, or
Magnetic iron ore. (Min.)Same as
Magnetite. -- Magnetic needle, a
slender bar of steel, magnetized and suspended at its center on a
sharp-pointed pivot, or by a delicate fiber, so that it may take
freely the direction of the magnetic meridian. It constitutes the
essential part of a compass, such as the mariner's and the
surveyor's. -- Magnetic poles, the two
points in the opposite polar regions of the earth at which the
direction of the dipping needle is vertical. -- Magnetic
pyrites. See Pyrrhotite. --
Magnetic storm(Terrestrial Physics), a
disturbance of the earth's magnetic force characterized by great and
sudden changes. -- Magnetic telegraph, a
telegraph acting by means of a magnet. See Telegraph.