bacule

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbækjuːl/

Etymology 1

From French bacule, from Old French bacul, from Old French battre + cul, from Latin battuō (“beat”) + cul (“bottom”). Cognate with French bascule.

Noun

bacule (plural bacules)

1. (rare, dated) Alternative form of bascule
   • 1739, Mr. Baddam, Memoirs of the Royal Society, page 110:

     At the extremity of this Bacule, is tied a cord, which passes thro' the pulley S, and terminates at the extremity of the arm, where it is fastened to a little bowl M;

   • 1914, The Surveyor and Municipal Engineer - Volume 45, page 208:

     The following works will be carried out during the year: Extensions to infectious diseases hospital, £5,000; extensions to borough sanatorium, £4,500; school clinic, tuberculosis dispensary, and new offices for medical officer, £ 7,500; ferro-concrete bridge over Orwell, £3,000; steel bacule bridge over Orwell, £ 7,500; and public swimming and slipper baths, £7,000.

   • 1922, Canadian Patent Office Record - Volume 50, Issues 27-52, page 3453:

     A bacule bridge having a stationary pivot, a counterweight having a stationary pivot, the bridge leaf and counterweight being adapted to rotate in opposite directions about their respective pivots, a vertical track located between the two pivots, a roller adapted to travel vertically along the track, and two stiff links,

   • 1949, Chicago (Ill.). Bureau of Engineering. Division of Bridges & Viaducts, In Commemoration of the Opening to Traffic of the Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Bridge and North Approach Viaduct at State Street, Saturday, May 28, 1949 at 12:30 P.M., page 9:

     The new bridge is a double leaf trunnion bacule bridge of the “Chicago Type".

   • 1964, Hans Gade, Hans Gade's European Harbour Pilot, page 354:

     A bacule bridge spans the river.

Related terms

• bascule

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Latin baculum.

Noun

bacule (plural bacules)

1. (palynology) A rod-like element on the surface of some pollen.

   Synonyms: baculum, columella

   • 1998, Journal of Palynology, volume 34, numbers 1-4, page 5:

     Atyug (1971) pointed out that the pollen of S. compacta have prominent bacules. The present electron microscopic study, however reveals that those protuberences are spinules and not bacules.

Related terms

• bacular
• baculate
• baculoid
• baculum

Anagrams

• Cauble, Cebula

Latin

Noun

bacule

1. vocative singular of baculus