Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. See Polaris.
- n. A guiding principle.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The star Polaris, of the second magnitude, situated near the north pole of the heavens. It served in former times, and still serves among primitive peoples, as a guide in navigation. It is now about 1¼° from the pole, very nearly in a line with the two stars in the Dipper (
α andβ ) which form the further edge of the bowl. About 5,000 years ago the pole-star was a Draconis, and in about 12,000 it will beα Lyræ. - n. Hence, that which serves as a guide or director; a lodestar.
- n. In biology, a polar star; one of the two stellate figures which may be borne upon the poles of the fusiform nucleus-spindle in the process of karyokinesis.
Wiktionary
- n. alternative form of pole star.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Polaris, or the north star. See North star, under north.
- n. A guide or director.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the brightest star in Ursa Minor; at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper; the northern axis of the earth points toward it
- n. the brightest star in Ursa Minor; at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper; the northern axis of the earth points toward it
Examples
“True though it is that Roy Cohn was an unsavory piece of work, what do we learn about him from being told by Louis that he is "a polestar of human evil … the worst human being who ever lived"?”
“In ancient Vedic wisdom, the polestar is literally Dhruva—a prince who, at age seven, sought out God.”
“Hinduism, Taoism, Chinese popular religion, Siberian shamanism, and other spiritual traditions speak of a polestar.”
“That Reagan has in recent years become the undisputed polestar of the American Right is itself curious.”
The Huffington Post: Daniel Cluchey: Searching for Ronald Reagan
“We were girls who also unconsciously set our gauge of a man's character to that impossibly perfect polestar, Atticus Finch.”
“The polestar consideration, as Justice Lamar pointed out, is the best interest of thechild.”
The Volokh Conspiracy » Sex Discrimination in Child Naming Law
“If, as this Court has held for generations, the “polestar” consideration in matters dealing with children is the best interest of the child, then I must begin this dissent by asking the question: Was the name change ordered by the chancellor in the best interest of the child, Presley Annsleigh Rice?”
The Volokh Conspiracy » Sex Discrimination in Child Naming Law
“Respect for Mexico, its customs and its laws and a solid reality check for would-be expatriates are the polestar themes ...”
“Respect for Mexico, its customs and its laws and a solid reality check for would-be expatriates are the polestar themes in this book.”
“To the north, the Great and Little Dippers swung in their eternal march around the polestar, while against the zenith was set the mighty constellation of Orion, with the orange glory of Betelgeuse, giant of the heavens, flashing from his right shoulder.”
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