01 n. A visible sign or representation of an idea; anything which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by resemblance or by conventi…
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1.
A visible sign or representation of an idea; anything which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by resemblance or by convention; an emblem; a representation; a type; a figure; as, the lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience.“A symbol is a sign included in the idea which it represents, e. g., an actual part chosen to represent the whole, or a lower form or species used as the representative of a higher in the same kind.” — Coleridge.
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Any character used to represent a quantity, an operation, a relation, or an abbreviation.(Math.)
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3.
An abstract or compendium of faith or doctrine; a creed, or a summary of the articles of religion.(Theol.)
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That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.[Obs.]“They do their work in the days of peace . . . and come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague.” — Jer. Taylor.
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Share; allotment.[Obs.]“The persons who are to be judged . . . shall all appear to receive their symbol.” — Jer. Taylor.
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An abbreviation standing for the name of an element and consisting of the initial letter of the Latin or New Latin name, or sometimes of the initial letter with a following one; as, C for carbon, Na for sodium (Natrium), Fe for iron (Ferrum), Sn for tin (Stannum), Sb for antimony (Stibium), etc. See the list of names and symbols under Element.(Chem.) See: Element