crys·tal   (krĭs'təl)    n.   A homogenous solid formed by a repeating, three-dimensional pattern of atoms, ions, or molecules and having fixed distances between constituent parts. The unit cell of such a pattern. A natural or synthetic crystalline material having piezoelectric or semiconducting properties. An electronic device, such as an oscillator or detector, using such a material. A high-quality, clear, colorless glass. An object, especially a vessel or ornament, made of such glass. Such objects considered as a group. A mineral, especially a transparent form of quartz, having a crystalline structure, often characterized by external planar faces. A natural or synthetic crystalline material having piezoelectric or semiconducting properties. An electronic device, such as an oscillator or detector, using such a material. A high-quality, clear, colorless glass. An object, especially a vessel or ornament, made of such glass. Such objects considered as a group. A high-quality, clear, colorless glass. An object, especially a vessel or ornament, made of such glass. Such objects considered as a group. A clear glass or plastic protective cover for the face of a watch or clock. Slang A stimulant drug, usually methamphetamine, in its powdered form. adj.  Clear or transparent: a crystal lake; the crystal clarity of their reasoning. [Middle English cristal, from Old French, from Latin crystallum, from Greek krustallos, ice, crystal; see kreus- in Indo-European roots.]

Crystal

Crys"tal\ (kr?s"tal), n. [OE. cristal, F. cristal, L. crystallum crystal, ice, fr. Gr. ????, fr. ???? icy cold, frost; cf. AS. crystalla, fr. L. crystallum; prob. akin to E. crust. See Crust, Raw.]

1. (Chem. & Min.) The regular form which a substance tends to assume in solidifying, through the inherent power of cohesive attraction. It is bounded by plane surfaces, symmetrically arranged, and each species of crystal has fixed axial ratios. See Crystallization.

2. The material of quartz, in crystallization transparent or nearly so, and either colorless or slightly tinged with gray, or the like; -- called also rock crystal. Ornamental vessels are made of it. Cf. Smoky quartz, Pebble; also Brazilian pebble, under Brazilian.

3. A species of glass, more perfect in its composition and manufacture than common glass, and often cut into ornamental forms. See Flint glass.

4. The glass over the dial of a watch case.

5. Anything resembling crystal, as clear water, etc.

The blue crystal of the seas. --Byron.

Blood crystal. See under Blood.

Compound crystal. See under Compound.

Iceland crystal, a transparent variety of calcite, or crystallized calcium carbonate, brought from Iceland, and used in certain optical instruments, as the polariscope.

Rock crystal, or Mountain crystal, any transparent crystal of quartz, particularly of limpid or colorless quartz.

crystal

A material in which the atoms are arranged in a rigid geometrical structure (see geometry) marked by symmetry. Crystals often have clearly visible geometrical shapes.

Note: Most minerals are crystalline structures.

crystal 

Main Entry: crys·tal
Pronunciation: 'kris-t^&l
Function: noun
1 : a body that is formed by the solidification of a chemicalelement, a compound, or a mixture and has a regularly repeating internal arrangement of its atoms and often external plane faces
2 : ICE 2 broadly : methamphetamine in any form when used illicitly —crystal adjective

crystal crys·tal (krĭs'təl)
n.

1. A homogenous solid formed by a repeating, three-dimensional pattern of atoms, ions, or molecules and having fixed distances between constituent parts.
2. A mineral, especially a transparent form of quartz that has a crystalline structure and is often characterized by external planar faces.

crystal   (krĭs'təl)  Pronunciation Key  (click for larger image in new window) A homogenous solid formed by a repeating, three-dimensional pattern of atoms, ions, or molecules and having smooth external surfaces with characteristic angles between them. Crystals can occur in many sizes and shapes. ◇ The particular arrangement in space of these atoms, molecules, or ions, and the way in which they are joined, is called a crystal lattice. There are seven crystal groups or systems. Each is defined on the basis of the geometrical arrangement of the crystal lattice. A natural or synthetic material, such as quartz or ceramic, that consists of such crystals. When subjected to mechanical stresses, crystalline materials can generate an electric charge or, when subjected to an electric field, they can generate mechanical vibrations in what is known as the piezoelectric effect. An electrical device, such as an oscillator or a diode used for detecting radio signals, made of such a material. crystalline adjective

Crystal
Concurrent Representation of Your Space-Time ALgorithms.
A recursion equation parallel language.
["A Parallel Language and its Compilation to Multiprocessor Machines or VLSI", M.C. Chen, 13th POPL, ACM 1986 pp.131-139].
(1994-12-06)

Crystal

(Ezek. 1:22, with the epithet "terrible," as dazzling the spectators with its brightness). The word occurs in Rev. 4:6; 21:11; 22:1. It is a stone of the flint order, the most refined kind of quartz. The Greek word here used means also literally "ice." The ancients regarded the crystal as only pure water congealed into extreme hardness by great length of time.