Gland (?), n. [F. glande, L.
glans, glandis, acorn; akin to Gr. &?; for &?;, and &?;
to cast, throw, the acorn being the dropped fruit. Cf.
Parable, n.]
1. (Anat.) (a) An
organ for secreting something to be used in, or eliminated from, the
body; as, the sebaceous glands of the skin; the salivary
glands of the mouth. (b) An organ
or part which resembles a secreting, or true, gland, as the ductless,
lymphatic, pineal, and pituitary glands, the functions of
which are very imperfectly known.
&fist; The true secreting glands are, in principle, narrow pouches
of the mucous membranes, or of the integument, lined with a
continuation of the epithelium, or of the epidermis, the cells of
which produce the secretion from the blood. In the larger glands, the
pouches are tubular, greatly elongated, and coiled, as in the sweat
glands, or subdivided and branched, making compound and racemose
glands, such as the pancreas.
2. (Bot.) (a) A
special organ of plants, usually minute and globular, which often
secretes some kind of resinous, gummy, or aromatic product.
(b) Any very small prominence.
3. (Steam Mach.) The movable part of a
stuffing box by which the packing is compressed; -- sometimes called
a follower. See Illust. of Stuffing box, under
Stuffing.
4. (Mach.) The crosspiece of a bayonet
clutch.
