among physicians, signifies the dilatation of the heart, auricles and arteries; and stands opposed to the systole, or contraction of the same parts. See Circulation.

in grammar, a figure of prosody, whereby a syllable naturally short is made long: such is the first syllable of Priamides, in the following verse of Virgil.

Atque hic Priamides! nihil tibi, amice, relatum.