in a general sense, the art of perforating, or making a hole through any solid body.

BORING of Water-pipes. The method of boring water-pipes is as follows. The poles of alder, which is a very useful wood in making pumps, water-pipes, &c., being laid on horses or trusses of a foot height, to rest the auger upon while they are boring, they set up a lathe to turn the least end of the poles, to fit them to the cavities of the great end of the others. They turn the small ends of the poles about five or six inches in length, to the size they intend to bore the bigger ends about the same depth, viz. five or six inches. This is designed to make a joint to shut each pair of poles together, the concave part being the female part, and the other the male of the joint. In turning the male part, they turn the channel in it, or a small groove at a certain distance from the end; and in the female part they bore a small hole to fit over this channel. This being done, they bore the poles through; and to prevent them from boring out at the side, they stick great nails at each end to be a guide in boring. It is usual, however, to bore them at both ends; so that if a pole be crooked one way, they can bore it through and not spoil it.

in Farriery, a cruel and absurd method of treating a wrenched shoulder. See Farriery Index.

in Mineralogy, a method of piercing the earth with scooping irons, which being drawn back at proper times, bring up with them samples of the different strata through which they have passed; by the examination of which the skilful mineralogist will be able to guess whereabouts a vein of ore or a stratum of coal may lie, or whether it will be worth while to open a mine for the purpose of working it.