Anatomy, the first and most considerable of the large intestines. See Anatomy, No. 194.

Grammar, a point or character formed thus [;], serving to mark a pause, and to divide the members of a period. See Pointing; see also Period, Comma, and Semicolon. Grammarians generally assign the use of a colon to be, to mark the middle of a period; or to conclude a sense less perfect than the dot or period—but, a sense less perfect than the period, is an expression extremely vague and indeterminate. See Period.

Others say, a colon is to be used when the sense is imperfect, but the sentence not concluded; but neither is this over clear and express.

A late author, in a ingenious discourse, De ratione interpungendi, marks the office of the colon, and wherein it differs from the semicolon, &c., more precisely. A colon, on his principles, serves to distinguish those conjunct members of a sentence, which are capable of being divided into other members; whereof one, at least, is conjunct. Thus, in the sentence, As we cannot discern the shadow moving along the dial-plate, so the advances we make in knowledge are only perceived by the distance gone over; the two members being both simple, are only separated by a comma. In this, As we perceive the shadow to have moved, but did not perceive it moving; so our advances in understanding, in that they consist of such minute steps, are only perceivable by the distance—the sentence being divided into two equal parts, and those conjunct ones, since they include others; we separate the former by a semicolon, and the latter by commas. But in this, As we perceive the shadow to have moved along the dial, but did not perceive it moving; and it appears the grass has grown, though nobody ever saw it grow: so the advances we make in knowledge, as they consist of such minute steps, are... are only perceivable by the distance—the advancement in knowledge is compared to the motion of a shadow, and the growth of grass; which comparison divides the sentence into two principal parts: but since what is said of the movement of the shadow, and likewise of the growth of grass, contains two simple members, they are to be separated by a semicolon; consequently a higher pointing is required to separate them from the other part of the sentence, which they are opposed to: and this is a colon. See PUNCTUATION.