amongst ecclesiastics, a spare meal or Refection repast, just sufficient for the support of life. Hence the hall in convents, and other communities, where the monks, nuns, and others, take their refectory or meals in common, is called the refectory.

the return or progressive motion of a moving body, occasioned by some obstacle which prevented it from pursuing its former direction.

Circular Instrument of Reflection, an instrument for measuring angles to a very great degree of accuracy. It was invented by the celebrated astronomer Mayer of Göttingen, principally with a view to do away the errors of the divisions of the limb; and has since been much improved by the Chevalier de Borda, and by Magellan. This instrument is particularly applicable to the measuring of the distances of the heavenly bodies, and was used by the French in their part of the operation undertaken for determining the difference of the meridians of Paris and Greenwich.

Reflection of Light. See Optics.

Reflection is also used figuratively, to signify an operation of the mind, by which it turns its view as it were inwards upon itself, and makes itself and its own operations the object of its disquisition; and by contemplating the manner, order, and laws, which it observes in perceiving ideas, comparing them together, reasoning, and judging, it frames new ideas of the relations discovered therein. See Metaphysics.