adducentn.adj.

1649 J. Bulwer Pathomyotomia 188 The forward Adducent or To-leader is a Common Muscle, to wit a particle of that which they usually call Quadratus or the Detrabent of the Cheekes.

1741 E. Chambers Cycl. II. Lumbrical,..an appellation given to four muscles of the hand, and as many of the feet, which act as adducents of the fingers, and toes.

1859 Retrospect Med. 39 344 In alternating convergent squint..the absolute length of both abducent muscles is too great in proportion to that of the adducents.

1694 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 18 120 We see great Drinkers with Eyes generally set towards the Nose, the adducent Muscles being often employed to let them see their loved Liquor in the Glass.

1713 W. Derham Physico-theol. iv. ii. 99 The exquisite Equilibration of all these Opposite and Antagonist Muscles,..which is the case of the Adducent and Abducent Muscles [of the eye].

1771 Med. Ess. & Observ. (ed. 5) IV. xiv. 197 Because of the strong effort that must be exerted by the adducent muscles, they are oftentimes obliged to turn away one of their eyes.

1847 Retrospect Pract. Med. & Surg. 14 144 It is no uncommon circumstance..for the adducent muscles to draw the head of the bone into its pristine situation.

1908 A. Duane tr. E. Fuchs Text-bk. Ophthalmol. (ed. 3) xiv. 647 When the inferior rectus is paralyzed, its adducent action is abrogated, and the eye consequently is somewhat abducted.

1935 G. W. Hartmann Gestalt Psychol. xiv. 246 This abducent motion of both hands was altered only when the final pathway occasionally made an adducent movement more in keeping with the rhythm of the whole.

2008 Minerva Ginecologica 60 91 Obturator internus and adducent muscles of the left thigh were involved.

1722 J. Gorman Let. 14 June in J. Jurin Corr. (1996) 107 Making a ligature upon the Abducent Lymphatick..and ye Adducent.

1745 Woolhouse's Treat. Cataract & Glaucoma xiv. 97 Very frequently a small accident relaxes some of the adducent vessels of the aqueous humour.

1779 J. Warner Acct. Testicles (ed. 2) 40 Where many lymphatics of the adducent, or abducent class are impaired, and the circulation is by these means interrupted, the swelling encreases very fast.

1829 Westm. Rev. July 117 From the nature of the fluid they contain, they have been called sap vessels:..while from the direction of the tubes they have been termed ascending, and from their office adducent.

1867 Q. Jrnl. Microsc. Sci. 7 267 The closure of the vesicle causes that of the adducent vessels.