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Abacus

//ˈæbəkəs// noun

Definitions

Noun

1
A table or tray scattered with sand which was used for calculating or drawing. historical, obsolete
"He [Gerebertus] was þe firste þat took abacus of Sarsyns, and ȝaf rules þerynne, þat mowe unneþe be understonde of þe kunnyngeste men of þe craft, þe whiche craftes men beþ cleped abaciste. Marianus. Abacus is a table wiþ þhe whiche schappes be portrayed and i-peynt in powdre, and abacus is a craft of geometrie."
2
a calculator that performs arithmetic functions by manually sliding counters on rods or in grooves wordnet
3
A device used for performing arithmetical calculations; (rare) a table on which loose counters are placed, or (more commonly) an instrument with beads sliding on rods, or counters in grooves, with one row of beads or counters representing units, the next tens, etc.
"I’ve heard merchants still use an abacus for adding things up in China."
4
a tablet placed horizontally on top of the capital of a column as an aid in supporting the architrave wordnet
5
The uppermost portion of the capital of a column immediately under the architrave, in some cases a flat oblong or square slab, in others more decorated.
"The only mouldings uſed, both by the Saxon and Norman architects, were the torus, the ſcotia or reverſed torus, the cavetto or hollow moulding, and a kind of chamfered faſcia, which latter was generally uſed for impoſts or abacuſes to their capitals."

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6
A board, tray, or table, divided into perforated compartments for holding bottles, cups, or the like; a kind of buffet, cupboard, or sideboard. Ancient-Rome, historical
"ABACUS, among the ancients, was a kind of cupboard or buffet. Livy, deſcribing the luxury into which the Romans degenerated after the conqueſt of Aſia, ſays they had their abaci, beds, &c. plated over with gold."

Etymology

From Late Middle English abacus, abagus, agabus (“abacus; art of counting with an abacus”), from Latin abacus, abax (“sideboard or table with a slab at the top; slab at the top of a column; counting board, sand table; board for playing games”) (compare Late Latin abacus (“art of arithmetic”)), from Ancient Greek ἄβαξ (ábax, “slab, counting board; board covered with sand for drawing; plate; dice-board”). Doublet of abaque. The plural form abaci is reinforced from Latin abacī.

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