\Gland\, n. [F. glande, L. glans, glandis, acorn; akin to
Gr. ? for ?, and ? to cast, throw, the acorn being the
dropped fruit. Cf. {Parable}, n.]
1. (Anat.)
   (a) An organ for secreting something to be used in, or
       eliminated from, the body; as, the sebaceous glands of
       the skin; the salivary glands of the mouth.
   (b) An organ or part which resembles a secreting, or true,
       gland, as the ductless, lymphatic, pineal, and
       pituitary glands, the functions of which are very
       imperfectly known.
Note: The true secreting glands are, in principle, narrow
      pouches of the mucous membranes, or of the integument,
      lined with a continuation of the epithelium, or of the
      epidermis, the cells of which produce the secretion
      from the blood. In the larger glands, the pouches are
      tubular, greatly elongated, and coiled, as in the sweat
      glands, or subdivided and branched, making compound and
      racemose glands, such as the pancreas.
2. (Bot.)
   (a) A special organ of plants, usually minute and
       globular, which often secretes some kind of resinous,
       gummy, or aromatic product.
   (b) Any very small prominence.
3. (Steam Mach.) The movable part of a stuffing box by which
   the packing is compressed; -- sometimes called a follower.
   See Illust. of {Stuffing box}, under {Stuffing}.
4. (Mach.) The crosspiece of a bayonet clutch.