systole

The rhythmic contraction of the heart, especially of the ventricles, by which blood is driven through the aorta and pulmonary artery after each dilation or diastole.

In anc. orthoëpy and prosody: Pronunciation of a vowel as short.

The shortening of a vowel or syllable, especially of one usually treated as a long; correption: opposed to diastole or ectasis.

In physiology, the contraction of the heart and arteries for propelling the blood and thus carrying on the circulation.

The contraction of the pulsatile vesicles of infusorians and other protozoans.

[capitalized] In entomology, a genus of hymenopterous insects.

The shortening of the long syllable.

The contraction of the heart and arteries by which the blood is forced onward and the circulation kept up; also, the contraction of a rhythmically pulsating contractile vacuole; — correlative to diastole.

The rhythmic contraction of the heart, by which blood is driven through the arteries.

A shortening of a naturally long vowel.