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2. The condition of perspiring or of being made to perspire freely, as to order a sweat for a patient.
3. To emit moisture through the skin's pores.
SYN: SEE: perspire
It is a colorless, slightly turbid, salty, aqueous fluid, although that from the sweat glands in the axillae, around the anus, and of the ceruminous glands has an oily consistency. It contains urea, fatty substances, and sodium chloride. This salty, watery fluid is difficult to collect without contamination with sebum. Perspiration is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system through true secretory fibers supplying sweat glands.
Sweat cools the body by evaporation and rids it of what waste may be expressed through the pores of the skin. The daily amount is about a liter; this figure is subject to extreme variation according to physical activity and atmospheric conditions, and in hot conditions may be as much as 10 to 15 L in 24 hr.
sweaty (swet′ē), adj.