Sea anchor
Sea" an"chor (Naut.) See Drag sail, under 4th Drag.
Sea ape
Sea" ape (Zoöl.) (a) The thrasher shark. (b) The sea otter.
Sea arrow
Sea" ar"row (Zoöl.) A squid of the genus Ommastrephes. See Squid.
Sea bank
Sea" bank
1. The seashore. Shak.
2. A bank or mole to defend against the sea.
Sea bear
Sea" bear (Zoöl.) (a) Any fur seal. See under Fur. (b) The white bear.
Sea beast
Sea" beast (Zoöl.) Any large marine mammal, as a seal, walrus, or cetacean.
Sea bird
Sea" bird (Zoöl.) Any swimming bird frequenting the sea; a sea fowl.
Sea breach
Sea" breach A breaking or overflow of a bank or a dike by the sea. L’Estrange.
Sea cabbage
Sea" cab"bage ( 48). (Bot.) See Sea kale, under Kale.
Sea captain
Sea" cap"tain The captain of a vessel that sails upon the sea.
Sea compass
Sea" com"pass The mariner’s compass. See under Compass.
Sea cow
Sea" cow (Zoöl.) (a) The mantee. (b) The dugong. (c) The walrus. { Sea" craw"fish•Sea" cray"fish• } (Zoöl.) Any crustacean of the genus Palinurus and allied genera, as the European spiny lobster ( P. vulgaris), which is much used as an article of food. See Lobster.
Sea daffodil
Sea" daf"fo•dil (Bot.) A European amaryllidaceous plant ( Pancratium maritimum).
Sea devil
Sea" dev•il (Zoöl.) (a) Any very large ray, especially any species of the genus Manta or Cephaloptera, some of which become more than twenty feet across and weigh several tons. See also Ox ray, under Ox. (b) Any large cephalopod, as a large Octopus, or a giant squid ( Architeuthis). See Devilfish. (c) The angler.
Sea dog
Sea" dog
1. (Zoöl.) The dogfish. (b) The common seal.
2. An old sailor; a salt. [Colloq.]
Sea dove
Sea" dove (Zoöl.) The little auk, or rotche. See Illust. of Rotche.
Sea dragon
Sea" drag"on (Zoöl.) (a) A dragonet, or sculpin. (b) The pegasus.
Sea eagle
Sea" ea"gle
1. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of fish-eating eagles of the genus Haliaeetus and allied genera, as the North Pacific sea eagle ( H. pelagicus), which has white shoulders, head, rump, and tail; the European white-tailed eagle ( H. albicilla); and the Indian white-tailed sea eagle, or fishing eagle ( Polioaëtus ichthyaëtus). The bald eagle and the osprey are also sometimes classed as sea eagles.
2. (Zoöl.) The eagle ray. See under Ray.
Sea feather
Sea" feath"er (Zoöl.) Any gorgonian which branches in a plumelike form.
Sea fern
Sea" fern" (Zoöl.) Any gorgonian which branches like a fern.
Sea fight
Sea" fight An engagement between ships at sea; a naval battle.
Sea flower
Sea" flow"er (Zoöl.) A sea anemone, or any related anthozoan.
Sea foam
Sea" foam
1. Foam of sea water.
2. (Min.) Meerschaum; — called also sea froth.
Sea froth
Sea" froth ( 115). See Sea foam, 2. { Sea´-gate•, Sea´-gait• }, n. A long, rolling swell of the sea. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Sea gauge
Sea" gauge See under Gauge, n. { Sea" gher•kin, or Sea" gir"kin }. (Zoöl.) Any small holothurian resembling in form a gherkin.
Sea ginger
Sea" gin"ger (Zoöl.) A hydroid coral of the genus Millepora, especially M. alcicornis, of the West Indies and Florida. So called because it stings the tongue like ginger. See Illust. under Millepore.
Sea gown
Sea" gown A gown or frock with short sleeves, formerly worn by mariners. Shak.
Sea grape
Sea" grape
1. (Bot.) (a) The gulf weed. See under Gulf. (b) A shrubby plant ( Coccoloba uvifera) growing on the sandy shores of tropical America, somewhat resembling the grapevine.
2. pl. (Zoöl.) The clusters of gelatinous egg capsules of a squid ( Loligo).
Sea gudgeon
Sea" gud"geon (Zoöl.) The European black goby ( Gobius niger).
Sea hare
Sea" hare (Zoöl.) Any tectibranchiate mollusk of the genus Aplysia. See Aplysia.
Sea hen
Sea" hen (Zoöl.) The common guillemot; — applied also to various other sea birds.
Sea holly
Sea" hol"ly (Bot.) An evergeen seashore plant ( Eryngium maritimum). See Eryngium.
Sea horse
Sea" horse
1. A fabulous creature, half horse and half fish, represented in classic mythology as driven by sea dogs or ridden by the Nereids. It is also depicted in heraldry. See Hippocampus.
2. (Zoöl.) (a) The walrus. (b) Any fish of the genus Hippocampus. In a passage of Dryden’s, the word is supposed to refer to the hippopotamus.
Sea king
Sea" king One of the leaders among the Norsemen who passed their lives in roving the seas in search of plunder and adventures; a Norse pirate chief. See the Note under Viking.
Sea language
Sea" lan"guage The peculiar language or phraseology of seamen; sailor’s cant.
Sea lavender
Sea" lav"en•der (Bot.) See Marsh rosemary, under Marsh.
Sea lawyer
Sea" law"yer (Zoöl.) The gray snapper. See under Snapper.
Sea loach
Sea" loach" (Zoöl.) The three- bearded rockling. See Rockling.
Sea moss
Sea" moss ( 115). (Zoöl.) Any branched marine bryozoan resembling moss.
Sea onion
Sea" on"ion (Bot.) The officinal squill. See Squill.
Sea otter
Sea" ot"ter (Zoöl.) An aquatic carnivore ( Enhydris lutris, or marina) found in the North Pacific Ocean. Its fur is highly valued, especially by the Chinese. It is allied to the common otter, but is larger, with feet more decidedly webbed. Sea-otter’s cabbage (Bot.), a gigantic kelp of the Pacific Ocean ( Nereocystis Lutkeana). See Nereocystis.
Sea pass
Sea" pass A document carried by neutral merchant vessels in time of war, to show their nationality; a sea letter or passport. See Passport.
Sea pear
Sea" pear (se" pâr•). (Zoöl.) A pedunculated ascidian of the genus Boltonia.
Sea pie
Sea" pie (se" pi•). (Zoöl.) The oyster catcher, a limicoline bird of the genus Haematopus.
Sea pig
Sea" pig (Zoöl.) (a) A porpoise or dolphin. (b) A dugong.
Sea pincushion
Sea" pin•cush•ion (Zoöl.) (a) A sea purse. (b) A pentagonal starfish.
Sea porcupine
Sea" por"cu•pine (Zoöl.) Any fish of the genus Diodon, and allied genera, whose body is covered with spines. See Illust. under Diodon.
Sea pudding
Sea" pud"ding (Zoöl.) Any large holothurian. [Prov. Eng.]
Sea purse
Sea" purse (se" pûrs•). (Zoöl.) The horny egg case of a skate, and of certain sharks.
Sea rat
Sea" rat
1. A pirate. [R.] Massinger.
2. (Zoöl.) The chimaera.
Sea risk
Sea" risk Risk of injury, destruction, or loss by the sea, or while at sea.
Sea robin
Sea" rob"in See under Robin, and Illustration in Appendix.
Sea salmon
Sea" salm"on (Zoöl.) (a) A young pollock. (b) The spotted squeteague. (c) See Sea bass (b).
Sea salt
Sea" salt Common salt, obtained from sea water by evaporation.
Sea serpent
Sea" ser"pent
1. (Zoöl.) Any marine snake. See Sea snake.
2. (Zoöl.) A large marine animal of unknown nature, often reported to have been seen at sea, but never yet captured. Many accounts of sea serpents are imaginary or fictitious; others are greatly exaggerated and distorted by incompetent observers; but a number have been given by competent and trustworthy persons, which indicate that several diverse animals have been called sea serpents. Among these are, apparently, several large snakelike fishes, as the oar fish, or ribbon fish ( Regalecus), and huge conger eels. Other accounts probably refer to the giant squids ( Architeuthis). Some of the best accounts seem to describe a marine saurian, like the fossil Mosasauri, which were large serpentlike creatures with paddles.
Sea slater
Sea" slat"er (Zoöl.) Any isopod crustacean of the genus Ligia.
Sea slug
Sea" slug (Zoöl.) (a) A holothurian. (b) A nudibranch mollusk.
Sea snipe
Sea" snipe (Zoöl.) (a) A sandpiper, as the knot and dunlin. (b) The bellows fish.
Sea spider
Sea" spi"der (Zoöl.) (a) Any maioid crab; a spider crab. See Maioid, and Spider crab, under Spider. (b) Any pycnogonid.
Sea squirt
Sea" squirt (Zoöl.) An ascidian. See Illust. under Tunicata.
Sea swallow
Sea" swal"low
1. (Zoöl.) (a) The common tern. (b) The storm petrel. (c) The gannet.
2. (Her.) See Cornish chough, under Chough.
Sea term
Sea" term A term used specifically by seamen; a nautical word or phrase.
Sea toad
Sea" toad (Zoöl.) (a) A sculpin. (b) A toadfish. (c) The angler.
Sea trout
Sea" trout (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of several species of true trouts which descend rivers and enter the sea after spawning, as the European bull trout and salmon trout, and the eastern American spotted trout. (b) The common squeteague, and the spotted squeteague. (c) A California fish of the family Chiridae, especially Hexagrammus decagrammus; — called also spotted rock trout. See Rock trout, under Rock. (d) A California sciaenoid fish ( Cynoscion nobilis); — called also white sea bass.
Sea trumpet
Sea" trum"pet
1. (Bot.) A great blackish seaweed of the Southern Ocean, having a hollow and expanding stem and a pinnate frond, sometimes twenty feet long.
2. (Zoöl.) Any large marine univalve shell of the genus Triton. See Triton.
Sea turn
Sea" turn A breeze, gale, or mist from the sea. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Sea wall
Sea" wall [AS. saeweall.] A wall, or embankment, to resist encroachments of the sea.
Sea widgeon
Sea" wid"geon (Zoöl.) (a) The scaup duck. (b) The pintail duck.
Sea willow
Sea" wil"low (Zoöl.) A gorgonian coral with long flexible branches.
Seabeach
Sea´beach, n. A beach lying along the sea. "The bleak seabeach." Longfellow.
Seabeard
Sea´beard, n. (Bot.) A green seaweed ( Cladophora rupestris) growing in dense tufts.
Seaboard
Sea´board, n. [ Sea + board, F. bord side.] The seashore; seacoast. Ld. Berners.
Seaboard
Sea´board, a. Bordering upon, or being near, the sea; seaside; seacoast; as a seaboard town.
Sea-bordering
Sea´-bor´der•ing, a. Bordering on the sea; situated beside the sea. Drayton.
Sea-ear
Sea´-ear (se"er•), n. (Zoöl.) Any species of ear-shaped shells of the genus Haliotis. See Abalone.
Seafarer
Sea´far•er, n. [Sea + fare.] One who follows the sea as a business; a mariner; a sailor.
Seafaring
Sea´far•ing, a. Following the business of a mariner; as a seafaring man.
Seagirt
Sea´girt, a. Surrounded by the water of the sea or ocean; as a seagirt isle. Milton.
Sea-green
Sea´-green, a. Of a beautiful bluish green color, like sea water on soundings.
Seah
Se´ah, n. A Jewish dry measure containing one third of an ephah.
Seal (sel), n. [OE. sele, AS. seolh; akin to OHG. selah, Dan. sael, Sw. själ, Icel. selr.] (Zoöl.) Any aquatic carnivorous mammal of the families Phocidae and Otariidae. Seals inhabit seacoasts, and are found principally in the higher latitudes of both hemispheres. There are numerous species, bearing such popular names as sea lion, sea leopard, sea bear, or ursine seal, fur seal, and sea elephant. The bearded seal ( Erignathus barbatus), the hooded seal ( Cystophora cristata), and the ringed seal ( Phoca fœtida), are northern species. See also Eared seal, Harp seal, Monk seal, and Fur seal, under Eared, Harp, Monk, and Fur. Seals are much hunted for their skins and fur, and also for their oil, which in some species is very abundant. Harbor seal (Zoöl.), the common seal ( Phoca vitulina). It inhabits both the North Atlantic and the North Pacific Ocean, and often ascends rivers; — called also marbled seal, native seal, river seal, bay seal, land seal, sea calf, sea cat, sea dog, dotard, ranger, selchie, tangfish.
Seal, n. [OE. seel, OF. seel, F. sceau, fr. L. sigillum a little figure or image, a seal, dim. of signum a mark, sign, figure, or image. See Sign, n. , and cf. Sigil.]
1. An engraved or inscribed stamp, used for marking an impression in wax or other soft substance, to be attached to a document, or otherwise used by way of authentication or security.
2. Wax, wafer, or other tenacious substance, set to an instrument, and impressed or stamped with a seal; as to give a deed under hand and seal.
"Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond
Thou but offend’st thy lungs to speak so loud." Shak.
3. That which seals or fastens; esp., the wax or wafer placed on a letter or other closed paper, etc., to fasten it.
4. That which confirms, ratifies, or makes stable; that which authenticates; that which secures; assurance. "Under the seal of silence." Milton.
"Like a red seal is the setting sun
On the good and the evil men have done." Longfellow.
5. An arrangement for preventing the entrance or return of gas or air into a pipe, by which the open end of the pipe dips beneath the surface of water or other liquid, or a deep bend or sag in the pipe is filled with the liquid; a draintrap. Great seal. See under Great. — Privy seal. See under Privy, a. — Seal lock, a lock in which the keyhole is covered by a seal in such a way that the lock can not be opened without rupturing the seal. — Seal manual. See under Manual, a. — Seal ring, a ring having a seal engraved on it, or ornamented with a device resembling a seal; a signet ring. Shak.
Seal, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sealed p. pr. & vb. n. Sealing.] [OE. selen; cf. OF. seeler, seieler, F. sceller, LL. sigillare. See Seal a stamp.]
1. To set or affix a seal to; hence, to authenticate; to confirm; to ratify; to establish; as to seal a deed.
"And with my hand I seal my true heart’s love." Shak.
2. To mark with a stamp, as an evidence of standard exactness, legal size, or merchantable quality; as to seal weights and measures; to seal silverware.
3. To fasten with a seal; to attach together with a wafer, wax, or other substance causing adhesion; as to seal a letter.
4. Hence, to shut close; to keep close; to make fast; to keep secure or secret.
"Seal up your lips, and give no words but "mum"." Shak.
5. To fix, as a piece of iron in a wall, with cement, plaster, or the like. Gwilt.
6. To close by means of a seal; as to seal a drainpipe with water. See 2d Seal, 5.
7. Among the Mormons, to confirm or set apart as a second or additional wife. [Utah, U.S.]
"If a man once married desires a second helpmate … she is sealed to him under the solemn sanction of the church." H. Stansbury.
Seal, v. i. To affix one’s seal, or a seal. [Obs.]
"I will seal unto this bond." Shak.
Seal-brown
Seal´-brown, a. Of a rich dark brown color, like the fur of the fur seal after it is dyed.
Sealer, n. A mariner or a vessel engaged in the business of capturing seals.
Seam (sem), n. [See Saim.] Grease; tallow; lard. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Shak. Dryden.
Seam, n. [OE. seem, seam, AS. seám; akin to D. zoom, OHG. soum, G. saum, LG. soom, Icel. saumr, Sw. & Dan. söm, and E. sew. rad. 156. See Sew to fasten with thread.]
1. The fold or line formed by sewing together two pieces of cloth or leather.
2. Hence, a line of junction; a joint; a suture, as on a ship, a floor, or other structure; the line of union, or joint, of two boards, planks, metal plates, etc.
"Precepts should be so finely wrought together … that no coarse seam may discover where they join." Addison.
3. (Geol. & Mining) A thin layer or stratum; a narrow vein between two thicker strata; as a seam of coal.
4. A line or depression left by a cut or wound; a scar; a cicatrix. Seam blast, a blast made by putting the powder into seams or cracks of rocks. — Seam lace, a lace used by carriage makers to cover seams and edges; — called also seaming lace. — Seam presser. (Agric.) (a) A heavy roller to press down newly plowed furrows. (b) A tailor’s sadiron for pressing seams. Knight. — Seam set, a set for flattering the seams of metal sheets, leather work, etc.
Seam, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seamed p. pr. & vb. n. Seaming.]
1. To form a seam upon or of; to join by sewing together; to unite.
2. To mark with something resembling a seam; to line; to scar.
"Seamed o’er with wounds which his own saber gave." Pope.
3. To make the appearance of a seam in, as in knitting a stocking; hence, to knit with a certain stitch, like that in such knitting.
Seam, v. i. To become ridgy; to crack open.
"Later their lips began to parch and seam." L. Wallace.
Seam, n. [AS. seám, LL. sauma, L. sagma a packsaddle, fr. Gr. . See Sumpter.] A denomination of weight or measure. Specifically: (a) The quantity of eight bushels of grain. "A seam of oats." P. Plowman. (b) The quantity of 120 pounds of glass. [Eng.]
Seaman
Sea´man, n. ; pl. Seamen (#). [AS. saeman.] One whose occupation is to assist in the management of ships at sea; a mariner; a sailor; — applied both to officers and common mariners, but especially to the latter. Opposed to landman, or landsman. Able seaman, a sailor who is practically conversant with all the duties of common seamanship. — Ordinary seaman. See Ordinary.
Seamanlike
Sea´man•like, a. Having or showing the skill of a practical seaman.
Seamed, a. (Falconry) Out of condition; not in good condition; — said of a hawk.
Seamless
Seam´less, a. Without a seam.
"Christ’s seamless coat, all of a piece." Jer. Taylor.
Seamster
Seam´ster, n. [See Seamstress.] One who sews well, or whose occupation is to sew. [Obs.]
Seamstress
Seam´stress ( 277), n. [From older seamster, properly fem., AS. seámestre. See Seam.] A woman whose occupation is sewing; a needlewoman.
Sean, n. A seine. See Seine. [Prov. Eng.]
Seance
Se•ance´, n. [F., fr. L. sedens, -entis, p. pr. of sedere to sit. See Sit.] A session, as of some public body; especially, a meeting of spiritualists to receive spirit communications, so called.
Seapiece
Sea´piece, n. A picture representing a scene at sea; a marine picture. Addison.
Seaquake
Sea´quake (se"kwak•), n. A quaking of the sea. { Sear, Sere (ser) }, a. [OE. seer, AS. seár (assumed) fr. seárian to wither; akin to D. zoor dry, LG. soor, OHG. soren to wither, Gr. a"y•ein to parch, to dry, Skr. çush (for sush) to dry, to wither, Zend hush to dry. rad.152. Cf. Austere, Sorrel, a. ] Dry; withered; no longer green; — applied to leaves. Milton.
"I have lived long enough; my way of life
Is fall’n into the sear, the yellow leaf." Shak.
Sear, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seared p. pr. & vb. n. Searing.] [OE. seeren, AS. seárian. See Sear, a. ]
1. To wither; to dry up. Shak.
2. To burn (the surface of) to dryness and hardness; to cauterize; to expose to a degree of heat such as changes the color or the hardness and texture of the surface; to scorch; to make callous; as to sear the skin or flesh. Also used figuratively.
"I’m seared with burning steel." Rowe.
"It was in vain that the amiable divine tried to give salutary pain to that seared conscience." Macaulay.
"The discipline of war, being a discipline in destruction of life, is a discipline in callousness. Whatever sympathies exist are seared." H. Spencer. Sear is allied to scorch in signification; but it is applied primarily to animal flesh, and has special reference to the effect of heat in marking the surface hard. Scorch is applied to flesh, cloth, or any other substance, and has no reference to the effect of hardness. To sear up, to close by searing. "Cherish veins of good humor, and sear up those of ill." Sir W. Temple.
Sear, n. [F. serre a grasp, pressing, fr. L. sera. See Serry.] The catch in a gunlock by which the hammer is held cocked or half cocked. Sear spring, the spring which causes the sear to catch in the notches by which the hammer is held.
Searce, n. [See Sarse.] A fine sieve. [Obs.]
Searcer
Sear´cer, n.
1. One who sifts or bolts. [Obs.]
2. A searce, or sieve. [Obs.] Holland.
Search, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Searched p. pr. & vb. n. Searching.] [OE. serchen, cerchen, OF. cerchier, F. chercher, L. circare to go about, fr. L. circum, circa, around. See Circle.]
1. To look over or through, for the purpose of finding something; to examine; to explore; as to search the city. "Search the Scriptures." John v. 39.
"They are come to search the house." Shak.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart." Ps. cxxxix. 23.
2. To inquire after; to look for; to seek.
"I will both search my sheep, and seek them out." Ezek. xxxiv. 11.
"Enough is left besides to search and know." Milton.
3. To examine or explore by feeling with an instrument; to probe; as to search a wound.
4. To examine; to try; to put to the test. To search out, to seek till found; to find by seeking; as to search out truth.
Syn. — To explore; examine; scrutinize; seek; investigate; pry into; inquire.
Search, n. [Cf. OF. cerche. See Search, v. t.] The act of seeking or looking for something; quest; inquiry; pursuit for finding something; examination.
"Thus the orb he roamed
With narrow search, and with inspection deep
Considered every creature." Milton.
"Nor did my search of liberty begin
Till my black hairs were changed upon my chin." Dryden. Right of search (Mar. Law), the right of the lawfully commissioned cruisers of belligerent nations to examine and search private merchant vessels on the high seas for the enemy’s property or for articles contraband of war. — Search warrant (Law), a warrant legally issued, authorizing an examination or search of a house, or other place, for goods stolen, secreted, or concealed.
Syn. — Scrutiny; examination; exploration; investigation; research; inquiry; quest; pursuit.
Searchableness
Search´a•ble•ness, n. Quality of being searchable.
Searchless
Search´less, a. Impossible to be searched; inscrutable; impenetrable.
Searcloth
Sear´cloth ( 115), n. Cerecloth. Mortimer.
Searcloth
Sear´cloth, v. t. To cover, as a sore, with cerecloth.
Searedness
Sear´ed•ness, n. The state of being seared or callous; insensibility. Bp. Hall.
Seascape
Sea´scape, n. [Cf. Landscape.] A picture representing a scene at sea. [Jocose] Thackeray.
Seashell
Sea´shell, n. (Zoöl.) The shell of any marine mollusk.
Season
Sea´son, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seasoned p. pr. & vb. n. Seasoning.]
1. To render suitable or appropriate; to prepare; to fit.
"He is fit and seasoned for his passage." Shak.
2. To fit for any use by time or habit; to habituate; to accustom; to inure; to ripen; to mature; as to season one to a climate.
3. Hence, to prepare by drying or hardening, or removal of natural juices; as to season timber.
4. To fit for taste; to render palatable; to give zest or relish to; to spice; as to season food.
5. Hence, to fit for enjoyment; to render agreeable.
"You season still with sports your serious hours." Dryden.
"The proper use of wit is to season conversation." Tillotson.
6. To qualify by admixture; to moderate; to temper. "When mercy seasons justice." Shak.
7. To imbue; to tinge or taint. "Who by his tutor being seasoned with the love of the truth." Fuller.
"Season their younger years with prudent and pious principles." Jer. Taylor.
8. To copulate with; to impregnate. [R.] Holland.
Seasoner
Sea´son•er, n. One who, or that which, seasons, or gives a relish; a seasoning.
Seasonless
Sea´son•less, a. Without succession of the seasons.
Seat (set), n. [OE. sete, Icel. saeti; akin to Sw. säte, Dan. saede, MHG. saze, AS. set, setl, and E. sit. rad.154. See Sit, and cf. Settle, n. ]
1. The place or thing upon which one sits; hence; anything made to be sat in or upon, as a chair, bench, stool, saddle, or the like.
"And Jesus … overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves." Matt. xxi. 12.
2. The place occupied by anything, or where any person or thing is situated, resides, or abides; a site; an abode, a station; a post; a situation.
"Where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is." Rev. ii. 13.
"He that builds a fair house upon an ill seat committeth himself to prison." Bacon.
"A seat of plenty, content, and tranquillity." Macaulay.
3. That part of a thing on which a person sits; as the seat of a chair or saddle; the seat of a pair of pantaloons.
4. A sitting; a right to sit; regular or appropriate place of sitting; as a seat in a church; a seat for the season in the opera house.
5. Posture, or way of sitting, on horseback.
"She had so good a seat and hand she might be trusted with any mount." G. Eliot.
6. (Mach.) A part or surface on which another part or surface rests; as a valve seat. Seat worm (Zoöl.), the pinworm.
Seat, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seated; p. pr. & vb. n. Seating.]
1. To place on a seat; to cause to sit down; as to seat one’s self.
"The guests were no sooner seated but they entered into a warm debate." Arbuthnot.
2. To cause to occupy a post, site, situation, or the like; to station; to establish; to fix; to settle.
"Thus high … is King Richard seated." Shak.
"They had seated themselves in New Guiana." Sir W. Raleigh.
3. To assign a seat to, or the seats of; to give a sitting to; as to seat a church, or persons in a church.
4. To fix; to set firm.
"From their foundations, loosening to and fro,
They plucked the seated hills." Milton.
5. To settle; to plant with inhabitants; as to seat a country. [Obs.] W. Stith.
6. To put a seat or bottom in; as to seat a chair.
Seave, n. [Cf. Dan. siv, Sw. säf, Icel. sef.] A rush. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
Seaware
Sea´ware, n. [Cf. AS. saewar seaweed.] (Bot.) Seaweed; esp., coarse seaweed. See Ware, and Sea girdles.
Seawife
Sea´wife, n. ; pl. Seawives . (Zoöl.) A European wrasse ( Labrus vetula).
Sebate
Se´bate (se"b\ddt), n. (Chem.) A salt of sebacic acid.
Sebic
Se´bic, a. See Sebacic. [Obs.]
Sebiparous
Se•bip´a•rous, a. [L. sebum tallow + parere to bring forth.] (Physiol.) Same as Sebiferous.
Secale
Se•ca´le, n. [L., a kind of grain.] (Bot.) A genus of cereal grasses including rye.
Secancy
Se´can•cy, n. [See Secant.] A cutting; an intersection; as the point of secancy of one line by another. [R.] Davies & Peck (Math. Dict. ).
Secant
Se´cant (se"kant), a. [L. secans, -antis, p. pr. of secare to cut. See Section.] Cutting; dividing into two parts; as a secant line.
Secant, n. [Cf. F. secante. See Secant, a. ]
1. (Geom.) A line that cuts another; especially, a straight line cutting a curve in two or more points.
2. (Trig.) A right line drawn from the center of a circle through one end of a circular arc, and terminated by a tangent drawn from the other end; the number expressing the ratio of this line to the radius of the circle. See Trigonometrical function, under Function.
Secede
Se´cede´, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Seceded; p. pr. & vb. n. Seceding.] [L. secedere, secessum; pref se- aside + cedere to go, move. See Cede.] To withdraw from fellowship, communion, or association; to separate one’s self by a solemn act; to draw off; to retire; especially, to withdraw from a political or religious body.
Secern
Se•cern´, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Secerned p. pr. & vb. n. Secerning.] [L. secernere. See Secrete.]
1. To separate; to distinguish.
"Averroes secerns a sense of titillation, and a sense of hunger and thirst." Sir W. Hamilton.
2. (Physiol.) To secrete; as mucus secerned in the nose. Arbuthnot.
Secernent
Se•cern´ent, a. [L. secernens, p. pr.] (Physiol.) Secreting; secretory.
Secernment
Se•cern´ment, n. (Physiol.) The act or process of secreting.
Secess
Se•cess´ (se•ses"), n. [L. secessus. See Secede.] Retirement; retreat; secession. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.
Secession
Se•ces´sion (se•sesh"un), n. [L. secessio: cf. F. secession. See Secede.]
1. The act of seceding; separation from fellowship or association with others, as in a religious or political organization; withdrawal.
2. (U.S. Hist.) The withdrawal of a State from the national Union. Secession Church (in Scotland). See Seceder.
Seck, a. [F. sec, properly, dry, L. siccus.] Barren; unprofitable. See Rent seck, under Rent.
Secle
Se´cle, n. [L. saeculum: cf. F. siècle. See Secular.] A century. [Obs.] Hammond.
Seclude
Se•clude, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Secluded; p. pr. & vb. n. Secluding.] [L. secludere, seclusum; pref. se- aside + claudere to shut. See Close, v. t.]
1. To shut up apart from others; to withdraw into, or place in, solitude; to separate from society or intercourse with others.
"Let Eastern tyrants from the light of heaven Seclude their bosom slaves." Thomson.
2. To shut or keep out; to exclude. [Obs.] Evelyn. — Se•clud´ed•ly, adv. — Se•clud´ed•ness, n.
Seclusion
Se•clu´sion, n. [See Seclude.] The act of secluding, or the state of being secluded; separation from society or connection; a withdrawing; privacy; as to live in seclusion.
"O blest seclusion from a jarring world, which he, thus occupied, enjoys!" Cowper.
Syn. — Solitude; separation; withdrawment; retirement; privacy. See Solitude.
Seclusive
Se•clu´sive, a. Tending to seclude; keeping in seclusion; secluding; sequestering.
Second
Sec´ond, a. [F., fr. L. secundus second, properly, following, fr. sequi to follow. See Sue to follow, and cf. Secund.]
1. Immediately following the first; next to the first in order of place or time; hence, occurring again; another; other.
"And he slept and dreamed the second time." Gen. xli. 5.
2. Next to the first in value, power, excellence, dignity, or rank; secondary; subordinate; inferior.
"May the day when we become the second people upon earth … be the day of our utter extirpation." Landor.
3. Being of the same kind as another that has preceded; another, like a prototype; as a second Cato; a second Troy; a second deluge.
"A Daniel, still say I, a second Daniel!" Shak. Second Adventist. See Adventist. — Second cousin, the child of a cousin. — Second-cut file. See under File. — Second distance (Art), that part of a picture between the foreground and the background; — called also middle ground, or middle distance. [R.] — Second estate (Eng.), the House of Peers. — Second girl, a female house- servant who does the lighter work, as chamber work or waiting on table. — Second intention. See under Intention. — Second story, Second floor, in America, the second range of rooms from the street level. This, in England, is called the first floor, the one beneath being the ground floor. — Secondthought or thoughts, consideration of a matter following a first impulse or impression; reconsideration.
"On second thoughts, gentlemen, I don’t wish you had known him." Dickens.
Second
Sec´ond, n.
1. One who, or that which, follows, or comes after; one next and inferior in place, time, rank, importance, excellence, or power.
"Man
An angel’s second, nor his second long." Young.
2. One who follows or attends another for his support and aid; a backer; an assistant; specifically, one who acts as another’s aid in a duel.
"Being sure enough of seconds after the first onset." Sir H. Wotton.
3. Aid; assistance; help. [Obs.]
"Give second, and my love
Is everlasting thine." J. Fletcher.
4. pl. An article of merchandise of a grade inferior to the best; esp., a coarse or inferior kind of flour.
5. [F. seconde. See Second, a. ] The sixtieth part of a minute of time or of a minute of space, that is, the second regular subdivision of the degree; as sound moves about 1,140 English feet in a second; five minutes and ten seconds north of this place.
6. In the duodecimal system of mensuration, the twelfth part of an inch or prime; a line. See Inch, and Prime, n. , 8.
7. (Mus.) (a) The interval between any tone and the tone which is represented on the degree of the staff next above it. (b) The second part in a concerted piece; — often popularly applied to the alto. Second hand, the hand which marks the seconds on the dial of a watch or a clock.
Second
Sec´ond, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seconded; p. pr. & vb. n. Seconding.] [Cf. F. seconder, L. secundare, from secundus. See Second, a. ]
1. To follow in the next place; to succeed; to alternate. [R.]
"In the method of nature, a low valley is immediately seconded with an ambitious hill." Fuller.
"Sin is seconded with sin." South.
2. To follow or attend for the purpose of assisting; to support; to back; to act as the second of; to assist; to forward; to encourage.
"We have supplies to second our attempt." Shak.
"In human works though labored on with pain,
A thousand movements scarce one purpose gain;
In God’s, one single can its end produce,
Yet serves to second too some other use." Pope.
3. Specifically, to support, as a motion or proposal, by adding one’s voice to that of the mover or proposer.
Secondary
Sec´ond•a•ry, a. [Cf. F. secondaire, L. secundaire. See Second, a. ]
1. Succeeding next in order to the first; of second place, origin, rank, etc.; not primary; subordinate; not of the first order or rate.
"Wheresoever there is moral right on the one hand, no secondary right can discharge it." L’Estrange.
"Two are the radical differences; the secondary differences are as four." Bacon.
2. Acting by deputation or delegated authority; as the work of secondary hands.
3. (Chem.) Possessing some quality, or having been subject to some operation (as substitution), in the second degree; as a secondary salt, a secondary amine, etc. Cf. primary.
4. (Min.) Subsequent in origin; — said of minerals produced by alteration or deposition subsequent to the formation of the original rock mass; also of characters of minerals (as secondary cleavage, etc.) developed by pressure or other causes.
5. (Zoöl.) Pertaining to the second joint of the wing of a bird.
6. (Med.) (a) Dependent or consequent upon another disease; as Bright’s disease is often secondary to scarlet fever. (b) Occurring in the second stage of a disease; as the secondary symptoms of syphilis. Secondary accent. See the Note under Accent, n. , 1. — Secondary age. (Geol.) The Mesozoic age, or age before the Tertiary. See Mesozoic, and Note under Age, n. , 8. — Secondary alcohol (Chem.), any one of a series of alcohols which contain the radical CH.OH united with two hydrocarbon radicals. On oxidation the secondary alcohols form ketones. — Secondary amputation (Surg.), an amputation for injury, performed after the constitutional effects of the injury have subsided. — Secondary axis (Opt.), any line which passes through the optical center of a lens but not through the centers of curvature, or, in the case of a mirror, which passes through the center of curvature but not through the center of the mirror. — Secondary battery. (Elec.) See under Battery, n. , 4. — Secondary circle (Geom. & Astron.), a great circle that passes through the poles of another great circle and is therefore perpendicular to its plane. — Secondary circuit, Secondary coil (Elec.), a circuit or coil in which a current is produced by the induction of a current in a neighboring circuit or coil called the primary circuit or coil. — Secondary color, a color formed by mixing any two primary colors in equal proportions. — Secondary coverts (Zoöl.), the longer coverts which overlie the basal part of the secondary quills of a bird. See Illust. under Bird. — Secondary crystal (Min.), a crystal derived from one of the primary forms. — Secondary current (Elec.), a momentary current induced in a closed circuit by a current of electricity passing through the same or a contiguous circuit at the beginning and also at the end of the passage of the primary current. — Secondary evidence, that which is admitted upon failure to obtain the primary or best evidence. — Secondary fever (Med.), a fever coming on in a disease after the subsidence of the fever with which the disease began, as the fever which attends the outbreak of the eruption in smallpox. — Secondary hemorrhage (Med.), hemorrhage occuring from a wounded blood vessel at some considerable time after the original bleeding has ceased. — Secondary planet. (Astron.) See the Note under Planet. — Secondary qualities, those qualities of bodies which are not inseparable from them as such, but are dependent for their development and intensity on the organism of the percipient, such as color, taste, odor, etc. — Secondary quills or remiges (Zoöl.), the quill feathers arising from the forearm of a bird and forming a row continuous with the primaries; — called also secondaries. See Illust. of Bird. — Secondary rocks or strata (Geol.), those lying between the Primary, or Paleozoic, and Tertiary (see Primary rocks, under Primary); — later restricted to strata of the Mesozoic age, and at present but little used. — Secondary syphilis (Med.), the second stage of syphilis, including the period from the first development of constitutional symptoms to the time when the bones and the internal organs become involved. — Secondary tint, any subdued tint, as gray. — Secondary union (Surg.), the union of wounds after suppuration; union by the second intention.
Syn. — Second; second-rate; subordinate; inferior.
Secondhand
Sec´ond•hand, a.
1. Not original or primary; received from another.
"They have but a secondhand or implicit knowledge." Locke.
2. Not new; already or previously possessed or used by another; as a secondhand book, garment. At second hand. See Hand, n. , 10.
Secondo
Se•con´do (se•kon"do; It. sa•kon"do), n. [It.] (Mus.) The second part in a concerted piece.
Second-sighted
Sec´ond-sight•ed, a. Having the power of second-sight. [R.] Addison.
Secrecy
Se´cre•cy, n. ; pl. Secrecies (#). [From Secret.]
1. The state or quality of being hidden; as his movements were detected in spite of their secrecy.
"The Lady Anne,
Whom the king hath in secrecy long married." Shak.
2. That which is concealed; a secret. [R.] Shak.
3. Seclusion; privacy; retirement. "The pensive secrecy of desert cell." Milton.
4. The quality of being secretive; fidelity to a secret; forbearance of disclosure or discovery.
"It is not with public as with private prayer; in this, rather secrecy is commanded than outward show." Hooker.
Secret
Se´cret, a. [F. secret (cf. Sp. & Pg. secreto, It. secreto, segreto), fr. L. secretus, p. p. of secernere to put apart, to separate. See Certain, and cf. Secrete, Secern.]
1. Hidden; concealed; as secret treasure; secret plans; a secret vow. Shak.
"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us." Deut. xxix. 29.
2. Withdrawn from general intercourse or notice; in retirement or secrecy; secluded.
"There, secret in her sapphire cell,
He with the Naïs wont to dwell." Fenton.
3. Faithful to a secret; not inclined to divulge or betray confidence; secretive. [R.]
"Secret Romans, that have spoke the word,
And will not palter." Shak.
4. Separate; distinct. [Obs.]
"They suppose two other divine hypostases superior thereunto, which were perfectly secret from matter." Cudworth.
Syn. — Hidden; concealed; secluded; retired; unseen; unknown; private; obscure; recondite; latent; covert; clandestine; privy. See Hidden.
Secret
Se´cret, n. [F. secret (cf. Pr. secret, Sp. & Pg. secreto, It. secreto, segreto), from L. secretum. See Secret, a. ]
1. Something studiously concealed; a thing kept from general knowledge; what is not revealed, or not to be revealed.
"To tell our own secrets is often folly; to communicate those of others is treachery." Rambler.
2. A thing not discovered; what is unknown or unexplained; a mystery.
"All secrets of the deep, all nature’s works." Milton.
3. pl. The parts which modesty and propriety require to be concealed; the genital organs. In secret, in a private place; in privacy or secrecy; in a state or place not seen; privately.
"Bread eaten in secret is pleasant." Prov. ix. 17.
Secretary
Sec´re•ta•ry, n. ; pl. Secretaries (#). [F. secretaire (cf. Pr. secretari, Sp. & Pg. secretario, It. secretario, segretario) LL. secretarius, originally, a confidant, one intrusted with secrets, from L. secretum a secret. See Secret, a. & n. ]
1. One who keeps, or is intrusted with, secrets. [R.]
2. A person employed to write orders, letters, dispatches, public or private papers, records, and the like; an official scribe, amanuensis, or writer; one who attends to correspondence, and transacts other business, for an association, a public body, or an individual.
"That which is most of all profitable is acquaintance with the secretaries, and employed men of ambassadors." Bacon.
3. An officer of state whose business is to superintend and manage the affairs of a particular department of government, and who is usually a member of the cabinet or advisory council of the chief executive; as the secretary of state, who conducts the correspondence and attends to the relations of a government with foreign courts; the secretary of the treasury, who manages the department of finance; the secretary of war, etc.
4. A piece of furniture, with conveniences for writing and for the arrangement of papers; an escritoire.
5. (Zoöl.) The secretary bird. Secretary bird. [So called in allusion to the tufts of feathers at the back of its head, which were fancifully thought to resemble pens stuck behind the ear.] (Zoöl.) A large long-legged raptorial bird ( Gypogeranus serpentarius), native of South Africa, but now naturalized in the West Indies and some other tropical countries. It has a powerful hooked beak, a crest of long feathers, and a long tail. It feeds upon reptiles of various kinds, and is much prized on account of its habit of killing and devouring snakes of all kinds. Called also serpent eater.
Syn. — See the Note under Clerk, n. , 4.
Secretaryship
Sec´re•ta•ry•ship, n. The office, or the term of office, of a secretary.
Secrete
Se•crete´, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Secreted; p. pr. & vb. n. Secreting.] [L. secretus separated, secret, hidden, p. p. of secernere. See Secret, and cf. Discrete, Discreet.]
1. To deposit in a place of hiding; to hide; to conceal; as to secrete stolen goods; to secrete one’s self.
2. (Physiol.) To separate from the blood and elaborate by the process of secretion; to elaborate and emit as a secretion. See Secretion.
"Why one set of cells should secrete bile, another urea, and so on, we do not know." Carpenter.
Syn. — To conceal; hide. See Conceal.
Secretitious
Se•cre•ti´tious, a. Parted by animal secretion; as secretitious humors. Floyer.
Secretory
Se•cre´to•ry, a. [Cf. F. secretoire. See Secrete.] (Physiol.) Secreting; performing, or connected with, the office of secretion; secernent; as secretory vessels, nerves. — n. A secretory vessel; a secernent.
Sect (sekt), n. [L. secare, sectum, to cut.] A cutting; a scion. [Obs.] Shak.
Sect (sekt), n. [F. secte, L. secta, fr. sequi to follow; often confused with L. secare, sectum, to cut. See Sue to follow, and cf. Sept, Suit, n. ] Those following a particular leader or authority, or attached to a certain opinion; a company or set having a common belief or allegiance distinct from others; in religion, the believers in a particular creed, or upholders of a particular practice; especially, in modern times, a party dissenting from an established church; a denomination; in philosophy, the disciples of a particular master; a school; in society and the state, an order, rank, class, or party.
"He beareth the sign of poverty,
And in that sect our Savior saved all mankind." Piers Plowman.
"As of the sect of which that he was born,
He kept his lay, to which that he was sworn." Chaucer.
"The cursed sect of that detestable and false prophet Mohammed." Fabyan.
"As concerning this sect [Christians], we know that everywhere it is spoken against." Acts xxviii. 22.
Sectarian
Sec•ta´ri•an, n. One of a sect; a member or adherent of a special school, denomination, or religious or philosophical party; one of a party in religion which has separated itself from established church, or which holds tenets different from those of the prevailing denomination in a state.
Syn. — See Heretic.
Sectary
Sec´ta•ry, n. ; pl. Sectaries (#). [F. sectaire. See Sect.] A sectarian; a member or adherent of a sect; a follower or disciple of some particular teacher in philosophy or religion; one who separates from an established church; a dissenter.
"I never knew that time in England when men of truest religion were not counted sectaries." Milton.
Sectator
Sec•ta´tor, n. [L., fr. sectari, v. intens. fr. sequi to follow. See Sue to follow.] A follower; a disciple; an adherent to a sect. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.
Sectile
Sec´tile, a. [L. sectilis, fr. secare, sectum, to cut: cf. F. sectile. See Section.] Capable of being cut; specifically (Min.), capable of being severed by the knife with a smooth cut; — said of minerals.
Sectility
Sec•til´i•ty, n. The state or quality of being sectile.
Section
Sec´tion, n. [L. sectio, fr. secare, sectum, to cut; akin to E. saw a cutting instrument: cf. F. section. See Saw, and cf. Scion, Dissect, Insect, Secant, Segment.]
1. The act of cutting, or separation by cutting; as the section of bodies.
2. A part separated from something; a division; a portion; a slice. Specifically: — (a) A distinct part or portion of a book or writing; a subdivision of a chapter; the division of a law or other writing; a paragraph; an article; hence, the character §, often used to denote such a division.
"It is hardly possible to give a distinct view of his several arguments in distinct sections." Locke. (b) A distinct part of a country or people, community, class, or the like; a part of a territory separated by geographical lines, or of a people considered as distinct.
"The extreme section of one class consists of bigoted dotards, the extreme section of the other consists of shallow and reckless empirics." Macaulay. (c) One of the portions, of one square mile each, into which the public lands of the United States are divided; one thirty-sixth part of a township. These sections are subdivided into quarter sections for sale under the homestead and preëmption laws.
3. (Geom.) The figure made up of all the points common to a superficies and a solid which meet, or to two superficies which meet, or to two lines which meet. In the first case the section is a superficies, in the second a line, and in the third a point.
4. (Nat. Hist.) A division of a genus; a group of species separated by some distinction from others of the same genus; — often indicated by the sign §.
5. (Mus.) A part of a musical period, composed of one or more phrases. See Phrase.
6. The description or representation of anything as it would appear if cut through by any intersecting plane; depiction of what is beyond a plane passing through, or supposed to pass through, an object, as a building, a machine, a succession of strata; profile. In mechanical drawing, as in these Illustrations of a cannon, a longitudinal section ( a) usually represents the object as cut through its center lengthwise and vertically; a cross or transverse section ( b), as cut crosswise and vertically; and a horizontal section ( c), as cut through its center horizontally. Oblique sections are made at various angles. In architecture, a vertical section is a drawing showing the interior, the thickness of the walls, etc., as if made on a vertical plane passed through a building. Angular sections (Math.), a branch of analysis which treats of the relations of sines, tangents, etc., of arcs to the sines, tangents, etc., of their multiples or of their parts. [R.] — Conic sections. (Geom.) See under Conic. — Section liner (Drawing), an instrument to aid in drawing a series of equidistant parallel lines, — used in representing sections. — Thin section, a section or slice, as of mineral, animal, or vegetable substance, thin enough to be transparent, and used for study under the microscope.
Syn. — Part; portion; division. — Section, Part. The English more commonly apply the word section to a part or portion of a body of men; as a section of the clergy, a small section of the Whigs, etc. In the United States this use is less common, but another use, unknown or but little known in England, is very frequent, as in the phrases "the eastern section of our country," etc., the same sense being also given to the adjective sectional; as sectional feelings, interests, etc.
Sectionality
Sec´tion•al´i•ty, n. The state or quality of being sectional; sectionalism.
Sector
Sec´tor, n. [L., properly, a cutter, fr. secare, sectum, to cut: cf. F. secteur. See Section.]
1. (Geom.) A part of a circle comprehended between two radii and the included arc.
2. A mathematical instrument, consisting of two rulers connected at one end by a joint, each arm marked with several scales, as of equal parts, chords, sines, tangents, etc., one scale of each kind on each arm, and all on lines radiating from the common center of motion. The sector is used for plotting, etc., to any scale.
3. An astronomical instrument, the limb of which embraces a small portion only of a circle, used for measuring differences of declination too great for the compass of a micrometer. When it is used for measuring zenith distances of stars, it is called a zenith sector. Dip sector, an instrument used for measuring the dip of the horizon. — Sector of a sphere, or Spherical sector, the solid generated by the revolution of the sector of a circle about one of its radii, or, more rarely, about any straight line drawn in the plane of the sector through its vertex.
Sectoral
Sec´tor•al, a. Of or pertaining to a sector; as a sectoral circle.
Sectorial
Sec•to´ri•al, a. (Anat.) Adapted for cutting. — n. A sectorial, or carnassial, tooth.
Secularize
Sec´u•lar•ize, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Secularized p. pr. & vb. n. Secularizing ] [Cf. F. seculariser.]
1. To convert from regular or monastic into secular; as to secularize a priest or a monk.
2. To convert from spiritual to secular or common use; as to secularize a church, or church property.
"At the Reformation the abbey was secularized." W. Coxe.
3. To make worldly or unspiritual. Bp. Horsley.
Secund
Se´cund, a. [L. secundus following the course or current of wind or water. See Second, a. ] (Bot.) Arranged on one side only, as flowers or leaves on a stalk. Gray.
Secure
Se•cure´, a. [L. securus; pref. se- without + cura care. See Cure care, and cf. Sure, a. ]
1. Free from fear, care, or anxiety; easy in mind; not feeling suspicion or distrust; confident.
"But thou, secure of soul, unbent with woes." Dryden.
2. Overconfident; incautious; careless; — in a bad sense. Macaulay.
3. Confident in opinion; not entertaining, or not having reason to entertain, doubt; certain; sure; — commonly with of; as secure of a welcome.
"Confidence then bore thee on, secure
Either to meet no danger, or to find
Matter of glorious trial." Milton.
4. Not exposed to danger; safe; — applied to persons and things, and followed by against or from. "Secure from fortune’s blows." Dryden.
Syn. — Safe; undisturbed; easy; sure; certain; assured; confident; careless; heedless; inattentive.
Secure
Se•cure´, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Secured p. pr. & vb. n. Securing.]
1. To make safe; to relieve from apprehensions of, or exposure to, danger; to guard; to protect.
"I spread a cloud before the victor’s sight,
Sustained the vanquished, and secured his flight." Dryden.
2. To put beyond hazard of losing or of not receiving; to make certain; to assure; to insure; — frequently with against or from, rarely with of; as to secure a creditor against loss; to secure a debt by a mortgage.
"It secures its possessor of eternal happiness." T. Dick.
3. To make fast; to close or confine effectually; to render incapable of getting loose or escaping; as to secure a prisoner; to secure a door, or the hatches of a ship.
4. To get possession of; to make one’s self secure of; to acquire certainly; as to secure an estate. Secure arms (Mil.), a command and a position in the manual of arms, used in wet weather, the object being to guard the firearm from becoming wet. The piece is turned with the barrel to the front and grasped by the right hand at the lower band, the muzzle is dropped to the front, and the piece held with the guard under the right arm, the hand supported against the hip, and the thumb on the rammer.
Security
Se•cu´ri•ty, n. ; pl. Securities (#). [L. securitas: cf. F. securite. See Secure, and cf. Surety.]
1. The condition or quality of being secure; secureness. Specifically: (a) Freedom from apprehension, anxiety, or care; confidence of power or safety; hence, assurance; certainty.
"His trembling hand had lost the ease,
Which marks security to please." Sir W. Scott. (b) Hence, carelessness; negligence; heedlessness.
"He means, my lord, that we are too remiss,
Whilst Bolingbroke, through our security,
Grows strong and great in substance and in power." Shak. (c) Freedom from risk; safety.
"Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard,
From firm security." Shak.
"Some … alleged that we should have no security for our trade." Swift.
2. That which secures or makes safe; protection; guard; defense. Specifically: (a) Something given, deposited, or pledged, to make certain the fulfillment of an obligation, the performance of a contract, the payment of a debt, or the like; surety; pledge.
"Those who lent him money lent it on no security but his bare word." Macaulay. (b) One who becomes surety for another, or engages himself for the performance of another’s obligation.
3. An evidence of debt or of property, as a bond, a certificate of stock, etc.; as government securities.
Syn. — Protection; defense; guard; shelter; safety; certainty; ease; assurance; carelessness; confidence; surety; pledge; bail.
Sedate
Se•date´, a. [L. sedatus, p. p. of sedare, sedatum, to allay, calm, causative of sedere to sit. See Sit.] Undisturbed by passion or caprice; calm; tranquil; serene; not passionate or giddy; composed; staid; as a sedate soul, mind, or temper.
"Disputation carries away the mind from that calm and sedate temper which is so necessary to contemplate truth." I. Watts.
"Whatsoever we feel and know
Too sedate for outward show." Wordsworth.
Syn. — Settled; composed; calm; quiet; tranquil; still; serene; unruffled; undisturbed; contemplative; sober; serious. — Se•date´ly, adv. — Se•date´ness, n.
Sedation
Se•da´tion, n. [L. sedatio.] The act of calming, or the state of being calm. [R.] Coles.
Sedent
Se´dent, a. [L. sedens, - entis, p. pr. of sedere to sit. See Sit.] Sitting; inactive; quiet. [R.]
Sedentariness
Sed´en•ta•ri•ness, n. Quality of being sedentary.
Sedentary
Sed´en•ta•ry, a. [L. sedentarius, fr. sedere to sit: cf. F. seedentaire. See Sedent.]
1. Accustomed to sit much or long; as a sedentary man. "Sedentary, scholastic sophists." Bp. Warburton.
2. Characterized by, or requiring, much sitting; as a sedentary employment; a sedentary life.
"Any education that confined itself to sedentary pursuits was essentially imperfect." Beaconsfield.
3. Inactive; motionless; sluggish; hence, calm; tranquil. [R.] "The sedentary earth." Milton.
"The soul, considered abstractly from its passions, is of a remiss, sedentary nature." Spectator.
4. Caused by long sitting. [Obs.] "Sedentary numbness." Milton.
5. (Zoöl.) Remaining in one place, especially when firmly attached to some object; as the oyster is a sedentary mollusk; the barnacles are sedentary crustaceans. Sedentary spider (Zoöl.), one of a tribe of spiders which rest motionless until their prey is caught in their web.
Sedge, n. [OE. segge, AS. secg; akin to LG. segge; — probably named from its bladelike appearance, and akin to L. secare to cut, E. saw a cutting instrument; cf. Ir. seisg, W. hesg. Cf. Hassock, Saw the instrument.]
1. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Carex, perennial, endogenous, innutritious herbs, often growing in dense tufts in marshy places. They have triangular jointless stems, a spiked inflorescence, and long grasslike leaves which are usually rough on the margins and midrib. There are several hundred species. The name is sometimes given to any other plant of the order Cyperaceae, which includes Carex, Cyperus, Scirpus, and many other genera of rushlike plants.
2. (Zoöl.) A flock of herons. Sedge hen (Zoöl.), the clapper rail. See under 5th Rail. — Sedge warbler (Zoöl.), a small European singing bird ( Acrocephalus phragmitis). It often builds its nest among reeds; — called also sedge bird, sedge wren, night warbler, and Scotch nightingale.
Sedged, a. Made or composed of sedge.
"With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks." Shak.
Sedgy
Sedg´y, a. Overgrown with sedge.
"On the gentle Severn\’b6s sedgy bank." Shak.
Sediment
Sed´i•ment, n. [F. sediment, L. sedimentum a settling, fr. sedere to sit, to settle. See Sit.]
1. The matter which subsides to the bottom, from water or any other liquid; settlings; lees; dregs.
2. (Geol.) The material of which sedimentary rocks are formed.
Sedimentary
Sed•i•men´ta•ry, a. [Cf. F. sedimentaire.] Of or pertaining to sediment; formed by sediment; containing matter that has subsided. Sedimentary rocks. (Geol.) See Aqueous rocks, under Aqueous.
Sedition
Se•di´tion, n. [OE. sedicioun, OF. sedition, F. sedition, fr. L. seditio, originally, a going aside; hence, an insurrectionary separation; pref. se-, sed-, aside + itio a going, fr. ire, itum, to go. Cf. Issue.]
1. The raising of commotion in a state, not amounting to insurrection; conduct tending to treason, but without an overt act; excitement of discontent against the government, or of resistance to lawful authority.
"In soothing them, we nourish ’gainst our senate
The cockle of rebellion, insolence, sedition." Shak.
"Noisy demagogues who had been accused of sedition." Macaulay.
2. Dissension; division; schism. [Obs.]
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, … emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies." Gal. v. 19, 20.
Syn. — Insurrection; tumult; uproar; riot; rebellion; revolt. See Insurrection.
Seditionary
Se•di´tion•a•ry, n. An inciter or promoter of sedition. Bp. Hall.
Seduce
Se•duce´, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seduced p. pr. & vb. n. Seducing ] [L. seducere, seductum; pref. se- aside + ducere to lead. See Duke.]
1. To draw aside from the path of rectitude and duty in any manner; to entice to evil; to lead astray; to tempt and lead to iniquity; to corrupt.
"For me, the gold of France did not seduce." Shak.
2. Specifically, to induce to surrender chastity; to debauch by means of solicitation.
Syn. — To allure; entice; tempt; attract; mislead; decoy; inveigle. See Allure.
Seducible
Se•du´ci•ble, a. Capable of being seduced; corruptible.
Seducing
Se•du´cing, a. Seductive. "Thy sweet seducing charms." Cowper. — Se•du´cing•ly, adv.
Seduction
Se•duc•tion, n. [L. seductio: cf. F. seduction. See Seduce.]
1. The act of seducing; enticement to wrong doing; specifically, the offense of inducing a woman to consent to unlawful sexual intercourse, by enticements which overcome her scruples; the wrong or crime of persuading a woman to surrender her chastity.
2. That which seduces, or is adapted to seduce; means of leading astray; as the seductions of wealth.
Sedulity
Se•du´li•ty, n. [L. sedulitas. See Sedulous.] The quality or state of being sedulous; diligent and assiduous application; constant attention; unremitting industry; sedulousness.
"The industrious bee, by his sedulity in summer, lives in honey all the winter." Feltham.
See, n. [OE. se, see, OF. se, sed, sied, fr. L. sedes a seat, or the kindred sedere to sit. See Sit, and cf. Siege.]
1. A seat; a site; a place where sovereign power is exercised. [Obs.] Chaucer.
"Jove laughed on Venus from his sovereign see." Spenser.
2. Specifically: (a) The seat of episcopal power; a diocese; the jurisdiction of a bishop; as the see of New York. (b) The seat of an archbishop; a province or jurisdiction of an archbishop; as an archiepiscopal see. (c) The seat, place, or office of the pope, or Roman pontiff; as the papal see. (d) The pope or his court at Rome; as to appeal to the see of Rome. Apostolic see. See under Apostolic.
See (se), v. t. [ imp. Saw (sa); p. p. Seen (sen); p. pr. & vb. n. Seeing.] [OE. seen, sen, seon, AS. seón; akin to OFries. sia, D. zien, OS. & OHG. sehan, G. sehen, Icel. sja, Sw. se, Dan. see, Goth. saíhwan, and probably to L. sequi to follow (and so originally meaning, to follow with the eyes). Gr. "e•pesqai, Skr. sac. Cf. Sight, Sue to follow.]
1. To perceive by the eye; to have knowledge of the existence and apparent qualities of by the organs of sight; to behold; to descry; to view.
"I will now turn aside, and see this great sight." Ex. iii. 3.
2. To perceive by mental vision; to form an idea or conception of; to note with the mind; to observe; to discern; to distinguish; to understand; to comprehend; to ascertain.
"Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren." Gen. xxxvii. 14.
"Jesus saw that he answered discreetly." Mark xii. 34.
"Who’s so gross
That seeth not this palpable device?" Shak.
3. To follow with the eyes, or as with the eyes; to watch; to regard attentively; to look after. Shak.
"I had a mind to see him out, and therefore did not care for contradicting him." Addison.
4. To have an interview with; especially, to make a call upon; to visit; as to go to see a friend.
"And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death." 1 Sam. xv. 35.
5. To fall in with; to meet or associate with; to have intercourse or communication with; hence, to have knowledge or experience of; as to see military service.
"Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil." Ps. xc. 15.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." John viii. 51.
"Improvement in wisdom and prudence by seeing men." Locke.
6. To accompany in person; to escort; to wait upon; as to see one home; to see one aboard the cars. God youhim, or me, etc.) see, God keep you (him, me, etc.) in his sight; God protect you. [Obs.] Chaucer. — To see (anything) out, to see (it) to the end; to be present at, or attend, to the end. — To see stars, to see flashes of light, like stars; — sometimes the result of concussion of the head. [Colloq.] — To see (one) through, to help, watch, or guard (one) to the end of a course or an undertaking.
Seecatch
See´catch, n. [Russ. siekach.] (Zoöl.) A full-grown male fur seal. [Alaska]
Seed (sed), n. ; pl. Seed or Seeds (#). [OE. seed, sed, AS. saed, fr. sawan to sow; akin to D. zaad seed, G. saat, Icel. sað, saeði, Goth. mana seþs seed of men, world. See Sow to scatter seed, and cf. Colza.]
1. (Bot.) (a) A ripened ovule, consisting of an embryo with one or more integuments, or coverings; as an apple seed; a currant seed. By germination it produces a new plant. (b) Any small seedlike fruit, though it may consist of a pericarp, or even a calyx, as well as the seed proper; as parsnip seed; thistle seed.
"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself." Gen. i. 11. The seed proper has an outer and an inner coat, and within these the kernel or nucleus. The kernel is either the embryo alone, or the embryo inclosed in the albumen, which is the material for the nourishment of the developing embryo. The scar on a seed, left where the stem parted from it, is called the hilum, and the closed orifice of the ovule, the micropyle.
2. (Physiol.) The generative fluid of the male; semen; sperm; — not used in the plural.
3. That from which anything springs; first principle; original; source; as the seeds of virtue or vice.
4. The principle of production.
"Praise of great acts he scatters as a seed, Which may the like in coming ages breed." Waller.
5. Progeny; offspring; children; descendants; as the seed of Abraham; the seed of David. In this sense the word is applied to one person, or to any number collectively, and admits of the plural form, though rarely used in the plural.
6. Race; generation; birth.
"Of mortal seed they were not held." Waller. Seed bag (Artesian well), a packing to prevent percolation of water down the bore hole. It consists of a bag encircling the tubing and filled with flax seed, which swells when wet and fills the space between the tubing and the sides of the hole. — Seed bud (Bot.), the germ or rudiment of the plant in the embryo state; the ovule. — Seed coat (Bot.), the covering of a seed. — Seed corn, or Seed grain (Bot.), corn or grain for seed. — Seed down (Bot.), the soft hairs on certain seeds, as cotton seed. — Seed drill. See 6th Drill, 2 (a). — Seed eater (Zoöl.), any finch of the genera Sporophila, and Crithagra. They feed mainly on seeds. — Seed gall (Zoöl.), any gall which resembles a seed, formed on the leaves of various plants, usually by some species of Phylloxera. — Seed leaf (Bot.), a cotyledon. — Seed lobe (Bot.), a cotyledon; a seed leaf. — Seed oil, oil expressed from the seeds of plants. — Seed oyster, a young oyster, especially when of a size suitable for transplantation to a new locality. — Seed pearl, a small pearl of little value. — Seed plat, or Seed plot, the ground on which seeds are sown, to produce plants for transplanting; a nursery. — Seed stalk (Bot.), the stalk of an ovule or seed; a funicle. — Seed tick (Zoöl.), one of several species of ticks resembling seeds in form and color. — Seed vessel (Bot.), that part of a plant which contains the seeds; a pericarp. — Seed weevil (Zoöl.), any one of numerous small weevils, especially those of the genus Apion, which live in the seeds of various plants. — Seed wool, cotton wool not yet cleansed of its seeds. [Southern U.S.]
Seed, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seeded; p. pr. & vb. n. Seeding.]
1. To sprinkle with seed; to plant seeds in; to sow; as to seed a field.
2. To cover thinly with something scattered; to ornament with seedlike decorations.
"A sable mantle seeded with waking eyes." B. Jonson.To seed down, to sow with grass seed.
Seedcake
Seed´cake, n. A sweet cake or cooky containing aromatic seeds, as caraway. Tusser.
Seeder
Seed´er, n. One who, or that which, sows or plants seed.
Seed-lac
Seed´-lac, n. A species of lac. See the Note under Lac.
Seedy
Seed´y, a. [ Compar. Seedier superl. Seediest.]
1. Abounding with seeds; bearing seeds; having run to seeds.
2. Having a peculiar flavor supposed to be derived from the weeds growing among the vines; — said of certain kinds of French brandy.
3. Old and worn out; exhausted; spiritless; also poor and miserable looking; shabbily clothed; shabby looking; as he looked seedy; a seedy coat. [Colloq.]
"Little Flanigan here … is a little seedy, as we say among us that practice the law." Goldsmith. Seedy toe, an affection of a horse’s foot, in which a cavity filled with horn powder is formed between the laminae and the wall of the hoof.
Seek, a. Sick. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Seek, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sought p. pr. & vb. n. Seeking.] [OE. seken, AS. secan, secean; akin to OS. sokian, LG. söken, D. zoeken, OHG. suohhan, G. suchen, Icel. saekja, Sw. söka, Dan. söge, Goth. sokjan, and E. sake. Cf. Beseech, Ransack, Sagacious, Sake, Soc.]
1. To go in search of; to look for; to search for; to try to find.
"The man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren." Gen. xxxvii. 15, 16.
2. To inquire for; to ask for; to solicit; to beseech.
"Others, tempting him, sought of him a sign." Luke xi. 16.
3. To try to acquire or gain; to strive after; to aim at; as to seek wealth or fame; to seek one’s life.
4. To try to reach or come to; to go to; to resort to.
"Seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal." Amos v. 5.
"Since great Ulysses sought the Phrygian plains." Pope.
Seek-sorrow
Seek´-sor•row, n. One who contrives to give himself vexation. [Archaic.] Sir P. Sidney.
Seel (sel), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seeled p. pr. & vb. n. Seeling.] [F. siller, ciller, fr. cil an eyelash, L. cilium.]
1. (Falconry) To close the eyes of (a hawk or other bird) by drawing through the lids threads which were fastened over the head. Bacon.
"Fools climb to fall: fond hopes, like seeled doves for want of better light, mount till they end their flight with falling." J. Reading.
2. Hence, to shut or close, as the eyes; to blind.
"Come, seeling night,
Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day." Shak.
"Cold death, with a violent fate, his sable eyes did seel." Chapman.
Seel, n. [AS. sael, from sael good, prosperous. See Silly.]
1. Good fortune; favorable opportunity; prosperity. [Obs.] "So have I seel". Chaucer.
2. Time; season; as hay seel. [Prov. Eng.]
Seely
Seel´y, a. See Silly. [Obs.] Spenser.
Seem (sem), v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Seemed (semd); p. pr. & vb. n. Seeming.] [OE. semen to seem, to become, befit, AS. seman to satisfy, pacify; akin to Icel. saema to honor, to bear with, conform to, saemr becoming, fit, soma to beseem, to befit, sama to beseem, semja to arrange, settle, put right, Goth. samjan to please, and to E. same. The sense is probably due to the adj. seemly. rad.191. See Same, a. , and cf. Seemly.] To appear, or to appear to be; to have a show or semblance; to present an appearance; to look; to strike one’s apprehension or fancy as being; to be taken as. "It now seemed probable." Macaulay.
"Thou picture of what thou seem’st." Shak.
"All seemed well pleased; all seemed, but were not all." Milton.
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov. xiv. 12.It seems, it appears; it is understood as true; it is said.
"A prince of Italy, it seems, entertained his mistress on a great lake." Addison.
Syn. — To appear; look. — Seem, Appear. To appear has reference to a thing’s being presented to our view; as the sun appears; to seem is connected with the idea of semblance, and usually implies an inference of our mind as to the probability of a thing’s being so; as a storm seems to be coming. "The story appears to be true," means that the facts, as presented, go to show its truth; "the story seems to be true," means that it has the semblance of being so, and we infer that it is true. "His first and principal care being to appear unto his people such as he would have them be, and to be such as he appeared." Sir P. Sidney.
"Ham. Ay, madam, it is common. Queen. If it be,
Why seems it so particular with thee? Ham. Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not "seems."" Shak.
Seemingness
Seem´ing•ness, n. Semblance; fair appearance; plausibility. Sir K. Digby.
Seemliness
Seem´li•ness, n. The quality or state of being seemly: comeliness; propriety.
Seemly
Seem´ly, a. [ Compar. Seemlier ; superl. Seeliest.] [Icel. smiligr, fr. smr becoming, fit; akin to samr same, E. same; the sense being properly, the same or like, hence, fitting. See Seem, v. i.] Suited to the object, occasion, purpose, or character; suitable; fit; becoming; comely; decorous.
"He had a seemly nose." Chaucer.
"I am a woman, lacking wit
To make a seemly answer to such persons." Shak.
"Suspense of judgment and exercise of charity were safer and seemlier for Christian men than the hot pursuit of these controversies." Hooker.
Syn. — Becoming; fit; suitable; proper; appropriate; congruous; meet; decent; decorous.
Seemly
Seem´ly, adv. [ Compar. Seemlier; superl. Seemliest.] In a decent or suitable manner; becomingly.
"Suddenly a men before him stood,
Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad,
As one in city or court or place bred." Milton.
Seemlyhed
Seem´ly•hed, n. [See -hood.] Comely or decent appearance. [Obs.] Rom. of R. Spenser.
Seepage
Seep´age, n. The act or process of seeping; percolation.
Seer (ser), a. Sore; painful. [Prov. Eng.] Ray.
Seer
Se´er (se"er), n. One who sees. Addison.
Seer (ser), n. [From See.] A person who foresees events; a prophet. Milton.
Seerfish
Seer´fish (-fish), n. (Zoöl.) A scombroid food fish of Madeira ( Cybium Commersonii).
Seerhand
Seer´hand, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A kind of muslin of a texture between nainsook and mull.
Seerwood
Seer´wood, n. [See Sear.] Dry wood. [Written also searwood.] [Obs.] Dryden.
Seesaw
See´saw, n. [Probably a reduplication of saw, to express the alternate motion to and fro, as in the act of sawing.]
1. A play among children in which they are seated upon the opposite ends of a plank which is balanced in the middle, and move alternately up and down.
2. A plank or board adjusted for this play.
3. A vibratory or reciprocating motion.
"He has been arguing in a circle; there is thus a seesaw between the hypothesis and fact." Sir W. Hamilton.
4. (Whist.) Same as Crossruff.
Seesaw
See´saw, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Seesawad p. pr. & vb. n. Seesawing.] To move with a reciprocating motion; to move backward and forward, or upward and downward.
Seesaw
See´saw, a. Moving up and down, or to and fro; having a reciprocating motion.
Seet, obs. imp. of Sit. Sate; sat. Chaucer.
Seeth, obs. imp. of Seethe. Chaucer.
Seethe, v. t. [ imp. Seethed (Sod, obs.); p. p. Seethed, Sodden ; p. pr. & vb. n. Seething.] [OE. sethen, AS. seóan; akin to D. sieden, OHG. siodan, G. sieden, Icel. sja, Sw. sjuda, Dan. syde, Goth. saubs a burnt offering. Cf. Sod, n. , Sodden, Suds.] To decoct or prepare for food in hot liquid; to boil; as to seethe flesh. [Written also seeth.]
"Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets." 2 Kings iv. 38.
Seg, n. [See Sedge.] (Bot.)
1. Sedge. [Obs.]
2. The gladen, and other species of Iris. Prior.
Segge, n. (Zoöl.) The hedge sparrow. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
Segment
Seg´ment, n. [L. segmentum, fr. secare to cut, cut off: cf. F. segment. See Saw a cutting instrument.]
1. One of the parts into which any body naturally separates or is divided; a part divided or cut off; a section; a portion; as a segment of an orange; a segment of a compound or divided leaf.
2. (Geom.) A part cut off from a figure by a line or plane; especially, that part of a circle contained between a chord and an arc of that circle, or so much of the circle as is cut off by the chord; as the segment acb in the Illustration.
3. (Mach.) (a) A piece in the form of the sector of a circle, or part of a ring; as the segment of a sectional fly wheel or flywheel rim. (b) A segment gear.
4. (Biol.) (a) One of the cells or division formed by segmentation, as in egg cleavage or in fissiparous cell formation. (b) One of the divisions, rings, or joints into which many animal bodies are divided; a somite; a metamere; a somatome. Segment gear, a piece for receiving or communicating reciprocating motion from or to a cogwheel, consisting of a sector of a circular gear, or ring, having cogs on the periphery, or face. — Segment of a line, the part of a line contained between two points on it. — Segment of a sphere, the part of a sphere cut off by a plane, or included between two parallel planes. — Ventral segment. (Acoustics) See Loor, n. , 5.
Segmental
Seg•men´tal, a.
1. Relating to, or being, a segment.
2. (Anat. & Zoöl.) (a) Of or pertaining to the segments of animals; as a segmental duct; segmental papillae. (b) Of or pertaining to the segmental organs. Segmental duct (Anat.), the primitive duct of the embryonic excretory organs which gives rise to the Wolffian duct and ureter; the pronephric duct. — Segmental organs. (a) (Anat.) The embryonic excretory organs of vertebrates, consisting primarily of the segmental tubes and segmental ducts. (b) (Zoöl.) The tubular excretory organs, a pair of which often occur in each of several segments in annelids. They serve as renal organs, and often, also as oviducts and sperm ducts. See Illust. under Sipunculacea. — Segmental tubes (Anat.), the tubes which primarily open into the segmental duct, some of which become the urinary tubules of the adult.
Segmentation
Seg•men•ta´tion, n. The act or process of dividing into segments; specifically (Biol.), a self-division into segments as a result of growth; cell cleavage; cell multiplication; endogenous cell formation. Segmentation cavity (Biol.), the cavity formed by the arrangement of the cells in segmentation or cleavage of the ovum; the cavity of the blastosphere. In the gastrula stage, the segmentation cavity in which the mesoblast is formed lies between the entoblast and ectoblast. See Illust. of Invagination. — Segmentation nucleus (Biol.), the body formed by fusion of the male and female pronucleus in an impregnated ovum. See the Note under Pronucleus. — Segmentation of the ovum, or Egg cleavage (Biol.), the process by which the embryos of all the higher plants and animals are derived from the germ cell. In the simplest case, that of small ova destitute of food yolk, the ovum or egg divides into two similar halves or segments (blastomeres), each of these again divides into two, and so on, thus giving rise to a mass of cells (mulberry mass, or morula), all equal and similar, from the growth and development of which the future animal is to be formed. This constitutes regular segmentation. Quite frequently, however, the equality and regularity of cleavage is interfered with by the presence of food yolk, from which results unequal segmentation. See Holoblastic, Meroblastic, Alecithal, Centrolecithal, Ectolecithal, and Ovum. — Segmentation sphere (Biol.), the blastosphere, or morula. See Morula.
Segno
Se´gno, n. [It. See Sign.] (Mus.) A sign. See Al segno, and Dal segno.
Segregate
Seg´re•gate, a. [L. segregatus, p. p. of segregare to separate; pref. se- aside + grex, gregis, a flock or herd. See Gregarious.]
1. Separate; select.
2. (Bot.) Separated from others of the same kind.
Segregate
Seg´re•gate, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Segregated p. pr. & vb. n. Segregating.] To separate from others; to set apart.
"They are still segregated, Christians from Christians, under odious designations." I. Taylor.
Seid, n. [Ar seyid prince.] A descendant of Mohammed through his daughter Fatima and nephew Ali.
Seigh, obs. imp. sing. of See. Saw. Chaucer.
Seigneurial
Seign•eu´ri•al, a. [F., fr. seigneur. See Seignior.]
1. Of or pertaining to the lord of a manor; manorial. Sir W. Temple.
2. Vested with large powers; independent.
Seignior
Seign´ior, n. [OF. seignor, F. seigneur, cf. It. signore, Sp. señor from an objective case of L. senier elder. See Senior.]
1. A lord; the lord of a manor.
2. A title of honor or of address in the South of Europe, corresponding to Sir or Mr. in English. Grand Seignior, the sultan of Turkey.
Seignioralty
Seign´ior•al•ty, n. The territory or authority of a seignior, or lord. Milman.
Seint, n. [See Cincture.] A girdle. [Obs.] "Girt with a seint of silk." Chaucer.
Seise, v. t. See Seize. Spenser. This is the common spelling in the law phrase to be seised of (an estate).
Seisin
Sei´sin, n. See Seizin. Spenser. { Seis´mic, Seis´mal } a. [Gr. seismo•s an earthquake, from sei•ein to shake.] Of or pertaining to an earthquake; caused by an earthquake. Seismic vertical, the point upon the earth’s surface vertically over the center of effort or focal point whence the earthquake’s impulse proceeds, or the vertical line connecting these two points.
Seismographic
Seis•mo•graph´ic, a. Of or pertaining to a seismograph; indicated by a seismograph.
Seismological
Seis•mo•log´ic•al, a. Of or pertaining to seismology. — Seis•mo•log´ic•al•ly, adv.
Seismology
Seis•mol´o•gy, n. [Gr. an earthquake + -logy.] The science of earthquakes.
Seismoscope
Seis´mo•scope, n. [Gr. an earthquake + -scope.] (Physics) A seismometer.
Seity
Se´i•ty, n. [L. se one’s self.] Something peculiar to one’s self. [R.] Tatler.
Seize, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seized p. pr. & vb. n. Seizing.] [OE. seisen, saisen, OF. seisir, saisir, F. saisir, of Teutonic origin, and akin to E. set. The meaning is properly, to set, put, place, hence, to put in possession of. See Set, v. t.]
1. To fall or rush upon suddenly and lay hold of; to gripe or grasp suddenly; to reach and grasp.
"For by no means the high bank he could seize." Spenser.
"Seek you to seize and gripe into your hands
The royalties and rights of banished Hereford?" Shak.
2. To take possession of by force.
"At last they seize
The scepter, and regard not David’s sons." Milton.
3. To invade suddenly; to take sudden hold of; to come upon suddenly; as a fever seizes a patient.
"Hope and deubt alternate seize her seul." Pope.
4. (law) To take possession of by virtue of a warrant or other legal authority; as the sheriff seized the debtor’s goods.
5. To fasten; to fix. [Obs.]
"As when a bear hath seized her cruel claws
Upon the carcass of some beast too weak." Spenser.
6. To grap with the mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly; as to seize an idea.
7. (Naut.) To bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff, as yarn or marline; as to seize ropes. This word, by writers on law, is commonly written seise, in the phrase to be seised of (an estate), as also in composition, disseise, disseisin. To be seized of, to have possession, or right of possession; as A B was seized and possessed of the manor of Dale. "Whom age might see seized of what youth made prize." Chapman. — To seize on or upon, to fall on and grasp; to take hold on; to take possession of suddenly and forcibly.
Syn. — To catch; grasp; clutch; snatch; apprehend; arrest; take; capture.
Seizin
Sei´zin, n. [F. saisine. See Seize.]
1. (Law) Possession; possession of an estate of froehold. It may be either in deed or in law; the former when there is actual possession, the latter when there is a right to such possession by construction of law. In some of the United States seizin means merely ownership. Burrill.
2. The act of taking possession. [Obs.]
3. The thing possessed; property. Sir M. Halle. Commonly spelt by writers on law seisin. Livery of seizin. (Eng. Law) See Note under Livery, 1.
Seizor
Sei´zor, n. (Law) One who seizes, or takes possession.
Sejein
Se•jein´, v. t. [L. sejungere; pref. se- aside + jungere to join. See Join.] To separate. [Obs.]
Sejunction
Se•junc´tion, n. [L. sejunctio. See Sejoin.] The act of disjoining, or the state of being disjoined. [Obs.] Bp. Pearson.
Sejungible
Se•jun´gi•ble, a. [See Sejoin.] Capable of being disjoined. [Obs.] Bp. Pearson.
Selachian
Se•la´chi•an, n. (Zoöl.) One of the Selachii. See Illustration in Appendix.
Selachoidei
Sel•a•choi´de•i, n. pl. [NL. See Selachii, and -oid.] (Zoöl.) Same as Selachii.
Selachostomi
Sel•a•chos´to•mi, n. pl. [NL. See Selachii, and Stoma.] (Zoöl.) A division of ganoid fishes which includes the paddlefish, in which the mouth is armed with small teeth.
Selcouth
Sel´couth (sel"kooth), a. [AS. selcuð, seldcuð; seld rare + cuð known. See Uncouth.] Rarely known; unusual; strange. [Obs.]
"[She] wondered much at his so selcouth case." Spenser.
Seld (seld), a. [See Seldom.] Rare; uncommon; unusual. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.
Seldom
Sel´dom (-dum), adv. [Usually, Compar. More seldom (mor"); superl. Most seldom (most"); but sometimes also Seldomer (-er), Seldomest.] [AS. seldan, seldon, seldum, fr. seld rare; akin to OFries. sielden, D. zelden, G. selten, OHG. seltan, Icel. sjaldan, Dan. sielden, Sw. sällan, Goth. sildaleiks marvelous.] Rarely; not often; not frequently.
"Wisdom and youth are seldom joined in one." Hooker.
Seldom
Sel´dom, a. Rare; infrequent. [Archaic.] "A suppressed and seldom anger." Jer. Taylor.
Seldseen
Seld´seen, a. [AS. seldsiene.] Seldom seen. [Obs.] Drayton.
Seldshewn
Seld´shewn, a. [ Seld + shown.] Rarely shown or exhibited. [Obs.] Shak.
Select
Se•lect´, a. [L. selectus, p. p. of seligere to select; pref. se- aside + levere to gather. See Legend.] Taken from a number by preferance; picked out as more valuable or exellent than others; of special value or exellence; nicely chosen; selected; choice.
"A few select spirits had separated from the crowd, and formed a fit audience round a far greater teacher." Macaulay.
Select
Se•lect´, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Selected; p. pr. & vb. n. Selecting.] To choose and take from a number; to take by preference from among others; to pick out; to cull; as to select the best authors for perusal. "One peculiar nation to select." Milton.
"The pious chief …
A hundred youths from all his train selects." Dryden.
Selection
Se•lec´tion, n. [L. selectio: cf. F. selection.] . The act of selecting, or the state of being selected; choice, by preference.
2. That which is selected; a collection of things chosen; as a choice selection of books. Natural selection. (Biol.) See under Natural.
Selectness
Se•lect´ness, n. The quality or state of being select.
Selenate
Sel´e•nate, n. (Chem.) A salt of selenic acid; — formerly called also seleniate.
Selenograph
Se•le´no•graph, n. A picture or delineation of the moon’s surface, or of any part of it.
Self (self), a. [AS. self, seolf, sylf; akin to OS. self, OFries. self, D. zelf, G. selb, selber, selbst, Dan. selv. Sw. sjelf, Icel. sjalfr, Goth. silba. Cf. Selvage.] Same; particular; very; identical. [Obs., except in the compound selfsame.] "On these self hills." Sir. W. Raleigh.
"To shoot another arrow that self way
Which you did shoot the first." Shak.
"At that self moment enters Palamon." Dryden.
Self-abasing
Self•-a•bas´ing, a. Lowering or humbling one’s self.
Self-abhorrence
Self•-ab•hor´rence, n. Abhorrence of one’s self.
Self-abnegation
Self•-ab•ne•ga´tion, n. Self- denial; self-renunciation; self-sacrifice.
Self-action
Self•-ac´tion, n. Action by, or originating in, one’s self or itself.
Self-activity
Self•-ac•tiv´i•ty, n. The quality or state of being self-active; self-action.
Self-admiration
Self•-ad•mi•ra´tion, n. Admiration of one’s self.
Self-affairs
Self•-af•fairs´, n. pl. One’s own affairs; one’s private business. [Obs.] Shak.
Self-affrighted
Self•-af•fright´ed, a. Frightened at or by one’s self. Shak.
Self-aggrandizement
Self•-ag•gran´dize•ment, n. The aggrandizement of one’s self.
Self-annihilated
Self•-an•ni´hi•la•ted, a. Annihilated by one’s self.
Self-applying
Self•-ap•ply´ing, a. Applying to or by one’s self.
Self-assertive
Self•-as•sert´ive, a. Disposed to self-assertion; self-asserting.
Self-assumed
Self•-as•sumed, a. Assumed by one’s own act, or without authority.
Self-assured
Self•-as•sured, a. Assured by or of one’s self; self-reliant; complacent.
Self-begotten
Self´-be•got´ten, a. Begotten by one’s self, or one’s own powers.
Self-centration
Self•-cen•tra´tion, n. The quality or state of being self-centered.
Self-command
Self•-com•mand´, n. Control over one’s own feelings, temper, etc.; self-control.
Self-communicative
Self•-com•mu´ni•ca•tive, a. Imparting or communicating by its own powers.
Self-communion
Self•-com•mun´ion, n. Communion with one’s self; thoughts about one’s self.
Self-complacency
Self•-com•pla´cen•cy, n. The quality of being self-complacent. J. Foster.
Self-conceit
Self•-con•ceit´, n. Conceit of one’s self; an overweening opinion of one’s powers or endowments.
Syn. — See Egotism.
Self-condemnation
Self•-con•dem•na´tion, n. Condemnation of one’s self by one’s own judgment.
Self-consciousness
Self•-con´scious•ness, n. The quality or state of being self-conscious.
Self-considering
Self•-con•sid´er•ing, a. Considering in one’s own mind; deliberating. Pope.
Self-consistency
Self•-con•sist´en•cy, n. The quality or state of being self-consistent.
Self-consuming
Self•-con•sum´ing, a. Consuming one’s self or itself.
Self-contradictory
Self•-con•tra•dict´o•ry, a. Contradicting one’s self or itself.
Self-created
Self•-cre•at´ed, a. Created by one’s self; not formed or constituted by another.
Self-culture
Self•-cul´ture, n. Culture, training, or education of one’s self by one’s own efforts.
Self-delation
Self•-de•la´tion, n. Accusation of one’s self. [R.] Milman.
Self-dependent
Self•-de•pend´ent, a. Dependent on one’s self; self-depending; self-reliant.
Self-depending
Self•-de•pend´ing, a. Depending on one’s self.
Self-depraved
Self•-de•praved´, a. Corrupted or depraved by one’s self. Milton.
Self-destroyer
Self•-de•stroy´er, n. One who destroys himself; a suicide.
Self-destruction
Self•-de•struc´tion, n. The destruction of one’s self; self-murder; suicide. Milton.
Self-devoted
Self•-de•vot´ed, a. Devoted in person, or by one’s own will. Hawthorne.
Self-devouring
Self•-de•vour´ing, a. Devouring one’s self or itself. Danham.
Self-diffusive
Self•-dif•fu´sive, a. Having power to diffuse itself; diffusing itself. Norris.
Self-distrust
Self•-dis•trust´, n. Want of confidence in one’ self; diffidence.
Self-enjoyment
Self•-en•joy´ment, n. Enjoyment of one’s self; self-satisfaction.
Self-esteem
Self•-es•teem´, n. The holding a good opinion of one’s self; self-complacency.
Self-estimation
Self•-es•ti•ma´tion, n. The act of estimating one’s self; self-esteem.
Self-evidence
Self•-ev´i•dence, n. The quality or state of being self-evident. Locke.
Self-exposure
Self•-ex•po´sure, n. The act of exposing one’s self; the state of being so exposed.
Self-fertilized
Self•-fer´ti•lized, a. (Bot.) Fertilized by pollen from the same flower.
Self-glorious
Self•-glo´ri•ous, a. Springing from vainglory or vanity; vain; boastful. Dryden.
Self-gratulation
Self•-grat•u•la´tion, n. Gratulation of one’s self.
Self-heal
Self•-heal´, n. (Bot.) A blue-flowered labiate plant ( Brunella vulgaris); the healall.
Self-healing
Self•-heal´ing, a. Having the power or property of healing itself.
Self-help
Self•-help´, n. The act of aiding one’s self, without depending on the aid of others.
Self-homicide
Self•-hom´i•cide, n. The act of killing one’s self; suicide. Hakewill.
Self-ignorance
Self•-ig´no•rance, n. Ignorance of one’s own character, powers, and limitations.
Self-imparting
Self•-im•part´ing, a. Imparting by one’s own, or by its own, powers and will. Norris.
Self-imposed
Self•-im•posed´, a. Voluntarily taken on one’s self; as self-imposed tasks.
Self-imposture
Self•-im•pos´ture, n. Imposture practiced on one’s self; self-deceit. South.
Self-indignation
Self•-in•dig•na´tion, n. Indignation at one’s own character or actions. Baxter.
Self-indulgent
Self•-in•dul´gent, a. Indulging one’s appetites, desires, etc., freely.
Self-interest
Self•-in´ter•est, n. Private interest; the interest or advantage of one’s self.
Self-interested
Self•-in´ter•est•ed, a. Particularly concerned for one’s own interest or happiness.
Selfishly
Self´ish•ly, adv. In a selfish manner; with regard to private interest only or chiefly.
Selfishness
Self´ish•ness, n. The quality or state of being selfish; exclusive regard to one’s own interest or happiness; that supreme self-love or self-preference which leads a person to direct his purposes to the advancement of his own interest, power, or happiness, without regarding those of others.
"Selfishness, — a vice utterly at variance with the happiness of him who harbors it, and, as such, condemned by self- love." Sir J. Mackintosh.
Syn. — See Self-love.
Selfism
Self´ism, n. Concentration of one’s interests on one’s self; self-love; selfishness. Emerson.
Self-justifier
Self•-jus´ti•fi•er, n. One who excuses or justifies himself. J. M. Mason.
Self-kindled
Self•-kin´dled, a. Kindled of itself, or without extraneous aid or power. Dryden.
Selflessness
Self´less•ness, n. Quality or state of being selfless.
Self-love
Self•-love, n. The love of one’s self; desire of personal happiness; tendency to seek one’s own benefit or advantage. Shak.
"Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul." Pope.
Syn. — Selfishness. — Self-love, Selfishness. The term self-love is used in a twofold sense: 1. It denotes that longing for good or for well- being which actuates the breasts of all, entering into and characterizing every special desire. In this sense it has no moral quality, being, from the nature of the case, neither good nor evil. 2. It is applied to a voluntary regard for the gratification of special desires. In this sense it is morally good or bad according as these desires are conformed to duty or opposed to it. Selfishness is always voluntary and always wrong, being that regard to our own interests, gratification, etc., which is sought or indulged at the expense, and to the injury, of others. "So long as self-love does not degenerate into selfishness, it is quite compatible with true benevolence." Fleming. "Not only is the phrase self-love used as synonymous with the desire of happiness, but it is often confounded with the word selfishness, which certainly, in strict propriety, denotes a very different disposition of mind." Slewart.
Self-mettle
Self´-met•tle, n. Inborn mettle or courage; one’s own temper. [Obs.] Shak.
Self-moved
Self•-moved´, a. Moved by inherent power., without the aid of external impulse.
Self-moving
Self•-mov´ing, a. Moving by inherent power, without the aid of external impulse.
Self-originating
Self•-o•rig´i•na•ting, a. Beginning with, or springing from, one’s self.
Self-perplexed
Self•-per•plexed´, a. Perplexed by doubts originating in one’s own mind.
Self-possessed
Self´-pos•sessed´, a. Composed or tranquil in mind, manner, etc.; undisturbed.
Self-propagating
Self•-prop´a•ga•ting, a. Propagating by one’s self or by itself.
Self-regulated
Self•-reg´u•la•ted, a. Regulated by one’s self or by itself.
Self-regulative
Self•-reg´u•la•tive, a. Tending or serving to regulate one’s self or itself. Whewell.
Self-reliance
Self•-re•li´ance, n. Reliance on one’s own powers or judgment; self-trust.
Self-reliant
Self•-re•li´ant, a. Reliant upon one’s self; trusting to one’s own powers or judgment.
Self-repellency
Self•-re•pel´len•cy, n. The quality or state of being self-repelling.
Self-reproached
Self•-re•proached´, a. Reproached by one’s own conscience or judgment.
Self-reproaching
Self•-re•proach´ing, a. Reproaching one’s self. — Self•-re•proach´ing•ly, adv.
Self-reproved
Self•-re•proved´, a. Reproved by one’s own conscience or one’s own sense of guilt.
Self-reproving
Self•-re•prov´ing, a. Reproving one’s self; reproving by consciousness of guilt.
Self-reprovingly
Self•-re•prov´ing•ly, adv. In a self-reproving way.
Self-repugnant
Self•-re•pug´nant, a. Self- contradictory; inconsistent. Brougham.
Self-restraint
Self•-re•straint´, n. Restraint over one’s self; self-control; self-command.
Self-reverence
Self•-rev´er•ence, n. A reverent respect for one’s self. Tennyson.
Self-righteous
Self•-right´eous, a. Righteous in one’s own esteem; pharisaic.
Self-satisfaction
Self•-sat•is•fac´tion, n. The quality or state of being self-satisfied.
Self-satisfied
Self•-sat´is•fied, a. Satisfied with one’s self or one’s actions; self-complacent.
Self-satisfying
Self•-sat´is•fy•ing, a. Giving satisfaction to one’s self.
Self-seeker
Self´-seek•er, n. One who seeks only his own interest, advantage, or pleasure.
Self-seeking
Self´-seek•ing, a. Seeking one’s own interest or happiness; selfish. Arbuthnot.
Self-sufficiency
Self•-suf•fi´cien•cy, n. The quality or state of being self-sufficient.
Self-suspended
Self•-sus•pend´ed, a. Suspended by one’s self or by itself; balanced. Southey.
Self-suspicious
Self•-sus•pi´cious, a. Suspicious or distrustful of one’s self. Baxter.
Self-tormentor
Self•-tor•ment´or, n. One who torments himself.
Self-trust
Self´-trust, n. Faith in one’s self; self-reliance.
Self-willedness
Self•-willed´ness, n. Obstinacy. Sir W. Scott.
Self-worship
Self´-wor•ship, n. The idolizing of one’s self; immoderate self-conceit.
Self-wrong
Self´-wrong, n. Wrong done by a person himself. Shak.
Sell (sel), n. Self. [Obs. or Scot.] B. Jonson.
Sell, n. A sill. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Sell, n. A cell; a house. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Sell, n. [F. selle, L. sella, akin to sedere to sit. See Sit.]
1. A saddle for a horse. [Obs.]
"He left his lofty steed with golden self." Spenser.
2. A throne or lofty seat. [Obs.] Fairfax.
Sell, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sold p. pr. & vb. n. Selling.] [OE. sellen, sillen, AS. sellan, syllan, to give, to deliver; akin to OS. sellian, OFries. sella, OHG. sellen, Icel. selja to hand over, to sell, Sw. sälja to sell, Dan. slge, Goth. saljan to offer a sacrifice; all from a noun akin to E. sale. Cf. Sale.]
1. To transfer to another for an equivalent; to give up for a valuable consideration; to dispose of in return for something, especially for money.
"If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor." Matt. xix. 21.
"I am changed; I’ll go sell all my land." Shak. Sell is corellative to buy, as one party buys what the other sells. It is distinguished usually from exchange or barter, in which one commodity is given for another; whereas in selling the consideration is usually money, or its representative in current notes.
2. To make a matter of bargain and sale of; to accept a price or reward for, as for a breach of duty, trust, or the like; to betray.
"You would have sold your king to slaughter." Shak.
3. To impose upon; to trick; to deceive; to make a fool of; to cheat. [Slang] Dickens. To sell one’s life dearly, to cause much loss to those who take one’s life, as by killing a number of one’s assailants. — To sell (anything) out, to dispose of it wholly or entirely; as he had sold out his corn, or his interest in a business.
Sell, n. An imposition; a cheat; a hoax. [Colloq.] { Sel´lan•ders, Sel´len•ders } n. pl. (Far.) See Sallenders.
Seltzo-gene
Selt´zo-gene, n. [ Seltzer water + the root of Gr. to be born.] A gazogene. { Sel´vage, Sel´vedge }, n. [ Self + edge, i. e., its own proper edge; cf. OD. selfegge.]
1. The edge of cloth which is woven in such a manner as to prevent raveling.
2. The edge plate of a lock, through which the bolt passes. Knight.
3. (Mining.) A layer of clay or decomposed rock along the wall of a vein. See Gouge, n. , 4. Raymond. { Sel´vaged, Sel´vedged }, a. Having a selvage.
Semaeostomata
Se•mae•o•stom´a•ta, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. a military standard +,, mouth.] (Zoöl.) A division of Discophora having large free mouth lobes. It includes Aurelia, and Pelagia. Called also Semeostoma. See Illust. . under Discophora, and Medusa.
Semaphorically
Sem•a•phor´ic•al•ly, adv. By means of a semaphore.
Semaphorist
Se•maph´o•rist, n. One who manages or operates a semaphore.
Semblable
Sem´bla•ble, a. [F., from sembler to seem, resemble, L. similare, simulare. See Simulate.] Like; similar; resembling. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Semblance
Sem´blance, n. [F. See Semblable, a. ]
1. Seeming; appearance; show; figure; form.
"Thier semblance kind, and mild their gestures were." Fairfax.
2. Likeness; resemblance, actual or apparent; similitude; as the semblance of worth; semblance of virtue.
"Only semblances or imitations of shells." Woodward.
Semblative
Sem´bla•tive, a. Resembling. [Obs.]
"And all is semblative a woman’s part." Shak.
Semble
Sem´ble, v. i. [F. sembler. See Semblable, a. ]
1. To imitate; to make a representation or likeness. [Obs.]
"Where sembling art may carve the fair effect." Prior.
2. (Law) It seems; — chiefly used impersonally in reports and judgments to express an opinion in reference to the law on some point not necessary to be decided, and not intended to be definitely settled in the cause.
Sembling
Sem´bling, n. [Cf. Assemble.] (Zoöl.) The practice of attracting the males of Lepidoptera or other insects by exposing the female confined in a cage. It is often adopted by collectors in order to procure specimens of rare species.
Semele
Sem´e•le, n. [L., fr. Gr. .] (Gr. Myth.) A daughter of Cadmus, and by Zeus mother of Bacchus.
Semen
Se´men, n. ; pl. Semina (#). [L., from the root of serere, satum, to sow. See Sow to scatter seed.]
1. (Bot.) The seed of plants.
2. (Physiol.) The seed or fecundating fluid of male animals; sperm. It is a white or whitish viscid fluid secreted by the testes, characterized by the presence of spermatozoids to which it owes its generative power. Semen contra, or Semen cinae or cynae, a strong aromatic, bitter drug, imported from Aleppo and Barbary, said to consist of the leaves, peduncles, and unexpanded flowers of various species of Artemisia; wormseed.
Semi-
Sem´i- [L. semi; akin to Gr., Skr. sami-, AS. sam-, and prob. to E. same, from the division into two parts of the same size. Cf. Hemi-, Sandelend.] A prefix signifying half, and sometimes partly or imperfectly; as semiannual, half yearly; semitransparent, imperfectly transparent. The prefix semi is joined to another word either with the hyphen or without it. In this book the hyphen is omitted except before a capital letter; as semiacid, semiaquatic, semi-Arian, semiaxis, semicalcareous.
Semi circumference
Sem•i cir•cum"fer•ence, n. Half of a circumference.
Semi crustaceous
Sem•i crus•ta"ceous, a. Half crustaceous; partially crustaceous.
Semiangle
Sem´i•an•gle, n. (Geom.) The half of a given, or measuring, angle.
Semiannular
Sem•i•an´nu•lar, a. Having the figure of a half circle; forming a semicircle. Grew.
Semi-Arian
Sem•i-A´ri•an, n. [See Arian.] (Eccl. Hist.) A member of a branch of the Arians which did not acknowledge the Son to be consubstantial with the Father, that is, of the same substance, but admitted him to be of a like substance with the Father, not by nature, but by a peculiar privilege.
Semi-Arian
Sem´i-A´ri•an, a. Of or pertaining to Semi-Arianism.
Semi-Arianism
Sem•i-A´ri•an•ism, n. The doctrines or tenets of the Semi-Arians.
Semiaxis
Sem•i•ax´is, n. (Geom.) One half of the axis of an llipse or other figure.
Semibarbarian
Sem•i•bar•ba´ri•an, a. Half barbarous; partially civilized. — n. One partly civilized.
Semibarbaric
Sem•i•bar•bar´ic, a. Half barbarous or uncivilized; as semibarbaric display.
Semibarbarism
Sem•i•bar´ba•rism, n. The quality or state of being half barbarous or uncivilized.
Semicalcareous
Sem•i•cal•ca´re•ous, a. Half or partially calcareous; as a semicalcareous plant.
Semicalcined
Sem•i•cal•cined´, a. Half calcined; as semicalcined iron.
Semicastrate
Sem•i•cas´trate, v. t. To deprive of one testicle. — Sem•i•cas•tra´tion (#), n.
Semicentennial
Sem•i•cen•ten´ni•al, n. A fiftieth anniversary.
Semi-Christianized
Sem•i-Chris´tian•ized, a. Half Christianized.
Semicircular
Sem•i•cir´cu•lar, a. Having the form of half of a circle. Addison. Semicircular canals (Anat.), certain canals of the inner ear. See under Ear.
Semicirque
Sem´i•cirque, n. A semicircular hollow or opening among trees or hills. Wordsworth.
Semicolumn
Sem´i•col•umn, n. A half column; a column bisected longitudinally, or along its axis.
Semicompact
Sem•i•com•pact´, a. Half compact; imperfectly indurated.
Semiconscious
Sem•i•con´scious, a. Half conscious; imperfectly conscious. De Quincey.
Semicope
Sem´i•cope, n. A short cope, or an inferier kind of cope. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Semideistical
Sem•i•de•is´tic•al, a. Half deisticsl; bordering on deism. S. Miller.
Semidemiquaver
Sem•i•dem´i•qua•ver, n. (Mus.) A demisemiquaver; a thirty-second note.
Semidiapason
Sem•i•di•a•pa´son, n. (Mus.) An imperfect octave.
Semidiapente
Sem•i•di•a•pen´te, n. (Mus.) An imperfect or diminished fifth. Busby.
Semidiaphaneity
Sem•i•di•a•pha•ne´i•ty, n. Half or imperfect transparency; translucency. [R.] Boyle.
Semidiaphanous
Sem•i•di•aph´a•nous, a. Half or imperfectly transparent; translucent. Woodward.
Semidiatessaron
Sem•i•di•a•tes´sa•ron, n. (Mus.) An imperfect or diminished fourth. [R.]
Semiditone
Sem•i•di´tone, n. [Pref. semi- + ditone: cf. It. semiditono. Cf. Hemiditone.] (Gr. Mus.) A lesser third, having its terms as 6 to 5; a hemiditone. [R.]
Semidouble
Sem´i•dou•ble, n. (Eccl.) An office or feast celebrated with less solemnity than the double ones. See Double, n. , 8.
Semiflosculous
Sem•i•flos´cu•lous, a. (Bot.) Having all the florets ligulate, as in the dandelion.
Semifluid
Sem•i•flu´id, a. Imperfectly fluid. — n. A semifluid substance.
Semiformed
Sem´i•formed, a. Half formed; imperfectly formed; as semiformed crystals.
Semihistorical
Sem•i•his•tor´i•cal, a. Half or party historical. Sir G. C. Lewis.
Semiindurated
Sem•i•in´du•ra•ted, a. Imperfectly indurated or hardened.
Semilapidified
Sem•i•la•pid´i•fied, a. Imperfectly changed into stone. Kirwan.
Semilens
Sem´i•lens, n. (Opt.) The half of a lens divided along a plane passing through its axis.
Semiliquidity
Sem•i•li•quid´i•ty, n. The quality or state of being semiliquid; partial liquidity.
Semilogical
Sem•i•log´ic•al, a. Half logical; partly logical; said of fallacies. Whately.
Semilor
Sem´i•lor, n. [Cf. G. similor, semilor.] A yellowish alloy of copper and zinc. See Simplor.
Semilunar
Sem•i•lu´nar, a. Shaped like a half moon. Semilunar bone (Anat.), a bone of the carpus; the lunar. See Lunar, n. — Semilunar, or Sigmoid, valves (Anat.), the valves at the beginning of the aorta and of the pulmonary artery which prevent the blood from flowing back into the ventricle.
Semimute
Sem•i•mute´, a. Having the faculty of speech but imperfectly developed or partially lost.
Seminal
Sem´i•nal, a. [L. seminalis, fr. semen, seminis, seed, akin to serere to sow: cf. F. seminal. See Sow to scatter seed.]
1. Pertaining to, containing, or consisting of, seed or semen; as the seminal fluid.
2. Contained in seed; holding the relation of seed, source, or first principle; holding the first place in a series of developed results or consequents; germinal; radical; primary; original; as seminal principles of generation; seminal virtue.
"The idea of God is, beyond all question or comparison, the one great seminal principle." Hare. Seminal leaf (Bot.), a seed leaf, or cotyleden. — Seminal receptacle. (Zoöl.) Same as Spermatheca.
Seminar
Sem•i•nar´, n. [G. See Seminary, n. ] A group of students engaged, under the guidance of an instructor, in original research in a particular line of study, and in the exposition of the results by theses, lectures, etc.; — called also seminary.
Seminary
Sem´i•na•ry, n. ; pl. Seminaries (#). [L. seminarium, fr. seminarius belonging to seed, fr. semon, seminis, seed. See Seminal.]
1. A piece of ground where seed is sown for producing plants for transplantation; a nursery; a seed plat. [Obs.] Mortimer.
"But if you draw them [seedling] only for the thinning of your seminary, prick them into some empty beds." Evelyn.
2. Hence, the place or original stock whence anything is brought or produced. [Obs.] Woodward.
3. A place of education, as a scool of a high grade, an academy, college, or university.
4. Seminal state. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
5. Fig.: A seed bed; a source. [Obs.] Harvey.
6. A Roman Catholic priest educated in a foreign seminary; a seminarist. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.
Seminary
Sem´i•na•ry, a. [L. seminarius.] Belonging to seed; seminal. [R.]
Seminate
Sem´i•nate, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Seminated p. pr. & vb. n. Seminating.] [L. seminatus, p. p. of seminare to sow, fr. semen, seminis, seed.] To sow; to spread; to propagate. [R.] Waterhouse.
Semined
Sem´ined, a. [See Semen.] Thickly covered or sown, as with seeds. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Seminification
Sem•i•ni•fi•ca´tion, n. Propagation from seed. [R.] Sir M. Hale.
Semioccasionally
Sem•i•oc•ca´sion•al•ly, adv. Once in a while; on rare occasions. [Colloq. U. S.]
Semiofficial
Sem•i•of•fi´cial, a. Half official; having some official authority or importance; as a semiofficial statement. — Sem•i•of•fi´cial•ly, adv. { Se•mi•og´ra•phy, Se•mi•ol´o•gy, Se•mi•o•log´ic•al }. Same as Semeiography, Semeiology, Semeiological.
Semiopal
Sem´i•o•pal, n. (Min.) A variety of opal not possessing opalescence.
Semiopaque
Sem•i•o•paque´, a. Half opaque; only half transparent.
Semiorbicular
Sem•i•or•bic´u•lar, a. Having the shape of a half orb or sphere.
Semioxygenated
Sem•i•ox´y•gen•a•ted, a. Combined with oxygen only in part. Kirwan.
Semipagan
Sem•i•pa´gan, a. Half pagan. { Sem•i•pal´mate, Sem•i•pal´ma•ted } a. (Zoöl.) Having the anterior toes joined only part way down with a web; half-webbed; as a semipalmate bird or foot. See Illust. k under Aves.
Semi-Pelagian
Sem•i-Pe•la´gi•an, a. Of or pertaining to the Semi-Pelagians, or their tenets.
Semipermanent
Sem•i•per´ma•nent, n. Half or partly permanent.
Semiprecious
Sem•i•pre´cious (-presh"us), a. Somewhat precious; as semiprecious stones or metals.
Semiproof
Sem´i•proof, n. Half proof; evidence from the testimony of a single witness. [Obs.] Bailey.
Semispheroidal
Sem•i•sphe•roid´al, a. Formed like a half spheroid.
Semita
Sem´i•ta, n. ; pl. Semitae. [L., a path.] (Zoöl.) A fasciole of a spatangoid sea urchin.
Semitangent
Sem´i•tan•gent, n. (Geom.) The tangent of half an arc.
Semite
Sem´ite, n. One belonging to the Semitic race. Also used adjectively. [Written also Shemite.]
Semitism
Sem´i•tism, n. A Semitic idiom; a word of Semitic origin. [Written also Shemitism.]
Semitone
Sem´i•tone, n. [Pref. semi- + tone. CF. Hemitone.] (Mus.) Half a tone; — the name commonly applied to the smaller intervals of the diatonic scale. There is an impropriety in the use of this word, and half step is now preferred. See Tone. J. S. Dwight.
Semitonic
Sem•i•ton´ic, a. Of or pertaining to a semitone; consisting of a semitone, or of semitones.
Semitontine
Sem•i•ton•tine´, a. (LIfe Insurance) Lit., half-tontine; — used to designate a form of tontine life insurance. See Tontine insurance. — Sem•i•ton•tine´, n.
Semitranslucent
Sem•i•trans•lu´cent, a. Slightly clear; transmitting light in a slight degree.
Semitransparency
Sem•i•trans•par´en•cy, n. Imperfect or partial transparency.
Semitransparent
Sem•i•trans•par´ent, a. Half or imperfectly transparent.
Semiverticillate
Sem•i•ver•tic´il•late, a. Partially verticillate.
Semivif
Sem´i•vif, a. [L. semivivus.] Only half alive. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
Semivitrified
Sem•i•vit´ri•fied, a. Half or imperfectly vitrified; partially converted into glass.
Semivocal
Sem•i•vo´cal, a. (Phon.) Of or pertaining to a semivowel; half cocal; imperfectly sounding.
Semolina
Sem•o•li´na, n. [It. semolino, from semola bran, L. simila the finest wheat flour. Cf. Semoule, Simnel.] The fine, hard parts of wheat, rounded by the attrition of the millstones, — used in cookery.
Sempre
Sem´pre, adv. [It., fr. L. semper.] (Mus.) Always; throughout; as sempre piano, always soft.
Sen, n. A Japanese coin, worth about one half of a cent.
Sen, adv., prep., & conj. [See Since.] Since. [Obs.]
Senary
Sen´a•ry, a. [L. senarius, fr. seni six each, fr. sex six. See Six.] Of six; belonging to six; containing six. Dr. H. More.
Senate
Sen´ate, n. [OE. senat, F. senat, fr. L. senatus, fr. senex, gen. senis, old, an old man. See Senior, Sir.]
1. An assembly or council having the highest deliberative and legislative functions. Specifically: (a) (Anc. Rom.) A body of elders appointed or elected from among the nobles of the nation, and having supreme legislative authority.
"The senate was thus the medium through which all affairs of the whole government had to pass." Dr. W. Smith. (b) The upper and less numerous branch of a legislature in various countries, as in France, in the United States, in most of the separate States of the United States, and in some Swiss cantons. (c) In general, a legislative body; a state council; the legislative department of government.
2. The governing body of the Universities of Cambridge and London. [Eng.]
3. In some American colleges, a council of elected students, presided over by the president of the college, to which are referred cases of discipline and matters of general concern affecting the students. [U. S.] Senate chamber, a room where a senate meets when it transacts business. — Senate house, a house where a senate meets when it transacts business.
Senatorship
Sen´a•tor•ship, n. The office or dignity of a senator. Carew.
Senatusconsult
Se•na•tus•con•sult´, n. [L. senatus consultum.] A decree of the Roman senate.
Send, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sent ; p. pr. & vb. n. Sending.] [AS. sendan; akin to OS. sendian, D. zenden, G. senden, OHG. senten, Icel. senda, Sw. sända, Dan. sende, Goth. sandjan, and to Goth. sinp a time (properly, a going), ga sinpa companion, OHG. sind journey, AS. si, Icel. sinni a walk, journey, a time. W. hynt a way, journey, OIr. st. Cf. Sense.]
1. To cause to go in any manner; to dispatch; to commission or direct to go; as to send a messenger.
"I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran." Jer. xxiii. 21.
"I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." John viii. 42.
"Servants, sent on messages, stay out somewhat longer than the message requires." Swift.
2. To give motion to; to cause to be borne or carried; to procure the going, transmission, or delivery of; as to send a message.
"He … sent letters by posts on horseback." Esther viii. 10.
"O send out thy light an thy truth; let them lead me." Ps. xliii. 3.
3. To emit; to impel; to cast; to throw; to hurl; as to send a ball, an arrow, or the like.
4. To cause to be or to happen; to bestow; to inflict; to grant; — sometimes followed by a dependent proposition. "God send him well!" Shak.
"The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke." Deut. xxviii. 20.
"And sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matt. v. 45.
"God send your mission may bring back peace." Sir W. Scott.
Senecas
Sen´e•cas, n. pl.; sing. Seneca . (Ethnol.) A tribe of Indians who formerly inhabited a part of Western New York. This tribe was the most numerous and most warlike of the Five Nations. Seneca grass (Bot.), holy grass. See under Holy. — Seneca eil, petroleum or naphtha. — Seneca root, or Seneca snakeroot (Bot.), the rootstock of an American species of milkworth ( Polygala Senega) having an aromatic but bitter taste. It is often used medicinally as an expectorant and diuretic, and, in large doses, as an emetic and cathartic. [Written also Senega root, and Seneka root.]
Senescence
Se•nes´cence, n. [See Senescent.] The state of growing old; decay by time.
Seneschal
Sen´es•chal, n. [OF. seneschal, LL. seniscalcus, of Teutonic origin; cf. Goth. sineigs old, skalks, OHG. scalch, AS. scealc. Cf. Senior, Marshal.] An officer in the houses of princes and dignitaries, in the Middle Ages, who had the superintendence of feasts and domestic ceremonies; a steward. Sometimes the seneschal had the dispensing of justice, and was given high military commands.
"Then marshaled feast
Served up in hall with sewers and seneschale." Milton.
"Philip Augustus, by a famous ordinance in 1190, first established royal courts of justice, held by the officers called baitiffs, or seneschals, who acted as the king’s lieutenants in his demains." Hallam.
Seneschalship
Sen´es•chal•ship, n. The office, dignity, or jurisdiction of a seneschal.
Senhor
Se•nhor´, n. [Pg. Cf. Señor, Senior.] A Portuguese title of courtesy corresponding to the Spanish señor or the English Mr. or sir; also a gentleman.
Senhora
Se•nho´ra, n. [Pg. Cf. Señora.] A Portuguese title of courtesy given to a lady; Mrs.; Madam; also a lady.
Senile
Se´nile, a. [L. senilis, from senex, gen. senis, old, an old man: cf. F. senile. See Senior.] Of or pertaining to old age; proceeding from, or characteristic of, old age; affected with the infirmities of old age; as senile weakness. "Senile maturity of judgment." Boyle. Senile gangrene (Med.), a form of gangrene occuring particularly in old people, and caused usually by insufficient blood supply due to degeneration of the walls of the smaller arteries.
Senility
Se•nil´i•ty, n. [Cf. F. senilite.] The quality or state of being senile; old age.
Senior
Sen´ior, a. [L. senior, compar. of senex, gen. senis, old. See Sir.]
1. More advanced than another in age; prior in age; elder; hence, more advanced in dignity, rank, or office; superior; as senior member; senior counsel.
2. Belonging to the final year of the regular course in American colleges, or in professional schools.
Seniority
Sen•ior´i•ty, n. The quality or state of being senior.
Seniorize
Sen´ior•ize, v. i. To exercise authority; to rule; to lord it. [R.] Fairfax.
Senna
Sen´na, n. [Cf. It. & Sp. sena, Pg. sene, F. sene; all fr. Ar. sana.]
1. (Med.) The leaves of several leguminous plants of the genus Cassia. ( C. acutifolia, C. angustifolia, etc.). They constitute a valuable but nauseous cathartic medicine.
2. (Bot.) The plants themselves, native to the East, but now cultivated largely in the south of Europe and in the West Indies. Bladder senna. (Bot.) See under Bladder. — Wild senna (Bot.), the Cassia Marilandica, growing in the United States, the leaves of which are used medicinally, like those of the officinal senna.
Sennet
Sen´net, n. [Properly, a sign given for the entrance or exit of actors, from OF. sinet, signet, dim. of signe. See Signet.] A signal call on a trumpet or cornet for entrance or exit on the stage. [Obs.]
Señor
Se•ñor", n. [Sp. Cf. Senior.] A Spanish title of courtesy corresponding to the English Mr. or Sir; also a gentleman.
Señora
Se•ño"ra, n. [Sp.] A Spanish title of courtesy given to a lady; Mrs.; Madam; also a lady.
Sens, adv. [See Since.] Since. [Obs.] Spenser.
Sensate
Sen´sate, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sensated p. pr. & vb. n. Sensating.] [See Sensated.] To feel or apprehend more or less distinctly through a sense, or the senses; as to sensate light, or an odor.
"As those of the one are sensated by the ear, so those of the other are by the eye." R. Hooke. { Sen´sate, Sen´sa•ted } a. [L. sensatus gifted with sense, intelligent, fr. sensus sense. See Sense.] Felt or apprehended through a sense, or the senses. [R.] Baxter.
Sensation
Sen•sa´tion, n. [Cf. F. sensation. See Sensate.]
1. (Physiol.) An impression, or the consciousness of an impression, made upon the central nervous organ, through the medium of a sensory or afferent nerve or one of the organs of sense; a feeling, or state of consciousness, whether agreeable or disagreeable, produced either by an external object (stimulus), or by some change in the internal state of the body.
"Perception is only a special kind of knowledge, and sensation a special kind of feeling… . Knowledge and feeling, perception and sensation, though always coexistent, are always in the inverse ratio of each other." Sir W. Hamilton.
2. A purely spiritual or psychical affection; agreeable or disagreeable feelings occasioned by objects that are not corporeal or material.
3. A state of excited interest or feeling, or that which causes it.
"The sensation caused by the appearance of that work is still remembered by many." Brougham.
Syn. — Perception. — Sensation, Perseption. The distinction between these words, when used in mental philosophy, may be thus stated; if I simply smell a rose, I have a sensation; if I refer that smell to the external object which occasioned it, I have a perception. Thus, the former is mere feeling, without the idea of an object; the latter is the mind’s apprehension of some external object as occasioning that feeling. "Sensation properly expresses that change in the state of the mind which is produced by an impression upon an organ of sense (of which change we can conceive the mind to be conscious, without any knowledge of external objects). Perception, on the other hand, expresses the knowledge or the intimations we obtain by means of our sensations concerning the qualities of matter, and consequently involves, in every instance, the notion of externality, or outness, which it is necessary to exclude in order to seize the precise import of the word sensation." Fleming.
Sense (sens), n. [L. sensus, from sentire, sensum, to perceive, to feel, from the same root as E. send; cf. OHG. sin sense, mind, sinnan to go, to journey, G. sinnen to meditate, to think: cf. F. sens. For the change of meaning cf. See, v. t. See Send, and cf. Assent, Consent, Scent, v. t., Sentence, Sentient.]
1. (Physiol.) A faculty, possessed by animals, of perceiving external objects by means of impressions made upon certain organs (sensory or sense organs) of the body, or of perceiving changes in the condition of the body; as the senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. See Muscular sense, under Muscular, and Temperature sense, under Temperature.
"Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep." Shak.
"What surmounts the reach
Of human sense I shall delineate." Milton.
"The traitor Sense recalls
The soaring soul from rest." Keble.
2. Perception by the sensory organs of the body; sensation; sensibility; feeling.
"In a living creature, though never so great, the sense and the affects of any one part of the body instantly make a transcursion through the whole." Bacon.
3. Perception through the intellect; apprehension; recognition; understanding; discernment; appreciation.
"This Basilius, having the quick sense of a lover." Sir P. Sidney.
"High disdain from sense of injured merit." Milton.
4. Sound perception and reasoning; correct judgment; good mental capacity; understanding; also that which is sound, true, or reasonable; rational meaning. "He speaks sense." Shak.
"He raves; his words are loose
As heaps of sand, and scattering wide from sense." Dryden.
5. That which is felt or is held as a sentiment, view, or opinion; judgment; notion; opinion.
"I speak my private but impartial sense
With freedom." Roscommon.
"The municipal council of the city had ceased to speak the sense of the citizens." Macaulay.
6. Meaning; import; signification; as the true sense of words or phrases; the sense of a remark.
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense." Neh. viii. 8.
"I think ’t was in another sense." Shak.
7. Moral perception or appreciation.
"Some are so hardened in wickedness as to have no sense of the most friendly offices." L’ Estrange.
8. (Geom.) One of two opposite directions in which a line, surface, or volume, may be supposed to be described by the motion of a point, line, or surface. Common sense, according to Sir W. Hamilton: (a) "The complement of those cognitions or convictions which we receive from nature, which all men possess in common, and by which they test the truth of knowledge and the morality of actions." (b) "The faculty of first principles." These two are the philosophical significations. (c) "Such ordinary complement of intelligence, that,if a person be deficient therein, he is accounted mad or foolish." (d) When the substantive is emphasized: "Native practical intelligence, natural prudence, mother wit, tact in behavior, acuteness in the observation of character, in contrast to habits of acquired learning or of speculation." — Moral sense. See under Moral, (a). — The inner, or internal, sense, capacity of the mind to be aware of its own states; consciousness; reflection. "This source of ideas every man has wholly in himself, and though it be not sense, as having nothing to do with external objects, yet it is very like it, and might properly enough be called internal sense." Locke. — Sense capsule (Anat.), one of the cartilaginous or bony cavities which inclose, more or less completely, the organs of smell, sight, and hearing. — Sense organ (Physiol.), a specially irritable mechanism by which some one natural force or form of energy is enabled to excite sensory nerves; as the eye, ear, an end bulb or tactile corpuscle, etc. - - Sense organule (Anat.), one of the modified epithelial cells in or near which the fibers of the sensory nerves terminate.
Syn. — Understanding; reason. — Sense, Understanding, Reason. Some philosophers have given a technical signification to these terms, which may here be stated. Sense is the mind’s acting in the direct cognition either of material objects or of its own mental states. In the first case it is called the outer, in the second the inner, sense. Understanding is the logical faculty, i. e., the power of apprehending under general conceptions, or the power of classifying, arranging, and making deductions. Reason is the power of apprehending those first or fundamental truths or principles which are the conditions of all real and scientific knowledge, and which control the mind in all its processes of investigation and deduction. These distinctions are given, not as established, but simply because they often occur in writers of the present day.
Sense, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sensed p. pr. & vb. n. Sensing.] To perceive by the senses; to recognize. [Obs. or Colloq.]
"Is he sure that objects are not otherwise sensed by others than they are by him?" Glanvill.
Sensibility
Sen•si•bil´i•ty, n. ; pl. Sensibilities (#). [Cf. F. sensibilite, LL. sensibilitas.]
1. (Physiol.) The quality or state of being sensible, or capable of sensation; capacity to feel or perceive.
2. The capacity of emotion or feeling, as distinguished from the intellect and the will; peculiar susceptibility of impression, pleasurable or painful; delicacy of feeling; quick emotion or sympathy; as sensibility to pleasure or pain; sensibility to shame or praise; exquisite sensibility; - - often used in the plural. "Sensibilities so fine!" Cowper.
"The true lawgiver ought to have a heart full of sensibility." Burke.
"His sensibilities seem rather to have been those of patriotism than of wounded pride." Marshall.
3. Experience of sensation; actual feeling.
"This adds greatly to my sensibility." Burke.
4. That quality of an instrument which makes it indicate very slight changes of condition; delicacy; as the sensibility of a balance, or of a thermometer.
Syn. — Taste; susceptibility; feeling. See Taste.
Sensible
Sen´si•ble, a. [F., fr. L. sensibilis, fr. sensus sense.]
1. Capable of being perceived by the senses; apprehensible through the bodily organs; hence, also perceptible to the mind; making an impression upon the sense, reason, or understanding; heat; sensible resistance.
"Air is sensible to the touch by its motion." Arbuthnot.
"The disgrace was more sensible than the pain." Sir W. Temple.
"Any very sensible effect upon the prices of things." A. Smith.
2. Having the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; capable of perceiving by the instrumentality of the proper organs; liable to be affected physsically or mentally; impressible.
"Would your cambric were sensible as your finger." Shak.
3. Hence: Liable to impression from without; easily affected; having nice perception or acute feeling; sensitive; also readily moved or affected by natural agents; delicate; as a sensible thermometer. "With affection wondrous sensible." Shak.
4. Perceiving or having perception, either by the senses or the mind; cognizant; perceiving so clearly as to be convinced; satisfied; persuaded.
"He [man] can not think at any time, waking or sleeping, without being sensible of it." Locke.
"They are now sensible it would have been better to comply than to refuse." Addison.
5. Having moral perception; capable of being affected by moral good or evil.
6. Possessing or containing sense or reason; giftedwith, or characterized by, good or common sense; intelligent; wise.
"Now a sensible man, by and by a fool." Shak. Sensible note or tone (Mus.), the major seventh note of any scale; — so called because, being but a half step below the octave, or key tone, and naturally leading up to that, it makes the ear sensible of its approaching sound. Called also the leading tone. — Sensible horizon. See Horizon, n. , 2. (a).
Syn. — Intelligent; wise. — Sensible, Intelligent. We call a man sensible whose judgments and conduct are marked and governed by sound judgment or good common semse. We call one intelligent who is quick and clear in his understanding, i. e., who discriminates readily and nicely in respect to difficult and important distinction. The sphere of the sensible man lies in matters of practical concern; of the intelligent man, in subjects of intellectual interest. "I have been tired with accounts from sensible men, furnished with matters of fact which have happened within their own knowledge." Addison. "Trace out numerous footsteps … of a most wise and intelligent architect throughout all this stupendous fabric." Woodward.
Sensific
Sen•sif´ic, a. [L. sensificus; sensus sense + facere to make.] Exciting sensation.
Sensigenous
Sen•sig´e•nous, a. [L. sensus sense + -genous.] Causing or exciting sensation. Huxley.
Sensist
Sens´ist, n. One who, in philosophy, holds to sensism.
Sensitive
Sen´si•tive, a. [F. sensitif. See Sense.]
1. Having sense of feeling; possessing or exhibiting the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; as a sensitive soul.
2. Having quick and acute sensibility, either to the action of external objects, or to impressions upon the mind and feelings; highly susceptible; easily and acutely affected.
"She was too sensitive to abuse and calumny." Macaulay.
3. (a) (Mech.) Having a capacity of being easily affected or moved; as a sensitive thermometer; sensitive scales. (b) (Chem. & Photog.) Readily affected or changed by certain appropriate agents; as silver chloride or bromide, when in contact with certain organic substances, is extremely sensitive to actinic rays.
4. Serving to affect the sense; sensible. [R.]
"A sensitive love of some sensitive objects." Hammond.
5. Of or pertaining to sensation; depending on sensation; as sensitive motions; sensitive muscular motions excited by irritation. E. Darwin.Sensitive fern (Bot.), an American fern ( Onoclea sensibilis), the leaves of which, when plucked, show a slight tendency to fold together. — Sensitive flame (Physics), a gas flame so arranged that under a suitable adjustment of pressure it is exceedingly sensitive to sounds, being caused to roar, flare, or become suddenly shortened or extinguished, by slight sounds of the proper pitch. — Sensitive joint vetch (Bot.), an annual leguminous herb ( AEschynomene hispida), with sensitive foliage. — Sensitive paper, paper prepared for photographic purpose by being rendered sensitive to the effect of light. — Sensitive plant. (Bot.) (a) A leguminous plant ( Mimosa pudica, or M. sensitiva, and other allied species), the leaves of which close at the slightest touch. (b) Any plant showing motions after irritation, as the sensitive brier ( Schrankia) of the Southern States, two common American species of Cassia ( C. nictitans, and C. Chamaecrista), a kind of sorrel ( Oxalis sensitiva), etc. — Sen´si•tive•ly (#), adv. — Sen´si•tive•ness, n.
Sensitometer
Sen•si•tom´e•ter, n. [See Sensitive; -meter.] (Photog.) An instrument or apparatus for comparing and grading the sensitiveness of plates, films, etc., as a screen divided into squares of different shades or colors, from which a picture is made on the plate to be tested.
Sensive
Sens´ive, a. Having sense or sensibility; sensitive. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.
Sensorial
Sen•so´ri•al, a. [Cf. F. sensorial. See Sensorium.] Of or pertaining to the sensorium; as sensorial faculties, motions, powers. A. Tucker.
Sensory
Sen´so•ry, n. ; pl. Sensories . (Physiol.) Same as Sensorium.
Sensualistic
Sen•su•al•is´tic, a.
1. Sensual.
2. Adopting or teaching the doctrines of sensualism.
Sensualization
Sen•su•al•i•za´tion, n. The act of sensualizing, or the state of being sensualized.
Sensualize
Sen´su•al•ize, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sensualized p. pr. & vb. n. Sensualizing ] To make sensual; to subject to the love of sensual pleasure; to debase by carnal gratifications; to carnalize; as sensualized by pleasure. Pope.
"By the neglect of prayer, the thoughts are sensualized." T. H. Skinner.
Sensuosity
Sen•su•os´i•ty, n. The quality or state of being sensuous; sensuousness. [R.]
Sent, v. & n. See Scent, v. & n. [Obs.] Spenser.
Sent, obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Send, for sendeth.
Sentence
Sen´tence, n. [F., from L. sententia, for sentientia, from sentire to discern by the senses and the mind, to feel, to think. See Sense, n. , and cf. Sentiensi.]
1. Sense; meaning; significance. [Obs.]
"Tales of best sentence and most solace." Chaucer.
"The discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence." Milton.
2. (a) An opinion; a decision; a determination; a judgment, especially one of an unfavorable nature.
"My sentence is for open war." Milton.
"That by them [Luther’s works] we may pass sentence upon his doctrines." Atterbury. (b) A philosophical or theological opinion; a dogma; as Summary of the Sentences; Book of the Sentences.
3. (Law) In civil and admiralty law, the judgment of a court pronounced in a cause; in criminal and ecclesiastical courts, a judgment passed on a criminal by a court or judge; condemnation pronounced by a judgical tribunal; doom. In common law, the term is exclusively used to denote the judgment in criminal cases.
"Received the sentence of the law." Shak.
4. A short saying, usually containing moral instruction; a maxim; an axiom; a saw. Broome.
5. (Gram.) A combination of words which is complete as expressing a thought, and in writing is marked at the close by a period, or full point. See Proposition, 4. Sentences are simple or compound. A simple sentence consists of one subject and one finite verb; as "The Lord reigns." A compound sentence contains two or more subjects and finite verbs, as in this verse: -
"He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all." Pope. Dark sentence, a saving not easily explained.
"A king … understanding dark sentences." Dan. vii. 23.
Sentence
Sen´tence, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sentenced p. pr. & vb. n. Sentencing ]
1. To pass or pronounce judgment upon; to doom; to condemn to punishment; to prescribe the punishment of.
"Nature herself is sentenced in your doom." Dryden.
2. To decree or announce as a sentence. [Obs.] Shak.
3. To utter sententiously. [Obs.] Feltham.
Sentencer
Sen´ten•cer, n. One who pronounced a sentence or condemnation.
Sententiarist
Sen•ten´ti•a•rist, n. A sententiary. Barnas Sears (Life of Luther).
Sententiosity
Sen•ten•ti•os´i•ty, n. The quality or state of being sententious. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
Senteur
Sen´teur, n. [F.] Scent. [Obs.] Holland. { Sen´ti•ence, Sen´ti•en•cy } n. [See Sentient, Sentence.] The quality or state of being sentient; esp., the quality or state of having sensation. G. H. Lewes
"An example of harmonious action between the intelligence and the sentieny of the mind." Earle.
Sentient
Sen´ti•ent, a. [L. sentiens, -entis, p. pr. of sentire to discern or perceive by the senses. See Sense.] Having a faculty, or faculties, of sensation and perception. Specif. (Physiol.), especially sensitive; as the sentient extremities of nerves, which terminate in the various organs or tissues.
Sentient
Sen´ti•ent, n. One who has the faculty of perception; a sentient being.
Sentiently
Sen´ti•ent•ly, adv. In a sentient or perceptive way.
Sentiment
Sen´ti•ment, n. [OE. sentement, OF. sentement, F. sentiment, fr. L. sentire to perceive by the senses and mind, to feel, to think. See Sentient, a. ]
1. A thought prompted by passion or feeling; a state of mind in view of some subject; feeling toward or respecting some person or thing; disposition prompting to action or expression.
"The word sentiment, agreeably to the use made of it by our best English writers, expresses, in my own opinion very happily, those complex determinations of the mind which result from the coöperation of our rational powers and of our moral feelings." Stewart.
"Alike to council or the assembly came,
With equal souls and sentiments the same." Pope.
2. Hence, generally, a decision of the mind formed by deliberation or reasoning; thought; opinion; notion; judgment; as to express one’s sentiments on a subject.
"Sentiments of philosophers about the perception of external objects." Reid.
"Sentiment, as here and elsewhere employed by Reid in the meaning of opinion (sententia), is not to be imitated." Sir W. Hamilton.
3. A sentence, or passage, considered as the expression of a thought; a maxim; a saying; a toast.
4. Sensibility; feeling; tender susceptibility.
"Mr. Hume sometimes employs (after the manner of the French metaphysicians) sentiment as synonymous with feeling; a use of the word quite unprecedented in our tongue." Stewart.
"Less of sentiment than sense." Tennyson.
Syn. — Thought; opinion; notion; sensibility; feeling. — Sentiment, Opinion, Feeling. An opinion is an intellectual judgment in respect to any and every kind of truth. Feeling describes those affections of pleasure and pain which spring from the exercise of our sentient and emotional powers. Sentiment (particularly in the plural) lies between them, denoting settled opinions or principles in regard to subjects which interest the feelings strongly, and are presented more or less constantly in practical life. Hence, it is more appropriate to speak of our religious sentiments than opinions, unless we mean to exclude all reference to our feelings. The word sentiment, in the singular, leans ordinarily more to the side of feeling, and denotes a refined sensibility on subjects affecting the heart. "On questions of feeling, taste, observation, or report, we define our sentiments. On questions of science, argument, or metaphysical abstraction, we define our opinions. The sentiments of the heart. The opinions of the mind … There is more of instinct in sentiment, and more of definition in opinion. The admiration of a work of art which results from first impressions is classed with our sentiments; and, when we have accounted to ourselves for the approbation, it is classed with our opinions." W. Taylor.
Sentimental
Sen•ti•men´tal, a. [Cf. F. sentimental.]
1. Having, expressing, or containing a sentiment or sentiments; abounding with moral reflections; containing a moral reflection; didactic. [Obsoles.]
"Nay, ev’n each moral sentimental stroke,
Where not the character, but poet, spoke,
He lopped, as foreign to his chaste design,
Nor spared a useless, though a golden line." Whitehead.
2. Inclined to sentiment; having an excess of sentiment or sensibility; indulging the sensibilities for their own sake; artificially or affectedly tender; — often in a reproachful sense.
"A sentimental mind is rather prone to overwrought feeling and exaggerated tenderness." Whately.
3. Addressed or pleasing to the emotions only, usually to the weaker and the unregulated emotions.
Syn. — Romantic. — Sentimental, Romantic. Sentimental usually describes an error or excess of the sensibilities; romantic, a vice of the imagination. The votary of the former gives indulgence to his sensibilities for the mere luxury of their excitement; the votary of the latter allows his imagination to rove for the pleasure of creating scenes of ideal enjoiment. "Perhaps there is no less danger in works called sentimental. They attack the heart more successfully, because more cautiously." V. Knox. "I can not but look on an indifferency of mind, as to the good or evil things of this life, as a mere romantic fancy of such who would be thought to be much wiser than they ever were, or could be." Bp. Stillingfleet.
Sentimentally
Sen•ti•men´tal•ly, adv. In a sentimental manner.
Sentinel
Sen´ti•nel, n. [F. sentinelle (cf. It. sentinella); probably originally, a litle path, the sentinel’s beat,, and a dim. of a word meaning, path; cf. F. sente path. L. semita; and OF. sentine, sentele, senteret, diminutive words. Cf. Sentry.]
1. One who watches or guards; specifically (Mil.), a soldier set to guard an army, camp, or other place, from surprise, to observe the approach of danger, and give notice of it; a sentry.
"The sentinels who paced the ramparts." Macaulay.
2. Watch; guard. [Obs.] "That princes do keep due sentinel." Bacon.
3. (Zoöl.) A marine crab ( Podophthalmus vigil) native of the Indian Ocean, remarkable for the great length of its eyestalks; — called also sentinel crab.
Sentinel
Sen´ti•nel, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sentineled or Sentinelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Sentineling or Sentinelling.]
1. To watch over like a sentinel. "To sentinel enchanted land." [R.] Sir W. Scott.
2. To furnish with a sentinel; to place under the guard of a sentinel or sentinels.
Sentry
Sen´try, n. ; pl. Sentires (#). [Probably from OF. senteret a little patch; cf. F. sentier path, and OF. sente. See Sentinel.]
1. (Mil.) A soldier placed on guard; a sentinel.
2. Guard; watch, as by a sentinel.
"Here toils, and death, and death’s half-brother, sleep,
Forms terrible to view, their sentry keep." Dryden. Sentry box, a small house or box to cover a sentinel at his post, and shelter him from the weather.
Senza
Sen´za, prep. [It.] (Mus.) Without; as senza stromenti, without instruments.
Sepaline
Sep´al•ine, a. (Bot.) Relating to, or having the nature of, sepals.
Sepaloid
Sep´al•oid, a. [ Sepal + - oid.] (Bot.) Like a sepal, or a division of a calyx.
Sepalous
Sep´al•ous, a. (Bot.) Having, or relating to, sepals; — used mostly in composition. See under Sepal.
Separate
Sep´a•rate, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Separated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Separating.] [L. separatus, p. p. of separare to separate; pfref. se- aside + parare to make ready, prepare. See Parade, and cf. Sever.]
1. To disunite; to divide; to disconnect; to sever; to part in any manner.
"From the fine gold I separate the alloy." Dryden.
"Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me." Gen. xiii. 9.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Rom. viii. 35.
2. To come between; to keep apart by occupying the space between; to lie between; as the Mediterranean Sea separates Europe and Africa.
3. To set apart; to select from among others, as for a special use or service.
"Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called thaem." Acts xiii. 2.Separated flowers (Bot.), flowers which have stamens and pistils in separate flowers; diclinous flowers. Gray.
Sepawn
Se•pawn´, n. See Supawn. [Local, U.S.]
Sepia
Se´pi•a, n. ; pl. E. Sepias (#), L. Sepiae (#). [L., fr. Gr. the cuttlefish, or squid.]
1. (Zoöl.) (a) The common European cuttlefish. (b) A genus comprising the common cuttlefish and numerous similar species. See Illust. . under Cuttlefish.
2. A pigment prepared from the ink, or black secretion, of the sepia, or cuttlefish. Treated with caustic potash, it has a rich brown color; and this mixed with a red forms Roman sepia. Cf. India ink, under India. Sepiadrawing or picture, a drawing in monochrome, made in sepia alone, or in sepia with other brown pigments.
Sepic
Se´pic, a. Of or pertaining to sepia; done in sepia; as a sepic drawing.
Sepidaceous
Sep•i•da´ceous, a. (Zoöl.) Like or pertaining to the cuttlefishes of the genus Sepia.
Sepiolite
Se´pi•o•lite, n. [ Septa + -lite.] (Min.) Meerschaum. See Meerschaum.
Sepiostare
Se´pi•o•stare, n. [ Sepia + Gr. a bone.] (Zoöl.) The bone or shell of cuttlefish. See Illust. under Cuttlefish.
Sepon
Se•pon´ (#), n. See Supawn. [Local, U.S.]
Sepose
Se•pose´, v. t. [L. pref se- aside + E. pose.] To set apart. [Obs.] Donne.
Sepoy
Se´poy, n. [Per. sipahi, fr. sipah an army. Cf. Spahi.] A native of India employed as a soldier in the service of a European power, esp. of Great Britain; an Oriental soldier disciplined in the European manner.
Seppuku
Sep•pu´ku, n. Same as Hara-kiri.
"Seppuku, or hara-kiri, also came into vogue." W. E. Griffis.
Septaemia
Sep•tae´mi•a, n. [NL., fr. Gr. putrid + blood.] (Med.) Septicaemia.
Septal
Sep´tal, a. Of or pertaining to a septum or septa, as of a coral or a shell.
Septane
Sep´tane, n. [L. septem seven.] (Chem.) See Heptane. [R.]
September
Sep•tem´ber, n. [L., fr. septem seven, as being the seventh month of the Roman year, which began with March: cf. F. septembre. See Seven.] The ninth month of the year, containing thurty days.
Septenary
Sep´ten•a•ry, a. [L. septenairus, from septeni seven each, septem seven: cf. F. septenaire. See Seven. ]
1. Consisting of, or relating to, seven; as a septenary number. I. Watts.
2. Lasting seven years; continuing seven years. "Septenary penance." Fuller.
Septenate
Sep´ten•ate, a. [L. septeni seven each.] (Bot.) Having parts in sevens; heptamerous.
Septennial
Sep•ten´ni•al, a. [L. septennium a period of seven years; septem seven + annus year. See Seven, and Annual.]
1. Lasting or continuing seven years; as septennial parliaments.
2. Happening or returning once in every seven years; as septennial elections in England.
Septentrio
Sep•ten´tri•o, n. [L. See Septentrion.] (Astron.) The constellation Ursa Major.
Septfoil
Sept´foil, n. [F. sept seven (L. septem) + E. foil leaf: cf. L. septifolium.]
1. (Bot.) A European herb, the tormentil. See Tormentil.
2. (Arch.) An ornamental foliation having seven lobes. Cf. Cinquefoil, Quarterfoil, and Trefoil.
3. (Eccl.Art.) A typical figure, consisting of seven equal segments of a circle, used to denote the gifts of the Holy Chost, the seven sacraments as recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, etc. [R.]
Septically
Sep´tic•al•ly, adv. In a septic manner; in a manner tending to promote putrefaction.
Septicity
Sep•tic´i•ty, n. [See Septic.] Tendency to putrefaction; septic quality.
Septifarious
Sep•ti•fa´ri•ous, a. [L. septifariam sevenfold. Cf. Bifarious.] (Bot.) Turned in seven different ways.
Septifluous
Sep•tif´lu•ous, a. [CF. Septemfluous.] Flowing in seven streams; septemfluous.
Septifolious
Sep•ti•fo´li•ous, a. [ Septi- + L. folium leaf.] (Bot.) Having seven leaves.
Septiform
Sep´ti•form, a. [ Septum + -form.] Having the form of a septum.
Septilateral
Sep•ti•lat´er•al, a. [ Septi- + lateral.] Having seven sides; as a septilateral figure.
Septillion
Sep•til´lion, n. [F. septilion, formed fr. L. septem seven, in imitation of million.] According to the French method of numeration (which is followed also in the United States), the number expressed by a unit with twenty-four ciphers annexed. According to the English method, the number expressed by a unit with forty-two ciphers annexed. See Numeration.
Septisyllable
Sep´ti•syl•la•ble, n. [ Septi- + syllable.] A word of seven syllables.
Septoic
Sep•to´ic, a. [L. septem seven.] (Chem.) See Heptoic. [R.]
Septuagenarian
Sep•tu•a•ge•na´ri•an, n. A person who is seventy years of age; a septuagenary.
Septuagenary
Sep•tu•ag´e•na•ry, a. [L. septuagenarius, fr. septuageny seventy each; akin to septuaginta seventy, septem seven. See Seven.] Consisting of seventy; also seventy years old. — n. A septuagenarian.
Septuary
Sep´tu•a•ry, n. [L. septem seven.] Something composed of seven; a week. [R.] Ash.
Septulate
Sep´tu•late, a. [Dim. fr. septum.] (Bot.) Having imperfect or spurious septa.
Septum
Sep´tum, n. ; pl. Septa (#). [L. septum, saeptum, an inclosure, hedge, fence, fr. sepire, saepire, to hedge in, inclose.]
1. A wall separating two cavities; a partition; as the nasal septum.
2. (Bot.) A partition that separates the cells of a fruit.
3. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the radial calcareous plates of a coral. (b) One of the transverse partitions dividing the shell of a mollusk, or of a rhizopod, into several chambers. See Illust. under Nautilus. (c) One of the transverse partitions dividing the body cavity of an annelid.
Septuple
Sep´tu•ple, a. [LL. septuplus; cf. Gr. :cf. F. septuple. Cf. Double, Quadruple.] Seven times as much; multiplied by seven; sevenfold.
Septuple
Sep´tu•ple, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Septupled p. pr. & vb. n. Septupling ] To multiply by seven; to make sevenfold. Sir J. Herschel. { Sep´ul•cher, Sep´ul•chre }, n. [OE. sepulcre, OF. sepulcre, F. sepulcre, fr. L. sepulcrum, sepulchrum, fr. sepelire to bury.] The place in which the dead body of a human being is interred, or a place set apart for that purpose; a grave; a tomb.
"The stony entrance of this sepulcher." Shak.
"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher." John xx. 1.A whited sepulcher. Fig.: Any person who is fair outwardly but unclean or vile within. See Matt. xxiii. 27. { Sep´ul•cher, Sep´ul•chre }, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sepulchered or Sepulchred ; p. pr. & vb. n. Sepulchering or Sepulchring .] To bury; to inter; to entomb; as obscurely sepulchered.
"And so sepulchered in such pomp dost lie
That kings for such a tomb would wish to die." Milton.
Sequacious
Se•qua´cious, a. [L. sequax, -acis, fr. suquit to follow. See Sue to follow. ]
1. Inclined to follow a leader; following; attendant.
"Trees uprooted left their place, Sequacious of the lyre." Dryden.
2. Hence, ductile; malleable; pliant; manageable.
"In the greater bodies the forge was easy, the matter being ductile and sequacious." Ray.
3. Having or observing logical sequence; logically consistent and rigorous; consecutive in development or transition of thought.
"The scheme of pantheistic omniscience so prevalent among the sequacious thinkers of the day." Sir W. Hamilton.
"Milton was not an extensive or discursive thinker, as Shakespeare was; for the motions of his mind were slow, solemn, and sequacious, like those of the planets." De Quincey.
Sequaciousness
Se•qua´cious•ness, n. Quality of being sequacious.
Sequel
Se´quel (se"kwel), n. [L. sequela, fr. sequit to follow: cf. F. sequelle a following. See Sue to follow.]
1. That which follows; a succeeding part; continuation; as the sequel of a man’s advantures or history.
"O, let me say no more!
Gather the sequel by that went before." Shak.
2. Consequence; event; effect; result; as let the sun cease, fail, or swerve, and the sequel would be ruin.
3. Conclusion; inference. [R.] Whitgift.
Sequence
Se´quence (se"kw ens), n. [F. sequence, L. sequentia, fr. sequens. See Sequent.]
1. The state of being sequent; succession; order of following; arrangement.
"How art thou a king
But by fair sequence and succession?" Shak.
"Sequence and series of the seasons of the year." Bacon.
2. That which follows or succeeds as an effect; sequel; consequence; result.
"The inevitable sequences of sin and punishment." Bp. Hall.
3. (Philos.) Simple succession, or the coming after in time, without asserting or implying causative energy; as the reactions of chemical agents may be conceived as merely invariable sequences.
4. (Mus.) (a) Any succession of chords (or harmonic phrase) rising or falling by the regular diatonic degrees in the same scale; a succession of similar harmonic steps. (b) A melodic phrase or passage successively repeated one tone higher; a rosalia.
5. (R.C.Ch.) A hymn introduced in the Mass on certain festival days, and recited or sung immediately before the gospel, and after the gradual or introit, whence the name. Bp. Fitzpatrick.
"Originally the sequence was called a Prose, because its early form was rhythmical prose." Shipley.
6. (Card Playing) (a) (Whist) Three or more cards of the same suit in immediately consecutive order of value; as ace, king, and queen; or knave, ten, nine, and eight. (b) (Poker) All five cards, of a hand, in consecutive order as to value, but not necessarily of the same suit; when of one suit, it is called a sequence flush.
Sequent
Se´quent, a. [L. sequens, -entis, p. pr. of sequi to follow. See Sue to follow.]
1. Following; succeeding; in continuance.
"What to this was sequent
Thou knowest already." Shak.
2. Following as an effect; consequent.
Sequent
Se´quent, n.
1. A follower. [R.] Shak.
2. That which follows as a result; a sequence.
Sequential
Se•quen´tial, a. Succeeding or following in order. — Se•quen´tial•ly, adv.
Sequester
Se•ques´ter, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sequestered p. pr. & vb. n. Sequestering.] [F. sequestrer, L. sequestrare to give up for safe keeping, from sequester a depositary or trustee in whose hands the thing contested was placed until the dispute was settled. Cf. Sequestrate.]
1. (Law) To separate from the owner for a time; to take from parties in controversy and put into the possession of an indifferent person; to seize or take possession of, as property belonging to another, and hold it till the profits have paid the demand for which it is taken, or till the owner has performed the decree of court, or clears himself of contempt; in international law, to confiscate.
"Formerly the goods of a defendant in chancery were, in the last resort, sequestered and detained to enforce the decrees of the court. And now the profits of a benefice are sequestered to pay the debts of ecclesiastics." Blackstone.
2. To cause (one) to submit to the process of sequestration; to deprive (one) of one’s estate, property, etc.
"It was his tailor and his cook, his fine fashions and his French ragouts, which sequestered him." South.
3. To set apart; to put aside; to remove; to separate from other things.
"I had wholly sequestered my civil affairss." Bacon.
4. To cause to retire or withdraw into obscurity; to seclude; to withdraw; — often used reflexively.
"When men most sequester themselves from action." Hooker.
"A love and desire to sequester a man’s self for a higher conversation." Bacon.
Sequester
Se•ques´ter, n.
1. Sequestration; separation. [R.]
2. (Law) A person with whom two or more contending parties deposit the subject matter of the controversy; one who mediates between two parties; a mediator; an umpire or referee. Bouvier.
3. (Med.) Same as Sequestrum.
Sequestrable
Se•ques´tra•ble, a. Capable of being sequestered; subject or liable to sequestration.
Sequestral
Se•ques´tral, a. (Med.) Of or pertaining to a sequestrum. Quian.
Sequestrate
Se•ques´trate, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sequestrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Sequestrating.] To sequester.
Sequestrum
Se•ques´trum, n. ; pl. Sequestra (#). [NL. See Sequester.] (Med.) A portion of dead bone which becomes separated from the sound portion, as in necrosis.
Sequin
Se´quin, n. [F. sequin, It. zecchino, from zecca the mint, fr. Ar. sekkah, sikkah, a die, a stamp. Cf. Zechin.] An old gold coin of Italy and Turkey. It was first struck at Venice about the end of the 13th century, and afterward in the other Italian cities, and by the Levant trade was introduced into Turkey. It is worth about 9s. 3d. sterling, or about $2.25. The different kinds vary somewhat in value. [Written also chequin, and zequin.]
Seraglio
Se•ragl´io, n. [It. serraglio, originally, an inclosure of palisades, afterwards also a palace, seraglio (by confusion with Per. seraïa a palace, an entirely different word), fr. serrare to shut, fr. LL. serra a bar for fastening doors, L. sera. See Serry, Series.]
1. An inclosure; a place of separation. [Obs.]
"I went to the Ghetto, where the Jews dwell as in a suburb, by themselves. I passed by the piazza Judea, where their seraglio begins." Evelyn.
2. The palace of the Grand Seignior, or Turkish sultan, at Constantinople, inhabited by the sultan himself, and all the officers and dependents of his court. In it are also kept the females of the harem.
3. A harem; a place for keeping wives or concubines; sometimes, loosely, a place of licentious pleasure; a house of debauchery.
Serai
Se•ra´i, n. [Per. seraï, or saraï, a palace, a king’s court, a seraglio, an inn. Cf. Caravansary.] A palace; a seraglio; also in the East, a place for the accommodation of travelers; a caravansary, or rest house.
Serang
Se•rang´, n. [Per. sarhang a commander.] The boatswain of a Lascar or East Ondian crew.
Seraphim
Ser´a•phim, n. The Hebrew plural of Seraph. Cf. Cherubim. The double plural form seraphims is sometimes used, as in the King James version of the Bible, Isa. vi. 2 and 6.
Seraphine
Ser´a•phine, n. [From Seraph.] (Mus.) A wind instrument whose sounding parts are reeds, consisting of a thin tongue of brass playing freely through a slot in a plate. It has a case, like a piano, and is played by means of a similar keybord, the bellows being worked by the foot. The melodeon is a portable variety of this instrument.
Seraskierate
Se•ras´kier•ate, n. The office or authority of a seraskier.
Sere, a. Dry; withered. Same as Sear.
"But with its sound it shook the sails
That were so thin and sere." Coleridge.
Serein
Se•rein´, n. [F. Cf. Serenade, n. ] (Meteorol.) A mist, or very fine rain, which sometimes falls from a clear sky a few moments after sunset. Tyndall.
Serenade
Ser•e•nade´, n. [F. serenade, It. serenata, probably fr. L. serenus serene (cf. Serene), misunderstood as a derivative fr. L. serus late. Cf. Soiree.] (Mus.) (a) Music sung or performed in the open air at nights; — usually applied to musical entertainments given in the open air at night, especially by gentlemen, in a spirit of gallantry, under the windows of ladies. (b) A piece of music suitable to be performed at such times.
Serenade
Ser•e•nade´, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Serenaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Serenading.] To entertain with a serenade.
Serenader
Ser•e•nad´er, n. One who serenades. { Ser•e•na´ta, Ser´e•nate } n. [It. serenata. See Serenade.] (Mus.) A piece of vocal music, especially one on an amoreus subject; a serenade.
"Or serenate, which the starved lover sings
To his pround fair." Milton. The name serenata was given by Italian composers in the time of Handel, and by Handel himself, to a cantata of a pastoreal of dramatic character, to a secular ode, etc.; also by Mozart and others to an orchectral composition, in several movements, midway between the suite of an earlier period and the modern symphony. Grove.
Serene
Se•rene´, a. [L. serenus to grow dry, Gr. hot, scorching.]
1. Bright; clear; unabscured; as a serene sky.
"The moon serene in glory mounts the sky." Pope.
"Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear." Gray.
2. Calm; placid; undisturbed; unruffled; as a serene aspect; a serene soul. Milton. In several countries of Europe, Serene is given as a tittle to princes and the members of their families; as His Serene Highness. Drop serene. (Med.) See Amaurosis. Milton.
Serene
Se•rene´, n.
1. Serenity; clearness; calmness. [Poetic.] "The serene of heaven." Southey.
"To their master is denied
To share their sweet serene." Young.
2. [F. serein evening dew or damp. See Serein.] Evening air; night chill. [Obs.] "Some serene blast me." B. Jonson.
Serf, n. [F., fr. L. serus servant, slave; akin to servare to protect, preserve, observe, and perhaps originally, a client, a man under one’s protection. Cf. Serve, v. t.] A servant or slave employed in husbandry, and in some countries attached to the soil and transferred with it, as formerly in Russia.
"In England, at least from the reign of Henry II, one only, and that the inferior species [of villeins], existed … But by the customs of France and Germany, persons in this abject state seem to have been called serfs, and distinguished from villeins, who were only bound to fixed payments and duties in respect of their lord, though, as it seems, without any legal redress if injured by him." Hallam.
Syn. — Serf, Slave. A slave is the absolute property of his master, and may be sold in any way. A serf, according to the strict sense of the term, is one bound to work on a certain estate, and thus attached to the soil, and sold with it into the service of whoever purchases the land. { Serf´age, Serf´dom }, n. The state or condition of a serf.
Serge, n. [F. serge, sarge, originally, a silken stuff, fr. L. serica, f. or neut. pl. of sericus silken. See Sericeous, Silk.] A woolen twilled stuff, much used as material for clothing for both sexes. Silk serge, a twilled silk fabric used mostly by tailors for lining parts of gentlemen’s coats.
Serge, n. [F. cierge.] A large wax candle used in the ceremonies of various churches.
Sergeancy
Ser´gean•cy, n. ; pl. Sergeancies (#). [Cf. Sergeanty.] The office of a sergeant; sergeantship. [Written also serjeancy.]
Sergeant
Ser´geant, n. [F. sergent, fr. L. serviens, -entis, p. pr. of servire to serve. See Serve, and cf. Servant.] [Written also serjeant. Both spellings are authorized. In England serjeant is usually preferred, except for military officers. In the United States sergeant is common for civil officers also.]
1. Formerly, in England, an officer nearly answering to the more modern bailiff of the hundred; also an officer whose duty was to attend on the king, and on the lord high steward in court, to arrest traitors and other offenders. He is now called sergeant-at-arms, and two of these officers, by allowance of the sovereign, attend on the houses of Parliament (one for each house) to execute their commands, and another attends the Court Chancery.
"The sergeant of the town of Rome them sought." Chaucer.
"The magistrates sent the serjeant, saying, Let those men go." Acts xvi. 35.
"This fell sergeant, Death,
Is strict in his arrest." Shak.
2. (Mil.) In a company, battery, or troop, a noncommissioned officer next in rank above a corporal, whose duty is to instruct recruits in discipline, to form the ranks, etc. In the United States service, besides the sergeants belonging to the companies there are, in each regiment, a sergeant major, who is the chief noncommissioned officer, and has important duties as the assistant to the adjutant; a quartermaster sergeant, who assists the quartermaster; a color sergeant, who carries the colors; and a commissary sergeant, who assists in the care and distribution of the stores. Ordnance sergeants have charge of the ammunition at military posts.
3. (Law) A lawyer of the highest rank, answering to the doctor of the civil law; — called also serjeant at law. [Eng.] Blackstone.
4. A title sometimes given to the servants of the sovereign; as sergeant surgeon, that is, a servant, or attendant, surgeon. [Eng.]
5. (Zoöl.) The cobia. Drill sergeant. (Mil.) See under Drill. — Sergeant-at-arms, an officer of a legislative body, or of a deliberative or judicial assembly, who executes commands in preserving order and arresting offenders. See Sergeant, 1. — Sergeant major. (a) (Mil.) See the Note under def. 2, above. (b) (Zoöl.) The cow pilot.
Sergeantry
Ser´geant•ry, n. [CF. OF. sergenteric.] See Sergeanty. [R.] [Written also serjeantry.]
Sergeanty
Ser´geant•y, n. [Cf. OF. sergentie, LL. sergentia. See Sergeant.] (Eng. Law) Tenure of lands of the crown by an honorary kind of service not due to any lord, but to the king only. [Written also serjeanty.] Grand sergeanty, a particular kind of tenure by which the tenant was bound to do some special honorary service to the king in person, as to carry his banner, his sword, or the like. Tomlins. Cowell. Blackstone. — Petit sergeanty. See under Petit.
Serial
Se´ri•al, a.
1. Of or pertaining to a series; consisting of a series; appearing in successive parts or numbers; as a serial work or publication. "Classification … may be more or less serial." H. Spencer.
2. (Bot.) Of or pertaining to rows. Gray. Serial homology. (Biol.) See under Homology. — Serial symmetry. (Biol.) See under Symmetry.
Seriality
Se•ri•al´i•ty, n. The quality or state of succession in a series; sequence. H. Spenser.
Seriatim
Se•ri•a´tim, adv. [NL.] In regular order; one after the other; severally.
Seriation
Se•ri•a´tion, n. (Chem.) Arrangement or position in a series.
Sericeous
Se•ri´ceous, a. [L. sericus silken, sericum Seric stuff, silk, fr. Sericus belonging to the Seres, Gr., a people of Eastern Asia, the modern Chinese, celebrated for their silken fabrics. Cf. Silk, Serge a woolen stuff.]
1. Of or pertaining to silk; consisting of silk; silky.
2. (Bot.) Covered with very soft hairs pressed close to the surface; as a sericeous leaf.
3. (Zoöl.) Having a silklike luster, usually due to fine, close hairs.
Sericterium
Ser•ic•te´ri•um, n. [See Sericeous.] (Zoöl.) A silk gland, as in the silkworms.
Sericulture
Ser´i•cul•ture, n. [See Sericeous, and Culture.] The raising of silkworms.
Series
Se´ries, n. [L. series, fr. serere, sertum, to join or bind together; cf. Gr. to fasten, Skr. sarit thread. Cf. Assert, Desert a solitude, Exert, Insert, Seraglio.]
1. A number of things or events standing or succeeding in order, and connected by a like relation; sequence; order; course; a succession of things; as a continuous series of calamitous events.
"During some years his life a series of triumphs." Macaulay.
2. (Biol.) Any comprehensive group of animals or plants including several subordinate related groups. Sometimes a series includes several classes; sometimes only orders or families; in other cases only species.
3. (Math.) An indefinite number of terms succeeding one another, each of which is derived from one or more of the preceding by a fixed law, called the law of the series; as an arithmetical series; a geometrical series.
Serious
Se´ri•ous, a. [L. serius: cf. F. serieux, LL. seriosus.]
1. Grave in manner or disposition; earnest; thoughtful; solemn; not light, gay, or volatile.
"He is always serious, yet there is about his manner a graceful ease." Macaulay.
2. Really intending what is said; being in earnest; not jesting or deceiving. Beaconsfield.
3. Important; weighty; not trifling; grave.
"The holy Scriptures bring to our ears the most serious things in the world." Young.
4. Hence, giving rise to apprehension; attended with danger; as a serious injury.
Syn. — Grave; solemn; earnest; sedate; important; weighty. See Grave. — Se´ri•ous•ly, adv. — Se´ri•ous•ness, n.
Seriph
Ser´iph, n. (Type Founding) See Ceriph. { Ser´jeant, Ser´jeant•cy, etc. } See Sergeant, Sergeantcy, etc. Serjeant-at-arms. See Sergeant-at- arms, under Sergeant.
Sermocination
Ser•moc•i•na´tion, n. [L. sermocinatio. See Sermon.] The making of speeches or sermons; sermonizing. [Obs.] Peacham.
Sermocinator
Ser•moc´i•na•tor, n. [L.] One who makes sermons or speeches. [Obs.] Howell.
Sermon
Ser´mon, n. [OE. sermoun, sermun, F. sermon, fr. L. sermo, -onis, a speaking, discourse, probably fr. serer, sertum, to join, connect; hence, a connected speech. See Series.]
1. A discourse or address; a talk; a writing; as the sermons of Chaucer. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. Specifically, a discourse delivered in public, usually by a clergyman, for the purpose of religious instruction and grounded on some text or passage of Scripture.
"This our life exempt from public haunts
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones and good in everything." Shak.
"His preaching much, but more his practice, wrought,
A living sermon of the truths he taught." Dryden.
3. Hence, a serious address; a lecture on one’s conduct or duty; an exhortation or reproof; a homily; — often in a depreciatory sense.
Sermoner
Ser´mon•er, n. A preacher; a sermonizer. [Derogative or Jocose.] Thackeray.
Sermoning
Ser´mon•ing, n. The act of discoursing; discourse; instruction; preaching. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Sermonize
Ser´mon•ize, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sermonized p. pr. & vb. n. Sermonizing ]
1. To compose or write a sermon or sermons; to preach.
2. To inculcate rigid rules. [R.] Chesterfield.
Serolin
Ser´o•lin, n. [ Serum + L. oleum oil.] (Physiol. Chem.) (a) A peculiar fatty substance found in the blood, probably a mixture of fats, cholesterin, etc. (b) A body found in fecal matter and thought to be formed in the intestines from the cholesterin of the bile; — called also stercorin, and stercolin. { Se•ron´, Se•roon´ } n. [Sp. seron a kind of hamper or pannier, aug. of sera a large pannier or basket.] Same as Ceroon. This word as expressing a quantity or weight has no definite signification. McElrath.
Serosity
Se•ros´i•ty, n. [Cf. F. serosite. See Serous.]
1. The quality or state of being serous.
2. (Physiol.) A thin watery animal fluid, as synovial fluid and pericardial fluid.
Serotherapy
Se•ro•ther´a•py, n. (Med.) (a) Serum-therapy. (b) The whey cure.
Serous
Se´rous, a. [Cf. F. sereux. See Serum.] (Physiol.) (a) Thin; watery; like serum; as the serous fluids. (b) Of or pertaining to serum; as the serous glands, membranes, layers. See Serum. Serous membrane. (Anat.) See under Membrane. { Ser´ow, Sur´row } n. (Zoöl.) The thar.
Serpens
Ser´pens, n. [L. See Serpent.] (Astron.) A constellation represented as a serpent held by Serpentarius.
Serpent
Ser´pent, n. [F., fr. L. serpens, -entis (sc. bestia), fr. serpens, p. pr. of serpere to creep; akin to Gr., Skr. sarp, and perhaps to L. repere, E. reptile. Cf. Herpes.]
1. (Zoöl.) Any reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake, especially a large snake. See Illust. under Ophidia. The serpents are mostly long and slender, and move partly by bending the body into undulations or folds and pressing them against objects, and partly by using the free edges of their ventral scales to cling to rough surfaces. Many species glide swiftly over the ground, some burrow in the earth, others live in trees. A few are entirely aquatic, and swim rapidly. See Ophidia, and Fang.
2. Fig.: A subtle, treacherous, malicious person.
3. A species of firework having a serpentine motion as it passess through the air or along the ground.
4. (Astron.) The constellation Serpens.
5. (Mus.) A bass wind instrument, of a loud and coarse tone, formerly much used in military bands, and sometimes introduced into the orchestra; — so called from its form. Pharaoh’s serpent (Chem.), mercuric sulphocyanate, a combustible white substance which in burning gives off a poisonous vapor and leaves a peculiar brown voluminous residue which is expelled in a serpentine from. It is employed as a scientific toy. — Serpent cucumber (Bot.), the long, slender, serpentine fruit of the cucurbitaceous plant Trichosanthes colubrina; also the plant itself. — Serpent eage (Zoöl.), any one of several species of raptorial birds of the genera Circaëtus and Spilornis, which prey on serpents. They inhabit Africa, Southern Europe, and India. The European serpent eagle is Circaëtus Gallicus. — Serpent eater. (Zoöl.) (a) The secretary bird. (b) An Asiatic antelope; the markhoor. — Serpent fish (Zoöl.), a fish ( Cepola rubescens) with a long, thin, compressed body, and a band of red running lengthwise. — Serpent star (Zoöl.), an ophiuran; a brittle star. — Serpent’s tongue (Paleon.), the fossil tooth of a shark; — so called from its resemblance to a tongue with its root. — Serpent withe (Bot.), a West Indian climbing plant ( Aristolochia odoratissima). — Tree serpent (Zoöl.), any species of African serpents belonging to the family Dendrophidae.
Serpent
Ser´pent, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Serpented; p. pr. & vb. n. Serpenting.] To wind like a serpent; to crook about; to meander. [R.] "The serpenting of the Thames." Evelyn.
Serpentiform
Ser•pen´ti•form, a. [L. serpens a serpent + -form.] Having the form of a serpent.
Serpentine
Ser´pen•tine, v. i. To serpentize. [R.] Lyttleton.
Serpent-tongued
Ser´pent-tongued, a. (Zoöl.) Having a forked tongue, like a serpent.
Serpet
Ser´pet, n. [L. sirpus, scirpus, a rush, bulrush.] A basket. [Obs.] Ainsworth.
Serpette
Ser•pette´, n. [F.] A pruning knife with a curved blade. Knight.
Serpula
Ser´pu•la, n. ; pl. Serpulae (#), E. Serpulas (#). [L., a little snake. See Serpent.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of tubicolous annelids of the genus Serpula and allied genera of the family Serpulidae. They secrete a calcareous tube, which is usually irregularly contorted, but is sometimes spirally coiled. The worm has a wreath of plumelike and often bright-colored gills around its head, and usually an operculum to close the aperture of its tube when it retracts. { Ser•pu´li•an, Ser•pu´li•dan } n. (Zoöl.) A serpula.
Serr, v. t. [F. serrer. See Serry.] To crowd, press, or drive together. [Obs.] Bacon.
Serranoid
Ser•ra´noid, n. [NL. Serranus, a typical genus (fr. L. serra a saw) + - oid.] (Zoöl.) Any fish of the family Serranidae, which includes the striped bass, the black sea bass, and many other food fishes. — a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Serranidae. { Ser´rate, Ser´ra•ted } a. [L. serratus, fr. serra a saw; perhaps akin to secare to cut, E. saw a cutting instrument. Cf. Sierra.]
1. Notched on the edge, like a saw.
2. (Bot.) Beset with teeth pointing forwards or upwards; as serrate leaves. Doubly serrate, having small serratures upon the large ones, as the leaves of the elm. — Serrate- ciliate, having fine hairs, like the eyelashes, on the serratures; — said of a leaf. — Serrate- dentate, having the serratures toothed.
Serrator
Ser•ra´tor, n. [NL.] (Zoöl.) The ivory gull ( Larus eburneus).
Serricated
Ser´ri•ca•ted, a. [See Sericeous.] Covered with fine silky down.
Serricorn
Ser´ri•corn, a. [L. serra saw + cornu horn.] (Zoöl.) Having serrated antenn.
Serricorn
Ser´ri•corn, n. (Zoöl.) Any one of a numerous tribe of beetles ( Serricornia). The joints of the antennae are prominent, thus producing a serrate appearance. See Illust. under Antenna.
Serried
Ser´ried, a. [See Serry.] Crowded; compact; dense; pressed together.
"Nor seemed it to relax their serried files." Milton.
Serrirostres
Ser•ri•ros´tres, n. pl. [NL. fr. L. serra saw + rostrum beak.] (Zoöl.) Same as Lamellirostres.
Serrous
Ser´rous, a. [L. serra a saw.] Like the teeth off a saw; jagged. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
Serry
Ser´ry, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Serried p. pr. & vb. n. Serrying.] [F. serrer, LL. serrare, serare, from L. sera a bar, bolt; akin to serere to join or bind together. See Serries.] To crowd; to press together. [Now perhaps only in the form serried, p. p. or a.]
Serum
Se´rum (se"rum), n. [L., akin to Gr., Skr. sara curd.] (Physiol.) (a) The watery portion of certain animal fluids, as blood, milk, etc. (b) A thin watery fluid, containing more or less albumin, secreted by the serous membranes of the body, such as the pericardium and peritoneum. Blood serum, the pale yellowish fluid which exudes from the clot formed in the coagulation of the blood; the liquid portion of the blood, after removal of the blood corpuscles and the fibrin. — Muscle serum, the thin watery fluid which separates from the muscles after coagulation of the muscle plasma; the watery portion of the plasma. See Muscle plasma, under Plasma. — Serum albumin (Physiol. Chem.), an albuminous body, closely related to egg albumin, present in nearly all serous fluids; esp., the albumin of blood serum. — Serum globulin (Physiol. Chem.), paraglobulin. — Serum of milk (Physiol. Chem.), the whey, or fluid portion of milk, remaining after removal of the casein and fat.
Servable
Serv´a•ble, a. [See Serve.]
1. Capable of being served.
2. [L. servabilis.] Capable of being preserved. [R.]
Servage
Serv´age, n. [Cf. F. servage.] Serfage; slavery; servitude. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Servaline
Ser´val•ine, a. (Zoöl.) Related to, or resembling, the serval.
Servant
Serv´ant, n. [OE. servant, servaunt, F. servant, a & p. pr. of servir to serve, L. servire. See Serve, and cf. Sergeant.]
1. One who serves, or does services, voluntarily or on compulsion; a person who is employed by another for menial offices, or for other labor, and is subject to his command; a person who labors or exerts himself for the benefit of another, his master or employer; a subordinate helper. "A yearly hired servant." Lev. xxv. 53.
"Men in office have begun to think themselves mere agents and servants of the appointing power, and not agents of the government or the country." D. Webster. In a legal sense, stewards, factors, bailiffs, and other agents, are servants for the time they are employed in such character, as they act in subordination to others. So any person may be legally the servant of another, in whose business, and under whose order, direction, and control, he is acting for the time being. Chitty.
2. One in a state of subjection or bondage.
"Thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt." Deut. v. 15.
3. A professed lover or suitor; a gallant. [Obs.]
"In my time a servant was I one." Chaucer. Servant of servants, one debased to the lowest condition of servitude. — Your humble servant, or Your obedient servant, phrases of civility often used in closing a letter.
"Our betters tell us they are our humble servants, but understand us to be their slaves." Swift.
Servantry
Serv´ant•ry, n. A body of servants; servants, collectively. [R.]
Serve, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Served p. pr. & vb. n. Serving.] [OE. serven, servien, OF. & F. servir, fr. L. servire; akin to servus a servant or slave, servare to protect, preserve, observe; cf. Zend har to protect, haurva protecting. Cf. Conserve, Desert merit, Dessert, Observe, Serf, Sergeant.]
1. To work for; to labor in behalf of; to exert one’s self continuously or statedly for the benefit of; to do service for; to be in the employment of, as an inferior, domestic, serf, slave, hired assistant, official helper, etc.; specifically, in a religious sense, to obey and worship.
"God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit." Rom. i. 9.
"Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter." Gen. xxix. 18.
"No man can serve two masters." Matt. vi. 24.
"Had I but served my God with half the zeal
I served my king, he would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies." Shak.
2. To be subordinate to; to act a secondary part under; to appear as the inferior of; to minister to.
"Bodies bright and greater should not serve
The less not bright." Milton.
3. To be suitor to; to profess love to. [Obs.]
"To serve a lady in his beste wise." Chaucer.
4. To wait upon; to supply the wants of; to attend; specifically, to wait upon at table; to attend at meals; to supply with food; as to serve customers in a shop.
"Others, pampered in their shameless pride,
Are served in plate and in their chariots ride." Dryden.
5. Hence, to bring forward, arrange, deal, or distribute, as a portion of anything, especially of food prepared for eating; — often with up; formerly with in.
"Bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner." Shak.
"Some part he roasts, then serves it up so dressed." Dryde.
6. To perform the duties belonging to, or required in or for; hence, to be of use to; as a curate may serve two churches; to serve one’s country.
7. To contribute or conduce to; to promote; to be sufficient for; to satisfy; as to serve one’s turn.
"Turn it into some advantage, by observing where it can serve another end." Jer. Taylor.
8. To answer or be (in the place of something) to; as a sofa serves one for a seat and a couch.
9. To treat; to behave one’s self to; to requite; to act toward; as he served me very ill.
10. To work; to operate; as to serve the guns.
11. (Law) (a) To bring to notice, deliver, or execute, either actually or constructively, in such manner as the law requires; as to serve a summons. (b) To make legal service opon (a person named in a writ, summons, etc.); as to serve a witness with a subpœna.
12. To pass or spend, as time, esp. time of punishment; as to serve a term in prison.
13. To copulate with; to cover; as a horse serves a mare; — said of the male.
14. (Tennis) To lead off in delivering (the ball).
15. (Naut.) To wind spun yarn, or the like, tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or from the weather. See under Serving. To serve an attachment or a writ of attachment (Law), to levy it on the person or goods by seizure, or to seize. — To serve an execution (Law), to levy it on a lands, goods, or person, by seizure or taking possession. — To serve an office, to discharge a public duty. — To serve a process (Law), in general, to read it, so as to give due notice to the party concerned, or to leave an attested copy with him or his attorney, or his usual place of abode. — To serve a warrant, to read it, and seize the person against whom it is issued. — To serve a writ (Law), to read it to the defendant, or to leave an attested copy at his usual place of abode. — To serve one out, to retaliate upon; to requite. "I’ll serve you out for this." C. Kingsley. — To serve one right, to treat, or cause to befall one, according to his deserts; — used commonly of ill deserts; as it serves the scoundrel right. — To serve one’s self of, to avail one’s self of; to make use of. [A Gallicism]
"I will serve myself of this concession." Chillingworth. — To serve out, to distribute; as to serve out rations. — To serve the time or the hour, to regulate one’s actions by the requirements of the time instead of by one’s duty; to be a timeserver. [Obs.]
"They think herein we serve the time, because thereby we either hold or seek preferment." Hooker.
Syn. — To obey; minister to; subserve; promote; aid; help; assist; benefit; succor.
Server
Serv´er, n.
1. One who serves.
2. A tray for dishes; a salver. Randolph.
Servian
Ser´vi•an, a. Of or pertaining to Servia, a kingdom of Southern Europe. — n. A native or inhabitant of Servia. { Serv´ice, n. , or Serv´ice }. [Properly, the tree which bears serve, OE. serves, pl., service berries, AS. syrfe service tree; akin to L. sorbus.] (Bot.) A name given to several trees and shrubs of the genus Pyrus, as Pyrus domestica and P. torminalis of Europe, the various species of mountain ash or rowan tree, and the American shad bush (see Shad bush, under Shad). They have clusters of small, edible, applelike berries. Service berry (Bot.), the fruit of any kind of service tree. In British America the name is especially applied to that of the several species or varieties of the shad bush ( Amelanchier.)
Service
Serv´ice, n. [OE. servise, OF. servise, service, F. service, from L. servitium. See Serve.]
1. The act of serving; the occupation of a servant; the performance of labor for the benefit of another, or at another’s command; attendance of an inferior, hired helper, slave, etc., on a superior, employer, master, or the like; also spiritual obedience and love. "O God … whose service is perfect freedom." Bk. of Com. Prayer.
"Madam, I entreat true peace of you,
Which I will purchase with my duteous service." Shak.
"God requires no man’s service upon hard and unreasonable terms." Tillotson.
2. The deed of one who serves; labor performed for another; duty done or required; office.
"I have served him from the hour of my nativity, … and have nothing at his hands for my service but blows." Shak.
"This poem was the last piece of service I did for my master, King Charles." Dryden.
"To go on the forlorn hope is a service of peril; who will understake it if it be not also a service of honor?" Macaulay.
3. Office of devotion; official religious duty performed; religious rites appropriate to any event or ceremonial; as a burial service.
"The outward service of ancient religion, the rites, ceremonies, and ceremonial vestments of the old law." Coleridge.
4. Hence, a musical composition for use in churches.
5. Duty performed in, or appropriate to, any office or charge; official function; hence, specifically, military or naval duty; performance of the duties of a soldier.
"When he cometh to experience of service abroad … ne maketh a worthy soldier." Spenser.
6. Useful office; advantage conferred; that which promotes interest or happiness; benefit; avail.
"The stork’s plea, when taken in a net, was the service she did in picking up venomous creatures." L’Estrange.
7. Profession of respect; acknowledgment of duty owed. "Pray, do my service to his majesty." Shak.
8. The act and manner of bringing food to the persons who eat it; order of dishes at table; also a set or number of vessels ordinarily used at table; as the service was tardy and awkward; a service of plate or glass.
"There was no extraordinary service seen on the board." Hakewill.
9. (Law) The act of bringing to notice, either actually or constructively, in such manner as is prescribed by law; as the service of a subpœna or an attachment.
10. (Naut.) The materials used for serving a rope, etc., as spun yarn, small lines, etc.
11. (Tennis) The act of serving the ball.
12. Act of serving or covering. See Serve, v. t., 13. Service book, a prayer book or missal. - - Service line (Tennis), a line parallel to the net, and at a distance of 21 feet from it. — Service of a writ, process, etc. (Law), personal delivery or communication of the writ or process, etc., to the party to be affected by it, so as to subject him to its operation; the reading of it to the person to whom notice is intended to be given, or the leaving of an attested copy with the person or his attorney, or at his usual place of abode. — Service of an attachment (Law), the seizing of the person or goods according to the direction. — Service of an execution (Law), the levying of it upon the goods, estate, or person of the defendant. — Service pipe, a pipe connecting mains with a dwelling, as in gas pipes, and the like. Tomlinson. — To accept service. (Law) See under Accept. — To see service (Mil.), to do duty in the presence of the enemy, or in actual war.
Servient
Serv´i•ent, a. [L. serviens, -entis, p. pr. See Serve.] Subordinate. [Obs. except in law.] Dyer. Servient tenement or estate (Law), that on which the burden of a servitude or an easement is imposed. Cf. Dominant estate, under Dominant. Gale & Whately.
Servile
Serv´ile, a. [L. servile, fr. servus a servant or slave: cf. F. servile. See Serve.]
1. Of or pertaining to a servant or slave; befitting a servant or a slave; proceeding from dependence; hence, meanly submissive; slavish; mean; cringing; fawning; as servile flattery; servile fear; servile obedience.
"She must bend the servile knee." Thomson.
"Fearing dying pays death servile breath." Shak.
2. Held in subjection; dependent; enslaved.
"Even fortune rules no more, O servile land!" Pope.
3. (Gram.) (a) Not belonging to the original root; as a servile letter. (b) Not itself sounded, but serving to lengthen the preceeding vowel, as e in tune.
Servileness
Serv´ile•ness, n. Quality of being servile; servility.
Serving
Serv´ing, a. & n. from Serve. Serving board (Naut.), a flat piece of wood used in serving ropes. — Serving maid, a female servant; a maidservant. — Serving mallet (Naut.), a wooden instrument shaped like a mallet, used in serving ropes. — Serving man, a male servant, or attendant; a manservant. — Serving stuff (Naut.), small lines for serving ropes.
Servitorship
Serv´i•tor•ship, n. The office, rank, or condition of a servitor. Boswell.
Servitude
Serv´i•tude, n. [L. servitudo: cf. F. servitude.]
1. The state of voluntary or compulsory subjection to a master; the condition of being bound to service; the condition of a slave; slavery; bondage; hence, a state of slavish dependence.
"You would have sold your king to slaughter,
His princes and his peers to servitude." Shak.
"A splendid servitude; … for he that rises up early, and goe to bed late, only to receive addresses, is really as much abridged in his freedom as he that waits to present one." South.
2. Servants, collectively. [Obs.]
"After him a cumbrous train
Of herds and flocks, and numerous servitude." Milton.
3. (Law) A right whereby one thing is subject to another thing or person for use or convenience, contrary to the common right. The object of a servitude is either to suffer something to be done by another, or to omit to do something, with respect to a thing. The easements of the English correspond in some respects with the servitudes of the Roman law. Both terms are used by common law writers, and often indiscriminately. The former, however, rather indicates the right enjoyed, and the latter the burden imposed. Ayliffe. Erskine. E. Washburn.Penal servitude. See under Penal. — Personal servitude (Law), that which arises when the use of a thing is granted as a real right to a particular individual other than the proprietor. — Predial servitude (Law), that which one estate owes to another estate. When it related to lands, vineyards, gardens, or the like, it is called rural; when it related to houses and buildings, it is called urban.
Servo-motor
Ser•vo-mo´tor, n. [Sometimes erroneously spelt serro-motor.] [F. servo-moteur. See Serf; Motor.] (Mach.) A relay apparatus; specif.: (a) An auxiliary motor, regulated by a hand lever, for quickly and easily moving the reversing gear of a large marine engine into any desired position indicated by that of the hand lever, which controls the valve of the motor. (b) In a Whitehead torpedo, a compressed-air motor, for moving the rudders so as to correct deviations from the course.
Sesame
Ses´a•me, n. [L. sesamum, sesama, Gr., : cf. F. sesame.] (Bot.) Either of two annual herbaceous plants of the genus Sesamum ( S. Indicum, and S. orientale), from the seeds of which an oil is expressed; also the small obovate, flattish seeds of these plants, sometimes used as food. See Benne. Open Sesame, the magical command which opened the door of the robber’s den in the Arabian Nights’ tale of "The Forty Thieves;" hence, a magical password. — Sesame grass. (Bot.) Same as Gama grass.
Sesamoid
Ses´a•moid, n. (Anat.) A sesamoid bone or cartilage.
Sesquitertial
Ses•qui•ter´tial, a. Sesquitertian. { Ses•qui•ter´tian, Ses•qui•ter´tian•al, } a. [ Sesqui- + L. tertianus belonging to the third. Cf. Tertian.] (Math.) Having the ratio of one and one third to one (as 4 : 3).
Sesquitone
Ses´qui•tone, n. [ Sesqui- + tone.] (Mus.) A minor third, or interval of three semitones.
Sess, v. t. [Aphetic form of assess. See Assess, Cess.] To lay a tax upon; to assess. [Obs.]
Session
Ses´sion, n. [L. sessio, fr. sedere, sessum, to sit: cf. F. session. See Sit.]
1. The act of sitting, or the state of being seated. [Archaic]
"So much his ascension into heaven and his session at the right hand of God do import." Hooker.
"But Viven, gathering somewhat of his mood, …
Leaped from her session on his lap, and stood." Tennyson.
2. The actual sitting of a court, council, legislature, etc., or the actual assembly of the members of such a body, for the transaction of business.
"It’s fit this royal session do proceed." Shak.
3. Hence, also the time, period, or term during which a court, council, legislature, etc., meets daily for business; or, the space of time between the first meeting and the prorogation or adjournment; thus, a session of Parliaments is opened with a speech from the throne, and closed by prorogation. The session of a judicial court is called a term.
"It was resolved that the convocation should meet at the beginning of the next session of Parliament." Macaulay. Sessions, in some of the States, is particularly used as a title for a court of justices, held for granting licenses to innkeepers, etc., and for laying out highways, and the like; it is also the title of several courts of criminal jurisdiction in England and the United States. Church session, the lowest court in the Presbyterian Church, composed of the pastor and a body of elders elected by the members of a particular church, and having the care of matters pertaining to the religious interests of that church, as the admission and dismission of members, discipline, etc. — Court of Session, the supreme civil court of Scotland. — Quarter sessions. (Eng.Law) See under Quarter. — Sessions of the peace, sittings held by justices of the peace. [Eng.]
Sessional
Ses´sion•al, a. Of or pertaining to a session or sessions.
Sesspool
Sess´pool, n. [Prov. E. suss hogwash, soss a dirty mess, a puddle + E. pool a puddle; cf. Gael. ses a coarse mess.] Same as Cesspool.
Set (set), v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Set; p. pr. & vb. n. Setting.] [OE. setten, AS. setton; akin to OS. settian, OFries. setta, D. zetten, OHG. sezzen, G. setzen, Icel. setja, Sw. sätta, Dan. stte, Goth. satjan; causative from the root of E. sit. rad.154. See Sit, and cf. Seize.]
1. To cause to sit; to make to assume a specified position or attitude; to give site or place to; to place; to put; to fix; as to set a house on a stone foundation; to set a book on a shelf; to set a dish on a table; to set a chest or trunk on its bottom or on end.
"I do set my bow in the cloud." Gen. ix. 13.
2. Hence, to attach or affix (something) to something else, or in or upon a certain place.
"Set your affection on things above." Col. iii. 2.
"The Lord set a mark upon Cain." Gen. iv. 15.
3. To make to assume specified place, condition, or occupation; to put in a certain condition or state (described by the accompanying words); to cause to be.
"The Lord thy God will set thee on high." Deut. xxviii. 1.
"I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother." Matt. x. 35.
"Every incident sets him thinking." Coleridge.
4. To fix firmly; to make fast, permanent, or stable; to render motionless; to give an unchanging place, form, or condition to. Specifically: — (a) To cause to stop or stick; to obstruct; to fasten to a spot; hence, to occasion difficulty to; to embarrass; as to set a coach in the mud.
"They show how hard they are set in this particular." Addison. (b) To fix beforehand; to determine; hence, to make unyielding or obstinate; to render stiff, unpliant, or rigid; as to set one’s countenance.
"His eyes were set by reason of his age." 1 Kings xiv. 4.
"On these three objects his heart was set." Macaulay.
"Make my heart as a millstone, set my face as a flint." Tennyson. (c) To fix in the ground, as a post or a tree; to plant; as to set pear trees in an orchard. (d) To fix, as a precious stone, in a border of metal; to place in a setting; hence, to place in or amid something which serves as a setting; as to set glass in a sash.
"And him too rich a jewel to be set
In vulgar metal for a vulgar use." Dryden. (e) To render stiff or solid; especially, to convert into curd; to curdle; as to set milk for cheese.
5. To put into a desired position or condition; to adjust; to regulate; to adapt. Specifically: — (a) To put in order in a particular manner; to prepare; as to set (that is, to hone) a razor; to set a saw.
"Tables for to sette, and beddes make." Chaucer. (b) To extend and bring into position; to spread; as to set the sails of a ship. (c) To give a pitch to, as a tune; to start by fixing the keynote; as to set a psalm. Fielding. (d) To reduce from a dislocated or fractured state; to replace; as to set a broken bone. (e) To make to agree with some standard; as to set a watch or a clock. (f) (Masonry) To lower into place and fix solidly, as the blocks of cut stone in a structure.
6. To stake at play; to wager; to risk.
"I have set my life upon a cast,
And I will stand the hazard of the die." Shak.
7. To fit with music; to adapt, as words to notes; to prepare for singing.
"Set thy own songs, and sing them to thy lute." Dryden.
8. To determine; to appoint; to assign; to fix; as to set a time for a meeting; to set a price on a horse.
9. To adorn with something infixed or affixed; to stud; to variegate with objects placed here and there.
"High on their heads, with jewels richly set,
Each lady wore a radiant coronet." Dryden.
"Pastoral dales thin set with modern farms." Wordsworth.
10. To value; to rate; — with a. .
"Be you contented, wearing now the garland,
To have a son set your decrees at naught." Shak.
"I do not set my life at a pin’s fee." Shak.
11. To point out the seat or position of, as birds, or other game; — said of hunting dogs.
12. To establish as a rule; to furnish; to prescribe; to assign; as to set an example; to set lessons to be learned.
13. To suit; to become; as it sets him ill. [Scot.]
14. (Print.) To compose; to arrange in words, lines, etc.; as to set type; to set a page. To set abroach. See Abroach. [Obs.] Shak. — To set against, to oppose; to set in comparison with, or to oppose to, as an equivalent in exchange; as to set one thing against another. — To set agoing, to cause to move. — To set apart, to separate to a particular use; to separate from the rest; to reserve. — To set a saw, to bend each tooth a little, every alternate one being bent to one side, and the intermediate ones to the other side, so that the opening made by the saw may be a little wider than the thickness of the back, to prevent the saw from sticking. — To set aside. (a) To leave out of account; to pass by; to omit; to neglect; to reject; to annul.
"Setting aside all other considerations, I will endeavor to know the truth, and yield to that." Tillotson. (b) To set apart; to reserve; as to set aside part of one’s income. (c) (Law) See under Aside. — To set at defiance, to defy. — To set at ease, to quiet; to tranquilize; as to set the heart at ease. — To set at naught, to undervalue; to contemn; to despise. "Ye have set at naught all my counsel." Prov. i. 25. — To set atrap, snare, or gin, to put it in a proper condition or position to catch prey; hence, to lay a plan to deceive and draw another into one’s power. — To set at work, orTo set to work. (a) To cause to enter on work or action, or to direct how tu enter on work. (b) To apply one’s self; — used reflexively. — To set before. (a) To bring out to view before; to exhibit. (b) To propose for choice to; to offer to. — To set by. (a) To set apart or on one side; to reject. (b) To attach the value of (anything) to. "I set not a straw b. thy dreamings." Chaucer. — To set by the compass, to observe and note the bearing or situation of by the compass. — To set case, to suppose; to assume. Cf. Put case, under Put, v. t. [Obs.] Chaucer. — To set down. (a) To enter in writing; to register.
"Some rules were to be set down for the government of the army." Clarendon. (b) To fix; to establish; to ordain.
"This law we may name eternal, being that order which God … hath set down with himself, for himself to do all things by." Hooker. (c) To humiliate. — To set eyes on, to see; to behold; to fasten the eyes on. — To set fire to, orTo set on fire, to communicate fire to; fig., to inflame; to enkindle the passions of; to irritate. — To set flying (Naut.), to hook to halyards, sheets, etc., instead of extending with rings or the like on a stay; — said of a sail. — To set forth. (a) To manifest; to offer or present to view; to exhibt; to display. (b) To publish; to promulgate; to make appear. Waller. (c) To send out; to prepare and send. [Obs.]
"The Venetian admiral had a fleet of sixty galleys, set forth by the Venetians." Knolles. — To set forward. (a) To cause to advance. (b) To promote. — To set free, to release from confinement, imprisonment, or bondage; to liberate; to emancipate. — To set in, to put in the way; to begin; to give a start to. [Obs.]
"If you please to assist and set me in, I will recollect myself." Collier. — To set in order, to adjust or arrange; to reduce to method. "The rest will I set in order when I come." 1 Cor. xi. 34. — To set milk. (a) To expose it in open dishes in order that the cream may rise to the surface. (b) To cause it to become curdled as by the action of rennet. See 4 (e). — To setmuch, or little, by, to care much, or little, for. — To set of, to value; to set by. [Obs.] "I set not an haw of his proverbs." Chaucer. — To set off. (a) To separate from a whole; to assign to a particular purpose; to portion off; as to set off a portion of an estate. (b) To adorn; to decorate; to embellish.
"They … set off the worst faces with the best airs." Addison. (c) To give a flattering description of. - - To set off against, to place against as an equivalent; as to set off one man’s services against another’s. — To seton or upon. (a) To incite; to instigate. "Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this." Shak. (b) To employ, as in a task. " Set on thy wife to observe." Shak. (c) To fix upon; to attach strongly to; as to set one’s heart or affections on some object. See definition 2, above. — To set one’s cap for. See under Cap, n. — To set one’s self against, to place one’s self in a state of enmity or opposition to. — To set one’s teeth, to press them together tightly. — To set on foot, to set going; to put in motion; to start. — To set out. (a) To assign; to allot; to mark off; to limit; as to set out the share of each proprietor or heir of an estate; to set out the widow’s thirds. (b) To publish, as a proclamation. [Obs.] (c) To adorn; to embellish.
"An ugly woman, in rich habit set out with jewels, nothing can become." Dryden. (d) To raise, equip, and send forth; to furnish. [R.]
"The Venetians pretend they could set out, in case of great necessity, thirty men-of-war." Addison. (e) To show; to display; to recommend; to set off.
"I could set out that best side of Luther." Atterbury. (f) To show; to prove. [R.] "Those very reasons set out how heinous his sin was." Atterbury. (g) (Law) To recite; to state at large. — To set over. (a) To appoint or constitute as supervisor, inspector, ruler, or commander. (b) To assign; to transfer; to convey. — To set right, to correct; to put in order. — To set sail. (Naut.) See under Sail, n. — To set store by, to consider valuable. — To set the fashion, to determine what shall be the fashion; to establish the mode. — To set the teeth on edge, to affect the teeth with a disagreeable sensation, as when acids are brought in contact with them. — To set the watch (Naut.), to place the starboard or port watch on duty. — To set to, to attach to; to affix to. "He … hath set to his seal that God is true." John iii. 33. — To set up. (a) To erect; to raise; to elevate; as to set up a building, or a machine; to set up a post, a wall, a pillar. (b) Hence, to exalt; to put in power. "I will … set up the throne of David over Israel." 2 Sam. iii. 10. (c) To begin, as a new institution; to institute; to establish; to found; as to set up a manufactory; to set up a school. (d) To enable to commence a new business; as to set up a son in trade. (e) To place in view; as to set up a mark. (f) To raise; to utter loudly; as to set up the voice.
"I’ll set up such a note as she shall hear." Dryden. (g) To advance; to propose as truth or for reception; as to set up a new opinion or doctrine. T. Burnet. (h) To raise from depression, or to a sufficient fortune; as this good fortune quite set him up. (i) To intoxicate. [Slang] (j) (Print.) To put in type; as to set up copy; to arrange in words, lines, etc., ready for printing; as to set up type. — To set up the rigging (Naut.), to make it taut by means of tackles. R. H. Dana, Jr.
Syn. — See Put.
Set, a.
1. Fixed in position; immovable; rigid; as a set line; a set countenance.
2. Firm; unchanging; obstinate; as set opinions or prejudices.
3. Regular; uniform; formal; as a set discourse; a set battle. "The set phrase of peace." Shak.
4. Established; prescribed; as set forms of prayer.
5. Adjusted; arranged; formed; adapted. Set hammer. (a) A hammer the head of which is not tightly fastened upon the handle, but may be reversed. Knight. (b) A hammer with a concave face which forms a die for shaping anything, as the end of a bolt, rivet, etc. — Set line, a line to which a number of baited hooks are attached, and which, supported by floats and properly secured, may be left unguarded during the absence of the fisherman. — Set nut, a jam nut or lock nut. See under Nut. — Set screw (Mach.), a screw, sometimes cupped or printed at one end, and screwed through one part, as of a machine, tightly upon another part, to prevent the one from slipping upon the other. — Set speech, a speech carefully prepared before it is delivered in public; a formal or methodical speech.
Set, n.
1. The act of setting, as of the sun or other heavenly body; descent; hence, the close; termination. "Locking at the set of day." Tennyson.
"The weary sun hath made a golden set." Shak.
2. That which is set, placed, or fixed. Specifically: — (a) A young plant for growth; as a set of white thorn. (b) That which is staked; a wager; a venture; a stake; hence, a game at venture. [Obs. or R.]
"We will in France, by God’s grace, play a set
Shall strike his father’s crown into the hazard." Shak.
"That was but civil war, an equal set." Dryden. (c) (Mech.) Permanent change of figure in consequence of excessive strain, as from compression, tension, bending, twisting, etc.; as the set of a spring. (d) A kind of punch used for bending, indenting, or giving shape to, metal; as a saw set. (e) (Pile Driving) A piece placed temporarily upon the head of a pile when the latter cannot be reached by the weight, or hammer, except by means of such an intervening piece. [Often incorrectly written sett.] (f) (Carp.) A short steel spike used for driving the head of a nail below the surface.
3. [Perhaps due to confusion with sect, sept.] A number of things of the same kind, ordinarily used or classed together; a collection of articles which naturally complement each other, and usually go together; an assortment; a suit; as a set of chairs, of china, of surgical or mathematical instruments, of books, etc. [In this sense, sometimes incorrectly written sett.]
4. A number of persons associated by custom, office, common opinion, quality, or the like; a division; a group; a clique. "Others of our set." Tennyson.
"This falls into different divisions, or sets, of nations connected under particular religions." R. P. Ward.
5. Direction or course; as the set of the wind, or of a current.
6. In dancing, the number of persons necessary to execute a quadrille; also the series of figures or movements executed.
7. The deflection of a tooth, or of the teeth, of a saw, which causes the the saw to cut a kerf, or make an opening, wider than the blade.
8. (a) A young oyster when first attached. (b) Collectively, the crop of young oysters in any locality.
9. (Tennis) A series of as many games as may be necessary to enable one side to win six. If at the end of the tenth game the score is a tie, the set is usually called a deuce set, and decided by an application of the rules for playing off deuce in a game. See Deuce.
10. (Type Founding) That dimension of the body of a type called by printers the width. Dead set. (a) The act of a setter dog when it discovers the game, and remains intently fixed in pointing it out. (b) A fixed or stationary condition arising from obstacle or hindrance; a deadlock; as to be at a dead set. (c) A concerted scheme to defraud by gaming; a determined onset. — To make a dead set, to make a determined onset, literally or figuratively.
Syn. — Collection; series; group. See Pair.
Seten
Set´en, obs. imp. pl. of Sit. Sat. Chaucer.
Setewale
Set´e•wale, n. See Cetewale. [Obs.]
Set-fair
Set´-fair, n. In plastering, a particularly good troweled surface. Knight.
Sethen
Seth´en, adv. & conj. See Since. [Obs.]
Setiform
Se´ti•form, a. [ Seta + - form: cf. F. setiforme.] Having the form or structure of setae.
Setiger
Se´ti•ger, n. [NL. See Setigerous.] (Zoöl.) An annelid having setae; a chaetopod.
Set-off
Set´-off, n. [ Set + off.]
1. That which is set off against another thing; an offset.
"I do not contemplate such a heroine as a set-off to the many sins imputed to me as committed against woman." D. Jerrold.
2. That which is used to improve the appearance of anything; a decoration; an ornament.
3. (Law) A counterclaim; a cross debt or demand; a distinct claim filed or set up by the defendant against the plaintiff’s demand. Set-off differs from recoupment, as the latter generally grows out of the same matter or contract with the plaintiff’s claim, while the former grows out of distinct matter, and does not of itself deny the justice of the plaintiff’s demand. Offset is sometimes improperly used for the legal term set- off. See Recoupment.
4. (Arch.) Same as Offset, n. , 4.
5. (Print.) See Offset, 7.
Syn. — Set-off, Offset. — Offset originally denoted that which branches off or projects, as a shoot from a tree, but the term has long been used in America in the sense of set-off. This use is beginning to obtain in England; though Macaulay uses set-off, and so, perhaps, do a majority of English writers.
Setout
Set´out, n. A display, as of plate, equipage, etc.; that which is displayed. [Coloq.] Dickens.
Sett, n. See Set, n. , 2 (e) and 3.
Settee
Set•tee´, n. [From Set; cf. Settle a seat.] A long seat with a back, — made to accommodate several persons at once.
Setting
Set´ting, n.
1. The act of one who, or that which, sets; as the setting of type, or of gems; the setting of the sun; the setting (hardening) of moist plaster of Paris; the setting (set) of a current.
2. The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does; also hunting with a setter. Boyle.
3. Something set in, or inserted.
"Thou shalt set in it settings of stones." Ex. xxviii. 17.
4. That in which something, as a gem, is set; as the gold setting of a jeweled pin. Setting coat (Arch.), the finishing or last coat of plastering on walls or ceilings. — Setting dog, a setter. See Setter, n. , 2. — Setting pole, a pole, often iron- pointed, used for pushing boats along in shallow water. — Setting rule. (Print.) A composing rule.
Settle
Set´tle, n. [OE. setel, setil, a seat, AS. setl: akin to OHG. sezzal, G. sessel, Goth. sitls, and E. sit. rad.154. See Sit.]
1. A seat of any kind. [Obs.] "Upon the settle of his majesty" Hampole.
2. A bench; especially, a bench with a high back.
3. A place made lower than the rest; a wide step or platform lower than some other part.
"And from the bottom upon the ground, even to the lower settle, shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit." Ezek. xliii. 14.Settle bed, a bed convertible into a seat. [Eng.]
Settle
Set´tle, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Settled p. pr. & vb. n. Settling ] [OE. setlen, AS. setlan. rad.154. See Settle, n. In senses 7, 8, and 9 perhaps confused with OE. sahtlen to reconcile, AS. sahtlian, fr. saht reconciliation, sacon to contend, dispute. Cf. Sake.]
1. To place in a fixed or permanent condition; to make firm, steady, or stable; to establish; to fix; esp., to establish in life; to fix in business, in a home, or the like.
"And he settled his countenance steadfastly upon him, until he was ashamed." 2 Kings viii. 11. (Rev. Ver.)
"The father thought the time drew on
Of setting in the world his only son." Dryden.
2. To establish in the pastoral office; to ordain or install as pastor or rector of a church, society, or parish; as to settle a minister. [U. S.]
3. To cause to be no longer in a disturbed condition; to render quiet; to still; to calm; to compose.
"God settled then the huge whale-bearing lake." Chapman.
"Hoping that sleep might settle his brains." Bunyan.
4. To clear of dregs and impurities by causing them to sink; to render pure or clear; — said of a liquid; as to settle coffee, or the grounds of coffee.
5. To restore or bring to a smooth, dry, or passable condition; — said of the ground, of roads, and the like; as clear weather settles the roads.
6. To cause to sink; to lower; to depress; hence, also to render close or compact; as to settle the contents of a barrel or bag by shaking it.
7. To determine, as something which is exposed to doubt or question; to free from unscertainty or wavering; to make sure, firm, or constant; to establish; to compose; to quiet; as to settle the mind when agitated; to settle questions of law; to settle the succession to a throne; to settle an allowance.
"It will settle the wavering, and confirm the doubtful." Swift.
8. To adjust, as something in discussion; to make up; to compose; to pacify; as to settle a quarrel.
9. To adjust, as accounts; to liquidate; to balance; as to settle an account.
10. Hence, to pay; as to settle a bill. [Colloq.] Abbott.
11. To plant with inhabitants; to colonize; to people; as the French first settled Canada; the Puritans settled New England; Plymouth was settled in 1620. To settle on or upon, to confer upon by permanent grant; to assure to. "I … have settled upon him a good annuity." Addison. — To settle the land (Naut.), to cause it to sink, or appear lower, by receding from it.
Syn. — To fix; establish; regulate; arrange; compose; adjust; determine; decide.
Settledness
Set´tled•ness, n. The quality or state of being settled; confirmed state. [R.] Bp. Hall.
Set-to
Set´-to, n. A contest in boxing, in an argument, or the like. [Colloq.] Halliwell.
Setule
Set´ule, n. [See Setula.] A setula.
Setwall
Set´wall, n. [CF. Cetewale.] (Bot.) A plant formerly valued for its restorative qualities ( Valeriana officinalis, or V. Pyrenaica). [Obs.] [Written also setwal.] Chaucer.
Seven
Sev´en, a. [OE. seven, seoven, seofen, AS. seofon, seofan, seofen; akin to D. zeven, OS., Goth., & OHG. sibun, G. sieben, Icel. sjau, sjö, Sw. sju, Dan. syv, Lith. septyni, Russ. seme, W. saith, Gael. seachd, Ir. seacht, L. septem, Gr., Skr. saptan. rad.305. Cf. Hebdomad, Heptagon, September.] One more than six; six and one added; as seven days make one week. Seven sciences. See the Note under Science, n. , 4. — Seven stars (Astron.), the Pleiades. — Seven wonders of the world. See under Wonders. — Seven-year apple (Bot.), a rubiaceous shrub ( Genipa clusiifolia) growing in the West Indies; also its edible fruit. — Seven-year vine (Bot.), a tropical climbing plant ( Ipomœa tuberosa) related to the morning- glory.
Sevennight
Seven´night, n. A week; any period of seven consecutive days and nights. See Sennight.
Seventeen
Sev´en•teen, a. [OE. seventene, AS. seofontyne, i. e., seven- ten. Cf. Seventy.] One more than sixteen; ten and seven added; as seventeen years.
Seventeenth
Sev´en•teenth, a. [From Seventeen: cf. AS. seofonteóða, seofonteogeða.]
1. Next in order after the sixteenth; coming after sixteen others.
"In … the seventeenth day of the month … were all the fountains of the great deep broken up." Gen. vii. 11.
2. Constituting or being one of seventeen equal parts into which anything is divided.
Seventh
Sev´enth, a. [From Seven: cf. AS. seofoða.]
1. Next in order after the sixth;; coming after six others.
"On the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." Gen. ii. 2.
2. Constituting or being one of seven equal parts into which anything is divided; as the seventh part. Seventh day, the seventh day of the week; Saturday. — Seventh-day Baptists. See under Baptist.
Seventy
Sev´en•ty, a. [AS. hund - seofontig. See Seven, and Ten, and cf. Seventeen, Sixty.] Seven times ten; one more than sixty-nine.
Seventy
Sev´en•ty, n. ; pl. Seventies .
1. The sum of seven times ten; seventy units or objects.
2. A symbol representing seventy units, as 70, or lxx. The Seventy, the translators of the Greek version of the Old Testament called the Septuagint. See Septuagint.
Seventy-four
Sev•en•ty-four´, n. (Naut.) A naval vessel carrying seventy-four guns.
Seven-up
Sev´en-up, n. The game of cards called also all fours, and old sledge. [U. S.]
Sever
Sev´er, v. t. [ imp. &. p. p. Severed p. pr. & vb. n. Severing.] [OF. sevrer, severer, to separate, F. sevrer to wean, fr. L. separare. See Separate, and cf. Several.]
1. To separate, as one from another; to cut off from something; to divide; to part in any way, especially by violence, as by cutting, rending, etc.; as to sever the head from the body.
"The angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just." Matt. xiii. 49.
2. To cut or break open or apart; to divide into parts; to cut through; to disjoin; as to sever the arm or leg.
"Our state can not be severed; we are one." Milton.
3. To keep distinct or apart; to except; to exempt.
"I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there." Ex. viii. 22.
4. (Law) To disunite; to disconnect; to terminate; as to sever an estate in joint tenancy. Blackstone.
Severable
Sev´er•a•ble, a. Capable of being severed. Encyc. Dict.
Several
Sev´er•al, a. [OF., fr. LL. separalis, fr. L. separ separate, different. See Sever, Separate.]
1. Separate; distinct; particular; single.
"Each several ship a victory did gain." Dryden.
"Each might his several province well command,
Would all but stoop to what they understand." Pope.
2. Diverse; different; various. Spenser.
"Habits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished." Bacon.
"Four several armies to the field are led." Dryden.
3. Consisting of a number more than two, but not very many; divers; sundry; as several persons were present when the event took place.
Severe
Se•vere´, a. [ Compar. Severer superl. Severest.] [L. severus; perhaps akin to Gr. awe, revered, holy, solemn, Goth. swikns innocent, chaste: cf. F. sevère. Cf. Asseverate, Persevere.]
1. Serious in feeeling or manner; sedate; grave; austere; not light, lively, or cheerful.
"Your looks alter, as your subject does,
From kind to fierce, from wanton to severe." Waller.
2. Very strict in judgment, discipline, or government; harsh; not mild or indulgent; rigorous; as severe criticism; severe punishment. "Custody severe." Milton.
"Come! you are too severe a moraler." Shak.
"Let your zeal, if it must be expressed in anger, be always more severe against thyself than against others." Jer. Taylor.
3. Rigidly methodical, or adherent to rule or principle; exactly conformed to a standard; not allowing or employing unneccessary ornament, amplification, etc.; strict; — said of style, argument, etc. "Restrained by reason and severe principles." Jer. Taylor.
"The Latin, a most severe and compendious language." Dryden.
4. Sharp; afflictive; distressing; violent; extreme; as severe pain, anguish, fortune; severe cold.
5. Difficult to be endured; exact; critical; rigorous; as a severe test.
Syn. — Strict; grave; austere; stern; morose; rigid; exact; rigorous; hard; rough; harsh; censorious; tart; acrimonious; sarcastic; satirical; cutting; biting; keen; bitter; cruel. See Strict. — Se•vere´ly, adv. — Se•vere´ness, n.
Sevocation
Sev•o•ca´tion, n. [L. sevocare, sevocatum, to call aside.] A calling aside. [Obs.]
Sew, n. [OE. See Sewer household officer.] Juice; gravy; a seasoned dish; a delicacy. [Obs.] Gower.
"I will not tell of their strange sewes." Chaucer.
Sew, v. t. [See Sue to follow.] To follow; to pursue; to sue. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.
Sew, v. t. [ imp. Sewed p. p. Sewed, rarely Sewn ; p. pr. & vb. n. Sewing.] [OE. sewen, sowen, AS. siówian, siwian; akin to OHG. siuwan, Icel. sja, Sw. sy, Dan. sye, Goth. siujan, Lith. siuti, Russ, shite, L. ssuere, Gr., Skr. siv. rad.156. Cf. Seam a suture, Suture.]
1. To unite or fasten together by stitches, as with a needle and thread.
"No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment." Mark ii. 21.
2. To close or stop by ssewing; — often with up; as to sew up a rip.
3. To inclose by sewing; — sometimes with up; as to sew money in a bag.
Sew, v. i. To practice sewing; to work with needle and thread.
Sew, v. t. [rad.151 b. See Sewer a drain.] To drain, as a pond, for taking the fish. [Obs.] Tusser.
Sewe, v. i. To perform the duties of a sewer. See 3d Sewer. [Obs.]
Sewer
Sew´er, n. [OF. sewiere, seuwiere, ultimately fr. L. ex out + a derivative of aqua water; cf. OF. essevour a drain, essever, esseuwer, essiaver, to cause to flow, to drain, to flow, LL. exaquatorium a channel through which water runs off. Cf. Ewer, Aquarium.] A drain or passage to carry off water and filth under ground; a subterraneous channel, particularly in cities.
Sewer
Sew´er, n. [Cf. OE. assewer, and asseour, OF. asseour, F. asseoir to seat, to set, L. assidere to sit by; ad + sedere to sit (cf. Sit); or cf. OE. sew pottage, sauce, boiled meat, AS. seáw juice, Skr. su to press out.] Formerly, an upper servant, or household officer, who set on and removed the dishes at a feast, and who also brought water for the hands of the guests.
"Then the sewer
Poured water from a great and golden ewer,
That from their hands to a silver caldron ran." Chapman.
Sex- [L. sex six. See Six.] A combining form meaning six; as sexdigitism; sexennial.
Sexagenarian
Sex•a•ge•na´ri•an, n. [See Sexagenary.] A person who is sixty years old.
Sexagenary
Sex•ag´e•na•ry, a. [L. sexagenarius, fr. sexageni sixty each, akin to sexaginta sixty, sex six: cf. sexagenaire. See Six.] Pertaining to, or designating, the number sixty; poceeding by sixties; sixty years old. Sexagenary arithmetic. See under Sexagesimal. — Sexagenary, or Sexagesimal, scale (Math.), a scale of numbers in which the modulus is sixty. It is used in treating the divisions of the circle.
Sexangle
Sex´an•gle, n. [L. sexangulus sexangular; sex six + angulus angle: cf. F. sexangle. Cf. Hexangular.] (Geom.) A hexagon. [R.] Hutton. { Sex´an•gled, Sex•an´gu•lar } a. [Cf. F. sexangulaire.] Having six angles; hexagonal. [R.] Dryden.
Sexdigitist
Sex•dig´it•ist, n. One who has six fingers on a hand, or six toes on a foot.
Sexed, a. Belonging to sex; having sex; distinctively male of female; as the sexed condition.
Sexennial
Sex•en´ni•al, a. [L. sexennium a period of six years, sexennis of six years; sex six + annus a year. See Six, and Annual.] Lasting six years, or happening once in six years. — n. A sexennial event.
Sexisyllabic
Sex•i•syl•lab´ic, a. [ Sex- + syllabic.] Having six syllables. Emerson.
Sexisyllable
Sex´i•syl•la•ble, n. [ Sex- + syllable.] A word of six syllables.
Sexivalent
Sex•iv´a•lent, a. [ Sex- + L. valens, p. pr. See Valence.] (hem.) Hexavalent. [R.]
Sexradiate
Sex•ra´di•ate, a. [ Sex- + radiate.] (Zoöl.) Having six rays; — said of certain sponge spicules. See Illust. of Spicule.
Sextans
Sex´tans, n. [L. See Sextant.]
1. (Rom. Antiq.) A Roman coin, the sixth part of an as.
2. (Astron.) A constellation on the equator south of Leo; the Sextant.
Sextant
Sex´tant, n. [L. sextans, -antis, the sixth part of an as fr. sextus sixth, sex six. See Six.]
1. (Math.) The sixth part of a circle.
2. An instrument for measuring angular distances between objects, — used esp. at sea, for ascertaining the latitude and longitude. It is constructed on the same optical principle as Hadley’s quadrant, but usually of metal, with a nicer graduation, telescopic sight, and its arc the sixth, and sometimes the third, part of a circle. See Quadrant.
3. (Astron.) The constellation Sextans. Box sextant, a small sextant inclosed in a cylindrical case to make it more portable.
Sextary
Sex´ta•ry, n. [For sextonry.] A sacristy. [Obs.] { Sex•tet´, Sex•tet´to } n. (Mus.) See Sestet.
Sextile
Sex´tile, a. [F. sextil, fr. L. sextus the sixth, from sex six. See Six.] (Astrol.) Measured by sixty degrees; fixed or indicated by a distance of sixty degrees. Glanvill.
Sextillion
Sex•til´lion, n. [Formed (in imitation of million) fr. L. sextus sixth, sex six: cf. F. sextilion.] According to the method of numeration (which is followed also in the United States), the number expressed by a unit with twenty-one ciphers annexed. According to the English method, a million raised to the sixth power, or the number expressed by a unit with thirty-six ciphers annexed. See Numeration.
Sextodecimo
Sex•to•dec´i•mo, a. [L. sextus- decimus the sixteenth; sextus the sixth (fr. sex six) + decimus the tenth, from decem ten. See - mo.] Having sixteen leaves to a sheet; of, or equal to, the size of one fold of a sheet of printing paper when folded so as to make sixteen leaves, or thirty-two pages; as a sextodecimo volume.
Sextry
Sex´try, n. See Sacristy. [Obs.]
Sexualist
Sex´u•al•ist, n. (Bot.) One who classifies plants by the sexual method of Linnaeus.
Sexuality
Sex•u•al´i•ty, n. The quality or state of being distinguished by sex. Lindley.
Sexually
Sex´u•al•ly, adv. In a sexual manner or relation. { Sey, Seyh }, obs. imp. sing. & 2d pers. pl. of See. Chaucer. { Seye, Seyen }, obs. imp. pl. & p. p. of See.
Seynd, obs. p. p. of Senge, to singe. Chaucer.
Seynt, n. A gridle. See 1st Seint. [Obs.] { Sfor•zan´do, Sfor•za´to } a. [It. sforzando, p. pr., and sforzato, p. p. of sforzare to force.] (Mus.) Forcing or forced; — a direction placed over a note, to signify that it must be executed with peculiar emphasis and force; — marked fz (an abbreviation of forzando), sf, sfz, or .