Sky"scrap`er (?), n. (a) (Naut.) (1) A skysail of a triangular form. [Rare] (2) A name for the one of the fancy sails alleged to have been sometimes set above the skysail. [Obs.] (b) A very tall building. (c) Hence, anything usually large, high, or excessive. [Slang or Colloq.]
Slag (?), n. (Metal.) A product of smelting, containing, mostly as silicates, the substances not sought to be produced as matte or metal, and having a lower specific gravity than the latter; -- called also, esp. in iron smelting, cinder. The slag of iron blast furnaces is essentially silicate of calcium, magnesium, and aluminium; that of lead and copper smelting furnaces contains iron.
Slag, v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. Slagged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slagging.] (Metal.) To form, or form into, a slag; to agglomerate when heated below the fusion point.
Slam (?), n. (Card Playing) Winning all the tricks of a deal (called, in bridge, grand slam, the winning of all but one of the thirteen tricks being called a little slam).
Slash (?), n. A opening or gap in a forest made by wind, fire, or other destructive agency.
We passed over the shoulder of a ridge and around the edge of a fire slash, and then we had the mountain fairly before us.
Henry Van Dyke.
Sleek (?), n. A slick.
Sleeve (?), n. (Elec.) A double tube of copper, in section like the figure 8, into which the ends of bare wires are pushed so that when the tube is twisted an electrical connection is made. The joint thus made is called a McIntire joint.
Slew (sl), n. [See Slough a wet place.] A wet place; a river inlet.
The praire round about is wet, at times almost marshy, especially at the borders of the great reedy slews.
T. Roosevelt.
Sley (?), n. (Weaving) The number of ends per inch in the cloth, provided each dent in the reed in which it was made contained as equal number of ends. E. Whitworth.
Slice, v. t. (Golf) To hit (the ball) so that the face of the club draws across the face of the ball and deflects it.
Slick, n. A slick, or smooth and slippery, surface or place; a sleek.
The action of oil upon the water is upon the crest of the wave; the oil forming a slick upon the surface breaks the crest.
The Century.
Slide"way` (?), n. A way along which something slides.
Slip, n. 1. (Mach.) (a) The retrograde movement on a pulley of a belt as it slips. (b) In a link motion, the undesirable sliding movement of the link relatively to the link block, due to swinging of the link.
2. (Elec.) The difference between the actual and synchronous speed of an induction motor.
3. (Marine Insurance) A memorandum of the particulars of a risk for which a policy is to be executed. It usually bears the broker's name and is initiated by the underwrites.
Slog (?), v. t. & i. [Cf. Slug, v. t.] To hit hard, esp. with little attention to aim or the like, as in cricket or boxing; to slug. [Cant or Slang]
Slog"ger (?), n. A hard hitter; a slugger. [Cant or Slang] T. Hughes.
Slope, n. The part of a continent descending toward, and draining to, a particular ocean; as, the Pacific slope.
Slot" ma*chine". A machine the operation of which is started by dropping a coin into a slot, for delivering small articles of merchandise, showing one's weight, exhibiting pictures, throwing dice, etc.
Sloyd (?), n. [Written also slojd, and sloid.] [Sw. slöjd skill, dexterity, esp. skilled labor, hence, manufacture, wood carving.] Lit., skilled mechanical work, such as that required in wood carving; trade work; hence, a system (usually called the sloyd system) of manual training in the practical use of the tools and materials used in the trades, and of instruction in the making and use of the plans and specifications connected with trade work. The sloyd system derives its name from the fact that it was adopted or largely developed from a similar Swedish system, in which wood carving was a chief feature. Its purpose is not only to afford practical skill in some trade, but also to develop the pupils mentally and physically.
Sludge (?), n. Anything resembling mud or slush; as: (a) A muddy or slimy deposit from sweage. (b) Mud from a drill hole in boring. (c) Muddy sediment in a steam boiler. (d) Settling of cottonseed oil, used in making soap, etc. (e) A residuum of crude paraffin-oil distillation.
Sludge acid. Impure dark-colored sulphuric acid that has been used in the refining of petroleum.
Sludg"er (?), n. A shovel for sludging out drains, etc.
Slug"ging match. (a) A boxing match or prize fight marked rather by heavy hitting than skill. [Cant or Slang] (b) A ball game, esp. a baseball game, in which there is much hard hitting of the ball. [Slang, U. S.]
Slum (?), v. i. To visit or frequent slums, esp. out of curiosity, or for purposes of study, etc. [Colloq.]
Slum"gum` (?), n. The impure residue, consisting of cocoons, propolis, etc., remaining after the wax is extracted from honeycombs.
Slump, v. i. 1. To slide or slip on a declivity, so that the motion is perceptible; -- said of masses of earth or rock.
2. To undergo a slump, or sudden decline or falling off; as, the stock slumped ten points. [Colloq.]
Slump, n. A falling or declining, esp. suddenly and markedly; a falling off; as, a slump in trade, in prices, etc. [Colloq.]
Smash (?), v. t. (Lawn Tennis) To hit (the ball) from above the level of the net with a very hard overhand stroke.
Smear"case` (?), n. [G. schmierkäse; schmier grease (or schmieren to smear) + käse cheese.] Cottage cheese. [Local, U. S.]
Smell"ing salts. An aromatic preparation of carbonate of ammonia and, often, some scent, to avoid or relieve faintness, headache, or the like.
Smoke ball. Same as Puffball.
Smoke"less pow"der. A high-explosive gunpowder whose explosion produces little, if any, smoke.