Scaup duck (Zoöl.), any one of several species of northern ducks of the
genus Aythya, or Fuligula. The adult males are, in large part, black.
The three North American species are: the greater scaup duck (Aythya
marila, var. nearctica), called also broadbill, bluebill, blackhead,
flock duck, flocking fowl, and raft duck; the lesser scaup duck (A.
affinis), called also little bluebill, river broadbill, and shuffler;
the tufted, or ring-necked, scaup duck (A. collaris), called also black
jack, ringneck, ringbill, ringbill shuffler, etc. See Illust.. of
Ring-necked duck, under Ring-necked. The common European scaup, or
mussel, duck (A. marila), closely resembles the American variety.
Scaup"er (?), n. [Cf. Scalper.] A tool with a semicircular edge, --
used by engravers to clear away the spaces between the lines of an
engraving. Fairholt.
Scaur (?), n. A precipitous bank or rock; a scar.
Scav"age (?; 48), n. [LL. scavagium, fr. AS. sceáwian to look at, to
inspect. See Show.] (O. Eng. Law) A toll or duty formerly exacted of
merchant strangers by mayors, sheriffs, etc., for goods shown or
offered for sale within their precincts. Cowell.
Scav"enge (?), v. t. To cleanse, as streets, from filth. C. Kingsley.
Scav"en*ger (?), n. [OE. scavager an officer with various duties,
originally attending to scavage, fr. OE. & E. scavage. See Scavage,
Show, v.] A person whose employment is to clean the streets of a city,
by scraping or sweeping, and carrying off the filth. The name is also
applied to any animal which devours refuse, carrion, or anything
injurious to health.
Scavenger beetle (Zoöl.), any beetle which feeds on decaying
substances, as the carrion beetle. -- Scavenger crab (Zoöl.), any crab
which feeds on dead animals, as the spider crab. -- Scavenger's
daughter [corrupt. of Skevington's daughter], an instrument of torture
invented by Sir W. Skevington, which so compressed the body as to force
the blood to flow from the nostrils, and sometimes from the hands and
feet. Am. Cyc.
||Sca"zon (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. ska`zwn, fr. ska`zein to limp.] (Lat.
||Pros.) A choliamb.
Scel"er*at (?), n. [F. scélérat from L. sceleratus, p. p. of scelerare
to pollute, from scelus, sceleris, a crime.] A villain; a criminal.
[Obs.] Cheyne.
Sce*les"tic (?), a. [L. scelestus, from scelus wickedness.] Evil;
wicked; atrocious. [Obs.] "Scelestic villainies." Feltham.
Scel"et (?), n. [See Skeleton.] A mummy; a skeleton. [Obs.] Holland.
||Sce"na (?), n. [It.] (Mus.) (a) A scene in an opera. (b) An
||accompanied dramatic recitative, interspersed with passages of
||melody, or followed by a full aria. Rockstro.
||Sce*na"ri*o (?), n. [It.] A preliminary sketch of the plot, or main
||incidents, of an opera.
Scen"a*ry (?), n. [Cf. L. scaenarius belonging to the stage.] Scenery.
[Obs.] Dryden.
Scene (?), n. [L. scaena, scena, Gr. skhnh` a covered place, a tent, a
stage.] 1. The structure on which a spectacle or play is exhibited; the
part of a theater in which the acting is done, with its adjuncts and
decorations; the stage.
2. The decorations and fittings of a stage, representing the place in
which the action is supposed to go on; one of the slides, or other
devices, used to give an appearance of reality to the action of a play;
as, to paint scenes; to shift the scenes; to go behind the scenes.
3. So much of a play as passes without change of locality or time, or
important change of character; hence, a subdivision of an act; a
separate portion of a play, subordinate to the act, but differently
determined in different plays; as, an act of four scenes.
My dismal scene I needs must act alone.
Shak.
4. The place, time, circumstance, etc., in which anything occurs, or in
which the action of a story, play, or the like, is laid; surroundings
amid which anything is set before the imagination; place of occurrence,
exhibition, or action. "In Troy, there lies the scene." Shak.
The world is a vast scene of strife.
J. M. Mason.
5. An assemblage of objects presented to the view at once; a series of
actions and events exhibited in their connection; a spectacle; a show;
an exhibition; a view.
Through what new scenes and changes must we pass!
Addison.