Seq"ues*tra`tor (?), n. [L., one that hinders or impedes.] (Law) (a)
One who sequesters property, or takes the possession of it for a time,
to satisfy a demand out of its rents or profits. (b) One to whom the
keeping of sequestered property is committed.
||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.
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.]
Se*quoi"a (?), n. [NL. So called by Dr. Endlicher in honor of Sequoyah,
who invented the Cherokee alphabet.] (Bot.) A genus of coniferous
trees, consisting of two species, Sequoia Washingtoniana, syn. S.
gigantea, the "big tree" of California, and S. sempervirens, the
redwood, both of which attain an immense height.
Se*quoi"ëne (?), n. (Chem.) A hydrocarbon (C13H10) obtained in white
fluorescent crystals, in the distillation products of the needles of
the California "big tree" (Sequoia gigantea).
Se*ragl"io (?), n. [It. serraglio, originally, an inclosure of
palisades, afterwards also, a palace, seraglio (by confusion with Per.
serïa 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.
||Se*ra"i (?), n. [Per. serï, or sarï, 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.
Ser`al*bu"men (?), n. (Physiol. CHem.) Serum albumin.
||Se*rang" (?), n. [Per. sarhang a commander.] The boatswain of a
||Lascar or East Ondian crew.
||Se*ra"pe (?), n. [Sp. Amer. sarape.] A blanket or shawl worn as an
||outer garment by the Spanish Americans, as in Mexico.
Ser"aph (?), n.; pl. E. Seraphs (#), Heb. Seraphim (#). [Heb. serphim,
pl.] One of an order of celestial beings, each having three pairs of
wings. In ecclesiastical art and in poetry, a seraph is represented as
one of a class of angels. Isa. vi. 2.
As full, as perfect, in vile man that mourns, As the rapt seraph
that adores and burns.
Pope.
Seraph moth (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of geometrid moths of
the genus Lobophora, having the hind wings deeply bilobed, so that they
seem to have six wings.
{ Se*raph"ic (?), Se*raph"ic*al (?), } a. [Cf. F. séraphique.] Of or
pertaining to a seraph; becoming, or suitable to, a seraph; angelic;
sublime; pure; refined. "Seraphic arms and trophies." Milton.
"Seraphical fervor." Jer. Taylor. -- Se*raph"ic*al*ly, adv. --
Se*raph"ic*al*ness, n.
Se*raph"i*cism (?), n. The character, quality, or state of a seraph;
seraphicalness. [R.] Cudworth.
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.
<! p. 1314 !>
Ser`a*phi"na (?), n. [NL.] A 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.
||Se*ra"pis (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;.] (Myth.) An
||Egyptian deity, at first a symbol of the Nile, and so of fertility;
||later, one of the divinities of the lower world. His worship was
||introduced into Greece and Rome.
Se*ras"kier (?), n. [Turk., fr. Per. ser head, chief + Ar. 'asker an
army.] A general or commander of land forces in the Turkish empire;
especially, the commander-in-chief of minister of war.
Se*ras"kier*ate (?), n. The office or authority of a seraskier.
Ser*bo"ni*an (?), a. Relating to the lake of Serbonis in Egypt, which
by reason of the sand blowing into it had a deceptive appearance of
being solid land, but was a bog.
A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog . . . Where armies whole have
sunk.
Milton.
Sere (?), a. Dry; withered. Same as Sear.
But with its sound it shook the sails That were so thin and sere.
Coleridge.
Sere, n. [F. serre.] Claw; talon. [Obs.] Chapman.
||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.
Ser`e*nade" (?), n. [F. sérénade, It. serenata, probably fr. L. serenus
serene (cf. Serene), misunderstood as a derivative fr. L. serus late.
Cf. Soirée.] (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.
Ser`e*nade", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Serenaded; p. pr. & vb. n.
Serenading.] To entertain with a serenade.
Ser`e*nade", v. i. To perform a serenade.
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.
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.
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.
Se*rene", v. t. [L. serenare.] To make serene.
Heaven and earth, as if contending, vie To raise his being, and
serene his soul.
Thomson.
Se*rene"ly, adv. 1. In a serene manner; clearly.
Now setting Phœbus shone serenely bright.
Pope.