Song"stress (?), n. [See Songster, and -ess.] A woman who sings; also,
a female singing bird. Thomson.
Son"i*fer (?), n. [NL. See Soniferous.] A kind of ear trumpet for the
deaf, or the partially deaf.
So*nif"er*ous (?), a. [L. sonus sound + -ferous.] Sounding; producing
sound; conveying sound.
Son`i*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [L. sonus sound + -ficare (in comp.) to make.
See - fy.] The act of producing sound, as the stridulation of insects.
Son"-in-law` (?), n.; pl. Sons-in-law (&?;). The husband of one's
daughter; a man in his relationship to his wife's parents.
To take me as for thy son in lawe.
Chaucer.
Son"less, a. Being without a son. Marston.
As no baron who was sonless could give a husband to his daughter,
save with his lord's consent.
J. R. Green.
Son"net (?), n. [F., fr. It. sonetto, fr. suono a sound, a song, fr. L.
sonus a sound. See Sound noise.] 1. A short poem, -- usually amatory.
[Obs.] Shak.
He had a wonderful desire to chant a sonnet or hymn unto Apollo
Pythius.
Holland.
2. A poem of fourteen lines, -- two stanzas, called the octave, being
of four verses each, and two stanzas, called the sestet, of three
verses each, the rhymes being adjusted by a particular rule.
In the proper sonnet each line has five accents, and the octave has but
two rhymes, the second, third, sixth, and seventh lines being of one
rhyme, and the first, fourth, fifth, and eighth being of another. In
the sestet there are sometimes two and sometimes three rhymes; but in
some way its two stazas rhyme together. Often the three lines of the
first stanza rhyme severally with the three lines of the second. In
Shakespeare's sonnets, the first twelve lines are rhymed alternately,
and the last two rhyme together.
Son"net, v. i. To compose sonnets. "Strains that come almost to
sonneting." Milton.
Son`net*eer" (?), n. A composer of sonnets, or small poems; a small
poet; -- usually in contempt.
What woful stuff this madrigal would be In some starved hackney
sonneteer or me!
Pope.
Son`net*eer", v. i. To compose sonnets. Lowell.
Son"net*er (?), n. A composer of sonnets.
Son"net*ist, n. A sonneter, or sonneteer. Bp. Hall.
Son"net*ize (?), v. i. To compose sonnets.
Son"nish (?), a. Like the sun; sunny; golden. [Obs.] "Her sonnish
hairs." Chaucer.
Son"nite (?), n. See Sunnite.
So*nom"e*ter (?), n. [L. sonus a sound + -meter.] 1. (Physiol.) An
instrument for exhibiting the transverse vibrations of cords, and
ascertaining the relations between musical notes. It consists of a cord
stretched by weight along a box, and divided into different lengths at
pleasure by a bridge, the place of which is determined by a scale on
the face of the box.