Sorb (?), n.[L. sorbus the tree, sorbum the fruit; cf. F. sorbe. See
Service tree.] (Bot.) (a) The wild service tree (Pyrus torminalis) of
Europe; also, the rowan tree. (b) The fruit of these trees.
Sorb apple, the fruit of the sorb, or wild service tree. -- Sorb tree,
the wild service tree.
Sor"bate (?), n. [Cf. F. sorbate. See Sorbic.] (Chem.) A salt of sorbic
acid.
Sor`be*fa"cient (?), a. [L. sorbere to suck in, absorb + faciens, p.
pr. of facere to make.] (Med.) Producing absorption. -- n. A medicine
or substance which produces absorption.
Sorb"ent (?), n. [L. sorbens, p. pr. of sorbere to suck in, to absorb.]
An absorbent. [R.]
Sor"bet (?), n. [F. sorbet or It. sorbetto or Sp. sorbete, from the
same source as E. sherbet. See Sherbet.] A kind of beverage; sherbet.
Smolett.
Sor"bic (?), a. [Cf. F. sorbique. See Sorb.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or
obtained from, the rowan tree, or sorb; specifically, designating an
acid, C&?;H&?;CO&?;H, of the acetylene series, found in the unripe
berries of this tree, and extracted as a white crystalline substance.
Sor"bile (?), a. [L. sorbilis, fr. sorbere to suck in, to drink down.]
Fit to be drunk or sipped. [Obs.]
Sor"bin (?), n. (Chem.) An unfermentable sugar, isomeric with glucose,
found in the ripe berries of the rowan tree, or sorb, and extracted as
a sweet white crystalline substance; -- called also mountain-ash sugar.
Sor"bite (?), n. [L. sorbus service tree.] (Chem.) A sugarlike
substance, isomeric with mannite and dulcite, found with sorbin in the
ripe berries of the sorb, and extracted as a sirup or a white
crystalline substance. -- Sor*bit"ic (#), a.
Sor*bi"tion (?), n. [L. sorbitio.] The act of drinking or sipping.
[Obs.]
Sor*bon"ic*al (?), a. Belonging to the Sorbonne or to a Sorbonist.
Bale.
Sor"bon*ist (?), n. [F. sorboniste.] A doctor of the Sorbonne, or
theological college, in the University of Paris, founded by Robert de
Sorbon, a. d. 1252. It was suppressed in the Revolution of 1789.
Sor"cer*er (?), n. [Cf. F. sorcier. See Sorcery.] A conjurer; an
enchanter; a magician. Bacon.
Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers.
Ex. vii. 11.
Sor"cer*ess, n. A female sorcerer.
Sor"cer*ing, n. Act or practice of using sorcery.
Sor"cer*ous (?), a. Of or pertaining to sorcery.
Sor"cer*y (?), n.; pl. Sorceries (#). [OE. sorcerie, OF. sorcerie, fr.
OF. & F. sorcier a sorcerer, LL. sortiarius, fr. L. sors, sortis, a
lot, decision by lot, fate, destiny. See Sort, n.] Divination by the
assistance, or supposed assistance, of evil spirits, or the power of
commanding evil spirits; magic; necromancy; witchcraft; enchantment.
Adder's wisdom I have learned, To fence my ear against thy
sorceries.
Milton.
Sord (? or ?), n. See Sward. [R.] Milton.
||Sor"des (?), n. [L., fr. sordere to be dirty or foul.] Foul matter;
||excretion; dregs; filthy, useless, or rejected matter of any kind;
||specifically (Med.), the foul matter that collects on the teeth and
||tongue in low fevers and other conditions attended with great vital
||depression.
Sor"det (?), n. [See Sordine.] (Mus.) A sordine.
Sor"did (?), a. [L. sordidus, fr. sordere to be filthy or dirty;
probably akin to E. swart: cf. F. sordide. See Swart, a.] 1. Filthy;
foul; dirty. [Obs.]
A sordid god; down from his hoary chin A length of beard descends,
uncombed, unclean.
Dryden.
2. Vile; base; gross; mean; as, vulgar, sordid mortals. "To scorn the
sordid world." Milton.