SÉANCE, s[=a]'ängs, _n._ a sitting, as of some public body: a sitting for
consideration or inquiry, esp. a meeting of spiritualists for the
consultation of spirits. [Fr.,--L. _sed[=e]re_, to sit.]
SEANNACHIE, sen'a-h[=e], _n._ a bard among the Scottish Highlanders who
recited the traditions of a clan.--Also SEANN'ACHY, SENN'ACHIE. [Gael.
_seanachaidh_.]
SEAR, s[=e]r, _n._ the catch in a gun-lock by which it is held at cock or
half-cock: a part of a gun-lock.--_n._ SEAR'-SPRING, a spring in a
gun-lock. [O. Fr. _serre_--L. _sera_, a bar.]
SEAR, s[=e]r, _v.t._ to dry up: to burn to dryness on the surface: to
scorch: to cauterise: to render callous or insensible.--_adj._ dry,
withered.--_adj._ SEARED, dried up: burned: hardened.--_ns._ SEARED'NESS,
hardness, insensibility; SEAR'NESS, dryness; SEAR'WOOD, wood dry enough to
burn. [A.S. _seár_, dry, _seárian_, to dry up; Low Ger. _soor_, Dut.
_zoor_.]
SEARCE, sers, _v.t._ (_Scot._) to sift through a sieve.--_n._ a sieve.
SEARCH, s[.e]rch, _v.t._ to look round to find: to seek; to examine: to
inspect: to explore: to put to the test: to probe.--_v.i._ to seek for: to
make inquiry.--_n._ the act of seeking or looking for: examination:
inquiry: investigation: pursuit.--_adj._ SEARCH'ABLE, capable of being
searched.--_ns._ SEARCH'ABLENESS, the state or quality of being searchable;
SEARCH'ER, a seeker: an inquirer or examiner: a custom-house officer: an
officer who formerly apprehended idlers on the street during church hours
in Scotland: a sieve or strainer.--_adj._ SEARCH'ING, looking over closely:
penetrating: trying: severe.--_adv._ SEARCH'INGLY.--_n._ SEARCH'INGNESS,
the quality of being searching, penetrating, or severe.--_adj._
SEARCH'LESS, unsearchable.--_ns._ SEARCH'-LIGHT, an electric arc-light used
on board ship and in military operations; SEARCH'-WARR'ANT, a legal warrant
authorising a search for stolen goods, &c.--RIGHT OF SEARCH, the right
claimed by one nation to authorise the commanders of their cruisers to
search private merchant-vessels for articles contraband of war. [O. Fr.
_cercher_ (Fr. _chercher_)--L. _circ[=a]re_, to go about--_circus_, a
circle.]
SEASE, s[=e]z, _v.t._ (_Spens._) to seize.
SEASON, s[=e]'zn, _n._ one of the four periods of the year: the usual or
proper time for anything: any particular time: any period of time, esp. of
some continuance, but not long: seasoning, relish.--_v.t._ to mature: to
prepare for use: to accustom or fit for use by any process: to fit for the
taste: to give relish to: to mingle: to moderate, temper, or qualify by
admixture: to inure, imbue, tinge, or taint: to preserve from
decay.--_v.i._ to become seasoned or matured: to grow fit for use: to
become inured.--_adj._ SEA'SONABLE, happening in due season: occurring in
good, suitable, or proper time: timely, opportune.--_n._
SEA'SONABLENESS.--_adv._ SEA'SONABLY.--_adj._ SEA'SONAL.--_adv._
SEA'SONALLY.--_n._ SEA'SONER, one who, or that which, seasons: a sailor,
&c., who hires for the season: a loafer, a beach-comber.--SEASON TICKET
(see TICKET).--CLOSE SEASON, close time; IN SEASON, ripe, fit and ready for
use: allowed to be killed, fit to be eaten, edible; IN SEASON AND OUT OF
SEASON, at all times; OUT OF SEASON, inopportune; THE FOUR SEASONS, the
ember or fast days of the Church on days set apart in each of the four
seasons. [O. Fr. _seson_ (Fr. _saison_)--L. _satio_, _-onis_, seedtime.]
SEASONING, s[=e]'zn-ing, _n._ that which is added to food to give it
greater relish: anything added to increase enjoyment: in diamond-cutting,
the charging of the laps or wheels with diamond dust and oil.--_n._
SEA'SONING-TUB, a trough in which dough is set to rise.--_adj._
SEA'SONLESS, without relish: insipid.
SEAT, s[=e]t, _n._ that on which one sits: a chair, bench, &c.: the place
or room where one sits, as in church, at a theatre, &c.: site: a place
where anything is settled or established: post of authority: station:
abode: a mansion: that part of the body or of a garment on which one sits:
posture or situation on horseback: a right to sit: membership:
sitting-room: a sitting: a sitting of eggs.--_v.t._ to place on a seat: to
cause to sit down: to place in any situation, site, &c.: to establish: to
fix: to assign a seat to: to furnish with seats: to fit accurately: to
repair by making a seat new.--_v.i._ to lie down.--_ns._ SEAT'-BACK, a
loose ornamental covering for the back of a sofa or chair; SEAT'-EARTH, in
coal-mining, the bed of clay by which many coal-seams are
underlain.--_p.adj._ SEAT'ED, fixed, confirmed, located.--_ns._
SEAT'-FAS'TENER, in a wagon, the screw-clamp for securing the seat to the
body; SEAT'ING, the act of furnishing with seats: haircloth: in
shipbuilding, that part of the floor which rests on the keel; SEAT'-LOCK,
the lock of a reversible seat in railroad cars; SEAT'-RAIL, a cross-piece
between the legs, below the seat, of a chair, &c.; SEAT'-WORM, a
pin-worm.--SEAT OF THE SOUL, the sensorium.--TAKE A SEAT, to sit down.
[A.S. _s['æ]t_, an ambush--_sittan_, to seat; or more prob. Ice. _sæti_, a
seat--_sat_, pa.t. of _sitja_, to sit.]
SEAVE, s[=e]v, _n._ a wick made of rush.--_adj._ SEAV'Y, overgrown with
rushes.
SEAX, s[=e]'aks, _n._ a curved, one-edged sword, used by Germanic and
Celtic peoples: (_her._) a bearing representing a weapon like the seax.
[A.S. _seax_.]
SEBACEOUS, s[=e]-b[=a]'shus, _adj._ pertaining to or secreting fat or fatty
matter: (_bot._) like tallow or wax, as the secretions of certain
plants.--_adj._ S[=E]BAC'IC, pertaining to or obtained from fat.--_n._
S[=E]'B[=A]TE, a salt formed by the combination of sebacic acid with a
base.--_adj._ S[=E]BIF'EROUS, sebaceous.--_n._ S[=E]BORRH[=E]'A, a disease
of the sebaceous glands with excessive secretion--also
S[=E]BORRHOE'A.--_adj._ S[=E]BORRH[=E]'IC.--_n._ S[=E]'BUM, the secretion
of the sebaceous glands. [Low L. _sebaceus_--_sebum_, tallow.]
SE-BAPTIST, s[=e]-bap'tist, _n._ one who baptises himself.
SEBASTOMANIA, s[=e]-bas-t[=o]-m[=a]'ni-a, _n._ religious insanity. [Gr.
_sebastos_, reverenced, _mania_, madness.]
SEBAT, s[=e]-bat', _n._ the fifth month of the Jewish civil year, and the
eleventh of the ecclesiastical year, falling in part of January and
February.
SEBESTEN, s[=e]-bes'ten, _n._ a tree with plum-like fruit.--Also SEBES'TAN.
[Fr.,--Ar.]
SEBILLA, s[=e]-bil'a, _n._ in stone-cutting, a wooden bowl for holding the
water used in sawing, &c. [Fr.]
SEBUNDY, s[=e]-bun'di, _n._ a native soldier or local militiaman in
India.--Also SEBUN'DEE. [Hind.]