SERENA, s[=e]-r[=e]'na, _n._ the damp, unwholesome air of evening.
SERENADE, ser-e-n[=a]d', _n._ evening music in the open air, esp. given by
a lover to his mistress under her window at night: a piece of music
suitable for such an occasion.--_v.t._ to entertain with a serenade.--_ns._
SEREN[=A]'DER, one who serenades; SERENÄ'TA, an instrumental work for
performance in the open air; SER'EN[=A]TE (_Milt._), a serenade. [Fr.,--It.
_serenata_, _sereno_, serene--L. _serenus_.]
SERENE, s[=e]-r[=e]n', _adj._ calm: unclouded: unruffled: an adjunct to the
titles of certain German princes--a translation of _Durchlaucht_.--_v.t._
to tranquillise.--_n._ the chilly damp of evening: blight.--_adv._
SER[=E]NE'LY, calmly, coolly.--_ns._ SER[=E]NE'NESS; SEREN'ITUDE;
SEREN'ITY, state or quality of being serene, calmness, peace.--_v.t._
SERENISE', to make bright: to glorify. [L. _serenus_, clear.]
SERENOA, s[=e]-r[=e]'n[=o]-a, _n._ a genus of dwarf palms in Florida.
SERF, s[.e]rf, _n._ a slave attached to the soil and sold with it: a
labourer rendering forced service in Russia: a menial.--_ns._ SERF'AGE,
SERF'DOM, condition of a serf. [Fr.,--L. _servus_, a slave.]
SERGE, s[.e]rj, _n._ a strong twilled fabric, once of silk, now usually of
worsted.--_n._ SERGETTE', a thin serge. [Fr.,--L. _serica_, silk--_Seres_,
the Chinese.]
SERGEANT, SERJEANT, sär'jent, _n._ a non-commissioned officer of the army
and marines next above a corporal, overlooking the soldiers in barracks,
and assisting the officers in all ways in the field: a bailiff: a
constable: a servant in monastic offices: a police-officer of superior
rank.--_ns._ SER'GEANCY, SER'GEANTCY, SER'GEANTSHIP, office of a sergeant;
SER'GEANT-AT-ARMS, an officer of a legislative body for keeping order, &c.;
SER'GEANT-FISH, the cobra, so called from the lateral stripes;
SER'GEANT-M[=A]'JOR, the highest non-commissioned officer, employed to
assist the adjutant: the cow-pilot, a fish; SER'GEANTRY, SER'GEANTY, a kind
of feudal tenure on condition of service due to the king only;
SER'JEANT-AT-ARMS, an officer who attends upon the Lord Chancellor with the
mace, and who executes various writs of process in the course of a Chancery
suit: a similar officer who attends on each House of Parliament, and
arrests any person ordered by the House to be arrested; SER'JEANT-AT-LAW,
formerly in England the highest degree of barrister, once with exclusive
audience in the Court of Common Pleas, their proper dress a violet-coloured
robe with a scarlet hood, and a black coif, represented in modern times by
a patch of silk at the top of the wig.--GRAND SERGEANTY, a tenure of lands
by special honorary service to the king; PETIT SERGEANTY, a tenure of lands
by a rent or tender. [Fr. _sergent_--L. _serviens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of
_serv[=i]re_, to serve.]
SERIAL, s[=e]'ri-al, _adj._ pertaining to, or consisting of, a series:
appearing periodically.--_n._ a tale or other composition appearing in
successive parts, as in a periodical: a publication issued in successive
numbers, a periodical.--_n._ S[=E]RIAL'ITY.--_advs._ S[=E]'RIALLY,
S[=E]'RIATELY, in a series or regular order.--_adj._ S[=E]'RI[=A]TE,
arranged in a series.--_adv._ S[=E]'RI[=A]TIM, one after another.--_n._
S[=E]RI[=A]'TION.
SERIAN, s[=e]'ri-an, _adj._ Chinese--also SER'IC.--_ns._ SER'ICA, a genus
of melolonthine beetles; SERIC[=A]'RIA, a genus of bombycid moths,
containing the mulberry silkworm.--_adjs._ SER'ICATE, -D, silky, covered
with silky down; SERICEOUS (s[=e]rish'i-us), pertaining to, or consisting
of, silk: (_bot._) covered with soft silky hairs, as a leaf.--_n.pl._
SERIC'IDES, a section of melolonthine beetles.--_ns._ SER'ICIN, the
gelatinous substance of silk; SER'ICITE, a variety of potash mica.--_adj._
SERICIT'IC.--_ns._ SERICOCAR'PUS, a genus of composite plants of the United
States; SERICOS'T[=O]MA, the typical genus of caddis-flies;
SERICT[=E]'RIUM, a spinning gland; SER'ICULTURE, the breeding of
silkworms--also SER'ICICULTURE; SERICUL'TURIST. [Gr. _S[=e]res_, the Seres,
an Asiatic people who supplied the Greeks and Romans with their silk.]
SERICON, ser'i-kon, _n._ in the jargon of alchemy, a red tincture--opp. to
_Bufo_, a black.
SERIEMA, ser-i-[=e]'ma, _n._ a long-legged, crested Brazilian bird.--Also
CARIA'MA.
SERIES, s[=e]'ri-[=e]z, _n.sing._ and _pl._ a succession of things
connected by some likeness: sequence: order: (_math._) a progression of
numbers or quantities according to a certain law.--ARITHMETICAL SERIES, a
series whose terms progress by the addition or subtraction of a constant
difference; GEOMETRICAL SERIES, a series whose successive terms progress by
a constant multiplier or divisor--the _common ratio_; RECIPROCAL SERIES, a
series each of whose terms is the reciprocal of the corresponding term of
another series. [L.,--_ser[)e]re, sertum_, to join.]
SERIF, ser'if, _n._ the short cross-line at the ends of unconnected Roman
types, as in H, l, d, y, &c.--Also CER'IPH and SER'IPH.
SERIFORM, s[=e]'ri-form, _adj._ noting a section of the Altaic family of
languages, comprising Chinese, &c.
SERILOPHUS, s[=e]-ril'[=o]-fus, _n._ an Indian genus of broadbills. [Gr.
_s[=e]rikos_, silky, _lophos_, a crest.]
SERIN, ser'in, _n._ a small fringilline bird like the canary.--_n._
SERINETTE', a bird-organ. [Fr.,--L. _citrinus_, _citrine_, yellow.]
SERINGA, se-ring'gä, _n._ a name of several Brazilian trees yielding
india-rubber. [Port.]
SERINGHI, ser-ing-g[=e]', _n._ a musical instrument of the viol class used
in India.
SERINUS, s[=e]-r[=i]'nus, _n._ a genus of birds of the fringilline family,
including canaries. [Fr. _serin_.]
SERIOLA, s[=e]-r[=i]'[=o]-la, _n._ a genus of carangoid fishes, the amber
fishes.
SERIOUS, s[=e]'ri-us, _adj._ solemn: in earnest: important: attended with
danger: weighty: professedly religious.--_adjs._ S[=E]'RIO-COM'IC, -AL,
partly serious and partly comical.--_adv._ S[=E]'RIOUSLY, gravely, deeply:
without levity.--_n._ S[=E]'RIOUSNESS. [Fr. _serieux_--L. _serius_, akin to
_severus_, severe.]
SERIPH. See SERIF.
SERJEANT. See SERGEANT.
SERMOCINATION, ser-mos-i-n[=a]'shun, _n._ (_obs._) speech-making: (_rhet._)
a form of prosopopoeia in which one answers a question he has himself
asked.
SERMON, s[.e]r'mon, _n._ a discourse on a text of Scripture delivered
during divine service: any serious address, any serious counsel,
admonition, or reproof.--_v.t._ to tutor, to lecture.--_ns._ SERMOL'OGUS, a
volume containing sermons by the Church fathers; SERMONEER', a sermoniser;
SER'MONER, a preacher; SER'MONET, a little sermon.--_adjs._ SERMON'IC, -AL,
having the character of a sermon.--_n._ SER'MONING, the act of preaching: a
homily.--_v.i._ SER'MONISE, to compose or preach sermons: to lecture: to
lay down the law.--_v.t._ to preach a sermon to.--_ns._ SERMON[=I]'SER, one
who preaches or writes sermons; SERM[=O]'NIUM, a historical play, formerly
acted by the inferior orders of the Roman Catholic clergy; SERMUN'CLE, a
little sermon. [L. _sermo_, _sermonis_--_ser[)e]re_, to join.]
SEROON, se-r[=oo]n', _n._ a crate or hamper in which Spanish and Levantine
figs, raisins, &c. are usually packed.--_n._ SER'ON, a bale of about 200
lb. of Paraguay tea wrapped in hide. [Sp. _seron_.]
SEROPURULENT, s[=e]-r[=o]-p[=u]'r[=oo]-lent, _adj._ composed of serum mixed
with pus.--_adj._ SEROSANGUIN'OLENT, pertaining to bloody serum.
SEROTINE, ser'[=o]-tin, _n._ a small reddish vespertilionine bat. [L.
_serotinus_--_sero_, late.]
SEROTINOUS, s[=e]-rot'i-nus, _adj._ (_bot._) appearing late the season. [L.
_serotinus_--sero, late.]
SEROUS, s[=e]'rus, _adj._ resembling serum, thin, watery: secreting
serum.--_n._ SEROS'ITY. [_Serum_.]
SERPENT, s[.e]r'pent, _n._ any member of the genus _Ophidia_, more
popularly known as snakes--any reptile without feet which moves by means of
its ribs and scales: a snake: a person treacherous or malicious: one of the
constellations in the northern hemisphere: (_mus._) a bass musical
wind-instrument, entirely obsolete except in a few Continental churches, a
tapered leather-covered wooden tube 8 feet long, twisted about like a
serpent.--_v.i._ to wind along: to meander.--_v.t._ to girdle, as with the
coils of a serpent.--_ns._ SERPENT[=A]'RIA, the Virginia snakeroot;
SERPENT[=A]'RIUS, the secretary-birds: the constellation _Ophiuchus_;
SER'PENT-CHARM'ER, one who charms or has power over serpents;
SER'PENT-CHARM'ING, the art of charming or governing serpents;
SER'PENT-C[=U]'CUMBER, a long-fruited variety of the musk-melon;
SER'PENT-D[=E]'ITY, the god of the Ophites, Abraxas; SER'PENT-EAT'ER, the
secretary-bird: a wild goat in India and Cashmere; SER'PENTEAU, an iron
circle with spikes to which squibs are attached, used in a breach.--_n.pl._
SERPENT'ES, the second order of the third class of limbless
reptiles.--_ns._ SER'PENT-FISH, the snake-fish; SER'PENT-GRASS, the alpine
bistort.--_adjs._ SERPENT'IFORM, ophidian in structure: snake-like;
SER'PENTINE, resembling a serpent: winding, tortuous: spiral:
crooked.--_n._ a kind of firework: a 16th-cent. form of cannon: a mineral
composed of silica and manganese, generally occurring massive, colour some
shade of green, also red and brownish-yellow.--_v.i._ to wind or wriggle
like a serpent.--_adv._ SER'PENTINELY.--_adjs._ SERPENTIN'IC,
SER'PENTINOUS.--_adv._ SERPENT[=I]'NINGLY, with a serpentine
motion.--_v.t._ SER'PENTINISE, to convert into serpentine.--_v.i._
SER'PENTISE, to wind: meander.--_adj._ SER'PENT-LIKE, like a
serpent.--_ns._ SER'PENT-LIZ'ARD, a lizard of the genus _Seps_;
SER'PENT-MOSS, a greenhouse plant from the West Indies; SER'PENTRY,
serpentine motion: a place infested by serpents: serpents collectively;
SER'PENT-STAR, a brittle star; SER'PENT-STONE, snake-stone, adder-stone;
SER'PENT'S-TONGUE, the adder's-tongue fern; SER'PENT-TUR'TLE, an
enaliosaur; SER'PENT-WITHE, a twining plant of tropical America;
SER'PENT-WOOD, an East Indian shrub; SER'PENT-WOR'SHIP, one of the most
ancient and widespread forms of primitive religion, and still existing
amongst many savage peoples; SEA'-SER'PENT (see SEA).--SERPENTINE VERSE, a
verse which begins and ends with the same word.--THE OLD SERPENT, Satan.
[L. _serpens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _serp[)e]re_, to creep; akin to Gr.
_herpein_.]
SERPET, ser'pet, _n._ (_obs._) a basket.