SEWER, s[=u]'[.e]r, _n._ an officer who set down and removed the dishes at
a feast. [O. Fr. _asseour_--_asseoir_, to set down--L. _ad_, to,
_sed[=e]re_, to sit. Skeat makes it from M. E. _sewen_, to set meat, _sew_,
pottage--A.S. _seaw_, juice.]
SEWER, s[=u]'[.e]r, _n._ an underground passage for draining off water and
filth.--_ns._ SEW'AGE, refuse carried off by sewers; SEW'ERAGE, the whole
sewers of a city: drainage by sewers; SEW'ER-GAS, the contaminated air of
sewers.--OPEN SEWER, a sewer of which the channel is exposed to the air.
[O. Fr. _seuwiere_, a canal--L. _ex_, out, _aqua_, water.]
SEX, seks, _n._ the distinction between male and female: the
characteristics by which an animal or plant is male or female, gender: the
female sex, women generally, usually with the definite article.--_adj._
SEX'LESS, having no sex.--_n._ SEX'LESSNESS.--_adj._ SEX'[=U]AL, pertaining
to sex: distinguished or founded on the sex: relating to the distinct
organs of the sexes.--_v.t._ SEX'[=U]ALISE, to distinguish as sexed.--_ns._
SEX'[=U]ALIST, one who classifies plants according to the differences of
the sexes; SEX[=U]AL'ITY, state or quality of being sexual.--_adv._
SEX'[=U]ALLY.--SEXUAL AFFINITY, the instinctive attraction of one sex for
another; SEXUAL ORGANS, the organs of generation; SEXUAL SELECTION, that
province of natural selection in which sex comes into play. [Fr. _sexe_--L.
_sexus_--_sec[=a]re_, to cut.]
SEXAGENARIAN, sek-sa-je-n[=a]'ri-an, _n._ a person sixty years old.--_adj._
SEXAG'ENARY, designating the number sixty.--_n._ a sexagenarian: something
containing sixty.--_ns._ SEX'AGENE, an arc or angle of 60°; SEXAGES'IMA,
the second Sunday before Lent (see SEPTUAGESIMA).--_adj._ SEXAGES'IMAL,
pertaining to the number sixty: proceeding by sixties.--_adv._
SEXAGES'IMALLY. [L. _sexagenarius_--_sexaginta_, sixty.]
SEXANGLE, sek'sang-gl, _n._ a figure with six angles, a hexagon.--_adjs._
SEX'ANGLED, SEXANG'ULAR.--_adv._ SEXANG'ULARLY.
SEXCENTENARY, sek-sen'te-n[=a]-ri, _n._ that which consists of 600: a 600th
anniversary.--Also _adj._
SEXDIGITATE, seks-dij'i-t[=a]t, _adj._ having six fingers or toes.--_n._
SEXDIG'ITIST.
SEXENNIAL, seks-en'yal, _adj._ lasting six years: happening once in six
years--also SEXTENN'IAL.--_adv._ SEXENN'IALLY. [L. _sex_, six, _annus_, a
year.]
SEXFID, seks'fid, _adj._ (_bot._) six-cleft.
SEXFOIL, seks'foil, _n._ a plant or flower with six leaves.
SEXISYLLABIC, sek-si-si-lab'ik, _adj._ having six syllables.--_n._
SEX'ISYLLABLE, a word of six syllables.
SEXIVALENT, sek-siv'a-lent, _adj._ (_chem._) having an equivalent of six.
[L. _sex_, six, _valens_--_val[=e]re_, to have strength.]
SEXLOCULAR, seks-lok'[=u]-lär, _adj._ six-celled.
SEXPARTITE, seks'pär-t[=i]t, _adj._ divided into six parts. [L. _sex_, six,
_partitus_, divided.]
SEXT, SEXTE, sekst, _n._ (_eccles._) the office of the sixth hour,
originally said at midday: (_mus._) the interval of a sixth.--_adj._
SEX'TAN, recurring every sixth day. [L. _sextus_, sixth--_sex_, six.]
SEXTAIN, seks't[=a]n, _n._ a stanza of six lines.
SEXTANS, seks'tanz, _n._ an ancient Roman bronze coin, worth one-sixth of
the as.--_adjs._ SEX'TANTAL; SEX'TIC, of the sixth degree. [L.,--_sex_,
six.]
[Illustration]
SEXTANT, seks'tant, _n._ (_math._) the sixth part of a circle: an optical
instrument having an arc=the sixth part of a circle, and used for measuring
angular distances.
SEXTET, SEXTETTE, seks-tet', _n._ (_mus._) a work for six voices or
instruments: a musical company of six.
SEXTILE, seks'til, _n._ the position of two planets when at the distance of
the sixth part of a circle (60°), marked thus *. [L.,--_sex_, six.]
SEXTILLION, seks-til'yun, _n._ a million raised to the sixth power,
expressed by a unit with 36 ciphers attached: 1000 raised to the seventh
power.
SEXTO, seks'to, _n._ a size of book made by folding a sheet of paper into
six leaves.--_n._ SEX'TO-DEC'IMO, a size of book made by folding a sheet of
paper into sixteen leaves: a book of this size.
SEXTON, seks'tun, _n._ an officer who has charge of a church, attends the
clergyman, digs graves, &c.: a burying-beetle.--_ns._ SEX'TON-BEE'TLE, a
coleopterous insect of the genus _Necrophorus_; SEX'TONSHIP, the office of
a sexton. [A corr. of _sacristan_.]
SEXTUPLE, seks't[=u]-pl,--_adj._ sixfold: (_mus._) having six beats to the
measure.--_v.t._ to multiply by six.--_n._ SEX'T[=U]PLET (_mus._), a note
divided into six parts instead of four.
'SFOOT, sf[=oo]t, _interj._ (_Shak._) a minced imprecation. [Abbrev. from
_God's foot_. Cf. _'sblood_.]
SFORZANDO, sfor-tsän'd[=o], _adj._ (_mus._) forced, with sudden emphasis.
Abbrev. _sf._ and _sfz._, or marked [horizontal sforzando], [vertical
sforzando].--Also SFORZATO (sfor-tsä't[=o]). [It., pr.p. of _sforzare_, to
force--L. _ex_, out, Low L. _fortia_, force.]
SGRAFFITO, sgraf-f[=e]'t[=o], _n._ (same as _Graffito_, q.v.): a kind of
decorative work in pottery and superimposed metals, in which clays, &c., of
different colours are laid one upon another, and the pattern is produced by
cutting away the outer layers:--_pl._ SGRAFFI'TI.
SHABBY, shab'i,--_adj._ threadbare or worn, as clothes: having a look of
poverty: mean in look or conduct: low: paltry.--_adv._ SHABB'ILY.--_n._
SHABB'INESS.--_adj._ SHABB'Y-GENTEEL', keeping up or affecting an
appearance of gentility, though really shabby. [An adj. formed from _shab_,
an old by-form of _scab_--thus a doublet of _scabby_.]
SHABRACK, shab'rak, _n._ a trooper's housing or saddle-cloth. [Fr.,--Ger.
_shabracke_--Pol. _czaprak_.]
SHACK, shak, _v.i._ to tramp or wander about.--_n._ a tramp, a vagabond.
SHACK, shak, _v.i._ to shed or fall out, as ripe grain from the ear: to
feed on stubble: (_U.S._) to hibernate, to go into winter quarters.--_n._
grain, &c., fallen on the ground: liberty of winter pasturage: a
hastily-built cabin, a rickety house.--_ns._ SHACK'-BAIT, such bait as may
be picked up at sea; SHACK'LE, stubble. [_Shake_.]
SHACKLE, shak'l, _n._ a curved bar, as of iron: a link or staple: a link
securing two ankle-rings or two wrist-rings together, and so (_pl._)
fetters, manacles: a hinderance.--_v.t._ to fetter: to tie the limbs of: to
confine.--_ns._ SHACK'LE-BOLT, a bolt having a shackle on the end: (_her._)
a bearing representing a fetlock for hobbling a horse; SHACK'LE-JOINT, a
peculiar kind of articulation seen in the exoskeleton of some fishes. [A.S.
_sceacul_, _scacul_, a shackle--_sceacan_, to shake; cog. with Old Dut.
_schakel_, a link of a chain, Ice. _skökull_, the pole of a cart.]
SHAD, shad, _n._ a fish of the herring kind, but having the upper jaw
deeply notched, and ascending rivers to spawn.--_adj._ SHAD'-BELL'IED,
flat-bellied--opp. to _Pot-bellied_: sloping away gradually in front, cut
away.--_ns._ SHAD'-BIRD, the common American snipe: the sandpiper;
SHAD'-BUSH, the June-berry or service-berry; SHAD'-FLY, a May-fly;
SHAD'-FROG, a large and very agile American frog; SHAD'-WAIT'ER, the
pilot-fish or round-fish. [A.S. _sceadda_.]
SHADDOCK, shad'ok, _n._ a tree of the same genus as the orange, having
larger leaves, flowers, and fruit. [Named from Captain _Shaddock_, who
introduced it to the West Indies from China about 1810.]
SHADE, sh[=a]d, _n._ partial darkness: interception of light: obscurity: a
shady place: protection: shelter: a screen: degree of colour: a very minute
change: (_paint._) the dark part of a picture: the soul separated from the
body: a ghost: (_obs._, _poet._) a bodily shadow: (_pl._) the departed
spirits, or their unseen abode, Hades.--_v.t._ to screen from light or
heat: to shelter: to mark with gradations of colour: to darken: (_Spens._)
to foreshadow, represent.--_adjs._ SH[=A]'DED, marked with gradations of
colour: sheltered; SHADE'FUL, shady; SHADE'LESS, without shade.--_n._
SH[=A]'DER.--_adv._ SH[=A]'DILY.--_ns._ SH[=A]'DINESS; SH[=A]'DING, the act
of making a shade: the effect of light and shade, as in a picture;
SH[=A]'DING-PEN, a pen with a broad flat nib.--_adj._ SH[=A]'DY, having, or
in, shade: sheltered from light or heat: (_coll._) not fit to bear the
light, of dubious honesty or morality. [A.S. _sceadu_--_scead_, shade.]
SHADINE, sha-d[=e]n', _n._ the menhaden, or American sardine.
SHADOOF, sha-d[=oo]f', _n._ a contrivance for raising water by means of a
long rod pivoted near one end, the shorter arm weighted to act as the
counterpoise of a lever, the longer carrying a bucket which is lowered into
the water--much used on the Nile for irrigation purposes.--Also SHADUF'.
[Ar. _sh[=a]d[=u]f_.]
SHADOW, shad'[=o], _n._ shade caused by an object: darkness: shelter:
security: favour: the dark part of a picture: an inseparable companion: a
mystical representation: faint appearance: a ghost, spirit: something only
in appearance.--v.t to shade: to cloud or darken: to shade, as a painting:
to represent faintly: to hide, conceal: (_coll._) to attend like a shadow,
watch continuously and carefully.--_ns._ SHAD'OW-FIG'URE, a silhouette;
SHAD'OWINESS, the state of being shadowy or unsubstantial; SHAD'OWING,
shading: gradation of light and colour.--_adj._ SHAD'OWLESS.--_n._
SHAD'OW-STITCH, in lace-making, a very delicate kind of ladder-stitch used
in fine open-work.--_adj._ SHAD'OWY, full of shadow: dark: obscure:
typical: unsubstantial: (_rare_) indulging in fancies.--SHADOW OF DEATH,
approach of death: terrible disaster. [A.S. _sceadu_; cog. with Old High
Ger. _scato_, and perh. Gr. _skotos_, darkness, _skia_, shadow.]
SHAFIITE, shaf'i-[=i]t, _n._ a member of one of the four principal sects of
the Sunnites, or orthodox Muslims. [Ar. _Sh[=a]fi'[=i]_, the name of the
founder.]
SHAFT, shaft, _n._ anything long and straight, as the stem of an arrow,
&c.: a long arrow, anything like an arrow in form or effect: the part of a
column between the base and capital: the stem of a feather: the pole or
thill of a carriage: the handle of a tool of any kind.--_adj._ SHAFT'ED,
having a shaft or handle.--_ns._ SHAFT'-HORSE, the horse that is harnessed
between the shafts of a carriage; SHAFT'ING (_mach._), the system of shafts
connecting machinery with the prime mover.--MAKE A SHAFT OR A BOLT OF IT
(_Shak._), to take the risk and make the best of it--the shaft and the bolt
being the arrows of the long-bow and the cross-bow respectively. [A.S.
_sceaft_; prob. orig. pa.p. of _scafan_, to shave.]
SHAFT, shaft, _n._ a well-like excavation sunk into a mine for pumping,
hoisting, &c.: the tunnel of a blast-furnace. [Prob. in this sense from
Ger. _schacht_, a shaft; cog. with foregoing.]
SHAG, shag, _n._ woolly hair: cloth with a rough nap: a kind of tobacco cut
into shreds.--_adj._ rough, hairy.--_v.t._ to roughen, make shaggy.--_v.i._
(_Spens._) to hang in shaggy clusters.--_adjs._ SHAG'-EARED (_Shak._),
having shaggy or rough ears; SHAG'GED, shaggy, rough.--_n._
SHAG'GEDNESS.--_adv._ SHAG'GILY.--_n._ SHAG'GINESS.--_adjs._ SHAG'GY,
covered with rough hair or wool: rough: rugged; SHAG'-HAIRED, having long,
rough hair. [A.S. _sceacga_, a head of hair; Ice. _skegg_, beard, _skagi_,
cape (in Shetland, _skaw_).]
SHAGREEN, sha-gr[=e]n', _n._ the skin of various sharks, rays, &c., covered
with small nodules, used for covering small caskets, boxes, cigar and
spectacle cases, &c.: a granular leather prepared by unhairing and scraping
the skin of horses, asses, &c.--formerly CHAGRIN'.--_adj._ (also
SHAGREENED') made of, or covered with, shagreen. [Fr. _chagrin_--Turk.
_s[=a]ghr[=i]_, the back of a horse.]