SOPRANO, s[=o]-prä'no, _n._ the highest variety of voice, treble: a singer
with such a voice:--_pl._ SOPRA'NOS, SOPRA'NI.--_n._ SOPRA'NIST, a singer
of soprano. [It., from _sopra_--L. _supra_ or _super_, above.]
SORA, s[=o]'ra, _n._ a North American short-billed rail.--Also S[=O]'REE.
SORAGE, s[=o]r'[=a]j, _n._ the time between a hawk's being taken from the
aerie and her mewing her feathers. [See SORE (2).]
SORASTRUM, s[=o]-ras'trum, _n._ a genus of fresh-water algæ. [Gr.
_s[=o]ros_, a heap; _astron_, a star.]
SORB, sorb, _n._ the mountain-ash or service-tree.--_ns._ SORB'-APPLE, the
fruit of the service-tree; SOR'B[=A]TE, SOR'BIN or SOR'BINE,
SOR'BITE.--_adj._ SOR'BIC, pertaining to, or from, the sorb. [Fr.,--L.
_sorbus_.]
SORB, sorb, _n._ one of a Slavonic race in Saxony and the neighbouring
parts of Prussia.--Also _Wend_, or _Lusatian Wend_.--_adj._ SOR'BIAN,
pertaining to the Sorbs or their language.--_n._ a Sorb, or the Sorbian
tongue.--_adj._ and _n._ SOR'BISH.
SORBEFACIENT, sor-be-f[=a]'shent, _adj._ producing absorption.--_n._ a
medicine which produces absorption.--_n._ SOR'BENT, an absorbent. [L.
_sorb[)e]r_e, to suck in, _faciens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _fac[)e]re_, to
make.]
SORBET, sor'bet, _n._ sherbet: water-ice.
SORBONNE, sor-bon', _n._ the earliest and the most famous of all the
colleges of the medieval university of Paris, founded in 1253 by Robert of
_Sorbon_, in the diocese of Rheims. Exclusively devoted to theology, till
the close of the 15th century it controlled by its teaching and its
dogmatic decisions the intellectual life of Europe.--_adj._
SORBON'ICAL.--_n._ SOR'BONIST, a doctor of the Sorbonne.
SORCERY, sor's[.e]r-i, _n._ divination by the assistance of evil spirits:
enchantment: magic: witchcraft.--_n._ SOR'CERER, one who practises sorcery:
an enchanter: a magician:--_fem._ SOR'CERESS, a witch.--_adj._ SOR'CEROUS,
using sorcery. [O. Fr. _sorcerie_--Low L. _sortiarius_, one who tells
fortunes by lots--L. _sort[=i]ri_, to cast lots--_sors_, _sortis_, a lot.]
SORD, s[=o]rd, _n._ (_Milt._) a form of sward.
SORDAMENTE, sor-da-men'te, _adv._ (_mus._) in a muffled manner, softly.
[It.]
SORDID, sor'did, _adj._ dirty, squalid: of a dull colour: morally foul,
vile: mean: meanly avaricious.--_n._ SOR'DES, filth, foul accretions on the
teeth in low forms of fever.--_adv._ SOR'DIDLY.--_ns._ SOR'DIDNESS, state
of being sordid; SOR'DOR, filth, dregs. [Fr. _sordide_--L.
_sordidus_--_sord[=e]re_, to be dirty.]
SORDINE, sor'din, _n._ a mute, damper, or other device to soften or deaden
the sound of a stringed instrument.--_advs._ SOR'DO, SOR'DA, damped with a
mute.--_n._ SORD[=O]'NO, a musical instrument of the oboe family. [It.
_sordina_--L. _surdus_, deaf.]
SORE, s[=o]r, _n._ a wounded or diseased spot on an animal body: an ulcer
or boil: (_B._) grief, affliction.--_adj._ wounded: tender: susceptible of
pain: easily pained or grieved: bringing sorrow or regret: severe, violent,
intense: wretched.--_adv._ painfully: grievously: severely,
thoroughly.--_n._ SORE'HEAD (_U.S._), a person discontented with the reward
for his political services.--_adj._ SORE'HEADED.--_adv._ SORE'LY, in a sore
manner: grievously.--_n._ SORE'NESS. [A.S. _sár_; Ger. _sehr_, very, Ice.
_sárr_, sore.]
SORE, s[=o]r, _n._ (_Spens._) a hawk of the first year: (_Shak._) a buck of
the fourth year. [O. Fr. _saur_, _sor_, sorrel, reddish.]
SOREDIUM, s[=o]-r[=e]'di-um, _n._ one or more algal cells in a lichen with
enveloping fungus-threads, a brood-bud:--_pl._ SOR[=E]'DIA.--_adjs._
SOR[=E]'DIAL, SOR[=E]'DIATE, SOREDIF'EROUS.
SOREHON, s[=o]r'hon, _n._ an ancient Irish exaction of a lord from a
freeholder or tenant.
SOREX, s[=o]'reks, _n._ the typical genus of the family _Soricidæ_ and
sub-family _Soricinæ_, one of this genus, a shrew.--_adjs._ SORIC'IDENT,
having teeth like the shrew; SOR'ICINE, pertaining to the shrew-mouse;
SOR'ICOID, soricine. [L.,--Gr. _hyrax_, a shrew-mouse.]
SORGHUM, sor'gum, _n._ a genus of grasses, also called _Durra millet_ and
_Indian millet_, or _Sorgho grass_. It is closely allied to sugar-cane and
beard-grass. [Sp. _sorgo_--Low L. _sorgum_, _surgum_, _suricum_, prob. an
East Ind. word.]
SORITES, s[=o]-r[=i]'t[=e]z, _n._ an argument composed of an indeterminate
number of propositions, so arranged that the predicate of the first becomes
the subject of the second, and so on till the conclusion is reached, which
unites the subject of the first with the predicate of the last.
[Gr.,--_s[=o]ros_, a heap.]
SORN, sorn, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to obtrude one's self on another as an
uninvited guest.--_n._ SOR'NER, one who takes food and lodging by force or
threats. [Prob. _sojourn_.]
SORORICIDE, sor-or'i-s[=i]d, _n._ the murder, or the murderer, of a sister.
[L. _soror_, a sister, _cæd[)e]re_, to kill.]
SORORISE, s[=o]'ror-[=i]z, _v.i._ to associate as sisters.--_adj._
SOR[=O]'RAL.--_adv._ SOR[=O]'RIALLY, in a sisterly manner.
SOROSIS, s[=o]-r[=o]'sis, _n._ a compound fleshy fruit, resulting from many
flowers, as the pine-apple. [Gr. _s[=o]ros_, a heap.]
SOROTROCHOUS, s[=o]-rot'r[=o]-kus, _adj._ having the wheel-organ compound,
as a rotifer. [Gr. _s[=o]ros_, a heap, trochos, a wheel.]
SORREL, sor'el, _n._ one of several species of the genus _Rumex_, allied to
the dock, the leaves impregnated with oxalic acid--the Scotch _Sourock_.
The Wood-sorrel belongs to the genus _Oxalis_. [O. Fr. _sorel_ (Fr.
_surelle_)--_sur_, sour; from Old High Ger. _s[=u]r_ (Ger. _sauer_), sour.]
SORREL, sor'el, _adj._ of a reddish-brown colour.--_n._ a reddish-brown
colour. [O. Fr. _sor_ (Fr. _saure_), sorrel, from Low Ger. _soor_, dried,
withered.]
SORROW, sor'[=o], _n._ pain of mind: grief: affliction: lamentation: the
devil (Irish _Sorra_).--_v.i._ to feel sorrow or pain of mind: to
grieve.--_p.adj._ SORR'OWED. (_Shak._), accompanied with sorrow.--_adj._
SORR'OWFUL, full of sorrow: causing, showing, or expressing sorrow: sad:
dejected.--_adv._ SORR'OWFULLY.--_n._ SORR'OWFULNESS.--_adj._ SORR'OWLESS,
free from sorrow. [A.S. _sorg_, _sorh_; Ger. _sorge_, Ice. _sorg_.]
SORRY, sor'i, _adj._ grieved for something past: melancholy: poor:
worthless.--_adj._ SORR'IEST (_Shak._), most sorrowful.--_adv._
SORR'ILY.--_n._ SORR'INESS. [A.S. _sárig_, wounded--sár, pain; Dut.
_zeerig_.]
SORT, sort, _n._ a number of persons or things having like qualities:
class, kind, or species: order or rank: manner.--_v.t._ to separate into
lots or classes: to put together: to select: to procure, adapt: to geld:
(_Scot._) to adjust, put right, dispose, fix: to punish.--_v.i._ to be
joined with others of the same sort: to associate: to suit.--_adj._
SORT'ABLE, capable of being sorted: (_Bacon_) suitable, befitting.--_ns._
SORT'ANCE (_Shak._), suitableness, agreement; SORT'ER, one who separates
and arranges, as letters; SORT'ES, lots used in divination by passages
selected by hazard from the Bible, Homer, Virgil, &c.; SORT'ILEGE, the act
or practice of divination by drawing lots; SORTI'TION, the casting of lots;
SORT'MENT, act of sorting.--IN A SORT (_Shak._), in a manner; IN SORT,
inasmuch as; OUT OF SORTS, out of order, unwell: (_print._) with some sorts
of type in the font exhausted. [O. Fr. _sorte_--L. _sors_, _sortis_, a
lot--_ser[)e]re_, to join.]
SORTIE, sor't[=e], _n._ the issuing of a body of troops from a besieged
place to attack the besiegers. [Fr.,--_sortir_, to go out, to issue--L.
_surg[)e]re_, to rise up.]
SORUS, s[=o]'rus, _n._ a heap:--_pl._ S[=O]'RI.--_adj._ S[=O]'ROSE, bearing
sori. [Gr. _s[=o]ros_, a heap.]
SO-SO, s[=o]'-s[=o], _adj._ neither very good nor very bad: tolerable:
indifferent.
SOSS, sos, _n._ a mess, a puddle: a heavy fall.--_v.t._ to dirty: to throw
carelessly about.--_v.i._ to tumble into a chair, &c.--_adv._
plump.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ SOS'SLE, to dabble. [Prob. Gael. _sos_, a
mixture.]