Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Sēa'-gūll, n. p. 1189(Ornith.) A sea-fowl of the genus Xema (X. ridibundus); sea-crow.Sē'ah, n. p. 1189A Jewish dry measure containing nearly fourteen pints. Simmonds.Sēa'-hāre, n. p. 1189(Zoöl.) A marine tectibranchiate gasteropodous mollusk of the genus Aplysia. See APLYSIA.Sēa'-hēath, n. p. 1189(Bot.) A species of evergreen plants of the genus Frankenia, found in salt-marshes and upon sea-coasts. Loudon.Sēa'-hĕdge/hŏg, n. p. 1189The sea-urchin.Sēa'-hēn, n. p. 1189(Ornith.) A sea-bird of the genus Uria (U. troile); the common guillemot.Sēa'-hŏg, n. p. 1189(Zoöl.) The porpoise.Sea'-hōl'ly, n. p. 1189(Bot.) An evergreen, branching plant of the genus Eryngium, growing upon the sea-shore.Sēa'-hōlm, n. p. 1189A small, uninhabited isle. 2. (Bot.) Sea-holly.Sēa'-hôrse, n. p. 1189(Zoöl.) (a.) The walrus. (b.) The hippopotamus, or river-horse. Dryden. 2. (Ichth.) A fish of the genus Hippocampus (Syngnathus of Linnæus), allied to the needle-fish or pipe-fish, and having a…Sea'-hûl'ver, n. p. 1189Sea-holly.Sēa-in'sect, n. p. 1189An insect that inhabits the sea; a marine insect.Sēa'-kāle, n. p. 1189(Bot.) A plant found growing along sandy shores, the young shoots and leaf-stalks of which are used as food; sea-cabbage; sea-colewort; Crambē maritima.Sēa'-king, n. p. 1189One of the leaders of piratical squadrons among the Danes or Normans, who passed their lives in roving the seas in search of plunder and adventures; a Norse pirate-chief. Sea-kings, . . . compelled…Seal, n. p. 1189(Zoöl.) An aquatic carnivorous mammal of the family Phocidæ. Seals inhabit sea-coasts, and are found principally in the higher latitudes of both hemispheres. There are numerous species, bearing the…Seal, n. p. 1189[A-S. sigel, Goth. sigljō, O. H. Ger. sigil, insigili, N. H. Ger. siegel, L. Ger. segel, D. zegel, Dan. segl, seigl, indsegl, Sw. sigill, insegel, from Lat. sigillum, a little figure or image, a…Sēal, v. t. p. 1189To set or affix a seal to; to confirm; to ratify; to establish; as, to seal a deed. And with my hand I seal our true hearts’ love. Shak. 2. To mark with a stamp, as an evidence of standard exactness…Seal, v. i. p. 1189To affix a seal. [Obs.] I will seal unto this bond. Shak.Sēa'-lan'guage, n. p. 1189The peculiar language or phraseology of seamen.Sea'-lärk, n. p. 1189(Ornith.) (a.) A bird of the sand-piper kind. (b.) A bird of the dotterel kind; the ringed dotterel or plover.Sēa'-leech, n. p. 1189A leech living in the sea.Sēa'-lēgs, n. pl. p. 1189Legs able to maintain their possessor upright in stormy weather at sea; ability to walk steadily on deck when a vessel is rolling or pitching in a rough sea. Totten.Sēa'-lēm'on, n. p. 1189(Zoöl.) A marine, nudibranchiate, gastropodous mollusk, of the genus Doris, having an oval, convex body, marked with numerous punctures, and of a lemon color. P. Cyc.Sēa'-lēop'ard, n. p. 1189(Zoöl.) An animal of the seal family, of the genus Stenorhynchus (S. leopardinus);— so named from being spotted like the leopard.Sēal'er, n. p. 1189One who seals; especially, an officer whose duty it is to seal writs or instruments, to stamp weights and measures, or the like.Sēa'-lēt'ter, n. p. 1189The customary certificate of national character which neutral merchant vessels are bound to carry in time of war; passport. Burrill.Seal'ing-wăx, n. p. 1189A compound of the resin lac, with some less brittle resin, and various coloring matters, used for fastening a folded letter, and thus concealing or securing the writing, and for receiving impressions…Sēa'-li'on, n. p. 1189(Zo-ol.) A seal of large dimensions, as the sea-elephant; — especially applied to certain large, earless seals, with manes somewhat like those of the lion, and belonging to the genus Platyrhynchus.Sēa'-louse, n. p. 1189(Zo-ol.) A crab of the genus Pediculus (P. marinus).Sēam, n. p. 1189The fold, line, or depression on the surface of cloth formed by the sewing together of two different pieces. 2. Hence, a line of junction; a suture, as on a ship or other structure of wood; the line…Sēam, n. p. 1189A denomination of weight or measure; as, (a.) The quantity of eight bushels of grain. (b.) The quantity of 120 pounds of glass. (c.) A horse-load of timber, of about three hundred weight. [Eng.]Sēam, n. p. 1189Tallow; grease; lard. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Shak. Dryden.Sēam, v. t. p. 1189To form a seam upon or of; to join by sewing together; to unite. 2. To mark with something resembling a seam; to line; to scar. “Seamed o’er with wounds which his own saber gave.” Pope. 3. To make…Sēa'-māid, n. p. 1189The mermaid. See MERMAID. 2. A sea-nymph.Sēa'-măll, n. p. 1189(Ornith.) A gull; the mew.Sēa'man, n. p. 1189One whose occupation is to assist in the management of ships at sea; a mariner; a sailor;—applied both to officers and common mariners. 2. A merman; the male of the mermaid. [Rare.] “Not to mention…Sēa’man-shĭp, n. p. 1189The skill of a good seaman; the art, or skill in the art, of working a ship.Sēa'-mārge, n. p. 1189The shore or border of the sea. [Obs.] Shak.Sēa'-mārk, n. p. 1189Any elevated object on land which serves for a direction to mariners in entering a harbor, or in sailing along or approaching a coast, as a light-house, a mountain, or the like; a beacon; a landmark…Sēam'-blāst, n. p. 1189A blast made by putting the powder into seams or cracks of rocks.Sēamed, a. p. 1189(Falconry.) Out of condition; not in good condition; — said of a hawk.Sēa'-mēw, n. p. 1189A sea-mew.Sēa'-mew, n. p. 1189(Ornith.) A gull; the mew.Sēa'-mīle, n. p. 1189A nautical or geographical mile. See MILE.Sēam'-lāçe, n. p. 1189A lace used by carriage-makers to cover seams and edges; — called also seaming-lace.Sēam'less, a. p. 1189Without a seam. “Christ's seamless coat, all of a piece.” Bp. Taylor.Sēa'-mŏn'ster, n. p. 1189A huge marine animal.Sēa'-mōss, n. p. 1190Coral. [Obs.] See CORAL.Sēa'-mouse, n. p. 1190(Zool.) A dorsibranchiate annelid, of the genus Aphrodita, of Linnæus.Sēam'-prĕss'er, n. p. 1190(Agric.) A heavy roller to press down newly-plowed furrows.Sēam'-rĕnt, n. p. 1190The rent of a seam; the separation of a suture.Sēam'-rēnt, a. p. 1190Torn out at the seams; ragged; poor; mean. [Obs.] “That you can consort yourselves with such poor, seam-rent fellows.” B. Jonson.Sēam'ster, n. p. 1190One who sews well, or whose occupation is to sew. [Obs.]Sēam’stress, n. p. 1190A woman whose occupation is sewing; a needle-woman.Sēam'stress-y, n. p. 1190The business of a seamstress.Sēa'-mūle, n. p. 1190A sea-mew or sea-mell.Sēam'y, a. p. 1190Having a seam; containing seams, or showing them. Every thing has its fair, as well as its seamy, side. W. Scott.Sēan, n. p. 1190A net; a seine. See SEINE.Sēa'-nā'vel, n. p. 1190(Zoöl.) A kind of small shell-fish.Sēa'-nā'vel-wort, n. p. 1190(Bot.) A plant of the genus Androsace, growing in Syria, which is said to effect great cures of diseases. Johnson.