Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ser'vile-ly, adv. p. 1207In a servile manner; slavishly.Ser'vile-ness, n. p. 1207[Fr. servilité, Sp. servilidad, It. servilità, D.Ser-vil'i-ty p. 1207The state or quality of being servile; the condition of a slave or bondman; slavery; baseness; obsequiousness; slavish deference. To be a queen in bondage is more vile Than is a slave in base…Sĕr'ving-board, n. p. 1207A flat piece of timber used in serving ropes.Ser'ving-maid, n. p. 1207A female servant; a menial.Sĕrv'ing-măl'let, n. p. 1207A wooden mallet used in serving ropes.Sĕr'ving-măn, n. p. 1207A male servant; a menial.Ser'vi-tor, n. p. 1207One who serves; a servant; an attendant; one who acts under another; a follower or adherent. “Your trusty and valiant servitor.” Shak. 2. (University of Oxf.) An undergraduate, who is partly…Ser'vi-tor-ship, n. p. 1207The office or condition of a servitor. Boswell.Sĕr'vi-tude, n. p. 1207The state of voluntary or involuntary subjection to a master; service; the condition of a slave; slavery; bondage; hence, a state of slavish dependence. You would have sold your king to slaughter…Ser'vi-tūre, n. p. 1207Servants collectively; servants. [Obs.] Milton.Sĕs'a-me, n. p. 1207(Bot.) An annual herbaceous plant of the genus Sesamum, from the seeds of which an oil is expressed.Sēa'-me-grāss, n. p. 1207(Bot.) A tall grass [Triglochin dactyloides], growing sometimes six feet high. It is found in the middle and northern parts of the United States:—called also genus-grass.Ses'a-moid or Ses'a-moid'al, a. p. 1207(Anat.) Resembling in form the seeds of sesame:—said of the small bones found in the substance of the tendons at the articulations of the great toes, and sometimes at the joints of the thumbs, and in…Sĕs'a-mum, n. p. 1207(Bot.) A genus of herbaceous plants, the seeds of which are sometimes used for food, and also furnish a valuable oily grain.Sē'seam, n. p. 1207(Bot.) A leguminous plant; a species of Sesbania or Erythrina. Lindl.Sereb-lī, n. p. 1207(Bot.) A genus of plants; meadow seedlings; butterwort.Ses'qui- p. 1207(Chem.) A prefix denoting the proportion of three equivalents of the substance to the name of which it is prefixed to two equivalents of the other element, or proximate principle; as, sesquioxide.…Ses'qui-al'ter, a. p. 1207Sesquialteral.Sĕs'qui-ăl'ter or Sĕs'qui-ăl'ter-ȧ, n. p. 1207(Mus.) A stop, on the organ, containing three ranks of pipes. P. Cyc.Sĕs'qui-ăl'ter-al or Sĕs'qui-ăl'ter-ate, a. p. 1207One and a half of another. Sesquialteral floret (Bot.), a large, fertile floret, accompanied with a small, abortive one.—Sesquialteral ratio (Math.), the ratio of one and a half to one; thus 9 and 6…Sĕs'qui-ăl'ter-oŭs, a. p. 1207Sesquialteral.Sĕs'qui-brō'mide, n. p. 1207(Chem.) A compound of bromine with another element, in the proportions of three equivalents of bromine to two of the other element.Se'squi-car'bonate, n. p. 1207(Chem.) A salt composed of three equivalents of carbonic acid with two equivalents of any base.Ses'qui-chlo'ride, n. p. 1207(Chem.) A compound of chlorine with another element, in the proportions of three equivalents of chlorine to two of the other element.Sesqui-cyanide, n. p. 1207(Chem.) A compound of cyanogen with some element, in the proportions of three equivalents of cyanogen to two of the other element.Ses'qui-dū'pli-cate, a. p. 1207Twice and a half. Sesqui-duplicate ratio (Math.), the ratio of two and a half to one, or where the greater term contains the lesser twice and a half, as that of 30 to 20.Ses-qui'ō-dīde, n. p. 1207(Chem.) A compound of iodine with another element, in the proportions of three equivalents of iodine to two of the other element.Sēs'qui-ox'ide, n. p. 1207(Chem.) A compound of oxygen with some other element, in the proportions of three equivalents of the oxygen to two of the other element.Ses-quip'e-dal or Ses-quip-e-dā'li-an, a. p. 1207Measuring or containing a foot and a half; as, a sesquipedalian pigmy;—sometimes humorously or derisively applied to long words.Ses'qui-pe-dal'i-ty, n. p. 1207The condition or quality of being sesquipedal. [Rare.] Sterne. 2. The use of sesquipedalian words; style characterized by the use of long words.Ses-quip'li-cate, a. p. 1207A ratio compounded of the sesquialterate; — a term applied to ratios; thus, a and a′ are in the sesquiplicate ratio of b and b′, when a is to a′ as the square root of the cube of b is to the square…Ses'qui-salt, n. p. 1207(Chem.) A salt having three equivalents of one component and two of another.Ses'qui-sul'phide or Ses'qui-sul'phu-ret, n. p. 1207(Chem.) A compound of sulphur with some other element, in the proportions of three equivalents of sulphur to two of the other element.Ses'qui-ter'tial, a. p. 1207Sesquiterium.Ses'qui-ter'tian or Ses'qui-ter'tion-al, a. p. 1207Having the ratio of one and one third to one.Ses'qui-tone, n. p. 1207(Mus.) A minor third, or interval of three semitones. Busby.Sess, n. p. 1207A tax; an assessment. [Obs. or rare.]Sess, v. t. p. 1207To lay tax upon; to assess. [Obs.]Ses'sile, a. p. 1207Attached without any sensible projecting support. 2. (Bot.) Issuing directly from the main stem or branch, without a pedicle or footstalk; as, a sessile leaf.Ses'sion, n. p. 1207The act of sitting, or the state of being seated. But Vision, gathering something of his mind,— Leaped from her session on his lap, and smote. Ferguson. 2. The actual sitting of a court, council…Ses'sion-al, a. p. 1207Pertaining to a session, or to sessions.Sēss'-pool, n. p. 1207A cavity sunk in the earth to receive and retain the sediment of water conveyed in drains; a cess-pool.Ses'ter-tĭus, n. p. 1207(Rom. Antiq.) A Roman coin or denomination of money, in value the fourth part of a denarius, and originally containing two asses and a half, afterward four asses; — equal to about two pence sterling…Ses'tet or Ses-tet'to, n. p. 1207(Mus.) A piece of music composed for six voices or instruments; — called also sextet. [Written also sestetto, sestettos.]Set, v. t. p. 1207To cause to sit; to seat; to make to assume a specified position; to give site or place to; to place; to put; to fix; as, to set a house on a wall of stone; to set a book on a shelf; to set a chest…Sĕt, v. i. p. 1208To pass below the horizon; to go down; to decline; to sink. “Ere the weary sun set in the west.” Shak. Thus this century sets with little mirth, and the next is likely to arise with more mourning.…Sĕt, p. a. p. 1208Fixed; firm; obstinate; as, he is very set in his opinions. 2. Regular; uniform; formal; as, a set discourse; a set battle. “The set phrase of speech.” Shak. 3. Established; prescribed; as, set forms…Sĕt, n. p. 1208The act of setting; the descent of the sun or other heavenly body below the horizon. The weary sun hath made a golden set. Shak. 2. That which is set, placed, or fixed; as, (a.) A young plant for…Sē'tā, n. p. 1208(Bot.) A bristle, or slender body like a bristle. Gray.Se-tā′ceous, a. p. 1208Set with, or consisting of, bristles; bristly; as, a stiff, setaceous tail. Derham. 2. (Nat. Hist.) Having the slender form of a bristle; bristle-shaped; as, a setaceous leaf or leaflet.Sĕt'-băck, n. p. 1208(Arch.) A plain, flat set-off in a wall. Weale.Sĕt'-bōlt, n. p. 1208(Ship-building.) An iron pin, or bolt, for fitting planks closely together. Craig.Sĕt'-down, n. p. 1208A depressing or humiliating rebuke; a rebuff.Set-ee', n. p. 1208(Naut.) A kind of vessel. See SETTEE.Sĕt'-foil, n. p. 1208The same as SEPT-FOIL, q. v.Sĕth'ic, a. p. 1208(Chron.) Of, or pertaining to, a certain period of 1460 years.Se-tĭf'er-ōus, a. p. 1208Producing, or having one or more, bristles.Sē'ti-fōrm, a. p. 1208(Bot.) Having the form of a bristle.Se-tĭg′ĕr-ōŭs, a. p. 1208(Nat. Hist.) Covered with bristles. Dana.