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.
Sew'er, n. p. 1210A drain or passage to convey off water and filth under ground; a subterraneous canal, particularly in cities.Sew'er, n. p. 1210An upper servant, or household officer, who set on and removed the dishes at a feast, and who also brought water for the hands of the guests. [Rare.] Then the sewer Poured water from a great and…Sew'er, n. p. 1210One who sews, or uses a needle.Sew'er-age, n. p. 1210The construction of a sewer. 2. The system of sewers in a city, town, &c.; the general drainage of a city, &c., by sewers. 3. The materials collected in, and discharged by, sewers; sewage.Sew'ing, n. p. 1210The act or occupation of sewing or using the needle. 2. That which is sewed with the needle. 3. (pl.) Compound threads of silk, wound, cleaned, doubled, and thrown with especial reference to their…Sew'ster, n. p. 1210A woman who sews; a seamstress. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Sēx, n. p. 1210The distinguishing peculiarity of male or female; the physical difference between male and female; the assemblage of properties or qualities by which male is distinguished from female, or female from…Sĕx'a-ge-nā'ri-an, n. p. 1210A person who has arrived at the age of sixty years.Sex-ăg'e-na-ry or Sēx'ă-gē-na-ry, a. p. 1210Pertaining to, or designating, the number sixty; proceeding by sixties. Sexagenary, or sexagesimal, scale (Math.), a scale of numbers in which the modulus is sixty, used in treating of the divisions…Sex-ăg'e-na-ry or Sēx'a-gen-a-ry, n. p. 1210Something composed of sixty parts. 2. A person sixty years of age; a sexagenarian. The lad can sometimes be as dowff as a sexagenary like myself. W. Scott.Sĕx'a-gĕs'i-mā, n. p. 1210(Eccl.) The second Sunday before Lent, the next to Shrove-Tuesday, so called as being about the sixtieth day before Easter.Sĕx'a-gĕs'i-mal, a. p. 1210Pertaining to, or founded on, the number sixty. Sexagesimal fractions, or sexagesimals, those fractions whose denominators are some power of sixty; as, ¹⁄₆₀, ¹⁄₃₆₀₀, ¹⁄₂₁₆₀₀₀;—called also…Sĕx'a-na-ry, a. p. 1210Consisting of six or sixes; sixfold or six-parted. [Rare.]Sĕx'ăn-gle, n. p. 1210(Geom.) A figure having six angles and six sides; a hexagon. [Rare.] Hutton.Sĕx'ăng-gled or Sex-ăng'gu-lar, a. p. 1210Having six angles; hexagonal. [Rare.] Dryden.Sex-ăn'gu-lar-ly, adv. p. 1210With six angles; hexagonally.Sex-dĕc'i-mal, a. p. 1210(Crystallog.) Having sixteen faces; — said of a crystal when the prism or middle part has six faces, and the two summits, taken together, ten faces. [Obs.]Sex-dīg'ti-ism, n. p. 1210The state of having six fingers on a hand, or six toes on a foot.Sex-dĭg'it-ist, n. p. 1210One who has six fingers on a hand, or six toes on a foot.Sĕx-dū/o-dĕc'i-mal, a. p. 1210(Crystallog.) Having eighteen faces; — said of a crystal when the prism or middle part has six faces, and the two summits, taken together, twelve faces. [Obs.]Sēx'e-na-ry, a. p. 1210Proceeding by sixes; sextuple;—applied especially to a system of arithmetic in which the base is six.Sex-ēn'ni-al, a. p. 1210Lasting six years, or happening once in six years.Sex-ēn'ni-al-ly, adv. p. 1210Once in six years.Sēx'fid or Sēx'i-fid, a. p. 1210(Bot.) Six-cleft; as, a sexfid calyx or nectary.Sĕx'i-syl'la-ble, n. p. 1210A word of six syllables.Sĕx'less, a. p. 1210Having no sex.Sex-lŏc'ū-lar, a. p. 1210(Bot.) Having six cells for seeds; six-celled; as, a sexlocular pericarp.Sĕx'ly, a. p. 1210Pertaining to, or arising from, sex; sexual. [Obs. and rare.] Should I ascribe any of these things to my sexly weaknesses, I were not worthy to live. Queen Elizabeth.Sĕx'tain, n. p. 1210A stanza of six lines.Sēx'tans, n. p. 1210(Rom. Antiq.) A certain coin; the sixth part of an as. 2. (Astron.) A certain constellation; the sextant.Sĕx'tant, n. p. 1210(Math.) The sixth part of a circle. 2. An instrument of reflection for measuring angular distances between objects, especially at sea. It is constructed on the same optical principle as Hadley's…Sĕx'ta-ry, n. p. 1211(Rom. Antiq.) An ancient Roman measure, about equal to an English pint, in both liquid and dry measure.Sĕx'ta-ry, n. p. 1211The same as SACRISTY. [Obs.]Sēx'tīle, n. p. 1211(Astrol.) The aspect or position of two planets when distant from each other sixty degrees, or two signs. This position is marked thus: ⚹. Hutton.Sex-tīl'ion, n. p. 1211According to the English notation, the product of a million involved to the sixth power, or the number expressed by a unit with thirty-six ciphers annexed; according to the French notation, the…Sĕx'tet or Sex-tēt'to, n. p. 1211The same as SESTET. See SESTET.Sĕx'to, n. p. 1211A size of book made by folding each sheet into six leaves.Sēx'to-dēç'i-mō, a. p. 1211Formed of sheets folded so as to make sixteen leaves; of, or equal to, the size of one fold of a sheet of printing-paper when doubled so as to make sixteen leaves, or thirty-two pages; as, a…Sĕxʹto-dĕçʹi-mo, n. p. 1211A book composed of sheets folded so as to make sixteen leaves, or thirty-two pages; a sextodecimo book. 2. The size of a book thus composed; — usually indicated thus: 16mo., 16°.Sēx'ton, n. p. 1211An under officer of the church, whose business is to take care of the vessels, vestments, &c., belonging to the church, to attend on the officiating clergyman, and perform other duties pertaining to…Sēx'ton-ess, n. p. 1211A female sexton; the wife of a sexton.Sĕx'ton-ry, n. p. 1211Sextonship. [Obs.] Ld. Berners.Sēx'ton-ship, n. p. 1211The office of a sexton.Sēx'try, n. p. 1211The same as SACRISTAN.Sĕx'tu-ple, a. p. 1211Six times as much; sixfold. 2. (Mus.) Having six parts; as, sextuple measure.Sĕx'ū-al, a. p. 1211Pertaining to sex or the sexes; distinguishing sex; peculiar to the distinction and office of male or female; relating to the distinct organs of the sexes; as, sexual characteristics; sexual…Sĕx'ū-al-ĭst, n. p. 1211(Bot.) One who believes and maintains the doctrine of sexes in plants; one who classifies plants by the differences of the sexes and parts of fructification.Sēx'ū-al'ī-ty, n. p. 1211The state or quality of being distinguished by sex.Sĕx′/ū-al-ly, adv. p. 1211In a sexual manner or relation.Sfor-zăn'do or Sfor-zā'to, a. p. 1211(Mus.) Forcing or forced; — a direction placed over a note, to signify to the performer that it must be executed with peculiar emphasis and force; — marked fz (an abbreviation of forzando, q. v.)…Sfu-mā'to, a. p. 1211(Paint.) Intentionally misty; smoky; — said of pictures in a certain style of painting. Smart.Sgräf-fīto, a. p. 1211(Paint.) Scratched; — said of pictures of a certain style, in which a white overlaid surface is chipped away, so as to form the design, from a dark ground underneath. Smart.Shăb, n. p. 1211The itch in animals; also, a scab.Shăb, v. i. p. 1211To play mean tricks; to act shabbily.Shăb'bed, a. p. 1211Mean; shabby. [Obs.] A. Wood.Shāb'bĭ-ly, adv. p. 1211In a shabby manner; meanly; raggedly; as, to be clothed shabbily.Shăb’bi-ness, n. p. 1211The quality of being shabby; meanness; raggedness; as, the shabbiness of a garment.Shāb'ble, n. p. 1211A kind of crooked sword. W. Scott.Shăb'by, a. p. 1211Torn or worn to rags; poor; mean; ragged. “The necessity of wearing shabby coats and dirty shirts.” Macaulay. 2. Clothed with ragged or soiled garments. “The dean was so shabby.” Swift. 3. Mean…Shăb'rack, n. p. 1211(Mil.) The cloth furniture or housing of a troop horse or charger.