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.
Shăn’ty-măn, n. p. 1214One who lives in a shanty; a wood-cutter. Simmonds.Shāp'a-ble, a. p. 1214Capable of being shaped or formed.Shāpe, v. t. p. 1214To form or create; to make; to produce. I was shapen in iniquity. Ps. li. 5. 2. To mold or make into a particular form; to give form or figure to; to form. Grace shaped her limbs, and beauty decked…Shāpe, v. i. p. 1214To square; to suit; to be adjusted. [Rare.] Shak.Shāpe, n. p. 1214Character or construction of a thing as determining its external appearance; outward aspect; make; figure; form; guise; as, the shape of a horse or a tree; the shape of the head, hand, or foot; an…Shāpe'less, a. p. 1214Destitute of shape or regular form; wanting symmetry of dimensions; formless. “The shapeless rock or hanging precipice.” Pope.Shāpe'less-ness, n. p. 1214The state of being shapeless; destitution of regular form.Shāpe'li-ness, n. p. 1214The quality of being shapely; beauty or proportion of form.Shāpe'ly, a. p. 1214Well formed; having a regular shape; symmetrical. Warton. Waste, sandy valleys, once perplexed with thorn, The spiry fir and shapely box adorn. Pope.Shāpe’smith, n. p. 1214One who undertakes to improve the form of the body. [Burlesque.] Garth.Shāp'ing-ma-chīne', n. p. 1214(Mach.) A modified planing-machine, in which the tool moves and the work is fixed on a table for dressing surfaces of all shapes.Shārd, n. p. 1214A piece or fragment of an earthen vessel, or of a like brittle substance. [Obs.] Shak. 2. Hence, the hard wing-case of a beetle. They are his shards, and he their beetle. Shak. 3. The shell of an egg…Shärd'-bōrne, a. p. 1214Borne on shards, or with wings like shards. “The shard-borne beetle.” Shak.Shārd'ed, a. p. 1214Having wings sheathed with a hard case. “The sharded beetle.” Shak.Shärd'y, a. p. 1214Pertaining to, or furnished with, shards. “The hornet's shardy wing.” J. R. Drake.Shâre, n. p. 1214The broad iron or blade of a plow which cuts the ground, or furrow-slice. Mortimer.Shâre, n. p. 1214The pubes share-bone. [Obs.] Holland.Shāre, n. p. 1214A certain portion; a part; a division; as, a small share of prudence or good sense. 2. Especially, the part allotted or belonging to one, of any property or interest owned by a number; portion among…Shâre, v. t. p. 1214To part among two or more; to divide. Suppose I share my fortune equally between my children and a stranger. Swift. 2. To partake or enjoy with others; to have a portion of; to seize and possess…Shāre, v. i. p. 1214To have part; to receive a portion.Shâre'-bēam, n. p. 1214The part of the plow to which the share is attached.Shâre'-bōne, n. p. 1214(Anat.) The os pubis, a bone placed at the upper and fore part of the pelvis.Shâre'-brō'ker, n. p. 1214A dealer in railway or other shares and securities. Simmonds.Shâre'-hōld'er, n. p. 1214One who holds or owns a share in a joint fund or property. One of the proprietors of the mine, who was a principal share-holder in the company, died. Med. Repos.Shâr'er, n. p. 1214One who shares; one who participates in any thing with another; one who enjoys or suffers in common with another or others; a partaker; as, a sharer in the toils of war; a sharer in another's…Shārk, n. p. 1214[Ichth.] A cartilaginous fish of the family Squalidæ, comprehending numerous genera, as Carcharias, Scyllium, &c. The body is long, round, and tapering from the head, the surface set with minute…Shārk, v. t. p. 1214To pick up hastily, slyly, or in small quantities. [Low.] Shak.Shārk, v. i. p. 1214To play the petty thief; to swindle. 2. To live by shifts and stratagems; to meanly obtain entertainment. “Neither sharks for a cup or a reckoning.” Earle.Shārk'er, n. p. 1214One who lives by sharking; an artful fellow.Shārk'ing, n. p. 1214Petty rapine; trick. 2. The seeking of a livelihood by shifts and devices.Shā'rock, n. p. 1214An East Indian coin of the value of 12½ pence sterling, or about 25 cents.Shàrp, a. p. 1214Having a very thin edge or fine point; of a nature to cut or pierce easily; not blunt or dull; keen; acute. He dies upon my cimeter's sharp point. Shak. 2. Terminating in a point or edge; not obtuse…Shärp, n. p. 1214A pointed instrument. [Obs.] If butchers had but the manners to go to sharps, gentlemen would be contented with a rubber at cuffs. Collier. 2. (Mus.) The character [#], used to indicate that the note…Shärp, v. t. p. 1214To make keen, acute, penetrating, and the like; to sharpen. 2. (Mus.) To raise above the proper pitch; to elevate the tone of; especially, to raise a semitone above the natural tone.Shärp, v. i. p. 1214To play tricks in bargaining; to act the sharper. L'Estrange.Shärp'-cūt, a. p. 1214Cut sharply or definitely, or so as to make a clear, well-defined impression, as the lines of an engraved plate, and the like; hence, having great distinctness; well-defined; clear.Sharp'en, v. t. p. 1214To make sharp; as, (a.) To give a keen edge or fine point to; to edge; to point; as, to sharpen a knife, an ax, or the teeth of a saw; to sharpen a sword. (b.) To render more quick or acute in…Shärp'en, v. i. p. 1215To grow or become sharp.Shärp'er, n. p. 1215A shrewd man in making bargains; a tricking fellow; a cheat in bargaining or gaming. Sharpers, as pikes, prey upon their own kind. L'Estrange. Syn. —Swindler; cheat; deceiver. See SWINDLER.Shärp'ſe, n. p. 1215(Naut.) A long, sharp, flat-bottomed sail-boat. [Local U. S.]Shārp'ly, adv. p. 1215In a sharp manner; with a keen edge or fine point; with keen perception or discernment; keenly; acutely; severely; rigorously; violently; vehemently; wittily. They are to be more sharply chastised…Shärp'ness, n. p. 1215The condition or quality of being sharp; as, (a.) Keenness of edge or point, as of a knife, and the like. (b.) Quickness of perception, as of sight. (c.) Acuteness of intellect; the power of nice…Shärp'-sĕt, a. p. 1215Eager in appetite or desire of gratification; affected by keen hunger; ravenous; as, an eagle or a lion sharp-set. The town is sharp-set on new plays. Pope.Shärp'-shoōt'er, n. p. 1215One skilled in shooting at an object with exactness; a good marksman.Shärp'-shōōt'ing, n. p. 1215A shooting with great precision and effect; hence, a keen contest of wit or argument.Shärp'-sight/ed, a. p. 1215Having quick or acute sight; as, a sharp-sighted eagle or hawk. 2. Of quick discernment or acute understanding; as, a sharp-sighted opponent; sharp-sighted judgment.Shärp'-sight'ed-ness, n. p. 1215The quality of being sharp-sighted.Shärp'-wit'ted, a. p. 1215Having an acute or nicely discerning mind.Shāsh, n. p. 1215A sash. [Obs.] 2. A turban. [Obs.] Fuller.Shās'ter or Shās'trá, n. p. 1215A treatise for authoritative instruction among the Hindoos; a book of institutes; especially, a treatise containing religious instructions and precepts. [Written also sastra.]Shāth'mont, n. p. 1215A measure of length, said to be six inches. W. Scott.Shāt'ter, v. t. p. 1215To break at once into many pieces; to dash, burst, or part by violence into fragments; to rend; to crack; to split; as, an explosion shatters a rock or a bomb; too much steam shatters a boiler. A…Shăt'ter, v. i. p. 1215To be broken into fragments; to fall or crumble to pieces by any force applied. Some shatter and fly in many pieces. Bacon.Shāt'ter, n. p. 1215A fragment of any thing forcibly rent or broken;—used generally in the plural, and chiefly or solely in the phrases, to break or rend into shatters. 2. (pl.) The fallen leaves of the pine-tree.Shăt'ter-brāined or Shăt'ter-pāt'ed, a. p. 1215Disordered, or wandering, in intellect. 2. Heedless; wild; not consistent. Goodman.Shăt'ter-y, a. p. 1215Easily breaking and falling into many pieces; not compact; loose of texture; brittle; as, shattery spar.Shāve, v. t. p. 1215To cut or pare off from the surface of a body by a razor or other edged instrument; to take off closely by cutting; as, to shave the beard. 2. To make bare or smooth by cutting off closely the…Shāve, v. i. p. 1215To use a razor for removing the beard; to cut closely; hence, to be hard and severe in a bargain; to cheat.Shāve, n. p. 1215A thin slice; a shaving. Wright. 2. A cutting of the beard; the operation of shaving. 3. An exorbitant cutting down or discount on a note, &c., for cash in hand. [U. S.] 4. A tool with a long blade…Shāve'-grass, n. p. 1215(Bot.) A plant of the genus Equisetum (E. hyemale); the Dutch rush, or scouring-rush; the horse-tail. Booth.