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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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Skūnk, n. p. 1239(Zool.) A carnivorous animal of the genus Mephitis, found over a very wide extent of country in North America. It is nearly allied to the weasel on the one hand, and to the otter on the other. This…Skŭnk'-bĭrd or Skŭnk'-blăck'bĭrd, n. p. 1239(Ornith.) A bird of the genus Emberiza (E. oryzivora of Linnæus); the bobolink or rice-bird; — popularly so called from the resemblance of the colors of the male, at certain periods of the year, to…Skŭnk'-câb'bâge, n. p. 1239(Bot.) An endogenous plant Symplocarpus (or Ictodes) foetidus, so named from its odor, which strongly resembles that of the skunk. It has large leaves, and grows in low wet grounds in America.…Skûŋk'-hēad, n. p. 1239(Ornith.) A bird of the genus Anas (A. Labradora of Wilson); pied duck.Skûŋk'ish, a. p. 1239Resembling the skunk; especially, having the odor of a skunk.Skŭnk'-weed, n. p. 1239(Bot.) Skunk-cabbage.Skūr'ry, n. p. 1239Haste; impetuosity. Brockett.Skūte, n. p. 1239A boat; a small vessel. [Obs.]Skūt'te-ru-dite, n. p. 1239(Min.) A mineral of a bright metallic luster, sometimes iridescent, of a color between tin-white and pale lead-gray, consisting chiefly of arsenic and cobalt. Dana.Sky, n. p. 1239The apparent arch or vault of heaven, which in a clear day is of a blue color; the heavens. The Norwegian banners float the sky. Shak. 2. The weather; the climate. 3. A cloud; a shadow. [Obs.] Gower.…Skÿ'-blûe, a. p. 1239Of the blue color of the sky.Skÿ'-cŏl'or, n. p. 1239The color of the sky; a particular species of blue color; azure.Skȳed, a. p. 1239Surrounded by sky. [Poet. and rare.] “The skyed mountain.” Thomson.Sky'ey, a. p. 1239Like the sky; ethereal. Sublime on the towers of my skyey bowers, Lightning, my pilot, sits. Shelley.Sky'-high, adv. p. 1239High as the sky; very high;— often, colloquial or vulgar; as, he blew him sky-high.Skÿ'ish, a. p. 1239Like the sky, or approaching the sky; lofty; ethereal. [Rare.] The skyish head Of blue Olympus. Shak.Skÿ'-lärk, n. p. 1239(Ornith.) A species of lark that mounts and sings as it flies; the Alauda arvensis. It is common in Europe and in some parts of Asia, and is celebrated for its melodious song.Sky'lärk-ing, n. p. 1239(Naut.) The act of running about the rigging of a vessel in sport; frolicking; sporting; carousing.Skȳ'-light, n. p. 1239A window placed in the roof of a building, or ceiling of a room, for the admission of light from above.Skÿ'-rôck'et, n. p. 1239A rocket that ascends high and burns as it flies; a species of fireworks.Sky'-sāil, n. p. 1239(Naut.) The sail set next above the royal. Totten.Sky'-serāp'er, n. p. 1239(Naut.) A sky-sail of a triangular form. Totten.Skÿ'ward, a. p. 1239Toward the sky.Slăb, a. p. 1239Thick; viscous. [Obs.] Make the gruel thick and slab. Shak.Slăb, n. p. 1239That which is slimy or viscous; moist earth; mud; also, a puddle. [Obs.]Slăb, n. p. 1239A thin piece of any thing, especially of marble or other stone, having plane surfaces. Gwilt. 2. An outside piece taken from a log or timber in sawing it into boards, planks, and the like. Slabs of…Slăb'ber, v. i. p. 1239To let the saliva or other liquid fall from the mouth carelessly; to drivel. ☞ It is also written slaver and slobber.Slăb'ber, v. t. p. 1239To sup up hastily, as liquid food. [Obs.] 2. To wet and foul by liquids suffered to fall carelessly from the mouth, or by liquid spilled. 3. To shed; to spill.Slăb'ber, n. p. 1239Moisture let fall from the mouth in a careless manner; slaver.Slăb'ber-er, n. p. 1239One who slabbers; an idiot.Slăb'ber-y, a. p. 1240Like or covered with slabber or slab; slippery; sloppy.Slāb'bi-ness, n. p. 1240The state of being thick or slabby.Slāb'by, a. p. 1240Thick; viscous; — sometimes in contempt. [Rare.] Wiseman. They present you with a cup, and you must drink of a slabby stuff. Selden. 2. Wet; sloppy; slimy; miry. See SLOPPY.Slāb'-line, n. p. 1240(Naut.) A line or small rope by which seamen haul up the foot of the main-sail or fore-sail. Totten.Slāb'-sid'ed, a. p. 1240Having flat sides; hence, tall, or long and lank.Slăck, a. p. 1240Not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as, a slack rope; slack rigging. 2. Weak; remiss; not holding fast; as, a slack hand. 3. Remiss; backward; not using due diligence; not earnest or…Slāck, adv. p. 1240In a slack manner; partially; insufficiently; not intensely; as, slack-dried hops; bread slack baked.Slăck, n. p. 1240The part of a rope that hangs loose, having no strain upon it. Totten.Slāck, n. p. 1240Small coal; coal broken into small pieces. [Eng.]Slăck, n. p. 1240A valley, or small, shallow dell. [Prov. Eng.] [Grose.]Slăck or Slăck'en, v. i. p. 1240To become slack; to be made less tense, firm, or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather. 2. To be remiss or backward; to neglect. 3. To lose cohesion, or the quality of…Slāck or Slāck’en, v. t. p. 1240To render slack; to lessen the tension of; to make less tense or tight; as, to slacken a rope or a bandage. 2. Especially, to render less earnest, violent, energetic, rapid, or decided;—applied to…Slāck'en, n. p. 1240A spongy, semi-vitrified substance which miners or smelters mix with the ores of metals to prevent their fusion. [Written also slakin.]Slăck'ly, adv. p. 1240In a slack manner; loosely; remissly.Slăck'ness, n. p. 1240The state of being slack; a condition opposite to tension; want of tightness or rigidity; as, the slackness of a cord or rope; remissness; negligence; inattention; as, the slackness of men in…Slāde, n. p. 1240A little dell or valley; also, a flat piece of low, moist ground. [Obs.] Drayton.Slāg, n. p. 1240The dross or recrement of a metal; also, vitrified cinders. 2. The scoria of a volcano. Dana.Slāg'gy, a. p. 1240Pertaining to, or resembling, slag.Slāie, n. p. 1240A weaver's reed; a sley.Slāke, v. t. p. 1240To quench; to extinguish; as, to slake thirst. “And slake the heavenly fire.” Spenser. It would not slake mine ire nor ease my heart. Shak. 2. To mix with water, so that a true chemical combination…Slāke, v. i. p. 1240To go out; to become extinct. “His flame did slake.” Browne. 2. To abate; to become less decided. [Rare.] He overfloweth Mesopotamia when the sun is in the 20th degree of Cancer, and begins again to…Slāke'less, a. p. 1240Not capable of being slaked; unextinguishable.Slāk'lin, n. p. 1240See SLACKEN, n.Slăm, v. t. p. 1240To strike with force and noise; to shut with violence; as, to slam a door. 2. To beat; to cuff. [Prov. Eng.] Grose. 3. To strike down; to slaughter. [Prov. Eng.] 4. To win all the tricks in a hand at…Slăm, v. i. p. 1240To strike violently and noisily; as, a door slams. 2. (Mech.) To strike hard, as a moving part upon its seat; as, a puppet-valve slams.Slām, n. p. 1240A violent driving and dashing against; a violent shutting of a door. 2. The winning of all the tricks at whist, so defeating the other party. 3. The refuse of alum-works;—used in Yorkshire as a…Slăm'-băng', adv. p. 1240With great violence; with a slamming or banging noise. [Colloq.]Slām'kin or Slām'mer-kin, n. p. 1240A slut; a slatternly woman. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Slān'der, n. p. 1240A false tale or report maliciously uttered, and tending to injure the reputation of another. Whether we speak evil of a man to his face or behind his back; the former way, indeed, seems to be the…Slăn'der, v. t. p. 1240To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report; to tarnish or impair the reputation of by false tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate. O, do not slander him, for he is…