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.
Sŏm’nour or Sŏmp’nour, n. p. 1259An apparitor or summoner, especially of an ecclesiastical court. [Obs.] Chaucer:Sŏn, n. p. 1259A male child; the male issue of a parent, father or mother. 2. A male descendant, however distant; hence, in the plural, descendants in general. I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of…Sō'nançe, n. p. 1259Sound. [Obs.]Sō'nant, a. p. 1259Pertaining to sound; sounding. 2. (Pron.) Uttered with intonated or resonant breath: made with sound, instead of breath alone; intonated; vocal; not surd;—said of certain articulations of alphabetic…So-nă'tă, n. p. 1259(Mus.) An extended composition for one or two instruments, consisting usually of three or four movements; as, Beethoven's sonatas for the piano, for the violin and piano, &c. ☞ The sonata, in the…Sŏn'cy, a. p. 1259Lucky; fortunate; thriving. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.Sŏng, n. p. 1259That which is sung or uttered with musical modulations of the voice, whether of the human voice or that of a bird. 2. A short poem to be sung or uttered with musical modulations; a ballad. 3. A lay…Sŏng'-craft, n. p. 1259The art of making songs or verses. A half-effaced inscription, Written with little skill of song-craft. LongfellowSŏng'ful, a. p. 1259Disposed to sing; full of song; melodious.Sŏng'ish, a. p. 1259Consisting of songs. [Obs.] Dryden.Sŏng'less, a. p. 1259Destitute of the power of song; without song; as, songless birds.Sŏng'ster, n. p. 1259One who sings; one skilled in singing;—not often applied to human beings, or only in slight contempt. 2. A bird that sings; as, the little songster in his cage.Sŏng'stress, n. p. 1259A female singer. ☞ The termination ster was originally applied to denote the female agent in an action, so that songster signified, at first, a female who sings; but the ending ster having at length…So-nĭf'er-ōŭs, a. p. 1259Sounding; producing sound.Sŏn'-in-lâw, n. p. 1259A man married to one's daughter.Sōn'less, a. p. 1259Without a son. And doth complot To make her sonless. Marston.Sŏn'net, n. p. 1259A poem of fourteen lines, two stanzas of four verses each and two of three each, the rhymes being adjusted by a particular rule. 2. A short poem. [Obs.] I have a sonnet that will serve the turn. Shak.Sŏn'net, v. i. p. 1259To compose sonnets. “Strains that come almost to sonneting.” Milton.Sŏn'net-eer',, n. p. 1259A composer of sonnets or small poems; a small poet;—usually in contempt. What woful stuff this madrigal would be In some starved hackney sonneteer or me! Pope.Sŏn'net-er, n. p. 1259A writer of sonnets; a sonneteer. [Obs.]Sŏn'net-īze, v. i. p. 1259To write or compose sonnets.Sōn'nish, a. p. 1259Sunny. [Obs.] Chaucer.Sōn'nīte, n. p. 1259The same as SUNNITE. See SUN-NITE.So-nōm'e-ter, n. p. 1259An instrument for exhibiting the transverse vibrations of cords, and ascertaining the relations between musical notes, consisting of a cord stretched by weight along a box, and divided into different…Sōn'o-rĭf'ic, a. p. 1259Producing sound; as, the sonorific quality of a body. [Rare.] Watts.So-nŏr'i-ty, n. p. 1259Sonorousness. [Rare.]So-nō'rous, a. p. 1259Giving sound when struck; as, metals are sonorous bodies. 2. Loud-sounding; giving a clear or loud sound; as, a sonorous voice. 3. Yielding sound; characterized by sound; vocal; sonant; as, the…So-nō'rous-ly, adv. p. 1259In a sonorous manner.So-nō'roūs-ness, n. p. 1259The quality or state of being sonorous; as, the sonorousness of metals; the sonorousness of a voice or an instrument.Sŏn’ship, n. p. 1259The state of being a son, or of having the relation of a son. 2. The character of a son; filiation.Sŏn'sy, a. p. 1259The same as SONCY, q. v.Sōo'cey, n. p. 1259A mixed, striped fabric of silk and cotton, in India. Simmonds.Sōo'der or Sōo'drā, n. p. 1259The lowest of the four great castes among the Hindoos. See SUDRA.Sōo'fee, n. p. 1259See SUFI.Sōo'fee-īsm, n. p. 1259See SUFISM.Sōo'jee, n. p. 1259Indian wheat, ground but not pulverized; a kind of semolino. Simmonds.Sōon, adv. p. 1259In a short time; shortly after any time specified or supposed; as, soon after sunrise. She finished, and the subtle fiend his lore Soon learned. Milton. 2. Without the usual delay; before any time…Sōon, a. p. 1259Speedy; quick. [Obs.]Sōō'nee, n. p. 1259A Sunnite. See SUNNITE.Sōon'ly, adv. p. 1259Quickly; speedily. [Obs.]Sōord, n. p. 1259The skin of bacon. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.Sōor'mā, n. p. 1259A preparation of antimony with which Indian women anoint their eyelids. Simmonds.Soo-shŏng', n. p. 1259See SOUCHONG.Soot, n. p. 1259A black substance formed by combustion, or disengaged from fuel in the process of combustion, rising in fine particles, and adhering to the sides of the chimney or pipe conveying the smoke; strictly…Soot, v. t. p. 1259To cover or foul with soot. “Sooted o’er with noisome smoke.” Chapman.Sōote, a. p. 1259Sweet. [Obs.] “Waters that were soote and clear.” Digby.Sōot'er-kīn, n. p. 1259A kind of false birth, fabled to be produced by the Dutch women from sitting over their stoves. Swift.Sōoth, n. p. 1259Truth; reality. In sooth, I know not why I came. Shak. 2. Prognostication. [Obs.] “The sooth of birds by beating of their wings.” Spenser. 3. Sweetness; kindness. [Obs.] Shak.Sōoth, a. p. 1259True; faithful. [Obs.] What shall I sooth to you declare? Spenser. 2. Pleasing; delightful. [Rare.] “With jellies soother than the creamy curd.” Keats.Sōothe, v. t. p. 1259To please with blandishments or soft words, or by assentation; to flatter. Can I soothe tyranny? Dryden. I've tried the force of every reason on him, Soothed and caressed, been angry, soothed again.…Sōoth'er, n. p. 1259One who, or that which, softens or assuages; a flatterer.Sōoth'fast, a. p. 1259Firmly fixed in, or founded upon, the truth; true; real. [Rare.] Why do not you step forward, and bear leal and soothfast evidence in her behalf, as ye may, with a clear conscience? W. Scott.Sōōth'fast-ness, n. p. 1259Truthfulness; reality. [Obs.]Sōoth'ing-ly, adv. p. 1259In a soothing manner; with flattery or soft words.Sōoth'ly, adv. p. 1259In truth; really. [Obs.] Hales.Sōoth'sāy, v. i. p. 1259To foretell; to predict. “You can not soothsay.” Shak. “Old soothsaying Glaucus' spell.” Milton.Sōoth'sāy, n. p. 1259A true saying. 2. Omen; portent. God turn the same to good soothsay. Spenser.Sōoth'sāy-er, n. p. 1259One who undertakes to foretell events; a foreteller; a prognosticator.Sōoth'sāy-ing, n. p. 1259The foretelling of events. 2. A true saying; truth. [Obs.] Chaucer.Soot'i-ness, n. p. 1259The quality of being sooty, or foul with soot; fuliginousness.