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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.

  1. Sŏth'ic, a.p. 1261Of, or pertaining to, Sothis, the dog-star. Sothic year, the Egyptian year of 365 days and 6 hours; —so called from Sothis, the dog-star, at whose heliacal rising it was supposed to commence. Bryant.
  2. Sŏt'tish, a.p. 1261Like a sot; doltish; very foolish. How ignorant are sottish pretenders to astrology! Swift. 2. Dull or stupid with intemperance. Syn. — Dull; stupid; senseless; doltish; infatuate.
  3. Sŏt'tish-ly, adv.p. 1262In a sottish manner; stupidly; senselessly; without reason.
  4. Sŏt'tish-ness, n.p. 1262The state or quality of being sottish; dullness in the exercise of reason; stupidity. Few consider into what degree of sottishness and confirmed ignorance men may sink themselves. South. 2. Stupidity…
  5. Sotto Vocep. 1262(Mus.) With a restrained voice or moderate force.
  6. Sou, n.p. 1262A French money of account, and a copper coin, in value the 20th part of a livre, or of a franc.
  7. Squ'bah, n.p. 1262The same as SUBAH. See SUBAH.
  8. Sŭb'ah-dar, n.p. 1262See SUBAHDAR.
  9. Sōbrette, n.p. 1262A chamber-maid; a female servant or attendant.
  10. Sōu-chŏng', n.p. 1262A kind of black tea.
  11. Sŏugh, v. i.p. 1262To whistle or sigh, as the wind.
  12. Sough, n.p. 1262A small drain; an adit. Buchanan.
  13. Sōugh, n.p. 1262A hollow murmur or roaring; a buzzing; as, a sough in the ears. “Or listen to the whispering leaves or the solemn sough of the forest.” W. Howitt. 2. Hence, a rumor or flying report. W. Scott.
  14. Sought, imp. & p. p.p. 1262of seek. See SEEK.
  15. Sōul, n.p. 1262The spiritual, rational, and immortal part in man; that part of man which enables him to think, and which renders him a subject of moral government; — sometimes, in distinction from the higher nature…
  16. Sōul, v. t.p. 1262To indue with a soul. [Obs.] Chaucer.
  17. Sōul, v. i.p. 1262To afford suitable sustenance. [Obs.] [Written also sowl.] Warner.
  18. Sōul'-bĕll, n.p. 1262The passing-bell. Bp. Hall.
  19. Sōuled, a.p. 1262Instinct with soul or feeling. “Grecian chiefs . . . largely souled.” Dryden.
  20. Sōul'-fōot, n.p. 1262The same as SOUL-SCOT. [Obs.]
  21. Sōul'less, a.p. 1262Without a soul, or without greatness or nobleness of mind; mean; spiritless. Slave, soulless villain. Shak.
  22. Sōul'-scŏt or Sōul'-shŏt, n.p. 1262A funeral duty, or money paid by the Roman Catholics, in former times, for a requiem for the soul. Ayliffe.
  23. Sound, a.p. 1262Entire; unbroken; free from imperfection, defect, or decay; perfect of the kind; as, sound timber; sound fruit; a sound apple or melon; a sound tooth; a sound ship; a sound body. 2. Healthy; not…
  24. Sound, adv.p. 1262Soundly; heartily. So sound he slept that naught might him awake. Spenser.
  25. Sound, n.p. 1262The air-bladder of a fish.
  26. Sound, n.p. 1262(Geog.) A narrow passage of water, or a strait between the main land and an isle; or a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean; as, the sound which connects the Baltic…
  27. Sound, n.p. 1262The cuttle-fish. Ainsworth.
  28. Sound, n.p. 1262(Surg.) Any elongated instrument, usually metallic, by which cavities of the body are sounded or explored; especially, an instrument which surgeons introduce into the bladder, in order to discover…
  29. Sound, v. t.p. 1262To measure the depth of; to fathom; especially, to ascertain the depth of by means of a line and plummet. 2. To seek to interpret or discern the intentions or secret wishes of; to examine; to try; to…
  30. Sound, v. i.p. 1262To use the line and lead in searching the depth of water. The shipmen . . . sounded, and found it twenty fathoms. Acts xxvii. 27, 28.
  31. Sound, n.p. 1262The perceived object occasioned by the impulse or vibration of a material substance affecting the ear; a sensation or perception of the mind received through the ear, and produced by the impulse or…
  32. Sound, v. i.p. 1262To make a noise; to utter a voice; to make an impulse of the air that shall strike the organs of hearing with a perceptible effect. “And first taught speaking trumpets how to sound.” Dryden. How…
  33. Sound, v. t.p. 1262To cause to make a noise; to play on; as, to sound a trumpet or a horn. 2. To utter audibly; to cause to exist as a sound; as, to sound a note with the voice, or with an instrument. 3. To order or…
  34. Sound, n.p. 1262The same as Swoon. [Obs.] Spenser.
  35. Sound'a-ble, a.p. 1262Capable of being sounded.
  36. Sound'-bōard, n.p. 1262A sounding-board. To many a row of pipes the sound-board breathes. Milton.
  37. Sound'-bōard'ing, n.p. 1262See SOUNDING-BOARD.
  38. Sound'er, n.p. 1262One who sounds.
  39. Soun'der, n.p. 1262A herd of wild swine. [Obs.] And the wild sounder Single, and with my armed staff turn the boar. Beau. & Fl.
  40. Sound'ing, p. a.p. 1262Sonorous; making a noise. 2. Having a magnificent sound; as, words more sounding or significant.
  41. Sound'ing, n.p. 1262The act of one who, or that which, sounds. 2. (pl.) (Naut.) (a.) Any place or part of the ocean, or depth of water where a sounding-line will reach the bottom. (b.) The quality of the ground brought…
  42. Sound'ing-bōard, n.p. 1262A thin board which propagates the sound in an organ, violin, or other musical instrument. 2. A board, or structure with a flat surface, suspended behind or over a pulpit or rostrum to give…
  43. Sound'ing-line, n.p. 1262A line having a plummet at the end, used in making soundings.
  44. Sound'ing-pōst, n.p. 1262(Mus.) A small post in a violin, violoncello, or similar instrument, set under the bridge for a support, for propagating the sounds to the body of the instrument;—called also sound-post.
  45. Sound'ing-rōd, n.p. 1262(Naut.) A rod or piece of iron used to ascertain the depth of water in a ship's hold. It is let down in a groove by a pump.
  46. Sound'less, a.p. 1262Not capable of being sounded or fathomed; unfathomable. 2. Having no sound; noiseless; silent.
  47. Sound'ly, adv.p. 1262In a sound manner; healthily; heartily; severely; smartly; truly; without error; firmly; fast; closely.
  48. Sound'ness, n.p. 1262The state of being sound or firm; wholeness; entireness; as, the soundness of timber, of fruit, of the teeth, of a limb, and the like; firmness; strength; solidity; as, soundness of reasoning or…
  49. Sound'-pōst, n.p. 1262(Mus.) See SOUNDING-POST.
  50. Sounst, p. a.p. 1262Soused. See SOUSE. [Obs.]
  51. Soup, n.p. 1262A decoction of flesh for food, highly seasoned, and commonly containing also vegetable ingredients; strong broth. Soup-kitchen, a public establishment, supported by voluntary contributions, for…
  52. Soup, v. t.p. 1262To sup or swallow. 2. To breathe out. Wiclif.
  53. Sōup, v. t.p. 1262To sweep. [Obs.] See SWEEP and SWOOP. Bp. Hall.
  54. Soupe-maigre, n.p. 1262(Cookery.) Thin soup, made chiefly from vegetables with a little butter and a few condiments.
  55. Sour, a.p. 1263Having a pungent taste; sharp to the taste; tart; acid; as, vinegar is sour; sour cider; sour beer. 2. Turned or coagulated, as milk; rancid; musty. 3. Harsh of temper; crabbed; peevish; austere…
  56. Sour, n.p. 1263A sour or acid substance; an acid. Spenser.
  57. Sour, v. t.p. 1263To make acid; to cause to have a sharp taste. So the sun’s heat, with different powers, Ripens the grape, the liquor sours. Swift. 2. To make harsh, cold, or unkindly. Tufts of grass sour land.…
  58. Sour, v. i.p. 1263To become acid; to acquire the quality of tartness or pungency to the taste. 2. To become peevish or crabbed. They hinder the hatred of vice from souring into severity. Addison.
  59. Sōurce, n.p. 1263That person or place from which any thing proceeds; that from which any thing rises or comes forth. 2. Especially, the spring or fountain from which a stream of water proceeds, or any collection of…
  60. Sour'-crout, n.p. 1263See SOUR-KROUT.