Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Steer'age, n. p. 1293The act or practice of directing and governing in a course; as, the steerage of a ship. He left the city, and, in a most tempestuous season, forsook the helm and steerage of the commonwealth. Milton.…Steer'age-wāy, n. p. 1293(Naut.) That degree of forward movement of a ship which renders her governable by the helm.Steer'er, n. p. 1293One who steers; a pilot. [Rare.]Steer'ing-wheel, n. p. 1293(Naut.) The wheel by which the rudder of a ship is turned and the ship is steered.Steer'less, a. p. 1293Having no steer or rudder. [Obs.]Steer'ling, n. p. 1293A young or small steer.Steer's'măn, n. p. 1293One who steers; the helmsman of a ship. “A ship by skillful steersman wrought.” Milton.Steer's'māte, n. p. 1293One who steers; a steersman; a pilot. [Obs.] Milton.Steeve, v. i. p. 1293(Ship-building.) To make an angle with the horizon, or with the line of a vessel’s keel; — said of the bowsprit.Steeve, v. t. p. 1293(Ship-building.) To elevate at an angle with the horizon; — said of the bowsprit.Steeve, n. p. 1293(Naut.) (a.) The angle which a bowsprit makes with the horizon, or with the line of the vessel's keel. (b.) A long, heavy spar, with a place to fit a block at one end, used in stowing certain kinds…Steev'ing, n. p. 1293(Naut.) The angle of elevation which a ship's bowsprit makes with the horizon.Stĕg, n. p. 1293A gander. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Stĕg'a-nŏg'ra-phist, n. p. 1293One who practices the art of writing in cipher; one skilled in steganography.Stĕg'a-nŏg'ra-phy, n. p. 1293The art of writing in ciphers, or characters which are not intelligible except to the persons who correspond with each other.Ste-găn'ō-pōd, n. p. 1293(Ornith.) One of a family of swimming birds with the four toes connected by the same web.Steg-nôt'ic, a. p. 1293(Med.) Tending to render costive, or to diminish excretions or discharges generally.Steg-nöt'ic, n. p. 1293(Med.) A medicine which tends to produce costiveness; one that diminishes excretions or discharges generally.Stein, n. p. 1293See STEEN.Stein'bok, n. p. 1293(Zoöl.) (a.) A species of African antelope (Calotragus campestris), remarkable as wanting accessory hoofs, and for its color. (b.) The ibex. See IBEX.Stein'heil-ite, n. p. 1293(Min.) A variety of iolite, of a smoky blue color.Stē'lē, n. p. 1293A small column or pillar without base or capital, used as a monument, a mile-stone, and the like.Stēle, n. p. 1293A stale or handle; a stalk. [Obs.] Holland.Stĕl'e-chīte, n. p. 1293A fine kind of storax.Stĕl'ēne, a. p. 1293Resembling, or used as, a stela; columnar.Stĕll, n. p. 1293A partial inclosure made by a wall or trees, to serve as a shelter for sheep or other domestic animals. [Eng.] Stevens.Stĕl'lar or Stĕl'la-ry, a. p. 1293Pertaining to stars; astral; as, a stellar figure. In part shed down Their stellar virtue. Milton. 2. Full of stars; set with stars; starry; as, stellary regions.Stĕl'late or Stĕl'lā-ted, a. p. 1293Resembling a star; pointed or radiated, like the emblem of a star. 2. (Bot.) Arranged in the form of a star; — a term used when several narrow, acute parts are placed in the form of a star round a…Stel-lā'tion, n. p. 1294Radiation of light. [Obs.]Stĕlled, a. p. 1294Starry. [Obs.] “Quenched the stelled fires.” —Milton.Stel-lēr'i-dan or Stēl-ler-īd'e-an, n. p. 1294(Zoöl.) One of a family of echinoderms, of which the Asterias, or star-fish, is the type.Stel-lĭf'er-ōŭs, a. p. 1294Having, or abounding with, stars.Stĕl'li-fōrm, a. p. 1294Like a star; radiated.Stĕl'li-fy, v. t. p. 1294To turn into a star; to cause to appear like a star. [Obs.] 2. To place among the stars, or in heaven. [Rare.] Methought I saw him stellified in heaven, And singing hallelujahs ’mongst a choir Of…Stĕl'liŏn, n. p. 1294(Zoöl.) A lizard (Stellio vulgaris), common about the Mediterranean.Stēl'ion-ate, n. p. 1294(Scotch & Roman Law.) Any fraud not distinguished by a more special name;—chiefly applied to sales of the same property to two different persons, or selling that for one's own which belongs to…Stēl'lu-lar, a. p. 1294Having the shape of little stars; radiated.Stĕl'lu-late, a. p. 1294(Bot.) Resembling little stars; stellular. London.Stēl'o-chīte, n. p. 1294(Min.) Osteocolla. See OSTEOCOLLA.Ste-lōg'ra-phy, n. p. 1294The art of writing or inscribing characters on pillars. [Rare.] Staelhouse.Stēm, n. p. 1294The principal body of a tree, shrub, or plant, of any kind; the main stock; the firm part which supports the branches. After they are shot up thirty feet in length, they spread a very large top…Stēm, v. t. p. 1294To oppose, or cut, as with the stem of a vessel; to resist, as a current; to make progress against, as a current. “An argosy to stem the waves.” Shak. They stem the flood with their erected breasts.…Stĕm'-clȧsp'ing, a. p. 1294(Bot.) Embracing the stem with its base; amplexicaul, as a leaf or petiole.Stĕm'-lēaf, n. p. 1294A leaf growing from the stem.Stĕm'less, a. p. 1294Having no stem; having the stem so little developed as to seem to be wanting; acaulescent.Stĕm'let, n. p. 1294A small or young stem.Stĕm'mȧ-tȧ, n. pl. p. 1294(Entom.) Three smooth, hemispherical dots, generally seen on the top of the head, chiefly in the hymenoptera;—called also ocelli. Baird. ☞ The term is also applied to the simple and minute eyes of…Stem-măt'o-pŭs, n. p. 1294(Zō-ol.) A Cuvierian genus of seals, including the hooded seal (Phoca cristata of Gmelin) of the Arctic ocean, which is a species seven or eight feet long, having a piece of loose inflatable skin on…Stĕm'ple, n. p. 1294(Mining.) A cross-bar of wood in a shaft.Stēm'son, n. p. 1294(Ship-building.) A piece of compass-timber, fixed on the after part of the apron inside, the lower end of which is scarfed into the keelson, and receives the scarf of the stem, through which it is…Stĕnch, n. p. 1294An ill smell; offensive odor; stink.Stĕnch, v. t. p. 1294To cause to emit a disagreeable odor; to cause to stink. [Obs.]Stĕnch, v. t. p. 1294To stanch; to stop. [Obs.] Harvey.Stĕnch'-trăp, n. p. 1294A contrivance to prevent stench from rising from the openings of sewers, &c. Weale.Stĕnch'y, a. p. 1294Having an offensive smell; stinking. [Obs.] Dyer.Stĕn'çil, n. p. 1294A thin plate of metal, leather, or other material, used in painting, marking, &c. The pattern is cut out of the plate, which is then laid flat on the surface to be marked, and the color brushed over…Stĕn'çil, v. t. p. 1294To paint or color in figures with stencils; to form or print by means of a stencil.Stĕn'çil-er, n. p. 1294One who paints or colors in figures by means of stencils.Stĕn'o-grăph, v. t. p. 1294To write or report in stenographic characters.Ste-nōg'ra-pher, n. p. 1294One who is skilled in stenography.