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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. Sur-mūl'let, n.p. 1332(Ichth.) A fish of the genus Mullus (M. barbatus), allied to the perch;— called also red mullet.
  2. Sûr'mu-lôt, n.p. 1332(Zoöl.) The brown or Norway rat.
  3. Sûr'nâme, n.p. 1332A name or appellation added to, or over and above, the baptismal or Christian name, and which becomes a family name. ☞ Surnames originally designated occupation, estate, place of residence, or some…
  4. Sur-nāme', v. t.p. 1333To name or call by an appellation added to the original name; to give a surname to. Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. Is. xliv. 5. And…
  5. Sur-nŏm'i-nal, a.p. 1333Of, or pertaining to, a surname.
  6. Sur-ŏx'ide, n.p. 1333(Chem.) An oxide containing a greater number of equivalents of oxygen than of the base with which it is combined, or more than enough to satisfy the affinities of the base. [Obs.]
  7. Sur-ŏx'id-ate, v. t.p. 1333(Chem.) To combine with oxygen so as to form a suroxide. [Obs.]
  8. Sur-pâss', v. t.p. 1333To go beyond in any thing good or bad; to exceed; to excel. This would surpass common revenge. Milton. Syn.—To exceed; excel; outdo; outstrip.
  9. Sur-pâss'a-ble, a.p. 1333Capable of being surpassed.
  10. Sur-pâss'ing, p. a.p. 1333Excellent in an eminent degree; exceeding others. “With surpassing glory crowned.” Milton.
  11. Sur-pâss'ing-ly, adv.p. 1333In a surpassing manner or degree.
  12. Sur-pâss'ing-ness, n.p. 1333The state of surpassing.
  13. Sûr'phul, v. t.p. 1333The same as SURFEL. [Obs.] “A muddy inside, though a surphuled face.” Marston.
  14. Sûr'plicę, n.p. 1333(Eccl.) A white garment worn over another dress by the clergy of the Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, and certain other churches in some of their ministrations.
  15. Sûr'pliced, a.p. 1333Wearing a surplice.
  16. Sûr'plicę-fees, n. pl.p. 1333(Eccl.) Fees paid to the English clergy for occasional duties.
  17. Sûr'plus, n.p. 1333That which remains when use is satisfied; excess beyond what is prescribed or wanted; overplus. 2. (Law.) The residuum of an estate after certain deductions are made.
  18. Sûr'plus-age, n.p. 1333Surplus; excess; as, surplusage of grain or goods beyond what is wanted. 2. (Law.) Matter in pleading not necessary or relevant to the case, and which may be rejected. 3. (Accounts.) A greater…
  19. Sur-pris'al, n.p. 1333The act of surprising, or coming upon suddenly and unexpectedly; or the state of being surprised. “How to secure the lady from surprisal.” Milton. Because death is uncertain, let us prevent its…
  20. Sur-prîze', v. t.p. 1333To come or fall upon suddenly and unexpectedly; to take unawares. The castle of Macduff I will surprise. Shak. Who can speak The mingled passions that surprised his heart? Thomson. 2. To hold…
  21. Sur-prîze', n.p. 1333The act of coming upon unawares, or of taking suddenly and without preparation; as, the fort was taken by surprise. 2. (Law.) The state of being surprised, or taken unexpectedly;—sometimes used, in a…
  22. Surprise partyp. 1333a party of persons who assemble by agreement, and without invitation, at the house of a common friend. [U. S.] Bartlett. Syn.—Wonder; astonishment; amazement.
  23. Sur-pris'er, n.p. 1333One who surprises.
  24. Sur-pris'ing, p. a.p. 1333Exciting surprise; extraordinary; of a nature to excite wonder and astonishment; as, surprising bravery; surprising patience; a surprising escape from danger. Syn.—Wonderful; extraordinary…
  25. Sur-pris'ing-ly, adv.p. 1333In a surprising manner or degree.
  26. Sur-pris'ing-ness, n.p. 1333The state of being surprising.
  27. Sûr'que-doûs or Sûr'que-drouïs, a.p. 1333Proud; arrogant. [Obs.] Remember the confuting champion more surquedrous than Anaxius. James II. of Scotland.
  28. Sûr'que-dry, n.p. 1333Overweening pride; arrogance; outrecu idance. [Obs.] Then pay you the price of your surquedry. Spenser.
  29. Sûr're-bût, v. i.p. 1333(Law.) To reply, as a plaintiff to a defendant’s rebutter.
  30. Sûr're-bût'ter, n.p. 1333(Law.) The plaintiff's reply in matters of fact to a defendant's rebutter.
  31. Sûr're-join', v. i.p. 1333(Law.) To reply, as a plaintiff, to a defendant's rejoinder.
  32. Sûr're-join'der, n.p. 1333(Law.) The answer of a plaintiff in matters of fact to a defendant's rejoinder.
  33. Sur-rê'nal, a.p. 1333(Anat.) Lying above the kidney. Dunglison.
  34. Sur-rên'der, v. t.p. 1333To yield to the power of another; to give or deliver up possession of upon compulsion or demand; as, to surrender one's person to an enemy, or to commissioners of bankruptcy; to surrender a fort or a…
  35. Sur-rĕn'der, v. i.p. 1333To give up one's self into the power of another; to yield; as, the enemy, seeing no way of escape, surrendered at the first summons.
  36. Sur-rĕn'der, n.p. 1333The act of surrendering; the act of yielding or resigning one's person, or the possession of something, into the power of another; as, the surrender of a castle to an enemy; the surrender of a right.…
  37. Sur-rĕn'der-ee', n.p. 1333(Law.) The person to whom a surrender is made.
  38. Sur-rên'der-or, n.p. 1333(Law.) One who makes a surrender. Bouvier.
  39. Sur-rĕn'der, n.p. 1333The same as SURRENDER. [Obs.]
  40. Sur-rĕp'tion, n.p. 1333The act or process of getting in a surreptitious manner, or by craft or stealth. Fame by surreption got May stead us for the time, but lasteth not. B. Jonson. 2. A coming unperceived; a stealing upon…
  41. Sŭr'rep-tĭ'tiŏŭs, a.p. 1333Done by stealth, or without proper authority; made or introduced fraudulently; as, a surreptitious passage in a manuscript.
  42. Sûr'rep-tĭ'tiōŭs-ly, adv.p. 1333In a surreptitious manner; by stealth; without authority; fraudulently.
  43. Sūr'ro-gāte, n.p. 1333A deputy; a delegate; a substitute. 2. The deputy of an ecclesiastical judge, most commonly of a bishop or his chancellor. [Eng.] 3. In some of the States of the Union, an officer who presides over…
  44. Sŭr'ro-gāte, v. t.p. 1333To put in the place of another. [Rare.] More.
  45. Sûr'ro-gâte-ship, n.p. 1333The office of a surrogate.
  46. Sūr'ro-gā'tion, n.p. 1333The act of substituting one person in the place of another. [Rare.] Killingbeck.
  47. Sur-round', v. t.p. 1333To inclose on all sides; to encompass; to environ; as, to surround a city. 2. To lie or be on all sides of; as, a wall or ditch surrounds the city. 3. To pass around; to travel about; to…
  48. Sur-round', n.p. 1333A method of hunting some animals, as the buffalo, by surrounding a herd of them, and driving them over a precipice, or into a ravine, or other place from which they can not escape. S. F. Baird.
  49. Sur-round'ing, n.p. 1333An encompassing. 2. (pl.) The things which surround; external or attending circumstances. [Recent.] Did the sensitive, shy genius feel that in the production dated from each scene there would be some…
  50. Sur-sŏl'id, n.p. 1333(Math.) The fifth power of a number; as, a⁵ is the sursolid of a, or 32 that of 2. Math. Dict.
  51. Sur-sōl'id, a.p. 1333Of, pertaining to, or involving, the fifth power. Sursolid problem (Math.), a problem which can not be resolved but by curves of a higher kind than the conic sections.
  52. Sur-tout', n.p. 1333A man's coat worn over his other garments; an overcoat, especially when long and fitting closely.
  53. Sâr'tur-bränd, n.p. 1333Fibrous brown coal or bituminous wood; — so called in Iceland. Ure.
  54. Sur-veil'lançe, n.p. 1333Watch; inspection.
  55. Sur-veil'lant, n.p. 1333One who watches over another; an overseer; a spy. In the following passage, the word is erroneously used to signify the person watched over, thus giving it a passive sense: “John Walker . . .…
  56. Sur-vēne', v. t.p. 1333To supervene upon; to come as an addition to. [Obs.] “A suppuration that survenes lethargies.” Harvey.
  57. Sûr've-nüe, n.p. 1333A sudden or unexpected coming or stepping in. [Obs.] N. Bacon.
  58. Sur-vey', v. t.p. 1333To inspect or take a view of; to view with attention, as from a high place; as, to stand on a hill, and survey the surrounding country. 2. To view with a scrutinizing eye; to examine. With such…
  59. Sûr'vey, n.p. 1333A general view, as from an elevated place. Under his proud survey the city lies. Denham. 2. A particular view; an examination, especially an official examination, of all the parts or particulars of a…
  60. Sur-vey'al or Sur-vey'ance, n.p. 1334Survey; a viewing. [Obs.]