Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Simon-pure Slope

by Thomas Davidson

fāte, fär; mē, hėr; mīne; mōte; mūte; mōōn; then.

Simon-pure, sī′mon-pūr, adj. authentic, genuine. [From Simon Pure, a character in Mrs Centlivre's comedy, A Bold Stroke for a Wife, who is counterfeited by an impostor.]

Simony, sim′on-i, n. the crime of buying or selling presentation to a benefice, so named from Simon Magus, who thought to purchase the gift of the Holy Spirit with money (Acts, viii.).—n. Simō′niac, one guilty of simony.—adjs. Simonī′acal, Simō′nious (obs.), pertaining to, guilty of, or involving simony.—adv. Simonī′acally.—n. Sī′monist, one who practises or defends simony.

Simoom, si-mōōm′, n. a hot suffocating wind which blows in northern Africa and Arabia and the adjacent countries from the interior deserts.—Also Simoon′. [Ar. samûm—samm, to poison.]

Simorhynchus, sim-ō-ring′kus, n. a genus of small North Pacific birds, the snub-nosed auklets. [Gr. simos, flat-nosed, hryngchos, snout.]

Simous, sī′mus, adj. flat or snub nosed: concave.—n. Simos′ity.

Simpai, sim′pī, n. the black-crested monkey of Sumatra.

Simper, sim′pėr, v.i. to smile in a silly, affected manner.—n. a silly or affected smile.—n. Sim′perer, one who simpers.—adj. Simp′ering.—adv. Sim′peringly, in a simpering manner: with a foolish smile. [Prob. Scand.; Norw. semper, smart.]

Simple, sim′pl, adj. single: undivided: resisting decomposition: elementary, undeveloped: plain, single, entire: homogeneous: open: unaffected: undesigning: true: clear: straightforward: artless: guileless: unsuspecting: credulous: not cunning: weak in intellect: silly: of mean birth—opposed to Gentle.—n. something not mixed or compounded: a medicinal herb: a simple feast—opposed to a double or semidouble.—v.i. to gather simples or medicinal plants.—adjs. Sim′ple-heart′ed, having a simple heart: guileless; Sim′ple-mind′ed, having a simple mind: unsuspecting: undesigning.—ns. Sim′ple-mind′edness, the state or quality of being simple-minded: artlessness; Sim′pleness, the state or quality of being simple: artlessness: simplicity: folly; Sim′pler, a gatherer of simples; Sim′pless (Spens.), simplicity; Sim′pleton, a weak or foolish person.—adv. Simplic′iter, simply, not relatively.—ns. Simplic′ity, the state or quality of being simple: singleness: want of complication: openness: clearness: freedom from excessive adornment: plainness: sincerity: artlessness: credulity, silliness, folly; Simplificā′tion, the act of making simple.—adj. Sim′plificātive.—n. Sim′plificātor, one who simplifies.—v.t. Sim′plify, to make simple: to render less difficult: to make plain:—pa.t. and pa.p. sim′plified.—ns. Sim′plism, affected simplicity; Sim′plist, one skilled in simples.—adj. Simplis′tic.—adv. Sim′ply, in a simple manner: artlessly: foolishly: weakly: plainly: considered by itself: alone: merely: solely. [Fr.,—L. simplex, the same—sim- (L. semel), root of plicāre, to fold.]

Simson, Simpson, sim′son, n. (prov.) groundsel. [Earlier sencion—O. Fr. senecion—L. senecio.]

Simulacrum, sim-ū-lā′krum, n. an image, unreal phantom: a formal sign:—pl. Simulā′cra. [L.]

Simulate, sim′ū-lāt, v.t. to imitate: to counterfeit: to pretend: to assume the appearance of without the reality.—adjs. Sim′ulant, simulating: replacing, or having the form or appearance of, esp. in biology; Sim′ular, counterfeit, feigned.—n. one who pretends to be what he is not.—ns. Simulā′tion, the act of simulating or putting on what is not true: imitation in form of one word by another: resemblance, similarity; Sim′ulātor, one who simulates.—adj. Sim′ulātory. [L. simulāre, -ātum, to make (something) similar to (another thing)—similis, like.]

Simultaneous, sim-ul-tā′nē-us, adj. acting, existing, or happening at the same time: (math.) satisfied by the same values of the variables or unknown quantities—of a set of equations.—ns. Simultanē′ity, Simultā′neousness.—adv. Simultā′neously. [Low L. simultaneus—L. simul, at the same time.]

Simurg, si-mōōrg′, n. a monstrous bird of Persian fable.—Also Simorg′, Simurgh′.

Sin, sin, adv. (Spens.) since. [Since.]

Sin, sin, n. wilful violation of law: neglect of duty: neglect of the laws of morality and religion, any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God: wickedness, iniquity.—v.i. to commit sin: to violate or neglect the laws of morality or religion: to do wrong:—pr.p sin′ning; pa.t. and pa.p. sinned.—adjs. Sin′-born, born of sin; Sin′-bred, produced by sin.—ns. Sin′-eat′er, one of a class of men formerly employed in Wales to eat a piece of bread and drink a cup of ale placed on a bier, and so symbolically take upon themselves the sins of the deceased—due to the notion of the Levitical scapegoat (Levit. xvi. 21, 22); Sin′-eat′ing.—adj. Sin′ful, full of, or tainted with, sin: iniquitous: wicked: depraved: criminal: unholy.—adv. Sin′fully.—n. Sin′fulness.—adj. Sin′less, without sin: innocent: pure: perfect.—adv. Sin′lessly.—ns. Sin′lessness; Sin′ner, one who sins: an offender or criminal: (theol.) an unregenerate person.—v.i. (Pope) to act as a sinner (with indefinite it).—n. Sin′-off′ering, an offering for, or sacrifice in expiation of, sin.—adjs. Sin′-sick, morally sick from sin; Sin′-worn, worn by sin.—Like sin (slang), very much, very hard; Mortal, or Deadly, sin, such as wilfully violates the divine law and separates the soul from God—seven deadly sins, pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth; Original sin, the innate depravity and corruption of the whole nature due to the sin of Adam as federal representative of the human race, and transmitted by ordinary generation to all his posterity; Venial sin, any transgression due to inadvertence, not alienating the friendship of God. [A.S. syn, sinn; Ice. syn-d, Ger. sünde, L. sons.]

Sinaitic, sī-na-it′ik, adj. pertaining to, made, or given at Mount Sinai.—Also Sinā′ic.

Sinapis, si-nā′pis, n. the officinal name of mustard.—n. Sin′apism, a mustard-plaster. [L.,—Gr. sinapi.]

Since, sins, adv. from the time that: past: ago.—prep. after: from the time of.—conj. seeing that: because: considering. [M. E. sins, sithens—A.S. síth-thám, lit. 'after that,' from síth, late (Ger. seit), and thám, dat. of thæt, that.]

Sincere, sin-sēr′, adj. clean: pure: (B.) unadulterated: being in reality what it is in appearance: unfeigned: frank: honest: true, virtuous.—adv. Sincēre′ly.—ns. Sincēre′ness, Sincer′ity, state or quality of being sincere: honesty of mind: freedom from pretence. [Fr.,—L. sincerus, clean, generally derived from sine, without, cera, wax; better from sin-, single, -cerus for an assumed scerus, bright.]

Sinciput, sin′si-put, n. the forepart of the head from the forehead to the vertex.—adj. Sincip′ital. [L., semi-; half, caput, the head.]

Sind, sīnd, v.t. (Scot.) to rinse.—Also Synd.

Sindon, sin′don, n. (Bacon) a wrapper. [L.,—Gr. sindōn, fine Indian cloth, muslin, a garment, prob. from India, or Sinde in India.]

Sine, sīn, n. a straight line drawn from one extremity of an arc perpendicular to the diameter that passes through the other extremity. [L. sinus, a curve.]

Sine, Syne, sīn, adv. (Scot.) after that: ago.—conj. since.

Sine, sī′ne, prep. without, as in Sine die, without day, of an adjournment; Sine quâ non, an indispensable condition, &c. [L.]

Sinecure, sī′nē-kūr (or sin′-), n. an ecclesiastical benefice without the cure or care of souls: an office with salary but without work.—adj. pertaining to such an office.—ns. Sī′necurism, the state of having a sinecure; Sī′necurist, one who holds a sinecure. [L. sine, without, cura, care.]

Sinew, sin′ū, n. that which joins a muscle to a bone, a tendon: muscle, nerve: that which supplies vigour.—v.t. to bind as by sinews: to strengthen.—adj. Sin′ewed, furnished with sinews: (Shak.) strong, vigorous.—n. Sin′ewiness, the state or quality of being sinewy.—adjs. Sin′ewless, having no sinews: without strength or power; Sin′ew-shrunk, applied to a horse which has become gaunt-bellied from being overdriven; Sin′ewy, Sin′ewous, furnished with sinews: consisting of, belonging to, or resembling sinews: strong: vigorous.—Sinews of war, money. [A.S. sinu; Ice. sin, Ger. sehne.]

Sinfonia, sin-fō-nē′a, n. symphony. [It.]

Sing, sing, v.i. to utter melodious sounds in musical succession: to make a small, shrill sound: to relate in verse: to squeal: to ring: to be capable of being sung.—v.t. to utter musically: to chant: to celebrate: to attend on: to effect by singing: to celebrate or relate in verse:—pa.t. sang or sung; pa.p. sung.—adj. Sing′able.—ns. Sing′ableness; Sing′er, one who sings: one whose occupation is to sing; Sing′ing, the act or art of singing; Sing′ing-bird, a bird that sings, a songster; Sing′ing-book, a song-book; Sing′ing-gall′ery, a gallery occupied by singers; Sing′ing-hinn′y, a currant cake baked on a girdle.—adv. Sing′ingly.—ns. Sing′ing-man (Shak.), one employed to sing, as in a cathedral; Sing′ing-mas′ter, a master who teaches singing; Sing′ing-school, a place where singing is taught; Sing′ing-voice, the voice as used in singing; Sing′ing-wom′an, a woman employed to sing.—Sing another song, or tune, to change one's tone or attitude, esp. to a humbler manner; Sing out, to call out distinctly, to shout; Sing small, to assume a humble tone: to play a minor part. [A.S. singan; Ger. singen, Goth. siggwan.]

Singe, sinj, v.t. to burn on the surface: to scorch:—pr.p. singe′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. singed.—n. a burning of the surface: a slight burn.—Singed cat, a person who is better than he looks. [A.S. besengan, the causative of singan, to sing, from the singing noise produced by scorching.]

Singhalese. Same as Cingalese.

Single, sing′gl, adj. consisting of one only: individual, unique: separate, private: alone: unmarried: not combined with others: unmixed: having one only on each side: straightforward: sincere: simple, normal: pure.—v.t. to separate: to choose one from others: to select from a number.—adjs. Sing′le-act′ing, acting effectively in one direction only—of any reciprocating machine or implement; Sing′le-breast′ed, with a single row of buttons or loops only, of a coat, corsage, &c.—n. Single-en′try, a system of book-keeping in which each entry appears only once on one side or other of an account.—adj. Sing′le-eyed, having but one eye: devoted, unselfish.—ns. Sing′le-flow′er, a flower containing a single set of petals, as a wild rose; Sing′le-foot, a gait of horses, the amble.—adjs. Sing′le-hand′ed, by one's self: unassisted: having only one workman; Sing′le-heart′ed, having a single or sincere heart: without duplicity.—adv. Sing′le-heart′edly.—adj. Sing′le-mind′ed, having a single or sincere mind: upright.—ns. Sing′le-mind′edness; Sing′leness, state of being single or alone: freedom from deceit: sincerity: simplicity.—adj. Sing′le-soled, having a single sole, as a shoe: poor.—ns. Sing′le-stick, a stick or cudgel for one hand: a fight or game with singlesticks; Sing′let, an undershirt or waistcoat; Sing′leton, in whist, a hand containing one card only of some suit; Sing′letree (the same as Swingletree); Sing′le-wom′an, an unmarried woman: (obs.) a whore.—adv. Sing′ly, one by one: particularly: alone: by one's self: honestly: sincerely. [O. Fr.,—L. sin-gulus, one to each, separate, akin to sem-el, once, Gr. ham-a.]

Singsong, sing′song, n. bad singing: drawling: a convivial meeting where every one must sing.—adj. monotonously rhythmical, drawling.—v.t. and v.i. to make songs: to chant monotonously.

Singspiel, sing′spēl, n. a semi-dramatic representation in which a series of incidents are set forth in alternate dialogue and song, now a kind of opera in which the music is subordinated to the words. [Ger., singen, to sing, spiel, play.]

Singular, sing′gū-lar, adj. alone: (gram.) denoting one person or thing: single: not complex or compound: standing alone, rare, unusual, uncommon: of more than common value or importance: unique, extraordinary, strange, odd: (B.) particular.—n. that which is singular: (logic) that which is not general, that which is here and now, that which is determinate in every respect.—n. Singularisā′tion.—v.t. Sing′ularise, to make singular.—ns. Sing′ularist, one who affects singularity; Singular′ity, the state of being singular: peculiarity: anything curious or remarkable: particular privilege or distinction: (math.) an exceptional element or character of a continuum.—adv. Sing′ularly, in a singular manner: peculiarly: strangely: so as to express one or the singular number. [Fr.,—L. singularis.]

Singult, sin′gult, n. a sigh.—adjs. Singul′tient, Singul′tous, affected with hiccup.—n. Singul′tus, a hiccup. [L. singultus, a sob.]

Sinhalese, sin′ha-lēz, n. and adj. the same as Cingalese and Singhalese.

Sinic, sin′ik, adj. Chinese.—adj. Sin′ian, a widely spread series of rocks in China, containing many trilobites and brachiopods.—ns. Sin′icism, Chinese manners and customs; Sin′ism, customs of China generally, esp. its ancient indigenous religion. [L. Sina, China, Sinæ, the Chinese, Gr. Sinai, the Chinese.]

Sinical, sin′ik-al, adj. pertaining to, employing, or founded upon sines.

Sinister, sin′is-tėr, adj. left: on the left hand: evil: unfair: dishonest: unlucky: inauspicious, malign.—adj. Sin′ister-hand′ed, left-handed.—advs. Sin′isterly; Sinis′tra (mus.), with the left hand; Sin′istrad, towards the left.—adj. Sin′istral, belonging or inclining to the left: reversed.—n. Sinistral′ity.—adv. Sin′istrally.—n. Sinistrā′tion, a turning to the left.—adj. Sin′istrous, on the left side: wrong: absurd: perverse.—adv. Sin′istrously. [L.]

Sinistrorse, sin′is-trors, adj. rising from left to right, as a spiral line.—Also Sinistrors′al. [L. sinistrorsus, sinistroversus, towards the left side—sinister, left, vertĕre, versum, to turn.]

Sink, singk, v.i. to fall to the bottom: to fall down: to descend lower: to fall gradually: to fall below the surface: to enter deeply: to be impressed: to be overwhelmed: to fail in strength.—v.t. to cause to sink: to put under water: to keep out of sight: to suppress: to degrade: to cause to decline or fall: to plunge into destruction: to make by digging or delving: to pay absolutely: to lower in value or amount: to lessen:—pa.t. sank, sunk; pa.p. sunk, sunk′en.—n. a drain to carry off dirty water: a box or vessel connected with a drain for receiving dirty water: an abode of degraded persons: a general receptacle: an area in which a river sinks and disappears: a depression in a stereotype plate: a stage trap-door for shifting scenery: in mining, an excavation less than a shaft.—ns. Sink′er, anything which causes a sinking, esp. a weight fixed to a fishing-line; Sink′-hole, a hole for dirty water to run through; Sink′ing, a subsidence: a depression.—adj. causing to sink.—n. Sink′ing-fund, a fund formed by setting aside income every year to accumulate at interest for the purpose of paying off debt.—adj. Sink′ing-ripe (Shak.), dead-ripe, about to fall off.—n. Sink′room, a scullery. [A.S. sincan; Ger. sinken, Dut. zinken.]

Sink-a-pace, singk′-a-pās, n. (Shak.)=Cinquepace.

Sinologue, sin′ō-log, n. one versed in Chinese.—adj. Sinolog′ical (-loj′-).—ns. Sinol′ogist; Sinol′ogy.

Sinople, sin′ō-pl, n. a ferruginous clay yielding the fine red pigment Sinō′pia or Sinō′pis. [Gr. sinōpis, a red earth brought from Sinope.]

Sinsyne, sin-sīn′, adv. (Scot.) since, ago.

Sinter, sin′tėr, n. a name given to rocks precipitated in a crystalline form from mineral waters. [Ger.]

Sinto, Sintoism=Shinto, Shintoism.

Sintoc, sin′tok, n. a Malayan tree with aromatic bark.—Also Sin′doc.

Sinuate, -d, sin′ū-āt, -ed, adj. curved: (bot.) with a waved margin.—v.t. to bend in and out.—ns. Sinuā′tion; Sinuos′ity, quality of being sinuous: a bend or series of bends and turns.—adjs. Sin′uous, Sin′uōse, bending in and out, winding, undulating: morally crooked.—adv. Sin′uously. [L. sinuatus, pa.p. of sinuāre, to bend.]

Sinupalliate, sin-ū-pal′i-āt, adj. having a sinuous pallial margin on the shell along the line of attachment of the mantle.—Also Sinupall′ial. [L. sinus, a fold, pallium, a mantle.]

Sinus, sī′nus, n. a bending: a fold: an opening: a bay of the sea: a recess on the shore: (anat.) a cavity or hollow of bone or other tissue, one of the air-cavities contained in the interior of certain bones: a channel for transmitting venous blood: a narrow opening leading to an abscess, &c.—n. Sī′nusoid, the curve of sines in which the abscisses are proportional to an angle, and the ordinates to its sine.—adj. Sinusoi′dal.—adv. Sinusoi′dally. [L. sinus, a curve.]

Sioux, sōō, n. (pl. Sioux, sōō or sōōz) the principal tribe of the Dakota family of American Indians in South Dakota and Nebraska—also adj.—Also Siouan (sōō′an).

Sip, sip, v.t. to sup or drink in small quantities: to draw into the mouth: to taste: to drink out of.—v.i. to drink in small quantities: to drink by the lips:—pr.p. sip′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. sipped.—n. the taking of a liquor with the lips: a small draught.—n. Sip′per. [A.S. syppan (assumed), sipian, to soak. Related to súpan, to sup, taste.]

Sipe, sīp, v.i. (prov.) to soak through.—Also Seep. [A.S. sipian, to soak; Dut. zijpen, to drop.]

Siphilis. Same as Syphilis (q.v.).

Siphon, sī′fun, n. a bent tube for drawing off liquids from one vessel into another.—v.t. to convey by means of a siphon.—n. Sī′phonage.—adjs. Sī′phonal, Sī′phonate, Sīphon′ic, pertaining to, or resembling, a siphon.—n. Sī′phon-bott′le, a glass bottle for containing aerated liquid, fitted with a glass tube reaching nearly to the bottom and bent like a siphon at the outlet.—adjs. Siphonif′erous; Sī′phoniform; Siphonostō′matous, having a siphonate mouth.—ns. Sī′phonostome, a siphonostomatous animal, as a fish-louse; Sī′phuncle, the siphon or funnel of tetrabranchiate cephalopods: a nectary.—adjs. Sī′phuncled, Siphunc′ular, Siphunc′ulate, -d.—ns. Siphunc′ulus; Sipunc′ulus, a genus of worms belonging to the class Gephyrea. [Fr.,—Gr., siphōn—siphlos, hollow.]

Sippet, sip′et, n. a small sop: (pl.) morsels of bread served in broth, &c.—v.i. Sipp′le, to sup in sips.

Sipylite, sip′i-līt, n. a niobite of erbium. [From Gr. Sipylos, one of the children of Niobe.]

Sir, sėr, n. a word of respect used in addressing a man: a gentleman: the title of a knight or baronet, used along with the Christian name and surname, as 'Sir David Pole:' formerly a common title of address for the clergy as a translation of L. dominus, the term used for a bachelor of arts, originally in contradistinction from the magister, or master of arts—hence Sir John=a priest.—v.t. to address as 'sir.' [O. Fr. sire, through O. Fr. senre, from L. senior, an elder, comp. of senex, old. Cf. the parallel forms Sire, Senior, Seignior, Signor.]

Sircar, sėr-kär′, n. a Hindu clerk.—Also Sirkar′, Circar′. [Hind. sarkār, a superintendent—sar, head, kār, Sans. kara, work.]

Sirdar, sėr-där′, n. a chief or military officer. [Hind. sardār—sar, head, -dār, holding.]

Sire, sīr, n. one in the place of a father, as a sovereign: an elder, a progenitor: the male parent of a beast, esp. of a horse: (pl.) ancestors (poetry).—v.t. to beget, used of animals. [Sir.]

Siredon, sī-rē′don, n. a larval salamander:—pl. Sirē′dones.

Siren, sī′ren, n. (Gr. myth.) one of certain sea-nymphs who sat on the shores of an island between Circe's isle and Scylla, near the south-western coast of Italy, and sang with bewitching sweetness songs that allured the passing sailor to draw near, only to meet with death: a fascinating woman, any one insidious and deceptive: an instrument which produces musical sounds by introducing a regularly recurring discontinuity into an otherwise steady blast of air: an instrument for demonstrating the laws of beats and combination tones: an eel-like, amphibious animal, with only one pair of feet, inhabiting swamps in the southern states of North America.—adj. pertaining to, or like, a siren: fascinating.—n. Sirē′nia, an order of aquatic mammals now represented by the dugong (Halicore) and the manatee (Manatus).—adj. Sirē′nian.—v.i. Sī′renise, to play the siren. [L. siren—Gr. seirēn, prob. seira, a cord.]

Sirgang, sėr′gang, n. the Asiatic green jackdaw.

Sirih, sir′i, n. the betel-leaf. [Malay.]

Sirius, sir′i-us, n. the Dogstar or Canicula, the brightest star in the heavens, situated in the constellation of Canis Major, or the Great Dog.—n. Sirī′asis, sunstroke. [L.,—Gr. seirios.]

Sirloin, sėr′loin, n. the loin or upper part of the loin of beef. [Fr. surlonge—sur (—L. super, above) and longe (cf. Loin). The first syllable has been modified by confusion with Eng. sir, and an absurd etymology constructed to suit.]

Sirname, sėr′nām, n. a corr. of surname.

Sirocco, si-rok′o, n. a name given in Italy to a dust-laden dry wind coming over sea from Africa; but also applied to any south wind, often moist and warm, as opposed to the Tramontana or north wind, from the hills.—Also Sir′oc. [It. sirocco (Sp. siroco)—scharq, the east.]

Sirop, sir′op, n. a form of syrup: a kettle used in making sugar by the open-kettle process.

Sirrah, sėr′a, n. sir, used in anger or contempt. [An extension of sir.]

Sir-reverence, sėr-rev′e-rens, n. a corr. of save-reverence.

Sirup. See Syrup.

Sirvente, sir-vont′, n. a satirical song of the 12th-13th century trouvères and troubadours. [Fr.]

Sis, sis, n. a girl, a sweetheart.—Also Sis′sy. [From Cicely.]

Sisal-grass, sis′al-gras, n. the prepared fibre of the agave or American aloe, supplying cordage.—Also Sis′al-hemp.

Siscowet, sis′kō-et, n. a Lake Superior variety of the great lake trout.—Also Sis′kiwit, Sis′kowet.

Siserary, sis′e-rā-ri, n. a stroke, blow, originally a legal writ transferring a cause to a higher court.—With a siserary, with suddenness or vehemence. [A corr. of certiorari.]

Siskin, sis′kin, n. a genus of perching birds belonging to the family Fringillidæ, the true finches. [Dan. sisgen, Sw. siska, Ger. zeisig.]

Sist, sist, v.t. (Scots law) to present at the bar: cause to appear, summon: to delay, stop.—n. the act of staying diligence or execution on decrees for civil debts. [L. sistĕre, to make to stand.]

Sister, sis′tėr, n. a female born of the same parents: a female closely allied to or associated with another.—adj. closely related, akin.—v.t. and v.i. to resemble closely: to be a sister to: to be allied.—ns. Sis′terhood, state of being a sister, the duty of a sister: a society of females, a community of women living together under a religious rule, and with a common object for their united life; Sis′ter-hook, in a ship's rigging, one of a pair of hooks fitting closely together and working on the same axis—also Clip-hook and Clove-hook; Sis′ter-in-law, a husband's or wife's sister, or a brother's wife.—adjs. Sis′terless, having no sister; Sis′ter-like, Sis′terly, like or becoming a sister: kind: affectionate. [A.S. sweostor; Dut. zuster, Ger. schwester.]

Sistine, sis′tin, adj. pertaining to a pope of the name of Sixtus, esp. Sixtus IV. (1471-84) and Sixtus V. (1585-90)—also Six′tine.—Sistine Chapel, the Pope's chapel in the Vatican, built in 1473 by Sixtus IV., covered with magnificent frescoes by Michael Angelo and the great Florentine masters; Sistine Madonna, or Madonna of San Sisto, a famous painting by Raphael Santi, now at Dresden, representing the Virgin and Child in glory, St Sixtus on the left, St Barbara on the right, and two cherubs below.

Sistrum, sis′trum, n. a form of rattle used in ancient Egypt in connection with the worship of Isis.

Sisyphean, sis-i-fē′an, adj. relating to Sisyphus: incessantly recurring. [From Sisyphus, a king of Corinth, who was condemned in Tartarus to roll to the top of a hill a huge stone, which constantly rolled down again, making his task incessant.]

Sit, sit, v.i. to rest on the haunches: to perch, as birds: to rest: to remain, abide: to brood: to occupy a seat, esp. officially: to be officially engaged: to blow from a certain direction, as the wind: to be worn, to fit, to be becoming: to take an attitude of readiness, or for any special purpose: to hold a deliberative session.—v.t. to keep a seat, or good seat, upon: to seat, place on a seat:—pr.p. sit′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. sat.—n. a subsidence of the roof of a coal-mine: (slang) a situation.—adj. Sit′-fast, fixed, stationary.—n. a callosity of the skin under the saddle, often leading to ulcer.—ns. Sit′ter; Sit′ting, state of resting on a seat: a seat, a special seat allotted to a seat-holder, at church, &c.; also the right to hold such: the part of the year in which judicial business is transacted: the act or time of resting in a posture for a painter to take a likeness: an official meeting to transact business: uninterrupted application to anything for a time: the time during which one continues at anything: a resting on eggs for hatching, the number hatched at one time; Sit′ting-room, the parlour or most commonly used room in many houses.—Sit down, to take a seat: to pause, rest: to begin a siege; Sit loose, or loosely, to be careless or indifferent; Sit on, or upon, to hold an official inquiry regarding: (slang) to repress, check; Sit out, to sit, or to sit apart, during: to await the close of; Sit under, to be in the habit of hearing the preaching of; Sit up, to raise the body from a recumbent to a sitting position: to keep watch during the night (with). [A.S. sittan; Ger. sitzen, L. sedēre.]

Sitar, sit′ar, n. an Oriental form of guitar.

Site, sīt, n. the place where anything is set down or fixed: situation: a place chosen for any particular purpose: posture.—adj. Sī′ted (Spens.), placed, situated. [Fr.,—L. situs—situm, pa.p. of sinĕre, to set down.]

Sith, sith, adv., prep., and conj. since—(obs.) Sith′ence, Sith′ens. [M. E. sithen—A.S. síth thám, after that, also written siththan. Cf. Since.]

Sithe, sīth, n. (Spens.) time. [A.S. síth, time.]

Sithe, sīth, n. (Shak.) a scythe.—v.t. (Shak.) to cut with a scythe.

Sithe, sīth, n. (Spens.) a sigh.

Sitology, sī-tol′ō-ji, n. the science of the regulation of diet.—Also Sitiol′ogy. [Gr. sitos, food, logia—legein, to say.]

Sitophobia, sī-tō-fō′bi-a, n. morbid aversion to food. [Gr. sitos, food, phobia, fear.]

Sitta, sit′a, n. the genus of nut-hatches.—adj. Sit′tine. [Gr. sittē, a woodpecker.]

Situate, -d, sit′ū-āt, -ed, adj. set or permanently fixed: placed with respect to other objects: residing.—ns. Situā′tion, the place where anything is situated: position: temporary state: condition: any group of circumstances, a juncture: a critical point in the action of a play or the development the plot of a novel: office, employment; Sī′tus, site: the proper place of an organ, &c.: locality in law. [Low L. situatus—L. situĕre, to place.]

Sitz-bath, sitz′-bäth, n. a hip-bath: a tub adapted for such. [Ger. sitz-bad.]

Sium, sī′um, n. a genus of umbelliferous plants—the water-parsnips. [Gr. sion.]

Siva, sē′va, n. the third god of the Hindu Trimúrti or triad, representing the principle of destruction and of reproduction.—adj. Sivaist′ic.—n. Si′vaite. [Sans. çiva, happy.]

Sivan, siv′an, n. the third month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, answering to part of May and June. [Heb.]

Sivatherium, siv-a-thē′ri-um, n. a very large fossil ruminant found in India.

Six, siks, adj. and n. five and one: a figure denoting six units (6, or vi.): a playing-card with six spots, the face of a die bearing six spots, or that die itself: beer sold at six shillings a barrel, small beer: (pl.) in hymnology, a quatrain in trochaic measure, the lines of three feet or six syllables.—adj. Six′fold, folded or multiplied six times.—ns. Six′footer, a person six feet high; Six′pence, a silver coin=six pence.—adj. Six′penny, worth sixpence: cheap, worthless.—ns. Six′-shoot′er, a six-chambered revolver; Sixte, a parry in which the hand is on guard opposite the right breast, the point of the sword raised and moved a little to the right.—adjs. and ns. Six′teen, six and ten; Six′teenth, the sixth after the tenth.—adj. Sixth, the last of six: the ordinal of six.—n. the sixth part: (mus.) an interval of four tones and a semitone, or six intervals.—adv. Sixth′ly, in the sixth place.—Sixth hour, noon-tide.—Be at sixes and sevens, to be in disorder; Long sixes, candles weighing six to the pound, about 8 inches long; Short sixes, candles weighing six to the pound, about 4 inches long. [A.S. siex; Ger. sechs, Gael. se; also L. sex, Gr. hex, Sans. shash.]

Sixteenmo=Sexto-decimo (q.v.).

Sixty, siks′ti, adj. and n. six times ten.—adj. and n. Six′tieth, the sixth tenth: the ordinal of sixty. [A.S. sixtig.]

Sizar, sī′zar, n. the name of an order of students at Cambridge and Dublin—from the allowance of victuals made to them from the college buttery.—n. Sī′zarship. [Size, fixed quantity.]

Size, sīz, n. extent of volume or surface: magnitude: an allotted portion: (pl.) allowances (Shak.).—v.t. to arrange according to size: at Cambridge, to buy rations at a certain fixed rate: to measure.—v.i. to increase in size.—adjs. Sī′zable, Size′able, of suitable size: of considerable size or bulk; Sized, having a particular size.—ns. Sī′zer, one who, or that which, sizes or measures, a kind of gauge; Sī′zing, act of sorting articles according to size, esp. crushed or stamped ores in mining: an order for extra food from a college buttery.—Size up, to measure, consider carefully. [Contr. of assize (q.v.).]

Size, sīz, Sizing, sī′zing, n. a kind of weak glue, used as varnish: any gluey substance.—v.t. to cover with size.—adj. Sized, having size in its composition.—n. Sī′ziness.—adj. Sī′zy, size-like: glutinous.

Sizel=Scissel (q.v.).

Sizzle, siz′l, v.i. to make a sound as if frying.—n. a hissing sound; extreme heat.—n. Sizz′ling, a hissing.

Skain=Skein (q.v.).

Skainsmate, skānz′māt, n. (Shak.) a companion, a scapegrace.

Skald, n.=Scald, a poet.

Skat, skat, n. a game played with thirty-two cards as in Piquet, and said to have been invented in 1817 in Altenburg. Each of three players receives ten cards, the two others being laid aside (hence the name from O. Fr. escart, laying aside).

Skate, skāt, n. a kind of sandal or frame of wood on a steel blade for moving on ice.—v.i. to slide on, skates.—ns. Skā′ter; Skā′ting; Skā′ting-rink. [Dut. schaats; cf. also Dan. sköite.]

Skate, skāt, n. the popular name of several species of Ray, esp. those of the family Raiidæ and genus Raia, with greatly extended pectoral fins. [Ice. skata—Low L. squatus—L. squatina; cf. Shad.]

Skathe. Same as Scathe.

Skaw, skä, n. a promontory.—Also Scaw. [Ice. skagi—skaga, to jut out.]

Skean, skēn, n. a dagger.—n. Skean-dhu (skēn′-dōō), the knife stuck in the stocking of the Highland dress. [Gael, sgian, a knife.]

Skeary, skē′ri, a dial. form of scary.

Skedaddle, skē-dad′l, v.t. (prov.) to spill, scatter.—v.i. (coll.) to scamper off.—n. a scurrying off. [Ety. unknown. Prob. conn. somehow with shed—A.S. sceádan, to pour.]

Skee, skē, n. a wooden runner for sliding down a declivity.—v.i. to slide on skees. [Dan. ski—Ice. skídh.]

Skeel, skēl, n. (Scot.) a milking-pail, a washing-tub. [Scand., Ice. skjóla.]

Skeely, skē′li, adj. (Scot.) skilful.

Skeesicks, skē′ziks, n. (U.S.) a rascal.

Skeeter, skē′tėr, n. a mosquito.

Skeg, skeg, n. a stump, branch: the after-part of a ship's keel.

Skeg, skeg, n. a wild-plum.

Skein, skān, n. a knot or number of knots of thread or yarn. [O. Fr. escagne, from Celt.; cf. Ir. sgainne, a skein.]

Skelder, skel′dėr, v.i. and v.t. to practise begging: to swindle.

Skeleton, skel′e-tun, n. the bones of an animal separated from the flesh and preserved in their natural position: the framework or outline of anything: a very lean and emaciated person: a very thin form of light-faced type.—adj. pertaining to a skeleton—also Skel′etal.—ns. Skeletog′eny (-toj′-); Skeletog′raphy; Skeletol′ogy.—v.t. Skel′etonise, to reduce to a skeleton.—n. Skel′eton-key, a key for picking locks, without the inner bits.—Skeleton in the cupboard, closet, house, &c., some hidden domestic source of sorrow or shame. [Gr. skeleton (sōma), a dried (body)—skeletos, dried—skellein, to dry, to parch.]

Skelloch, skel′oh, v.i. (Scot.) to cry out with a shrill voice.—n. a squeal.

Skellum, skel′um, n. (Scot.) a ne'er-do-well. [Dut. schelm, a rogue.]

Skelly, skel′i, v.i. (Scot.) to squint. [Cf. Dan. skele, Sw. skela, Ger. schielen, to squint.]

Skelp, skelp, v.t. (Scot.) to slap.—v.i. to move briskly along, to bound along.—n. a slap: a heavy fall of pelting rain: a large portion.—adj. Skelp′ing, very big or full. [Gael. sgealp, a slap.]

Skelter, skel′tėr, v.i. to hurry or dash along.

Skep, skep, n. a grain-basket, or beehive made of straw or wicker-work.—n. Skep′ful, as much as a skep will hold. [A.S. scep—Scand., Ice. skeppa.]

Skeptic=Sceptic; Skepsis=Scepsis.

Skerry, sker′i, n. a rocky isle. [Ice. sker.]

Sketch, skech, n. a first draft of any plan or painting: an outline, a short and slightly constructed play, essay, &c.: a short dramatic scene for representation by two persons: an artist's preliminary study of a work to be elaborated.—v.t. to make a rough draft of: to draw the outline: to give the principal points of.—v.i. to practise sketching.—adj. Sketch′able, capable of being sketched effectively.—ns. Sketch′book, a blank book used for sketching by an artist or writer: a printed volume of literary sketches; Sketch′er, one who sketches.—adv. Sketch′ily.—n. Sketch′iness.—adj. Sketch′y, containing a sketch or outline: incomplete, slight. [Dut. schets, It. schizzo—L. schedium—schedius, made off-hand—Gr. schedios, sudden.]

Skew, skū, adj. oblique: intersecting a road, river, &c. not at right angles, as a bridge.—adv. awry: obliquely.—v.t. to turn aside.—n. a deviation, a mistake: a squint: (archit.) the sloping top of a buttress slanting off against a wall.—ns. Skew′-arch, an arch standing obliquely on its abutments; Skew′-back (archit.), the course of masonry on the top of an abutment with a slope for the base of the arch to rest against.—adj. Skew′-bald, spotted irregularly, piebald.—n. Skew′-bridge, a bridge having its arch or arches set obliquely on its abutments, as when a railway crosses a road, &c., at an oblique angle.—adjs. Skewed, distorted; Skew-gee′ (coll.), crooked.—n. Skew′-wheel, a bevel-wheel with teeth formed obliquely on the rim. [Old Dut. schūwen (Dut. schuwen); Ger. scheuen, to shun; cf. Shy.]

Skewer, skū′ėr, n. a pin of wood or iron for keeping meat in form while roasting.—v.t. to fasten with skewers. [Prov. Eng. skiver, prob. the same as shiver, a splinter of wood.]

Skiascopy, skī′a-skō-pi, n. the shadow-test for measuring the refraction of an eye.—Also Scī′ascopy. [Gr. skia, a shadow, skopein, to view.]

Skid, skid, n. a piece of timber hung against a ship's side to protect it from injury: a sliding wedge or drag to check the wheel of a wagon on a steep place: a slab put below a gun to keep it off the ground.—v.t. to check with a skid.—v.i. to slide along without revolving.—n. Skid′der, one who uses a skid. [Scand., Ice. skídh; A.S. scíd, a piece split off.]

Skiey, skī′i, adj. Same as Skyey.

Skiff, skif, n. a small light boat. [A doublet of ship.]

Skiff, skif, adj. (prov.) distorted: awkward.

Skill, skil, n. knowledge of anything: dexterity in practice.—v.i. to understand, to be dexterous in: to make a difference, to signify.—adj. Skil′ful, having or displaying skill: dexterous.—adv. Skil′fully.—n. Skil′fulness.—adjs. Skilled, having skill: skilful: expert; Skil′less (Shak.), wanting skill, artless. [Scand., as Ice. skil, a distinction, skilja, to separate.]

Skillet, skil′et, n. a small metal vessel with a long handle, used for boiling water, in cooking, &c. [Prob. from O. Fr. escuellette, dim of escuelle (Fr. écuelle)—L. scutella, dim. of scutra, a dish.]

Skilligalee, skil-i-ga-lē′, n. thin watery soup.—Also Skilligolee′, Skill′y. [Ety. dub.]

Skilling, skil′ing, n. a small coin formerly current in North Germany and Scandinavia, in value from ¼d. to 1d. [Dan.]

Skilts, skilts, n.pl. short loose trousers.

Skilvings, skil′vingz, n.pl. (prov.) the rails of a cart.

Skim, skim, v.t. to clear off scum: to take off by skimming: to brush the surface of lightly.—v.i. to pass over lightly: to glide along near the surface: to become coated over:—pr.p. skim′ming; pa.t. and pa.p. skimmed.—n. the act of skimming: what is skimmed off.—ns. Skim′mer, a utensil for skimming milk: a bird that skims the water; Skim′-milk, skimmed milk: milk from which the cream has been skimmed; Skim′ming, the act of taking off that which floats on the surface of a liquid, as cream: that which is taken off, scum.—adv. Skim′mingly, by skimming along the surface. [Scum.]

Skimble-skamble, skim′bl-skam′bl, adj. wandering, wild, rambling, incoherent.—adv. in a confused manner. [A reduplication of scamble.]

Skimmington, skim′ing-ton, n. a burlesque procession intended to ridicule a henpecked husband: a riot generally.—Also Skim′ington, Skim′merton, Skim′itry. [Ety. unknown.]

Skimp, skimp, v.t. to give scanty measure, to stint: to do a thing imperfectly.—v.i. to be parsimonious.—adj. scanty, spare.—adj. Skim′ping, sparing: meagre: done inefficiently.—adv. Skim′pingly.—adj. Skim′py. [A variant of scamp.]

Skin, skin, n. the natural outer covering of an animal body: a hide: the bark or rind of plants, &c.: the inside covering of the ribs of a ship: a drink of whisky hot.—v.t. to cover with skin: to cover the surface of: to strip the skin from, to peel: to plunder, cheat: to answer an examination paper, &c., by unfair means.—v.i. to become covered with skin: to sneak off:—pr.p. skin′ning; pa.t. and pa.p. skinned.—adj. Skin′-deep, as deep as the skin only: superficial.—ns. Skin′flint, one who takes the smallest gains: a very niggardly person; Skin′ful, as much as one can hold, esp. of liquor.—adj. Skin′less, having no skin, or a very thin one.—ns. Skin′ner; Skin′niness.—adjs. Skin′ny, consisting of skin or of skin only: wanting flesh; Skin′-tight, fitting close to the skin.—n. Skin′-wool, wool pulled from the skin of a dead sheep.—By, or With, the skin of one's teeth, very narrowly; Clean skins, unbranded cattle; Save one's skin, to escape without injury. [A.S. scinn; Ice. skinn, skin, Ger. schinden, to flay.]

Skink, skingk, n. drink.—v.i. and v.t. to serve drink.—n. Skink′er, one who serves drink, a tapster.—adj. Skink′ing (Scot.), thin, watery. [A.S. scencan, to pour out drink; Ger. schenken.]

Skink, skingk, n. an African lizard. [L. scincus—Gr. skingkos, the adda.]

Skink, skingk, n. (Scot.) a shin-bone of beef, soup made from such. [Cf. Dut. schonk, a bone; cf. Shank.]

Skio, skyō, n. in Orkney, a fisherman's hut.—Also Skeo. [Norw. skjaa, a shed.]

Skip, skip, v.i. to leap: to bound lightly and joyfully: to pass over.—v.t. to leap over: to omit:—pr.p. skip′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. skipped.—n. a light leap: a bound: the omission of a part: the captain of a side at bowls and curling: a college servant.—ns. Skip′jack, an impudent fellow: the blue-fish, saurel, &c.; Skip′-ken′nel, one who has to jump the gutters, a lackey; Skip′per, one who skips: a dancer: (Shak.) a young thoughtless person: a hesperian butterfly.—adj. Skip′ping, flighty, giddy.—adv. Skip′pingly, in a skipping manner: by skips or leaps.—n. Skip′ping-rope, a rope used in skipping. [Either Celt., according to Skeat, from Ir. sgiob, to snatch, Gael. sgiab, to move suddenly, W. ysgipio, to snatch away; or Teut., conn. with Ice. skopa, to run.]

Skip, skip, n. an iron box for raising ore running between guides, or in inclined shafts fitted with wheels to run on a track, a mine-truck.

Skipetar, skip′e-tär, n. an Albanian: the Albanian language. [Albanian skipetar, a mountaineer.]

Skipper, skip′ėr, n. the master of a merchant-ship.—Skipper's daughters, white-topped waves. [Dut. schipper; Dan. skipper.]

Skipper, skip′ėr, n. a barn, a shed in which to shelter for the night.—v.i. to shelter in such a place.—n. Skipp′er-bird, a tramp. [Prob. W. ysguber, a barn.]

Skippet, skip′et, n. (Spens.) a small boat. [Dim. of A.S. scip, ship.]

Skippet, skip′et, n. a round flat box for holding a seal, which used to be attached to the parchment by ribbons passing through the lid.

Skirl, skirl, v.t. and v.i. (Scot.) to shriek shrilly.—n. a shrill cry.—n. Skir′ling, a shrill sound.

Skirmish, skėr′mish, n. an irregular fight between two small parties: a contest.—v.i. to fight slightly or irregularly.—ns. Skir′misher, a soldier belonging to troops dispersed to cover front or flank, and prevent surprises; Skir′mishing. [O. Fr. escarmouche—Old High Ger. skerman, scirman, to fight.]

Skirr, skėr, v.t. (Shak.) to ramble over, to scour.—v.i. to run in haste. [Scurry.]

Skirret, skir′et, n. an edible water-parsnip: a perennial plant, native to China and Japan. [Sugar-root.]

Skirt, skėrt, n. the part of a garment below the waist: a woman's garment like a petticoat: the edge of any part of the dress: border: margin: extreme part.—v.t. to border: to form the edge of.—v.i. to be on the border: to live near the extremity.—ns. Skirt′-danc′ing, a form of ballet-dancing in which the flowing skirts are waved about in the hands; Skir′ter, a huntsman who dodges his jumps by going round about; Skir′ting, strong material made up in lengths for women's skirts: skirting-board; Skir′ting-board, the narrow board next the floor round the walls of a room.—Divided skirt, a skirt in the form of loose trousers. [Scand., Ice. skyrta, a shirt. A doublet of shirt.]

Skit, skit, n. any sarcastic squib, lampoon, or pamphlet. [Ice. skúti, a taunt.]

Skite, skīt, v.i. (Scot.) to glide or slip—also Skyte.—n. a sudden blow: a trick.—vs.i. Skit, to leap aside: to caper; Skit′ter, to skim lightly over: to void thin excrement: to draw a baited hook along the surface of water. [Scand., Sw. skutta, to leap, skjuta, to shoot.]

Skittish, skit′ish, adj. unsteady, light-headed, easily frightened: hasty, volatile, changeable: wanton.—adv. Skitt′ishly.—n. Skitt′ishness. [Skite.]

Skittles, skit′lz, n.pl. a game of ninepins in which a flattened ball or thick rounded disc is thrown to knock down the pins—played in a Skitt′le-all′ey, or -ground. In American Bowls, the game is played with ten pins arranged in the form of a triangle, the missile being rolled along a carefully constructed wooden floor.—v.t. Skitt′le, to knock down.—n Skitt′le-ball, the ball thrown in playing at skittles. [A variant of shittle or shuttle.]

Skiver, skī′vėr, n. a kind of leather made of split sheep-skins, used for bookbinding, &c.—n. a machine for skiving leather.—v.t. Skive, to cut, pare off.—n. Skī′ving, the act of skiving: a piece skived off—of leather, usually on the flesh side. [From root of shive, shiver.]

Skiver, skī′vėr, v.t. (prov.) to run through, to skewer.

Skivie, skiv′i, adj. (Scot.) deranged: askew.

Sklent, a Scotch form of slant.

Skoal, skōl, interj. hail! a friendly exclamation of salutation before drinking, &c. [Ice. skál; Norw. skaal, a bowl, Sw. skål.]

Skolion, skō′li-on, n. a short drinking-song in ancient Greece, taken up by the guests in turn:—pl. Skō′lia. [Gr.]

Skrimmage. Same as Scrimmage.

Skryer, skrī′ėr, n. one who uses the divining-glass.

Skua, skū′a, n. a bird of the family Laridæ, esp. the Great Skua (Stercorarius catarrhactes), a rapacious bird about two feet long, the plumage predominantly brown, breeding in the Shetlands.—n. Skū′a-gull. [Norw.]

Skue, skū, an obsolete form of skew.

Skug, Scug, skug, n. (prov.) shelter.—v.t. to shelter: to expiate.—n. Skug′gery, Scug′gery, secrecy.—adjs. Skug′gy, Scug′gy, shady. [Ice. skuggi, a shade.]

Skug, skug, n. (prov.) a squirrel.

Skulduddery. See Sculduddery.

Skulk, skulk, v.i. to sneak out of the way: to lurk.—ns. Skulk, Skulk′er, one who skulks.—adv. Skulk′ingly.—n. Skulk′ing-place. [Scand., as in Dan. skulke, to sneak; conn. with Ice. skjöl, cover, hiding-place; also with Eng. scowl.]

Skull, skul, n. the bony case that encloses the brain: the head, the sconce, noddle: a crust formed on the ladle, &c., by the partial cooling of molten metal: in armour, the crown of the head-piece: (Scot.) a shallow, bow-handled basket.—n. Skull′cap, a cap which fits closely to the head: the sinciput.—adj. Skull′-less.—Skull and cross-bones, a symbolic emblem of death and decay. [Ice. skál, a shell; conn. with shell and scale, a thin plate.]

Skulpin=Sculpin.

Skunk, skungk, n. a small North American carnivorous quadruped allied to the otter and weasel, defending itself by emitting an offensive fluid: a low fellow: (U.S.) a complete defeat.—v.t. to inflict such.—ns. Skunk′-bird, -black′bird, the male bobolink in full plumage. [Indian seganku.]

Skupshtina, skoopsh′ti-na, n. the national assembly of Servia, having one chamber and 178 deputies, three-fourths elected and one-fourth nominated by the crown.—Great Skupshtina, specially elected for discussing graver questions.

Skurry=Scurry.

Sky, skī, n. the apparent canopy over our heads: the heavens: the weather: the upper rows of pictures in a gallery.—v.t. to raise aloft, esp. to hang pictures above the line of sight.—adjs. Sky′-blue, blue like the sky; Sky′-born, of heavenly birth.—n. Sky′-col′our, the colour of the sky.—adjs. Sky′-col′oured, blue, azure; Skyed, surrounded by sky; Sky′ey, like the sky: ethereal; Sky′-high, very high; Sky′ish (Shak.), like or approaching the sky, lofty.—n. Sky′lark, a species of lark that mounts high towards the sky and sings on the wing.—v.i. to engage in any kind of boisterous frolic.—ns. Sky′larking, running about the rigging of a ship in sport: frolicking; Sky′-light, a window in a roof or ceiling towards the sky for the admission of light; Sky′line, the horizon; Sky′-par′lour, a lofty attic; Sky′-pī′lot, a clergyman.—adj. Sky′-plant′ed, placed in the sky.—n. Sky′-rock′et, a rocket that ascends high towards the sky and burns as it flies.—v.i. to move like a sky-rocket, to rise and disappear as suddenly.—ns. Sky′sail, the sail above the royal; Sky′scape, a view of a portion of the sky, or a picture of the same; Sky′-scrāp′er, a sky-sail of a triangular shape: anything shooting high into the sky.—adj. Sky′-tinc′tured, of the colour of the sky.—adv. Sky′ward, toward the sky. [Ice. ský, a cloud; akin to A.S. scúa, Gr. skia, a shadow.]

Skye, skī, n. for Skye terrier. [See Terrier.]

Skyr, skir, n. curds. [Ice.]

Skyrin, skī′rin, adj. (Scot.) shining, showy.

Slab, slab, n. a thin slip of anything, esp. of stone, having plane surfaces: a piece sawed from a log.—v.t. to cut slabs from, as a log.—adj. Slab′-sid′ed, having long flat sides, tall and lank.—n. Slab′stone, flagstone. [Scand., Ice. sleppa, to slip, Norw. sleip, a slab of wood.]

Slab, slab, adj. thick.—n. mud.—adj. Slab′by, muddy. [Celt., Ir., and Gael. slaib, mud.]

Slabber, slab′ėr, v.i. to slaver: to let the saliva fall from the mouth: to drivel.—v.t. to wet with saliva.—n. Slabb′erer.—adj. Slabb′ery.—n. Slabb′iness.—adj. Slabb′y. [Allied to Low Ger. and Dut. slabbern; imit. Doublet slaver.]

Slack, slak, adj. lax or loose: not firmly extended or drawn out: not holding fast, weak: not eager or diligent, inattentive: not violent or rapid, slow.—adv. in a slack manner: partially: insufficiently.—n. that part of a rope, belt, &c. which is slack or loose: a period of inactivity: a slack-water haul of a net.—vs.i. Slack, Slack′en, to become loose or less tight: to be remiss: to abate: to become slower: to fail or flag.—v.t. to make less tight: to loosen: to relax: to remit: to abate: to withhold: to use less liberally: to check: (B.) to delay.—v.t. Slack′-bake, to half-bake.—adj.—Slack′-hand′ed, remiss.—n. Slack′-jaw (slang), impudent talk.—adv. Slack′ly.—n. Slack′ness.—adj.—Slack′-salt′ed, insufficiently salted.—n. Slack′-wa′ter, ebb-tide: slow-moving water, as that above a dam.—adj. pertaining to slack-water.—Slack away, to ease off freely; Slack-in-stays, slow in going about, of a ship; Slack off, to ease off; Slack up, to ease off: to slow. [A.S. sleac; Sw. slak, Ice. slakr.]

Slack, slak, n. coal-dross. [Ger. schlacke.]

Slack, slak, n. (Scot.) a cleft between hills: a common: a boggy place. [Scand., Ice. slakki, a hill-slope.]

Slade, slād, n. a little valley or dell; a piece of low, moist ground. [A.S. slæd, a plain; prob. Celt., Ir. slad.]

Slade, slād, n. a peat-spade.

Slae, a Scotch form of sloe.

Slag, slag, n. vitrified cinders from smelting-works, &c.: the scoriæ of a volcano.—v.i. to cohere into slag.—adj. Slag′gy, pertaining to, or like, slag. [Sw. slagg; cf. Ger. schlacke, dross.]

Slain, slān, pa.p. of slay.

Slaister, slās′tėr, n. (Scot.) a slobbery mess, slovenly work.—v.t. to bedaub.—v.i. to slabber: to move about in a dirty, slovenly manner.—adj. Slais′tery. [Prob. Sw. slaska, to dabble, slask, wet.]

Slake, slāk, v.t. to quench: to extinguish: to mix with water: to make slack or inactive.—v.i. to go out: to become extinct.—adj. Slake′less, that cannot be slaked: inextinguishable. [A.S. sleacian, to grow slack—sleccan, to make slack—sleac, slack.]

Slake, slāk, n. a channel through a swamp or morass: slime. [Ice. slakki, a hill-slope.]

Slake, slāk, v.t. (Scot.) to besmear.—n. a slabbery daub. [Prob. conn. with Ice. sleikja, to lick; Ger. schlecken, to lick.]

Slam, slam, v.t. or v.i. to shut with violence and noise: to throw down with violence: to win all the tricks in a card-game:—pr.p. slam′ming; pa.t. and pa.p. slammed.—n. the act of slamming: the sound so made: the winning of all the tricks at whist, &c. [Scand., Norw. slemma, Ice. slamra.]

Slam, slam, n. an old card-game.

Slam, slam, n. a shambling fellow. [Cf. Dut. slomp, Ger. schlampe.]

Slamkin, slam′kin, n. a loose 18th-century women's morning-gown.—Also Slam′merkin.

Slander, slan′dėr, n. a false or malicious report: malicious defamation by words spoken: calumny.—v.t. to defame: to calumniate.—n. Slan′derer.—adj. Slan′derous, given to, or containing, slander: calumnious.—adv. Slan′derously.—n. Slan′derousness, the state or quality of being slanderous. [O. Fr. esclandre—L. scandalum—Gr. skandalon.]

Slang, slang, n. a conventional tongue with many dialects, which are, as a rule, unintelligible to outsiders, such as Gypsy, Canting or Flash, Back-slang, and Shelta or Tinkers' Talk: any kind of colloquial and familiar language serving as a kind of class or professional shibboleth.—adj. pertaining to slang.—v.i. to use slang, and esp. abusive language.—v.t. to scold.—adv. Slang′ily.—n. Slang′iness.—adj. Slang′ular, slangy.—v.i. Slang′-whang, to talk slangily or boisterously.—n. Slang′-whang′er, an abusive and wordy fellow.—adj. Slang′y. [Explained by Skeat as Scand., Norw. sleng, a slinging, a device, a burthen of a song, slengja, to sling. Leland boldly makes it Romany, and orig. applied to everything relating to shows—in Hindustani, Swangi, also often Slangi.]

Slang, slang, n. a narrow strip of land.—Also Slank′et. Slang, slang, n. (slang) a counterfeit weight or measure: a travelling show, or a performance of the same: a hawker's license: a watch-chain: (pl.) convicts' leg-irons.

Slant, slant, adj. sloping: oblique: inclined from a direct line—also Slan′ting.—n. a slope: a gibe: (slang) a chance.—v.i. to turn in a sloping direction.—v.i. to slope, to incline towards: (Scot.) to exaggerate, to lie.—adj. Slantendic′ūlar, oblique: indirect.—advs. Slan′tingly, in a slanting direction: with a slope or inclination; Slant′ly, Slant′wise, in a sloping, oblique, or inclined manner.—Slant-of-wind, a transitory breeze of favourable wind. [Scand., Sw. slinta, to slide.]

Slap, slap, n. a blow with the hand or anything flat.—v.t. to give a slap to:—pr.p. slap′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. slapped.—adv. with a slap: suddenly, violently.—adj. (slang) first-rate.—adv. Slap′-bang, violently, all at once.—adj. dashing, violent.—n. a cheap eating-house.—adv. Slap′-dash, in a bold, careless way.—adj. off-hand, rash.—n. rough-cast harling: carelessly done work.—v.t. to do anything in a hasty, imperfect manner: to rough-cast with mortar.—n. Slap′per (slang), anything big of its kind.—adjs. Slap′ping, very large; Slap′-up, excellent, very grand. [Allied to Low Ger. slapp, Ger. schlappe; imit.]

Slap, slap, n. (Scot.) a gap in a fence: a narrow cleft between hills.—v.t. to break an opening in.

Slape, slāp, adj. (prov.) slippery, crafty. [Ice. sleipr, sleppr, slippery—slípa, to be smooth.]

Slapjack=Flapjack (q.v.).

Slash, slash, v.t. to cut by striking with violence and at random: to make long cuts: to ornament by cutting slits in the cloth in order to show some fine material underneath.—v.i. to strike violently and at random with an edged instrument: to strike right and left: to move rapidly.—n. a long cut: a cut at random: a cut in cloth to show colours underneath: a stripe on a non-commissioned officer's sleeve: a clearing in a wood.—adj. Slashed, cut with slashes: gashed.—ns. Slash′er, anything which slashes; Slash′ing, a slash in a garment: the felling of trees as a military obstacle, also the trees so felled.—adj. cutting mercilessly, unsparing: dashing: very big, slapping. [O. Fr. eslecher, to dismember—Old High Ger. slīzan, to split.]

Slash, slash, v.i. (Scot.) to work in wet.—n. a large quantity of watery food, as broth, &c.—adj. Slash′y, dirty, muddy. [Sw. slaska, dabble—slask, wet.]

Slat, slat, v.t. to strike, beat.—v.i. to flap violently.—n. a sudden sharp blow. [Scand., Ice. sletta, to slap, Norw. sletta, to cast.]

Slat, slat, n. a thin piece of stone, a slate: a strip of wood.—adj. made of slats.—adj. Slat′ted, covered with slats. [O. Fr. esclat—Old High Ger. slīzan, to slit.]

Slatch, slach, n. the slack of a rope: an interval of fair weather: a short breeze. [Slack.]

Slate, slāt, n. a highly metamorphosed argillaceous rock, fine-grained and fissile, and of a dull blue, gray, purple, or green colour—used in thin slabs of small size for ordinary roofs, and in larger slabs for dairy-fittings, wash-tubs, cisterns, tables, &c., and when polished for writing-slates and 'black-boards:' a piece of slate for roofing, or for writing upon: a preliminary list of candidates before a caucus.—adj. bluish-gray, slate-coloured.—v.t. to cover with slate: to enter on a slate.—ns. Slate′-axe, a slater's tool, a sax; Slate′-clay, a fissile shale.—adjs. Slā′ted, covered with slates; Slate′-gray, of a light slate colour.—ns. Slate′-pen′cil, a cut or turned stick of soft slate, or of compressed moistened slate-powder, for writing on slate; Slā′ter; Slā′tiness, the quality of being slaty; Slā′ting, the act of covering with slates: a covering of slates: materials for slating.—adj. Slā′ty, resembling slate: having the nature or properties of slate. [O. Fr. esclat—Old High Ger. slīzan, Ger. schleissen, to split.]

Slate, slāt, v.t. to abuse, criticise severely: (prov.) to set a dog at.—n. Slā′ting, a severe criticism. [A.S. slítan, to slit.]

Slater, slā′tėr, n. a terrestrial oniscid isopod, as the common Porcellio scaber.

Slather, slath′ėr, n. (slang) a large quantity.

Slattern, slat′ėrn, n. a woman negligent of her dress: an untidy woman.—v.i. Slatt′er (prov.), to be untidy or slovenly.—n. Slatt′ernliness.—adj. Slatt′ernly, like a slattern: negligent of person: slovenly: dirty: sluttish.—adv. negligently: untidily.—adj. Slatt′ery (prov.) wet. [From slatter, a freq. of slat, to strike (q.v.).]

Slaughter, slaw′tėr, n. a killing: a great destruction of life: carnage: butchery.—ns. Slaugh′terer; Slaugh′terhouse, a place where beasts are killed for the market; Slaugh′terman, a man employed in killing or butchering animals.—adj. Slaugh′terous, given to slaughter: destructive: murderous.—adv. Slaugh′terously. [Prob. Ice. slátr, butchers' meat, whence slátra, to slaughter cattle. The A.S. is sleaht—sleán, to slay.]

Slav, Slave, släv, n. one belonging to any of the Slavonic groups of Aryans—Bulgarians, Czechs, Poles, Russians, Servians, Wends, &c.—adj. Slav′ic. [Slovene or Slovane, from Polish slovo, a word, thus meaning the people who spoke intelligibly, as distinguished from their neighbour, Niemets, the German, lit. the dumb man. Miklosich considers both to be tribal names.]

Slave, slāv, n. a captive in servitude: any one in bondage: a serf: one who labours like a slave: a drudge: one wholly under the will of another: one who has lost all power of resistance.—v.i. to work like a slave: to drudge.—adj. Slave′-born, born in slavery.—ns. Slave′-drī′ver, one who superintends slaves at their work; Slave′-fork, a long and heavy branch into the forked end of which a slave's neck is fixed to prevent his escaping from the slave-trader's gang.—adj. Slave′-grown, grown on land worked by slaves.—ns. Slave′-hold′er, an owner of slaves; Slave′-hold′ing; Slave′-hunt, a hunt after runaway slaves; Slā′ver, a ship employed in the slave-trade; Slā′very, the state of being a slave: serfdom: the state of being entirely under the will of another: bondage: drudgery; Slave′-ship, a ship used for transporting slaves.—n.pl. Slave′-states, those states of the American Union which maintained domestic slavery before the Civil War—Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee.—ns. Slave′-trade, the trade of buying and selling slaves; Slave′-trā′der, a trader in slaves; Slā′vey (slang), a domestic drudge, a maid-servant.—adj. Slā′vish, of or belonging to slaves: becoming slaves: servile: mean: base: laborious.—adv. Slā′vishly.—ns. Slā′vishness; Slāvoc′racy, slave-owners collectively, or their interests, &c.; Slā′vocrat, a member of the slavocracy. [O. Fr. esclave—Mid. High Ger. slave (Ger. sclave), from Slav, above.]

Slaver, slav′ėr, n. spittle or saliva running from the mouth.—v.i. to let the saliva run out of the mouth.—v.t. to smear with saliva.—n. Slav′erer.—adv. Slav′eringly, in a slavering manner.—adj. Slav′ery, slabbery. [Slabber.]

Slavonic, sla-von′ik, adj. of or belonging to the Slavs, or their language—also Sclavon′ic, Slavō′nian, Sclavō′nian.—vs.t. Slavon′icise, Slav′onise, to render Slavonic in character, language, &c.—ns. Slav′ophil, one devoted to promoting the interests of the Slavonic peoples; Slav′ophilism, Slavophil feelings and aims; Slav′ophōbist, one who dreads the growth of Slav influence.

Slaw, slaw, n. sliced cabbage eaten as a salad. [Dut. slaa.]

Slay, slā, v.t. to strike: to kill: to put to death: to destroy:—pa.t. slew (slōō); pa.p. slain (slān).—n. Slay′er. [A.S. sleán; Ice. slá, Goth. slahan, Ger. schlagen, to strike.]

Sleave, slēv, n. the ravelled, knotty part of silk thread: (Shak.) floss-silk.—v.t. to separate, as threads:—pr.p. sleav′ing; pa.p. sleaved. [Cf. Dan. slöife, a loose knot, Sw. slejf, a knot of ribbon, Ger. schleife, a loop.]

Sleazy, slā′zi, or slē′zi, adj. thin and flimsy.—n. Slea′ziness. [Prob. Ger. schleissig, worn out, readily split—schleissen, to split.]

Sled, sled, Sledge, slej, n. a carriage with runners made for sliding upon snow: a sleigh: anything dragged without wheels along the ground.—v.t. and v.i. to convey, or to travel, in a sled.—p.adj. Sled′ded (Shak.), sledged.—ns. Sled′ding, the act of transporting on a sled; Sledge′-chair, a chair mounted on runners for ice. [Ice. sledhi; from a root seen in A.S. slídan, to slide.]

Sledge, slej, n. an instrument for striking: a large heavy hammer used chiefly by ironsmiths. [A.S. slecg—sleán, to strike, slay (cf. Ger. schlägel, a beater—schlagen).]

Sleek, slēk, adj. smooth: glossy: soft, not rough: insinuating, plausible: dexterous.—v.t. to make smooth or glossy: to calm or soothe.—v.i. to glide.—advs. Sleek, Slick, neatly.—v.t. Sleek′en, to make smooth or sleek.—ns. Sleek′er, Slick′er, a tool for dressing the surface of leather.—adj. Sleek′-head′ed, having a smooth head.—n. Sleek′ing, the act of making smooth.—adj. Sleek′it (Scot.), having a smooth skin: sly, cunning, fair-spoken.—adv. Sleek′ly.—ns. Sleek′ness; Sleek′-stone, a smooth stone used for polishing anything.—adj. Sleek′y, smooth: sly, untrustworthy. [Scand., Ice. slíkr, sleek; cf. Dut. slijk, Ger. schlick, grease.]

Sleep, slēp, v.i. to take rest by relaxation: to become unconscious: to slumber: to rest: to be motionless or inactive: to remain unnoticed: to live thoughtlessly: to be dead: to rest in the grave:—pa.t. and pa.p. slept.—n. the state of one who, or that which, sleeps: slumber: rest: the dormancy of some animals during winter: (bot.) nyctitropism.—n. Sleep′er, one who sleeps: a horizontal timber supporting a weight, rails, &c.—adv. Sleep′ily.—n. Sleep′iness.—p.adj. Sleep′ing, occupied with, or for, sleeping: dormant.—n. the state of resting in sleep: (Shak.) the state of being at rest or in abeyance.—ns. Sleep′ing-car, -carriage, a railway-carriage in which passengers have berths for sleeping in; Sleep′ing-draught, a drink given to bring on sleep; Sleep′ing-part′ner (see Partner).—adj. Sleep′less, without sleep: unable to sleep.—adv. Sleep′lessly.—ns. Sleep′lessness; Sleep′-walk′er, one who walks while asleep: a somnambulist; Sleep′-walking.—adj. Sleep′y, inclined to sleep: drowsy: dull: lazy.—n. Sleep′yhead, a lazy person.—On sleep (B.), asleep. [A.S. slǽpan—slǽp; Ger. schlaf, Goth. sleps.]

Sleet, slēt, n. rain mingled with snow or hail.—v.i. to hail or snow with rain mingled.—n. Sleet′iness.—adj. Sleet′y. [Scand., Norw. sletta, sleet.]

Sleeve, slēv, n. the part of a garment which covers the arm: a tube into which a rod or other tube is inserted.—v.t. to furnish with sleeves.—ns. Sleeve′-band (Shak.), the wristband; Sleeve′-butt′on, a button or stud for the wristband or cuff.—adjs. Sleeved, furnished with sleeves; Sleeve′less, without sleeves.—ns. Sleeve′-link, two buttons, &c., joined by a link for holding together the two edges of the cuff or wristband; Sleeve′-nut, a double-nut for attaching the joint-ends of rods or tubes; Sleeve′-waist′coat, Sleeved′-waist′coat, a waistcoat with long sleeves, worn by porters, boots, &c.—Hang on the sleeve, to be dependent on some one; Have in one's sleeve, to have in readiness for any emergency; Laugh in one's sleeve, to laugh behind one's sleeve, to laugh privately or unperceived; Leg-of-mutton sleeve, a woman's sleeve full in the middle, tight at arm-hole and wrist. [A.S. sléfe, sléf, a sleeve—slúpan, to slip; cog. with Ger. schlauf.]

Sleezy=Sleazy (q.v.).

Sleided, slād′ed, adj. (Shak.) unwoven. [Sley.]

Sleigh, slā, n. same as Sled.—ns. Sleigh′-bell, a small bell attached to a sleigh or its harness; Sleigh′ing, the act of riding in a sleigh or sled.

Sleight, slīt, n. cunning: dexterity: an artful trick.—n. Sleight′-of-hand, legerdemain. [Ice. slægth, cunning, slægr, sly.]

Slender, slen′dėr, adj. thin or narrow: feeble: inconsiderable: simple: meagre, inadequate, poorly furnished.—adv. Slen′derly.—n. Slen′derness. [Old Dut. slinder, thin, slinderen, to drag; cf. Ger. schlendern, to saunter.]

Slept, slept, pa.t. and pa.p. of sleep.

Sleuth-hound, slōōth′-hownd, n. a dog that tracks game by the scent, a blood-hound. [Slot.]

Slew, slōō, pa.t. of slay.

Sley, slā, n. the reed of a weaver's loom. [A.S. slǽ—sleán, to strike.]

Slice, slīs, v.t. to slit or divide into thin pieces.—n. a thin broad piece: a broad knife for serving fish.—n. Slī′cer, one who, or that which, slices: a broad, flat knife. [O. Fr. esclice—Old High Ger. slīzan, to split.]

Slick, slik, adj. smooth: smooth-tongued: dexterous in movement or action.—adv. in a smooth manner, deftly. [Sleek]

Slick, slik, n. ore finely powdered. [Ger. schlich.]

Slickensides, slik′en-sīdz, n. the smooth, polished, or striated, and generally glazed surfaces of joints and faults in rocks, considered to have been produced by the friction of the two surfaces during the movement of the rock.—adj. Slick′ensided. [Sleek.]

Slid, slid, pa.t. and pa.p. of slide.

Slidden, slid′n, pa.p. of slide.

Slidder, slid′ėr, v.i. to slip, slide.—adj. Slidd′ery, slippery. [A.S. sliderian, to slip, slidor, slippery:—slídan, to slide.]

Slide, slīd, v.i. to slip or glide: to pass along smoothly: to fall: to slip away quietly, to disappear: (slang) to slope, slip away from the police, &c.—v.t. to thrust along: to slip:—pa.t. slid; pa.p. slid or slidd′en.—n. a smooth passage: the fall of a mass of earth or rock: a smooth declivity: anything, as a lid, that slides, a glass that slides in a frame in front of a magic-lantern, bearing the picture to be thrown on the screen, that part of a photographic plate-holder which serves to cover and uncover the negative: (mus.) a melodic embellishment, two notes sliding into each other: (slang) a biscuit covered with ice-cream.—adj. Slī′dable, capable of sliding or of being slid.—ns. Slī′der, one who, or that which, slides: the part of an instrument or machine that slides; Slide′-rest, an apparatus adapted to a turning-lathe for carrying the cutting-tool; Slide′-valve, a valve in a steam-engine, made to slide backward and forward to cover and uncover the openings through which steam enters the cylinder; Slī′ding, act of one who slides: falling: backsliding.—p.adj. slippery: movable, changing.—ns. Slī′ding-keel, an oblong frame let down vertically through the bottom of a vessel in order to deepen the draught and sustain against a side-wind; Slī′ding-rule (see Rule); Slī′ding-scale, a scale of duties which slide or vary according to the value or market prices: a sliding-rule; Slī′ding-seat, a kind of seat for racing-boats, moving with the swing of the rower's body; Slīdom′eter, an instrument indicating the strain put on a railway-carriage by sudden stoppage. [A.S. slídan, to slide; Dut. slidderen, to slip.]

Slight, slīt, adj. weak: slender: of little value: trifling: small: negligent: not decided, superficial, cursory: slighting, disdainful.—v.t. to disregard, as of little value: to neglect: (obs.) to demolish, smooth.—n. neglect: disregard, an act of discourtesy.—advs. Slight′ingly; Slight′ly.—n. Slight′ness. [Old Low Ger. slicht, plain; Dut. slecht, bad, Ger. schlecht, straight.]

Slight, slīt, n. (Spens.), sleight, device, trick.

Slily, slī′li, adv. See under Sly.

Slim, slim, adj. (comp. Slim′mer, superl. Slim′mest) very thin, weak, slender: slight, trivial, unsubstantial: delicate: crafty.—adv. Slim′ly.—adj. Slim′mish, somewhat slim.—n. Slim′ness.—adj. Slim′sy (U.S.), frail, flimsy. [Old Low Ger. slim, crafty; Dan. slem, worthless, Ger. schlimm, bad.]

Slime, slīm, n. glutinous mud: (B.) probably bitumen.—n. Slime′-pit, a pit of slime or viscous mire.—adv. Slīm′ily.—n. Slīm′iness.—adj. Slīm′y, abounding with, or consisting of, slime: glutinous. [A.S. slím; Ger. schleim.]

Sliness, slī′nes, n. Same as Slyness.

Sling, sling, n. a strap or pocket with a string attached to each end, for hurling a stone: a throw: a hanging bandage for a wounded limb: a rope with hooks, used in hoisting and lowering weights: a sweep or swing: a stroke as from a missile thrown from a sling.—v.t. to throw with a sling: to hang so as to swing: to move or swing by means of a rope: to cast.—v.i. to bound along with swinging steps: (slang) to blow the nose with the fingers:—pa.t. and pa.p. slung.—ns. Sling′er; Sling′stone, a stone to be thrown from a sling. [A.S. slingan, to turn in a circle; Ger. schlingen, to move or twine round.]

Sling, sling, n. toddy with grated nutmeg.

Slink, slingk, v.i. to creep or crawl away, as if ashamed: to sneak:—pa.t. and pa.p. slunk. [A.S. slincan, to creep; Low Ger. sliken, Ger. schleichen.]

Slink, slingk, v.t. to cast prematurely, as a calf.—v.i. to miscarry.—n. a calf prematurely born: the flesh of such: a bastard child.—adj. prematurely born: unfit for food: lean, starved: mean.—ns. Slink′-butch′er, one who kills and dresses for sale the carcasses of diseased animals; Slink′skin, the skin of a slink, or leather made from it.—adj. Slink′y, lean.

Slip, slip, v.i. to slide or glide along: to move out of place: to escape: to err: to slink: to enter by oversight.—v.t. to cause to slide: to convey secretly: to omit: to throw off: to let loose: to escape from: to part from the branch or stem:—pr.p. slip′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. slipped.—n. act of slipping: that on which anything may slip: an error, a fault, a slight transgression: an escape: a twig: a strip, a narrow piece of anything: a leash: a smooth inclined plane, sloping down to the water, on which a ship is built: anything easily slipped on: (print.) a long galley-proof before being made up into pages.—ns. Slip′-board, a board sliding in grooves; Slip′-dock, a dock having a floor that slopes so that the lower end is submerged; Slip′-knot, a knot which slips along the rope or line round which it is made; Slip′per, a loose shoe easily slipped on.—adj. (Spens.) slippery.—adj. Slip′pered, wearing slippers.—adv. Slip′perily, in a slippery manner.—ns. Slip′periness, Slip′piness.—adjs. Slip′pery, Slip′py, apt to slip away: smooth: not affording firm footing or confidence: unstable: uncertain; Slip′shod, shod with slippers, or shoes down at the heel like slippers: careless.—n. Slip′stitch.—Slip off, to take off noiselessly or hastily; Slip on, to put on loosely or in haste; Slip one's breath, or wind, to die; Slip the leash, to disengage one's self from a noose.—Give a person the slip, to escape stealthily from him. [A.S. slípan; Sw. slippa, Dut. slippen, to glide, Ger. schliefen.]

Slipe, slīp, n. in mining, a skip or sledge without wheels.

Slipslop, slip′slop, adj. slipshod, slovenly.—n. thin, watery food: a blunder.—v.i. to slip loosely about.—adj. Slip′sloppy, slushy, sloppy.

Slish, slish, n. (Shak.) a cut. [A corr. of slash.]

Slit, slit, v.t. to cut lengthwise: to split: to cut into strips:—pr.p. slit′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. slit.—n. a long cut: a narrow opening.—n. Slit′ter, anything which slits, a slitting-shears for sheet-metal.—adj. Slit′tered, cut into strips with square ends.—n. Slit′ting-mill, an establishment in which metal plates are cut into strips for nail-making: a rotating disc used by gem-cutters for slitting: a gang-saw used for resawing lumber for blind-slats, fence-pickets, &c. [A.S. slítan; Ger. schleissen.]

Slither, slith′ėr, v.i. to slide.—adj. slippery.—n. a limestone rubble.—adjs. Slith′ering, slow, deceitful; Slith′ery, slippery. [A variant of slidder.]

Sliver, sliv′ėr, or slī′vėr, v.t. to split, to tear off lengthwise, to slice.—n. a piece cut or rent off, a slice: a continuous strand of loose untwisted wool or other fibre.—v.i. Slive, to slide, skulk. [A.S. slífan, to cleave.]

Sloam, slōm, n. (prov.) in coal-mining, the under-clay.

Sloat, slōt, n. Same as Slot (1) and (2).

Slobber, slob′ėr, same as Slabber.—n. Slob, mire, muddy land.—adj. Slobb′ery, moist, wet.

Slocken, slok′n, v.t. to quench, extinguish.—Also Slok′en. [Ice. slokna, to go out.]

Sloe, slō, n. the blackthorn, producing white flowers before the leaves, the shoots making excellent walking-sticks: the austere fruit, a good preserve. [A.S. slá; Dut. slee, a sloe.]

Slog, slog, v.i. to hit hard.—n. Slog′ger, a hard hitter.

Slogan, slō′gan, n. a war-cry among the ancient Highlanders of Scotland. [Gael., contracted from sluagh-gairm, an army-cry.]

Sloid=Sloyd (q.v.).

Slombry, slom′bri, adj. (Spens.) sleepy.—v.i. Sloom (prov.), to slumber.—adj. Sloom′y, lazy, inactive.

Sloop, slōōp, n. a light boat: a one-masted cutter-rigged vessel, differing from a cutter, according to old authorities, in having a fixed bowsprit and somewhat smaller sails in proportion to the hull.—n. Sloop′-of-war, formerly a vessel, of whatever rig, between a corvette and a gun-vessel, constituting the command of a commander, carrying from ten to eighteen guns. [Dut. sloep, prob. O. Fr. chaloupe, shallop.]

Slop, slop, n. water carelessly spilled: a puddle: mean liquor or liquid food: (pl.) dirty water.—v.t. to soil by letting a liquid fall upon:—pr.p. slop′ping; pa.p. slopped.—ns. Slop′-bā′sin, -bowl, a basin for slops, esp. for the dregs of tea and coffee cups at table; Slop′-dash, weak cold tea, &c.: Slop′-pail, a pail for collecting slops; Slop′piness.—adj. Slop′py, wet: muddy. [A.S. sloppe, slyppe, cow-droppings—slúpan, to slip.]

Slope, slōp, n. any incline down which a thing may slip: a direction downward.—v.t. to form with a slope, or obliquely.—v.i. to be inclined, to slant: (slang) to decamp, disappear.—adv. in a sloping manner.—adv. Slope′wise, obliquely.—p.adj. Slō′ping, inclining from a horizontal or other right line.—adv. Slō′pingly, in a sloping manner: with a slope.—adj. Slō′py, sloping, inclined: oblique. [A.S. slípan, pa.t. sláp, to slip.]