S (continued 26)
Reading edition
Defn: A spire; also, the tower and spire taken together; the whole of a structure if the roof is of spire form. See Spire. "A weathercock on a steeple." Shak. Rood steeple. See Rood tower, under Rood. — Steeple bush (Bot.), a low shrub (Spiræa tomentosa) having dense panicles of minute rose-colored flowers; hardhack. — Steeple chase, a race across country between a number of horsemen, to see which can first reach some distant object, as a church steeple; hence, a race over a prescribed course obstructed by such obstacles as one meets in riding across country, as hedges, walls, etc. — Steeple chaser, one who rides in a steeple chase; also, a horse trained to run in a steeple chase. — Steeple engine, a vertical back-acting steam engine having the cylinder beneath the crosshead. — Steeple house, a church. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.
STEEPLECHASING Stee"ple*chas`ing, n.
Defn: The act of riding steeple chases.
STEEPLE-CROWNED Stee"ple-crowned`, a.
1. Bearing a steeple; as, a steeple-crowned building.
2. Having a crown shaped like a steeple; as, a steeple-crowned hat; also, wearing a hat with such a crown. This grave, beared, sable-cloaked, and steeple-crowned progenitor. Hawthorne.
STEEPLED Stee"pled, a.
Defn: Furnished with, or having the form of, a steeple; adorned with steeples. Fairfax.
STEEPLY Steep"ly, adv.
Defn: In a steep manner; with steepness; with precipitous declivity.
STEEPNESS Steep"ness, n.
1. Quality or state of being steep; precipitous declivity; as, the steepnessof a hill or a roof.
2. Height; loftiness. [Obs.] Chapman.
STEEP-UP Steep"-up`, a.
Defn: Lofty and precipitous. [R.] Her stand she takes upon a steep-up hill. Shak.
STEEPY Steep"y, a.
Defn: Steep; precipitous. [Poetic] No more, my goats, shall I belong you climb The steepy cliffs, or crop the flow'ry thyme. Dryden.
STEER Steer, n. Etym: [OE. steer, AS. steór; akin to D. & G. stier a bull, OHG. stior, Icel. stjorr, , Sw. tjur, Dan. tyr, Goth. stiur, Russ. tur', Pol. tur, Ir. & Gael. tarbh, W. tarw, L. taurus, Gr. sth strong, stout, AS. stor large, Icel. storr, OHG. st, stiuri. *168. Cf. Stirk, Taurine, a.]
Defn: A young male of the ox kind; especially, a common ox; a castrated taurine male from two to four years old. See the Note under Ox.
STEER Steer, v. t.
Defn: To castrate; — said of male calves.
STEER Steer, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Steered; p. pr. & vb. n. Steering.] Etym: [OE. steeren, steren, AS. stiéran, st, steóran; akin to OFries. stiora, stiura, D. sturen, OD. stieren, G. steuren, OHG. stiuren to direct, support, G. steuer contribution, tax, Icel. st to steer, govern,Sw. styra, Dan. styre, Goth. stiurjan to establish, AS. steór a rudder, a helm, and probably to Icel. staurr a pale, stake, Gr. stand. *168. Cf. Starboard, Stern, n.]
Defn: To direct the course of; to guide; to govern; — applied especially to a vessel in the water. That with a staff his feeble steps did steer. Spenser.
STEER Steer, v. i.
1. To direct a vessel in its course; to direct one's course. "No helmsman steers." Tennyson.
2. To be directed and governed; to take a direction, or course; to obey the helm; as, the boat steers easily. Where the wind Veers oft, as oft [a ship] so steers, and shifts her sail. Milton.
3. To conduct one's self; to take or pursue a course of action.
STEER Steer, n. Etym: [AS. steór, stiór; akin to D. stuur, G. steuer, Icel. st. *186. See Steer, v. t.] [Written also stere.]
Defn: A rudder or helm. [Obs.] Chaucer.
STEER Steer, n. Etym: [AS. steóra. See Steer a rudder.]
Defn: A helmsman, a pilot. [Obs.] Chaucer.
STEERABLE Steer"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being steered; dirigible.
STEERAGE Steer"age, n.
1. The act or practice of steering, or directing; as, the steerage of a ship. He left the city, and, in a most tempestuous season, forsook the helm and steerage of the common wealth. Milton.
2. (Naut.) (a) The effect of the helm on a ship; the manner in which an individual ship is affected by the helm. (b) The hinder part of a vessel; the stern. [R.] Swift. (c) Properly, the space in the after part of a vessel, under the cabin, but used generally to indicate any part of a vessel having the poorest accommodations and occupied by passengers paying the lowest rate of fare.
3. Direction; regulation; management; guidance. He that hath the steerage of my course. Shak.
4. That by which a course is directed. [R.] Here he hung on high, The steerage of his wings. Dryden. Steerage passenger, a passenger who takes passage in the steerage of a vessel.
STEERAGEWAY Steer"age*way`, n. (Naut.)
Defn: A rate of motion through the water sufficient to render a vessel governable by the helm.
STEERER Steer"er, n.
Defn: One who steers; as, a boat steerer.
STEERING Steer"ing, a. & n.
Defn: from Steer, v. Steering wheel (Naut.), the wheel by means of which the rudder of a vessel is turned and the vessel is steered.
STEERLESS Steer"less, a.
Defn: Having no rudder. [Obs.] Chaucer.
STEERLING Steer"ling, n.
Defn: A young small steer.
STEERSMAN Steers"man, n.; pl. Steersmen. Etym: [Steer a rudder + man: cf. AS. steórman.]
Defn: One who steers; the helmsman of a vessel. Milton.
STEERSMATE Steers"mate, n. Etym: [Steer a rudder + mate a companion.]
Defn: One who steers; steersman. [Obs.] Milton.
STEEVE Steeve, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Steeved; p. pr. & vb. n. Steeving.] Etym: [Cf. OD. steve staff, E. stem, n.] (Shipbuilding)
Defn: To project upward, or make an angle with the horizon or with the line of a vessel's keel; — said of the bowsprit, etc.
STEEVE Steeve, v. t.
1. (Shipbuilding)
Defn: To elevate or fix at an angle with the horizon; — said of the bowsprit, etc.
2. To stow, as bales in a vessel's hold, by means of a steeve. See Steeve, n. (b).
STEEVE Steeve, n. (Naut.) (a) The angle which a bowsprit makes with the horizon, or with the line of the vessel's keel; — called also steeving. (b) A spar, with a block at one end, used in stowing cotton bales, and similar kinds of cargo which need to be packed tightly.
STEEVING Steev"ing, n.
1. The act or practice of one who steeves.
2. (Naut.)
Defn: See Steeve, n. (a).
STEG Steg, n. Etym: [Icel. steggr the male of several animals. Cf. Stag.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A gander. [Written also stag.] [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
STEGANOGRAPHIST Steg`a*nog"ra*phist, n.
Defn: One skilled in steganography; a cryptographer.
STEGANOGRAPHY Steg`a*nog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]
Defn: The art of writing in cipher, or in characters which are not intelligible except to persons who have the key; cryptography.
STEGANOPHTHALMATA Steg`a*noph*thal"ma*ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The Discophora, or Phanerocarpæ. Called also Steganophthalmia.
STEGANOPOD Ste*gan"o*pod, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of the Steganopodes.
STEGANOPODES Steg`a*nop"o*des, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A division of swimming birds in which all four toes are united by a broad web. It includes the pelicans, cormorants, gannets, and others.
STEGANOPODOUS Steg`a*nop"o*dous, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Having all four toes webbed together.
STEGNOSIS Steg*no"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Stegnotic.] (Med.)
Defn: Constipation; also, constriction of the vessels or ducts.
STEGNOTIC Steg*no"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)
Defn: Tending to render costive, or to diminish excretions or discharges generally. — n.
Defn: A stegnotic medicine; an astringent.
STEGOCEPHALA Steg`o*ceph"a*la, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)
Defn: An extinct order of amphibians found fossil in the Mesozoic rocks; called also Stegocephali, and Labyrinthodonta.
Note: Their teeth, in transverse sections, usually show a labyrinthiform arrangement of the cement and dentine. The under side of the body was covered with bony plates. Some of the Stegocephala were of very large size, and the form of the body varied from short, stout forms to others that were as slender as serpents.
STEGOSAURIA Steg`o*sau"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Stegosaurus.] (Paleon.)
Defn: An extinct order of herbivorous dinosaurs, including the genera Stegosaurus, Omosaurus, and their allies.
STEGOSAURUS Steg`o*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)
Defn: A genus of large Jurassic dinosaurs remarkable for a powerful dermal armature of plates and spines.
STEIK Steik, v. t.
Defn: See Steek. [Scot.]
STEIN Stein, n. & v.
Defn: See Steen.
STEINBOCK Stein"bock`, n. Etym: [G. stein stone + bock buck, D. bok. Cf. Steenbok.] (Zoöl.) (a) The European ibex. (b) A small South African antelope (Nanotragus tragulus) which frequents dry, rocky districts; — called also steenbok. [Written also steinboc, and steinbok; also called stonebock, and stonebuck.]
STEINGALE Stein"gale, n.
Defn: The stannel. [Prov. Eng.]
STEINING Stein"ing, n.
Defn: See Steening.
STEINKIRK Stein"kirk`, n.
Defn: Same as Steenkirk.
STEINKLE Stein"kle, n.
Defn: The wheater. [Prov. Eng.]
STELA Ste"la, n.; pl. Stelæ. Etym: [L., from Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)
Defn: A small column or pillar, used as a monument, milestone, etc.
STELE Ste"le, n. Etym: [NL.]
Defn: Same as Stela. One of these steles, containing the Greek version of the ordinance, has recently been discovered. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).
STELE Stele, n. Etym: [See Stale a handle.]
Defn: A stale, or handle; a stalk. [Obs.] Chaucer. Holland.
STELENE Ste"lene, a. Etym: [See Stela.]
Defn: Resembling, or used as, a stela; columnar. [R.]
STELL Stell, v. t. Etym: [AS. stellan. *163.]
Defn: To place or fix firmly or permanently. [Obs.] Shak.
STELL Stell, n. Etym: [See Stell, v. t.]
1. A prop; a support, as for the feet in standing or cilmbing. [Scot.]
2. A partial inclosure made by a wall or trees, to serve as a shelter for sheep or cattle. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
STELLAR; STELLARY Stel"lar, Stel"la*ry, a. Etym: [L. stellaris, fr. stella a star. See Star.]
1. Of or pertaining to stars; astral; as, a stellar figure; stellary orbs. [These soft fires] in part shed down Their stellar virtue. Milton.
2. Full of stars; starry; as, stellar regions.
STELLATE; STELLATED Stel"late, Stel"la*ted, a. Etym: [L. stellatus, p.p. of stellare to set or cover with stars, from stella a star. See Stellar.]
1. Resembling a star; pointed or radiated, like the emblem of a star.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Starlike; having similar parts radiating from a common center; as, stellate flowers.
STELLATION Stel*la"tion, n.
Defn: Radiation of light. [Obs.]
STELLED Stelled, a. Etym: [See Stell to place.]
Defn: Firmly placed or fixed. [Obs.] "The stelled fires" [the stars]. Shak.
Note: [In this passage by some defined as "starry," as if from stellatus.]
STELLER Stel"ler, n. Etym: [After Geo. W.Steller, a German naturalist.] (Zoöl)
Defn: The rytina; — called also stellerine.
STELLERID Stel"ler*id, n. Etym: [L. stella a star.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A starfish.
STELLERIDA Stel*ler"i*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: An extensive group of echinoderms, comprising the starfishes and ophiurans.
STELLERIDAN; STELLERIDEAN Stel*ler"i*dan, Stel`ler*id"e*an, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A starfish, or brittle star.
STELLIFEROUS Stel*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. stellifer; stella star + ferre 8bear.]
Defn: Having, or abounding with, stars.
STELLIFORM Stel"li*form, a. Etym: [L. stella a star + -form.]
Defn: Like a star; star-shaped; radiated.
STELLIFY Stel"li*fy, v. t. Etym: [L. stella a star + -fy.]
Defn: To turn into a star; to cause to appear like a star; to place among the stars, or in heaven. [Obs. or R.] B. Jonson.
STELLION Stel"lion, n. Etym: [L. stellio a newt having starlike spots on its back, fr. stella a star.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A lizard (Stellio vulgaris), common about the Eastern Mediterranean among ruins. In color it is olive-green, shaded with black, with small stellate spots. Called also hardim, and star lizard.
STELLIONATE Stel"lion*ate, n. Etym: [L. stellionatus cozenage, trickery, fr. stellio a newt, a crafty, knavish person.] (Scots & Roman Law)
Defn: 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 another, etc. Erskine.
STELLULAR Stel"lu*lar, a. Etym: [L. stellula, dim. of stella a star.]
1. Having the shape or appearance of little stars; radiated.
2. Marked with starlike spots of color.
STELLULATE Stel"lu*late, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Minutely stellate.
STELMATOPODA Stel`ma*top"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Gymnolæmata.
STELOGRAPHY Ste*log"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy: cf. Gr.
Defn: The art of writing or inscribing characters on pillars. [R.] Stackhouse.
STEM; STEEM Stem, Steem, v. i.
Defn: To gleam. [Obs.] His head bald, that shone as any glass, . . . [And] stemed as a furnace of a leed [caldron]. Chaucer.
STEM; STEEM Stem, Steem, n.
Defn: A gleam of light; flame. [Obs.]
STEM Stem, n. Etym: [AS. stemn, stefn, stæfn; akin to OS. stamn the stem of a ship, D. stam stem, steven stem of a ship, G. stamm stem, steven stem of a ship, Icel. stafn, stamn, stem of a ship, stofn, stomn, stem, Sw. stam a tree trunk, Dan. stamme. Cf. Staff, Stand.]
1. The principal body of a tree, shrub, or plant, of any kind; the main stock; the part which supports the branches or the head or top. After they are shot up thirty feet in length, they spread a very large top, having no bough nor twig in the trunk or the stem. Sir W. Raleigh. The lowering spring, with lavish rain, Beats down the slender stem and breaded grain. Dryden.
2. A little branch which connects a fruit, flower, or leaf with a main branch; a peduncle, pedicel, or petiole; as, the stem of an apple or a cherry.
3. The stock of a family; a race or generation of progenitors. "All that are of noble stem." Milton. While I do pray, learn here thy stem And true descent. Herbert.
4. A branch of a family. This is a stem Of that victorious stock. Shak.
5. (Naut.)
Defn: A curved piece of timber to which the two sides of a ship are united at the fore end. The lower end of it is scarfed to the keel, and the bowsprit rests upon its upper end. Hence, the forward part of a vessel; the bow.
6. Fig.: An advanced or leading position; the lookout. Wolsey sat at the stem more than twenty years. Fuller.
7. Anything resembling a stem or stalk; as, the stem of a tobacco pipe; the stem of a watch case, or that part to which the ring, by which it is suspended, is attached.
8. (Bot.)
Defn: That part of a plant which bears leaves, or rudiments of leaves, whether rising above ground or wholly subterranean.
9. (Zoöl.) (a) The entire central axis of a feather. (b) The basal portion of the body of one of the Pennatulacea, or of a gorgonian.
10. (Mus.)
Defn: The short perpendicular line added to the body of a note; the tail of a crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, etc.
11. (Gram.)
Defn: The part of an inflected word which remains unchanged (except by euphonic variations) throughout a given inflection; theme; base. From stem to stern (Naut.), from one end of the ship to the other, or through the whole length. — Stem leaf (Bot.), a leaf growing from the stem of a plant, as contrasted with a basal or radical leaf.
STEM Stem, v. t.
1. To remove the stem or stems from; as, to stem cherries; to remove the stem and its appendages (ribs and veins) from; as, to stem tobacco leaves.
2. To ram, as clay, into a blasting hole.
STEM Stem, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stemmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Stemming.] Etym: [Either from stem, n., or akin to stammer; cf. G. stemmen to press against.]
Defn: To oppose or cut with, or as with, the stem of a vessel; to resist, or make progress against; to stop or check the flow of, as a current. "An argosy to stem the waves." Shak. [They] stem the flood with their erected breasts. Denham. Stemmed the wild torrent of a barbarous age. Pope.
STEM Stem, v. i.
Defn: To move forward against an obstacle, as a vessel against a current. Stemming nightly toward the pole. Milton.
STEM-CLASPING Stem"-clasp`ing, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Embracing the stem with its base; amplexicaul; as a leaf or petiole.
STEMLESS Stem"less, a.
Defn: Having no stem; (Bot.) acaulescent.
STEMLET Stem"let, n.
Defn: A small or young stem.
STEMMA Stem"ma, n.; pl. Stemmata. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the ocelli of an insect. See Ocellus. (b) One of the facets of a compound eye of any arthropod.
STEMMER Stem"mer, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, stems (in any of the senses of the verbs).
STEMMERY Stem"mer*y, n.
Defn: A large building in which tobacco is stemmed. [U. S.] Bartlett.
STEMMY Stem"my, a.
Defn: Abounding in stems, or mixed with stems; — said of tea, dried currants, etc. [Colloq.]
STEMPLE Stem"ple, n. Etym: [G. stempel a stamp, a prop, akin to E. stamp.] (Mining)
Defn: A crossbar of wood in a shaft, serving as a step.
STEMSON Stem"son, n. Etym: [See Stem, n., and Keelson, and cf. Sternson.] (Shipbuilding)
Defn: A piece of curved timber bolted to the stem, keelson, and apron in a ship's frame near the bow.
STEM-WINDER Stem"-wind`er, n.
Defn: A stem-winding watch. [Colloq.]
STEM-WINDING Stem"-wind`ing, a.
Defn: Wound by mechanism connected with the stem; as, a stem-winding watch.
STENCH Stench, v. t.
Defn: To stanch. [Obs.] Harvey.
STENCH Stench, n. Etym: [AS. stenc a strong smell, fr. stincan. See Stink, v. i.]
1. A smell; an odor. [Obs.] Clouds of savory stench involve the sky. Dryden.
2. An ill smell; an offensive odor; a stink. Cowper. Stench trap, a contrivance to prevent stench or foul air from rising from the openings of sewers, drains, etc.
STENCH Stench, v. t. Etym: [AS. stencan to emit a smell, fr. stincan to smell. See Stench, n.]
Defn: To cause to emit a disagreeable odor; to cause to stink. [Obs.] Young.
STENCHY Stench"y, a.
Defn: Having a stench. [Obs.] Dyer.
STENCIL Sten"cil, n. Etym: [Probably from OF. estincelle spangle, spark, F. étincelle spark, L. scintilla. See Scintillate, and cf. Tinsel.]
Defn: A thin plate of metal, leather, or other material, used in painting, marking, etc. The pattern is cut out of the plate, which is then laid flat on the surface to be marked, and the color brushed over it. Called also stencil plate.
STENCIL Sten"cil, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stenciled or Stencilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stenciling or Stencilling.]
Defn: To mark, paint, or color in figures with stencils; to form or print by means of a stencil.
STENCILER Sten"cil*er, n.
Defn: One who paints or colors in figures by means of stencil. [Written also stenciller.]
STENODERM Sten"o*derm, n. Etym: [Gr. -derm.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any species of bat belonging to the genus Stenoderma, native of the West Indies and South America. These bats have a short or rudimentary tail and a peculiarly shaped nose membrane.
STENODERMINE Sten`o*der"mine, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the genus Stenoderma, which includes several West Indian and South American nose-leaf bats.
STENOGRAPH Sten"o*graph, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stenographed; p. pr. & vb. n. Stenographing.]
Defn: To write or report in stenographic characters.
STENOGRAPH Sten"o*graph, n.
Defn: A production of stenography; anything written in shorthand. I saw the reporters' room, in which they redact their hasty stenographs. Emerson.
STENOGRAPHER Ste*nog"ra*pher, n.
Defn: One who is skilled in stenography; a writer of shorthand.
STENOGRAPHIC; STENOGRAPHICAL Sten`o*graph"ic, Sten`o*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. sténographique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to stenography.
STENOGRAPHIST Ste*nog"ra*phist, n.
Defn: A stenographer.
STENOGRAPHY Ste*nog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. graphy: cf. F. sténographie, G. stenographie.]
Defn: The art of writing in shorthand, by using abbreviations or characters for whole words; shorthand.
STENOPHYLLOUS Ste*noph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: Having narrow leaves.
STENOSIS Ste*no"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: A narrowing of the opening or hollow of any passage, tube, or orifice; as, stenosis of the pylorus. It differs from stricture in being applied especially to diffused rather than localized contractions, and in always indicating an origin organic and not spasmodic.
STENOSTOME Sten"o*stome, a. Etym: [Gr. steno`s narrow, little + sto`ma mouth.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Having a small or narrow mouth; — said of certain small ground snakes (Opoterodonta), which are unable to dilate their jaws.
STENT Stent, v. t. [Obs. imp. Stente; obs. p. p. Stent.] Etym: [See Stint.]
Defn: To keep within limits; to restain; to cause to stop, or cease; to stint. Then would he weep, he might not be stent. Chaucer. Yet n'ould she stent Her bitter railing and foul revilement. Spenser.
STENT Stent, v. i.
Defn: To stint; to stop; to cease. And of this cry they would never stenten. Chaucer.
STENT Stent, n.
Defn: An allotted portion; a stint. "Attain'd his journey's stent." Mir. for Mag.
STENTING Stent"ing, n.
Defn: An opening in a wall in a coal mine. [Written also stenton.] [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
STENTOR Sten"tor, n. Etym: [L. Stentor, Gr.
1. A herald, in the Iliad, who had a very loud voice; hence, any person having a powerful voice.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any species of ciliated Infusoria belonging to the genus Stentor and allied genera, common in fresh water. The stentors have a bell-shaped, or cornucopia-like, body with a circle of cilia around the spiral terminal disk. See Illust. under Heterotricha.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A howling monkey, or howler.
STENTORIAN Sten*to"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. stentoreus; cf. Gr.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a stentor; extremely loud; powerful; as, a stentorian voice; stentorian lungs.
STENTORIN Sten"to*rin, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A blue coloring matter found in some stentors. See Stentor, 2.
STENTORIOUS Sten*to"ri*ous, a.
Defn: Stentorian. [R.]
STENTORONIC Sten`to*ron"ic, a.
Defn: Stentorian. [Obs.]
STENTOROPHONIC Sten`to*ro*phon"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. Stentor.]
Defn: Speaking or sounding very loud; stentorian. [Obs.] Of this stentorophonic horn of Alexander there is a preserved in the Vatican. Derham.
STEP Step, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stepped; p. pr. & vb. n. Stepping.] Etym: [AS. stæppan; akin to OFries. steppa, D. stappen to step, stap a step, OHG. stepfen to step, G. stapfe a footstep, OHG. stapfo, G. stufe a step to step on; cf. Gr. Stamp, n. & a.]
1. To move the foot in walking; to advance or recede by raising and moving one of the feet to another resting place, or by moving both feet in succession.
2. To walk; to go on foot; esp., to walk a little distance; as, to step to one of the neighbors.
3. To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely. Home the swain retreats, His flock before him stepping to the fold. Thomson.
4. Fig.: To move mentally; to go in imagination. They are stepping almost three thousand years back into the remotest antiquity. Pope. To step aside, to walk a little distance from the rest; to retire from company. — To step forth, to move or come forth. — To step in or into. (a) To walk or advance into a place or state, or to advance suddenly in. Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. John v. 4. (b) To enter for a short time; as, I just stepped into the house. (c) To obtain possession without trouble; to enter upon easily or suddenly; as, to step into an estate. — To step out. (a) (Mil.) To increase the length, but not the rapidity, of the step, extending it to thirty-tree inches. (b) To go out for a short distance or a short time. — To step short (Mil.), to diminish the length or rapidity of the step according to the established rules.
STEP Step, v. t.
1. To set, as the foot.
2. (Naut.)
Defn: To fix the foot of (a mast) in its step; to erect. To step off, to measure by steps, or paces; hence, to divide, as a space, or to form a series of marks, by successive measurements, as with dividers.
STEP Step, n. Etym: [AS. stæpe. See Step, v. i.]
1. An advance or movement made by one removal of the foot; a pace.
2. A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a round of a ladder. The breadth of every single step or stair should be never less than one foot. Sir H. Wotton.
3. The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running; as, one step is generally about three feet, but may be more or less. Used also figuratively of any kind of progress; as, he improved step by step, or by steps. To derive two or three general principles of motion from phenomena, and afterwards to tell us how the properties and actions of all corporeal things follow from those manifest principles, would be a very great step in philosophy. Sir I. Newton.
4. A small space or distance; as, it is but a step.
5. A print of the foot; a footstep; a footprint; track.
6. Gait; manner of walking; as, the approach of a man is often known by his step.
7. Proceeding; measure; action; an act. The reputation of a man depends on the first steps he makes in the world. Pope. Beware of desperate steps. The darkest day, Live till to-morrow, will have passed away. Cowper. I have lately taken steps . . . to relieve the old gentleman's distresses. G. W. Cable.
8. pl.
Defn: Walk; passage. Conduct my steps to find the fatal tree. Dryden.
9. pl.
Defn: A portable framework of stairs, much used indoors in reaching to a high position.
10. (Naut.)
Defn: In general, a framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specif., a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast.
11. (Mach.) (a) One of a series of offsets, or parts, resembling the steps of stairs, as one of the series of parts of a cone pulley on which the belt runs. (b) A bearing in which the lower extremity of a spindle or a vertical shaft revolves.
12. (Mus.)
Defn: The intervak between two contiguous degrees of the csale.
Note: The word tone is often used as the name of this interval; but there is evident incongruity in using tone for indicating the interval between tones. As the word scale is derived from the Italian scala, a ladder, the intervals may well be called steps.
13. (Kinematics)
Defn: A change of position effected by a motion of translation. W. K. Clifford. Back step, Half step, etc. See under Back, Half, etc. — Step grate, a form of grate for holding fuel, in which the bars rise above one another in the manner of steps. — To take steps, to take action; to move in a matter.
STEP- Step-. Etym: [AS. steóp-; akin to OFries. stiap-, stiep-, D. & G. stief-, OHG. stiuf-, Icel. stj, Sw. styf-, and to AS. astepan, asteópan, to deprive, bereave, as children of their parents, OHG. stiufen.]
Defn: A prefix used before father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, child, etc., to indicate that the person thus spoken of is not a blood relative, but is a relative by the marriage of a parent; as, a stepmother to X is the wife of the father of X, married by him after the death of the mother of X. See Stepchild, Stepdaughter, Stepson, etc.
STEPBROTHER Step"broth`er, n.
Defn: A brother by the marriage of one's father with the mother of another, or of one's mother with the father of another.
STEPCHILD Step"child`, n. Etym: [AS. steópcild.]
1. A bereaved child; one who has lost father or mother. [Obs.]
2. A son or daughter of one's wife or husband by a former marriage.
STEPDAME Step"dame`, n.
Defn: A stepmother. Spenser.
STEPDAUGHTER Step"daugh`ter, n. Etym: [AS. steópdohtor.]
Defn: A daughter of one's wife or husband by a former marriage.
STEP-DOWN Step"-down`, a. (Elec.)
Defn: Transforming or converting a current of high potential or pressure into one of low pressure; as, a step-down transformer.
STEPFATHER Step"fa`ther, n. Etym: [AS. steópfæder.]
Defn: The husband of one's mother by a subsequent marriage.
STEPHANION Ste*pha"ni*on, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Anat.)
Defn: The point on the side of the skull where the temporal line, or upper edge of the temporal fossa, crosses the coronal suture.
STEPHANITE Steph"an*ite, n. Etym: [So named after the Archduke Stephan, mining director of Austria.] (Min.)
Defn: A sulphide of antimony and silver of an iron-black color and metallic luster; called also black silver, and brittle silver ore.
STEPHANOTIS Steph`a*no"tis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.
1. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of climbing asclepiadaceous shrubs, of Madagascar, Malaya, etc. They have fleshy or coriaceous opposite leaves, and large white waxy flowers in cymes.
2. A perfume said to be prepared from the flowers of Stephanotis floribunda.
STEPLADDER Step"lad`der, n.
Defn: A portable set of steps.
STEPMOTHER Step"moth`er, n. Etym: [AS. steópmoder.]
Defn: The wife of one's father by a subsequent marriage.
STEPPARENT Step"par`ent, n.
Defn: Stepfather or stepmother.
STEPPE Steppe, n. Etym: [From Russ. stepe, through G. or F. steppe.]
Defn: One of the vast plains in Southeastern Europe and in Asia, generally elevated, and free from wood, analogous to many of the prairies in Western North America. See Savanna. Steppe murrain. (Far.) See Rinderpest.
STEPPED Stepped, a.
Defn: Provided with a step or steps; having a series of offsets or parts resembling the steps of stairs; as, a stepped key. Stepped gear, a cogwheel of which the teeth cross the face in a series of steps.
STEPPER Step"per, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, steps; as, a quick stepper.
STEPPING-STONE Step"ping-stone`, n.
1. A stone to raise the feet above the surface of water or mud in walking.
2. Fig.: A means of progress or advancement. These obstacles his genius had turned into stepping-stones. Macaulay. That men may rise on stepping-stones Of their dead selves to higher things. Tennyson.
STEPSISTER Step"sis`ter, n.
Defn: A daughter of one's stepfather or stepmother by a former marriage.
STEPSON Step"son`, n. Etym: [AS. steópsunu.]
Defn: A son of one's husband or wife by a former marriage.
STEPSTONE Step"stone`, n.
Defn: A stone laid before a door as a stair to rise on in entering the house.
STEP-UP Step"-up`, a. (Elec.)
Defn: Transforming or converting a low-pressure current into one of high pressure; as, a step-up transformer.
-STER -ster. Etym: [OE. & AS. -estre, -istre.]
Defn: A suffix denoting the agent (originally a woman), especially a person who does something with skill or as an occupation; as in spinster (originally, a woman who spins), songster, baxter (= bakester), youngster.
Note: Brewing, baking, and weaving were formerly feminine labors, and consequently brewster, baxter, and webster meant, originally, the woman (not the man) who brews, bakes, or weaves. When men began to perform these duties the feminine appellations were retained.
STERCOBILIN Ster`co*bi"lin, n. Etym: [L. stercus dung + E. bilin.] (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: A coloring matter found in the fæces, a product of the alteration of the bile pigments in the intestinal canal, — identical with hydrobilirubin.
STERCOLIN Ster"co*lin, n. Etym: [L. stercus dung + oleum oil.] (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: Same as Serolin (b).
STERCORACEOUS Ster`co*ra"ceous, a. Etym: [L. stercus, -oris, dung.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to dung; partaking of the nature of, or containing, dung.
STERCORANISM Ster"co*ra*nism, n. (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: The doctrine or belief of the Stercoranists.
STERCORANIST Ster"co*ra*nist, n. Etym: [LL. stercoranista, fr. L. stercus, -oris, dung.] (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: A nickname formerly given to those who held, or were alleged to hold, that the consecrated elements in the eucharist undergo the process of digestion in the body of the recipient.
STERCORARIAN Ster`co*ra"ri*an, n.
Defn: A Stercoranist.
STERCORARY Ster"co*ra*ry, n. Etym: [LL. stercorarium, from L. stercorarius belonging to dung.]
Defn: A place, properly secured from the weather, for containing dung.
STERCORATE Ster"co*rate, n.
Defn: Excrement; dung. [Obs.]
STERCORATION Ster`co*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. stercoratio, from stercorare to dung.]
Defn: Manuring with dung. [Obs.] Bacon.
STERCORIANISM Ster*co"ri*an*ism, n. (Eccl.)
Defn: The doctrine or belief of the Stercoranists.
STERCORIN Ster"co*rin, n. Etym: [L. stercus, -oris, dung.] (Physiol. Chem.)
Defn: Same as Serolin (b).
STERCORY Ster"co*ry, n.
Defn: Excrement; dung. [Obs.]
STERCULIACEOUS Ster*cu`li*a"ceous, a. Etym: [NL. Sterculia, the typical genus, fr. L. Sterculius the deity that presided over manuring, from stercus dung. So called because one of the original species is fetid.] (Bot.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to a natural order (Sterculiaceæ) of polypetalous exogenous plants, mostly tropical. The cacao (Theobroma Cacao) is the most useful plant of the order.
STERE Stere, n. Etym: [F. stère, fr. Gr.
Defn: A unit of cubic measure in the metric system, being a cubic meter, or kiloliter, and equal to 35.3 cubic feet, or nearly 1
STERE Stere, v. t. & i.
Defn: To stir. [Obs.] Chaucer.
STERE Stere, n.
Defn: A rudder. See 5th Steer. [Obs.] Chaucer.
STERE Stere, n.
Defn: Helmsman. See 6th Steer. [Obs.] Chaucer.
STERELMINTHA Ster`el*min"tha, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. stereo`s solid + (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Platyelminthes.
STEREO- Ste"re*o-. Etym: [Gr. stereo`s solid. See Stare to gaze.]
Defn: A combining form meaning solid, hard, firm, as in stereo- chemistry, stereography.
STEREOBATE Ste"re*o*bate, n. Etym: [Gr. stereo`s solid + stéréobate.] (Arch.)
Defn: The lower part or basement of a building or pedestal; — used loosely for several different forms of basement.
STEREO-CHEMIC; STEREO-CHEMICAL Ste`re*o-chem"ic, Ste`re*o-chem"ic*al, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or illustrating, the hypothetical space relations of atoms in the molecule; as, a stereo-chemic formula.
STEREO-CHEMISTRY Ste`re*o-chem"is*try, n. Etym: [Stereo- + chemistry.] (Chem.)
Defn: Chemistry considered with reference to the space relations of atoms.
STEREOCHROME Ste"re*o*chrome, n.
Defn: Stereochromic picture.
STEREOCHROMIC Ste`re*o*chro"mic, a.
Defn: Pertaining to the art of stereochromy; produced by stereochromy. — Ste`re*o*chro"mic*al*ly, adv.
STEREOCHROMY Ste`re*och"ro*my, n. Etym: [Stereo- + Gr. chrw^ma color.]
Defn: A style of painting on plastered walls or stone, in which the colors are rendered permanent by sprinklings of water, in which is mixed a proportion of soluble glass (a silicate of soda).
STEREOELECTRIC Ste`re*o*e*lec"tric, a. Etym: [Stereo- + electric.] (Physics)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the generation of electricity by means of solid bodies alone; as, a stereoelectric current is one obtained by means of solids, without any liquid.
STEREOGRAM Ste"re*o*gram, n. Etym: [Stereo- + -gram.]
Defn: A diagram or picture which represents objects in such a way as to give the impression of relief or solidity; also, a stereograph.
STEREOGRAPH Ste"re*o*graph, n. Etym: [Stereo- + -graph.]
Defn: Any picture, or pair of pictures, prepared for exhibition in the stereoscope. Stereographs are now commonly made by means of photography.
STEREOGRAPHIC; STEREOGRAPHICAL Ste`re*o*graph"ic, Ste`re*o*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. stéréographique.]
Defn: Made or done according to the rules of stereography; delineated on a plane; as, a stereographic chart of the earth. Stereographic projection (Geom.), a method of representing the sphere in which the center of projection is taken in the surface of the sphere, and the plane upon which the projection is made is at right andles to the diameter passing through the center of projection.
STEREOGRAPHICALLY Ste`re*o*graph"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a stereographical manner; by delineation on a plane.
STEREOGRAPHY Ste`re*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Stereo- + graphy: cf. F. stéréographie.]
Defn: The art of delineating the forms of solid bodies on a plane; a branch of solid geometry which shows the construction of all solids which are regularly defined.
Note: By cutting pieces of cardboard, or other suitable material, in the forms represented in the cut, folding them along the lines indicated, and joining their edges, the five regular solids may be formed.
STEREOMETER Ste`re*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Stereo- + meter.] (Physics)
1. An instrument for measuring the solid contents of a body, or the capacity of a vessel; a volumenometer.
2. An instrument for determining the specific gravity of liquid bodies, porous bodies, and powders, as well as solids.
STEREOMETRIC; STEREOMETRICAL Ste`re*o*met"ric, Ste`re*o*met"ric*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. stéréométrique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to stereometry; performed or obtained by stereometry. — Ste`re*o*met"ric*al*ly, adv.
STEREOMETRY Ste`re*om"e*try, n. Etym: [Stereo- + -metry: cf. F. stéréométrie.]
Defn: The art of measuring and computing the cubical contents of bodies and figures; — distinguished from planimetry.
STEREOMONOSCOPE Ste`re*o*mon"o*scope, n. Etym: [Stereo- + mono- + -scope.]
Defn: An instrument with two lenses, by which an image of a single picture projected upon a screen of ground glass is made to present an appearance of relief, and may be viewed by several persons at once.
STEREOPLASM Ste"re*o*plasm, n. Etym: [Stereo- + Gr. (Biol.)
Defn: The solid or insoluble portion of the cell protoplasm. See Hygroplasm.
STEREOPTICON Ste`re*op"ti*con, n. Etym: [NL. See Stereo-, and Optic.]
Defn: An instrument, consisting essentially of a magic lantern in which photographic pictures are used, by which the image of a landscape, or any object, may be thrown upon a screen in such a manner as to seem to stand out in relief, so as to form a striking and accurate representation of the object itself; also, a pair of magic lanterns for producing the effect of dissolving views.
STEREOSCOPE Ste"re*o*scope, n. Etym: [Stereo- + -scope.]
Defn: An optical instrument for giving to pictures the appearance of solid forms, as seen in nature. It combines in one, through a bending of the rays of light, two pictures, taken for the purpose from points of view a little way apart. It is furnished with two eyeglasses, and by refraction or reflection the pictures are superimposed, so as to appear as one to the observer.
Note: In the reflecting stereoscope, the rays from the two pictures are turned into the proper direction for stereoscopic vision by two plane mirrors set at an angle with each other, and between the pictures. In the lenticular stereoscope, the form in general use, the eyeglasses are semilenses, or marginal portions of the same convex lenses, set with their edges toward each other, so that they deflect the rays coming from the picture so as to strike the eyes as if coming direct from an intermediate point, where the two pictures are seen apparently as one.
STEREOSCOPIC; STEREOSCOPICAL Ste`re*o*scop"ic, Ste`re*o*scop"ic*al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the stereoscope; characteristic of, or adapted to, the stereoscope; as, a stereoscopic effect; the stereoscopic function of the eyeglasses; stereoscopic views. — Ste`re*o*scop"ic*al*ly, adv.
STEREOSCOPIST Ste`re*os"co*pist, n.
Defn: One skilled in the use or construction of stereoscopes.
STEREOSCOPY Ste`re*os"co*py, n.
Defn: The art or science of using the stereoscope, or of constructing the instrument or the views used with it.
STEREOSTATIC Ste`re*o*stat"ic, a. Etym: [Stereo- + static.] (Civil. Engin.)
Defn: Geostatic.
STEREOTOMIC; STEREOTOMICAL Ste`re*o*tom"ic, Ste`re*o*tom"ic*al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to stereotomy; performed by stereotomy.
STEREOTOMY Ste`re*ot"o*my, n. Etym: [Stereo- + Gr. stéréotomie.]
Defn: The science or art of cutting solids into certain figures or sections, as arches, and the like; especially, the art of stonecutting.
STEREOTYPE Ste"re*o*type, n. Etym: [Stereo- + -type: cf. F. stéréotype.]
1. A plate forming an exact faximile of a page of type or of an engraving, used in printing books, etc.; specifically, a plate with type-metal face, used for printing.
Note: A stereotype, or stereotypr plate, is made by setting movable type as for ordinary printing; from these a cast is taken in plaster of Paris, paper pulp, or the like, and upon this cast melted type metal is poured, which, when hardened, makes a solid page or column, from which the impression is taken as from type.
2. The art or process of making such plates, or of executing work by means of them. Stereotype block, a block, usually of wood, to which a stereotype plate is attached while being used in printing.
STEREOTYPE Ste"re*o*type, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stereotyped; p. pr. & vb. n. Stereotyping.] Etym: [Cf. F. stéréotyper.]
1. To prepare for printing in stereotype; to make the stereotype plates of; as, to stereotype the Bible.
2. Fig.: To make firm or permanent; to fix. Powerful causes tending to stereotype and aggravate the poverty of old conditions. Duke of Argyll (1887).
STEREOTYPED Ste"re*o*typed, a.
1. Formed into, or printed from, stereotype plates.
2. Fig.: Formed in a fixed, unchangeable manner; as, stereotyped opinions. Our civilization, with its stereotyped ways and smooth conventionalities. J. C. Shairp.
STEREOTYPER Ste"re*o*ty`per, n.
Defn: One who stereotypes; one who makes stereotype plates, or works in a stereotype foundry.
STEREOTYPERY Ste"re*o*ty`per*y, n.
1. The art, process, or employment of making stereotype plates.
2. A place where stereotype plates are made; a stereotype foundry.
STEREOTYPIC Ste`re*o*typ"ic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to stereotype, or stereotype plates.
STEREOTYPIST Ste"re*o*ty`pist, n.
Defn: A stereotyper.
STEREOTYPOGRAPHER Ste`re*o*ty*pog"ra*pher, n.
Defn: A stereotype printer.
STEREOTYPOGRAPHY Ste`re*o*ty*pog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Stereo- + typography.]
Defn: The act or art of printing from stereotype plates.
STEREOTYPY Ste"re*o*ty`py, n. Etym: [Cf. F. stéréotypie.]
Defn: The art or process of making stereotype plates.
STERHYDRAULIC Ster`hy*drau"lic, a. Etym: [Stereo- + hydraulic.]
Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a kind of hydraulic press; resembling such a press in action or principle. Sterhydraulic press, an hydraulic press producing pressure or motion by the introduction of a solid substance (as a long rod, or a cord wound on a roller) into a cylinder previously filled with a liquid.
STERILE Ster"ile, a. Etym: [F. stérile, L. sterilis, akin to Gr. stereo`s stiff, solid, stei^ros barren, stei^ra a cow that has not calved, Goth. stairo, fem., barren. See Stare to gaze.]
1. Producing little or no crop; barren; unfruitful; unproductive; not fertile; as, sterile land; a sterile desert; a sterile year.
2. (Biol.) (a) Incapable of reproduction; unfitted for reproduction of offspring; not able to germinate or bear fruit; unfruitful; as, a sterile flower, which bears only stamens. (b) Free from reproductive spores or germs; as, a sterile fluid.
3. Fig.: Barren of ideas; destitute of sentiment; as, a sterile production or author.
STERILITY Ste*ril"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. sterilitas: cf. F. stérilité.]
1. The quality or condition of being sterile.
2. (Biol.)
Defn: Quality of being sterile; infecundity; also, the state of being free from germs or spores.
STERILIZATION Ster`il*i*za"tion, n. (Biol.)
Defn: The act or process of sterilizing, or rendering sterile; also, the state of being sterile.
STERILIZE Ster"il*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sterilized; p. pr. & vb. n. Sterilizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. stériliser.]
1. To make sterile or unproductive; to impoverish, as land; to exhaust of fertility. [R.] "Sterilizing the earth." Woodward.
2. (Biol.) (a) To deprive of the power of reproducing; to render incapable of germination or fecundation; to make sterile. (b) To destroy all spores or germs in (an organic fluid or mixture), as by heat, so as to prevent the development of bacterial or other organisms.
STERILIZER Ster"il*i`zer, n.
Defn: One that sterilizes anything; specif., an apparatus for sterilizing an organic fluid or mixture.
STERLET Ster"let, n. Etym: [Russ. sterliade.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus) found in the Caspian Sea and its rivers, and highly esteemed for its flavor. The finest caviare is made from its roe.
STERLING Ster"ling, n. (Engin.)
Defn: Same as Starling, 3.
STERLING Ster"ling, n. Etym: [OE. sterlynge, starling, for easterling, LL. esterlingus, probably from Easterling, once the popular name of German trades in England, whose money was of the purest quality: cf. MHG. sterlink a certain coin. Cf. East. "Certain merchants of Norwaie, Denmarke, and of others those parties, called Ostomanni, or (as in our vulgar language we tearme them), easterlings, because they lie east in respect of us." Holinshed. "In the time of . . . King Richard the First, monie coined in the east parts of Germanie began to be of especiall request in England for the puritie thereof, and was called Easterling monie, as all inhabitants of those parts were called Easterlings, and shortly after some of that countrie, skillful in mint matters and allaies, were sent for into this realme to bring the coine to perfection; which since that time was called of them sterling, for Easterling." Camden. "Four thousand pound of sterlings." R. of Gloucester.]
1. Any English coin of standard value; coined money. So that ye offer nobles or sterlings. Chaucer. And Roman wealth in English sterling view. Arbuthnot.
2. A certain standard of quality or value for money. Sterling was the known and approved standard in England, in all probability, from the beginning of King Henry the Second's reign. S. M. Leake.
STERLING Ster"ling, a.
1. Belonging to, or relating to, the standard British money of account, or the British coinage; as, a pound sterling; a shilling sterling; a penny sterling; — now chiefly applied to the lawful money of England; but sterling cost, sterling value, are used. "With sterling money." Shak.
2. Genuine; pure; of excellent quality; conforming to the highest standard; of full value; as, a work of sterling merit; a man of sterling good sense.
STERN Stern, n. Etym: [AS. stearn a kind of bird. See Starling.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The black tern.
STERN Stern, a. [Compar. Sterner; superl. Sternest.] Etym: [OE. sterne, sturne, AS. styrne; cf. D. stuurish stern, Sw. stursk refractory. *166.]
Defn: Having a certain hardness or severity of nature, manner, or aspect; hard; severe; rigid; rigorous; austere; fixed; unchanging; unrelenting; hence, serious; resolute; harsh; as, a sternresolve; a stern necessity; a stern heart; a stern gaze; a stern decree. The sterne wind so loud gan to rout. Chaucer. I would outstare the sternest eyes that look. Shak. When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Shak. Stern as tutors, and as uncles hard. Dryden. These barren rocks, your stern inheritance. Wordsworth.
Syn. — Gloomy; sullen; forbidding; strict; unkind; hard-hearted; unfeeling; cruel; pitiless.
STERN Stern, n. Etym: [Icel. stjorn a steering, or a doubtful AS. steórn. *166. See Steer, v. t.]
1. The helm or tiller of a vessel or boat; also, the rudder. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. (Naut.)
Defn: The after or rear end of a ship or other vessel, or of a boat; the part opposite to the stem, or prow.
3. Fig.: The post of management or direction. And sit chiefest stern of public weal. Shak.
4. The hinder part of anything. Spenser.
5. The tail of an animal; — now used only of the tail of a dog. By the stern. (Naut.) See By the head, under By.
STERN Stern, a.
Defn: Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits. Stern board (Naut.), a going or falling astern; a loss of way in making a tack; as, to make a stern board. See Board, n., 8 (b). — Stern chase. (Naut.) (a) See under Chase, n. (b) A stern chaser. — Stern chaser (Naut.), a cannon placed in a ship's stern, pointing backward, and intended to annoy a ship that is in pursuit. — Stern fast (Naut.), a rope used to confine the stern of a ship or other vessel, as to a wharf or buoy. — Stern frame (Naut.), the framework of timber forms the stern of a ship. — Stern knee. See Sternson. — Stern port (Naut.), a port, or opening, in the stern of a ship. — Stern sheets (Naut.), that part of an open boat which is between the stern and the aftmost seat of the rowers, — usually furnished with seats for passengers. — Stern wheel, a paddle wheel attached to the stern of the steamboat which it propels.stern wheeler.
STERNAGE Stern"age, n.
Defn: Stern. [R.] Shak.
STERNAL Ster"nal, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the sternum; in the region of the sternum. Sternal ribs. See the Note under Rib, n., 1.
STERNBERGITE Stern"berg*ite, n. Etym: [So named after Count Kaspar Sternberg of Prague.] (Min.)
Defn: A sulphide of silver and iron, occurring in soft flexible laminæ varying in color from brown to black.
STERNEBRA Ster"ne*bra, n.; pl. Sternebræ. Etym: [NL., fr. sternum + -bra of vertebra.] (Anat.)
Defn: One of the segments of the sternum. — Ster"ne*bral, a.
STERNED Sterned, a.
Defn: Having a stern of a particular shape; — used in composition; as, square-sterned.
STERNER Stern"er, n. Etym: [See 3d Stern.]
Defn: A director. [Obs. & R.] Dr. R. Clerke.
STERNFOREMOST Stern`fore"most`, adv.
Defn: With the stern, instead of the bow, in advance; hence, figuratively, in an awkward, blundering manner. A fatal genius for going sternforemost. Lowell.
STERNITE Ster"nite, n. Etym: [From Sternum.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The sternum of an arthropod somite.
STERNLY Stern"ly, adv.
Defn: In a stern manner.
STERNMOST Stern"most`, a.
Defn: Farthest in the rear; farthest astern; as, the sternmost ship in a convoy.
STERNNESS Stern"ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being stern.
STERNO- Ster"no-.
Defn: A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the sternum; as, sternocostal, sternoscapular.
STERNOCORACOID Ster`no*cor"a*coid, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the sternum and the coracoid.
STERNOCOSTAL Ster`no*cos"tal, a. Etym: [Sterno- + costal.] (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the sternum and the ribs; as, the sternocostal cartilages.
STERNOHYOID Ster`no*hy"oid, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the sternum and the hyoid bone or cartilage.
STERNOMASTOID Ster`no*mas"toid, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the sternum and the mastoid process.
STERNOTHYROID Ster`no*thy"roid, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the sternum and the thyroid cartilage.
STERNPOST Stern"post`, n. (Naut.)
Defn: A straight piece of timber, or an iron bar or beam, erected on the extremity of the keel to support the rudder, and receive the ends of the planks or plates of the vessel.
STERNSMAN Sterns"man, n.
Defn: A steersman. [Obs.]
STERNSON Stern"son, n. Etym: [See Stern, n., and cf. Stemson.] (Naut.)
Defn: The end of a ship's keelson, to which the sternpost is bolted; — called also stern knee.
STERNUM Ster"num, n.; pl. L. Sterna, E. Sternums. Etym: [NL., from Gr.
1. (Anat.)
Defn: A plate of cartilage, or a series of bony or cartilaginous plates or segments, in the median line of the pectoral skeleton of most vertebrates above fishes; the breastbone.
Note: The sternum is connected with the ribs or the pectorial girdle, or with both. In man it is a flat bone, broad anteriorly, narrowed behind, and connected with the clavicles and the cartilages of the seven anterior pairs of ribs. In most birds it has a high median keel for the attachment of the muscles of the wings.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The ventral part of any one of the somites of an arthropod.
STERNUTATION Ster`nu*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. sternutatio, fr. sternutare to sneeze, intens. from sternuere.]
Defn: The act of sneezing. Quincy.
STERNUTATIVE Ster*nu"ta*tive, a.
Defn: Having the quality of provoking to sneeze.
STERNUTATORY Ster*nu"ta*to*ry, a.
Defn: Sternutative. — n.
Defn: A sternutatory substance or medicine.
STERNWAY Stern"way`, n. (Naut.)
Defn: The movement of a ship backward, or with her stern foremost.
STERN-WHEEL Stern"-wheel`, a.
Defn: Having a paddle wheel at the stern; as, a stern-wheel steamer.
STERN-WHEELER Stern"-wheel`er, n.
Defn: A steamboat having a stern wheel instead of side wheels. [Colloq. U.S.]
STERQUILINOUS Ster*quil"i*nous, a. Etym: [L. sterquilinium a dung pit, fr. stercus dung.]
Defn: Pertaining to a dunghill; hence, mean; dirty; paltry. [Obs.] Howell.
STERRE Ster"re, n.
Defn: A star. [Obs.] Chaucer.
STERRINK Ster"rink, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The crab-eating seal (Lobodon carcinophaga) of the Antarctic Ocean.
STERROMETAL Ster"ro*met`al, n. Etym: [Gr. metal.]
Defn: Any alloy of copper, zinc, tin, and iron, of which cannon are sometimes made.
STERT Stert, obs. p. p. of Start.
Defn: Started. Chaucer.
STERTE Ster"te, obs.
Defn: p. p. of Start. Chaucer.
STERTORIOUS Ster*to"ri*ous, a.
Defn: Stertorous. [R.]
STERTOROUS Ster"to*rous, a. Etym: [L. stertere to snore: cf. F. stertoreux.]
Defn: Characterized by a deep snoring, which accompaines inspiration in some diseases, especially apoplexy; hence, hoarsely breathing; snoring. Burning, stertorous breath that hurt her cheek. Mrs. Browning. The day has ebbed away, and it is night in his room, before his stertorous breathing lulls. Dickens.
STERVE Sterve, v. t. & i.
Defn: To die, or cause to die; to perish. See Starve. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.
STET Stet, Etym: L., subj. 3d pers. sing. of stare to stand, remain. Etym: [See Stand.] (Print.)
Defn: Let it stand; — a word used by proof readers to signify that something once erased, or marked for omission, is to remain.
STET Stet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Stetting.] (Print.)
Defn: To cause or direct to remain after having been marked for omission; to mark with the word stet, or with a series of dots below or beside the matter; as, the proof reader stetted a deled footnote.
STETHAL Steth"al, n. Etym: [Stearic + ethal.] (Chem.)
Defn: One of the higher alcohols of the methane series, homologous with ethal, and found in small quantities as an ethereal salt of stearic acid in spermaceti.
STETHOGRAPH Steth"o*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph.] (Physiol.)
Defn: See Pneumatograph.
STETHOMETER Ste*thom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.] (Physiol.)
Defn: An apparatus for measuring the external movements of a given point of the chest wall, during respiration; — also called thoracometer.
STETHOSCOPE Steth"o*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. -scope: cf. F. stéthoscope.] (Med.)
Defn: An instrument used in auscultation for examining the organs of the chest, as the heart and lungs, by conveying to the ear of the examiner the sounds produced in the thorax.
STETHOSCOPE Steth"o*scope, v. t.
Defn: To auscultate, or examine, with a stethoscope. M. W. Savage.
STETHOSCOPIC; STETHOSCOPICAL Steth`o*scop"ic, Steth`o*scop"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. stéthoscopique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to a stethoscope; obtained or made by means of a stethoscope. — Steth`o*scop"ic*al*ly, adv.
STETHOSCOPIST Ste*thos"co*pist, n.
Defn: One skilled in the use of the stethoscope.
STETHOSCOPY Ste*thos"co*py, n.
Defn: The art or process of examination by the stethoscope.
STEVE Steve, v. t. Etym: [See Stevedore.]
Defn: To pack or stow, as cargo in a ship's hold. See Steeve.
STEVEDORE Ste"ve*dore`, n. Etym: [Sp. estivador a packer, a stower, fr. estivar to pack, to stow, L. stipare to press, compress, probably akin to E. stiff. See Stiff, Stive to stuff.]
Defn: One whose occupation is to load and unload vessels in port; one who stows a cargo in a hold.
STEVEN Ste"ven, n. Etym: [AS. stefn, stemn, voice; akin to D. stem, G. stimme, Goth. stibna.]
1. Voice; speech; language. [Obs. or Scot.] Ye have as merry a steven As any angel hath that is in heaven. Chaucer.
2. An outcry; a loud call; a clamor. [Obs.] Spenser. To set steven, to make an appointment. [Obs.] They setten steven for to meet To playen at the dice. Chaucer.
STEW Stew, n. Etym: [Cf. Stow.]
1. A small pond or pool where fish are kept for the table; a vivarium. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Chaucer. Evelyn.
2. An artificial bed of oysters. [Local, U.S.]
STEW Stew, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stewed; p. pr. & vb. n. Stewing.] Etym: [OE. stuven, OF. estuver, F. étuver, fr. OF. estuve, F. étuve, a sweating house, a room heated for a bath; probably of Teutonic origin, and akin to E. stove. See Stove, and cf. Stive to stew.]
Defn: To boil slowly, or with the simmering or moderate heat; to seethe; to cook in a little liquid, over a gentle fire, without boiling; as, to stew meat; to stew oysters; to stew apples.
STEW Stew, v. i.
Defn: To be seethed or cooked in a slow, gentle manner, or in heat and moisture.
STEW Stew, n. Etym: [OE. stue, stuwe, OF. estuve. See Stew, v. t.]
1. A place of stewing or seething; a place where hot bathes are furnished; a hothouse. [Obs.] As burning Ætna from his boiling stew Doth belch out flames. Spenser. The Lydians were inhibited by Cyrus to use any armor, and give themselves to baths and stews. Abp. Abbot.
2. A brothel; — usually in the plural. Bacon. South. There be that hate harlots, and never were at the stews. Aschman.
3. A prostitute. [Obs.] Sir A. Weldon.
4. A dish prepared by stewing; as, a stewof pigeons.
5. A state of agitating excitement; a state of worry; confusion; as, to be in a stew. [Colloq.]
STEWARD Stew"ard, n. Etym: [OE. stiward, AS. stiweard, stigweard, literally, a sty ward; stigu sty + weard warden, guardian, — his first duty having been probably to attend to the domestic animals. *164. See Sty pen for swine, Ward.]
1. A man employed in a large family, or on a large estate, to manage the domestic concerns, supervise other servants, collect the rents or income, keep accounts, and the like. Worthy to be stewards of rent and land. Chaucer. They came near to the steward of Joseph's house. Gen. xliii. 19. As good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Pet. iv. 10.
2. A person employed in a hotel, or a club, or on board a ship, to provide for the table, superintend the culinary affairs, etc. In naval vessels, the captain's steward, wardroom steward, steerage steward, warrant officers steward, etc., are petty officers who provide for the messes under their charge.
3. A fiscal agent of certain bodies; as, a steward in a Methodist church.
4. In some colleges, an officer who provides food for the students and superintends the kitchen; also, an officer who attends to the accounts of the students.
5. In Scotland, a magistrate appointed by the crown to exercise jurisdiction over royal lands. Erskine. Lord high steward, formerly, the first officer of the crown; afterward, an officer occasionally appointed, as for a coronation, or upon the trial of a peer. [Eng.]
STEWARD Stew"ard, v. t.
Defn: To manage as a steward. [Obs.]
STEWARDESS Stew"ard*ess, n.
Defn: A female steward; specifically, a woman employed in passenger vessels to attend to the wants of female passengers.
STEWARDLY Stew"ard*ly, adv.
Defn: In a manner, or with the care, of a steward. [R.] To be stewardly dispensed, not wastefully spent. Tooker.
STEWARDSHIP Stew"ard*ship, n.
Defn: The office of a steward. Shak.
STEWARTRY Stew"art*ry, n.
1. An overseer or superintendent. [R.] "The stewartry of provisions." Tooke.
2. The office of a steward; stewardship. [R.] Byron.
3. In Scotland, the jurisdiction of a steward; also, the lands under such jurisdiction.
STEWISH Stew"ish, a.
Defn: Suiting a stew, or brothel. Bp. Hall.
STEWPAN Stew"pan`, n.
Defn: A pan used for stewing.
STEWPOT Stew"pot`, n.
Defn: A pot used for stewing.
STEY Stey, n.
Defn: See Stee.
STHENIC Sthen"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. sthénique.] (Med.)
Defn: Strong; active; — said especially of morbid states attended with excessive action of the heart and blood vessels, and characterized by strength and activity of the muscular and nervous system; as, a sthenic fever. Sthenic theory. See Stimulism (a).
STIACCIATO Sti*ac*cia"to, n. Etym: [It., crushed, flattened.] (Sculp.)
Defn: The lowest relief, — often used in Italian sculpture of the 15th and 16th centuries.
STIAN Sti"an, n.
Defn: A sty on the eye. See Styan.
STIBBORN Stib"born, a.
Defn: Stubborn. [Obs.] Chaucer.
STIBIAL Stib"i*al, a. Etym: [See Stibium.]
Defn: Like, or having the qualities of, antimony; antimonial.
STIBIALISM Stib"i*al*ism, n. (Med.)
Defn: Antimonial intoxication or poisoning. Dunglison.
STIBIATED Stib"i*a`ted, a. Etym: [NL. stibiatus, from L. stibium antimony.] (Med. Chem.)
Defn: Combined or impregnated with antimony (stibium). Stibiated tartar. See Tartar emetic, under Tartar.
STIBIC Stib"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Antimonic; — used with reference to certain compounds of antimony.
STIBICONITE Stib"i*co*nite, n. (Min.)
Defn: A native oxide of antimony occurring in masses of a yellow color.
STIBINE Stib"ine, n. (Chem.)
Defn: Antimony hydride, or hydrogen antimonide, a colorless gas produced by the action of nascent hydrogen on antimony. It has a characteristic odor and burns with a characteristic greenish flame. Formerly called also antimoniureted hydrogen.
STIBIOUS Stib"i*ous, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Antimonious. [R.]
STIBIUM Stib"i*um, n. Etym: [L. stibium, stibi, Gr.
1. (Chem.)
Defn: The technical name of antimony.
2. (Min.)
Defn: Stibnite. [Obs.]
STIBNITE Stib"nite, n. (Min.)
Defn: A mineral of a lead-gray color and brilliant metallic luster, occurring in prismatic crystals; sulphide of antimony; — called also antimony glance, and gray antimony.
STIBONIUM Sti*bo"ni*um, n. (Chem.)
Defn: The hypothetical radical SbH4, analogous to ammonium; — called also antimonium.
STICCADO Stic*ca"do, n. Etym: [Cf. It. steccato a palisade.] (Mus.)
Defn: An instrument consisting of small bars of wood, flat at the bottom and rounded at the top, and resting on the edges of a kind of open box. They are unequal in size, gradually increasing from the smallest to the largest, and are tuned to the diatonic scale. The tones are produced by striking the pieces of wood with hard balls attached to flexible sticks.
STICH Stich, n. Etym: [Gr. sti`chos a row, line, akin to to go, march, E. sty, v.i.]
1. A verse, of whatever measure or number of feet.
2. A line in the Scriptures; specifically (Hebrew Scriptures), one of the rhythmic lines in the poetical books and passages of the Old Treatment, as written in the oldest Hebrew manuscripts and in the Revised Version of the English Bible.
3. A row, line, or rank of trees.
STICHIC Stich"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. stichiko`s.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to stichs, or lines; consisting of stichs, or lines. [R.]
STICHIDIUM Sti*chid"i*um, n.; pl. Stichida. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: A special podlike or fusiform branch containing tetraspores. It is found in certain red algæ.
STICHOMANCY Stich"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy.]
Defn: Divination by lines, or passages of books, taken at hazard.
STICHOMETRICAL Stich`o*met"ric*al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to stichometry; characterized by stichs, or lines.
STICHOMETRY Stich*om"e*try, n. Etym: [Gr. -metry.]
1. Measurement of books by the number of lines which they contain.
2. Division of the text of a book into lines; especially, the division of the text of books into lines accommodated to the sense, - - a method of writing manuscripts used before punctuation was adopted.
STICHWORT Stich"wort`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A kind of chickweed (Stellaria Holostea). [Written also stitchwort.]
STICK Stick, n. Etym: [OE. sticke, AS. sticca; akin to stician to stab, prick, pierce, G. stecken a stick, staff, OHG. steccho, Icel. stik a stick. See Stick, v. t..]
1. A small shoot, or branch, separated, as by a cutting, from a tree or shrub; also, any stem or branch of a tree, of any size, cut for fuel or timber. Withered sticks to gather, which might serve Against a winter's day. Milton.
2. Any long and comparatively slender piece of wood, whether in natural form or shaped with tools; a rod; a wand; a staff; as, the stick of a rocket; a walking stick.
3. Anything shaped like a stick; as, a stick of wax.
4. A derogatory expression for a person; one who is inert or stupid; as, an odd stick; a poor stick. [Colloq.]
5. (Print.)
Defn: A composing stick. See under Composing. It is usually a frame of metal, but for posters, handbills, etc., one made of wood is used.
6. A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab. A stick of eels, twenty-five eels. [Prov. Eng.] — Stick chimney, a chimney made of sticks laid crosswise, and cemented with clay or mud, as in some log houses. [U.S.] — Stick insect, (Zoöl.), any one of various species of wingless orthopterous insects of the family Phasmidæ, which have a long round body, resembling a stick in form and color, and long legs, which are often held rigidly in such positions as to make them resemble small twigs. They thus imitate the branches and twigs of the trees on which they live. The common American species is Diapheromera femorata. Some of the Asiatic species are more than a foot long. — To cut one's stick, or To cut stick, to run away. [Slang] De Quincey.
STICK Stick, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stuck (Obs. Sticked (); p. pr. & vb. n. Sticking.] Etym: [OE. stikien, v.t. & i., combined with steken, whence E. stuck), AS. stician, v.t. & i., and (assumed) stecan, v.t.; akin to OFries. steka, OS. stekan, OHG. stehhan, G. stechen, and to Gr. tij to be sharp. Cf. Distinguish, Etiquette, Extinct, Instigate, Instinct, Prestige, Stake, Steak, Stick, n., Stigma, Stimulate, Sting, Stitch in sewing, Style for or in writing.]
1. To penetrate with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to stab; hence, to kill by piercing; as, to stick a beast. And sticked him with bodkins anon. Chaucer. It was a shame . . . to stick him under the other gentleman's arm while he was redding the fray. Sir W. Scott.
2. To cause to penetrate; to push, thrust, or drive, so as to pierce; as, to stick a needle into one's finger. Thou stickest a dagger in me. Shak.
3. To fasten, attach, or cause to remain, by thrusting in; hence, also, to adorn or deck with things fastened on as by piercing; as, to stick a pin on the sleeve. My shroud of white, stuck all with yew. Shak. The points of spears are stuck within the shield. Dryden.
4. To set; to fix in; as, to stick card teeth.
5. To set with something pointed; as, to stick cards.
6. To fix on a pointed instrument; to impale; as, to stick an apple on a fork.
7. To attach by causing to adhere to the surface; as, to stick on a plaster; to stick a stamp on an envelope; also, to attach in any manner.
8. (Print.)
Defn: To compose; to set, or arrange, in a composing stick; as, to stick type. [Cant]
9. (Joinery)
Defn: To run or plane (moldings) in a machine, in contradistinction to working them by hand. Such moldings are said to be stuck.
10. To cause to stick; to bring to a stand; to pose; to puzzle; as, to stick one with a hard problem. [Colloq.]
11. To impose upon; to compel to pay; sometimes, to cheat. [Slang] To stick out, to cause to project or protrude; to render prominent.
STICK Stick, v. i.
1. To adhere; as, glue sticks to the fingers; paste sticks to the wall. The green caterpillar breedeth in the inward parts of roses not blown, where the dew sticketh. Bacon.
2. To remain where placed; to be fixed; to hold fast to any position so as to be moved with difficulty; to cling; to abide; to cleave; to be united closely. A friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Prov. xviii. 24. I am a kind of bur; I shall stick. Shak. If on your fame our sex a bolt has thrown, 'T will ever stick through malice of your own. Young.
3. To be prevented from going farther; to stop by reason of some obstacle; to be stayed. I had most need of blessing, and "Amen" Stuck in my throat. Shak. The trembling weapon passed Through nine bull hides, . . . and stuck within the last. Dryden.
4. To be embarrassed or puzzled; to hesitate; to be deterred, as by scruples; to scruple; — often with at. They will stick long at part of a demonstration for want of perceiving the connection of two ideas. Locke. Some stick not to say, that the parson and attorney forged a will. Arbuthnot.
5. To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation. This is the difficulty that sticks with the most reasonable. Swift. To stick by. (a) To adhere closely to; to be firm in supporting. "We are your only friends; stick by us, and we will stick by you." Davenant. (b) To be troublesome by adhering. "I am satisfied to trifle away my time, rather than let it stick by me." Pope. — To stick out. (a) To project; to be prominent. "His bones that were not seen stick out." Job xxxiii. 21. (b) To persevere in a purpose; to hold out; as, the garrison stuck out until relieved. [Colloq.]v.i. to stick it out. — To stick to, to be persevering in holding to; as, to stick to a party or cause. "The advantage will be on our side if we stick to its essentials." Addison. — To stick up, to stand erect; as, his hair sticks up. — To stick up for, to assert and defend; as, to stick up for one's rights or for a friend. [Colloq.] — To stick upon, to dwell upon; not to forsake. "If the matter be knotty, the mind must stop and buckle to it, and stick upon it with labor and thought." Locke.
STICKED Stick"ed, obs. imp. of Stick.
Defn: Stuck. And in the sand her ship sticked so fast. Chaucer. They sticked not to give their bodies to be burnt. Sir T. Browne.
STICKER Stick"er, n.
1. One who, or that which, sticks; as, a bill sticker.
2. That which causes one to stick; that which puzzles or poses. [Colloq.] Tackeray.
3. (Mus.)
Defn: In the organ, a small wooden rod which connects (in part) a key and a pallet, so as to communicate motion by pushing.
4. Same as Paster, 2. [Political Cant, U.S.]
STICKFUL Stick"ful, n.; pl. Stickfuls (. (Print.)
Defn: As much set type as fills a composing stick.
STICKINESS Stick"i*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being sticky; as, the stickiness of glue or paste.
STICKING Stick"ing,
Defn: a. & n. from Stick, v. Sticking piece, a piece of beef cut from the neck. [Eng.] — Sticking place, the place where a thing sticks, or remains fast; sticking point. But screw your courage to the sticking place, And we'll not fail. Shak. — Sticking plaster, an adhesive plaster for closing wounds, and for similar uses. — Sticking point. Same as Sticking place, above.
STICKIT Stick"it, a.
Defn: Stuck; spoiled in making. [Scot.] Stickit minister, a candidate for the clerical office who fails, disqualified by incompetency or immorality.
STICK-LAC Stick"-lac`, n.
Defn: See the Note under Lac.
STICKLE Stic"kle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stickled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stickling.] Etym: [Probably fr. OE. stightlen, sti, to dispose, arrange, govern, freq. of stihten, AS. stihtan: cf. G. stiften to found, to establish.]
1. To separate combatants by intervening. [Obs.] When he [the angel] sees half of the Christians killed, and the rest in a fair way of being routed, he stickles betwixt the remainder of God's host and the race of fiends. Dryden.
2. To contend, contest, or altercate, esp. in a pertinacious manner on insufficient grounds. Fortune, as she 's wont, turned fickle, And for the foe began to stickle. Hudibras. While for paltry punk they roar and stickle. Dryden. The obstinacy with which he stickles for the wrong. Hazlitt.
3. To play fast and loose; to pass from one side to the other; to trim.
STICKLE Stic"kle, v. t.
1. To separate, as combatants; hence, to quiet, to appease, as disputants. [Obs.] Which [question] violently they pursue, Nor stickled would they be. Drayton.
2. To intervene in; to stop, or put an end to, by intervening; hence, to arbitrate. [Obs.] They ran to him, and, pulling him back by force, stickled that unnatural fray. Sir P. Sidney.
STICKLE Stic"kle, n. Etym: [Cf. stick, v. t. & i.]
Defn: A shallow rapid in a river; also, the current below a waterfall. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Patient anglers, standing all the day Near to some shallow stickle or deep bay. W. Browne.
STICKLEBACK Stic"kle*back`, n. Etym: [OE. & Prov E. stickle a prickle, spine, sting (AS. sticel) + back. See Stick, v. t., and cf. Banstickle.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of numerous species of small fishes of the genus Gasterosteus and allied genera. The back is armed with two or more sharp spines. They inhabit both salt and brackish water, and construct curious nests. Called also sticklebag, sharpling, and prickleback.
STICKLER Stic"kler, n. Etym: [See Stickle, v. t.]
Defn: One who stickles. Specifically: — (a) One who arbitrates a duel; a sidesman to a fencer; a second; an umpire. [Obs.] Basilius, the judge, appointed sticklers and trumpets whom the others should obey. Sir P. Sidney. Our former chiefs, like sticklers of the war, First sought to inflame the parties, then to poise. Dryden.
(b) One who pertinaciously contends for some trifling things, as a point of etiquette; an unreasonable, obstinate contender; as, a stickler for ceremony. The Tory or High-church were the greatest sticklers against the exorbitant proceedings of King James II. Swift.
STICK-SEED Stick"-seed`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A plant (Echinospermum Lappula) of the Borage family, with small blue flowers and prickly nutlets.
STICKTAIL Stick"tail`, n.
Defn: The ruddy duck. [Local, U.S.]
STICK-TIGHT Stick"-tight`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: Beggar's ticks.
STICKY Stick"y, a. [Compar. Stickier; superl. Stickiest.]
Defn: Having the quality of sticking to a surface; adhesive; gluey; viscous; viscid; glutinous; tenacious. Herbs which last longest are those of strong smell, and with a sticky stalk. Bacon.
STIDDY Stid"dy, n. Etym: [See Stithy.]
Defn: An anvil; also, a smith shop. See Stithy. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
STIFF Stiff, a. [Compar. Stiffer; superl. Stiffest.] Etym: [OE. stif, AS. stif; akin to D. stijf, G. steif, Dan. stiv, Sw. styf, Icel. stifr, Lith. stipti to be stiff; cf. L. stipes a post, trunk of a tree, stipare to press, compress. Cf. Costive, Stifle, Stipulate, Stive to stuff.]
1. Not easily bent; not flexible or pliant; not limber or flaccid; rigid; firm; as, stiff wood, paper, joints. [They] rising on stiff pennons, tower The mid aërial sky. Milton.
2. Not liquid or fluid; thick and tenacious; inspissated; neither soft nor hard; as, the paste is stiff.
3. Firm; strong; violent; difficult to oppose; as, a stiff gale or breeze.
4. Not easily subdued; unyielding; stubborn; obstinate; pertinacious; as, a stiff adversary. It is a shame to stand stiff in a foolish argument. Jer. Taylor. A war ensues: the Cretans own their cause, Stiff to defend their hospitable laws. Dryden.
5. Not natural and easy; formal; constrained; affected; starched; as, stiff behavior; a stiff style. The French are open, familiar, and talkative; the Italians stiff, ceremonious, and reserved. Addison.
6. Harsh; disagreeable; severe; hard to bear. [Obs. or Colloq.] "This is stiff news." Shak.
7. (Naut.)
Defn: Bearing a press of canvas without careening much; as, a stiff vessel; — opposed to crank. Totten.
8. Very large, strong, or costly; powerful; as, a stiff charge; a stiff price. [Slang] Stiff neck, a condition of the neck such that the head can not be moved without difficulty and pain.
Syn. — Rigid; inflexible; strong; hardly; stubborn; obstinate; pertinacious; harsh; formal; constrained; affected; starched; rigorous.
STIFF-BACKED Stiff"-backed`, a.
Defn: Obstinate. J. H. Newman.
STIFFEN Stiff"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stiffened; p. pr. & vb. n. Stiffening.] Etym: [See Stiff.]
1. tiono make stiff; to make less pliant or flexible; as, to stiffen cloth with starch. Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood. Shak.
2. To inspissate; to make more thick or viscous; as, to stiffen paste.
3. To make torpid; to benumb.
STIFFEN Stiff"en, v. i.
Defn: To become stiff or stiffer, in any sense of the adjective. Like bristles rose my stiffening hair. Dryden. The tender soil then stiffening by degrees. Dryden. Some souls we see, Grow hard and stiffen with adversity. Dryden.
STIFFENER Stiff"en*er, n.
Defn: One who, or that which, stiffens anything, as a piece of stiff cloth in a cravat.
STIFFENING Stiff"en*ing, n.
1. Act or process of making stiff.
2. Something used to make anything stiff. Stiffening order (Com.), a permission granted by the customs department to take cargo or ballast on board before the old cargo is out, in order to steady the ship.
STIFF-HEARTED Stiff"-heart`ed, a. Etym: [Stiff + heart.]
Defn: Obstinate; stubborn; contumacious. Ezek. ii. 4.
STIFFISH Stiff"ish, a.
Defn: Somewhat stiff.
STIFFLY Stiff"ly, adv.
Defn: In a stiff manner.
STIFF-NECKED Stiff"-necked`, a.
Defn: Stubborn; inflexibly obstinate; contumacious; as, stiff-necked pride; a stiff-necked people. Ex. xxxii. 9.
STIFF-NECKEDNESS Stiff"-neck`ed*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being stiff-necked; stubbornness.
STIFFNESS Stiff"ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being stiff; as, the stiffness of cloth or of paste; stiffness of manner; stiffness of character. The vices of old age have the stiffness of it too. South.
STIFFTAIL Stiff"tail`, n.
Defn: The ruddy duck. [Local, U.S.]
STIFF-TAILED Stiff"-tailed`, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Having the quill feathers of the tail somewhat rigid.
STIFLE Sti"fle, n. Etym: [From Stiff.] (Far.)
Defn: The joint next above the hock, and near the flank, in the hind leg of the horse and allied animals; the joint corresponding to the knee in man; — called also stifle joint. See Illust. under Horse. Stifle bone, a small bone at the stifle joint; the patella, or kneepan.
STIFLE Sti"fle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stifled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stifling.] Etym: [Freq. of OE. stif stiff; cf. Icel. stifla to dam up.]
1. To stop the breath of by crowding something into the windpipe, or introducing an irrespirable substance into the lungs; to choke; to suffocate; to cause the death of by such means; as, to stifle one with smoke or dust. Stifled with kisses, a sweet death he dies. Dryden. I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room. Swift.
2. To stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame. Bodies . . . stifle in themselves the rays which they do not reflect or transmit. Sir I. Newton.
3. To suppress the manifestation or report of; to smother; to conceal from public knowledge; as, to stifle a story; to stifle passion. I desire only to have things fairly represented as they really are; no evidence smothered or stifled. Waterland.
STIFLE Sti"fle, v. i.
Defn: To die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration. You shall stifle in your own report. Shak.
STIFLED Sti"fled, a.
Defn: Stifling. The close and stifled study. Hawthorne.
STIFLER Sti"fler, n.
1. One who, or that which, stifles.
2. (Mil.)
Defn: See Camouflet.
STIGMA Stig"ma, n.; pl. E. Stigmas, L. Stigmata. Etym: [L., a mark, a brand, from Gr. Stick, v. t.]
1. A mark made with a burning iron; a brand.
2. Any mark of infamy or disgrace; sign of moral blemish; stain or reproach caused by dishonorable conduct; reproachful characterization. The blackest stigma that can be fastened upon him. Bp. Hall. All such slaughters were from thence called Bartelmies, simply in a perpetual stigma of that butchery. Sir G. Buck.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: That part of a pistil which has no epidermis, and is fitted to receive the pollen. It is usually the terminal portion, and is commonly somewhat glutinous or viscid. See Illust. of Stamen and of Flower.
4. (Anat.)
Defn: A small spot, mark, scar, or a minute hole; — applied especially to a spot on the outer surface of a Graafian follicle, and to spots of intercellular substance in scaly epithelium, or to minute holes in such spots.
5. (Pathol.)
Defn: A red speck upon the skin, produced either by the extravasation of blood, as in the bloody sweat characteristic of certain varieties of religious ecstasy, or by capillary congestion, as in the case of drunkards.
6. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the external openings of the tracheæ of insects, myriapods, and other arthropods; a spiracle. (b) One of the apertures of the pulmonary sacs of arachnids. See Illust. of Scorpion. (c) One of the apertures of the gill of an ascidian, and of Amphioxus.
7. (Geom.)
Defn: A point so connected by any law whatever with another point, called an index, that as the index moves in any manner in a plane the first point or stigma moves in a determinate way in the same plane.
8. pl. (R. C. Ch.)
Defn: Marks believed to have been supernaturally impressed upon the bodies of certain persons in imitation of the wounds on the crucified body of Christ. See def. 5, above.
STIGMARIA Stig*ma"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Stigma.] (Paleon.)
Defn: The fossil root stem of a coal plant of the genus Sigillaria.
STIGMATA Stig"ma*ta, n.;
Defn: pl. of Stigma.
STIGMATIC Stig*mat"ic, n.
1. A notorious profligate or criminal who has been branded; one who bears the marks of infamy or punishment. [R.] Bullokar.
2. A person who is marked or deformed by nature. Shak.
STIGMATIC; STIGMATICAL Stig*mat"ic, Stig*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [See Stigma.]
1. Marked with a stigma, or with something reproachful to character.
2. Impressing with infamy or reproach. [R.]
3. (Bot., Anat., etc)
Defn: Of or pertaining to a stigma or stigmata. Stigmatic geometry, or Stigmatics, that science in which the correspondence of index and stigma (see Stigma, 7) is made use of to establish geometrical proportions.
STIGMATICALLY Stig*mat"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: With a stigma, or mark of infamy or deformity.
STIGMATIST Stig"ma*tist, n.
Defn: One believed to be supernaturally impressed with the marks of Christ's wounds. See Stigma, 8.
STIGMATIZATION Stig`ma*ti*za"tion, n.
1. The act of stigmatizing.
2. (R. C. Ch.)
Defn: The production of stigmata upon the body. See Stigma, 8.
STIGMATIZE Stig"ma*tize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stigmatized; p. pr. & vb. n. Stigmatizing.] Etym: [F. stigmatiser, Gr.
1. To mark with a stigma, or brand; as, the ancients stigmatized their slaves and soldiers. That . . . hold out both their ears with such delight and ravishment, to be stigmatized and bored through in witness of their own voluntary and beloved baseness. Milton.
2. To set a mark of disgrace on; to brand with some mark of reproach or infamy. To find virtue extolled and vice stigmatized. Addison.
STIGMATOSE Stig"ma*tose`, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Same as Stigmatic.
STIGONOMANCY Stig"o*no*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy.]
Defn: Divination by writing on the bark of a tree.
STIKE Stike, n. Etym: [See Stich.]
Defn: Stanza. [Obs.] Sackville.
STILAR Sti"lar, a. Etym: [From Stile a style.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the style of a dial. [Written also stylar.]
STILBENE Stil"bene, n. Etym: [See Stilbite.] (Chem.)
Defn: A hydrocarbon, C14H12, produced artificially in large, fine crystals; — called also diphenyl ethylene, toluylene, etc.
STILBITE Stil"bite, n. Etym: [Gr. stilbite.] (Min.)
Defn: A common mineral of the zeolite family, a hydrous silicate of alumina and lime, usually occurring in sheaflike aggregations of crystals, also in radiated masses. It is of a white or yellowish color, with pearly luster on the cleavage surface. Called also desmine.
STILE Stile, n. Etym: [See Style.]
1. A pin set on the face of a dial, to cast a shadow; a style. See Style. Moxon.
2. Mode of composition. See Style. [Obs.] May I not write in such a stile as this Bunyan.
STILE Stile, n. Etym: [OE. stile, AS. stigel a step, a ladder, from stigan to ascend; akin to OHG. stigila a stile. *164. See Sty, v. i., and cf. Stair.]
1. A step, or set of steps, for ascending and descending, in passing a fence or wall. There comes my master . . . over the stile, this way. Shak. Over this stile in the way to Doubting Castle. Bunyan.
2. (Arch.)
Defn: One of the upright pieces in a frame; one of the primary members of a frame, into which the secondary members are mortised.
Note: In an ordinary door the principal upright pieces are called stiles, the subordinate upright pieces mullions, and the crosspieces rails. In wainscoting the principal pieces are sometimes called stiles, even when horizontal. Hanging stile, Pulley stile. See under Hanging, and Pulley.
STILET Sti"let, n. Etym: [Written also stilette, and stylet.]
1. A stiletto. [R.]
2. (Surg.)
Defn: See Stylet, 2.
STILETTO Sti*let"to, n.; pl. Stilettos. Etym: [It., dim. of stilo a dagger, fr. L. stilus a pointed instrument. See Style for writing, and cf. Stylet.]
1. A kind of dagger with a slender, rounded, and pointed blade.
2. A pointed instrument for making eyelet holes in embroidery.
3. A beard trimmed into a pointed form. [Obs.] The very quack of fashions, the very he that Wears a stiletto on his chin. Ford.
STILETTO Sti*let"to, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stilettoed; p. pr. & vb. n. Stilettoing.]
Defn: To stab or kill with a stiletto. Bacon.
STILL Still, a. [Compar. Stiller; superl. Stillest.] Etym: [OE. stille, AS. stille; akin to D. stil, OS. & OHG. stilli, G. still, Dan. stille, Sw. stilla, and to E. stall; from the idea of coming to a stand, or halt. Cf. Still, adv.]
1. Motionless; at rest; quiet; as, to stand still; to lie or sit still. "Still as any stone." Chaucer.
2. Uttering no sound; silent; as, the audience is still; the animals are still. The sea that roared at thy command, At thy command was still. Addison.
3. Not disturbed by noise or agitation; quiet; calm; as, a still evening; a still atmosphere. "When all the woods are still." Milton.
4. Comparatively quiet or silent; soft; gentle; low. "A still small voice." 1 Kings xix. 12.
5. Constant; continual. [Obs.] By still practice learn to know thy meaning. Shak.
6. Not effervescing; not sparkling; as, still wines. Still life. (Fine Arts) (a) Inanimate objects. (b) (Painting) The class or style of painting which represents inanimate objects, as fruit, flowers, dead game, etc.
Syn. — Quiet; calm; noiseless; serene; motionless; inert; stagnant.
STILL Still, n. Etym: [Cf. G. stille.]
1. Freedom from noise; calm; silence; as, the still of midnight. [Poetic]
2. A steep hill or ascent. [Obs.] W. Browne.
STILL Still, adv. Etym: [AS. stille quietly. See Still, a. The modern senses come from the idea of stopping and staying still, or motionless.]
1. To this time; until and during the time now present; now no less than before; yet. It hath been anciently reported, and is still received. Bacon.
2. In the future as now and before. Hourly joys be still upon you! Shak.
3. In continuation by successive or repeated acts; always; ever; constantly; uniformly. The desire of fame betrays an ambitious man into indecencies that lessen his reputation; he is still afraid lest any of his actions should be thrown away in private. Addison. Chemists would be rich if they could still do in great quantities what they have sometimes done in little. Boyle.
4. In an increasing or additional degree; even more; — much used with comparatives. The guilt being great, the fear doth still exceed. Shak.
5. Notwithstanding what has been said or done; in spite of what has occured; nevertheless; — sometimes used as a conjunction. See Synonym of But. As sunshine, broken in the rill, Though turned astray, is sunshine still. Moore.
6. After that; after what is stated. In the primitive church, such as by fear being compelled to sacrifice to strange gods, after repented, and kept still the office of preaching the gospel. Whitgift. Still and anon, at intervals and repeatedly; continually; ever and anon; now and then. And like the watchful minutes to the hour, Still and anon cheered up the heavy time. Shak.
STILL Still, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stilling.] Etym: [AS. stillan, from stille still, quiet, firm. See Still, a.]
1. To stop, as motion or agitation; to cause to become quiet, or comparatively quiet; to check the agitation of; as, to still the raging sea. He having a full sway over the water, had power to still and compose it, as well as to move and disturb it. Woodward.
2. To stop, as noise; to silence. With his name the mothers still their babies. Shak.
3. To appease; to calm; to quiet, as tumult, agitation, or excitement; as, to still the passions. Shak. Toil that would, at least, have stilled an unquiet impulse in me. Hawthorne.
Syn. — To quiet; calm; allay; lull; pacify; appease; subdue; suppress; silence; stop; check; restrain.
STILL Still, n. Etym: [Cf. OE. stillatorie. See Still, v., to distill.]
1. A vessel, boiler, or copper used in the distillation of liquids; specifically, one used for the distillation of alcoholic liquors; a retort. The name is sometimes applied to the whole apparatus used in in vaporization and condensation.
2. A house where liquors are distilled; a distillery. Still watcher, a device for indicating the progress of distillation by the density of the liquid given over. Knight.
STILL Still, v. t. Etym: [Abbreviated fr. distill.]
1. To cause to fall by drops.
2. To expel spirit from by heat, or to evaporate and condense in a refrigeratory; to distill. Tusser.
STILL Still, v. i. Etym: [L. stillare. Cf. Distill.]
Defn: To drop, or flow in drops; to distill. [Obs.] Spenser.
STILLAGE Stil"lage, n. (Bleaching)
Defn: A low stool to keep the goods from touching the floor. Knight.
STILLATITIOUS Stil`la*ti"tious, a. Etym: [L. stillaticius, fr. stillare to drop, stilla a drop.]
Defn: Falling in drops; drawn by a still.
STILLATORY Stil"la*to*ry, n.; pl. -ries. Etym: [From Still, for distill. Cf. Still, n., and Distillatory, a.]
1. An alembic; a vessel for distillation. [R.] Bacon.
2. A laboratory; a place or room in which distillation is performed. [R.] Dr. H. More. Sir H. Wotton.
STILLBIRTH Still"birth`, n.
Defn: The birth of a dead fetus.
STILLBORN Still"born`, a.
1. Dead at the birth; as, a stillborn child.
2. Fig.: Abortive; as, a stillborn poem. Swift.
STILL-BURN Still"-burn`, v. t. Etym: [imp. & p. p. still-burnt or Still-burned (; p. pr. & vb. n. Still-burning.]
Defn: To burn in the process of distillation; as, to still-burn brandy.
STILL-CLOSING Still"-clos"ing, a.
Defn: Ever closing. [Obs.] "Still-clothing waters." Shak.
STILLER Still"er, n.
Defn: One who stills, or quiets.
STILLHOUSE Still"house`, n.
Defn: A house in which distillation is carried on; a distillery.
STILL-HUNT Still"-hunt`, n.
Defn: A hunting for game in a quiet and cautious manner, or under cover; stalking; hence, colloquially, the pursuit of any object quietly and cautiously. — Still"-hunt`er, n. — Still"-hunt`ing, n. [U.S.]
STILLICIDE Stil"li*cide, n. Etym: [L. stillicidium; stilla a drop + cadere to fall.]
Defn: A continual falling or succession of drops; rain water falling from the eaves. Bacon.
STILLICIDIOUS Stil`li*cid"i*ous, a.
Defn: Falling in drops. [Obs.]
STILLIFORM Stil"li*form, a. Etym: [L. stilla a drop + -form.]
Defn: Having the form of a drop. Owen.
STILLING Still"ing, n. Etym: [Cf. LG. stelling, G. stellen to set, to place.]
Defn: A stillion. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
STILLION Stil"lion, n. Etym: [See Stilling.]
Defn: A stand, as for casks or vats in a brewery, or for pottery while drying.
STILLNESS Still"ness, n.
1. The quality or state of being still; quietness; silence; calmness; inactivity. Painting, then, was the art demanded by the modern intellect upon its emergence from the stillness of the Middle Ages. J. A. Symonds.
2. Habitual silence or quiet; taciturnity. The gravity and stillness of your youth The world hath noted. Shak.
STILLROOM Still"room`, n.
1. A room for distilling.
2. An apartment in a house where liquors, preserves, and the like, are kept. [Eng.] Floors are rubbed bright, . . . stillroom and kitchen cleared for action. Dickens.
STILLSON WRENCH Still"son wrench.
Defn: A pipe wrench having an adjustable L-shaped jaw piece sliding in a sleeve that is pivoted to, and loosely embraces, the handle. Pressure on the handle increases the grip.
STILLSTAND Still"stand`, n.
Defn: A standstill. [R.] Shak.
STILLY Still"y, a.
Defn: Still; quiet; calm. The stilly hour when storms are gone. Moore.
STILLY Stil"ly, adv.
Defn: In a still manner; quietly; silently; softly. Dr. H. More. The hum of either army stilly sounds. Shak.
STILPNOMELANE Stilp*nom"e*lane, n. Etym: [Gr. stilpno`s shining + me`las, -anos, black.] (Min.)
Defn: A black or greenish black mineral occurring in foliated flates, also in velvety bronze-colored incrustations. It is a hydrous silicate of iron and alumina.
STILT Stilt, n. Etym: [OE. stilte; akin to Dan. stylte, Sw. stylta, LG. & D. stelt, OHG. stelza, G. stelze, and perh. to E. stout.]
1. A pole, or piece of wood, constructed with a step or loop to raise the foot above the ground in walking. It is sometimes lashed to the leg, and sometimes prolonged upward so as to be steadied by the hand or arm. Ambition is but avarice on stilts, and masked. Landor.
2. A crutch; also, the handle of a plow. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any species of limicoline birds belonging to Himantopus and allied genera, in which the legs are remarkably long and slender. Called also longshanks, stiltbird, stilt plover, and lawyer.
Note: The American species (Himantopus Mexicanus) is well known. The European and Asiatic stilt (H. candidus) is usually white, except the wings and interscapulars, which are greenish black. The white-headed stilt (H. leucocephalus) and the banded stilt (Cladorhynchus pectoralis) are found in Australia. Stilt plover (Zoöl.), the stilt. — Stilt sandpiper (Zoöl.), an American sandpiper (Micropalama himantopus) having long legs. The bill is somewhat expanded at the tip.
STILT Stilt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stilted; p. pr. & vb. n. Stilting.]
Defn: To raise on stilts, or as if on stilts.
STILTBIRD Stilt"bird`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Stilt, n., 3.
STILTED Stilt"ed, a.
Defn: Elevated as if on stilts; hence, pompous; bombastic; as, a stilted style; stilted declamation. Stilted arch (Arch.), an arch in which the springing line is some distance above the impost, the space between being occupied by a vertical member, molded or ornamented, as a continuation of the archivolt, intrados, etc.
STILTIFY Stilt"i*fy, v. t. Etym: [Stilt + -fy.]
Defn: To raise upon stilts, or as upon stilts; to stilt.
STILTON CHEESE; STILTON Stil"ton cheese", or Stil"ton, n.
Defn: A peculiarly flavored unpressed cheese made from milk with cream added; — so called from the village or parish of Stilton, England, where it was originally made. It is very rich in fat.
Thus, in the outset he was gastronomic; discussed the dinner from the soup to the stilton. C. Lever.
STILTY Stilt"y, a.
Defn: Unreasonably elevated; pompous; stilted; as, a stilty style.
STIME Stime, n. Etym: [Etymology uncertain.]
Defn: A slight gleam or glimmer; a glimpse. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
STIMEY; STIMIE Sti"mey, Sti"mie, n. & v. t.
Defn: See Stymie.
STIMULANT Stim"u*lant, a. Etym: [L. stimulans, p.pr.; cf. F. stimulant. See Stimulate.]
1. Serving to stimulate.
2. (Physiol.)
Defn: Produced increased vital action in the organism, or in any of its parts.
STIMULANT Stim"u*lant, n. Etym: [Cf. F. stimulant.]
1. That which stimulates, provokes, or excites. His feelings had been exasperated by the constant application of stimulants. Macaulay.
2. (Physiol. & Med.)
Defn: An agent which produces a temporary increase of vital activity in the organism, or in any of its parts; — sometimes used without qualification to signify an alcoholic beverage used as a stimulant.
STIMULATE Stim"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stimulated; p. pr. & vb. n. Stimulating.] Etym: [L. stimulatus, p.p. of stimulare to prick or goad on, to incite, fr. stimulus a goad. See Stimulus.]
1. To excite as if with a goad; to excite, rouse, or animate, to action or more vigorous exertion by some pungent motive or by persuasion; as, to stimulate one by the hope of reward, or by the prospect of glory. To excite and stimulate us thereunto. Dr. J. Scott.
2. (Physiol.)
Defn: To excite; to irritate; especially, to excite the activity of (a nerve or an irritable muscle), as by electricity.
Syn. — To animate; incite; encourage; impel; urge; instigate; irritate; exasperate; incense.
STIMULATION Stim`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. stimulatio: cf. F. stimulation.]
1. The act of stimulating, or the state of being stimulated.
2. (Physiol.)
Defn: The irritating action of various agents (stimuli) on muscles, nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked; especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is thrown into a state of activity; irritation.
STIMULATIVE Stim"u*la*tive, a.
Defn: Having the quality of stimulating. — n.
Defn: That which stimulates.
STIMULATOR Stim"u*la`tor, n. Etym: [L.: cf. F. stimulateur.]
Defn: One who stimulates.
STIMULATRESS Stim"u*la`tress, n.
Defn: A woman who stimulates.
STIMULISM Stim"u*lism, n. (Med.) (a) The theory of medical practice which regarded life as dependent upon stimulation, or excitation, and disease as caused by excess or deficiency in the amount of stimulation. (b) The practice of treating disease by alcoholic stimulants. Dr. H. Hartshorne.
STIMULUS Stim"u*lus, n.; pl. Stimuli. Etym: [L., for stigmulus, akin to L. instigare to stimulate. See Instigare, Stick, v. t.]
1. A goad; hence, something that rouses the mind or spirits; an incentive; as, the hope of gain is a powerful stimulus to labor and action.
2. That which excites or produces a temporary increase of vital action, either in the whole organism or in any of its parts; especially (Physiol.), any substance or agent capable of evoking the activity of a nerve or irritable muscle, or capable of producing an impression upon a sensory organ or more particularly upon its specific end organ.