Chapter 1511

4. (law) To take possession of by virtue of a warrant or other legal authority; as, the sheriff seized the debtor's goods .

5. To fasten; to fix. [Obs.]

As when a bear hath seized her cruel claws Upon the carcass of some beast too weak. Spenser.

6. To grap with the mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly; as, to seize an idea .

7. (Naut.) To bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff, as yarn or marline; as, to seize ropes .

&hand; This word, by writers on law, is commonly written seise , in the phrase to be seised of (an estate), as also, in composition, disseise , disseisin .

To be seized of , to have possession, or right of possession; as, A B was seized and possessed of the manor of Dale. "Whom age might see seized of what youth made prize." Chapman . -- To seize on ∨ upon , to fall on and grasp; to take hold on; to take possession of suddenly and forcibly.

Syn. -- To catch; grasp; clutch; snatch; apprehend; arrest; take; capture.

Seizer <Xpage=1305>

Seiz"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, seizes.

Seizin <Xpage=1305>

Sei"zin (?) , n. [F. saisine . See Seize .] 1. (Law) Possession; possession of an estate of froehold. It may be either in deed or in law ; the former when there is actual possession, the latter when there is a right to such possession by construction of law. In some of the United States seizin means merely ownership .

Burrill.

2. The act of taking possession. [Obs.]

3. The thing possessed; property.

Sir M. Halle.

&hand; Commonly spelt by writers on law seisin .

Livery of seizin . (Eng. Law) See Note under Livery , 1.

Seizing <Xpage=1305>

Seiz"ing (?) , n. 1. The act of taking or grasping suddenly.

2. (Naut.) (a) The operation of fastening together or lashing. (b) The cord or lashing used for such fastening.

Seizor <Xpage=1305>

Sei"zor (?) , n. (Law) One who seizes, or takes possession.

Seizure <Xpage=1305>

Sei"zure (?) , n. 1. The act of seizing, or the state of being seized; sudden and violent grasp or gripe; a taking into possession; as, the seizure of a thief, a property, a throne, etc.

2. Retention within one's grasp or power; hold; possession; ownership.

Make o'er thy honor by a deed of trust, And give me seizure of the mighty wealth. Dryden.

3. That which is seized, or taken possession of; a thing laid hold of, or possessed.

Sejant, Sejeant <Xpage=1305>

Se"jant , Se"jeant (?) , a. [F. s\'82ant , p. pr. of seoir to sit, L. sedere .] (Her.) Sitting, as a lion or other beast.

Sejant rampant , sitting with the forefeet lifted up.

Wright.

Sejein <Xpage=1305>

Se*jein" (?) , v. t. [L. sejungere ; pref. se- aside + jungere to join. See Join .] To separate. [Obs.]

Sejunction <Xpage=1305>

Se*junc"tion (?) , n. [L. sejunctio . See Sejoin .] The act of disjoining, or the state of being disjoined. [Obs.]

Bp. Pearson.

Sejungible <Xpage=1305>

Se*jun"gi*ble (?) , a. [See Sejoin .] Capable of being disjoined. [Obs.]

Bp. Pearson.

Seke <Xpage=1305>

Seke (?) , a. Sick. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Seke <Xpage=1305>

Seke (?) , v. t. & i. To seek. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Sekes <Xpage=1305>

Se"kes (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a pen, a sacred inclosure, a shrine.] (Arch.) A place in a pagan temple in which the images of the deities were inclosed.

Selachian <Xpage=1305>

Se*la"chi*an (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) One of the Selachii. See Illustration in Appendix.

Selachii <Xpage=1305>

Se*la"chi*i (?) , n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/ a fish having cartilages instead of bones.] (Zo\'94l.) An order of elasmobranchs including the sharks and rays; the Plagiostomi. Called also Selacha , Selache , and Selachoidei .

Selachoidei <Xpage=1305>

Sel`a*choi"de*i (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Selachii , and -oid .] (Zo\'94l.) Same as Selachii .

Selachostomi <Xpage=1305>

Sel`a*chos"to*mi (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Selachii , and Stoma .] (Zo\'94l.) A division of ganoid fishes which includes the paddlefish, in which the mouth is armed with small teeth.

Selaginella <Xpage=1305>

Sel`a*gi*nel"la (?) , n. [NL., fr. L. selago , -inis , a kind of plant.] (Bot.) A genus of cryptogamous plants resembling Lycopodia, but producing two kinds of spores; also, any plant of this genus. Many species are cultivated in conservatories.

Selah <Xpage=1305>

Se"lah (?) , n. [Heb. sel\'beh .] (Script.) A word of doubtful meaning, occuring frequently in the Psalms; by some, supposed to signify silence or a pause in the musical performance of the song.

Beyond the fact that Selach is a musical term, we know absolutely nothing about it. Dr. W. Smith (Bib. Dict.)

Selcouth <Xpage=1305>

Sel"couth (?) , n. [AS. selc<?/<?/ , seldc<?/<?/ ; seld rare + c<?/<?/ known. See Uncouth .] Rarely known; unusual; strange. [Obs.]

[She] wondered much at his so selcouth case. Spenser.

Seld <Xpage=1305>

Seld (?) , a. [See Seldom .] Rare; uncommon; unusual. [Obs.]

Chaucer. Spenser.

Seld <Xpage=1305>

Seld , adv. Rarely; seldom. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Selden <Xpage=1305>

Sel"den (?) , adv. Seldom. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Seldem <Xpage=1305>

Sel"dem (?) , adv. [Usually, compar . More seldom (<?/) ; superl . Most seldom (<?/) ; but sometimes also, Seldomer (<?/) , Seldomest .] [AS. seldan , seldon , seldum , fr. seld rare; akin to OFries. sielden , D. zelden , G. selten , OHG. seltan , Icel. sjaldan , Dan. sielden , Sw. s\'84llan , Goth. sildaleiks marvelous.] Rarely; not often; not frequently.

Wisdom and youth are seldom joined in one. Hooker.

Seldom <Xpage=1305>

Sel"dom (?) , a. Rare; infrequent. [Archaic.] "A suppressed and seldom anger."

Jer. Taylor.

Seldomness <Xpage=1305>

Sel"dom*ness , n. Rareness.

Hooker.

Seldseen <Xpage=1305>

Seld"seen` (?) , a. [AS. seldsiene .] Seldom seen. [Obs.]

Drayton.

Seldshewn <Xpage=1305>

Seld"shewn` (?) , a. [ Seld + shown .] Rarely shown or exhibited. [Obs.]

Shak.

Select <Xpage=1305>

Se*lect" (?) , a. [L. selectus , p. p. of seligere to select; pref. se- aside + levere to gather. See Legend .] Taken from a number by preferance; picked out as more valuable or exellent than others; of special value or exellence; nicely chosen; selected; choice.

A few select spirits had separated from the crowd, and formed a fit audience round a far greater teacher. Macaulay.

Select <Xpage=1305>

Se*lect" , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Selected ; p. pr. & vb. n. Selecting .] To choose and take from a number; to take by preference from among others; to pick out; to cull; as, to select the best authors for perusal . "One peculiar nation to select ."

Milton.

The pious chief . . . A hundred youths from all his train selects . Dryden.

Selectedly <Xpage=1305>

Se*lect"ed*ly , adv. With care and selection. [R.]

Selection <Xpage=1305>

Se*lec"tion (?) , n. [L. selectio : cf. F. s\'82lection .] . The act of selecting, or the state of being selected; choice, by preference.

2. That which is selected; a collection of things chosen; as, a choice selection of books .

Natural selection . (Biol.) See under Natural .

Selective <Xpage=1305>

Se*lect"ive (?) , a. Selecting; tending to select.

This selective providence of the Almighty. Bp. Hall.

Selectman <Xpage=1305>

Se*lect"man (?) , n. ; pl. Selectmen (<?/) . One of a board of town officers chosen annually in the New England States to transact the general public business of the town, and have a kind of executive authority. The number is usually from three to seven in each town.

The system of delegated town action was then, perhaps, the same which was defined in an "order made in 1635 by the inhabitants of Charlestown at a full meeting for the government of the town, by selectmen ;" the name presently extended throughout New England to municipal governors. Palfrey.

Selectness <Xpage=1305>

Se*lect"ness , n. The quality or state of being select.

Selector <Xpage=1305>

Se*lect"or (?) , n. [L.] One who selects.

Selenate <Xpage=1305>

Sel"e*nate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of selenic acid; -- formerly called also seleniate .

Selenhydric <Xpage=1305>

Sel`en*hy"dric (?) , a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, hydrogen selenide, H2Se , regarded as an acid analogous to sulphydric acid.

Selenic <Xpage=1305>

Se*len"ic (?) , a. [Cf. F. s\'82l\'82nique .] (Chem.) Of or pertaining to selenium; derived from, or containing, selenium; specifically, designating those compounds in which the element has a higher valence as contrasted with selenious compounds.

Selenide <Xpage=1305>

Sel"e*nide (?) , n. (Chem.) A binary compound of selenium, or a compound regarded as binary; as, ethyl selenide .

Seleniferous <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*nif"er*ous (?) , a. [ Selenium + -ferous . ] Containing, or impregnated with, selenium; as, seleniferous pyrites .

Selenio- <Xpage=1305>

Se*le"ni*o- (<?/) . (Chem.) A combining form (also used adjectively) denoting the presence of selenium or its compounds ; as, selenio -phosphate, a phosphate having selenium in place of all, or a part, of the oxygen .

Selenious <Xpage=1305>

Se*le"ni*ous (?) , a. [Cf. F. s\'82l\'82nieux .] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or containing, selenium; specifically, designating those compounds in which the element has a lower valence as contrasted with selenic compounds.

Selenite <Xpage=1305>

Sel"e*nite (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of selenious acid.

Selenite <Xpage=1305>

Sel"e*nite , n. [L. selenites , Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/ (sc. <?/<?/<?/), from <?/<?/<?/ the moon. So called from a fancied resemblance in luster or appearance to the moon.] (Min.) A variety of gypsum, occuring in transparent crystals or crystalline masses.

Selenitic, Selenitical <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*nit"ic (?) , Sel`e*nit"ic*al (?) , a. (Min.) Of or pertaining to selenite; resembling or containing selenite.

Selenium <Xpage=1305>

Se*le"ni*um (?) , n. [NL., from Gr. <?/<?/<?/ the moon. So called because of its chemical analogy to tellurium (from L. tellus the earth), being, as it were, a companion to it.] (Chem.) A nonmetallic element of the sulphur group, and analogous to sulphur in its compounds. It is found in small quantities with sulphur and some sulphur ores, and obtained in the free state as a dark reddish powder or crystalline mass, or as a dark metallic-looking substance. It exhibits under the action of light a remarkable variation in electric conductivity, and is used in certain electric apparatus. Symbol Se. Atomic weight 78.9.

Seleniuret <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*ni"u*ret (?) , n. (CHem.) A selenide. [Obs.]

Seleniureted <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*ni"u*ret`ed (?) , a. (Chem.) Combined with selenium as in a selenide; as, seleniureted hydrogen . [Written also seleniuretted .] [Obsoles.]

Selenecentric <Xpage=1305>

Se*le`ne*cen"tric (?) , a. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/ the moon + E. centric .] (Astron.) As seen or estimated from the center of the moon; with the moon central.

Selenograph <Xpage=1305>

Se*le"no*graph (?) , n. A picture or delineation of the moon's surface, or of any part of it.

Selenographer <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*nog"ra*pher (?) , n. One skilled in selenography.

Wright.

Selenographic, Selenographical <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*no*graph"ic (?) , Sel`e*no*graph"i*cal (?) , a. [Cf. F. s\'82l\'82nographique .] Of or pertaining to selenography.

Selenographist <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*nog"ra*phist (?) , n. A selenographer.

Selenography <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*nog"ra*phy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/ the moon + -graphy .] The science that treats of the physical features of the moon; -- corresponding to physical geography in respect to the earth. "Accurate selenography , or description of the moon."

Sir T. Browne.

Selenonium <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*no"ni*um (?) , n. [ Selenium + sulph onium .] (Chem.) A hypothetical radical of selenium, analogous to sulphonium. [R.]

Selenology <Xpage=1305>

Sel`e*nol"o*gy , n. [Gr.<?/<?/<?/ the mean + -logy .] That branch of astronomy which treats of the moon. -- Sel`e*no*log"i*cal (#) , a.

Self <Xpage=1305>

Self (?) , a. [AS. self , seolf , sylf ; akin to OS. self , OFries. self , D. zelf , G. selb , selber , selbst , Dan. selv . Sw. sjelf , Icel. sj\'belfr , Goth. silba . Cf. Selavage .] Same; particular; very; identical. [Obs., except in the compound selfsame.] "On these self hills."

Sir. W. Raleigh.

To shoot another arrow that self way Which you did shoot the first. Shak.

At that self moment enters Palamon. Dryden.

Self <Xpage=1305>

Self , n. ; pl. Selves (<?/) . 1. The individual as the object of his own reflective consciousness; the man viewed by his own cognition as the subject of all his mental phenomena, the agent in his own activities, the subject of his own feelings, and the possessor of capacities and character; a person as a distinct individual; a being regarded as having personality. "Those who liked their real selves ."

Addison.

A man's self may be the worst fellow to converse with in the world. Pope.

The self , the I, is recognized in every act of intelligence as the subject to which that act belongs. It is I that perceive, I that imagine, I that remember, I that attend, I that compare, I that feel, I that will, I that am conscious. Sir W. Hamilton.

2. Hence, personal interest, or love of private interest; selfishness; as, self is his whole aim .

3. Personification; embodiment. [Poetic.]

She was beauty's self . Thomson.

&hand; Self is united to certain personal pronouns and pronominal adjectives to express emphasis or distinction. Thus, for emphasis; I myself will write; I will examine for myself ; thou thyself shalt go; thou shalt see for thyself ; you yourself shall write; you shall see for yourself ; he himself shall write; he shall examine for himself ; she herself shall write; she shall examine for herself ; the child itself shall be carried; it shall be present itself . It is also used reflexively; as, I abhor myself ; thou enrichest thyself ; he loves himself ; she admires herself ; it pleases itself ; we walue ourselves ; ye hurry yourselves ; they see themselves . Himself , herself , themselves , are used in the nominative case, as well as in the objective. "Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples." John iv. 2.

&hand; Self is used in the formation of innumerable compounds, usually of obvious signification, in most of which it denotes either the agent or the object of the action expressed by the word with which it is joined, or the person in behalf of whom it is performed, or the person or thing to, for, or towards whom or which a quality, attribute, or feeling expressed by the following word belongs, is directed, or is exerted, or from which it proceeds; or it denotes the subject of, or object affected by, such action, quality, attribute, feeling, or the like; as, self -abandoning, self -abnegation, self-abhorring, self-absorbed , self -accusing, self -adjusting, self -balanced, self -boasting, self -canceled, self -combating, self -commendation, self -condemned, self -conflict, self -conquest, self -constituted, self -consumed, self -contempt, self -controlled, self -deceiving, self -denying, self -destroyed, self -disclosure, self -display, self -dominion, self -doomed, self -elected, self -evolved, self -exalting, self -excusing, self -exile, self -fed, self -fulfillment, self -governed, self -harming, self -helpless, self -humiliation, self -idolized, self -inflicted, self -improvement, self -instruction, self -invited, self -judging, self -justification, self -loathing, self -loving, self -maintenance, self -mastered, self -nourishment, self -perfect, self -perpetuation, self -pleasing, self -praising, self -preserving, self -questioned, self -relying, self -restraining, self -revelation, self -ruined, self -satisfaction, self -support, self -sustained, self -sustaining, self -tormenting, self -troubling, self -trust, self -tuition, self -upbraiding, self -valuing, self -worshiping, and many others.

Self-abased <Xpage=1305>

Self`-a*based" (?) , a. Humbled by consciousness of inferiority, unworthiness, guilt, or shame.

Self-abasement <Xpage=1305>

Self`-a*base"ment (?) , n. 1. Degradation of one's self by one's own act.

2. Humiliation or abasement proceeding from consciousness of inferiority, guilt, or shame.

Self-abasing <Xpage=1305>

Self`-a*bas"ing , a. Lowering or humbling one's self.

Self-abhorrence <Xpage=1305>

Self`-ab*hor"rence (?) , n. Abhorrence of one's self.

Self-abnegation <Xpage=1305>

Self`-ab`ne*ga"tion (?) , n. Self-denial; self-renunciation; self-sacrifice.

Self-abuse <Xpage=1305>

Self`-abuse" (?) , n. 1. The abuse of one's own self, powers, or faculties.

2. Self-deception; delusion. [Obs.]

Shak.

3. Masturbation; onanism; self-pollution.

Self-accused <Xpage=1305>

Self"-ac*cused" (?) , a. Accused by one's self or by one's conscience. "Die self-accused ."

Cowper.

Self-acting <Xpage=1305>