The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1535
Message shell , a bombshell inside of which papers may be put, in order to convey messages. -- Shell bit , a tool shaped like a gouge, used with a brace in boring wood. See Bit , n. , 3. -- Shell button . (a) A button made of shell . (b) A hollow button made of two pieces, as of metal, one for the front and the other for the back, -- often covered with cloth, silk, etc. -- Shell cameo , a cameo cut in shell instead of stone. -- Shell flower . (Bot.) Same as Turtlehead . -- Shell gland . (Zo\'94l.) (a) A glandular organ in which the rudimentary shell is formed in embryonic mollusks . (b) A glandular organ which secretes the eggshells of various worms, crustacea, mollusks, etc. -- Shell gun , a cannon suitable for throwing shells. -- Shell ibis (Zo\'94l.) , the openbill of India. -- Shell jacket , an undress military jacket. -- Shell lime , lime made by burning the shells of shellfish. -- Shell marl (Min.) , a kind of marl characterized by an abundance of shells, or fragments of shells. -- Shell meat , food consisting of shellfish, or testaceous mollusks. Fuller . -- Shell mound . See under Mound . -- Shell of a boiler , the exterior of a steam boiler, forming a case to contain the water and steam, often inclosing also flues and the furnace; the barrel of a cylindrical, or locomotive, boiler. -- Shell road , a road of which the surface or bed is made of shells, as oyster shells. -- Shell sand , minute fragments of shells constituting a considerable part of the seabeach in some places.
Shell <Xpage=1327>
Shell , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Shelled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Shelling .] 1. To strip or break off the shell of; to take out of the shell, pod, etc.; as, to shell nuts or pease; to shell oysters.
2. To separate the kernels of (an ear of Indian corn, wheat, oats, etc.) from the cob, ear, or husk.
3. To throw shells or bombs upon or into; to bombard; as, to shell a town .
To shell out , to distribute freely; to bring out or pay, as money. [Colloq.]
Shell <Xpage=1327>
Shell , v. i. 1. To fall off, as a shell, crust, etc.
2. To cast the shell, or exterior covering; to fall out of the pod or husk; as, nuts shell in falling .
3. To be disengaged from the ear or husk; as, wheat or rye shells in reaping .
Shell-lac, Shellac <Xpage=1327>
Shell"-lac` , Shel"lac` (?) , n. [ Shell + lac a resinous substance; cf. D. shellak , G. schellack .] See the Note under 2d Lac .
Shellapple <Xpage=1327>
Shell"ap`ple , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Sheldafle .
Shellbark <Xpage=1327>
Shell"bark` (?) , n. (Bot.) A species of hickory ( Carya alba ) whose outer bark is loose and peeling; a shagbark; also, its nut.
Shelled <Xpage=1327>
Shelled (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Having a shell.
Sheller <Xpage=1327>
Shell"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, shells; as, an oyster sheller ; a corn sheller .
Shellfish <Xpage=1327>
Shell"fish` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Any aquatic animal whose external covering consists of a shell, either testaceous, as in oysters, clams, and other mollusks, or crustaceous, as in lobsters and crabs.
Shelling <Xpage=1327>
Shell"ing , n. Groats; hulled oats.
Simmonds.
Shell-less <Xpage=1327>
Shell"-less , a. Having no shell.
J. Burroughs.
Shellproof <Xpage=1327>
Shell"proof` (?) , a. Capable of resisting bombs or other shells; bombproof.
Shellwork <Xpage=1327>
Shell"work` (?) , n. Work composed of shells, or adorned with them.
Cotgrave.
Shelly <Xpage=1327>
Shell"y (?) , a. Abounding with shells; consisting of shells, or of a shell. "The shelly shore."
Prior.
Shrinks backward in his shelly cave. Shak.
Shelter <Xpage=1327>
Shel"ter (?) , n. [Cf. OE. scheltrun , shiltroun , schelltrome , scheldtrome , a guard, squadron, AS. scildtruma a troop of men with shields; scild shield + truma a band of men. See Shield , n. ] 1. That which covers or defends from injury or annoyance; a protection; a screen.
The sick and weak the healing plant shall aid, From storms a shelter , and from heat a shade. Pope.
2. One who protects; a guardian; a defender.
Thou [God] hast been a shelter for me. Ps. lxi. 3.
3. The state of being covered and protected; protection; security.
Who into shelter takes their tender bloom. Young.
Shelter tent , a small tent made of pieces of cotton duck arranged to button together. In field service the soldiers carry the pieces.
Syn. -- Asylum; refuge; retreat; covert; sanctuary; protection; defense; security.
Shelter <Xpage=1327>
Shel"ter (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sheltered (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Sheltering .] 1. To be a shelter for; to provide with a shelter; to cover from injury or annoyance; to shield; to protect.
Those ruins sheltered once his sacred head. Dryden.
You have no convents . . . in which such persons may be received and sheltered . Southey.
2. To screen or cover from notice; to disguise.
In vain I strove to cheek my growing flame, Or shelter passion under friendship's name. Prior.
3. To betake to cover, or to a safe place; -- used reflexively.
They sheltered themselves under a rock. Abp. Abbot.
Shelter <Xpage=1327>
Shel"ter , v. i. To take shelter.
There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat, Shelters in cool. Milton.
Shelterless <Xpage=1327>
Shel"ter*less , a. Destitute of shelter or protection.
Now sad and shelterless perhaps she lies. Rowe.
Sheltery <Xpage=1327>
Shel"ter*y (?) , a. Affording shelter. [R.]
Sheltie, Shelty <Xpage=1327>
Shel"tie (?) , Shel"ty (?) , n. A Shetland pony.
Shelve <Xpage=1327>
Shelve (?) , v. t. 1. To furnish with shelves; as, to shelve a closet or a library .
2. To place on a shelf. Hence: To lay on the shelf; to put aside; to dismiss from service; to put off indefinitely; as, to shelve an officer; to shelve a claim .
Shelve <Xpage=1327>
Shelve , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Shelved (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Shelving .] [Perhapss originally from the same source as shallow , but influenced by shelf a ledge, a platform.] To incline gradually; to be slopping; as, the bottom shelves from the shore .
Shelving <Xpage=1327>
Shelv"ing , a. Sloping gradually; inclining; as, a shelving shore . Shak . " Shelving arches."
Addison.
Shelving <Xpage=1327>
Shelv"ing , n. 1. The act of fitting up shelves; as, the job of shelving a closet .
2. The act of laying on a shelf, or on the shelf; putting off or aside; as, the shelving of a claim .
3. Material for shelves; shelves, collectively.
Shelvy <Xpage=1327>
Shelv"y (?) , a. Sloping gradually; shelving.
The shore was shelving and shallow. Shak.
Shemite <Xpage=1327>
Shem"ite (?) , n. A descendant of Shem.
Shemitic, Shemitish <Xpage=1327>
Shem*it"ic (?) , Shem"i*tish (?) , a. Of or pertaining to Shem , the son of Noah, or his descendants. See Semitic .
Shemitism <Xpage=1327>
Shem"i*tism (?) , n. See Semitism .
Shend <Xpage=1327>
Shend (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Shent (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Shending .] [AS. scendan to disgrace, bring to shame, from sceand , sceond , disgrace, dishonor, shame; akin to G. schande , Goth. skanda . See Shame , n. ] 1. To injure, mar, spoil, or harm. [Obs.] "Loss of time shendeth us."
Chaucer.
I fear my body will be shent . Dryden.
2. To blame, reproach, or revile; to degrade, disgrace, or put to shame. [Archaic]
R. Browning.
The famous name of knighthood foully shend . Spenser.
She passed the rest as Cynthia doth shend The lesser stars. Spenser.
Shendful <Xpage=1327>
Shend"ful (?) , a. Destructive; ruinous; disgraceful. [Obs.] -- Shend"ful*ly , adv. [Obs.]
Fabyan.
Shendship <Xpage=1327>
Shend"ship , n. Harm; ruin; also, reproach; disgrace. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Shent <Xpage=1327>
Shent (?) , obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Shend , for shendeth .
Chaucer.
Shent <Xpage=1327>
Shent , v. t. To shend. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Sheol <Xpage=1327>
She"ol (?) , n. [Heb. sh<?/<?/l .] The place of departed spirits; Hades; also, the grave.
For thou wilt not leave my soul to sheel . Ps. xvi. 10. (Rev. Ver.)
Shepen <Xpage=1327>
Shep"en (?) , n. A stable; a shippen. [Obs.]
The shepne brenning with the blacke smoke. Chaucer.
Shepherd <Xpage=1327>
Shep"herd (?) , n. [OE. schepherde , schephirde , AS. sce\'a0phyrde ; sce\'a0p sheep + hyrde , hirde , heorde , a herd, a guardian. See Sheep , and Herd .] 1. A man employed in tending, feeding, and guarding sheep, esp. a flock grazing at large.
2. The pastor of a church; one with the religious guidance of others.
Shepherd bird (Zo\'94l.) , the crested screamer. See Screamer . -- Shepherd dog (Zo\'94l.) , a breed of dogs used largely for the herding and care of sheep. There are several kinds, as the collie, or Scotch shepherd dog, and the English shepherd dog. Called also shepherd's dog . -- Shepherd dog , a name of Pan. Keats . -- Shepherd kings , the chiefs of a nomadic people who invaded Egypt from the East in the traditional period, and conquered it, at least in part. They were expelled after about five hundred years, and attempts have been made to connect their expulsion with narrative in the book of Exodus. -- Shepherd's club (Bot.) , the common mullein. See Mullein . -- Shepherd's crook , a long staff having the end curved so as to form a large hook, -- used by shepherds. -- Shepherd's needle (Bot.) , the lady's comb. -- Shepherd's plaid , a kind of woolen cloth of a checkered black and white pattern. -- Shephered spider (Zo\'94l.) , a daddy longlegs, or harvestman. -- Shepherd's pouch , ∨ Shepherd's purse (Bot.) , an annual cruciferous plant ( Capsella Bursapastoris ) bearing small white flowers and pouchlike pods. See Illust . of Silicle . -- Shepherd's rod , ∨ Shepherd's staff (Bot.) , the small teasel.
Shepherd <Xpage=1327>
Shep"herd , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Shepherded ; p. pr. & vb. n. Shepherding .] To tend as a shepherd; to guard, herd, lead, or drive, as a shepherd. [Poetic]
White, fleecy clouds . . .
Shepherded by the slow, unwilling wind.
Shelley.
Shepherdess <Xpage=1327>
Shep"herd*ess , n. A woman who tends sheep; hence, a rural lass.
She put herself into the garb of a shepherdess . Sir P. Sidney.
Shepherdia <Xpage=1327>
Shep*her"di*a (?) , n. ; pl. Shepherdias (#) . [NL. So called from John Shepherd , an English botanist.] (Bot.) A genus of shrubs having silvery scurfy leaves, and belonging to the same family as El\'91agnus; also, any plant of this genus. See Buffalo berry , under Buffalo .
<page="1328"> Page 1328
Shepherdish <Xpage=1328>
Shep"herd*ish (?) , n. Resembling a shepherd; suiting a shepherd; pastoral.
Sir T. Sidney.
Shepherdism <Xpage=1328>
Shep"herd*ism (?) , n. Pastoral life or occupation.
Shepherdling <Xpage=1328>
Shep"herd*ling (?) , n. A little shepherd.
Shepherdly <Xpage=1328>
Shep"herd*ly (?) , a. Resembling, or becoming to, a shepherd; pastoral; rustic. [R.]
Jer. Taylor.
Shepster <Xpage=1328>
Shep"ster (?) , n. A seamstress. [Obs.]
Caxton.
Sherbet <Xpage=1328>
Sher"bet (?) , n. [Ar. sherbet , shorbet , sharbat , properly, one drink or sip, a draught, beverage, from shariba to drink. Cf. Sorbet , Sirup , Shrub a drink.] 1. A refreshing drink, common in the East, made of the juice of some fruit, diluted, sweetened, and flavored in various ways; as, orange sherbet ; lemon sherbet ; raspberry sherbet , etc.
2. A flavored water ice.
3. A preparation of bicarbonate of soda, tartaric acid, sugar, etc., variously flavored, for making an effervescing drink; -- called also sherbet powder .
Sherd <Xpage=1328>
Sherd (?) , n. A fragment; -- now used only in composition, as in pot sherd . See Shard .
The thigh . . . which all in sherds it drove. Chapman.
Shereef, Sherif <Xpage=1328>
Sher"eef (?) , Sher"if (?) , n. [Ar. sher\'c6f noble, holy, n., a prince.] A member of an Arab princely family descended from Mohammed through his son-in-law Ali and daughter Fatima. The Grand Shereef is the governor of Mecca.
Sheriat <Xpage=1328>
Sher"i*at (?) , n. [Turk. sher\'c6 'at ] The sacred law of the Turkish empire.
Sheriff <Xpage=1328>
Sher"iff , n. [OE. shereve , AS. sc\'c6r-ger<?/fa ; sc\'c6r a shire + ger<?/fa a reeve. See Shire, and Reeve , and cf. Shrievalty .] The chief officer of a shire or county, to whom is intrusted the execution of the laws, the serving of judicial writs and processes, and the preservation of the peace.
&hand; In England, sheriffs are appointed by the king. In the United States, sheriffs are elected by the legislature or by the citizens, or appointed and commissioned by the executive of the State. The office of sheriff in England is judicial and ministerial. In the United States, it is mainly ministerial. The sheriff, by himself or his deputies, executes civil and criminal process throughout the county, has charge of the jail and prisoners, attends courts, and keeps the peace. His judicial authority is generally confined to ascertaining damages on writs of inquiry and the like. Sheriff , in Scotland, called sheriff depute , is properly a judge, having also certain ministerial powers. Sheriff clerk is the clerk of the Sheriff's Court in Scotland. Sheriff's Court in London is a tribunal having cognizance of certain personal actions in that city.
Wharton, Tomlins. Erskine.
Sheriffalty, Sheriffdom, Sheriffry, Sheriffship, Sheriffwick <Xpage=1328>
Sher"iff*al*ty (?) , Sher"iff*dom (?) , Sher"iff*ry (?) , Sher"iff*ship (?) , Sher"iff*wick (?) , n. The office or jurisdiction of sheriff. See Shrievalty .
Shern <Xpage=1328>
Shern (?) , n. See Shearn . [Obs.]
Sherris <Xpage=1328>
Sher"ris (?) , n. Sherry. [Obs.]
Shak.
Sherry <Xpage=1328>
Sher"ry (?) , n. [So called from Xeres , a Spanish town near Cadiz, x in Spanish having been formerly pronounced like sh in English.] A Spanish light-colored dry wine, made in Andalusia. As prepared for commerce it is colored a straw color or a deep amber by mixing with it cheap wine boiled down.
Sherry cobbler , a beverage prepared with sherry wine, water, lemon or orange, sugar, ice, etc., and usually imbided through a straw or a glass tube.
Sherryvallies <Xpage=1328>
Sher"ry*val`lies (?) , n. pl. [Cf. Sp. zaraquelles wide breeches or overalls.] Trousers or overalls of thick cloth or leather, buttoned on the outside of each leg, and generally worn to protect other trousers when riding on horseback. [Local, U.S.]
Bartlett.
Shet <Xpage=1328>
Shet (?) , v. t. & i. [ imp. Shet . ( Obs. Shette (<?/ ∨ <?/) ); p. pr. Shet ; p. pr. & vb. n. Shetting .] To shut. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
Chaucer.
Shete <Xpage=1328>
Shete (?) , v. t. & i. To shoot. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Sheth <Xpage=1328>
Sheth (?) , n. The part of a plow which projects downward beneath the beam, for holding the share and other working parts; -- also called standard , or post .
Shetland pony <Xpage=1328>
Shet"land po"ny (?) . One of a small, hardy breed of horses, with long mane and tail, which originated in the Shetland Islands; a sheltie.
Shew <Xpage=1328>
Shew (?) , v. t. & i. See Show .
Shew <Xpage=1328>
Shew , n. Show. [Obs. except in shewbread.]
Shewbread <Xpage=1328>
Shew"bread` (?) . See Showbread .
Shewel <Xpage=1328>
Shew"el (?) , n. A scarecrow. [Obs.]
Trench.
Shewer <Xpage=1328>
Shew"er (?) , n. One who shews. See Shower .
Shewn <Xpage=1328>
Shewn (?) , p. p. of Shew .
Shiah <Xpage=1328>
Shi"ah (?) , n. Same as Shiite .
Shibboleth <Xpage=1328>
Shib"bo*leth (?) , n. [Heb. shibb&omac;leth an ear of corn, or a stream, a flood.] 1. A word which was made the criterion by which to distinguish the Ephraimites from the Gileadites. The Ephraimites, not being able to pronounce sh , called the word sibboleth . See Judges xii .
Without reprieve, adjudged to death, For want of well pronouncing shibboleth . Milton.
Also in an extended sense .
The th , with its twofold value, is . . . the shibboleth of foreigners. Earle.
2. Hence, the criterion, test, or watchword of a party; a party cry or pet phrase.
Shide <Xpage=1328>
Shide (?) , n. [OE. shide , schide , AS. sc\'c6de ; akin to OHG. sc\'c6t , G. scheit , Icel. sk\'c6<?/ , and E. shed , v.t.] A thin board; a billet of wood; a splinter. [Prov. Eng.]
Shie <Xpage=1328>
Shie (?) , v. t. See Shy , to throw.
Shied <Xpage=1328>
Shied (?) , imp. & p. p. of Shy .
Shiel <Xpage=1328>
Shiel , n. A sheeling. [Scot.]
Burns.
Shield <Xpage=1328>