The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1686
Swording <Xpage=1460>
Sword"ing (?) , n. Slashing with a sword.
Tennyson.
Swordless <Xpage=1460>
Sword"less (?) , a. Destitute of a sword.
Swordman <Xpage=1460>
Sword"man (?) , n. ; pl. Swordmen (<?/) . A swordsman. "Sinewy swordmen ."
Shak.
Swordplay <Xpage=1460>
Sword"play` (?) , n. Fencing; a sword fight.
Swordplayer <Xpage=1460>
Sword"play`er (?) , n. A fencer; a gladiator; one who exhibits his skill in the use of the sword.
Sword-shaped <Xpage=1460>
Sword"-shaped` (?) , a. (Bot.) Shaped like a sword; ensiform, as the long, flat leaves of the Iris, cattail, and the like.
Swordsman <Xpage=1460>
Swords"man (?) , n. ; pl. Swordsmen (<?/) . 1. A soldier; a fighting man.
2. One skilled of a use of the sword; a professor of the science of fencing; a fencer.
Swordsmanship <Xpage=1460>
Swords"man*ship , n. The state of being a swordsman; skill in the use of the sword.
Cowper.
Swordtail <Xpage=1460>
Sword"tail` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) (a) The limulus. (b) Any hemipterous insect of the genus Uroxiphus , found upon forest trees.
Swore <Xpage=1460>
Swore (?) , imp. of Swear .
Sworn <Xpage=1460>
Sworn (?) , p. p. of Swear .
Sworn brothers , originally, companions in arms who took an oath to share together good and bad fortune; hence, faithful friends. -- Sworn enemies , determined or irreconcilable enemies. -- Sworn friends , close friends.
Swough <Xpage=1460>
Swough (?) , n. [See Swoon .] 1. A sound; a groan; a moan; a sough. [Obs.]
He sigheth with full many a sorry swough . Chaucer.
2. A swoon. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Swound <Xpage=1460>
Swound (?) , v. & n. See Swoon , v. & n. [Prov. Eng. or Archaic]
Shak. Dryden.
The landlord stirred As one awaking from a swound . Longfellow.
'Swounds <Xpage=1460>
'Swounds (?) , interj. [Cf. Zounds .] An exclamation contracted from God's wounds ; -- used as an oath. [Obs. or Archaic]
Shak.
Swown <Xpage=1460>
Swown (?) , v. & n. Swoon. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Swum <Xpage=1460>
Swum (?) , imp. & p. p. of Swim .
Swung <Xpage=1460>
Swung (?) , imp. & p. p. of Swing .
Swythe <Xpage=1460>
Swythe (?) , adv. Quickly. See Swithe . [Obs.]
Sy <Xpage=1460>
Sy (?) , obs. imp. of See . Saw.
Chaucer.
Syb <Xpage=1460>
Syb (?) , a. See Sib . [Obs. or Scot.]
Sybarite <Xpage=1460>
Syb"a*rite (?) , n. [L. Sybarita , Gr. <?/, fr. <?/, a city in Italy, noted for the effeminacy and voluptuousness of its inhabitants; cf. F. Sybarite .] A person devoted to luxury and pleasure; a voluptuary.
Sybaritic, Sybaritical <Xpage=1460>
Syb`a*rit"ic (?) , Syb`a*rit"ic*al (?) , a. [L. Sybariticus , Gr. <?/.] Of or pertaining to the Sybarites; resembling the Sybarites; luxurious; wanton; effeminate. " Sybaritic dinners." Bp. Warburton . " Sybaritical cloistres." Bp. Hall .
Sybaritism <Xpage=1460>
Syb"a*rit*ism (?) , n. Luxuriousness; effeminacy; wantonness; voluptuousness.
Sycamine <Xpage=1460>
Syc"a*mine (?) , n. [L. sycaminus , Gr. <?/; perhaps of Semitic origin.] See Sycamore .
Sycamore <Xpage=1460>
Syc"a*more (?) , n. [L. sycomorus , Gr. <?/ the fig mulberry; <?/ a fig + <?/ the black mulberry; or perhaps of Semitic origin: cf. F. sycomore . Cf. Mulberry .] (Bot.) (a) A large tree ( Ficus Sycomorus ) allied to the common fig. It is found in Egypt and Syria, and is the sycamore, or sycamine, of Scripture. (b) The American plane tree, or buttonwood. (c) A large European species of maple ( Acer Pseudo-Platanus ). [Written sometimes sycomore .]
Syce <Xpage=1460>
Syce (?) , n. [Ar. s\'be\'8bs .] A groom. [India]
Sycee <Xpage=1460>
Sy*cee" (?) , n. [Said to be from a Chinese word, se-tze or se-sze , meaning, fine silk, and to be so called because if pure it may be drawn out into fine threads.] Silver, pounded into ingots of the shape of a shoe, and used as currency. The most common weight is about one pound troy. [China]
McElrath.
Sychnocarpous <Xpage=1460>
Sych`no*car"pous (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ much or frequent + <?/ fruit.] (Bot.) Having the capacity of bearing several successive crops of fruit without perishing; as, sychnocarpous plants .
Sycite <Xpage=1460>
Sy"cite (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ figlike, fr. <?/ a fig.] (Min.) A nodule of flint, or a pebble, which resembles a fig. [Obs.]
Sycoceric <Xpage=1460>
Syc`o*cer"ic (?) , a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained by the oxidation of sycoceryl alcohol.
Sycoceryl <Xpage=1460>
Syc`o*ce"ryl (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ a fig + <?/ wax + -yl .] (Chem.) A radical, of the aromatic series, regarded as an essential ingredient of certain compounds found in the waxy resin of an Australian species of fig.
<page="1461"> Page 1461
Sycock <Xpage=1461>
Sy"cock (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The missel thrush. [Prov. Eng.]
Sycones <Xpage=1461>
Sy*co"nes (?) , n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ a fig.] (Zo\'94l.) A division of calcareous sponges.
&hand; They usually resemble a fig, being vase-shaped with a fringed opening at the summit. The feeding cells are in ampull\'91 connected with radial tubes in the thickened walls of the body.
Syconium, Syconus <Xpage=1461>
Sy*co"ni*um (?) , Sy*co"nus (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ the fig.] (Bot.) A collective fleshy fruit, in which the ovaries are hidden within a hollow receptacle, as in the fig.
Sycophancy <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phan*cy (?) , n. [Cf. L. sycophantia deceit, Gr. <?/ false accusation.] The character or characteristic of a sycophant. Hence: -
(a) False accusation; calumniation; talebearing. [Obs.]
Bp. Hall.
(b) Obsequious flattery; servility.
The sycophancy of A.Philips had prejudiced Mr. Addison against Pope. Bp. Warburton.
Sycophant <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phant (?) , n. [L. sycophanta a slanderer, deceiver, parasite, Gr. <?/ a false accuser, false adviser, literally, a fig shower; <?/ a fig + <?/ to show: cf. F. sycophante . The reason for the name is not certainly known. See Phenomenon .] 1. An informer; a talebearer. [Obs.] "Accusing sycophants , of all men, did best sort to his nature."
Sir P. Sidney.
2. A base parasite; a mean or servile flatterer; especially, a flatterer of princes and great men.
A sycophant will everything admire: Each verse, each sentence, sets his soul on fire. Dryden.
Sycophant <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phant (?) , v. t. [CF. L. sycophantari to deceive, to trick, Gr. <?/.] 1. To inform against; hence, to calumniate. [Obs.]
Sycophanting and misnaming the work of his adversary. Milton.
2. To play the sycophant toward; to flatter obsequiously.
Sycophant <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phant , v. i. To play the sycophant.
Sycophantcy <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phant*cy (?) , n. Sycophancy. [Obs.]
Sycophantic, Sycophantical <Xpage=1461>
Syc`o*phan"tic (?) , Syc`o*phan"tic*al (?) , a. [Cf. Gr. <?/ slanderous.] Of or pertaining to a sycophant; characteristic of a sycophant; meanly or obsequiously flattering; courting favor by mean adulation; parasitic.
To be cheated and ruined by a sycophantical parasite. South.
Sycophantic servants to the King of Spain. De Quincey.
Sycophantish <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phant`ish (?) , a. Like a sycophant; obsequiously flattering. -- Syc"o*phant`ish*ly , adv.
Sycophantish satirists that forever humor the prevailing folly. De Quincey.
Sycophantism <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phant*ism (?) , n. Sycophancy.
Sycophantize <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phant*ize (?) , v. i. To play the sycophant.
Sycophantry <Xpage=1461>
Syc"o*phant*ry (?) , n. Sycophancy. [Obs.]
Sycosis <Xpage=1461>
Sy*co"sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ a fig.] (Med.) A pustular eruption upon the scalp, or the beared part of the face, whether due to ringworm, acne, or impetigo.
Syderolite <Xpage=1461>
Syd"er*o*lite (?) , n. A kind of Bohemian earthenware resembling the Wedgwood ware.
Sye <Xpage=1461>
Sye (?) , obs. imp. of See . Saw.
Chaucer.
Syenite <Xpage=1461>
Sy"e*nite (?) , n. [L. Syenites (sc. lapis ), from Syene , Gr. <?/.] (Min.) (a) Orig., a rock composed of quartz, hornblende, and feldspar, anciently quarried at Syene , in Upper Egypt, and now called granite . (b) A granular, crystalline, ingeous rock composed of orthoclase and hornblende, the latter often replaced or accompanied by pyroxene or mica. Syenite sometimes contains nephelite (el\'91olite) or leucite, and is then called nephelite (el\'91olite) syenite or leucite syenite .
Syenitic <Xpage=1461>
Sy`e*nit"ic (?) , a. [Written also sienitic .] 1. Relating to Syene; as, Syenitic inscriptions .
2. Relating to, or like, syenite; as, syenitic granite .
Syke <Xpage=1461>
Syke (?) , n. & v. See Sike . [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Syker <Xpage=1461>
Syk"er (?) , a. & adv. See Sicker . [Obs.]
Syle <Xpage=1461>
Syle (?) , n. [See Sile a young herring.] (Zo\'94l.) A young herring ( Clupea harengus ). [Also written sile .]
But our folk call them syle , and nought but syle , And when they're grown, why then we call them herring. J. Ingelow.
Syllabarium <Xpage=1461>
Syl`la*ba"ri*um (?) , n. ; pl. Syllabaria (#) . [NL.] A syllabary.
Syllabary <Xpage=1461>
Syl"la*ba*ry (?) , n. A table of syllables; more especially, a table of the indivisible syllabic symbols used in certain languages, as the Japanese and Cherokee, instead of letters.
S. W. Williams.
Syllabe <Xpage=1461>
Syl"labe (?) , n. [F.] Syllable. [R.]
B. Jonson.
Syllabic, Syllabical <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lab"ic (?) , Syl*lab"ic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/: cf. F. syllabique .] 1. Of or pertaining to a syllable or syllables; as, syllabic accent .
2. Consisting of a syllable or syllables; as, a syllabic augment . "The syllabic stage of writing."
Earle.
Syllabically <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lab"ic*al*ly , adv. In a syllabic manner.
Syllabicate <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lab"i*cate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Syllabicated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Syllabicating .] To form or divide into syllables; to syllabify.
Syllabication <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lab`i*ca"tion (?) , n. The act of forming syllables; the act or method of dividing words into syllables. See Guide to Pron. , §275.
Syllabification <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lab`i*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [See Syllabify .] Same as Syllabication .
Rush.
Syllabification depends not on mere force, but on discontinuity of force.
H. Sweet.
Syllabify <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lab"i*fy (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Syllabified (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Syllabifying (?) .] [L. syllaba syllable + -fy .] To form or divide into syllables.
Syllabism <Xpage=1461>
Syl"la*bism (?) , n. The expressing of the sounds of a language by syllables, rather than by an alphabet or by signs for words.
I. Taylor (The Alphabet).
Syllabist <Xpage=1461>
Syl"la*bist (?) , n. One who forms or divides words into syllables, or is skilled in doing this.
Syllabize <Xpage=1461>
Syl"la*bize (?) , v. t. To syllabify.
Howell.
Syllable <Xpage=1461>
Syl"la*ble (?) , n. [OE. sillable , OF. sillabe , F. syllabe , L. syllaba , Gr. <?/ that which is held together, several letters taken together so as to form one sound, a syllable, fr. <?/ to take together; <?/ with + <?/ to take; cf. Skr. labh , rabh . Cf. Lemma , Dilemma .] 1. An elementary sound, or a combination of elementary sounds, uttered together, or with a single effort or impulse of the voice, and constituting a word or a part of a word. In other terms, it is a vowel or a diphtong, either by itself or flanked by one or more consonants, the whole produced by a single impulse or utterance. One of the liquids, l , m , n , may fill the place of a vowel in a syllable. Adjoining syllables in a word or phrase need not to be marked off by a pause, but only by such an abatement and renewal, or re\'89nforcement, of the stress as to give the feeling of separate impulses. See Guide to Pronunciation , §275.
2. In writing and printing, a part of a word, separated from the rest, and capable of being pronounced by a single impulse of the voice. It may or may not correspond to a syllable in the spoken language.
Withouten vice [ i. e. mistake] of syllable or letter. Chaucer.
3. A small part of a sentence or discourse; anything concise or short; a particle.
Before any syllable of the law of God was written. Hooker.
Who dare speak One syllable against him? Shak.
Syllable <Xpage=1461>
Syl"la*ble , v. t. To pronounce the syllables of; to utter; to articulate.
Milton.
Syllabub <Xpage=1461>
Syl"la*bub (?) , n. Same as Syllabub .
Syllabus <Xpage=1461>
Syl"la*bus (?) , n. ; pl. E. Syllabuses (#) , L. Syllabi (#) . [L., fr. the same source as E. syllable .] A compendium containing the heads of a discourse, and the like; an abstract.
Syllepsis <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lep"sis (?) , n. [L., fr. Gr. sy`llhpsis a taking together, from <?/. See syllable , n. ] 1. (Rhet.) A figure of speech by which a word is used in a literal and metaphorical sense at the same time.
2. (Gram.) The agreement of a verb or adjective with one, rather than another, of two nouns, with either of which it might agree in gender, number, etc.; as, rex et regina beati.
Sylleptic, Sylleptical <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lep"tic (?) , Syl*lep"tic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ collective.] Of or pertaining to a syllepsis; containing syllepsis. -- Syl*lep"tic*al*ly , adv.
Syllidian <Xpage=1461>
Syl*lid"i*an (?) , n. [From NL. Syllis , the typical genus.] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of marine annelids of the family Syllid\'91 .
&hand; Many of the species are phosphorescent; others are remarkable for undergoing strobilation or fission and for their polymorphism. The egg, in such species, develops into an asexual individual. When mature, a number of its posterior segments gradually develop into one or more sexual individuals which finally break away and swim free in the sea. The males, females, and neuters usually differ greatly in form and structure.
Syllogism <Xpage=1461>
Syl"lo*gism (?) , n. [OE. silogisme , OF. silogime , sillogisme , F. syllogisme , L. syllogismus , Gr. syllogismo`s a reckoning all together, a reasoning, syllogism, fr. syllogi`zesqai to reckon all together, to bring at once before the mind, to infer, conclude; sy`n with, together + logi`zesqai to reckon, to conclude by reasoning. See Syn- , and Logistic , Logic .] (Logic) The regular logical form of every argument, consisting of three propositions, of which the first two are called the premises , and the last, the conclusion . The conclusion necessarily follows from the premises; so that, if these are true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts to demonstration ; as in the following example:
Every virtue is laudable; Kindness is a virtue; Therefore kindness is laudable.
These propositions are denominated respectively the major premise , the minor premise , and the conclusion .
&hand; If the premises are not true and the syllogism is regular, the reasoning is valid, and the conclusion, whether true or false, is correctly derived.
Syllogistic, Syllogistical <Xpage=1461>
Syl`lo*gis"tic (?) , Syl`lo*gis"tic*al (?) , a. [L. syllogisticus , Gr. <?/: cf. F. syllogistique .] Of or pertaining to a syllogism; consisting of a syllogism, or of the form of reasoning by syllogisms; as, syllogistic arguments or reasoning .
Syllogistically <Xpage=1461>
Syl`lo*gis"tic*al*ly , adv. In a syllogistic manner.
Syllogization <Xpage=1461>
Syl`lo*gi*za"tion (?) , n. A reasoning by syllogisms. [Obs. or R.]
Harris.
Syllogize <Xpage=1461>
Syl"lo*gize (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Syllogized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Syllogizing (?) .] [Gr. <?/: cf. F. syllogiser .] To reason by means of syllogisms.
Men have endeavored . . . to teach boys to syllogize , or frame arguments and refute them, without any real inward knowledge of the question. I. Watts.
Syllogizer <Xpage=1461>
Syl"lo*gi`zer (?) , n. One who syllogizes.
Sylph <Xpage=1461>
Sylph (?) , n. [F. sylphe , m., fr. Gr. <?/ a kind of grub, beetle, or moth; -- so called by Paracelsus.] 1. An imaginary being inhabiting the air; a fairy.
2. Fig.: A slender, graceful woman.
3. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of several species of very brilliant South American humming birds, having a very long and deeply-forked tail; as, the blue-tailed sylph ( Cynanthus cyanurus ) .
Sylphid <Xpage=1461>
Sylph"id (?) , n. [F. sylphide , fem. See Sylph .] A little sylph; a young or diminutive sylph. "The place of the sylphid queen."
J. R. Drake.
Ye sylphs and sylphids , to your chief give ear, Fays, fairies, genii, elves, and demons, hear. Pope.
Sylphine <Xpage=1461>
Sylph"ine (?) , a. Like a sylph.
Sylphish <Xpage=1461>
Sylph"ish (?) , a. Sylphlike.
Carlyle.