Chapter 121

2. (Civil Law) (a) Everything on the surface of a piece of ground, or of a building, so closely connected by art or nature as to constitute a part of it, as houses, or other superstructures, fences, trees, vines, etc. (b) A real right consisting of a grant by a landed proprietor of a piece of ground, bearing a strong resemblance to the long building leases granted by landholders in England, in consideration of a rent, and under reservation of the ownership of the soil. Bouvier. Wharton.

Su"per*fine (?), a. 1. Very fine, or most fine; being of surpassing fineness; of extra nice or fine quality; as, superfine cloth.

2. Excessively fine; too nice; over particular; as, superfine distinctions; superfine tastes.

Su"per*fine`ness, n. The state of being superfine.

Su`per*fin"i*cal (?), a. Extremely finical.

Su*per"flu*ence (?), n. [L. superfluens, p. pr. of superfluere to flow or run over. See Superfluous.] Superfluity. [Obs.] Hammond.

Su`per*flu"i*tant (?), a. [L. super above + fluitans, p. pr. of fluitare intensive fr. fluere to flow.] Floating above or on the surface. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. -- Su`per*flu"i*tance (#), n. [Obs.]

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Su`per*flu"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Superfluities (#). [L. superfluité, L. superfluitas. See Superfluous.] 1. A greater quantity than is wanted; superabundance; as, a superfluity of water; a superfluity of wealth.

A quiet mediocrity is still to be preferred before a troubled superfluity.

Suckling.

2. The state or quality of being superfluous; excess. "By a superfluity abominable." Chaucer.

3. Something beyond what is needed; something which serves for show or luxury.

Syn. -- Superabundance; excess; redundancy.

Su*per"flu*ous (?), a. [L. superfluus overflowing; super over, above + fluere to flow. See Super-, and Fluent.] More than is wanted or is sufficient; rendered unnecessary by superabundance; unnecessary; useless; excessive; as, a superfluous price. Shak.

An authority which makes all further argument or illustration superfluous.

E. Everett.

Superfluous interval (Mus.), an interval that exceeds a major or perfect interval by a semitone.

Syn. -- Unnecessary; useless; exuberant; excessive; redundant; needless.

-- Su*per"flu*ous*ly, adv. -- Su*per"flu*ous*ness, n.

Su"per*flux (?), n. Superabundance; superfluity; an overflowing. [R.] Shak.

Su`per*fœ*ta"tion (?), n. Superfetation.

Su`per*fo`li*a"tion (?), n. Excess of foliation. Sir T. Browne.

Su`per*fron"tal (?), n. (Eccl.) A cloth which is placed over the top of an altar, and often hangs down a few inches over the frontal.

Su`per*fuse" (?), a. To pour (something) over or on something else. [Obs.] Evelyn.

Su`per*heat" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Superheated; p. pr. & vb. n. Superheating.] 1. To heat too much, to overheat; as, to superheat an oven.

2. (Steam Engine) To heat, as steam, apart from contact with water, until it resembles a perfect gas.

Su"per*heat`, n. The increase of temperature communicated to steam by superheating it.

Su"per*heat`er (?), n. (Steam Engine) An apparatus for superheating steam.

Su"per*hive` (?), n. A removable upper part of a hive. The word is sometimes contracted to super.

Su`per*hu"man (?), a. Above or beyond what is human; sometimes, divine; as, superhuman strength; superhuman wisdom.

Su`per*im*pose" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Superimposed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Superimposing.] To lay or impose on something else; as, a stratum of earth superimposed on another stratum. -- Su`per*im`po*si"tion (#), n.

Su`per*im`preg*na"tion (?), n. The act of impregnating, or the state of being impregnated, in addition to a prior impregnation; superfetation.

{ Su`per*in*cum"bence (?), Su`per*in*cum"ben*cy (?), } n. The quality or state of being superincumbent.

Su`per*in*cum"bent (?), a. [L. superincumbens, p. pr. of superincumbere. See Super- , and Incumbent.] Lying or resting on something else.

Su`per*in*duce" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Superinduced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Superinducing (?).] [Pref. super- + induce: cf. L. superinducere to draw over.] To bring in, or upon, as an addition to something.

Long custom of sinning superinduces upon the soul new and absurd desires.

South.

Su`per*in*duce"ment (?), n. Superinduction.

Su`per*in*duc"tion (?), n. The act of superinducing, or the state of being superinduced. South.

Su`per*in*fuse" (?), v. t. [Pref. super- + infuse: cf. L. superinfundere, superinfusum, to pour over.] To infuse over. [R.]

Su`per*in*jec"tion (?), n. An injection succeeding another.

Su`per*in*spect" (?), v. t. [Pref. super- + inspect: cf. L. superinspicere, superinspectum.] To over see; to superintend by inspection. [R.] Maydman.

Su`per*in`sti*tu"tion (?), n. One institution upon another, as when A is instituted and admitted to a benefice upon a title, and B instituted and admitted upon the presentation of another. Bailey.

Su`per*in`tel*lec"tu*al (?), a. Being above intellect.

Su`per*in*tend" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Superintended; p. pr. & vb. n. Superintending.] [L. superintendere. See Super-, and Intend.] To have or exercise the charge and oversight of; to oversee with the power of direction; to take care of with authority; to supervise; as, an officer superintends the building of a ship or the construction of a fort.

The king may appoint a council, who may superintend the works of this nature.

Bacon.

Syn. -- Superintend, Supervise. These words in general use are the synonymous. As sometimes used, supervise implies the more general, and superintend, the more particular and constant, inspection or direction. Among architects there is a disposition to use the word supervise in the sense of a general oversight of the main points of construction with reference to the design, etc., and to employ the word superintend to signify a constant, careful attention to all the details of construction. But this technical distinction is not firmly established.

Su`per*in*tend"ence (?), n. [Cf. F. superintendance.] The act of superintending; care and oversight for the purpose of direction; supervision. Barrow.

Syn. -- Inspection; oversight; care; direction; control; guidance.

Su`per*in*tend"en*cy (?), n.; pl. -cies (&?;). The act of superintending; superintendence. Boyle.

Su`per*in*tend"ent (?), a. [L. superintendens, p. pr. See Superintend.] Overseeing; superintending.

Su`per*in*tend"ent (?), n. [Cf. OF. superintendant, F. surintendant. Cf. Surintendant.] One who has the oversight and charge of some place, institution, or organization, affairs, etc., with the power of direction; as, the superintendent of an almshouse; the superintendent of public works.

Syn. -- Inspector; overseer; manager; director; curator; supervisor.

Su`per*in*tend"er (?), n. A superintendent. [R.]

Su`per*in*vest"i*ture (?), n. An outer vestment or garment. [R.] Bp. Horne.

Su*pe"ri*or (?), a. [L., compar. of superus being above, fr. super above, over: cf. F. supérieur. See Super-, and cf. Supreme.] 1. More elevated in place or position; higher; upper; as, the superior limb of the sun; the superior part of an image.

2. Higher in rank or office; more exalted in dignity; as, a superior officer; a superior degree of nobility.

3. Higher or greater in excellence; surpassing others in the greatness, or value of any quality; greater in quality or degree; as, a man of superior merit; or of superior bravery.

4. Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by; -- with to.

There is not in earth a spectacle more worthy than a great man superior to his sufferings.

Spectator.

5. More comprehensive; as a term in classification; as, a genus is superior to a species.

6. (Bot.) (a) Above the ovary; -- said of parts of the flower which, although normally below the ovary, adhere to it, and so appear to originate from its upper part; also of an ovary when the other floral organs are plainly below it in position, and free from it. (b) Belonging to the part of an axillary flower which is toward the main stem; posterior. (c) Pointing toward the apex of the fruit; ascending; -- said of the radicle.

Superior conjunction, Superior planets, etc. See Conjunction, Planet, etc. -- Superior figure, Superior letter (Print.), a figure or letter printed above the line, as a reference to a note or an index of a power, etc; as, in x2 + yn, 2 is a superior figure, n a superior letter. Cf. Inferior figure, under Inferior.

Su*pe"ri*or, n. 1. One who is above, or surpasses, another in rank, station, office, age, ability, or merit; one who surpasses in what is desirable; as, Addison has no superior as a writer of pure English.

2. (Eccl.) The head of a monastery, convent, abbey, or the like.

Su*pe"ri*or*ess, n. (Eccl.) A woman who acts as chief in a convent, abbey, or nunnery; a lady superior.

Su*pe`ri*or"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. supériorité, LL. superioritas.] The quality, state, or condition of being superior; as, superiority of rank; superiority in merit.

Syn. -- Preëminence; excellence; predominancy; prevalence; ascendency; odds; advantage.

Su*pe"ri*or*ly (?), adv. In a superior position or manner.

Su`per*ja"cent (?), a. [L. superjacens, p. pr. of superjacere; super above + jacere to lie.] Situated immediately above; as, superjacent rocks.

Su`per*la"tion (?), n. [L. superlatio. See Superlative.] Exaltation of anything beyond truth or propriety. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Su`per*la"tive (?), a. [L. superlativus, fr. superlatus excessive, used as p. p. of superiorferre, but from a different root: cf. F. superlatif. See Elate, Tolerate.] 1. Lifted up to the highest degree; most eminent; surpassing all other; supreme; as, superlative wisdom or prudence; a woman of superlative beauty; the superlative glory of the divine character.

2. (Gram.) Expressing the highest or lowest degree of the quality, manner, etc., denoted by an adjective or an adverb. The superlative degree is formed from the positive by the use of -est, most, or least; as, highest, most pleasant, least bright.

-- Su`per*la"tive*ly, adv. -- Su`per*la"tive*ness, n.

Su`per*la"tive, n. 1. That which is highest or most eminent; the utmost degree.

2. (Gram.) (a) The superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs; also, a form or word by which the superlative degree is expressed; as, strongest, wisest, most stormy, least windy, are all superlatives.

Absolute superlative, a superlative in an absolute rather than in a comparative or exclusive sense. See Elative.

Su`per*lu*cra"tion (?), n. [Pref. super- + L. lucratio gain.] Excessive or extraordinary gain. [Obs.] Davenant.

{ Su`per*lu"nar (?), Su`per*lu"na*ry (?), } a. Being above the moon; not belonging to this world; -- opposed to sublunary.

The head that turns at superlunar things.

Pope.

Su`per*ma*te"ri*al (?), a. Being above, or superior to, matter.

||Su`per*max*il"la (?), n. [NL. See Super-, and Maxilla.] (Anat.) The ||supermaxilla.

Su`per*max"il*la*ry (?), a. (Anat.) Supermaxillary.

Su`per*me"di*al (?), a. Above the middle.

Su`per*mun"dane (?), a. Being above the world; -- opposed to inframundane. Cudworth.

Su`per*mun"di*al (?), a. Supermundane. [Obs.]

Su`per*nac"u*lar (?), a. Like supernaculum; first-rate; as, a supernacular wine. [R.] Thackeray.

Su`per*nac"u*lum (?), adv. & n. [NL., from L. super over + G. nagel, a nail, as of the finger, or a corruption of L. super and ungulam claw.] 1. A kind of mock Latin term intended to mean, upon the nail; -- used formerly by topers. Nares.

Drinking super nagulum [supernaculum], a device of drinking, new come out of France, which is, after a man hath turned up the bottom of the cup, to drop it on his nail and make a pearl with that is left; which if it slide, and he can not make it stand on by reason there is too much, he must drink again for his penance.

Nash.

2. Good liquor, of which not enough is left to wet one's nail. Grose.

Su*per"nal (?), a. [L. supernus, from super above: cf. F. supernel. See Super-.] 1. Being in a higher place or region; locally higher; as, the supernal orbs; supernal regions. "That supernal judge." Shak.

2. Relating or belonging to things above; celestial; heavenly; as, supernal grace.

Not by the sufferance of supernal power.

Milton.

Su`per*na"tant (?), a. [L. supernatanus, p. pr. of supernatare to swim above; super above + natare to swim.] Swimming above; floating on the surface; as, oil supernatant on water.

Su`per*na*ta"tion (?), n. The act of floating on the surface of a fluid. Sir T. Browne.

Su`per*nat"u*ral (?), a. [Pref. super- + natural: cf. OF. supernaturel, F. surnaturel.] Being beyond, or exceeding, the power or laws of nature; miraculous.

Syn. -- Preternatural. -- Supernatural, Preternatural. Preternatural signifies beside nature, and supernatural, above or beyond nature. What is very greatly aside from the ordinary course of things is preternatural; what is above or beyond the established laws of the universe is supernatural. The dark day which terrified all Europe nearly a century ago was preternatural; the resurrection of the dead is supernatural. "That form which the earth is under at present is preternatural, like a statue made and broken again." T. Burnet. "Cures wrought by medicines are natural operations; but the miraculous ones wrought by Christ and his apostles were supernatural." Boyle.

That is supernatural, whether it be, that is either not in the chain of natural cause and effect, or which acts on the chain of cause and effect in nature, from without the chain.

Bushnell.

We must not view creation as supernatural, but we do look upon it as miraculous.

McCosh.

The supernatural, whatever is above and beyond the scope, or the established course, of the laws of nature. "Nature and the supernatural." H. Bushnell.

Su`per*nat"u*ral*ism (?), n. 1. The quality or state of being supernatural; supernaturalness.

2. (Theol.) The doctrine of a divine and supernatural agency in the production of the miracles and revelations recorded in the Bible, and in the grace which renews and sanctifies men, -- in opposition to the doctrine which denies the agency of any other than physical or natural causes in the case. [Written also supranaturalism.]

Su`per*nat"u*ral*ist, n. One who holds to the principles of supernaturalism.

Su`per*nat`u*ral*is"tic (?), a. Of or pertaining to supernaturalism.

Su`per*nat`u*ral"i*ty (?), n. The quality or state of being supernatural.

Su`per*nat"u*ral*ize (?), v. t. To treat or regard as supernatural.

Su`per*nat"u*ral*ly, adv. In a supernatural manner.

Su`per*nat"u*ral*ness, n. The quality or state of being supernatural.

Su`per*nu"mer*a*ry (?), a. [L. supernumerarius: cf. OF. supernuméraire, F. surnuméraire. See Super-, and Numerary, Number.] 1. Exceeding the number stated or prescribed; as, a supernumerary officer in a regiment.

2. Exceeding a necessary, usual, or required number or quality; superfluous; as, supernumerary addresses; supernumerary expense. Addison.

Su`per*nu"mer*a*ry, n.; pl. Supernumeraries (&?;). 1. A person or thing beyond the number stated.

2. A person or thing beyond what is necessary or usual; especially, a person employed not for regular service, but only to fill the place of another in case of need; specifically, in theaters, a person who is not a regular actor, but is employed to appear in a stage spectacle.

Su`per*oc*cip"i*tal (?), a. Supraoccipital.

Su`per*or"der (?), n. (Zoöl.) A group intermediate in importance between an order and a subclass.

Su`per*or`di*na"tion (?), n. [Pref. super- + ordination: cf. L. superordinatio.] The ordination of a person to fill a station already occupied; especially, the ordination by an ecclesiastical official, during his lifetime, of his successor. Fuller.

Su`per*ox"ide (?), n. (Chem.) See Peroxide. [Obs.]

Su`per*par*tic"u*lar (?), a. [L. superparticularis. See Super-, and Particular.] (Math.) Of or pertaining to a ratio when the excess of the greater term over the less is a unit, as the ratio of 1 to 2, or of 3 to 4. [Obs.] Hutton.

Su`per*par"tient (?), a. [L. superpartiens; super over + partiens, p. pr. of partire to divide.] (Math.) Of or pertaining to a ratio when the excess of the greater term over the less is more than a unit, as that of 3 to 5, or 7 to 10. [Obs.] Hutton.

Su`per*phos"phate (?), n. (Chem.) An acid phosphate.

Superphosphate of lime (Com. Chem.), a fertilizer obtained by trating bone dust, bone black, or phosphorite with sulphuric acid, whereby the insoluble neutral calcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2, is changed to the primary or acid calcium phosphate Ca(H2PO4)2, which is soluble and therefore available for the soil.

Su`per*phys"ic*al (?), a. Above or beyond physics; not explainable by physical laws.

Something superphysical and superchemical.

J. Le Conte.

Su"per*plant` (?), n. A plant growing on another, as the mistletoe; an epiphyte. [Obs.] Bacon.

Su`per*please" (?), v. t. To please exceedingly. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Su"per*plus (?), n. [Pref. super- + L. plus more. See Surplus.] Surplus. [Obs.] Goldsmith.

Su"per*plus`age (?), n. Surplusage. [Obs.] "There yet remained a superplusage." Bp. Fell.

Su`per*pol"i*tic (?), a. More than politic; above or exceeding policy. Milton.

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Su`per*pon"der*ate (?), v. t. To wiegh over and above. [Obs.]

Su`per*pos"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being superposed, as one figure upon another.

Su`per*pose" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Superposed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Superposing.] [F. superposer. See Super- , and Pose.] 1. To lay upon, as one kind of rock on another.

2. (Geom.) To lay (a figure) upon another in such a manner that all the parts of the one coincide with the parts of the other; as, to superpose one plane figure on another.

Su`per*po*si"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. superposition. See Super-, and Position.] The act of superposing, or the state of being superposed; as, the superposition of rocks; the superposition of one plane figure on another, in geometry.

Su`per*praise" (?), v. t. To praise to excess.

To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts.

Shak.

Su`per*pro*por"tion (?), n. Overplus or excess of proportion. Sir K. Digby.

Su`per*pur*ga"tion (?), n. Excessive purgation. Wiseman.

Su`per*re*flec"tion (?), n. The reflection of a reflected image or sound. [R.] Bacon.

Su`per*re"gal (?), a. More than regal; worthy of one greater than a king. Waterland.

Su`per*re*ward" (?), v. t. To reward to an excessive degree. Bacon.

Su`per*roy"al (?), a. Larger than royal; -- said of a particular size of printing and writing paper. See the Note under Paper, n.

Su`per*sa"cral (?), a. (Anat.) Situated over, or on the dorsal side of, the sacrum.

Su`per*sa"li*en*cy (?), n. The act of leaping on anything. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Su`per*sa"li*ent (?), a. [Pref. super- + L. saliens p. pr. of salire to leap.] Leaping upon. [Obs.]

Su`per*salt" (?), n. (Chem.) An acid salt. See Acid salt (a), under Salt, n.

Su`per*sat"u*rate (?), v. t. To add to beyond saturation; as, to supersaturate a solution.

Su`per*sat`u*ra"tion (?), n. The operation of supersaturating, or the state of being supersaturated.

Su`per*scribe" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Superscribed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Superscribing.] [L. superscribere, superscriptum; super over + scribere to write. See Super-, and Scribe.] To write or engrave (a name, address, inscription, or the like) on the top or surface; to write a name, address, or the like, on the outside or cover of (anything); as, to superscribe a letter.

Su"per*script (?), n. Superscription. [Obs.] "I will overglance the superscript." Shak.

Su`per*scrip"tion (?), n. [L. superscriptio. See Superscribe.] 1. The act of superscribing.

2. That which is written or engraved on the surface, outside, or above something else; specifically, an address on a letter, envelope, or the like. Holland.

The superscription of his accusation was written over, The King of the Jews.

Mark xv. 26.

3. (Pharm.) That part of a prescription which contains the Latin word recipe (Take) or the sign &?;.

Su`per*sec"u*lar (?), a. Being above the world, or secular things. Bp. Hall.

Su`per*sede" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Superseded (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Superseding.] [L. supersedere, supersessum, to sit above, be superior to, forbear, omit; super above + sedere to sit: cf. F. superséder. See Sit, and cf. Surcease.] 1. To come, or be placed, in the room of; to replace.

2. To displace, or set aside, and put another in place of; as, to supersede an officer.

3. To make void, inefficacious, or useless, by superior power, or by coming in the place of; to set aside; to render unnecessary; to suspend; to stay.

Nothing is supposed that can supersede the known laws of natural motion.

Bentley.

4. (Old Law) To omit; to forbear.

||Su`per*se"de*as (?), n. [L., suspend, set aside, stay, 2d pers. sing. ||present subjunctive of supersedere. See Supersede.] (Law) A writ of ||command to suspend the powers of an officer in certain cases, or to ||stay proceedings under another writ. Blackstone.

Su*per*se"dure (?), n. The act of superseding, or setting aside; supersession; as, the supersedure of trial by jury. A. Hamilton.

Su`per*sem"i*nate (?), v. t. To sow, as seed, over something previously sown. [Obs.]

That can not be done with joy, when it shall be indifferent to any man to superseminate what he please.

Jer. Taylor.

Su`per*sem`i*na"tion (?), n. The sowing of seed over seed previously sown. [Obs.] Abp. Bramhall.

Su`per*sen"si*ble (?), a. [Pref. super- + sensible: cf. F. supersensible.] Beyond the reach of the senses; above the natural powers of perception.

Su`per*sen"si*tive (?), a. Excessively sensitive; morbidly sensitive. -- Su`per*sen"si*tive*ness, n.

Su`per*sen"su*al (?), a. Supersensible.

Su`per*sen"su*ous (?), a. 1. Supersensible.

2. Excessively sensuous.

Su`per*serv"ice*a*ble (?), a. Overofficious; doing more than is required or desired. "A superserviceable, finical rogue." Shak.

Su`per*ses"sion (?), n. [Cf. OF. supersession. See Supersede.] The act of superseding, or the state of being superseded; supersedure.

The general law of diminishing return from land would have undergone, to that extent, a temporary supersession.

J. S. Mill.

Su`per*so"lar (?), a. Above the sun. Emerson.

Su`per*sphe*noid"al (?), a. (Anat.) Situated above, or on the dorsal side of, the body of the sphenoid bone.

Su`per*spi"nous (?), a. (Anat.) Supraspinuos.

Su`per*sti"tion (?), n. [F. superstition, L. superstitio, originally, a standing still over or by a thing; hence, amazement, wonder, dread, especially of the divine or supernatural, fr. superstare to stand over; super over + stare to stand. See Super-, and Stand.] 1. An excessive reverence for, or fear of, that which is unknown or mysterious.

2. An ignorant or irrational worship of the Supreme Deity; excessive exactness or rigor in religious opinions or practice; extreme and unnecessary scruples in the observance of religious rites not commanded, or of points of minor importance; also, a rite or practice proceeding from excess of sculptures in religion.

And the truth With superstitions and traditions taint.

Milton.

3. The worship of a false god or gods; false religion; religious veneration for objects.

[The accusers] had certain questions against him of their own superstition.

Acts xxv. 19.

4. Belief in the direct agency of superior powers in certain extraordinary or singular events, or in magic, omens, prognostics, or the like.

5. Excessive nicety; scrupulous exactness.