Chapter 131

Sym"me*try (?), n. [L. symmetria, Gr. &?;; sy`n with, together + &?; a measure: cf. F. symétrie. See Syn-, and Meter rhythm.] 1. A due proportion of the several parts of a body to each other; adaptation of the form or dimensions of the several parts of a thing to each other; the union and conformity of the members of a work to the whole.

2. (Biol.) The law of likeness; similarity of structure; regularity in form and arrangement; orderly and similar distribution of parts, such that an animal may be divided into parts which are structurally symmetrical.

Bilateral symmetry, or two-sidedness, in vertebrates, etc., is that in which the body can be divided into symmetrical halves by a vertical plane passing through the middle; radial symmetry, as in echinoderms, is that in which the individual parts are arranged symmetrically around a central axis; serial symmetry, or zonal symmetry, as in earthworms, is that in which the segments or metameres of the body are disposed in a zonal manner one after the other in a longitudinal axis. This last is sometimes called metamerism.

3. (Bot.) (a) Equality in the number of parts of the successive circles in a flower. (b) Likeness in the form and size of floral organs of the same kind; regularity.

Axis of symmetry. (Geom.) See under Axis. -- Respective symmetry, that disposition of parts in which only the opposite sides are equal to each other.

Sym`pa*thet"ic (?), a. [See Sympathy, and cf. Pathetic.] 1. Inclined to sympathy; sympathizing.

Far wiser he, whose sympathetic mind Exults in all the good of all mankind.

Goldsmith.

2. Produced by, or expressive of, sympathy.

Ope the sacred source of sympathetic tears.

Gray.

3. (Physiol.) (a) Produced by sympathy; -- applied particularly to symptoms or affections. See Sympathy. (b) Of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system or some of its branches; produced by stimulation on the sympathetic nervious system or some part of it; as, the sympathetic saliva, a modified form of saliva, produced from some of the salivary glands by stimulation of a sympathetic nerve fiber.

Sympathetic ink. (Chem.) See under Ink. -- Sympathetic nerve (Anat.), any nerve of the sympathetic system; especially, the axial chain of ganglions and nerves belonging to the sympathetic system. -- Sympathetic powder (Alchemy), a kind of powder long supposed to be able to cure a wound if applied to the weapon that inflicted it, or even to a portion of the bloody clothes. Dunglison. -- Sympathetic sounds (Physics), sounds produced from solid bodies by means of vibrations which have been communicated to them from some other sounding body, by means of the air or an intervening solid. -- Sympathetic system (Anat.), a system of nerves and nerve ganglions connected with the alimentary canal, the vascular system, and the glandular organs of most vertebrates, and controlling more or less their actions. The axial part of the system and its principal ganglions and nerves are situated in the body cavity and form a chain of ganglions on each side of the vertebral column connected with numerous other ganglions and nerve plexuses.

Sym`pa*thet"ic*al (?), a. Sympathetic.

Sym`pa*thet"ic*al*ly, adv. In a sympathetic manner.

Sym"pa*thist (?), n. One who sympathizes; a sympathizer. [R.] Coleridge.

Sym"pa*thize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sympathized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sympathizing (?).] [F. sympathiser. See Sympathy.] 1. To have a common feeling, as of bodily pleasure or pain.

The mind will sympathize so much with the anguish and debility of the body, that it will be too distracted to fix itself in meditation.

Buckminster.

2. To feel in consequence of what another feels; to be affected by feelings similar to those of another, in consequence of knowing the person to be thus affected.

Their countrymen . . . sympathized with their heroes in all their adventures.

Addison.

3. To agree; to be in accord; to harmonize. Dryden.

Sym"pa*thize, v. t. 1. To experience together. [Obs.] "This sympathized . . . error." Shak.

2. To ansew to; to correspond to. [Obs.] Shak.

Sym"pa*thi`zer (?), n. One who sympathizes.

Sym"pa*thy (?), n.; pl. Sympathies (#). [F. sympathie, L. sympathia, Gr. &?;; sy`n with + &?; suffering, passion, fr. &?;, &?;, to suffer. See Syn-, and Pathos.] 1. Feeling corresponding to that which another feels; the quality of being affected by the affection of another, with feelings correspondent in kind, if not in degree; fellow- feeling.

They saw, but other sight instead -- a crowd Of ugly serpents! Horror on them fell, And horrid sympathy.

Milton.

2. An agreement of affections or inclinations, or a conformity of natural temperament, which causes persons to be pleased, or in accord, with one another; as, there is perfect sympathy between them.

3. Kindness of feeling toward one who suffers; pity; commiseration; compassion.

I value myself upon sympathy, I hate and despise myself for envy.

Kames.

4. (Physiol.) (a) The reciprocal influence exercised by the various organs or parts of the body on one another, as manifested in the transmission of a disease by unknown means from one organ to another quite remote, or in the influence exerted by a diseased condition of one part on another part or organ, as in the vomiting produced by a tumor of the brain. (b) That relation which exists between different persons by which one of them produces in the others a state or condition like that of himself. This is shown in the tendency to yawn which a person often feels on seeing another yawn, or the strong inclination to become hysteric experienced by many women on seeing another person suffering with hysteria.

5. A tendency of inanimate things to unite, or to act on each other; as, the sympathy between the loadstone and iron. [R.]

6. Similarity of function, use office, or the like.

The adverb has most sympathy with the verb.

Earle.

Syn. -- Pity; fellow-feeling; compassion; commiseration; tenderness; condolence; agreement. -- Sympathy, Commiseration. Sympathy is literally a fellow-feeling with others in their varied conditions of joy or of grief. This term, however, is now more commonly applied to a fellow-feeling with others under affliction, and then coincides very nearly with commiseration. In this case it is commonly followed by for; as, to feel sympathy for a friend when we see him distressed. The verb sympathize is followed by with; as, to sympathize with a friend in his distresses or enjoyments. "Every man would be a distinct species to himself, were there no sympathy among individuals." South. See Pity.

Fault, Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam wrought Commiseration.

Milton.

Sym*pet"al*ous (?), a. [Pref. sym- + petal.] (Bot.) Having the petals united; gamopetalous.

Sym*phon"ic (?), a. 1. Symphonious.

2. (Mus.) Relating to, or in the manner of, symphony; as, the symphonic form or style of composition.

Sym*pho"ni*ous (?), a. [From Symphony.] 1. Agreeing in sound; accordant; harmonious.

Followed with acclamation and the sound Symphonious of ten thousand harps.

Milton.

2. (Mus.) Symphonic.

Sym"pho*nist (?), n. [Cf. F. symphoniste.] A composer of symphonies.

Sym"pho*nize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Symphonized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Symphonizing (?).] To agree; to be in harmony. [R.] Boyle.

Sym"pho*ny (?), n.; pl. Symphonies (#). [F. symphonie (cf. It. sinfonia), L. symphonia, Gr. &?;; sy`n with + &?; a sound, the voice. See Phonetic.] 1. A consonance or harmony of sounds, agreeable to the ear, whether the sounds are vocal or instrumental, or both.

The trumpets sound, And warlike symphony in heard around.

Dryden.

2. A stringed instrument formerly in use, somewhat resembling the virginal.

With harp and pipe and symphony.

Chaucer.

3. (Mus.) (a) An elaborate instrumental composition for a full orchestra, consisting usually, like the sonata, of three or four contrasted yet inwardly related movements, as the allegro, the adagio, the minuet and trio, or scherzo, and the finale in quick time. The term has recently been applied to large orchestral works in freer form, with arguments or programmes to explain their meaning, such as the "symphonic poems" of Liszt. The term was formerly applied to any composition for an orchestra, as overtures, etc., and still earlier, to certain compositions partly vocal, partly instrumental. (b) An instrumental passage at the beginning or end, or in the course of, a vocal composition; a prelude, interlude, or postude; a ritornello.

||Sym*phy"la (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. sy`n with + &?; a clan.] (Zoöl.) ||An order of small apterous insects having an elongated body, with ||three pairs of thoracic and about nine pairs of abdominal legs. They ||are, in many respects, intermediate between myriapods and true ||insects.

Sym*phys"e*al (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to to symphysis.

Sym`phy*se*ot"o*my (?), n. [NL. symphysis pubis + Gr. &?; to cut.] (Surg.) The operation of dividing the symphysis pubis for the purpose of facilitating labor; -- formerly called the Sigualtian section. [Written also symphysotomy.] Dunglison.

||Sym"phy*sis (?), n.; pl. Symphyses (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to ||make to grow together; sy`n with + &?; to cause to grow; to grow.] ||(Anat.) (a) An articulation formed by intervening cartilage; as, the ||pubic symphysis. (b) The union or coalescence of bones; also, the ||place of union or coalescence; as, the symphysis of the lower jaw. ||Cf. Articulation.

Sym`phy*sot"o*my (?), n. Symphyseotomy.

Sym"phy*tism (?), n. [Gr. &?; grown together.] Coalescence; a growing into one with another word. [R.]

Some of the phrasal adverbs have assumed the form of single words, by that symphytism which naturally attaches these light elements to each other.

Earle.

Sym`pi*e*som"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?; compression (fr. &?; to press together; sy`n with + &?; to press, squeeze) + -meter.] A sensitive kind of barometer, in which the pressure of the atmosphere, acting upon a liquid, as oil, in the lower portion of the instrument, compresses an elastic gas in the upper part.

The column of oil of a lower part BC of a glass tube compresses hydrogen gas in the upper part AB, and is thus measured on the scale pq by the position of a surface of the oil in the tube. The scale pq is adjustable, and its index must be set to the division on the scale rs corresponding to the temperature indicated by the termometer t, in order to correct for the effects of temperature on the gas. It is sensitive, and convenient for use at sea, but inferior in accuracy to the mercurial barometer.

Sym*plec"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?; plaiting together, fr. &?; to plait together.] (Anat.) Plaiting or joining together; -- said of a bone next above the quadrate in the mandibular suspensorium of many fishes, which unites together the other bones of the suspensorium. -- n. The symplectic bone.

||Sym"plo*ce (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?; an interweaving, fr. &?; to twine ||together; &?; + &?; to twine.] (Rhet.) The repetition of a word or ||phrase at the beginning and another at the end of successive clauses; ||as, Justice came down from heaven to view the earth; Justice returned ||to heaven, and left the earth.

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Sym"pode (?), n. (Bot.) A sympodium.

Sym*po"di*al (?), a. (Bot.) Composed of superposed branches in such a way as to imitate a simple axis; as, a sympodial stem.

||Sym*po"di*um (?), n.; pl. Sympodia (#). [NL., fr. Gr. sy`n with + ||&?;, dim. of &?;, &?;, foot.] (Bot.) An axis or stem produced by ||dichotomous branching in which one of the branches is regularly ||developed at the expense of the other, as in the grapevine.

Sym*po"si*ac (?), a. [L. symposiacus, Gr. &?;.] Of or pertaining to compotations and merrymaking; happening where company is drinking together; as, symposiac meetings.

Symposiac disputations amongst my acquaintance.

Arbuthnot.

Sym*po"si*ac, n. A conference or conversation of philosophers at a banquet; hence, any similar gathering.

Sym*po"si*arch (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;; &?; a symposium + &?; to be first, to rule.] (Gr. Antiq.) The master of a feast.

Sym*po"si*ast (?), n. One engaged with others at a banquet or merrymaking. Sydney Smith.

||Sym*po"si*on (?), n. [NL.] A drinking together; a symposium. "Our ||symposion last night." Sir W. Scott.

Sym*po"si*um (?), n.; pl. Symposia (#). [L., fr. Gr. sympo`sion a drinking party, feast; sy`n with + po`sis a drinking. See Syn-, and cf. Potable.] 1. A drinking together; a merry feast. T. Warton.

2. A collection of short essays by different authors on a common topic; -- so called from the appellation given to the philosophical dialogue by the Greeks.

Symp"tom (?), n. [F. symptôme, Gr. &?; anything that has befallen one, a chance, causality, symptom, fr. &?; to fall together; sy`n with + &?; to fall; akin to Skr. pat to fly, to fall. See Syn-, and cf. Asymptote, Feather.] 1. (Med.) Any affection which accompanies disease; a perceptible change in the body or its functions, which indicates disease, or the kind or phases of disease; as, the causes of disease often lie beyond our sight, but we learn their nature by the symptoms exhibited.

Like the sick man, we are expiring with all sorts of good symptoms.

Swift.

2. A sign or token; that which indicates the existence of something else; as, corruption in elections is a symptom of the decay of public virtue.

Syn. -- Mark; note; sign; token; indication.

{ Symp`tom*at"ic (?), Symp`tom*at"ic*al (?), } a. [Cf. F. symptomatique, Gr. &?; causal.] 1. Of or pertaining to symptoms; happening in concurrence with something; being a symptom; indicating the existence of something else.

Symptomatic of a shallow understanding and an unamiable temper.

Macaulay.

2. According to symptoms; as, a symptomatical classification of diseases.

-- Symp`tom*at"ic*al*ly, adv.

Symp`tom*a*tol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, symptom + -logy: cf. F. symptomatologie.] (Med.) The doctrine of symptoms; that part of the science of medicine which treats of the symptoms of diseases; semeiology.

It includes diagnosis, or the determination of the disease from its symptoms; and prognosis, or the determination of its probable course and event.

Syn- (?). [Gr. sy`n with.] A prefix meaning with, along with, together, at the same time. Syn- becomes sym- before p, b, and m, and syl- before l.

{ Syn*ac"me (?), Syn*ac"my (?), } n. [NL. synacme. See Syn-, and Acme.] (Bot.) Same as Synanthesis.

{ Syn*ær"e*sis, Syn*er"e*sis } (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a taking or drawing together, fr. &?; to take together; sy`n with + &?; to take, to grasp. See Syn-, and Heresy.] (Gram.) The union, or drawing together into one syllable, of two vowels that are ordinarily separated in syllabification; synecphonesis; -- the opposite of diæresis.

Syn`a*gog"ic*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to a synagogue.

Syn"a*gogue (?), n. [F., from L. synagoga, Gr. &?; a bringing together, an assembly, a synagogue, fr. &?; to bring together; sy`n with + &?; to lead. See Syn-, and Agent.] 1. A congregation or assembly of Jews met for the purpose of worship, or the performance of religious rites.

2. The building or place appropriated to the religious worship of the Jews.

3. The council of, probably, 120 members among the Jews, first appointed after the return from the Babylonish captivity; -- called also the Great Synagogue, and sometimes, though erroneously, the Sanhedrin.

4. A congregation in the early Christian church.

My brethren, . . . if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring.

James ii. 1,2 (Rev. Ver.).

5. Any assembly of men. [Obs. or R.] Milton.

Syn`a*le"pha (?), n. [NL., fr. L. synaloepha, Gr. &?;, from &?; to melt together; sy`n with + &?; to besmear.] (Gram.) A contraction of syllables by suppressing some vowel or diphthong at the end of a word, before another vowel or diphthong; as, th' army, for the army. [Written also synalœpha.]

Syn`al*lag*mat"ic, a. [Gr. &?;, from &?; a mutual agreement, contract, fr. &?; to exchange, negotiate with; sy`n with + &?; to change.] (Law) Imposing reciprocal obligations upon the parties; as, a synallagmatic contract. Bouvier.

Syn`al*lax"ine (?), a. [From Gr. &?; to associate with.] (Zoöl.) Having the outer and middle toes partially united; -- said of certain birds related to the creepers.

||Syn`a*lœ"pha (?), n. [L.] Same as Synalepha.

||Syn*an"gi*um (?), n.; pl. Synangia (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; + &?; a ||hollow vessel.] (Anat.) The divided part beyond the pylangium in the ||aortic trunk of the amphibian heart. -- Syn*an"gi*al (#), a.

Syn*an"ther*ous (?), a. [Pref. syn- + anther.] (Bot.) Having the stamens united by their anthers; as, synantherous flowers.

||Syn`an*the"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. sy`n with + Gr. &?; bloom.] ||(Bot.) The simultaneous maturity of the anthers and stigmas of a ||blossom. Gray.

Syn*an"thous (?), a. [Pref. syn- + Gr. &?; flower.] (Bot.) Having flowers and leaves which appear at the same time; -- said of certain plants.

Syn*an"throse" (?), n. [From NL. Synantheræ the Compositæ; Gr. sy`n with + &?; blooming.] (Chem.) A variety of sugar, isomeric with sucrose, found in the tubers of the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), in the dahlia, and other Compositæ.

||Syn*ap"ta (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; fastened together; sy`n with + ||&?; to fasten.] (Zoöl.) A genus of slender, transparent holothurians ||which have delicate calcareous anchors attached to the dermal plates. ||See Illustration in Appendix.

Syn*ap"tase (?), n. [Gr. &?; fastened together + diastase.] (Chem.) A ferment resembling diastase, found in bitter almonds. Cf. Amygdalin, and Emulsin.

||Syn`ap*tic"u*la (?), n.; pl. Synapticulæ (#). [NL., dim. from Gr. &?; ||fastened together.] (Zoöl.) One of numerous calcareous processes ||which extend between, and unite, the adjacent septa of certain ||corals, especially of the fungian corals.

Syn"ar*chy (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to rule jointly with; sy`n with + &?; to rule.] Joint rule or sovereignity. [R.] Stackhouse.

Syn`ar*te"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a fastening together, fr. &?; to fasten together.] A fastening or knitting together; the state of being closely jointed; close union. [R.] Coleridge.

||Syn`ar*thro"di*a (?), n. [NL.] (Anat.) Synarthrosis. -- ||Syn`ar*thro"di*al (#), a. Dunglison.

||Syn`ar*thro"sis (?), n.; pl. Synarthroses (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a ||being jointed together, fr. &?; to link or joint together; sy`n with ||+ &?; a joint.] (Anat.) Immovable articulation by close union, as in ||sutures. It sometimes includes symphysial articulations also. See the ||Note under Articulation, n., 1.

Syn"as*try (?), n. [Pref. syn- + Gr. &?; a star.] Concurrence of starry position or influence; hence, similarity of condition, fortune, etc., as prefigured by astrological calculation. [R.] Motley.

Syn*ax"is (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to bring together. See Synagogue.] A congregation; also, formerly, the Lord's Supper. Jer. Taylor.

Syn"carp (?), n. [NL. syncarpium. See Syncarpous.] (Bot.) A kind of aggregate fruit in which the ovaries cohere in a solid mass, with a slender receptacle, as in the magnolia; also, a similar multiple fruit, as a mulberry.

||Syn*car"pi*um (?), n.; pl. Syncarpia (#). [NL.] (Bot.) Same as ||Syncarp.

Syn*car"pous (?), a. [Pref. syn- + Gr. &?; a fruit.] (Bot.) Composed of several carpels consolidated into one ovary.

Syn*cat`e*gor`e*mat"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;; sy`n with + &?; a predicate. See Syn-, and Categorematic.] (Logic) Not capable of being used as a term by itself; -- said of words, as an adverb or preposition.

||Syn`chon*dro"sis (?), n.; pl. Synchondroses (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?;; ||sy`n with + &?; cartilage.] (Anat.) An immovable articulation in ||which the union is formed by cartilage. -- Syn`chon*dro"si*al, a.

Syn`chon*drot"o*my (?), n. [Gr. &?; union by cartilage + &?; to cut.] (Surg.) Symphyseotomy.

Syn`cho*re"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;; sy`n with + &?; a going.] (Rhet.) A concession made for the purpose of retorting with greater force.

Syn"chro*nal (?), a. [See Synchronous.] Happening at, or belonging to, the same time; synchronous; simultaneous. Dr. H. More.

Syn"chro*nal, n. A synchronal thing or event.

Syn*chron"ic*al (?), a. [Cf. F. synchronique.] Happening at the same time; synchronous. Boyle. -- Syn*chron"ic*al*ly, adv.

Syn"chro*nism (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to be contemporary with, from &?; synchronous. See Synchronous.] 1. The concurrence of events in time; simultaneousness.

2. The tabular arrangement of historical events and personages, according to their dates.

3. (Paint.) A representation, in the same picture, of two or events which occured at different times.

Syn`chro*nis"tic (?), a. Of or pertaining to synchronism; arranged according to correspondence in time; as, synchronistic tables.

Syn`chro*ni*za"tion (?), n. The act of synchronizing; concurrence of events in respect to time.

Syn"chro*nize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Synchronized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Synchronizing (?).] [Gr. &?;.] To agree in time; to be simultaneous.

The path of this great empire, through its arch of progress, synchronized with that of Christianity.

De Quincey.

Syn"chro*nize, v. t. 1. To assign to the same date or period of time; as, to synchronize two events of Greek and Roman history. "Josephus synchronizes Nisan with the Egyptian Pharmus." W. L. Bevan.

2. To cause to agree in time; as, to synchronize the movements of different machines; to synchronize clocks.

Syn`chro*nol"o*gy (?), n. [Pref. syn- + Gr. &?; time + -logy.] Contemporaneous chronology.

Syn"chro*nous (?), a. [Gr. &?;; sy`n with + &?; time. Cf. Chronicle.] Happening at the same time; simultaneous. -- Syn"chro*nous*ly, adv.

Syn"chro*ny (?), n. The concurrence of events in time; synchronism. [R.]

Geological contemporaneity is the same as chronological synchrony.

Huxley.

||Syn"chy*sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to confound; sy`n with ||+ &?; to pour.] A derangement or confusion of any kind, as of words ||in a sentence, or of humors in the eye.

Sparkling synchysis (Med.), a condition in which the vitreous humor is softened and contains sparkling scales of cholesterin.

Syn*clas"tic (?), a. [Pref. syn- + Gr. kla^n to break.] (Math. Physics) Curved toward the same side in all directions; -- said of surfaces which in all directions around any point bend away from a tangent plane toward the same side, as the surface of a sphere; -- opposed to anticlastic. Sir W. Thomson.

Syn*cli"nal (?), a. [Gr. &?; to incline together; sy`n with + &?; to incline.] 1. Inclined downward from opposite directions, so as to meet in a common point or line.

2. (Geol.) Formed by strata dipping toward a common line or plane; as, a synclinal trough or valley; a synclinal fold; -- opposed to anticlinal.

A downward flexure in the case of folded rocks makes a synclinal axis, and the alternating upward flexure an anticlinal axis.

Syn*cli"nal, n. (Geol.) A synclinal fold.

Syn*cline" (?), n. (Geol.) A synclinal fold.

Syn*clin"ic*al (?), a. Synclinal. [R.]

||Syn`cli*no"ri*um (?), n.; pl. Synclinoria (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; to ||lay together + &?; mountain.] (Geol.) A mountain range owing its ||origin to the progress of a geosynclinal, and ending in a catastrophe ||of displacement and upturning. Dana.

Syn"co*pal (?), a. Of or pertaining to syncope; resembling syncope.

Syn"co*pate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Syncopated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Syncopating.] [LL. syncopatus, p. p. of syncopare to syncopate, to swoon. See Syncope.] 1. (Gram.) To contract, as a word, by taking one or more letters or syllables from the middle; as, "Gloster" is a syncopated form of "Gloucester."

2. (Mus.) To commence, as a tone, on an unaccented part of a measure, and continue it into the following accented part, so that the accent is driven back upon the weak part and the rhythm drags.