Chapter 14

Scar"a*mouch` (?), n. [F. scaramouche, It. scaramuccio, scaramuccia, originally the name of a celebrated Italian comedian; cf. It. scaramuccia, scaramuccio, F. escarmouche, skirmish. Cf. Skirmish.] A personage in the old Italian comedy (derived from Spain) characterized by great boastfulness and poltroonery; hence, a person of like characteristics; a buffoon.

Scarce (skârs), a. [Compar. Scarcer (skâr"sr); superl. Scarcest.] [OE. scars, OF. escars, eschars, LL. scarpsus, excarpsus, for L. excerptus, p. p. of excerpere to pick out, and hence to contract, to shorten; ex (see Ex-) + carpere. See Carpet, and cf. Excerp.] 1. Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon.

You tell him silver is scarcer now in England, and therefore risen one fifth in value.

Locke.

The scarcest of all is a Pescennius Niger on a medallion well preserved.

Addison.

2. Scantily supplied (with); deficient (in); - - with of. [Obs.] "A region scarce of prey." Milton.

3. Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; stingy. [Obs.] "Too scarce ne too sparing." Chaucer.

To make one's self scarce, to decamp; to depart. [Slang]

Syn. -- Rare; infrequent; deficient. See Rare.

{ Scarce, Scarce"ly }, adv. 1. With difficulty; hardly; scantly; barely; but just.

With a scarce well-lighted flame.

Milton.

The eldest scarcely five year was of age.

Chaucer.

Slowly she sails, and scarcely stems the tides.

Dryden.

He had scarcely finished, when the laborer arrived who had been sent for my ransom.

W. Irving.

2. Frugally; penuriously. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Scarce"ment (?), n. (Arch. & Engin.) An offset where a wall or bank of earth, etc., retreats, leaving a shelf or footing.

{ Scarce"ness (?), Scar"ci*ty (?) }, n. The quality or condition of being scarce; smallness of quantity in proportion to the wants or demands; deficiency; lack of plenty; short supply; penury; as, a scarcity of grain; a great scarcity of beauties. Chaucer.

A scarcity of snow would raise a mutiny at Naples.

Addison.

Praise . . . owes its value to its scarcity.

Rambler.

The value of an advantage is enhanced by its scarceness.

Collier.

Syn. -- Deficiency; lack; want; penury; dearth; rareness; rarity; infrequency.

Scard (?), n. A shard or fragment. [Obs.]

Scare (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scared (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scaring.] [OE. skerren, skeren, Icel. skirra to bar, prevent, skirrask to shun , shrink from; or fr. OE. skerre, adj., scared, Icel. skjarr; both perhaps akin to E. sheer to turn.] To frighten; to strike with sudden fear; to alarm.

The noise of thy crossbow Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.

Shak.

To scare away, to drive away by frightening. -- To scare up, to find by search, as if by beating for game. [Slang]

Syn. -- To alarm; frighten; startle; affright; terrify.

Scare, n. Fright; esp., sudden fright produced by a trifling cause, or originating in mistake. [Colloq.]

Scare"crow` (?), n. 1. Anything set up to frighten crows or other birds from cornfields; hence, anything terifying without danger.

A scarecrow set to frighten fools away.

Dryden.

2. A person clad in rags and tatters.

No eye hath seen such scarecrows. I'll not march with them through Coventry, that's flat.

Shak.

3. (Zoöl.) The black tern. [Prov. Eng.]

Scare"fire` (?), n. 1. An alarm of fire. [Obs.]

2. A fire causing alarm. [Obs.] Fuller.

Scarf (skärf), n. [Icel. skarfr.] A cormorant. [Scot.]

Scarf, n.; pl. Scarfs, rarely Scarves (skärvz). [Cf. OF. escharpe a pilgrim's scrip, or wallet (hanging about the neck), F. écharpe sash, scarf; probably from OHG. scharpe pocket; also (from the French) Dan. skiærf; Sw. skärp, Prov. G. schärfe, LG. scherf, G. schärpe; and also AS. scearf a fragment; possibly akin to E. scrip a wallet. Cf. Scarp a scarf.] An article of dress of a light and decorative character, worn loosely over the shoulders or about the neck or the waist; a light shawl or handkerchief for the neck; also, a cravat; a neckcloth.

Put on your hood and scarf.

Swift.

With care about the banners, scarves, and staves.

R. Browning.

Scarf, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scarfed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scarfing.] 1. To throw on loosely; to put on like a scarf. "My sea-gown scarfed about me." Shak.

2. To dress with a scarf, or as with a scarf; to cover with a loose wrapping. Shak.

Scarf, v. t. [Sw. skarfva to eke out, to join together, skarf a seam, joint; cf. Dan. skarre to joint, to unite timber, Icel. skara to clinch the planks of a boat, G. scharben to chop, to cut small.] (a) To form a scarf on the end or edge of, as for a joint in timber, metal rods, etc. (b) To unite, as two pieces of timber or metal, by a scarf joint.

Scarf (?), n. (a) In a piece which is to be united to another by a scarf joint, the part of the end or edge that is tapered off, rabbeted, or notched so as to be thinner than the rest of the piece. (b) A scarf joint.

Scarf joint (a) A joint made by overlapping and bolting or locking together the ends of two pieces of timber that are halved, notched, or cut away so that they will fit each other and form a lengthened beam of the same size at the junction as elsewhere. (b) A joint formed by welding, riveting, or brazing together the overlapping scarfed ends, or edges, of metal rods, sheets, etc. -- Scarf weld. See under Weld.

Scarf"skin` (?), n. (Anat.) See Epidermis.

Scar`i*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [L. scarificatio: cf. F. scarification.] The act of scarifying.

Scar"i*fi*ca`tor (?), n. [Cf. F. scarificateur.] (Surg.) An instrument, principally used in cupping, containing several lancets moved simultaneously by a spring, for making slight incisions.

Scar"i*fi`er (?), n. 1. One who scarifies.

2. (Surg.) The instrument used for scarifying.

3. (Agric.) An implement for stripping and loosening the soil, without bringing up a fresh surface.

You have your scarifiers to make the ground clean.

Southey.

Scar"i*fy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scarified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scarifying (?).] [F. scarifier, L. scarificare, scarifare, fr. Gr. &?; to scratch up, fr. &?; a pointed instrument.] 1. To scratch or cut the skin of; esp. (Med.), to make small incisions in, by means of a lancet or scarificator, so as to draw blood from the smaller vessels without opening a large vein.

2. (Agric.) To stir the surface soil of, as a field.

{ Sca"ri*ose (?), Sca"ri*ous (?) }, a. [F. scarieux, NL. scariosus. Cf. Scary.] (Bot.) Thin, dry, membranous, and not green. Gray.

Scar`la*ti"na (?), n. [NL.: cf. F. scarlatine. See Scarlet.] (Med.) Scarlet fever. -- Scar`la*ti"nal (#), a. -- Scar*lat"i*nous (# or #), a.

Scar"less (?), a. Free from scar. Drummond.

Scar"let (?), n. [OE. scarlat, scarlet, OF. escarlate, F. écarlate (cf. Pr. escarlat, escarlata, Sp. & Pg. escarlata, It. scarlatto, LL. scarlatum), from Per. sakirlt.] A deep bright red tinged with orange or yellow, -- of many tints and shades; a vivid or bright red color.

2. Cloth of a scarlet color.

All her household are clothed with scarlet.

Prov. xxxi. 21.

Scar"let, a. Of the color called scarlet; as, a scarlet cloth or thread.

Scarlet admiral (Zoöl.), the red admiral. See under Red. -- Scarlet bean (Bot.), a kind of bean (Phaseolus multiflorus) having scarlet flowers; scarlet runner. -- Scarlet fever (Med.), a contagious febrile disease characterized by inflammation of the fauces and a scarlet rash, appearing usually on the second day, and ending in desquamation about the sixth or seventh day. -- Scarlet fish (Zoöl.), the telescope fish; -- so called from its red color. See under Telescope. -- Scarlet ibis (Zoöl.) See under Ibis. -- Scarlet maple (Bot.), the red maple. See Maple. -- Scarlet mite (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of bright red carnivorous mites found among grass and moss, especially Thombidium holosericeum and allied species. The young are parasitic upon spiders and insects. -- Scarlet oak (Bot.), a species of oak (Quercus coccinea) of the United States; -- so called from the scarlet color of its leaves in autumn. -- Scarlet runner (Bot.), the scarlet bean. -- Scarlet tanager. (Zoöl.) See under Tanager.

Scar"let, v. t. To dye or tinge with scarlet. [R.]

The ashy paleness of my cheek Is scarleted in ruddy flakes of wrath.

Ford.

{ Scar"mage (?), Scar"moge (?) }, n. A slight contest; a skirmish. See Skirmish. [Obs.]

Such cruel game my scarmoges disarms.

Spenser.

Scarn (?), n. [Icel. skarn; akin to AS. scearn. Cf. Shearn.] Dung. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Ray.

Scarn bee (Zoöl.), a dung beetle.

Sca"roid, a. [Scarus + - oid.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Scaridæ, a family of marine fishes including the parrot fishes.

Scarp (?), n. [OF. escharpe. See 2d Scarf.] (Her.) A band in the same position as the bend sinister, but only half as broad as the latter.

Scarp, n. [Aphetic form of Escarp.] 1. (Fort.) The slope of the ditch nearest the parapet; the escarp.

2. A steep descent or declivity.

Scarp, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scarped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scarping.] To cut down perpendicularly, or nearly so; as, to scarp the face of a ditch or a rock.

From scarped cliff and quarried stone.

Tennyson.

Sweep ruins from the scarped mountain.

Emerson.

Scar"ring (?), n. A scar; a mark.

We find upon the limestone rocks the scarrings of the ancient glacier which brought the bowlder here.

Tyndall.

Scar"ry (?), a. Bearing scars or marks of wounds.

Scar"ry, a. [See 4th Scar.] Like a scar, or rocky eminence; containing scars. Holinshed.

||Sca"rus (?), n. [L. See Scar a kind of fish.] (Zoöl.) A Mediterranean ||food fish (Sparisoma scarus) of excellent quality and highly valued ||by the Romans; -- called also parrot fish.

Sca"ry (?), n. [Prov. E. scare scraggy.] Barren land having only a thin coat of grass. [Prov. Eng.]

Scar"y (?), a. [From Scare.] 1. Subject to sudden alarm. [Colloq. U. S.] Whittier.

2. Causing fright; alarming. [Colloq. U. S.]

Scase"ly (?), adv. Scarcely; hardly. [Obs. or Colloq.] Robynson (More's Utopia)

Scat (skt), interj. Go away; begone; away; -- chiefly used in driving off a cat.

{ Scat, Scatt }, n. [Icel. skattr.] Tribute. [R.] "Seizing scatt and treasure." Longfellow.

Scat, n. A shower of rain. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.

Scatch (?), n. [F. escache.] A kind of bit for the bridle of a horse; -- called also scatchmouth. Bailey.

Scatch"es (?), n. pl. [OF. eschaces, F. échasses, fr. D. schaats a high-heeled shoe, a skate. See Skate, for the foot.] Stilts. [Prov. Eng.]

Scate (skt), n. See Skate, for the foot.

Scat"e*brous (?), a. [L. scatebra a gushing up of water, from scatere to bubble, gush.] Abounding with springs. [Obs.]

Scath (skth; 277), n. [Icel. skaði; akin to Dan. skade, Sw. skada, AS. sceaða, scaða, foe, injurer, OS. skaðo, D. schade, harm, injury, OHG. scade, G. schade, schaden; cf. Gr. 'askhqh`s unharmed. Cf. Scathe, v.] Harm; damage; injury; hurt; waste; misfortune. [Written also scathe.]

But she was somedeal deaf, and that was skathe.

Chaucer.

Great mercy, sure, for to enlarge a thrall, Whose freedom shall thee turn to greatest scath.

Spenser.

Wherein Rome hath done you any scath, Let him make treble satisfaction.

Shak.

{ Scathe (sk; 277), Scath (skth; 277) }, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scathed (skd or sktht); p. pr. & vb. n. Scathing (sk"ng or skth"-).] [Icel. skaða; akin to AS. sceaðan, sceððan, Dan. skade, Sw. skada, D. & G. schaden, OHG. scadn, Goth. skaþjan.] To do harm to; to injure; to damage; to waste; to destroy.

As when heaven's fire Hath scathed the forest oaks or mountain pines.

Milton.

Strokes of calamity that scathe and scorch the soul.

W. Irving.

Scath"ful (?), a. Harmful; doing damage; pernicious. Shak.

-- Scath"ful*ness, n.

Scath"less, a. Unharmed. R. L. Stevenson.

He, too, . . . is to be dismissed scathless.

Sir W. Scott.

Scath"ly, a. Injurious; scathful. [Obs.]

Scat"ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scattered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scattering.] [OE. scateren. See Shatter.] 1. To strew about; to sprinkle around; to throw down loosely; to deposit or place here and there, esp. in an open or sparse order.

And some are scattered all the floor about.

Chaucer.

Why should my muse enlarge on Libyan swains, Their scattered cottages, and ample plains?

Dryden.

Teach the glad hours to scatter, as they fly, Soft quiet, gentle love, and endless joy.

Prior.

2. To cause to separate in different directions; to reduce from a close or compact to a loose or broken order; to dissipate; to disperse.

Scatter and disperse the giddy Goths.

Shak.

3. Hence, to frustrate, disappoint, and overthrow; as, to scatter hopes, plans, or the like.

Syn. -- To disperse; dissipate; spread; strew.

Scat"ter, v. i. To be dispersed or dissipated; to disperse or separate; as, clouds scatter after a storm.

Scat"ter-brain` (?), n. A giddy or thoughtless person; one incapable of concentration or attention. [Written also scatter-brains.]

Scat"ter-brained` (?), a. Giddy; thoughtless.

Scat"tered (?), a. 1. Dispersed; dissipated; sprinkled, or loosely spread.

2. (Bot.) Irregular in position; having no regular order; as, scattered leaves.

-- Scat"tered*ly, adv. -- Scat"tered*ness, n.

Scat"ter*good` (?), n. One who wastes; a spendthrift.

Scat"ter*ing, a. Going or falling in various directions; not united or aggregated; divided among many; as, scattering votes.

Scat"ter*ing, n. Act of strewing about; something scattered. South.

Scat"ter*ing*ly, adv. In a scattering manner; dispersedly.

Scat"ter*ling (?), n. [Scatter + -ling.] One who has no fixed habitation or residence; a vagabond. [Obs.] "Foreign scatterlings." Spenser.

Sca*tu"ri*ent (?), a.[L. scaturiens, p. pr. of scaturire gush out, from scatere to bubble, gush.] Gushing forth; full to overflowing; effusive. [R.]

A pen so scaturient and unretentive.

Sir W. Scott.

Scat`u*rig"i*nous (?), a. [L. scaturiginosus, fr. scaturigo gushing water. See Scaturient.] Abounding with springs. [Obs.]

Scaup (skp), n. [See Scalp a bed of oysters or mussels.] 1. A bed or stratum of shellfish; scalp. [Scot.]

2. (Zoöl.) A scaup duck. See below.

Scaup duck (Zoöl.), any one of several species of northern ducks of the genus Aythya, or Fuligula. The adult males are, in large part, black. The three North American species are: the greater scaup duck (Aythya marila, var. nearctica), called also broadbill, bluebill, blackhead, flock duck, flocking fowl, and raft duck; the lesser scaup duck (A. affinis), called also little bluebill, river broadbill, and shuffler; the tufted, or ring-necked, scaup duck (A. collaris), called also black jack, ringneck, ringbill, ringbill shuffler, etc. See Illust.. of Ring-necked duck, under Ring-necked. The common European scaup, or mussel, duck (A. marila), closely resembles the American variety.

Scaup"er (?), n. [Cf. Scalper.] A tool with a semicircular edge, -- used by engravers to clear away the spaces between the lines of an engraving. Fairholt.

Scaur (?), n. A precipitous bank or rock; a scar.

Scav"age (?; 48), n. [LL. scavagium, fr. AS. sceáwian to look at, to inspect. See Show.] (O. Eng. Law) A toll or duty formerly exacted of merchant strangers by mayors, sheriffs, etc., for goods shown or offered for sale within their precincts. Cowell.

Scav"enge (?), v. t. To cleanse, as streets, from filth. C. Kingsley.

Scav"en*ger (?), n. [OE. scavager an officer with various duties, originally attending to scavage, fr. OE. & E. scavage. See Scavage, Show, v.] A person whose employment is to clean the streets of a city, by scraping or sweeping, and carrying off the filth. The name is also applied to any animal which devours refuse, carrion, or anything injurious to health.

Scavenger beetle (Zoöl.), any beetle which feeds on decaying substances, as the carrion beetle. -- Scavenger crab (Zoöl.), any crab which feeds on dead animals, as the spider crab. -- Scavenger's daughter [corrupt. of Skevington's daughter], an instrument of torture invented by Sir W. Skevington, which so compressed the body as to force the blood to flow from the nostrils, and sometimes from the hands and feet. Am. Cyc.

||Sca"zon (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. ska`zwn, fr. ska`zein to limp.] (Lat. ||Pros.) A choliamb.

Scel"er*at (?), n. [F. scélérat from L. sceleratus, p. p. of scelerare to pollute, from scelus, sceleris, a crime.] A villain; a criminal. [Obs.] Cheyne.

Sce*les"tic (?), a. [L. scelestus, from scelus wickedness.] Evil; wicked; atrocious. [Obs.] "Scelestic villainies." Feltham.

Scel"et (?), n. [See Skeleton.] A mummy; a skeleton. [Obs.] Holland.

||Sce"na (?), n. [It.] (Mus.) (a) A scene in an opera. (b) An ||accompanied dramatic recitative, interspersed with passages of ||melody, or followed by a full aria. Rockstro.

||Sce*na"ri*o (?), n. [It.] A preliminary sketch of the plot, or main ||incidents, of an opera.

Scen"a*ry (?), n. [Cf. L. scaenarius belonging to the stage.] Scenery. [Obs.] Dryden.

Scene (?), n. [L. scaena, scena, Gr. skhnh` a covered place, a tent, a stage.] 1. The structure on which a spectacle or play is exhibited; the part of a theater in which the acting is done, with its adjuncts and decorations; the stage.

2. The decorations and fittings of a stage, representing the place in which the action is supposed to go on; one of the slides, or other devices, used to give an appearance of reality to the action of a play; as, to paint scenes; to shift the scenes; to go behind the scenes.

3. So much of a play as passes without change of locality or time, or important change of character; hence, a subdivision of an act; a separate portion of a play, subordinate to the act, but differently determined in different plays; as, an act of four scenes.

My dismal scene I needs must act alone.

Shak.

4. The place, time, circumstance, etc., in which anything occurs, or in which the action of a story, play, or the like, is laid; surroundings amid which anything is set before the imagination; place of occurrence, exhibition, or action. "In Troy, there lies the scene." Shak.

The world is a vast scene of strife.

J. M. Mason.

5. An assemblage of objects presented to the view at once; a series of actions and events exhibited in their connection; a spectacle; a show; an exhibition; a view.

Through what new scenes and changes must we pass!

Addison.

6. A landscape, or part of a landscape; scenery.

A sylvan scene with various greens was drawn, Shades on the sides, and in the midst a lawn.

Dryden.

7. An exhibition of passionate or strong feeling before others; often, an artifical or affected action, or course of action, done for effect; a theatrical display.

Probably no lover of scenes would have had very long to wait for some explosions between parties, both equally ready to take offense, and careless of giving it.

De Quincey.

Behind the scenes, behind the scenery of a theater; out of the view of the audience, but in sight of the actors, machinery, etc.; hence, conversant with the hidden motives and agencies of what appears to public view.

Scene, v. t. To exhibit as a scene; to make a scene of; to display. [Obs.] Abp. Sancroft.

Scene"ful (?), a. Having much scenery. [R.]

Scene"man (?), n.; pl. Scenemen (&?;). The man who manages the movable scenes in a theater.

Scen"er*y (?), n. 1. Assemblage of scenes; the paintings and hangings representing the scenes of a play; the disposition and arrangement of the scenes in which the action of a play, poem, etc., is laid; representation of place of action or occurence.

2. Sum of scenes or views; general aspect, as regards variety and beauty or the reverse, in a landscape; combination of natural views, as woods, hills, etc.

Never need an American look beyond his own country for the sublime and beautiful of natural scenery.

W. Irving.

Scene"shift`er (?), n. One who moves the scenes in a theater; a sceneman.

{ Scen"ic (?), Scen"ic*al (?) }, a. [L. scaenicus, scenicus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. scénique. See Scene.] Of or pertaining to scenery; of the nature of scenery; theatrical.

All these situations communicate a scenical animation to the wild romance, if treated dramatically.

De Quincey.

Scen"o*graph (?), n. [See Scenography.] A perspective representation or general view of an object.

{ Scen`o*graph"ic (?), Scen`o*graph"ic*al (?) }, a. [Cf. F. scénographique, Gr. &?;.] Of or pertaining to scenography; drawn in perspective. -- Scen`o*graph"ic*al*ly, adv.

Sce*nog"ra*phy (?), n. [L. scaenographia, Gr. &?;; &?; scene, stage + gra`fein to write: cf. F. scénographie.] The art or act of representing a body on a perspective plane; also, a representation or description of a body, in all its dimensions, as it appears to the eye. Greenhill.

Scent (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scented; p. pr. & vb. n. Scenting.] [Originally sent, fr. F. sentir to feel, to smell. See Sense.] 1. To perceive by the olfactory organs; to smell; as, to scent game, as a hound does.

Methinks I scent the morning air.

Shak.

2. To imbue or fill with odor; to perfume.

Balm from a silver box distilled around, Shall all bedew the roots, and scent the sacred ground.

Dryden.

Scent, v. i. 1. To have a smell. [Obs.]

Thunderbolts . . . do scent strongly of brimstone.

Holland.

2. To hunt animals by means of the sense of smell.

Scent, n. 1. That which, issuing from a body, affects the olfactory organs of animals; odor; smell; as, the scent of an orange, or of a rose; the scent of musk.

With lavish hand diffuses scents ambrosial.

Prior.

2. Specifically, the odor left by an animal on the ground in passing over it; as, dogs find or lose the scent; hence, course of pursuit; track of discovery.

He gained the observations of innumerable ages, and traveled upon the same scent into Ethiopia.

Sir W. Temple.

3. The power of smelling; the sense of smell; as, a hound of nice scent; to divert the scent. I. Watts.

Scent"ful (?), a. 1. Full of scent or odor; odorous. "A scentful nosegay." W. Browne.

2. Of quick or keen smell.

The scentful osprey by the rock had fished.

W. Browne.

Scent"ing*ly (?), adv. By scent. [R.] Fuller.

Scent"less, a. Having no scent.

The scentless and the scented rose.

Cowper.

||Scep"sis (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; doubt, fr. &?; to consider: cf. ||G. skepsis. See Skeptic.] Skepticism; skeptical philosophy. [R.]

Among their products were the system of Locke, the scepsis of Hume, the critical philosophy of Kant.

J. Martineau.

{ Scep"ter, Scep"tre } (?), n. [F. sceptre, L. sceptrum, from Gr. &?; a staff to lean upon, a scepter; probably akin to E. shaft. See Shaft, and cf. Scape a stem, shaft.] 1. A staff or baton borne by a sovereign, as a ceremonial badge or emblem of authority; a royal mace.

And the king held out Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand.

Esther v. 2.

2. Hence, royal or imperial power or authority; sovereignty; as, to assume the scepter.

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come.

Gen. xlix. 10.

{ Scep"ter, Scep"tre }, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sceptered (?) or Sceptred (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Sceptering (?) or Sceptring (&?;).] To endow with the scepter, or emblem of authority; to invest with royal authority.

To Britain's queen the sceptered suppliant bends.

Tickell.

Scep`ter*el"late (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having a straight shaft with whorls of spines; -- said of certain sponge spicules. See Illust. under Spicule.

{ Scep"ter*less, Scep"tre*less }, a. Having no scepter; without authority; powerless; as, a scepterless king.

{ Scep"tic (?), Scep"tic*al, Scep"ti*cism, etc.} See Skeptic, Skeptical, Skepticism, etc.

Scep"tral (?), a. Of or pertaining to a scepter; like a scepter.

Scern (?), v. t. To discern; to perceive. [Obs.]

Schade (?), n. Shade; shadow. [Obs.]

English words now beginning with sh, like shade, were formerly often spelled with a c between the s and h; as, schade; schame; schape; schort, etc.

Schah (?), n. See Shah.