Chapter 97

5. (Naut.) A curved piece of timber to which the two sides of a ship are united at the fore end. The lower end of it is scarfed to the keel, and the bowsprit rests upon its upper end. Hence, the forward part of a vessel; the bow.

6. Fig.: An advanced or leading position; the lookout.

Wolsey sat at the stem more than twenty years.

Fuller.

7. Anything resembling a stem or stalk; as, the stem of a tobacco pipe; the stem of a watch case, or that part to which the ring, by which it is suspended, is attached.

8. (Bot.) That part of a plant which bears leaves, or rudiments of leaves, whether rising above ground or wholly subterranean.

9. (Zoöl.) (a) The entire central axis of a feather. (b) The basal portion of the body of one of the Pennatulacea, or of a gorgonian.

10. (Mus.) The short perpendicular line added to the body of a note; the tail of a crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, etc.

11. (Gram.) The part of an inflected word which remains unchanged (except by euphonic variations) throughout a given inflection; theme; base.

From stem to stern (Naut.), from one end of the ship to the other, or through the whole length. -- Stem leaf (Bot.), a leaf growing from the stem of a plant, as contrasted with a basal or radical leaf.

Stem, v. t. 1. To remove the stem or stems from; as, to stem cherries; to remove the stem and its appendages (ribs and veins) from; as, to stem tobacco leaves.

2. To ram, as clay, into a blasting hole.

Stem, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stemmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Stemming.] [Either from stem, n., or akin to stammer; cf. G. stemmen to press against.] To oppose or cut with, or as with, the stem of a vessel; to resist, or make progress against; to stop or check the flow of, as a current. "An argosy to stem the waves." Shak.

[They] stem the flood with their erected breasts.

Denham.

Stemmed the wild torrent of a barbarous age.

Pope.

Stem, v. i. To move forward against an obstacle, as a vessel against a current.

Stemming nightly toward the pole.

Milton.

Stem"-clasp`ing (?), a. (Bot.) Embracing the stem with its base; amplexicaul, as a leaf or petiole.

Stem"less, a. Having no stem; (Bot.) acaulescent.

Stem"let (?), n. A small or young stem.

||Stem"ma (?), n.; pl. Stemmata (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, pl. &?;, a ||garland or chaplet.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of the ocelli of an insect. See ||Ocellus. (b) One of the facets of a compound eye of any arthropod.

Stem"mer (?), n. One who, or that which, stems (in any of the senses of the verbs).

Stem"mer*y (?), n. A large building in which tobacco is stemmed. [U. S.] Bartlett.

Stem"my (?), a. Abounding in stems, or mixed with stems; -- said of tea, dried currants, etc. [Colloq.]

Stem"ple (?), n. [G. stempel a stamp, a prop, akin to E. stamp.] (Mining) A crossbar of wood in a shaft, serving as a step.

Stem"son (?), n. [See Stem, n., and Keelson, and cf. Sternson.] (Shipbuilding) A piece of curved timber bolted to the stem, keelson, and apron in a ship's frame near the bow.

Stem"-wind`er (?), n. A stem- winding watch. [Colloq.]

Stem"-wind`ing, a. Wound by mechanism connected with the stem; as, a stem-winding watch.

Stench (?), v. t. To stanch. [Obs.] Harvey.

Stench, n. [AS. stenc a strong smell, fr. stincan. See Stink, v. i.] 1. A smell; an odor. [Obs.]

Clouds of savory stench involve the sky.

Dryden.

2. An ill smell; an offensive odor; a stink. Cowper.

Stench trap, a contrivance to prevent stench or foul air from rising from the openings of sewers, drains, etc.

Stench, v. t. [AS. stencan to emit a smell, fr. stincan to smell. See Stench, n.] To cause to emit a disagreeable odor; to cause to stink. [Obs.] Young.

Stench"y (?), a. Having a stench. [Obs.] Dyer.

Sten"cil (?), n. [Probably from OF. estincelle spangle, spark, F. étincelle spark, L. scintilla. See Scintillate, and cf. Tinsel.] A thin plate of metal, leather, or other material, used in painting, marking, etc. The pattern is cut out of the plate, which is then laid flat on the surface to be marked, and the color brushed over it. Called also stencil plate.

Sten"cil, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stenciled (?) or Stencilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stenciling or Stencilling.] To mark, paint, or color in figures with stencils; to form or print by means of a stencil.

Sten"cil*er (?), n. One who paints or colors in figures by means of stencil. [Written also stenciller.]

Sten"o*derm (?), n. [Gr. steno`s narrow, little + -derm.] (Zoöl.) Any species of bat belonging to the genus Stenoderma, native of the West Indies and South America. These bats have a short or rudimentary tail and a peculiarly shaped nose membrane.

Sten`o*der"mine (?), a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the genus Stenoderma, which includes several West Indian and South American nose-leaf bats.

Sten"o*graph (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stenographed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Stenographing (?).] To write or report in stenographic characters.

Sten"o*graph, n. A production of stenography; anything written in shorthand.

I saw the reporters' room, in which they redact their hasty stenographs.

Emerson.

Ste*nog"ra*pher (?), n. One who is skilled in stenography; a writer of shorthand.

{ Sten`o*graph"ic (?), Sten`o*graph"ic*al (?), } a. [Cf. F. sténographique.] Of or pertaining to stenography.

Ste*nog"ra*phist (?), n. A stenographer.

Ste*nog"ra*phy (?), n. [Gr. steno`s narrow, close + graphy: cf. F. sténographie, G. stenographie.] The art of writing in shorthand, by using abbreviations or characters for whole words; shorthand.

Ste*noph"yl*lous (?), a. [Gr. steno`s narrow + fy`llon leaf.] (Bot.) Having narrow leaves.

||Ste*no"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. steno`s narrow.] (Med.) A narrowing ||of the opening or hollow of any passage, tube, or orifice; as, ||stenosis of the pylorus. It differs from stricture in being applied ||especially to diffused rather than localized contractions, and in ||always indicating an origin organic and not spasmodic.

Sten"o*stome (?), a. [Gr. steno`s narrow, little + sto`ma mouth.] (Zoöl.) Having a small or narrow mouth; -- said of certain small ground snakes (Opoterodonta), which are unable to dilate their jaws.

Stent (?), v. t. [Obs. imp. Stente (?); obs. p. p. Stent.] [See Stint.] To keep within limits; to restrain; to cause to stop, or cease; to stint.

Then would he weep, he might not be stent.

Chaucer.

Yet n'ould she stent Her bitter railing and foul revilement.

Spenser.

Stent, v. i. To stint; to stop; to cease.

And of this cry they would never stenten.

Chaucer.

Stent, n. An allotted portion; a stint. "Attain'd his journey's stent." Mir. for Mag.

Stent"ing, n. An opening in a wall in a coal mine. [Written also stenton.] [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Sten"tor (?), n. [L. Stentor, Gr. &?;.] 1. A herald, in the Iliad, who had a very loud voice; hence, any person having a powerful voice.

2. (Zoöl.) Any species of ciliated Infusoria belonging to the genus Stentor and allied genera, common in fresh water. The stentors have a bell-shaped, or cornucopia- like, body with a circle of cilia around the spiral terminal disk. See Illust. under Heterotricha.

3. (Zoöl.) A howling monkey, or howler.

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Sten*to"ri*an (?), a. [L. stentoreus; cf. Gr. &?;.] Of or pertaining to a stentor; extremely loud; powerful; as, a stentorian voice; stentorian lungs.

Sten"to*rin (?), n. (Chem.) A blue coloring matter found in some stentors. See Stentor, 2.

Sten*to"ri*ous (?), a. Stentorian. [R.]

Sten`to*ron"ic (?), a. Stentorian. [Obs.]

Sten`to*ro*phon"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; Stentor + &?; a sound, voice. See Stentor.] Speaking or sounding very loud; stentorian. [Obs.]

Of this stentorophonic horn of Alexander there is a preserved in the Vatican.

Derham.

Step (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stepped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Stepping.] [AS. stæppan; akin to OFries. steppa, D. stappen to step, stap a step, OHG. stepfen to step, G. stapfe a footstep, OHG. stapfo, G. stufe a step to step on; cf. Gr. &?; to shake about, handle roughly, stamp (?). Cf. Stamp, n. & a.] 1. To move the foot in walking; to advance or recede by raising and moving one of the feet to another resting place, or by moving both feet in succession.

2. To walk; to go on foot; esp., to walk a little distance; as, to step to one of the neighbors.

3. To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.

Home the swain retreats, His flock before him stepping to the fold.

Thomson.

4. Fig.: To move mentally; to go in imagination.

They are stepping almost three thousand years back into the remotest antiquity.

Pope.

To step aside, to walk a little distance from the rest; to retire from company. -- To step forth, to move or come forth. -- To step in or into. (a) To walk or advance into a place or state, or to advance suddenly in.

Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

John v. 4.

(b) To enter for a short time; as, I just stepped into the house. (c) To obtain possession without trouble; to enter upon easily or suddenly; as, to step into an estate. -- To step out. (a) (Mil.) To increase the length, but not the rapidity, of the step, extending it to thirty-tree inches. (b) To go out for a short distance or a short time. -- To step short (Mil.), to diminish the length or rapidity of the step according to the established rules.

Step, v. t. 1. To set, as the foot.

2. (Naut.) To fix the foot of (a mast) in its step; to erect.

To step off, to measure by steps, or paces; hence, to divide, as a space, or to form a series of marks, by successive measurements, as with dividers.

Step, n. [AS. stæpe. See Step, v. i.] 1. An advance or movement made by one removal of the foot; a pace.

2. A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a round of a ladder.

The breadth of every single step or stair should be never less than one foot.

Sir H. Wotton.

3. The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running; as, one step is generally about three feet, but may be more or less. Used also figuratively of any kind of progress; as, he improved step by step, or by steps.

To derive two or three general principles of motion from phenomena, and afterwards to tell us how the properties and actions of all corporeal things follow from those manifest principles, would be a very great step in philosophy.

Sir I. Newton.

4. A small space or distance; as, it is but a step.

5. A print of the foot; a footstep; a footprint; track.

6. Gait; manner of walking; as, the approach of a man is often known by his step.

7. Proceeding; measure; action; an act.

The reputation of a man depends on the first steps he makes in the world.

Pope.

Beware of desperate steps. The darkest day, Live till to-morrow, will have passed away.

Cowper.

I have lately taken steps . . . to relieve the old gentleman's distresses.

G. W. Cable.

8. pl. Walk; passage.

Conduct my steps to find the fatal tree.

Dryden.

9. pl. A portable framework of stairs, much used indoors in reaching to a high position.

10. (Naut.) In general, a framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specif., a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast.

11. (Mach.) (a) One of a series of offsets, or parts, resembling the steps of stairs, as one of the series of parts of a cone pulley on which the belt runs. (b) A bearing in which the lower extremity of a spindle or a vertical shaft revolves.

12. (Mus.) The intervak between two contiguous degrees of the csale.

The word tone is often used as the name of this interval; but there is evident incongruity in using tone for indicating the interval between tones. As the word scale is derived from the Italian scala, a ladder, the intervals may well be called steps.

13. (Kinematics) A change of position effected by a motion of translation. W. K. Clifford.

Back step, Half step, etc. See under Back, Half, etc. -- Step grate, a form of grate for holding fuel, in which the bars rise above one another in the manner of steps. -- To take steps, to take action; to move in a matter.

Step-. [AS. steóp-; akin to OFries. stiap-, stiep-, D. & G. stief-, OHG. stiuf- , Icel. stj&?;p-, Sw. styf-, and to AS. stpan, steópan, to deprive, bereave, as children of their parents, OHG. stiufen.] A prefix used before father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, child, etc., to indicate that the person thus spoken of is not a blood relative, but is a relative by the marriage of a parent; as, a stepmother to X is the wife of the father of X, married by him after the death of the mother of X. See Stepchild, Stepdaughter, Stepson, etc.

Step"broth`er (?), n. A brother by the marriage of one's father with the mother of another, or of one's mother with the father of another.

Step"child` (?), n. [AS. steópcild.] 1. A bereaved child; one who has lost father or mother. [Obs.]

2. A son or daughter of one's wife or husband by a former marriage.

Step"dame` (?), n. A stepmother. Spenser.

Step"daugh`ter (?), n. [AS. steópdohtor.] A daughter of one's wife or husband by a former marriage.

Step"fa`ther (?), n. [AS. steópfæder.] The husband of one's mother by a subsequent marriage.

Ste*pha"ni*on (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; a crown.] (Anat.) The point on the side of the skull where the temporal line, or upper edge of the temporal fossa, crosses the coronal suture.

Steph"an*ite (?), n. [So named after the Archduke Stephan, mining director of Austria.] (Min.) A sulphide of antimony and silver of an iron-black color and metallic luster; called also black silver, and brittle silver ore.

||Steph`a*no"tis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; fit for a crown, fr. &?; ||crown.] 1. (Bot.) A genus of climbing asclepiadaceous shrubs, of ||Madagascar, Malaya, etc. They have fleshy or coriaceous opposite ||leaves, and large white waxy flowers in cymes.

2. A perfume said to be prepared from the flowers of Stephanotis floribunda.

Step"lad`der (?), n. A portable set of steps.

Step"moth`er (?), n. [AS. steópmder.] The wife of one's father by a subsequent marriage.

Step"par`ent (?), n. Stepfather or stepmother.

Steppe (?), n. [From Russ. stepe, through G. or F. steppe.] One of the vast plains in Southeastern Europe and in Asia, generally elevated, and free from wood, analogous to many of the prairies in Western North America. See Savanna.

Steppe murrain. (Far.) See Rinderpest.

Stepped (?), a. Provided with a step or steps; having a series of offsets or parts resembling the steps of stairs; as, a stepped key.

Stepped gear, a cogwheel of which the teeth cross the face in a series of steps.

Step"per (?), n. One who, or that which, steps; as, a quick stepper.

Step"ping-stone` (?), n. 1. A stone to raise the feet above the surface of water or mud in walking.

2. Fig.: A means of progress or advancement.

These obstacles his genius had turned into stepping- stones.

Macaulay.

That men may rise on stepping-stones Of their dead selves to higher things.

Tennyson.

Step"sis`ter (?), n. A daughter of one's stepfather or stepmother by a former marriage.

Step"son` (?), n. [AS. steópsunu.] A son of one's husband or wife by a former marriage.

Step"stone` (?), n. A stone laid before a door as a stair to rise on in entering the house.

-ster (?). [OE. & AS. -estre, -istre.] A suffix denoting the agent (originally a woman), especially a person who does something with skill or as an occupation; as in spinster (originally, a woman who spins), songster, baxter (= bakester), youngster.

Brewing, baking, and weaving were formerly feminine labors, and consequently brewster, baxter, and webster meant, originally, the woman (not the man) who brews, bakes, or weaves. When men began to perform these duties the feminine appellations were retained.

Ster`co*bi"lin (?), n. [L. stercus dung + E. bilin.] (Physiol. Chem.) A coloring matter found in the fæces, a product of the alteration of the bile pigments in the intestinal canal, -- identical with hydrobilirubin.

Ster"co*lin (?), n. [L. stercus dung + oleum oil.] (Physiol. Chem.) Same as Serolin (b).

Ster`co*ra"ceous (?), a. [L. stercus, -oris, dung.] Of or pertaining to dung; partaking of the nature of, or containing, dung.

Ster"co*ra*nism (?), n. (Eccl. Hist.) The doctrine or belief of the Stercoranists.

Ster"co*ra*nist (?), n. [LL. stercoranista, fr. L. stercus, -oris, dung.] (Eccl. Hist.) A nickname formerly given to those who held, or were alleged to hold, that the consecrated elements in the eucharist undergo the process of digestion in the body of the recipient.

Ster`co*ra"ri*an (?), n. A Stercoranist.

Ster"co*ra*ry (?), n. [LL. stercorarium, from L. stercorarius belonging to dung.] A place, properly secured from the weather, for containing dung.

Ster"co*rate (?), n. Excrement; dung. [Obs.]

Ster`co*ra"tion (?), n. [L. stercoratio, from stercorare to dung.] Manuring with dung. [Obs.] Bacon.

Ster*co"ri*an*ism (?), n. (Eccl.) The doctrine or belief of the Stercoranists.

Ster"co*rin (?), n. [L. stercus, -oris, dung.] (Physiol. Chem.) Same as Serolin (b).

Ster"co*ry (?), n. Excrement; dung. [Obs.]

Ster*cu`li*a"ceous (?), a. [NL. Sterculia, the typical genus, fr. L. Sterculius the deity that presided over manuring, from stercus dung. So called because one of the original species is fetid.] (Bot.) Of or pertaining to a natural order (Sterculiaceæ) of polypetalous exogenous plants, mostly tropical. The cacao (Theobroma Cacao) is the most useful plant of the order.

Stere (?), n. [F. stère, fr. Gr. &?; solid.] A unit of cubic measure in the metric system, being a cubic meter, or kiloliter, and equal to 35.3 cubic feet, or nearly 1 cubic yards.

Stere (?), v. t. & i. To stir. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Stere, n. A rudder. See 5th Steer. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Stere, n. Helmsman. See 6th Steer. [Obs.] Chaucer.

||Ster`el*min"tha (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. stereo`s solid + &?; a ||worm.] (Zoöl.) Same as Platyelminthes.

Ste"re*o- (?). [Gr. stereo`s solid. See Stare to gaze.] A combining form meaning solid, hard, firm, as in stereo-chemistry, stereography.

Ste"re*o*bate (?), n. [Gr. stereo`s solid + &?; that treads or covers, akin to &?; base; cf. F. stéréobate.] (Arch.) The lower part or basement of a building or pedestal; -- used loosely for several different forms of basement.

{ Ste`re*o-chem"ic (?), Ste`re*o-chem"ic*al (?), } a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or illustrating, the hypothetical space relations of atoms in the molecule; as, a stereo-chemic formula.

Ste`re*o-chem"is*try (?), n. [Stereo- + chemistry.] (Chem.) Chemistry considered with reference to the space relations of atoms.

Ste"re*o*chrome (?), n. Stereochromic picture.

Ste`re*o*chro"mic (?), a. Pertaining to the art of stereochromy; produced by stereochromy. -- Ste`re*o*chro"mic*al*ly (#), adv.

Ste`re*och"ro*my (?), n. [Stereo- + Gr. chrw^ma color.] A style of painting on plastered walls or stone, in which the colors are rendered permanent by sprinklings of water, in which is mixed a proportion of soluble glass (a silicate of soda).

Ste`re*o*e*lec"tric (?), a. [Stereo- + electric.] (Physics) Of or pertaining to the generation of electricity by means of solid bodies alone; as, a stereoelectric current is one obtained by means of solids, without any liquid.

Ste"re*o*gram (?), n. [Stereo- + -gram.] A diagram or picture which represents objects in such a way as to give the impression of relief or solidity; also, a stereograph.

Ste"re*o*graph (?), n. [Stereo- + -graph.] Any picture, or pair of pictures, prepared for exhibition in the stereoscope. Stereographs are now commonly made by means of photography.

{ Ste`re*o*graph"ic (?), Ste`re*o*graph"ic*al (?), } a. [Cf. F. stéréographique.] Made or done according to the rules of stereography; delineated on a plane; as, a stereographic chart of the earth.

Stereographic projection (Geom.), a method of representing the sphere in which the center of projection is taken in the surface of the sphere, and the plane upon which the projection is made is at right andles to the diameter passing through the center of projection.

Ste`re*o*graph"ic*al*ly, adv. In a stereographical manner; by delineation on a plane.

Ste`re*og"ra*phy (?), n. [Stereo- + graphy: cf. F. stéréographie.] The art of delineating the forms of solid bodies on a plane; a branch of solid geometry which shows the construction of all solids which are regularly defined.

By cutting pieces of cardboard, or other suitable material, in the forms represented in the cut, folding them along the lines indicated, and joining their edges, the five regular solids may be formed.

Ste`re*om"e*ter (?), n. [Stereo- + meter.] (Physics) 1. An instrument for measuring the solid contents of a body, or the capacity of a vessel; a volumenometer.

2. An instrument for determining the specific gravity of liquid bodies, porous bodies, and powders, as well as solids.

{ Ste`re*o*met"ric (?), Ste`re*o*met"ric*al (?), } a. [Cf. F. stéréométrique.] Of or pertaining to stereometry; performed or obtained by stereometry. -- Ste`re*o*met"ric*al*ly, adv.

Ste`re*om"e*try (?), n. [Stereo- + -metry: cf. F. stéréométrie.] The art of measuring and computing the cubical contents of bodies and figures; -- distinguished from planimetry.

Ste`re*o*mon"o*scope (?), n. [Stereo- + mono- + -scope.] An instrument with two lenses, by which an image of a single picture projected upon a screen of ground glass is made to present an appearance of relief, and may be viewed by several persons at once.

Ste"re*o*plasm (?), n. [Stereo- + Gr. &?; anything formed or molded.] (Biol.) The solid or insoluble portion of the cell protoplasm. See Hygroplasm.

Ste`re*op"ti*con (?), n. [NL. See Stereo-, and Optic.] An instrument, consisting essentially of a magic lantern in which photographic pictures are used, by which the image of a landscape, or any object, may be thrown upon a screen in such a manner as to seem to stand out in relief, so as to form a striking and accurate representation of the object itself; also, a pair of magic lanterns for producing the effect of dissolving views.

Ste"re*o*scope (?), n. [Stereo- + -scope.] An optical instrument for giving to pictures the appearance of solid forms, as seen in nature. It combines in one, through a bending of the rays of light, two pictures, taken for the purpose from points of view a little way apart. It is furnished with two eyeglasses, and by refraction or reflection the pictures are superimposed, so as to appear as one to the observer.

In the reflecting stereoscope, the rays from the two pictures are turned into the proper direction for stereoscopic vision by two plane mirrors set at an angle with each other, and between the pictures. In the lenticular stereoscope, the form in general use, the eyeglasses are semilenses, or marginal portions of the same convex lenses, set with their edges toward each other, so that they deflect the rays coming from the picture so as to strike the eyes as if coming direct from an intermediate point, where the two pictures are seen apparently as one.

{ Ste`re*o*scop"ic (?), Ste`re*o*scop"ic*al (?), } a. Of or pertaining to the stereoscope; characteristic of, or adapted to, the stereoscope; as, a stereoscopic effect; the stereoscopic function of the eyeglasses; stereoscopic views. -- Ste`re*o*scop"ic*al*ly, adv.

Ste`re*os"co*pist (?), n. One skilled in the use or construction of stereoscopes.

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Ste`re*os"co*py (?), n. The art or science of using the stereoscope, or of constructing the instrument or the views used with it.

Ste`re*o*stat"ic (?), a. [Stereo- + static.] (Civil. Engin.) Geostatic.

{ Ste`re*o*tom"ic (?), Ste`re*o*tom"ic*al (?), } a. Of or pertaining to stereotomy; performed by stereotomy.

Ste`re*ot"o*my (?), n. [Stereo- + Gr. &?; to cut: cf. F. stéréotomie.] The science or art of cutting solids into certain figures or sections, as arches, and the like; especially, the art of stonecutting.