Chapter 41

Shunt winding. (Elec.) A winding so arranged as to divide the armature current and lead a portion of it around the field-magnet coils; -- opposed to series winding. -- Shunt"-wound` (#), a.

Shut"ter, n. (Photog.) A mechanical device of various forms, attached to a camera for opening and closing to expose the plate.

Shy (?), a. Inadequately supplied; short; lacking; as, the team is shy two players. [Slang]

Side"-chain` the`o*ry. (Physiol. Chem.) A theory proposed by Ehrlich as a chemical explanation of immunity phenomena. In brief outline it is as follows: Animal cells and bacteria are complex aggregations of molecules, which are themselves complex. Complex molecules react with one another through certain of their side chains, but only when these side chains have a definite correspondence in structure (this account for the specific action of antitoxins).

Side"flash` (?), n. (Elec.) A disruptive discharge between a conductor traversed by an oscillatory current of high frequency (as lightning) and neighboring masses of metal, or between different parts of the same conductor.

Side line. 1. (a) A line pert. or attached to the side of a thing. (b) Specif., a line for hobbling an animal by connecting the fore and the hind feet of the same side.

2. (a) A line of goods sold in addition to one's principal articles of trade; a course of business pursued aside from one's regular occupation. (b) A secondary road; esp., a byroad at right angles to a main road. [Canada]

Side"-slip`, v. i. See Skid, below.

Side slip. See Skid, below.

Side"track` (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sidetracked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sidetracking.] 1. (Railroads) To transfer to a siding from a main line of track.

2. Hence, fig., to divert or reduce to a position or condition that is relatively secondary or subordinate in activity, importance, effectiveness, or the like; to switch off; to turn aside, as from a purpose. [Colloq.]

Such a project was, in fact, sidetracked in favor of the census of school children.

Pop. Sci. Monthly.

Sie"mens-Mar"tin steel (?). See Open-hearth steel, under Open.

Si"lenc*er (?), n. One that silences; specif.: (a) The muffler of an internal-combustion engine. (b) Any of various devices to silence the humming noise of telegraph wires. (c) A device for silencing the report of a firearm shooting its projectiles singly, as a tubular attachment for the muzzle having circular plates that permit the passage of the projectile but impart a rotary motion to, and thus retard, the exploding gases.

Silk"-stock`ing, a. Wearing silk stockings (which among men were formerly worn chiefly by the luxurious or aristocratic); hence, elegantly dressed; aristocratic; luxurious; - - chiefly applied to men, often by way of reproach.

[They] will find their levees crowded with silk- stocking gentry, but no yeomanry; an army of officers without soldiers.

Jefferson.

Si*lun"dum (?), n. [Trade name] A form of silicon carbide, produced in the electric furnace, possessing great hardness, and high electrical resistance, and not subject to oxidation below 2880° F., or 1600° C.

Sil"ver cer*tif"i*cate. A certificate issued by a government that there has been deposited with it silver to a specified amount, payable to the bearer on demand. In the United States and its possessions, it is issued against the deposit of silver coin, and is not legal tender, but is receivable for customs, taxes, and all public dues.

Sil"ver*ite (?), n. One who favors the use or establishment of silver as a monetary standard; -- so called by those who favor the gold standard. [Colloq. or Cant]

Silver State. Nevada; -- a nickname alluding to its silver mines.

Sil"vics (?), n. 1. The science treating of the life of trees in the forest.

2. Habit or behavior of a forest tree.

Si"mon-pure" (?), a. Genuine; true; real; authentic; -- a term alluding to the comedy character Simon Pure, who is impersonated by another and is obliged to prove himself to be the "real Simon Pure."

||Sind"i (?), n. [Ar. Sind, fr. Sind Indian, Skr. sindhu river, sea, the river Indus, the country along the Indus. Cf. Indian, Hindoo.] (Ethnol.) A native of Sind, India, esp. one of the native Hindoo stock.

Sin"gle-foot`, v. i. To proceed by means of the single-foot, as a horse or other quadruped. -- Sin"gle-foot`er, n.

Sin"gle-sur"faced (?), a. Having one surface; -- said specif. of aëroplanes or aërocurves that are covered with fabric, etc., on only one side.

Sin"gle tax`. (Pol. Econ.) A tax levied upon land alone, irrespective of improvements, -- advocated by certain economists as the sole source of public revenue.

Whatever may be thought of Henry George's single- tax theory as a whole, there can be little question that a relatively higher assessment of ground rent, with corresponding relief for those who have made improvements, is a much-needed reform.

A. T. Hadley.

||Sing"spiel` (?), n. [G.; singen to sing + spiel to play.] (Music) A dramatic work, partly in dialogue and partly in song, of a kind popular in Germany in the latter part of the 18th century. It was often comic, had modern characters, and patterned its music on folk song with strictly subordinated accompaniment.

Sin"ic (?), a. [See Sinologue.] (Ethnol.) Of or pertaining to the Chinese and allied races; Chinese.

Sin"i*cism (?), n. (Ethnol.) Anything peculiar to the Chinese; esp., a Chinese peculiarity in manners or customs.

Sink (sk), n. The lowest part of a natural hollow or closed basin whence the water of one or more streams escapes by evaporation; as, the sink of the Humboldt River. [Western U. S.]

Sioux State. North Dakota; -- a nickname.

Sir*dar" (?), n. In Turkey, Egypt, etc., a commander in chief, esp. the one commanding the Anglo-Egyptian army.

Si*roc"co (s*rk"k), n. In general, any hot dry wind of cyclonic origin, blowing from arid or heated regions, including the desert wind of Southern California, the harmattan of the west coasts of Africa, the hot winds of Kansas and Texas, the kamsin of Egypt, the leste of the Madeira Islands, and the leveche of Spain.

Skat (skät), n. [G., fr. It. scartare to discard.] 1. A three-handed card game played with 32 cards, of which two constitute the skat (sense 2), or widow. The players bid for the privilege of attempting any of several games or tasks, in most of which the player undertaking the game must take tricks counting in aggregate at least 61 (the counting cards being ace 11, ten 10, king 4, queen 3, jack 2). The four jacks are the best trumps, ranking club, spade, heart, diamond, and ten outranks king or queen (but when the player undertakes to lose all the tricks, the cards rank as in whist). The value of hands depends upon the game played, trump suit, points taken, and number of matadores.

2. (Skat) A widow of two cards.

Skelp (?), v. t. To form into skelp, as a plate or bar of iron by rolling; also, to bend round (a skelp) in tube making.

Ski (?), n. Same as Skee.

Ski"a*graph (?), n. Ski*ag"ra*phy (&?;), n., etc. See Sciagraph, Sciagraphy, etc.

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{ Ski"a*scope (?), Sci"a*scope (?) }, n. [Gr. &?; a shadow + -scope.] (Med.) A device for determining the refractive state of the eye by observing the movements of the retinal lights and shadows. -- Ski*as"co*py (#), Ski*as"co*py (#), n.

Skid (?), n. 1. (Aëronautics) A runner (one or two) under some flying machines, used for landing.

2. [From the v.] Act of skidding; -- called also side slip.

Skid, v. i. 1. To slide without rotating; -- said of a wheel held from turning while the vehicle moves onward.

2. To fail to grip the roadway; specif., to slip sideways on the road; to side-slip; -- said esp. of a cycle or automobile.

Skid, v. t. (Forestry) To haul (logs) to a skid and load on a skidway.

Skid"der (?), n. One that skids; one that uses a skid; specif.: (Logging) (a) One that skids logs. (b) An engine for hauling the cable used in skidding logs. (c) The foreman of a construction gang making a skid road.

Skid road. (Logging) (a) A road along which logs are dragged to the skidway or landing; -- called also travois, or travoy, road. (b) A road having partly sunken transverse logs (called skids) at intervals of about five feet.

Skit"ter (?), v. t. [Cf. Skit, v. t.] To move or pass (something) over a surface quickly so that it touches only at intervals; to skip.

The angler, standing in the bow, 'skitters' or skips the spoon over the surface.

James A. Henshall.

Skit"ter, v. i. To pass or glide lightly or with quick touches at intervals; to skip; to skim.

Some kinds of ducks in lighting strike the water with their tails first, and skitter along the surface for a feet before settling down.

T. Roosevelt.

||Skop*tsy" (?), n. pl. See Raskolnik.

Sky"man (?), n.; pl. - men. An aëronaut. [Slang]

Sky pilot. (Aëronautics) A person licensed as a pilot. [Slang]

Sky"scrap`er (?), n. (a) (Naut.) (1) A skysail of a triangular form. [Rare] (2) A name for the one of the fancy sails alleged to have been sometimes set above the skysail. [Obs.] (b) A very tall building. (c) Hence, anything usually large, high, or excessive. [Slang or Colloq.]

Slag (?), n. (Metal.) A product of smelting, containing, mostly as silicates, the substances not sought to be produced as matte or metal, and having a lower specific gravity than the latter; -- called also, esp. in iron smelting, cinder. The slag of iron blast furnaces is essentially silicate of calcium, magnesium, and aluminium; that of lead and copper smelting furnaces contains iron.

Slag, v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. Slagged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slagging.] (Metal.) To form, or form into, a slag; to agglomerate when heated below the fusion point.

Slam (?), n. (Card Playing) Winning all the tricks of a deal (called, in bridge, grand slam, the winning of all but one of the thirteen tricks being called a little slam).

Slash (?), n. A opening or gap in a forest made by wind, fire, or other destructive agency.

We passed over the shoulder of a ridge and around the edge of a fire slash, and then we had the mountain fairly before us.

Henry Van Dyke.

Sleek (?), n. A slick.

Sleeve (?), n. (Elec.) A double tube of copper, in section like the figure 8, into which the ends of bare wires are pushed so that when the tube is twisted an electrical connection is made. The joint thus made is called a McIntire joint.

Slew (sl), n. [See Slough a wet place.] A wet place; a river inlet.

The praire round about is wet, at times almost marshy, especially at the borders of the great reedy slews.

T. Roosevelt.

Sley (?), n. (Weaving) The number of ends per inch in the cloth, provided each dent in the reed in which it was made contained as equal number of ends. E. Whitworth.

Slice, v. t. (Golf) To hit (the ball) so that the face of the club draws across the face of the ball and deflects it.

Slick, n. A slick, or smooth and slippery, surface or place; a sleek.

The action of oil upon the water is upon the crest of the wave; the oil forming a slick upon the surface breaks the crest.

The Century.

Slide"way` (?), n. A way along which something slides.

Slip, n. 1. (Mach.) (a) The retrograde movement on a pulley of a belt as it slips. (b) In a link motion, the undesirable sliding movement of the link relatively to the link block, due to swinging of the link.

2. (Elec.) The difference between the actual and synchronous speed of an induction motor.

3. (Marine Insurance) A memorandum of the particulars of a risk for which a policy is to be executed. It usually bears the broker's name and is initiated by the underwrites.

Slog (?), v. t. & i. [Cf. Slug, v. t.] To hit hard, esp. with little attention to aim or the like, as in cricket or boxing; to slug. [Cant or Slang]

Slog"ger (?), n. A hard hitter; a slugger. [Cant or Slang] T. Hughes.

Slope, n. The part of a continent descending toward, and draining to, a particular ocean; as, the Pacific slope.

Slot" ma*chine". A machine the operation of which is started by dropping a coin into a slot, for delivering small articles of merchandise, showing one's weight, exhibiting pictures, throwing dice, etc.

Sloyd (?), n. [Written also slojd, and sloid.] [Sw. slöjd skill, dexterity, esp. skilled labor, hence, manufacture, wood carving.] Lit., skilled mechanical work, such as that required in wood carving; trade work; hence, a system (usually called the sloyd system) of manual training in the practical use of the tools and materials used in the trades, and of instruction in the making and use of the plans and specifications connected with trade work. The sloyd system derives its name from the fact that it was adopted or largely developed from a similar Swedish system, in which wood carving was a chief feature. Its purpose is not only to afford practical skill in some trade, but also to develop the pupils mentally and physically.

Sludge (?), n. Anything resembling mud or slush; as: (a) A muddy or slimy deposit from sweage. (b) Mud from a drill hole in boring. (c) Muddy sediment in a steam boiler. (d) Settling of cottonseed oil, used in making soap, etc. (e) A residuum of crude paraffin-oil distillation.

Sludge acid. Impure dark-colored sulphuric acid that has been used in the refining of petroleum.

Sludg"er (?), n. A shovel for sludging out drains, etc.

Slug"ging match. (a) A boxing match or prize fight marked rather by heavy hitting than skill. [Cant or Slang] (b) A ball game, esp. a baseball game, in which there is much hard hitting of the ball. [Slang, U. S.]

Slum (?), v. i. To visit or frequent slums, esp. out of curiosity, or for purposes of study, etc. [Colloq.]

Slum"gum` (?), n. The impure residue, consisting of cocoons, propolis, etc., remaining after the wax is extracted from honeycombs.

Slump, v. i. 1. To slide or slip on a declivity, so that the motion is perceptible; -- said of masses of earth or rock.

2. To undergo a slump, or sudden decline or falling off; as, the stock slumped ten points. [Colloq.]

Slump, n. A falling or declining, esp. suddenly and markedly; a falling off; as, a slump in trade, in prices, etc. [Colloq.]

Smash (?), v. t. (Lawn Tennis) To hit (the ball) from above the level of the net with a very hard overhand stroke.

Smear"case` (?), n. [G. schmierkäse; schmier grease (or schmieren to smear) + käse cheese.] Cottage cheese. [Local, U. S.]

Smell"ing salts. An aromatic preparation of carbonate of ammonia and, often, some scent, to avoid or relieve faintness, headache, or the like.

Smoke ball. Same as Puffball.

Smoke"less pow"der. A high-explosive gunpowder whose explosion produces little, if any, smoke.

Smok"er (?), n. A gathering for smoking and social intercourse. [Colloq.]

That evening A Company had a "smoker" in one of the disused huts of Shorncliffe Camp.

Strand Mag.

Smoth"er (?), n. That which smothers or causes a sensation of smothering, as smoke, fog, the foam of the sea, a confused multitude of things.

Then they vanished, swallowed up in the grayness of the evening and the smoke and smother of the storm.

The Century.

Smoth"ered mate. (Chess) Checkmate given when movement of the king is completely obstructed by his own men.

Snap (?), v. t. (Cricket) To catch out sharply (a batsman who has just snicked a bowled ball).

Snap, v. i. Of the eyes, to emit sudden, brief sparkles like those of a snapping fire, as sometimes in anger.

Snap, n. 1. Any task, labor, set of circumstances, or the like, that yields satisfactory results or gives pleasure with little trouble or effort, as an easy course of study, a job where work is light, a bargain, etc. [Slang, Chiefly U. S.]

2. A snap shot with a firearm.

3. (Photog.) A snapshot.

4. Something of no value; as, not worth a snap. [Colloq.]

Snap, a. Done, performed, made, executed, carried through, or the like, quickly and without deliberation; as, a snap judgment or decision; a snap political convention. [Colloq.]

Snap"per (?), n. 1. (Teleg.) A device with a flexible metal tongue for producing clicks like those of the sounder.

2. A string bean. [Colloq., U. S.]

Snap"shot` (?), n. 1. Commonly Snap shot. (a) A quick offhand shot, made without deliberately taking aim over the sights. (b) (Photog.) Act of taking a snapshot (in sense 2).

2. An instantaneous photograph made, usually with a hand camera, without formal posing of, and often without the foreknowledge of, the subject.

Sneak current. (Elec.) A current which, though too feeble to blow the usual fuse or to injure at once telegraph or telephone instruments, will in time burn them out.

Sneak"er (?), n. 1. [pl.] Shoes with rubber or other soft soles which give no warning of one's approaching, esp. such shoes as are worn in games, as tennis. [Slang, U. S.]

2. A punch bowl. [Obs.] Spectator.

{ Sni"der ri"fle, or Sni"der }, n. (Mil.) A breech-loading rifle formerly used in the British service; -- so called from the inventor.

Snipe (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sniped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sniping (?).] 1. To shoot or hunt snipe.

2. To shoot at detached men of an enemy's forces at long range, esp. when not in action; -- often with at.

Snipe (?), v. t. 1. To shoot at (detached men of an enemy's force) at long range, esp. when not in action.

2. To nose (a log) to make it drag or slip easily in skidding.

Snow banner. A bannerlike stream of snow blown into the air from a mountain peak, often having a pinkish color and extending horizontally for several miles across the sky.

Soar, v. i. (Aëronautics) To fly by wind power; to glide indefinitely without loss of altitude.

||So*bran"je (?), n. [Bulgarian, lit., assembly.] The unicameral national assembly of Bulgaria, elected for a term of five years by universal suffrage of adult males.

Socialism, n. -- Socialism of the chair [G. katheder socialismus], a term applied about 1872, at first in ridicule, to a group of German political economists who advocated state aid for the betterment of the working classes.

Sock (?), v. t. [Perh. shortened fr. sockdolager.] To hurl, drive, or strike violently; -- often with it as an object. [Prov. or Vulgar] Kipling.

Sock*dol"a*ger (?), n. Something unusually large. [Slang, U. S.]

So"dger (?), n. & v. i. Var. of Soldier. [Dial. or Slang]

So"di*um sul"phate. A salt well known as a catharic under the name of Glauber's salt, which term is properly applied to the hydrate, Na2SO4.10H2O.

Soft steel. Steel low in carbon; mild steel; ingot iron.

So"ger (?), n. & v. i. Var. of Soldier. [Dial. or Slang] R. H. Dana, Jr.

||Soi`-di*sant" (?), a. [F.; soi one's self + disant, p. pr. of dire to say.] Self- named; self-styled.

Soil pipe. A pipe or drain for carrying off night soil.

So"jer (?), n. & v. i. Var. of Soldier. [Dial. or Slang]

{ Sol Sole } (?), n. [From hydrosol an aqueous colloidal solution, confused with G. sole, soole, salt water from which salt is obtained.] (Chem.) A fluid mixture of a colloid and a liquid; a liquid colloidal solution or suspension.

So"lar myth. A myth which essentially consists of allegory based upon ideas as to the sun's course, motion, influence, or the like.

Solar parallax. The parallax of the sun, that is, the angle subtended at the sun by the semidiameter of the earth. It is 8."80, and is the fundamental datum.

Sole trader. A feme sole trader.

Sol`-fa" (?), v. t. To sing to solmization syllables.

Sol"id-drawn`, a. Drawn out from a heated solid bar, as by a process of spiral rolling which first hollows the bar and then expands the cavity by forcing the bar over a pointed mandrel fixed in front of the rolls; -- said of a weldless tube.

So"lo, a. (Music) Performing, or performed, alone; uncombined, except with subordinate parts, voices, or instruments; not concerted.

Sol"o*mon's seal. A mystic symbol consisting of two interlaced triangles forming a star with six points, often with one triangle dark and one light, symbolic of the union of soul and body.

Solo whist. A card game played with the full pack ranking as at whist, each player declaring for which of seven different points he proposes to play.

So`ma*tol"o*gy, n. 1. (Biol.) The science which treats of anatomy and physiology, apart from psychology.

2. (Anthropol.) The consideration of the physical characters of races and classes of men and of mankind in general.

Son"der*class` (?), n. [G. sonderklasse special class.] (Yachting) A special class of small yachts developed in Germany under the patronage of Emperor William and Prince Henry of Prussia, and so called because these yachts do not conform to the restrictions for the regular classes established by the rules of the International Yacht Racing Union. In yachts of the sonderclass, as prescribed for the season of 1911, the aggregate of the length on water line, extreme beam, and extreme draft must be not more than 32 feet; the weight, not less than 4,035 pounds (without crew); the sail area, not more than 550 square yards; and the cost of construction (for American boats) not more than $2400. The crew must be amateurs and citizens of the country in which the yacht was built.

So*no"ran (?), a. (Biogeography) Pertaining to or designating the arid division of the Austral zone, including the warmer parts of the western United States and central Mexico. It is divided into the Upper Sonoran, which lies next to the Transition zone, and the Lower Sonoran, next to the Tropical.

Soon"er (?), n. In the western United States, one who settles on government land before it is legally open to settlement in order to gain the prior claim that the law gives to the first settler when the land is opened to settlement; hence, any one who does a thing prematurely or anticipates another in acting in order to gain an unfair advantage.

Sooner State. Oklahoma; -- a nickname.

||Sor*ti"ta (?), n. [It., a coming out.] 1. The air sung by any of the principal characters in an opera on entering.

2. A closing voluntary; a postlude.

So"rus (?), n. (a) In parasitic fungi, any mass of spores bursting through the epidermis of a host plant. (b) In lichens, a heap of soredia on the thallus.

SOS. The letters signified by the signal ( . . . --- . . . ) prescribed by the International Radiotelegraphic Convention of 1912 for use by ships in distress.

||Sou`bise" (s`bz"), n. 1. [F.] A sauce made of white onions and melted butter mixed with velouté sauce.

2. A kind of cravat worn by men in the late 18th century.

||Souf`flé" (?), a. [F., fr. soufflé, p. p. of souffler to puff.] 1. (Ceramics) Decorated with very small drops or sprinkles of color, as if blown from a bellows.

2. (Cookery) Often ||Soufflée. Filled with air by beating, and baked; as, an omelette soufflé.

Sound"ing bal*loon". An unmanned balloon sent aloft for meteorological or aëronautic purposes.

||Soup`çon" (?), n. [F.] A suspicion; a suggestion; hence, a very small portion; a taste; as, coffee with a soupçon of brandy; a soupçon of coquetry.

South"paw` (?), a. (Baseball) Using the left hand in pitching; said of a pitcher. [Cant]

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South"paw`, n. A pitcher who pitches with the left hand. [Cant]

{ Space bar or key }. (Mach.) A bar or key, in a typewriter or typesetting machine, used for spacing between letters.

Spad (?), n. (Mining) A nail one or two inches long, of iron, brass, tin, or tinner iron, with a hole through the flattened head, used to mark stations in underground surveying.

Spark, v. i. (Elec.) To produce, or give off, sparks, as a dynamo at the commutator when revolving under the collecting brushes.

Spark coil. (Elec.) (a) An induction coil, esp. of an internal-combustion engine, wireless telegraph apparatus, etc. (b) A self- induction coil used to increase the spark in an electric gas-lighting apparatus.

Spark gap. (Elec.) The space filled with air or other dielectric between high potential terminals (as of an electrostatic machine, induction coil, or condenser), through which the discharge passes; the air gap of a jump spark.