Part 1

Transcriber's note: A few typographical errors have been corrected: they are listed at the end of the text.

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In this version [=e] signifies "e macron"; [)e] "e breve"; [.e] "e with dot above"; and so forth.

CHAMBERS'S TWENTIETH CENTURY DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

PRONOUNCING, EXPLANATORY, ETYMOLOGICAL, WITH COMPOUND PHRASES, TECHNICAL TERMS IN USE IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, COLLOQUIALISMS, FULL APPENDICES, AND COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED

EDITED BY REV. THOMAS DAVIDSON ASSISTANT-EDITOR OF 'CHAMBERS'S ENCYCLOPÆDIA' EDITOR OF 'CHAMBERS'S ENGLISH DICTIONARY'

LONDON: 47 Paternoster Row W. & R. CHAMBERS, LIMITED EDINBURGH: 339 High Street 1908

EXPLANATIONS TO THE STUDENT.

THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE WORDS.--Every word is given in its _alphabetical_ order, except in cases where, to save space, derivatives are given after and under the words from which they are derived. Each uncompounded verb has its participles, when irregular, placed after it. Exceptional plurals are also given. When a word stands after another, with no meaning given, its meanings can be at once formed from those of the latter, by adding the signification of the affix: thus the meanings of _Darkness_ are obtained by prefixing the meaning of _ness_, _state of being_, to those of _Dark_.

Many words from French and other tongues, current in English usage, but not yet fairly Anglicised, are inserted in the list of Foreign Phrases, &c., at the end, rather than in the body of the Dictionary.

THE PRONUNCIATION.--The Pronunciation is given immediately after each word, by the word being spelled anew. In this new spelling, every consonant used has its ordinary unvarying sound, _no consonant being employed that has more than one sound_. The same sounds are always represented by the same letters, no matter how varied their actual spelling in the language. No consonant used has any mark attached to it, with the one exception of _th_, which is printed in common letters when sounded as in _thick_, but in italics when sounded as in _th_en. _Unmarked vowels_ have always their short sounds, as in _lad_, _led_, _lid_, _lot_, _but_, _book_. The _marked vowels_ are shown in the following line, which is printed at the top of each page:--

f[=a]te, fär; m[=e], h[.e]r; m[=i]ne; m[=o]te; m[=u]te; m[=oo]n; _th_en.

The vowel _u_ when marked thus, _ü_, has the sound heard in Scotch _bluid_, _gude_, the French _du_, almost that of the German _ü_ in _Müller_. Where more than one pronunciation of a word is given, that which is placed first is more accepted.

THE SPELLING.--When more than one form of a word is given, that which is placed first is the spelling in current English use. Unfortunately our modern spelling does not represent the English we actually speak, but rather the language of the 16th century, up to which period, generally speaking, English spelling was mainly phonetic, like the present German. The fundamental principle of all rational spelling is no doubt the representation of every sound by an invariable symbol, but in modern English the usage of pronunciation has drifted far from the conventional forms established by a traditional orthography, with the result that the present spelling of our written speech is to a large extent a mere exercise of memory, full of confusing anomalies and imperfections, and involving an enormous and unnecessary strain on the faculties of learners. Spelling reform is indeed an imperative necessity, but it must proceed with a wise moderation, for, in the words of Mr Sweet, 'nothing can be done without unanimity, and until the majority of the community are convinced of the superiority of some one system unanimity is impossible.' The true path of progress should follow such wisely moderate counsels as those of Dr J. A. H. Murray:--the dropping of the final or inflexional silent _e_; the restoration of the historical _-t_ after breath consonants; uniformity in the employment of double consonants, as in _traveler_, &c.; the discarding of _ue_ in words like _demagogue_ and _catalogue_; the uniform levelling of the agent _-our_ into _-or_; the making of _ea = [)e]_ short into _e_ and the long _ie_ into _ee_; the restoration of _some_, _come_, _tongue_, to their old English forms, _sum_, _cum_, _tung_; a more extended use of _z_ in the body of words, as _chozen_, _praize_, _raize_; and the correction of the worst individual monstrosities, as _foreign_, _scent_, _scythe_, _ache_, _debt_, _people_, _parliament_, _court_, _would_, _sceptic_, _phthisis_, _queue_, _schedule_, _twopence-halfpenny_, _yeoman_, _sieve_, _gauge_, _barque_, _buoy_, _yacht_, &c.

Already in America a moderate degree of spelling reform may be said to be established in good usage, by the adoption of _-or_ for _-our_, as _color_, _labor_, &c.; of _-er_ for _-re_, as _center_, _meter_, &c.; _-ize_ for _-ise_, as _civilize_, &c.; the use of a uniform single consonant after an unaccented vowel, as _traveler_ for _traveller_; the adoption of _e_ for _oe_ or _æ_ in _hemorrhage_, _diarrhea_, &c.

THE MEANINGS.--The current and most important meaning of a word is usually given first. But in cases like _Clerk_, _Livery_, _Marshal_, where the force of the word can be made much clearer by tracing its history, the original meaning is also given, and the successive variations of its usage defined.

THE ETYMOLOGY.--The Etymology of each word is given after the meanings, within brackets. Where further information regarding a word is given elsewhere, it is so indicated by a reference. It must be noted under the etymology that whenever a word is printed thus, BAN, BASE, the student is referred to it; also that here the sign--is always to be read as meaning 'derived from.' Examples are generally given of words that are cognate or correspond to the English words; but it must be remembered that they are inserted merely for illustration. Such words are usually separated from the rest by a semicolon. For instance, when an English word is traced to its Anglo-Saxon form, and then a German word is given, no one should suppose that our English word is derived from the German. German and Anglo-Saxon are alike branches from a common Teutonic stem, and have seldom borrowed from each other. Under each word the force of the prefix is usually given, though not the affix. For fuller explanation in such cases the student is referred to the list of Prefixes and Suffixes in the Appendix.

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS DICTIONARY.

_aor._ aorist. _abbrev._ abbreviation. _abl._ ablative. _acc._ according. _accus._ accusative. _adj._ adjective. _adv._ adverb. _agri._ agriculture. _alg._ algebra. _anat._ anatomy. _app._ apparently. _arch._ archaic. _archit._ architecture. _arith._ arithmetic. _astrol._ astrology. _astron._ astronomy. _attrib._ attributive. _augm._ augmentative. _B._ Bible. _biol._ biology. _book-k._ book-keeping. _bot._ botany. _c._ (_circa_) about. _c._, _cent._ century. _carp._ carpentry. _cf._ compare. _chem._ chemistry. _cog._ cognate. _coll._, _colloq._ colloquially. _comp._ comparative. _conch._ conchology. _conj._ conjunction. _conn._ connected. _contr._ contracted. _cook._ cookery. _corr._ corruption. _crystal._ crystallography. _dat._ dative. _demons._ demonstrative. _der._ derivation. _dial._ dialect, dialectal. _Dict._ Dictionary. _dim._ diminutive. _dub._ doubtful. _eccles._ ecclesiastical history. _e.g._ for example. _elect._ electricity. _entom._ entomology. _esp._ especially. _ety._ etymology. _fem._ feminine. _fig._ figuratively. _fol._ followed; following. _fort._ fortification. _freq._ frequentative. _fut._ future. _gen._ genitive. _gener._ generally. _geog._ geography. _geol._ geology. _geom._ geometry. _ger._ gerundive. _gram._ grammar. _gun._ gunnery. _her._ heraldry. _hist._ history. _hort._ horticulture. _hum._ humorous. _i.e._ that is. _imit._ imitative. _imper._ imperative. _impers._ impersonal. _indic._ indicative. _infin._ infinitive. _inten._ intensive. _interj._ interjection. _interrog._ interrogative. _jew._ jewellery. _lit._ literally. _mach._ machinery. _masc._ masculine. _math._ mathematics. _mech._ mechanics. _med._ medicine. _metaph._ metaphysics. _mil._ military. _Milt._ Milton. _min._ mineralogy. _mod._ modern. _Mt._ Mount. _mus._ music. _myth._ mythology. _n._, _ns._ noun, nouns. _nat. hist._ natural history. _naut._ nautical. _neg._ negative. _neut._ neuter. _n.pl._ noun plural. _n.sing._ noun singular. _N.T._ New Testament. _obs._ obsolete. _opp._ opposed. _opt._ optics. _orig._ originally. _ornith._ ornithology. _O.S._ old style. _O.T._ Old Testament. _p._, _part._ participle. _p.adj._ participial adjective. _paint._ painting. _paleog._ paleography. _paleon._ paleontology. _palm._ palmistry. _pa.p._ past participle. _pass._ passive. _pa.t._ past tense. _path._ pathology. _perf._ perfect. _perh._ perhaps. _pers._ person. _pfx._ prefix. _phil._, _philos._ philosophy. _philol._ philology. _phon._ phonetics. _phot._ photography. _phrenol._ phrenology. _phys._ physics. _physiol._ physiology. _pl._ plural. _poet._ poetical. _pol. econ._ political economy. _poss._ possessive. _Pr.Bk._ Book of Common Prayer. _pr.p._ present participle. _prep._ preposition. _pres._ present. _print._ printing. _priv._ privative. _prob._ probably. _Prof._ Professor. _pron._ pronoun; pronounced; pronunciation. _prop._ properly. _pros._ prosody. _prov._ provincial. _q.v._ which see. _R.C._ Roman Catholic. _recip._ reciprocal. _redup._ reduplication. _refl._ reflexive. _rel._ related; relative. _rhet._ rhetoric. _sculp._ sculpture. _Shak._ Shakespeare. _sig._ signifying. _sing._ singular. _spec._ specifically. _Spens_. Spenser. _subj._ subjunctive. _suff._ suffix. _superl._ superlative. _surg._ surgery. _term._ termination. _teleg._ telegraphy. _Tenn._ Tennyson. _Test._ Testament. _theat._ theatre; theatricals. _theol._ theology. _trig._ trigonometry. _ult._ ultimately. _v.i._ verb intransitive. _voc._ vocative. _v.t._ verb transitive. _vul._ vulgar. _zool._ zoology.

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Amer. American. Ar. Arabic. A.S. Anglo-Saxon. Austr. Australian. Bav. Bavarian. Beng. Bengali. Bohem. Bohemian. Braz. Brazilian. Bret. Breton. Carib. Caribbean. Celt. Celtic. Chal. Chaldean. Chin. Chinese. Corn. Cornish. Dan. Danish. Dut. Dutch. Egypt. Egyptian. Eng. English. Finn. Finnish. Flem. Flemish. Fr. French. Fris. Frisian. Gael. Gaelic. Ger. German. Goth. Gothic. Gr. Greek. Heb. Hebrew. Hind. Hindustani. Hung. Hungarian. Ice. Icelandic. Ind. Indian. Ion. Ionic. Ir. Irish. It. Italian. Jap. Japanese. Jav. Javanese. L. Latin. Lith. Lithuanian. L. L. Low or Late Latin. M. E. Middle English. Mex. Mexican. Norm. Norman. Norw. Norwegian. O. Fr. Old French. Pers. Persian. Peruv. Peruvian. Pol. Polish. Port. Portuguese. Prov. Provençal. Rom. Romance. Russ. Russian Sans. Sanskrit. Scand. Scandinavian. Scot. Scottish. Singh. Singhalese. Slav. Slavonic. Sp. Spanish. Sw. Swedish. Teut. Teutonic. Turk. Turkish. U.S. United States. W. Welsh.

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CHAMBERS'S TWENTIETH CENTURY DICTIONARY.

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S the nineteenth letter in our alphabet, its sound that of the hard open sibilant: as a medieval Roman numeral--7--also 70; [=S]--70,000.--COLLAR OF SS, a collar composed of a series of the letter _s_ in gold, either linked together or set in close order.

SAB, sab, _n._ (_Scot._) a form of _sob_.

SABADILLA, sab-a-dil'a, _n._ a Mexican plant, whose seeds yield an officinal alkaloid, _veratrine_, employed chiefly in acute febrile diseases in strong healthy persons.--Also CEBADILL'A, CEVADILL'A.

SABAISM, s[=a]'b[=a]-izm. Same as SABIANISM.--Also S[=A]'BÆISM, S[=A]'BEISM, S[=A]'BÆANISM.

SA'BAL, s[=a]'bal, _n._ a genus of fan-palms.

SABALO, sab'a-l[=o], _n._ the tarpon. [Sp.]

SABAOTH, sa-b[=a]'oth, _n.pl._ armies, used only in the B. phrase, 'the Lord of Sabaoth': erroneously for Sabbath. [Heb. _tseb[=a][=o]th_, pl. of _ts[=a]b[=a]_, an army--_ts[=a]b[=a]_, to go forth.]

SABBATH, sab'ath, _n._ among the Jews, the seventh day of the week, set apart for the rest from work: among Christians, the first day of the week, in memory of the resurrection of Christ, called also _Sunday_ and the _Lord's Day:_ among the ancient Jews, the seventh year, when the land was left fallow: a time of rest.--_adj_. pertaining to the Sabbath.--_n._ SABBAT[=A]'RIAN, a very strict observer of the Sabbath: one who observes the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath.--_adj_. pertaining to the Sabbath or to Sabbatarians.--_ns._ SABBAT[=A]'RIANISM; SABB'ATH-BREAK'ER, one who profanes the Sabbath; SABB'ATH-BREAK'ING, profanation of the Sabbath.--_adjs._ SABB'ATHLESS (_Bacon_), without Sabbath or interval of rest: without intermission of labour; SABBAT'IC, -AL, pertaining to, or resembling, the Sabbath: enjoying or bringing rest.--_n._ SABBAT'ICAL-YEAR, every seventh year, in which the Israelites allowed their fields and vineyards to lie fallow.--_adj._ SABB'ATINE, pertaining to the Sabbath.--_v.i._ and _v.t._ SABB'ATISE, to keep the Sabbath: to convert into a Sabbath.--_n._ SABB'ATISM, rest, as on the Sabbath: intermission of labour.--SABBATH-DAY'S JOURNEY, the distance of 2000 cubits, or about five furlongs, which a Jew was permitted to walk on the Sabbath, fixed by the space between the extreme end of the camp and the ark (Josh. iii. 4); SABBATH SCHOOL (see SUNDAY SCHOOL).--WITCHES' SABBATH, a midnight meeting of Satan with witches, devils, and sorcerers for unhallowed orgies and the travestying of divine rites. [L. _Sabbatum_, gener. in pl. _Sabbata_--Gr. _Sabbaton_--Heb. _Shabb[=a]th_, rest.]

SABBATIA, sa-b[=a]'ti-a, _n._ a genus of small North American herbaceous plants of the gentian family. [From _Sabbati_, an 18th-cent. Italian botanist.]

SABBATON, sab'a-ton, _n._ a strong, armed covering for the foot, worn in the 16th century. [_Sabot._]

SABEAN, s[=a]-b[=e]'an, _n._ an Arabian, native of Yemen.--_adj._ pertaining to _Saba_ in Arabia.

SABELINE, sab'e-lin, _adj._ pertaining to the sable.--_n._ the skin of the sable.

SABELLA, s[=a]-bel'ä, _n._ a genus of tubiculous annelids or sea-worms.--_ns._ SABELL[=A]'RIA; SABELLAR[=I]'IDÆ.

SABELLIAN, s[=a]-bel'i-an, _n._ a follower of _Sabellius_, a 3d-century heretic, banished from Rome by Callistus.--_adj._ pertaining to Sabellius or his heresy.--_n._ SABELL'IANISM, the heresy about the distinction of Persons in God held by Sabellius and his school--the Trinity resolved into a mere threefold manifestation of God to man, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit not distinct subsistences, but merely one and the same person in different aspects.

SABER=_Sabre_ (q.v.).

SABIAN, s[=a]'bi-an, _n._ a worshipper of the host of heaven--sun, moon, and stars--also TS[=A]'BIAN.--_ns._ S[=A]'BIANISM, S[=A]'BAISM, the worship of the host of heaven, an ancient religion in Persia and Chaldea: the doctrines of the Sabians or Mandæans (see MANDÆAN). [Heb. _ts[=a]b[=a]_, a host.]

SABINE, s[=a]'b[=i]n, _n._ one of an ancient people of central Italy, ultimately subjected by Rome, 241 B.C.

SABLE, s[=a]'bl, _n._ a Siberian species of Marten, with lustrous dark-brown or blackish fur: its fur: a fine paint-brush made of sable: the colour black: (_pl._) black clothes, mourning clothes.--_adj._ of the colour of the sable's fur: blackish, dark-brown: made of the fur of the sable.--_v.t._ to sadden.--_adjs._ S[=A]'BLE-STOLED; S[=A]'BLE-VEST'ED. [O. Fr. _sable_--Russ. _sabol[)i]._]

SABLIÈRE, sab-li-[=a]r', _n._ a sand-pit. [Fr.]

[Illustration]

SABOT, sä-b[=o]', _n._ a wooden shoe, worn by the French peasantry: a piece of soft metal attached to a projectile to take the groove of the rifling.--_n._ SABOTIER', a wearer of wooden shoes: a Waldensian. [Fr. _sabot_--Low L. _sabbatum_, a shoe.]

SABRE, s[=a]'b[.e]r, _n._ a heavy one-edged sword, slightly curved towards the point, used by cavalry.--_v.t._ to wound or kill with a sabre.--_ns._ S[=A]'BRE-BILL, a South American bird: a curlew; S[=A]'BRE-FISH, the hair-tail or silver eel.--_adj._ S[=A]'BRE-TOOTHED, having extremely long upper canine teeth.--_n._ S[=A]'BRE-WING, a humming-bird. [Fr. _sabre_--Ger. _säbel_, prob. from the Hung. _szablya_.]

SABRE-TACHE, s[=a]'b[.e]r-tash, _n._ an ornamental leather case worn by cavalry officers at the left side, suspended from the sword-belt.--Also S[=A]'BRE-TASH. [Fr. _sabre-tache_--Ger. _säbeltasche_, _säbel_, a sabre, Ger. _tasche_, a pocket.]

SABRINA-WORK, sa-br[=i]'na-wurk, _n._ a variety of appliqué embroidery-work.

SABULOUS, sab'[=u]-lus, _adj._ sandy, gritty.--_n._ SABULOS'ITY, sandiness, grittiness. [L. _sabulum_, sand.]

SABURRA, s[=a]-bur'ä, _n._ a foulness of the stomach.--_adj._ SABURR'AL.--_n._ SABURR[=A]'TION, sand-baking: the application of a hot sand-bath.

SAC, sak, _n._ (_bot._, _zool._) a sack or bag for a liquid.--_adjs._ SAC'C[=A]TE, -D, pouched: pouch-like; SAC'CULAR, like a sac, sacciform; SAC'CULATE, -D, formed in a series of sac-like expansions: encysted.--_ns._ SACCUL[=A]'TION, the formation of a sac: a series of sacs; SAC'CULE, SAC'CULUS, a small sac:--_pl._ SAC'CULI. [Fr.,--L. _saccus_, a bag.]

SAC, sak, _n._ (_law_) the privilege of a lord of manor of holding courts. [A.S. _sacu_, strife.]

SACCADE, sa-k[=a]d', _n._ a violent twitch of a horse by one pull: a firm pressure of the bow on the violin-strings so that two are sounded at once. [Fr.]

SACCATA, sa-k[=a]'tä, _n._ the molluscs as a branch of the animal kingdom.

SACCHARILLA, sak-a-ril'a, _n._ a kind of muslin.

SACCHARINE, sak'a-rin, _adj._ pertaining to, or having the qualities of, sugar.--_n._ SAC'CHAR[=A]TE, a salt of a saccharic acid.--_adjs._ SACCHAR'IC, pertaining to, or obtained from, sugar and allied substances; SACCHARIF'EROUS, producing sugar, as from starch.--_v.t._ SAC'CHARIFY, to convert into sugar.--_ns._ SACCHARIM'ETER, SACCHAROM'ETER, an instrument for measuring the quantity of saccharine matter in a liquid; SACCHARIM'ETRY, SACCHAROM'ETRY; SAC'CHARIN, a white crystalline solid slightly soluble in cold water, odourless, but intensely sweet; SACCHARIN'ITY.--_v.t._ SAC'CHARISE, to convert into sugar:--_pr.p._ sac'char[=i]sing; _pa.p._ sac'char[=i]sed.--_adjs._ SAC'CHAROID, -AL, having a texture resembling sugar, esp. loaf-sugar.--_n._ SAC'CHAROSE, the ordinary pure sugar of commerce.--_adj._ SAC'CHAROUS.--_n._ SAC'CHARUM, a genus of grasses, including the sugar-cane. [Fr. _saccharin_--L. _saccharum_, sugar.]

SACCHARITE, sak'a-r[=i]t, _n._ a fine granular variety of feldspar.

SACCHAROCOLLOID, sak-a-r[=o]-kol'oid, _n._ one of a large group of the carbohydrates.

SACCHAROMYCES, sak-a-r[=o]-m[=i]'s[=e]z, _n._ a genus of the yeast fungi. [Low L. _saccharum_, sugar, Gr. _myk[=e]s_, a mushroom.]

SACCIFORM, sak'si-form, _adj._ having the form of a sac: baggy.--_adj._ SACCIF'EROUS.

SACCOBRANCHIA, sak-[=o]-brang'ki-a, _n.pl._ a division of tunicates with saccate gills.--_adj._ and _n._ SACCOBRANCH'I[=A]TE. [Gr. _sakkos_, a sack, _brangchia_, gills.]

SACCOLABIUM, sak-[=o]-l[=a]'bi-um, _n._ a genus of orchids. [L. _saccus_, a sack, _labium_, a lip.]

SACCOMYOID, sak-[=o]-m[=i]'oid, _adj._ having cheek-pouches. [Gr. _sakkos_, sack, _mys_, a mouse.]

SACCOPHARYNGIDÆ, sak-o-f[=a]-rin'ji-d[=e], _n._ a family of lyomerous fishes, including the bottle-fish, noted for swallowing fishes larger than themselves.

SACCOS, sak'os, _n._ a tight sleeveless vestment worn by Oriental patriarchs and metropolitans during divine service, corresponding to the Western dalmatic. [Gr. _sakkos_, a sack.]

SACELLUM, s[=a]-sel'um, _n._ a little sanctuary, a small uncovered place consecrated to a divinity: a canopied altar-tomb:--_pl._ SACELL'A. [L., dim. of _sacrum_, neut. of _sacer_, consecrated.]

SACERDOTAL, sas-[.e]r-d[=o]'tal, _adj._ priestly.--_v.t._ SACERD[=O]'TALISE, to render sacerdotal.--_ns._ SACERD[=O]'TALISM, the spirit of the priesthood: devotion to priestly interests, priestcraft: the belief that the presbyter is a priest in the sense of offering a sacrifice in the eucharist; SACERD[=O]'TALIST, a supporter of sacerdotalism.--_adv._ SACERD[=O]'TALLY. [L. _sacerdos_, a priest--_sacer_, sacred, _d[)a]re_, to give.]

SACHEM, s[=a]'chem, _n._ a chief of a North American Indian tribe, a sagamore: one of the Tammany leaders.--_ns._ S[=A]'CHEMDOM, S[=A]'CHEMSHIP.

SACHET, sa-sh[=a], _n._ a bag of perfume. [Fr.]

SACK, sak, _n._ a large bag of coarse cloth for holding grain, flour, &c.: the contents of a sack: (also SACQUE) a woman's gown, loose at the back, a short coat rounded at the bottom: a measure of varying capacity.--_v.t._ to put into a sack: (_slang_) to dismiss.--_ns._ SACK'-BEAR'ER, any bombycid moth of the family _Psychidæ_; SACK'CLOTH, cloth for sacks: coarse cloth formerly worn in mourning or penance.--_adj._ SACK'CLOTHED.--_ns._ SACKED'-FR[=I]'AR, a monk who wore a coarse upper garment called a _saccus_; SACK'ER, a machine for filling sacks; SACK'-FIL'TER, a bag-filter; SACK'FUL, as much as a sack will hold; SACK'-HOIST, a continuous hoist for raising sacks in warehouses; SACK'ING, coarse cloth or canvas for sacks, bed-bottoms, &c.; SACK'-PACK'ER, in milling, a machine for automatically filling a flour-sack; SACK'-RACE, a race in which the legs of competitors are encased in sacks.--GET THE SACK, to be dismissed or rejected; GIVE THE SACK, to dismiss. [A.S. _sacc_--L. _saccus_--Gr. _sakkos_--Heb. _saq_, a coarse cloth or garment, prob. Egyptian.]

SACK, sak, _v.t._ to plunder: to ravage.--_n._ the plunder or devastation of a town: pillage.--_ns._ SACK'AGE; SACK'ING, the storming and pillaging of a town.--_adj._ bent on pillaging.--SACK AND FORK (_Scot._), the power of drowning and hanging. [Fr. _sac_, a sack, plunder (_saccager_, to sack)--L. _saccus_, a sack.]

SACK, sak, _n._ the old name of a dry Spanish wine of the sherry genus, the favourite drink of Falstaff.--_n._ SACK'-POSS'ET, posset made with sack.--BURNT SACK, mulled sack. [Fr. _sec_ (Sp. _seco_)--L. _siccus_, dry.]

SACKBUT, sak'but, _n._ a kind of trumpet, the predecessor of the trombone: (_B._) a kind of stringed instrument resembling the guitar. [Fr. _saquebute_--Sp. _sacabuche_--_sacar_, to draw out, _buche_, the maw or stomach, prob. Old High Ger. _b[=u]h_ (Ger. _bauch_), the belly.]

SACK-DOODLE, sak-d[=oo]d'l, _v.i._ to play on the bagpipe.

SACKLESS, sak'les, _adj._ (_Scot._) guiltless: innocent: guileless. [A.S. _sacleás_, without strife, _sacu_, strife, _-leás_, -less.]

SACODES, s[=a]-k[=o]'d[=e]z, _n._ a genus of beetles of the family _Cyphonidæ_. [Gr. _sakos_, a shield, _eidos_, form.]

SACQUE, sak. See SACK (1).

SACRA, s[=a]'kra, _n._ a sacral artery:--_pl._ S[=A]'CRÆ (-KR[=E]).

SACRAL, s[=a]'kral, _adj._ See SACRUM.

SACRAMENT, sak'ra-ment, _n._ an holy ordinance instituted by Christ as an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace (_Baptism_ and the _Lord's Supper_--amongst Roman Catholics, also _Confirmation_, _Penance_, _Holy Orders_, _Matrimony_, and _Extreme Unction_): the Lord's Supper specially: an oath of obedience taken by Roman soldiers on enlistment: any solemn obligation: materials used in a sacrament.--_v.t._ to bind by an oath.--_adj._ SACRAMEN'TAL, belonging to or constituting a sacrament.--_ns._ SACRAMEN'TALISM, the attachment of excessive importance to the sacraments: the doctrine that there is in the sacraments themselves a special direct spiritual efficacy to confer grace; SACRAMEN'TALIST, one who holds this view.--_adv._ SACRAMEN'TALLY.--_ns._ SACRAMENT[=A]'RIAN, one who holds a high or extreme view of the efficacy of the sacraments: (_obs._) one who rejects the doctrine of the real presence in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper; SACRAMENT[=A]'RIANISM, the holding of extreme views with regard to the efficacy of sacraments.--_adj._ SACRAMEN'TARY, pertaining to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, or to the sacramentarians.--_n._ a book containing all the prayers and ceremonies used at the celebration of the R.C. sacraments: a sacramentarian. [L. _sacramentum_, a sacred thing--_sacr[=a]re_, to consecrate--_sacer_, sacred.]

SACRARIUM, s[=a]-kr[=a]'ri-um, _n._ the part of a church where the altar is, the sanctuary: in ancient Rome, any sacred place, the place where the Penates were stored.--_n._ SAC'RARY (_obs._), a holy place.--_v.t._ S[=A]'CRATE (_obs._), to consecrate.

SACRARIUM, s[=a]-kr[=a]'ri-um, _n._ the complex sacrum of any bird.

SACRE. Same as SAKER.

SACRED, s[=a]'kred, _adj._ set apart or dedicated, esp. to God: made holy: proceeding from God: religious: entitled to respect or veneration: inviolable: devoted to destruction: opposed to _secular_, as sacred music or history: not liable to punishment.--_adv._ S[=A]'CREDLY.--_n._ S[=A]'CREDNESS.--SACRED APE, the hanuman of India; SACRED BEETLE, an Egyptian scarab; SACRED CAT, the house cat of Egypt, sacred to Pasht; SACRED FISH, one of the fresh-water fishes of the Nile; SACRED HEART (R.C.), the physical heart of Christ, adored with special devotion since the 18th century. [O. Fr. _sacrer_--L. _sacr[=a]re_--L. _sacer_, sacred.]

SACRIFICATI, sak-ri-fi-k[=a]'t[=i], _n.pl._ in the early church, those who sacrificed to idols in persecution, but returned as penitents afterwards.

SACRIFICE, sak'ri-f[=i]s, _v.t._ to offer up, esp. on the altar of a divinity: to destroy or give up for something else: to devote or destroy with loss or suffering: to kill.--_v.i._ to make offerings to God.--_n._ the fundamental institution of all natural religions, primarily a sacramental meal at which the communicants are a deity and his worshippers, and the elements the flesh and blood of a sacred victim: the act of sacrificing or offering to a deity, esp. a victim on an altar: that which is sacrificed or offered: destruction or loss of anything to gain some object: that which is given up, destroyed, or lost for some end: mere loss of profit.--_n._ SACRIF'ICANT, one who offers a sacrifice.--_adj._ SACRIF'IC[=A]TORY, offering sacrifice.--_n._ SAC'RIFICER, a priest.--_adj._ SACRIFI'CIAL, relating to, or consisting in, sacrifice: performing sacrifice.--_adv._ SACRIFI'CIALLY.--SACRIFICE HIT, in base-ball, a hit to enable another player to score or to gain a base.--EUCHARISTIC SACRIFICE, the supposed constant renewal of the sacrifice of Christ in the mass. [O. Fr.,--L. _sacrificium_--_sacer_, sacred, _fac[)e]re_, to make.]

SACRILEGE, sak'ri-lej, _n._ profanation of a sacred place or thing: the breaking into a place of worship and stealing therefrom.--_n._ SAC'RILEGER (_obs._).--_adj._ SACRIL[=E]'GIOUS, polluted with sacrilege: profane: violating sacred things.--_adv._ SACRIL[=E]'GIOUSLY.--_ns._ SACRIL[=E]'GIOUSNESS; SAC'RIL[=E]GIST, one guilty of sacrilege. [Fr. _sacrilège_--L. _sacrilegium_--_sacer_, sacred, _leg[)e]re_, to gather.]

SACRIST, s[=a]'krist, _n._ a sacristan: a person in a cathedral who copies out music for the choir and takes care of the books.--_ns._ S[=A]'CRING, consecration; S[=A]'CRING-BELL, in R.C. churches, a small bell rung to call attention to the more solemn parts of the service of the mass; SAC'RISTAN, an officer in a church who has charge of the sacred vessels and other movables: a sexton; SAC'RISTY, an apartment in a church where the sacred utensils, vestments, &c. are kept: vestry. [Low L. _sacristia_, a vestry, _sacristanus_, _sacrista_, a sacristan--L. _sacer_.]

SACROSANCT, sak'r[=o]-sangkt, _adj._ very sacred or inviolable.--_n._ SACROSANC'TITY. [L. _sacrosanctus_--_sacer_, sacred, _sanctus_, pa.p. of _sanc[=i]re_, to hallow.]

SACRUM, s[=a]'krum, _n._ a triangular bone situated at the lower part of the vertebral column (of which it is a natural continuation), and wedged between the two innominate bones, so as to form the keystone to the pelvic arch.--_adj._ S[=A]'CRAL.--_n._ S[=A]CRAL'GIA, pain in the region of the sacrum.--_adjs._ S[=A]CROCOS'TAL, connected with the sacrum and having the character of a rib (also _n._); S[=A]CROIL'IAC, pertaining to the sacrum and ilium; S[=A]CROLUM'BAR, pertaining to sacral and lumbar vertebræ; S[=A]CROP[=U]'BIC, pertaining to the sacrum and to the pubes; S[=A]CROREC'TAL, pertaining to the sacrum and the rectum; S[=A]CROSCIAT'IC, pertaining to the sacrum and the hip; S[=A]CROVER'TEBRAL, pertaining to the sacrum and that part of the vertebral column immediately anterior to it. [L. _sacrum_ (_os_, bone), sacred.]