Chapter CCCXCIX: Prologue (50)

SEMBLABLE Sem"bla*ble, a. Etym: [F., from sembler to seem, resemble, L. similare, simulare. See Simulate.]

Defn: Like; similar; resembling. [Obs.] Chaucer.

SEMBLABLE Sem"bla*ble, n.

Defn: Likeness; representation. [Obs.]

SEMBLABLY Sem"bla*bly, adv.

Defn: In like manner. [Obs.] Shak.

SEMBLANCE Sem"blance, n. Etym: [F. See Semblable, a.]

1. Seeming; appearance; show; figure; form. Thier semblance kind, and mild their gestures were. Fairfax.

2. Likeness; resemblance, actual or apparent; similitude; as, the semblance of worth; semblance of virtue. Only semblances or imitations of shells. Woodward.

SEMBLANT Sem"blant, a. Etym: [F. semblant, p. pr.]

1. Like; resembling. [Obs.] Prior.

2. Seeming, rather than real; apparent. [R.] Carlyle.

SEMBLANT Sem"blant, n. Etym: [F.]

1. Show; appearance; figure; semblance. [Obs.] Spenser. His flatterers made semblant of weeping. Chaucer.

2. The face. [Obs.] Wyclif (Luke xxiv. 5).

SEMBLATIVE Sem"bla*tive, a.

Defn: Resembling. [Obs.] And all is semblative a woman's part. Shak.

SEMBLE Sem"ble, v. i. Etym: [F. sembler. See Semblable, a.]

1. To imitate; to make a representation or likeness. [Obs.] Where sembling art may carve the fair effect. Prior.

2. (Law)

Defn: It seems; -- chiefly used impersonally in reports and judgments to express an opinion in reference to the law on some point not necessary to be decided, and not intended to be definitely settled in the cause.

SEMBLE Sem"ble, a.

Defn: Like; resembling. [Obs.] T. Hudson.

SEMBLING Sem"bling, n. Etym: [Cf. Assemble.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The practice of attracting the males of Lepidoptera or other insects by exposing the female confined in a cage.

Note: It is often adopted by collectors in order to procure specimens of rare species.

SEME Se*mé", a. Etym: [F. semé, fr. semer to sow.] (Her.)

Defn: Sprinkled or sown; -- said of field, or a charge, when strewed or covered with small charges.

SEMEIOGRAPHY; SEMIOGRAPHY Se`mei*og"ra*phy, or; Se`mi*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. shmei^on sign + -graphy.] (Med.)

Defn: A description of the signs of disease.

SEMEIOLOGICAL; SEMIOLOGIOAL Se`mei*o*log"ic*al, or; Se`mi*o*log"io*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the science of signs, or the systematic use of signs; as, a semeiological classification of the signs or symptoms of disease; a semeiological arrangement of signs used as signals.

SEMEIOLOGY; SEMIOLOGY Se`mei*ol"o*gy, or Se`mi*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. shmei^on a mark, a sign + -logy.]

Defn: The science or art of signs. Specifically: (a) (Med.) The science of the signs or symptoms of disease; symptomatology. (b) The art of using signs in signaling.

SEMEIOTIC; SEMIOTIC Se`mei*ot"ic, or Se`mi*ot"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. shmei^on a mark, a sign.]

1. Relating to signs or indications; pertaining to the language of signs, or to language generally as indicating thought.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the signs or symptoms of diseases.

SEMEIOTICS; SEMIOTICS Se`mei*ot"ics, or Se`mi*ot"ics, n.

Defn: Semeiology.

SEMELE Sem"e*le, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Gr. Myth.)

Defn: A daughter of Cadmus, and by Zeus mother of Bacchus.

SEMEN Se"men, n.; pl. Semina. Etym: [L., from the root of serere, satum, to sow. See Sow to scatter seed.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The seed of plants.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: The seed or fecundating fluid of male animals; sperm. It is a white or whitish viscid fluid secreted by the testes, characterized by the presence of spermatozoids to which it owes its generative power. Semen contra, or Semen cinæ or cynæ, a strong aromatic, bitter drug, imported from Aleppo and Barbary, said to consist of the leaves, peduncles, and unexpanded flowers of various species of Artemisia; wormseed.

SEMENIFEROUS Sem`e*nif"er*ous, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Seminiferous.

SEMESTER Se*mes"ter, n. Etym: [G., from L. semestris half-yearly; sex six + mensis a month.]

Defn: A period of six months; especially, a term in a college or uneversity which divides the year into two terms.

SEMI- Sem"i-. Etym: [L. semi; akin to Gr. sami-, AS. sam-, and prob. to E. same, from the division into two parts of the same size. Cf. Hemi-, Sandelend.]

Defn: A prefix signifying half, and sometimes partly or imperfectly; as, semiannual, half yearly; semitransparent, imperfectly transparent.

Note: The prefix semi is joined to another word either with the hyphen or without it. In this book the hyphen is omitted except before a capital letter; as, semiacid, semiaquatic, semi-Arian, semiaxis, semicalcareous.

SEMIACID Sem`i*ac"id, a.

Defn: Slightly acid; subacid.

SEMIACIDIFIED Sem`i*a*cid"i*fied, a.

Defn: Half acidified.

SEMIADHERENT Sem`i*ad*her"ent, a.

Defn: Adherent part way.

SEMIAMPLEXICAUL Sem`i*am*plex"i*caul, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Partially amplexicaul; embracing the stem half round, as a leaf.

SEMIANGLE Sem"i*an`gle, n. (Geom.)

Defn: The half of a given, or measuring, angle.

SEMIANNUAL Sem`i*an"nu*al, a.

Defn: Half-yearly.

SEMIANNUALLY Sem`i*an"nu*al*ly, adv.

Defn: Every half year.

SEMIANNULAR Sem`i*an"nu*lar, a.

Defn: Having the figure of a half circle; forming a semicircle. Grew.

SEMI-ARIAN Sem`i-A"ri*an, n. Etym: [See Arian.] (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: A member of a branch of the Arians which did not acknowledge the Son to be consubstantial with the Father, that is, of the same substance, but admitted him to be of a like substance with the Father, not by nature, but by a peculiar privilege.

SEMI-ARIAN Sem"i-A"ri*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Semi-Arianism.

SEMI-ARIANISM Sem`i-A"ri*an*ism, n.

Defn: The doctrines or tenets of the Semi-Arians.

SEMIAXIS Sem`i*ax"is, n. (Geom.)

Defn: One half of the axis of an

SEMIBARBARIAN Sem`i*bar*ba"ri*an, a.

Defn: Half barbarous; partially civilized. -- n.

Defn: One partly civilized.

SEMIBARBARIC Sem`i*bar*bar"ic, a.

Defn: Half barbarous or uncivilized; as, semibarbaric display.

SEMIBARBARISM Sem`i*bar"ba*rism, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being half barbarous or uncivilized.

SEMIBARBAROUS Sem`i*bar"ba*rous, a.

Defn: Half barbarous.

SEMIBREVE Sem"i*breve`, n. Etym: [Pref. semi- + breve: cf. F. semi-breve, It. semibreve.] [Formerly written semibref.] (Mus.)

Defn: A note of half the time or duration of the breve; -- now usually called a whole note. It is the longest note in general use.

SEMIBRIEF Sem"i*brief`, n. (Mus.)

Defn: A semibreve. [R.]

SEMIBULL Sem"i*bull`, n. (R.C.Ch.)

Defn: A bull issued by a pope in the period between his election and coronation.

SEMICALCAREOUS Sem`i*cal*ca"re*ous, a.

Defn: Half or partially calcareous; as, a semicalcareous plant.

SEMICALCINED Sem`i*cal*cined", a.

Defn: Half calcined; as, semicalcined iron.

SEMICASTRATE Sem`i*cas"trate, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of one testicle. -- Sem`i*cas*tra"tion,n.

SEMICENTENNIAL Sem`i*cen*ten"ni*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to half of a century, or a period of fifty years; as, a semicentennial commemoration.

SEMICENTENNIAL Sem`i*cen*ten"ni*al, n.

Defn: A fiftieth anniversary.

SEMICHAOTIC Sem`i*cha*ot"ic, a.

Defn: Partially chaotic.

SEMICHORUS Sem"i*cho`rus, n. (Mus.)

Defn: A half chorus; a passage to be sung by a selected portion of the voices, as the female voices only, in contrast with the full choir.

SEMI-CHRISTIANIZED Sem`i-Chris"tian*ized, a.

Defn: Half Christianized.

SEMICIRCLE Sem"i*cir`cle, n.

1. (a) The half of a circle; the part of a circle bounded by its diameter and half of its circumference. (b) A semicircumference.

2. A body in the form of half of a circle, or half of a circumference.

3. An instrument for measuring angles.

SEMICIRCLED Sem"i*cir`cled, a.

Defn: Semicircular. Shak.

SEMICIRCULAR Sem`i*cir"cu*lar, a.

Defn: Having the form of half of a circle. Addison. Semicircular canals (Anat.), certain canals of the inner ear. See under Ear.

SEMI CIRCUMFERENCE Sem`i cir*cum"fer*ence, n.

Defn: Half of a circumference.

SEMICIRQUE Sem"i*cirque, n.

Defn: A semicircular hollow or opening among trees or hills. Wordsworth.

SEMICOLON Sem"i*co`lon, n.

Defn: The punctuation mark [;] indicating a separation between parts or members of a sentence more distinct than that marked by a comma.

SEMICOLUMN Sem"i*col`umn, n.

Defn: A half column; a column bisected longitudinally, or along its axis.

SEMICOLUMNAR Sem`i*co*lum"nar, a.

Defn: Like a semicolumn; flat on one side and round on the other; imperfectly columnar.

SEMICOMPACT Sem`i*com*pact", a.

Defn: Half compact; imperfectly indurated.

SEMICONSCIOUS Sem`i*con"scious, a.

Defn: Half conscious; imperfectly conscious. De Quincey.

SEMICOPE Sem"i*cope`, n.

Defn: A short cope, or an inferier kind of cope. [Obs.] Chaucer.

SEMI CRUSTACEOUS Sem`i crus*ta"ceous, a.

Defn: Half crustaceous; partially crustaceous.

SEMICRYSTALLINE Sem`i*crys"tal*line, a. (Min.)

Defn: Half crystalline; -- said of certain cruptive rocks composed partly of crystalline, partly of amorphous matter.

SEMICUBICAL Sem`i*cu"bic*al, a. (Math.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the square root of the cube of a quantity. Semicubical parabola, a curve in which the ordinates are proportional to the square roots of the cubes of the abscissas.

SEMICUBIUM; SEMICUPIUM Sem`i*cu"bi*um, Sem`i*cu"pi*um, n. Etym: [LL., fr. L. semi half + cupa tub, cask.]

Defn: A half bath, or one that covers only the lewer extremities and the hips; a sitz-bath; a half bath, or hip bath.

SEMICYLINDRIC; SEMICYLYNDRICAL Sem`i*cy*lin"dric, Sem`i*cy*lyn"dric*al a.

Defn: Half cylindrical.

SEMIDEISTICAL Sem`i*de*is"tic*al, a.

Defn: Half deisticsl; bordering on deism. S. Miller.

SEMIDEMIQUAVER Sem`i*dem"i*qua`ver, n. (Mus.)

Defn: A demisemiquaver; a thirty-second note.

SEMIDETACHED Sem`i*de*tached", a.

Defn: Half detached; partly distinct or separate. Semidetached house, one of two tenements under a single roof, but separated by a party wall. [Eng.]

SEMIDIAMETER Sem`i*di*am"e*ter, n. (Math.)

Defn: Half of a diameter; a right line, or the length of a right line, drawn from the center of a circle, a sphere, or other curved figure, to its circumference or periphery; a radius.

SEMIDIAPASON Sem`i*di`a*pa"son, n. (Mus.)

Defn: An imperfect octave.

SEMIDIAPENTE Sem`i*di`a*pen"te, n. (Mus.)

Defn: An imperfect or diminished fifth. Busby.

SEMIDIAPHANEITY Sem`i*di`a*pha*ne"i*ty, n.

Defn: Half or imperfect transparency; translucency. [R.] Boyle.

SEMIDIAPHANOUS Sem`i*di*aph"a*nous, a.

Defn: Half or imperfectly transparent; translucent. Woodward.

SEMIDIATESSARON Sem`i*di`a*tes"sa*ron, n. (Mus.)

Defn: An imperfect or diminished fourth. [R.]

SEMI-DIESEL Sem`i-Die"sel, a.

Defn: Designating an internal-combustion engine of a type resembling the Diesel engine in using as fuel heavy oil which is injected in a spray just before the end of the compression stroke and is fired without electrical ignition. The fuel is sprayed into an iron box (called a hot bulb or hot pot) opening into the combustion chamber, and heated for ignition by a blast-lamp until the engine is running, when it is, ordinarily, kept red hot by the heat of combustion.

SEMIDITONE Sem`i*di"tone`, n. Etym: [Pref. semi- + ditone: cf. It. semiditono. Cf. Hemiditone.] (Gr. Mus.)

Defn: A lesser third, having its terms as 6 to 5; a hemiditone. [R.]

SEMIDIURNAL Sem`i*di*ur"nal, a.

1. Pertaining to, or accomplished in, half a day, or twelve hours; occurring twice every day.

2. Pertaining to, or traversed in, six hours, or in half the time between the rising and setting of a heavenly body; as, a semidiurnal arc.

SEMIDOME Sem"i*dome`, n. (Arch.)

Defn: A roof or ceiling covering a semicircular room or recess, or one of nearly that shape, as the apse of a church, a niche, or the like. It is approximately the quarter of a hollow sphere.

SEMIDOUBLE Sem"i*dou`ble, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: An office or feast celebrated with less solemnity than the double ones. See Double, n., 8.

SEMIDOUBLE Sem`i*dou"ble, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the outermost stamens converted into petals, while the inner ones remain perfect; -- said of a flower.

SEMIFABLE Sem"i*fa`ble, n.

Defn: That which is part fable and part truth; a mixture of truth and fable. De Quincey.

SEMIFLEXED Sem"i*flexed`, a.

Defn: Half bent.

SEMIFLORET Sem"i*flo`ret, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Semifloscule.

SEMIFLOSCULAR Sem`i*flos"cu*lar, a.

Defn: Semiflosculous.

SEMIFLOSCULE Sem"i*flos`cule, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A floscule, or florest, with its corolla prolonged into a strap-shaped petal; -- called also semifloret.

SEMIFLOSCULOUS Sem`i*flos"cu*lous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having all the florets ligulate, as in the dandelion.

SEMIFLUID Sem`i*flu"id, a.

Defn: Imperfectly fluid. -- n.

Defn: A semifluid substance.

SEMIFORM Sem"i*form`, n.

Defn: A half form; an imperfect form.

SEMIFORMED Sem"i*formed`, a.

Defn: Half formed; imperfectly formed; as, semiformed crystals.

SEMIGLUTIN Sem`i*glu"tin, n. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A peptonelike body, insoluble in alcohol, formed by boiling collagen or gelatin for a long time in water. Hemicollin, a like body, is also formed at the same time, and differs from semiglutin by being partly soluble in alcohol.

SEMIHISTORICAL Sem`i*his*tor"i*cal, a.

Defn: Half or party historical. Sir G. C. Lewis.

SEMIHORAL Sem`i*ho"ral, a.

Defn: Half-hourly.

SEMIINDURATED Sem`i*in"du*ra`ted, a.

Defn: Imperfectly indurated or hardened.

SEMILAPIDIFIED Sem`i*la*pid"i*fied, a.

Defn: Imperfectly changed into stone. Kirwan.

SEMILENS Sem"i*lens`, n. (Opt.)

Defn: The half of a lens divided along a plane passing through its axis.

SEMILENTICULAR Sem`i*len*tic"u*lar, a.

Defn: Half lenticular or convex; imperfectly resembling a lens. Kirwan.

SEMILIGNEOUS Sem`i*lig"ne*ous, a.

Defn: Half or partially ligneous, as a stem partly woody and partly herbaceous.

SEMILIQUID Sem`i*liq"uid, a.

Defn: Half liquid; semifluid.

SEMILIQUIDITY Sem`i*li*quid"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being semiliquid; partial liquidity.

SEMILOGICAL Sem`i*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Half logical; partly logical; said of fallacies. Whately.

SEMILOR Sem"i*lor, n. Etym: [Cf. G. similor, semilor.]

Defn: A yellowish alloy of copper and zinc. See Simplor.

SEMILUNAR Sem`i*lu"nar, a.

Defn: Shaped like a half moon. Semilunar bone (Anat.), a bone of the carpus; the lunar. See Lunar, n. -- Semilunar, or Sigmoid, valves (Anat.), the valves at the beginning of the aorta and of the pulmonary artery which prevent the blood from flowing back into the ventricle.

SEMILUNAR Sem`i*lu"nar, n. (Anat.)

Defn: The semilunar bone.

SEMILUNARY Sem`i*lu"na*ry, a.

Defn: Semilunar.

SEMILUNATE Sem`i*lu"nate, a.

Defn: Semilunar.

SEMILUNE Sem"i*lune`, n. (Geom.)

Defn: The half of a lune.

SEMIMETAL Sem"i*met`al, n. (Chem.)

Defn: An element possessing metallic properties in an inferior degree and not malleable, as arsenic, antimony, bismuth, molybdenum, uranium, etc. [Obs.]

SEMIMETALLIC Sem`i*me*tal"lic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a semimetal; possessing metallic properties in an inferior degree; resembling metal.

SEMIMONTHLY Sem`i*month"ly a.

Defn: Coming or made twice in a month; as, semimonthly magazine; a semimonthly payment. -- n.

Defn: Something done or made every half month; esp., a semimonthly periodical. -- adv.

Defn: In a semimonthly manner; at intervals of half a month.

SEMIMUTE Sem`i*mute", a.

Defn: Having the faculty of speech but imperfectly developed or partially lost.

SEMIMUTE Sem"i*mute`, n.

Defn: A semimute person.

SEMINAL Sem"i*nal, a. Etym: [L. seminalis, fr. semen, seminis, seed, akin to serere to sow: cf. F. seminal. See Sow to scatter seed.]

1. Pertaining to, containing, or consisting of, seed or semen; as, the seminal fluid.

2. Contained in seed; holding the relation of seed, source, or first principle; holding the first place in a series of developed results or consequents; germinal; radical; primary; original; as, seminal principles of generation; seminal virtue. The idea of God is, beyond all question or comparison, the one great seminal principle. Hare. Seminal leaf (Bot.), a seed leaf, or cotyleden. -- Seminal receptacle. (Zoöl.) Same as Spermatheca.

SEMINAL Sem"i*nal, n.

Defn: A seed. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

SEMINALITY Sem`i*nal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being seminal. Sir T. Browne.

SEMINAR Sem`i*nar", n. [G. See Seminary, n.]

Defn: A group of students engaged, under the guidance of an instructor, in original research in a particular line of study, and in the exposition of the results by theses, lectures, etc.; -- called also seminary.

SEMINARIAN; SEMINARIST Sem`i*na"ri*an, Sem"i*na*rist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. séminariste.]

Defn: A member of, or one educated in, a seminary; specifically, an ecclesiastic educated for the priesthood in a seminary.

SEMINARY Sem"i*na*ry, n.; pl. Seminaries. Etym: [L. seminarium, fr. seminarius belonging to seed, fr. semon, seminis, seed. See Seminal.]

1. A piece of ground where seed is sown for producing plants for transplantation; a nursery; a seed plat. [Obs.] Mortimer. But if you draw them [seedling] only for the thinning of your seminary, prick them into some empty beds. Evelyn.

2. Hence, the place or original stock whence anything is brought or produced. [Obs.] Woodward.

3. A place of education, as a scool of a high grade, an academy, college, or university.

4. Seminal state. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

5. Fig.: A seed bed; a source. [Obs.] Harvey.

6. A Roman Catholic priest educated in a foreign seminary; a seminarist. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

SEMINARY Sem"i*na*ry, a. Etym: [L. seminarius.]

Defn: Belonging to seed; seminal. [R.]

SEMINATE Sem"i*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Seminated; p. pr. & vb. n. Seminating.] Etym: [L. seminatus, p. p. of seminare to sow, fr. semen, seminis, seed.]

Defn: To sow; to spread; to propagate. [R.] Waterhouse.

SEMINATION Sem`i*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. seminatio: cf. F. sémination.]

1. The act of sowing or spreading. [R.]

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Natural dispersion of seeds. Martyn.

SEMINED Sem"ined, a. Etym: [See Semen.]

Defn: Thickly covered or sown, as with seeds. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

SEMINIFEROUS Sem`i*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. semen, semenis, seed -ferous.] (Biol.)

Defn: Seed-bearing; producing seed; pertaining to, or connected with, the formation of semen; as, seminiferous cells or vesicles.

SEMINIFIC; SEMINIFICAL Sem`i*nif"ic, Sem`i*nif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. semen, seminis, seed + facere to make.] (Biol.)

Defn: Forming or producing seed, or the male generative product of animals or of plants.

SEMINIFICATION Sem`i*ni*fi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: Propagation from seed. [R.] Sir M. Hale.

SEMINIST Sem"i*nist, n. (Biol.)

Defn: A believer in the old theory that the newly created being is formed by the admixture of the seed of the male with the supposed seed of the female.

SEMINOLES Sem"i*noles, n. pl.; sing. Seminole (. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A tribe of Indians who formerly occupied Florida, where some of them still remain. They belonged to the Creek Confideration.

SEMINOSE Sem"i*nose`, n. Etym: [L. semen seed + glucose.] (Chem.)

Defn: A carbohydrate of the glucose group found in the thickened endosperm of certain seeds, and extracted as yellow sirup having a sweetish-bitter taste.

SEMINUDE Sem`i*nude", a.

Defn: Partially nude; half naked.

SEMINYMPH Sem"i*nymph`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The pupa of insects which undergo only a slight change in passing to the imago state.

SEMIOCCASIONALLY Sem`i*oc*ca"sion*al*ly, adv.

Defn: Once in a while; on rare occasions. [Colloq. U. S.]

SEMIOFFICIAL Sem`i*of*fi"cial, a.

Defn: Half official; having some official authority or importance; as, a semiofficial statement. -- Sem`i*of*fi"cial*ly, adv.

SEMIOGRAPHY; SEMIOLOGY; SEMIOLOGICAL Se`mi*og"ra*phy, Se`mi*ol"o*gy, Se`mi*o*log"ic*al.

Defn: Same as Semeiography, Semeiology, Semeiological.

SEMIOPACOUS Sem`i*o*pa"cous, a.

Defn: Semiopaque.

SEMIOPAL Sem"i*o`pal, n. (Min.)

Defn: A variety of opal not possessing opalescence.

SEMIOPAQUE Sem`i*o*paque", a.

Defn: Half opaque; only half transparent.

SEMIORBICULAR Sem`i*or*bic"u*lar, a.

Defn: Having the shape of a half orb or sphere.

SEMIOTIC Se`mi*ot"ic, a.

Defn: Same as Semeiotic.

SEMIOTICS Se`mi*ot"ics, n.

Defn: Same as Semeiotics.

SEMIOVAL Sem`i*o"val, a.

Defn: Half oval.

SEMIOVATE Sem`i*o"vate, a.

Defn: Half ovate.

SEMIOXYGENATED Sem`i*ox"y*gen*a`ted, a.

Defn: Combined with oxygen only in part. Kirwan.

SEMIPAGAN Sem`i*pa"gan, a.

Defn: Half pagan.

SEMIPALMATE; SEMIPALMATED Sem`i*pal"mate, Sem`i*pal"ma*ted, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the anterior toes joined only part way down with a web; half-webbed; as, a semipalmate bird or foot. See Illust. k under Aves.

SEMIPARABOLA Sem`i*pa*rab"o*la, n. (Geom.)

Defn: One branch of a parabola, being terminated at the principal vertex of the curve.

SEMIPED Sem"i*ped, n. Etym: [L. semipes, semipedis; pref. semi- half + pes, pedis, a foot.] (Pros.)

Defn: A half foot in poetry.

SEMIPEDAL Se*mip"e*dal, a. (Pres.)

Defn: Containing a half foot.

SEMI-PELAGIAN Sem`i-Pe*la"gi*an, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: A follower of John Cassianus, a French monk (died about 448), who modified the doctrines of Pelagius, by denying human merit, and maintaining the necessity of the Spirit's influence, while, on the other hand, he rejected the Augustinian doctrines of election, the inability of man to do good, and the certain perseverance of the saints.

SEMI-PELAGIAN Sem`i-Pe*la"gi*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Semi-Pelagians, or their tenets.

SEMI-PELAGIANISM Sem`i-Pe*la"gi*an*ism, n.

Defn: The doctrines or tenets of the Semi-Pelagians.

SEMIPELLUCID Sem`i*pel*lu"cid, a.

Defn: Half clear, or imperfectly transparent; as, a semipellucid gem.

SEMIPELLUCIDITY Sem`i*pel`lu*cid"i*ty, n.

Defn: The qualiti or state of being imperfectly transparent.

SEMIPENNIFORM Sem`i*pen"ni*form, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Half or partially penniform; as, a semipenniform muscle.

SEMIPERMANENT Sem`i*per"ma*nent, n.

Defn: Half or partly permanent.

SEMIPERSPICUOUS Sem`i*per*spic"u*ous, a.

Defn: Half transparent; imperfectly clear; semipellucid.

SEMIPHLOGISTICATED Sem`i*phlo*gis"ti*ca`ted, a. (Old Chem.)

Defn: Partially impregnated with phlogiston.

SEMIPLUME Sem"i*plume`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A feather which has a plumelike web, with the shaft of an ordinary feather.

SEMIPRECIOUS Sem`i*pre"cious, a.

Defn: Somewhat precious; as, semiprecious stones or metals.

SEMIPROOF Sem"i*proof`, n.

Defn: Half proof; evidence from the testimony of a single witness. [Obs.] Bailey.

SEMI PUPA Sem`i pu"pa, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The young of an insect in a stage between the larva and pupa.

SEMIQUADRATE; SEMIQUARTILE Sem"i*quad`rate, Sem"i*quar"tile, n. (Astrol.)

Defn: An aspect of the planets when distant from each other the half of a quadrant, or forty-five degrees, or one sign and a half. Hutton.

SEMIQUAVER Sem"i*qua`ver, n. (Mus.)

Defn: A note of half the duration of the quaver; -- now usually called a sixsteenth note.

SEMIQUINTILE Sem"i*quin`tile, n. (Astrol.)

Defn: An aspect of the planets when distant from each other half of the quintile, or thirty-six degrees.

SEMIRADIAL Sem`i*ra"di*al, a.

Defn: Half radial.

SEMIRADIAL ENGINE Semiradial engine. (Mach.)

Defn: See Radial engine, above.

SEMIRECONDITE Sem`i*rec"on*dite, a. (Zool.)

Defn: Half hidden or half covered; said of the head of an insect when half covered by the shield of the thorax.

SEMIRING Sem"i*ring`, n. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the incomplete rings of the upper part of the bronchial tubes of most birds. The semerings form an essential part of the syrinx, or musical organ, of singing birds.

SEMISAVAGE Sem`i*sav"age, a.

Defn: Half savage.

SEMISAVAGE Sem"i*sav`age, n.

Defn: One who is half savage.

SEMI-SAXON Sem`i-Sax"on, a.

Defn: Half Saxon; -- specifically applied to the language intermediate between Saxon and English, belonging to the period 1150- 1250.

SEMISEXTILE Sem"i*sex"tile, n. (Astrol.)

Defn: An aspect of the planets when they are distant from each other the twelfth part of a circle, or thirty degrees. Hutton.

SEMISOLID Sem`i*sol"id, a.

Defn: Partially solid.

SEMISOUN Sem"i*soun (-soon), n.

Defn: A half sound; a low tone. [Obs.] "Soft he cougheth with a semisoun." Chaucer.

SEMISPHERIC; SEMISPHERICAL Sem`i*spher"ic, Sem`i*spher"ic*al, a.

Defn: Having the figure of a half sphere. Kirwan.

SEMISPHEROIDAL Sem`i*sphe*roid"al, a.

Defn: Formed like a half spheroid.

SEMISTEEL Sem"i*steel` (, n.

Defn: Puddled steel. [U. S. ]

SEMITA Sem"i*ta, n.; pl. Semitæ. Etym: [L., a path.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fasciole of a spatangoid sea urchin.

SEMITANGENT Sem"i*tan`gent, n. (Geom.)

Defn: The tangent of half an arc.

SEMITE Sem"ite, n.

Defn: One belonging to the Semitic race. Also used adjectively. [Written also Shemite.]

SEMITERETE Sem`i*te*rete", a. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Half terete.

SEMITERTIAN Sem`i*ter"tian, a. (Med.)

Defn: Having the characteristics of both a tertian and a quotidian intermittent. -- n.

Defn: An intermittent combining the characteristics of a tertian and a quotidian.

SEMITIC Sem*it"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Shem or his descendants; belonging to that division of the Caucasian race which includes the Arabs, Jews, and related races. [Written also Shemitic.] Semitic language, a name used to designate a group of Asiatic and African languages, some living and some dead, namely: Hebrew and Phoenician, Aramaic, Assyrian, Arabic, Ethiopic (Geez and Ampharic). Encyc. Brit.

SEMITISM Sem"i*tism, n.

Defn: A Semitic idiom; a word of Semitic origin. [Written also Shemitism.]

SEMITONE Sem"i*tone, n. Etym: [Pref. semi- + tone. CF. Hemitone.] (Mus.)

Defn: Half a tone; -- the name commonly applied to the smaller intervals of the diatonic scale.

Note: There is an impropriety in the use of this word, and half step is now preferred. See Tone. J. S. Dwight.

SEMITONIC Sem`i*ton"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a semitone; consisting of a semitone, or of semitones.

SEMITONTINE Sem`i*ton*tine", a. (LIfe Insurance)

Defn: Lit., half-tontine; -- used to designate a form of tontine life insurance. See Tontine insurance. --Sem`i*ton*tine", n.

SEMITRANSEPT Sem"i*tran`sept, n. (Arch.)

Defn: The half of a transept; as, the north semitransept of a church.

SEMITRANSLUCENT Sem`i*trans*lu"cent, a.

Defn: Slightly clear; transmitting light in a slight degree.

SEMITRANSPARENCY Sem`i*trans*par"en*cy, n.

Defn: Imperfect or partial transparency.

SEMITRANSPARENT Sem`i*trans*par"ent, a.

Defn: Half or imperfectly transparent.

SEMIVERTICILLATE Sem`i*ver*tic"il*late, ( a.

Defn: Partially verticillate.

SEMIVIF Sem"i*vif, a. Etym: [L. semivivus.]

Defn: Only half alive. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

SEMIVITREOUS Sem`i*vit"re*ous, a.

Defn: Partially vitreous.

SEMIVITRIFICATION Sem`i*vit"ri*fi*ca"tion, n.

1. The quality or state of being semivitrified.

2. A substance imperfectly vitrified.

SEMIVITRIFIED Sem`i*vit"ri*fied, a.

Defn: Half or imperfectly vitrified; partially converted into glass.

SEMIVOCAL Sem`i*vo"cal, a. (Phon.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a semivowel; half cocal; imperfectly sounding.

SEMIVOWEL Sem"i*vow`el, n. (Phon.) (a) A sound intermediate between a vowel and a consonant, or partaking of the nature of both, as in the English w and y. (b) The sign or letter representing such a sound.

SEMIWEEKLY Sem`i*week"ly, a.

Defn: Coming, or made, or done, once every half week; as, a semiweekly newspaper; a semiweekly trip. -- n.

Defn: That which comes or happens once every half week, esp. a semiweekly periodical. -- adv.

Defn: At intervals of half a week each.

SEMOLELLA Sem`o*lel"la, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: See Semolina.

SEMOLINA Sem`o*li"na, n. Etym: [It. semolino, from semola bran, L. simila the finest wheat flour. Cf. Semoule, Simnel.]

Defn: The fine, hard parts of wheat, rounded by the attrition of the millstones, -- used in cookery.

SEMOLINO Sem`o*li"no, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: Same as Semolina.

SEMOULE Se*moule", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Same as Semolina.

SEMPERVIRENT Sem`per*vi"rent, a. Etym: [L. semper always + virens, p. pr. of virere to be green.]

Defn: Always fresh; evergreen. [R.] Smart.

SEMPERVIVE Sem"per*vive, n. Etym: [L. semperviva, sempervivum, fr. sempervivus ever-living; semper always + vivus living.] (Bot.)

Defn: The houseleek.

SEMPERVIVUM Sem`per*vi"vum, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of fleshy-leaved plants, of which the houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) is the commonest species.

SEMPITERNAL Sem`pi*ter"nal, a. Etym: [L. sempiternus, fr. semper always: cf. F. sempiternel.]

1. Of neverending duration; everlasting; endless; having beginning, but no end. Sir M. Hale.

2. Without beginning or end; eternal. Blackmore.

SEMPITERNE Sem"pi*terne, a.

Defn: Sempiternal. [Obs.]

SEMPITERNITY Sem`pi*ter"ni*ty, n. Etym: [L. sempiternitas.]

Defn: Future duration without end; the relation or state of being sempiternal. Sir M. Hale.

SEMPRE Sem"pre, adv. Etym: [It., fr. L. semper.] (Mus.)

Defn: Always; throughout; as, sempre piano, always soft.

SEMPSTER Semp"ster, n.

Defn: A seamster. [Obs.]

SEMPSTRESS Semp"stress, n.

Defn: A seamstress. Two hundred sepstress were employed to make me shirts. Swift.

SEMPSTRESSY Semp"stress*y, n.

Defn: Seamstressy.

SEMSTER Sem"ster, n.

Defn: A seamster. [Obs.]

SEMUNCIA Se*mun"ci*a, n. Etym: [L., fr. semi half + uncia ounce.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A Roman coin equivalent to one twenty-fourth part of a Roman pound.

SEN Sen, n.

Defn: A Japanese coin, worth about one half of a cent.

SEN Sen, adv., prep., & conj. Etym: [See Since.]

Defn: Since. [Obs.]

SENARY Sen"a*ry, a. Etym: [L. senarius, fr. seni six each, fr. sex six. See Six.]

Defn: Of six; belonging to six; containing six. Dr. H. More.

SENATE Sen"ate, n. Etym: [OE. senat, F. sénat, fr. L. senatus, fr. senex, gen. senis, old, an old man. See Senior, Sir.]

1. An assembly or council having the highest deliberative and legislative functions. Specifically: (a) (Anc. Rom.)

Defn: A body of elders appointed or elected from among the nobles of the nation, and having supreme legislative authority. The senate was thus the medium through which all affairs of the whole government had to pass. Dr. W. Smith.

(b) The upper and less numerous branch of a legislature in various countries, as in France, in the United States, in most of the separate States of the United States, and in some Swiss cantons. (c) In general, a legislative body; a state council; the legislative department of government.

2. The governing body of the Universities of Cambridge and London. [Eng.]

3. In some American colleges, a council of elected students, presided over by the president of the college, to which are referred cases of discipline and matters of general concern affecting the students. [U. S.] Senate chamber, a room where a senate meets when it transacts business. -- Senate house, a house where a senate meets when it transacts business.

SENATOR Sen"a*tor, n. Etym: [OE. senatour, OF. senatour, F. sénateur, fr. L. senator.]

1. A member of a senate. The duke and senators of Venice greet you. Shak.

Note: In the United States, each State sends two senators for a term of six years to the national Congress.

2. (O.Eng.Law)

Defn: A member of the king's council; a king's councilor. Burrill.

SENATORIAL Sen`a*to"ri*al, a. Etym: [F. sénatorial, or L. senatorius.]

1. Of or pertaining to a senator, or a senate; becoming to a senator, or a senate; as, senatorial duties; senatorial dignity.

2. Entitled to elect a senator, or by senators; as, the senatorial districts of a State. [U. S.]

SENATORIALLY Sen`a*to"ri*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a senatorial manner.

SENATORIAN Sen`a*to"ri*an, a.

Defn: Senatorial. [R.] De Quincey.

SENATORIOUS Sen`a*to"ri*ous, a.

Defn: Senatorial. [Obs.]

SENATORSHIP Sen"a*tor*ship, n.

Defn: The office or dignity of a senator. Carew.

SENATUSCONSULT Se*na`tus*con*sult", n. Etym: [L. senatus consultum.]

Defn: A decree of the Roman senate.

SEND Send, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sent (; p. pr. & vb. n. Sending.] Etym: [AS. sendan; akin to OS. sendian, D. zenden, G. senden, OHG. senten, Icel. senda, Sw. sända, Dan. sende, Goth. sandjan, and to Goth. sinp a time (properly, a going), gasinpa companion, OHG. sind journey, AS. si, Icel. sinni a walk, journey, a time. W. hynt a way, journey, OIr. s. Cf. Sense.]

1. To cause to go in any manner; to dispatch; to commission or direct to go; as, to send a messenger. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. Jer. xxiii. 21. I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. John viii. 42. Servants, sent on messages, stay out somewhat longer than the message requires. Swift.

2. To give motion to; to cause to be borne or carried; to procure the going, transmission, or delivery of; as, to send a message. He . . . sent letters by posts on horseback. Esther viii. 10. O send out thy light an thy truth; let them lead me. Ps. xliii. 3.

3. To emit; to impel; to cast; to throw; to hurl; as, to send a ball, an arrow, or the like.

4. To cause to be or to happen; to bestow; to inflict; to grant; -- sometimes followed by a dependent proposition. "God send him well!" Shak. The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke. Deut. xxviii. 20. And sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matt. v. 45. God send your mission may bring back peace. Sir W. Scott.

SEND Send, v. i.

1. To dispatch an agent or messenger to convey a message, or to do an errand. See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head 2 Kings vi. 32.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: To pitch; as, the ship sends forward so violently as to endanger her masts. Totten. To send for, to request or require by message to come or be brought.

SEND Send, n. (Naut.)

Defn: The impulse of a wave by which a vessel is carried bodily. [Written also scend.] W. C. Russell. "The send of the sea". Longfellow.

SENDAL Sen"dal, n. Etym: [OF. cendal (cf. Pr. & Sp. cendal, It. zendale), LL. cendallum, Gr.

Defn: A light thin stuff of silk. [Written also cendal, and sendal.] Chaucer. Wore she not a veil of twisted sendal embroidered with silver Sir W. Scott.

SENDER Send"er, n.

Defn: One who sends. Shak.

SENECAS Sen"e*cas, n. pl.; sing. Seneca (. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A tribe of Indians who formerly inhabited a part of Western New York. This tribe was the most numerous and most warlike of the Five Nations. Seneca grass(Bot.), holy grass. See under Holy. -- Seneca eil, petroleum or naphtha. -- Seneca root, or Seneca snakeroot (Bot.), the rootstock of an American species of milkworth (Polygala Senega) having an aromatic but bitter taste. It is often used medicinally as an expectorant and diuretic, and, in large doses, as an emetic and cathartic. [Written also Senega root, and Seneka root.]

SENECIO Se*ne"ci*o, n. Etym: [L., groundsel, lit., an old man. So called in allusion to the hoary appearance of the pappus.] (Bot.)

Defn: A very large genus of composite plants including the groundsel and the golden ragwort.

SENECTITUDE Se*nec"ti*tude, n. Etym: [L. senectus aged, old age, senex old.]

Defn: Old age. [R.] "Senectitude, weary of its toils." H. Miller.

SENEGA Sen"e*ga, n. (Med.)

Defn: Seneca root.

SENEGAL Sen"e*gal, n.

Defn: Gum senegal. See under Gum.

SENEGIN Sen"e*gin, n. (Med. Chem.)

Defn: A substance extracted from the rootstock of the Polygala Senega (Seneca root), and probably identical with polygalic acid.

SENESCENCE Se*nes"cence, n. Etym: [See Senescent.]

Defn: The state of growing old; decay by time.

SENESCENT Se*nes"cent, a. Etym: [L. senescent, p. pr. of senescere to grow old, incho. fr. senere to be old.]

Defn: Growing old; decaying with the lapse of time. "The night was senescent." Poe. "With too senescent air." Lowell.

SENESCHAL Sen"es*chal, n. Etym: [OF. seneschal, LL. seniscalcus, of Teutonic origin; cf. Goth. sineigs old, skalks, OHG. scalch, AS. scealc. Cf. Senior, Marshal.]

Defn: An officer in the houses of princes and dignitaries, in the Middle Ages, who had the superintendence of feasts and domestic ceremonies; a steward. Sometimes the seneschal had the dispensing of justice, and was given high military commands. Then marshaled feast Served up in hall with sewers and seneschale. Milton. Philip Augustus, by a famous ordinance in 1190, first established royal courts of justice, held by the officers called baitiffs, or seneschals, who acted as the king's lieutenants in his demains. Hallam.

SENESCHALSHIP Sen"es*chal*ship, n.

Defn: The office, dignity, or jurisdiction of a seneschal.

SENGE Senge, v. t.

Defn: To singe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

SENGREEN Sen"green, n.Etym: [AS. singr, properly, evergreen, fr. sin (in composition) always + grëne green; akin to OHG. sin- ever, L. semper.] (Bot.)

Defn: The houseleek.

SENILE Se"nile, a. Etym: [L. senilis, from senex, gen. senis, old, an old man: cf. F. sénile. See Senior.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to old age; proceeding from, or characteristic of, old age; affected with the infirmities of old age; as, senile weakness. "Senile maturity of judgment." Boyle. Senile gangrene (Med.), a form of gangrene occuring particularly in old people, and caused usually by insufficient blood supply due to degeneration of the walls of the smaller arteries.

SENILITY Se*nil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. sénilité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being senile; old age.

SENIOR Sen"ior, a. Etym: [L. senior, compar. of senex, gen. senis, old. See Sir.]

1. More advanced than another in age; prior in age; elder; hence, more advanced in dignity, rank, or office; superior; as, senior member; senior counsel.

2. Belonging to the final year of the regular course in American colleges, or in professional schools.

SENIOR Sen"ior, n.

1. A person who is older than another; one more advanced in life.

2. One older in office, or whose entrance upon office was anterior to that of another; one prior in grade.

3. An aged person; an older. Dryden. Each village senior paused to scan, And speak the lovely caravan. Emerson.

4. One in the fourth or final year of his collegiate course at an American college; -- originally called senior sophister; also, one in the last year of the course at a professional schools or at a seminary.

SENIORITY Sen*ior"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being senior.

SENIORIZE Sen"ior*ize, v. i.

Defn: To exercise authority; to rule; to lord it. [R.] Fairfax.

SENIORY Sen"ior*y, n.

Defn: Seniority. [Obs.] Shak.

SENNA Sen"na, n. Etym: [Cf. It. & Sp. sena, Pg. sene, F. séné; all fr. Ar. sana.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: The leaves of several leguminous plants of the genus Cassia. (C. acutifolia. C. angustifolia, etc.). They constitute a valuable but nauseous cathartic medicine.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The plants themselves, native to the East, but now cultivated largely in the south of Europe and in the West Indies. Bladder senna. (Bot.) See under Bladder. -- Wild senna (Bot.), the Cassia Marilandica, growing in the United States, the leaves of which are used medicinally, like those of the officinal senna.

SENNACHY Sen"na*chy, n.

Defn: See Seannachie.

SENNET Sen"net, n. Etym: [Properly, a sign given for the entrance or exit of actors, from OF. sinet, signet, dim. of signe. See Signet.]

Defn: A signal call on a trumpet or cornet for entrance or exit on the stage. [Obs.]

SENNET Sen"net, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The barracuda.

SENNIGHT Sen"night, n. Etym: [Contr. fr. sevennight.]

Defn: The space of seven nights and days; a week. [Written also se'nnight.] [Archaic.] Shak. Tennyson.

SENNIT Sen"nit, n. Etym: [Seven + knit.]

1. (Naut.)

Defn: A braided cord or fabric formed by plaiting together rope yarns or other small stuff.

2. Plaited straw or palm leaves for making hats.

SENOCULAR Se*noc"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. seni six each (fr. sex six) + oculus eye.]

Defn: Having six eyes. [R.] Derham.

SENONIAN Se*no"ni*an, a. Etym: [F. sénonien, from the district of Sénonais, in France.] (Geol.)

Defn: In european geology, a name given to the middle division of the Upper Cretaceous formation.

SENOR; SENHOR Se*ñor", n. Etym: [Sp. Cf. Senior.]

Defn: A Spanish title of courtesy corresponding to the English Mr. or Sir; also, a gentleman.

SENORA; SENHORA Se*ño"ra, n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A Spanish title of courtesy given to a lady; Mrs.; Madam; also, a lady.

SENORITA; SENHORITA Se`ño*ri"ta, n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A Spanish title of courtesy given to a young lady; Miss; also, a young lady.

SENS Sens, adv. Etym: [See Since.]

Defn: Since. [Obs.] Spenser.

SENSATE Sen"sate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sensated; p. pr. & vb. n. Sensating.] Etym: [See Sensated.]

Defn: To feel or apprehend more or less distinctly through a sense, or the senses; as, to sensate light, or an odor. As those of the one are sensated by the ear, so those of the other are by the eye. R. Hooke.

SENSATE; SENSATED Sen"sate, Sen"sa*ted, a. Etym: [L. sensatus gifted with sense, intelligent, fr. sensus sense. See Sense.]

Defn: Felt or apprehended through a sense, or the senses. [R.] Baxter.

SENSATION Sen*sa"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. sensation. See Sensate.]

1. (Physiol.)

Defn: An impression, or the consciousness of an impression, made upon the central nervous organ, through the medium of a sensory or afferent nerve or one of the organs of sense; a feeling, or state of consciousness, whether agreeable or disagreeable, produced either by an external object (stimulus), or by some change in the internal state of the body. Perception is only a special kind of knowledge, and sensation a special kind of feeling. . . . Knowledge and feeling, perception and sensation, though always coexistent, are always in the inverse ratio of each other. Sir W. Hamilton.

2. A purely spiritual or psychical affection; agreeable or disagreeable feelings occasioned by objects that are not corporeal or material.

3. A state of excited interest or feeling, or that which causes it. The sensation caused by the appearance of that work is still remembered by many. Brougham.

Syn. -- Perception. -- Sensation, Perseption. The distinction between these words, when used in mental philosophy, may be thus stated; if I simply smell a rose, I have a sensation; if I refer that smell to the external object which occasioned it, I have a perception. Thus, the former is mere feeling, without the idea of an object; the latter is the mind's apprehension of some external object as occasioning that feeling. "Sensation properly expresses that change in the state of the mind which is produced by an impression upon an organ of sense (of which change we can conceive the mind to be conscious, without any knowledge of external objects). Perception, on the other hand, expresses the knowledge or the intimations we obtain by means of our sensations concerning the qualities of matter, and consequently involves, in every instance, the notion of externality, or outness, which it is necessary to exclude in order to seize the precise import of the word sensation." Fleming.

SENSATIONAL Sen*sa"tion*al, a.

1. Of or pertaining to sensation; as, sensational nerves.

2. Of or pertaining to sensationalism, or the doctrine that sensation is the sole origin of knowledge.

3. Suited or intended to excite temporarily great interest or emotion; melodramatic; emotional; as, sensational plays or novels; sensational preaching; sensational journalism; a sensational report.

SENSATIONALISM Sen*sa"tion*al*ism, n.

1. (Metaph.)

Defn: The doctrine held by Condillac, and by some ascribed to Locke, that our ideas originate solely in sensation, and consist of sensations transformed; sensualism; -- opposed to intuitionalism, and rationalism.

2. The practice or methods of sensational writing or speaking; as, the sensationalism of a novel.

SENSATIONALIST Sen*sa"tion*al*ist, n.

1. (Metaph.)

Defn: An advocate of, or believer in, philosophical sensationalism.

2. One who practices sensational writing or speaking.

SENSE Sense, n. Etym: [L. sensus, from sentire, sensum, to perceive, to feel, from the same root as E. send; cf. OHG. sin sense, mind, sinnan to go, to journey, G. sinnen to meditate, to think: cf. F. sens. For the change of meaning cf. See, v. t. See Send, and cf. Assent, Consent, Scent, v. t., Sentence, Sentient.]

1. (Physiol.)

Defn: A faculty, possessed by animals, of perceiving external objects by means of impressions made upon certain organs (sensory or sense organs) of the body, or of perceiving changes in the condition of the body; as, the senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. See Muscular sense, under Muscular, and Temperature sense, under Temperature. Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep. Shak. What surmounts the reach Of human sense I shall delineate. Milton. The traitor Sense recalls The soaring soul from rest. Keble.

2. Perception by the sensory organs of the body; sensation; sensibility; feeling. In a living creature, though never so great, the sense and the affects of any one part of the body instantly make a transcursion through the whole. Bacon.

3. Perception through the intellect; apprehension; recognition; understanding; discernment; appreciation. This Basilius, having the quick sense of a lover. Sir P. Sidney. High disdain from sense of injured merit. Milton.

4. Sound perception and reasoning; correct judgment; good mental capacity; understanding; also, that which is sound, true, or reasonable; rational meaning. "He speaks sense." Shak. He raves; his words are loose As heaps of sand, and scattering wide from sense. Dryden.

5. That which is felt or is held as a sentiment, view, or opinion; judgment; notion; opinion. I speak my private but impartial sense With freedom. Roscommon. The municipal council of the city had ceased to speak the sense of the citizens. Macaulay.

6. Meaning; import; signification; as, the true sense of words or phrases; the sense of a remark. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense. Neh. viii. 8. I think 't was in another sense. Shak.

7. Moral perception or appreciation. Some are so hardened in wickedness as to have no sense of the most friendly offices. L' Estrange.

8. (Geom.)

Defn: One of two opposite directions in which a line, surface, or volume, may be supposed to be described by the motion of a point, line, or surface. Common sense, according to Sir W. Hamilton: (a) "The complement of those cognitions or convictions which we receive from nature, which all men possess in common, and by which they test the truth of knowledge and the morality of actions." (b) "The faculty of first principles." These two are the philosophical significations. (c) "Such ordinary complement of intelligence, that,if a person be deficient therein, he is accounted mad or foolish." (d) When the substantive is emphasized: "Native practical intelligence, natural prudence, mother wit, tact in behavior, acuteness in the observation of character, in contrast to habits of acquired learning or of speculation." -- Moral sense. See under Moral, (a). -- The inner, or internal, sense, capacity of the mind to be aware of its own states; consciousness; reflection. "This source of ideas every man has wholly in himself, and though it be not sense, as having nothing to do with external objects, yet it is very like it, and might properly enough be called internal sense." Locke. -- Sense capsule (Anat.), one of the cartilaginous or bony cavities which inclose, more or less completely, the organs of smell, sight, and hearing. -- Sense organ (Physiol.), a specially irritable mechanism by which some one natural force or form of energy is enabled to excite sensory nerves; as the eye, ear, an end bulb or tactile corpuscle, etc. -- Sense organule (Anat.), one of the modified epithelial cells in or near which the fibers of the sensory nerves terminate.

Syn. -- Understanding; reason. -- Sense, Understanding, Reason. Some philosophers have given a technical signification to these terms, which may here be stated. Sense is the mind's acting in the direct cognition either of material objects or of its own mental states. In the first case it is called the outer, in the second the inner, sense. Understanding is the logical faculty, i. e., the power of apprehending under general conceptions, or the power of classifying, arranging, and making deductions. Reason is the power of apprehending those first or fundamental truths or principles which are the conditions of all real and scientific knowledge, and which control the mind in all its processes of investigation and deduction. These distinctions are given, not as established, but simply because they often occur in writers of the present day.

SENSE Sense, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sensed; p. pr. & vb. n. Sensing.]

Defn: To perceive by the senses; to recognize. [Obs. or Colloq.] Is he sure that objects are not otherwise sensed by others than they are by him Glanvill.

SENSEFUL Sense"ful, a.

Defn: Full of sense, meaning, or reason; reasonable; judicious. [R.] "Senseful speech." Spenser. "Men, otherwise senseful and ingenious." Norris.

SENSELESS Sense"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of, deficient in, or contrary to, sense; without sensibility or feeling; unconscious; stupid; foolish; unwise; unreasonable. You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things. Shak. The ears are senseless that should give us hearing. Shak. The senseless grave feels not your pious sorrows. Rowe. They were a senseless, stupid race. Swift. They would repent this their senseless perverseness when it would be too late. Clarendon. --- Sense"less*ly, adv. -- Sense"less*ness, n.

SENSIBILITY Sen`si*bil"i*ty, n.; pl. Sensibilities. Etym: [Cf. F. sensibilité, LL. sensibilitas.]

1. (Physiol.)

Defn: The quality or state of being sensible, or capable of sensation; capacity to feel or perceive.

2. The capacity of emotion or feeling, as distinguished from the intellect and the will; peculiar susceptibility of impression, pleasurable or painful; delicacy of feeling; quick emotion or sympathy; as, sensibility to pleasure or pain; sensibility to shame or praise; exquisite sensibility; -- often used in the plural. "Sensibilities so fine!" Cowper. The true lawgiver ought to have a heart full of sensibility. Burke. His sensibilities seem rather to have been those of patriotism than of wounded pride. Marshall.

3. Experience of sensation; actual feeling. This adds greatly to my sensibility. Burke.

4. That quality of an instrument which makes it indicate very slight changes of condition; delicacy; as, the sensibility of a balance, or of a thermometer.

Syn. -- Taste; susceptibility; feeling. See Taste.

SENSIBLE Sen"si*ble, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. sensibilis, fr. sensus sense.]

1. Capable of being perceived by the senses; apprehensible through the bodily organs; hence, also, perceptible to the mind; making an impression upon the sense, reason, or understanding; sensible resistance. Air is sensible to the touch by its motion. Arbuthnot. The disgrace was more sensible than the pain. Sir W. Temple. Any very sensible effect upon the prices of things. A. Smith.

2. Having the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; capable of perceiving by the instrumentality of the proper organs; liable to be affected physsically or mentally; impressible. Would your cambric were sensible as your finger. Shak.

3. Hence: Liable to impression from without; easily affected; having nice perception or acute feeling; sensitive; also, readily moved or affected by natural agents; delicate; as, a sensible thermometer. "With affection wondrous sensible." Shak.

4. Perceiving or having perception, either by the senses or the mind; cognizant; perceiving so clearly as to be convinced; satisfied; persuaded. He [man] can not think at any time, waking or sleeping, without being sensible of it. Locke. They are now sensible it would have been better to comply than to refuse. Addison.

5. Having moral perception; capable of being affected by moral good or evil.

6. Possessing or containing sense or reason; giftedwith, or characterized by, good or common sense; intelligent; wise. Now a sensible man, by and by a fool. Shak. Sensible note or tone (Mus.), the major seventh note of any scale; -- so called because, being but a half step below the octave, or key tone, and naturally leading up to that, it makes the ear sensible of its approaching sound. Called also the leading tone. -- Sensible horizon. See Horizon, n., 2. (a).

Syn. -- Intelligent; wise. -- Sensible, Intelligent. We call a man sensible whose judgments and conduct are marked and governed by sound judgment or good common semse. We call one intelligent who is quick and clear in his understanding, i. e., who discriminates readily and nicely in respect to difficult and important distinction. The sphere of the sensible man lies in matters of practical concern; of the intelligent man, in subjects of intellectual interest. "I have been tired with accounts from sensible men, furnished with matters of fact which have happened within their own knowledge." Addison. "Trace out numerous footsteps . . . of a most wise and intelligent architect throughout all this stupendous fabric." Woodward.

SENSIBLE Sen"si*ble, n.

1. Sensation; sensibility. [R.] "Our temper changed . . . which must needs remove the sensible of pain." Milton.

2. That which impresses itself on the sense; anything perceptible. Aristotle distinguished sensibles into common and proper. Krauth- Fleming.

3. That which has sensibility; a sensitive being. [R.] This melancholy extends itself not to men only, but even to vegetals and sensibles. Burton.

SENSIBLENESS Sen"si*ble*ness, n.

1. The quality or state of being sensible; sensibility; appreciation; capacity of perception; susceptibility. "The sensibleness of the eye." Sharp. "Sensibleness and sorrow for sin." Hammond. The sensibleness of the divine presence. Hallywell.

2. Intelligence; reasonableness; good sense.

SENSIBLY Sen"si*bly, adv.

1. In a sensible manner; so as to be perceptible to the senses or to the mind; appreciably; with perception; susceptibly; sensitively. What remains past cure, Bear not too sensibly. Milton.

2. With intelligence or good sense; judiciously.

SENSIFACIENT Sen`si*fa"cient, a. Etym: [L. sensus sense + facere to make.]

Defn: Converting into sensation. Huxley.

SENSIFEROUS Sen*sif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. sensifer; sensus sense + ferre to bear.]

Defn: Exciting sensation; conveying sensation. Huxley.

SENSIFIC Sen*sif"ic, a. Etym: [L. sensificus; sensus sense + facere to make.]

Defn: Exciting sensation.

SENSIFICATORY Sen*sif"i*ca*to*ry, a.

Defn: Susceptible of, or converting into, sensation; as, the sensificatory part of a nervous system. Huxley.

SENSIGENOUS Sen*sig"e*nous, a. Etym: [L. sensus sense + -genous.]

Defn: Causing or exciting sensation. Huxley.

SENSISM Sens"ism, n.

Defn: Same as Sensualism, 2 & 3.

SENSIST Sens"ist, n.

Defn: One who, in philosophy, holds to sensism.

SENSITIVE Sen"si*tive, a. Etym: [F. sensitif. See Sense.]

1. Having sense of feeling; possessing or exhibiting the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; as, a sensitive soul.

2. Having quick and acute sensibility, either to the action of external objects, or to impressions upon the mind and feelings; highly susceptible; easily and acutely affected. She was too sensitive to abuse and calumny. Macaulay.

3. (a) (Mech.) Having a capacity of being easily affected or moved; as, a sensitive thermometer; sensitive scales. (b) (Chem. & Photog.) Readily affected or changed by certain appropriate agents; as, silver chloride or bromide, when in contact with certain organic substances, is extremely sensitive to actinic rays.

4. Serving to affect the sense; sensible. [R.] A sensitive love of some sensitive objects. Hammond.

5. Of or pertaining to sensation; depending on sensation; as, sensitive motions; sensitive muscular motions excited by irritation. E. Darwin. Sensitive fern (Bot.), an American fern (Onoclea sensibilis), the leaves of which, when plucked, show a slight tendency to fold together. -- Sensitive flame (Physics), a gas flame so arranged that under a suitable adjustment of pressure it is exceedingly sensitive to sounds, being caused to roar, flare, or become suddenly shortened or extinguished, by slight sounds of the proper pitch. -- Sensitive joint vetch (Bot.), an annual leguminous herb (Æschynomene hispida), with sensitive foliage. -- Sensitive paper, paper prepared for photographic purpose by being rendered sensitive to the effect of light. -- Sensitive plant. (Bot.) (a) A leguminous plant (Mimosa pudica, or M. sensitiva, and other allied species), the leaves of which close at the slightest touch. (b) Any plant showing motions after irritation, as the sensitive brier (Schrankia) of the Southern States, two common American species of Cassia (C. nictitans, and C. Chamæcrista), a kind of sorrel (Oxalis sensitiva), etc.

-- Sen"si*tive*ly, adv. -- Sen"si*tive*ness, n.

SENSITIVITY Sen`si*tiv"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being sensitive; -- used chiefly in science and the arts; as, the sensitivity of iodized silver. Sensitivity and emotivity have also been used as the scientific term for the capacity of feeling. Hickok.

SENSITIZE Sen"si*tize, v. t. (Photog.)

Defn: To render sensitive, or susceptible of being easily acted on by the actinic rays of the sun; as, sensitized paper or plate.

SENSITIZER Sen"si*ti`zer, n. (Photog.)

Defn: An agent that sensitizes. The sensitizer should be poured on the middle of the sheet. Wilis & Clements (The Platinotype).

SENSITOMETER Sen`si*tom"e*ter, n. [See Sensitive; -meter.] (Photog.)

Defn: An instrument or apparatus for comparing and grading the sensitiveness of plates, films, etc., as a screen divided into squares of different shades or colors, from which a picture is made on the plate to be tested.

SENSITORY Sen"si*to*ry, n.

Defn: See Sensory.

SENSIVE Sens"ive, a.

Defn: Having sense or sensibility; sensitive. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

SENSOR Sen"sor, a.

Defn: Sensory; as, the sensor nerves.

SENSORIAL Sen*so"ri*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. sensorial. See Sensorium.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the sensorium; as, sensorial faculties, motions, powers. A. Tucker.

SENSORIUM Sen*so"ri*um, n.; pl. E. Sensoriums, L. Sensoria. Etym: [L., fr. sentire, sensum, to discern or perceive by the senses.] (Physiol.)

Defn: The seat of sensation; the nervous center or centers to which impressions from the external world must be conveyed before they can be perceived; the place where external impressions are localized, and transformed into sensations, prior to being reflected to other parts of the organism; hence, the whole nervous system, when animated, so far as it is susceptible of common or special sensations.

SENSORI-VOLITIONAL Sen*so`ri-vo*li"tion*al, a. (Physiol.)

Defn: Concerned both in sensation and volition; -- applied to those nerve fibers which pass to and from the cerebro-spinal axis, and are respectively concerned in sensation and volition. Dunglison.

SENSORY Sen"so*ry, n.; pl. Sensories (. (Physiol.)