Chapter CDXLVI: Prologue (97)

SWITCH Switch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Switched; p. pr. & vb. n. Switching.]

1. To strike with a switch or small flexible rod; to whip. Chapman.

2. To swing or whisk; as, to switch a cane.

3. To trim, as, a hedge. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

4. To turn from one railway track to another; to transfer by a switch; -- generally with off, from, etc.; as, to switch off a train; to switch a car from one track to another.

5. (Eccl.)

Defn: To shift to another circuit.

SWITCH Switch, v. i.

Defn: To walk with a jerk. [Prov. Eng.]

SWITCHEL Switch"el, n. Etym: [See Sweet.]

Defn: A beverage of molasses and water, seasoned with vinegar and ginger. [U. S.]

SWITCHING Switch"ing, a. & n.

Defn: from Switch, v. Switching engine, a locomotive for switching cars from one track to another, and making up trains; -- called also switch engine. [U.S.]

SWITCHMAN Switch"man, n.; pl. Switchmen (.

Defn: One who tends a switch on a railway.

SWITCHY Switch"y, a.

Defn: Whisking. [Colloq.] Coombe.

SWITHE Swithe, adv. Etym: [AS. swi strongly, violently.]

Defn: Instantly; quickly; speedily; rapidly. [Obs.] That thou doest, do thou swithe. Wyclif (John xiii. 27).

SWITZER Switz"er, n. Etym: [Cf. G. schweizer. Cf. Swiss.]

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Switzerland; a Swiss.

SWIVE Swive, v. t. Etym: [OE. swiven, fr. AS. swifan. See Swivel.]

Defn: To copulate with (a woman). [Obs.] Chaucer.

SWIVEL Swiv"el, n. Etym: [AS. swifan to move quickly, to remove; akin to Icel. sveifla to whirl, shake, svifa to ramble, to turn. See Swoop, and cf. Swift a reel, Swift, a.]

1. (Mech.)

Defn: A piece, as a ring or hook, attached to another piece by a pin, in such a manner as to permit rotation about the pin as an axis.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: A small piece of ordnance, turning on a point or swivel; -- called also swivel gun. Wilhelm. Swivel bridge, a kind of drawbridge that turns round on a vertical axis; a swing bridge. -- Swivel hook, a hook connected with the iron strap of a pulley block by a swivel joint, for readily taking the turns out of a tackle. -- Swivel joint, a joint, the two pieces composing which turn round, with respect to each other, on a longitudinal pin or axis, as in a chain, to prevent twisting.

SWIVEL Swiv"el, v. i.

Defn: To swing or turn, as on a pin or pivot.

SWIVEL-EYED Swiv"el-eyed`, a.

Defn: Squint-eyed. [Prov. Eng.]

SWIZZLE Swiz"zle, v. t.

Defn: To drink; to swill. Halliwell.

SWIZZLE Swiz"zle, n.

Defn: Ale and beer mixed; also, drink generally. [Prov. Eng.]

SWOB Swob, n. & v.

Defn: See Swab.

SWOBBER Swob"ber, n.

1. See Swabber.

2. pl.

Defn: Four privileged cards, formerly used in betting at the game of whist. [Written also swabber.] Swift.

SWOLLEN Swoll"en,

Defn: p. p. of Swell.

SWOLLEN Swoll"en, a.

Defn: Enlarged by swelling; immoderately increased; as, swollen eyes; swollen streams.

SWOLN Swoln.

Defn: Contraction of Swollen, p. p. Milton.

SWOM Swom, obs.

Defn: imp. of Swim. Shak.

SWOON Swoon, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Swooned; p. pr. & vb. n. Swooning.] Etym: [OE. swounen, swoghenen, for swo, fr. swo to sigh deeply, to droop, AS. swogan to sough, sigh; cf. geswogen senseless, swooned, geswowung a swooning. Cf. Sough.]

Defn: To sink into a fainting fit, in which there is an apparent suspension of the vital functions and mental powers; to faint; -- often with away. The sucklings swoon in the streets of the city. Lam. ii. 11. The most in years . . . swooned first away for pain. Dryden. He seemed ready to swoon away in the surprise of joy. Tatler.

SWOON Swoon, n.

Defn: A fainting fit; syncope.

SWOONING Swoon"ing, a. & n.

Defn: from Swoon, v. -- Swoon"ing*ly, adv.

SWOOP Swoop, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Swooped; p. pr. & vb. n. Swooping.] Etym: [OE. swopen, usually, to sweep, As. swapan to sweep, to rush; akin to G. schweifen to rove, to ramble, to curve, OHG. sweifan to whirl, Icel. sveipa to sweep; also to AS. swifan to move quickly. Cf. Sweep, Swift, a. & n., Swipe, Swivel.]

1. To fall on at once and seize; to catch while on the wing; as, a hawk swoops a chicken.

2. To seize; to catch up; to take with a sweep. And now at last you came to swoop it all. Dryden. The grazing ox which swoops it [the medicinal herb] in with the common grass. Glanvill.

SWOOP Swoop, v. i.

1. To descend with closed wings from a height upon prey, as a hawk; to swoop.

2. To pass with pomp; to sweep. [Obs.] Drayton.

SWOOP Swoop, n.

Defn: A falling on and seizing, as the prey of a rapacious bird; the act of swooping. The eagle fell, . . . and carried away a whole litter of cubs at a swoop. L'Estrange.

SWOOPSTAKE Swoop"stake`, n.

Defn: See Sweepstake. [Obs.]

SWOOPSTAKE Swoop"stake`, adv.

Defn: Altogether; indiscriminately. [R.] Shak.

SWOP Swop, v. & n.

Defn: Same as Swap. Dryden.

SWORD Sword, n. Etym: [OE. swerd, AS. sweord; akin to OFries. swerd, swird, D. zwaard, OS. swerd, OHG. swert, G. schwert, Icel. sver, Sw. svärd, Dan. sværd; of uncertain origin.]

1. An offensive weapon, having a long and usually sharp

2. Hence, the emblem of judicial vengeance or punishment, or of authority and power. He [the ruler] beareth not the sword in vain. Rom. xiii. 4. She quits the balance, and resigns the sword. Dryden.

3. Destruction by the sword, or in battle; war; dissension. I came not to send peace, but a sword. Matt. x. 34.

4. The military power of a country. He hath no more authority over the sword than over the law. Milton.

5. (Weaving)

Defn: One of the end bars by which the lay of a hand loom is suspended. Sword arm, the right arm. -- Sword bayonet, a bayonet shaped somewhat like a sword, and which can be used as a sword. -- Sword bearer, one who carries his master's sword; an officer in London who carries a sword before the lord mayor when he goes abroad. -- Sword belt, a belt by which a sword is suspended, and borne at the side. -- Sword blade, the blade, or cutting part, of a sword. -- Sword cane, a cane which conceals the blade of a sword or dagger, as in a sheath. -- Sword dance. (a) A dance in which swords are brandished and clashed together by the male dancers. Sir W. Scott. (b) A dance performed over swords laid on the ground, but without touching them. -- Sword fight, fencing; a combat or trial of skill with swords; swordplay. -- Sword grass. (Bot.) See Gladen. -- Sword knot, a ribbon tied to the hilt of a sword. -- Sword law, government by the sword, or by force; violence. Milton. -- Sword lily. (Bot.) See Gladiolus. -- Sword mat (Naut.), a mat closely woven of yarns; -- so called from a wooden implement used in its manufacture. -- Sword shrimp (Zoöl.), a European shrimp (Pasiphæa sivado) having a very thin, compressed body. -- Sword stick, a sword cane. -- To measure swords with one. See under Measure, v. t. -- To put to the sword. See under Put.

SWORDBILL Sword"bill`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A humming bird (Docimastes ensiferus) having a very long, slender bill, exceeding the length of the body of the bird.

SWORDED Sword"ed, a. Etym: [Cf. AS. geswurdod.]

Defn: Girded with a sword. Milton.

SWORDER Sword"er, n.

Defn: One who uses, or fights with, a sword; a swordsman; a soldier; a cutthroat. [Obs.] Shak.

SWORDFISH Sword"fish`, n.

1. (Zoöl.) (a) A very large oceanic fish (Xiphias gladius), the only representative of the family Xiphiidæ. It is highly valued as a food fish. The bones of the upper jaw are consolidated, and form a long, rigid, swordlike beak; the dorsal fin is high and without distinct spines; the ventral fins are absent. The adult is destitute of teeth. It becomes sixteen feet or more long. (b) The ger pike. (c) The cutlass fish.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: A southern constellation. See Dorado, 1. Swordfish sucker (Zoöl.), a remora (Remora brachyptera) which attaches itself to the swordfish.

SWORDICK Sword"ick, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The spotted gunnel (Murænoides gunnellus). [Prov. Eng.]

SWORDING Sword"ing, n.

Defn: Slashing with a sword. Tennyson.

SWORDLESS Sword"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of a sword.

SWORDMAN Sword"man, n.; pl. Swordmen (.

Defn: A swordsman. "Sinewy swordmen." Shak.

SWORDPLAY Sword"play`, n.

Defn: Fencing; a sword fight.

SWORDPLAYER Sword"play`er, n.

Defn: A fencer; a gladiator; one who exhibits his skill in the use of the sword.

SWORD-SHAPED Sword"-shaped`, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Shaped like a sword; ensiform, as the long, flat leaves of the Iris, cattail, and the like.

SWORDSMAN Swords"man, n.; pl. Swordsmen (.

1. A soldier; a fighting man.

2. One skilled of a use of the sword; a professor of the science of fencing; a fencer.

SWORDSMANSHIP Swords"man*ship, n.

Defn: The state of being a swordsman; skill in the use of the sword. Cowper.

SWORDTAIL Sword"tail`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) The limulus. (b) Any hemipterous insect of the genus Uroxiphus, found upon forest trees.

SWORE Swore,

Defn: imp. of Swear.

SWORN Sworn,

Defn: p. p. of Swear. Sworn brothers, originally, companions in arms who took an oath to share together good and bad fortune; hence, faithful friends. -- Sworn enemies, determined or irreconcilable enemies. -- Sworn friends, close friends.

SWOUGH Swough, n. Etym: [See Swoon.]

1. A sound; a groan; a moan; a sough. [Obs.] He sigheth with full many a sorry swough. Chaucer.

2. A swoon. [Obs.] Chaucer.

SWOUND Swound, v. & n.

Defn: See Swoon, v. & n. [Prov. Eng. or Archaic] Shak. Dryden. The landlord stirred As one awaking from a swound. Longfellow.

'SWOUNDS 'Swounds, interj. Etym: [Cf. Zounds.]

Defn: An exclamation contracted from God's wounds; -- used as an oath. [Obs. or Archaic] Shak.

SWOWN Swown, v. & n.

Defn: Swoon. [Obs.] Chaucer.

SWUM Swum,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Swim.

SWUNG Swung,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Swing.

SWYTHE Swythe, adv.

Defn: Quickly. See Swithe. [Obs.]

SY Sy, obs. imp. of See.

Defn: Saw. Chaucer.

SYB Syb, a.

Defn: See Sib. [Obs. or Scot.]

SYBARITE Syb"a*rite, n. Etym: [L. Sybarita, Gr. Sybarite.]

Defn: A person devoted to luxury and pleasure; a voluptuary.

SYBARITIC; SYBARITICAL Syb`a*rit"ic, Syb`a*rit"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. Sybariticus, Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Sybarites; resembling the Sybarites; luxurious; wanton; effeminate. "Sybaritic dinners." Bp. Warburton. "Sybaritical cloistres." Bp. Hall.

SYBARITISM Syb"a*rit*ism, n.

Defn: Luxuriousness; effeminacy; wantonness; voluptuousness.

SYCAMINE Syc"a*mine, n. Etym: [L. sycaminus, Gr.

Defn: See Sycamore.

SYCAMORE Syc"a*more, n. Etym: [L. sycomorus, Gr. sycomore. Cf. Mulberry.] (Bot.) (a) A large tree (Ficus Sycomorus) allied to the common fig. It is found in Egypt and Syria, and is the sycamore, or sycamine, of Scripture. (b) The American plane tree, or buttonwood. (c) A large European species of maple (Acer Pseudo-Platanus). [Written sometimes sycomore.]

SYCE Syce, n. Etym: [Ar. sa\'8bs.]

Defn: A groom. [India]

SYCEE Sy*cee", n. Etym: [Said to be from a Chinese word, se-tze or se-sze, meaning, fine silk, and to be so called because if pure it may be drawn out into fine threads.]

Defn: Silver, pounded into ingots of the shape of a shoe, and used as currency. The most common weight is about one pound troy. [China] McElrath.

SYCHNOCARPOUS Sych`no*car"pous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the capacity of bearing several successive crops of fruit without perishing; as, sychnocarpous plants.

SYCITE Sy"cite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A nodule of flint, or a pebble, which resembles a fig. [Obs.]

SYCOCERIC Syc`o*cer"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained by the oxidation of sycoceryl alcohol.

SYCOCERYL Syc`o*ce"ryl, n. Etym: [Gr. -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A radical, of the aromatic series, regarded as an essential ingredient of certain compounds found in the waxy resin of an Australian species of fig.

SYCOCK Sy"cock, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The missel thrush. [Prov. Eng.]

SYCONES Sy*co"nes, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of calcareous sponges.

Note: They usually resemble a fig, being vase-shaped with a fringed opening at the summit. The feeding cells are in ampullæ connected with radial tubes in the thickened walls of the body.

SYCONIUM; SYCONUS Sy*co"ni*um, Sy*co"nus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A collective fleshy fruit, in which the ovaries are hidden within a hollow receptacle, as in the fig.

SYCOPHANCY Syc"o*phan*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. L. sycophantia deceit, Gr.

Defn: The character or characteristic of a sycophant. Hence: - (a) False accusation; calumniation; talebearing. [Obs.] Bp. Hall. (b) Obsequious flattery; servility. The sycophancy of A.Philips had prejudiced Mr. Addison against Pope. Bp. Warburton.

SYCOPHANT Syc"o*phant, n. Etym: [L. sycophanta a slanderer, deceiver, parasite, Gr. sycophante. The reason for the name is not certainly known. See Phenomenon.]

1. An informer; a talebearer. [Obs.] "Accusing sycophants, of all men, did best sort to his nature." Sir P. Sidney.

2. A base parasite; a mean or servile flatterer; especially, a flatterer of princes and great men. A sycophant will everything admire: Each verse, each sentence, sets his soul on fire. Dryden.

SYCOPHANT Syc"o*phant, v. t. Etym: [CF. L. sycophantari to deceive, to trick, Gr.

1. To inform against; hence, to calumniate. [Obs.] Sycophanting and misnaming the work of his adversary. Milton.

2. To play the sycophant toward; to flatter obsequiously.

SYCOPHANT Syc"o*phant, v. i.

Defn: To play the sycophant.

SYCOPHANTCY Syc"o*phant*cy, n.

Defn: Sycophancy. [Obs.]

SYCOPHANTIC; SYCOPHANTICAL Syc`o*phan"tic, Syc`o*phan"tic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a sycophant; characteristic of a sycophant; meanly or obsequiously flattering; courting favor by mean adulation; parasitic. To be cheated and ruined by a sycophantical parasite. South. Sycophantic servants to the King of Spain. De Quincey.

SYCOPHANTISH Syc"o*phant`ish, a.

Defn: Like a sycophant; obsequiously flattering. -- Syc"o*phant`ish*ly, adv. Sycophantish satirists that forever humor the prevailing folly. De Quincey.

SYCOPHANTISM Syc"o*phant*ism, n.

Defn: Sycophancy.

SYCOPHANTIZE Syc"o*phant*ize, v. i.

Defn: To play the sycophant.

SYCOPHANTRY Syc"o*phant*ry, n.

Defn: Sycophancy. [Obs.]

SYCOSIS Sy*co"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A pustular eruption upon the scalp, or the beared part of the face, whether due to ringworm, acne, or impetigo.

SYDEROLITE Syd"er*o*lite, n.

Defn: A kind of Bohemian earthenware resembling the Wedgwood ware.

SYE Sye, obs. imp. of See.

Defn: Saw. Chaucer.

SYENITE Sy"e*nite, n. Etym: [L. Syenites (sc. lapis), from Syene, Gr. (Min.) (a) Orig., a rock composed of quartz, hornblende, and feldspar, anciently quarried at Syene, in Upper Egypt, and now called granite. (b) A granular, crystalline, ingeous rock composed of orthoclase and hornblende, the latter often replaced or accompanied by pyroxene or mica. Syenite sometimes contains nephelite (elæolite) or leucite, and is then called nephelite (elæolite) syenite or leucite syenite.

SYENITIC Sy`e*nit"ic, a. Etym: [Written also sienitic.]

1. Relating to Syene; as, Syenitic inscriptions.

2. Relating to, or like, syenite; as, syenitic granite.

SYKE Syke, n. & v.

Defn: See Sike. [Obs.] Chaucer.

SYKER Syk"er, a. & adv.

Defn: See Sicker. [Obs.]

SYLE Syle, n. Etym: [See Sile a young herring.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A young herring (Clupea harengus). [Also written sile.] But our folk call them syle, and nought but syle, And when they're grown, why then we call them herring. J. Ingelow.

SYLLABARIUM Syl`la*ba"ri*um, n.; pl. Syllabaria. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: A syllabary.

SYLLABARY Syl"la*ba*ry, n.

Defn: A table of syllables; more especially, a table of the indivisible syllabic symbols used in certain languages, as the Japanese and Cherokee, instead of letters. S. W. Williams.

SYLLABE Syl"labe, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Syllable. [R.] B. Jonson.

SYLLABIC; SYLLABICAL Syl*lab"ic, Syl*lab"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. syllabique.]

1. Of or pertaining to a syllable or syllables; as, syllabic accent.

2. Consisting of a syllable or syllables; as, a syllabic augment. "The syllabic stage of writing." Earle.

SYLLABICALLY Syl*lab"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a syllabic manner.

SYLLABICATE Syl*lab"i*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Syllabicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Syllabicating.]

Defn: To form or divide into syllables; to syllabify.

SYLLABICATION Syl*lab`i*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The act of forming syllables; the act or method of dividing words into syllables. See Guide to Pron., §275.

SYLLABIFICATION Syl*lab`i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [See Syllabify.]

Defn: Same as Syllabication. Rush. Syllabification depends not on mere force, but on discontinuity of force. H. Sweet.

SYLLABIFY Syl*lab"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Syllabified; p. pr. & vb. n. Syllabifying.] Etym: [L. syllaba syllable + -fy.]

Defn: To form or divide into syllables.

SYLLABISM Syl"la*bism, n.

Defn: The expressing of the sounds of a language by syllables, rather than by an alphabet or by signs for words. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

SYLLABIST Syl"la*bist, n.

Defn: One who forms or divides words into syllables, or is skilled in doing this.

SYLLABIZE Syl"la*bize, v. t.

Defn: To syllabify. Howell.

SYLLABLE Syl"la*ble, n. Etym: [OE. sillable, OF. sillabe, F. syllabe, L. syllaba, Gr. labh, rabh. Cf. Lemma, Dilemma.]

1. An elementary sound, or a combination of elementary sounds, uttered together, or with a single effort or impulse of the voice, and constituting a word or a part of a word. In other terms, it is a vowel or a diphtong, either by itself or flanked by one or more consonants, the whole produced by a single impulse or utterance. One of the liquids, l, m, n, may fill the place of a vowel in a syllable. Adjoining syllables in a word or phrase need not to be marked off by a pause, but only by such an abatement and renewal, or reënforcement, of the stress as to give the feeling of separate impulses. See Guide to Pronunciation, §275.

2. In writing and printing, a part of a word, separated from the rest, and capable of being pronounced by a single impulse of the voice. It may or may not correspond to a syllable in the spoken language. Withouten vice [i. e. mistake] of syllable or letter. Chaucer.

3. A small part of a sentence or discourse; anything concise or short; a particle. Before any syllable of the law of God was written. Hooker. Who dare speak One syllable against him Shak.

SYLLABLE Syl"la*ble, v. t.

Defn: To pronounce the syllables of; to utter; to articulate. Milton.

SYLLABUB Syl"la*bub, n.

Defn: Same as Syllabub.

SYLLABUS Syl"la*bus, n.; pl. E. Syllabuses, L. Syllabi. Etym: [L., fr. the same source as E. syllable.]

Defn: A compendium containing the heads of a discourse, and the like; an abstract.

SYLLEPSIS Syl*lep"sis, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. sy`llhpsis a taking together, from syllable, n.]

1. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure of speech by which a word is used in a literal and metaphorical sense at the same time.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: The agreement of a verb or adjective with one, rather than another, of two nouns, with either of which it might agree in gender, number, etc.; as, rex et regina beati.

SYLLEPTIC; SYLLEPTICAL Syl*lep"tic, Syl*lep"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a syllepsis; containing syllepsis. -- Syl*lep"tic*al*ly, adv.

SYLLIDIAN Syl*lid"i*an, n. Etym: [From NL. Syllis, the typical genus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of marine annelids of the family Syllidæ.

Note: Many of the species are phosphorescent; others are remarkable for undergoing strobilation or fission and for their polymorphism. The egg, in such species, develops into an asexual individual. When mature, a number of its posterior segments gradually develop into one or more sexual individuals which finally break away and swim free in the sea. The males, females, and neuters usually differ greatly in form and structure.

SYLLOGISM Syl"lo*gism, n. Etym: [OE. silogisme, OF. silogime, sillogisme, F. syllogisme, L. syllogismus, Gr. syllogismo`s a reckoning all together, a reasoning, syllogism, fr. syllogi`zesqai to reckon all together, to bring at once before the mind, to infer, conclude; sy`n with, together + logi`zesqai to reckon, to conclude by reasoning. See Syn-, and Logistic, Logic.] (Logic)

Defn: The regular logical form of every argument, consisting of three propositions, of which the first two are called the premises, and the last, the conclusion. The conclusion necessarily follows from the premises; so that, if these are true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts to demonstration;

Note: as in the following example: Every virtue is laudable; Kindness is a virtue; Therefore kindness is laudable. These propositions are denominated respectively the major premise, the minor premise, and the conclusion.

Note: If the premises are not true and the syllogism is regular, the reasoning is valid, and the conclusion, whether true or false, is correctly derived.

SYLLOGISTIC; SYLLOGISTICAL Syl`lo*gis"tic, Syl`lo*gis"tic*al, a. Etym: [L. syllogisticus, Gr. syllogistique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a syllogism; consisting of a syllogism, or of the form of reasoning by syllogisms; as, syllogistic arguments or reasoning.

SYLLOGISTICALLY Syl`lo*gis"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a syllogistic manner.

SYLLOGIZATION Syl`lo*gi*za"tion, n.

Defn: A reasoning by syllogisms. [Obs. or R.] Harris.

SYLLOGIZE Syl"lo*gize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Syllogized; p. pr. & vb. n. Syllogizing.] Etym: [Gr. syllogiser.]

Defn: To reason by means of syllogisms. Men have endeavored . . . to teach boys to syllogize, or frame arguments and refute them, without any real inward knowledge of the question. I. Watts.

SYLLOGIZER Syl"lo*gi`zer, n.

Defn: One who syllogizes.

SYLPH Sylph, n. Etym: [F. sylphe, m., fr. Gr.

1. An imaginary being inhabiting the air; a fairy.

2. Fig.: A slender, graceful woman.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of very brilliant South American humming birds, having a very long and deeply-forked tail; as, the blue-tailed sylph (Cynanthus cyanurus).

SYLPHID Sylph"id, n. Etym: [F. sylphide, fem. See Sylph.]

Defn: A little sylph; a young or diminutive sylph. "The place of the sylphid queen." J. R. Drake. Ye sylphs and sylphids, to your chief give ear, Fays, fairies, genii, elves, and demons, hear. Pope.

SYLPHINE Sylph"ine, a.

Defn: Like a sylph.

SYLPHISH Sylph"ish, a.

Defn: Sylphlike. Carlyle.

SYLPHLIKE Sylph"like`, a.

Defn: Like a sylph; airy; graceful. Sometimes a dance . . . Displayed some sylphlike figures in its maze. Byron.

SYLVA Syl"va, n.; pl. Sylvæ. Etym: [L. sylva, better silva, a wood. See Silva.] (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Silva.

SYLVAN Syl"van, a. Etym: [See Silvan, a.]

1. Of or pertaining to a sylva; forestlike; hence, rural; rustic. The traditional memory of a rural and a sylvan region . . . is usually exact as well as tenacious. De Quincey.

2. Abounding in forests or in trees; woody.

SYLVAN Syl"van, n. Etym: [L. Sylvanus, better Silvanus. See Silvan, a.]

Defn: A fabled deity of the wood; a satyr; a faun; sometimes, a rustic. Her private orchards, walled on every side, To lawless sylvans all access denied. Pope.

SYLVAN Syl"van, n. Etym: [Sylva + furfuran.] (Chem.)

Defn: A liquid hydrocarbon obtained together with furfuran (tetrol) by the distillation of pine wood; -- called also methyl tetrol, or methyl furfuran.

SYLVANITE Syl"van*ite, n. Etym: [So called from Transylvania, where it was first found.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral, a telluride of gold and silver, of a steel-gray, silver-white, or brass-yellow color. It often occurs in implanted crystals resembling written characters, and hence is called graphic tellurium. [Written also silvanite.]

SYLVANIUM Syl*va"ni*um, n. Etym: [NL., so called from Transylvania, where it was first found.] (Chem.)

Defn: An old name for tellurium. [Written also silvanium.]

SYLVATE Syl"vate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of sylvic acid.

SYLVATIC Syl*vat"ic, a. Etym: [L. sylvaticus, better silvaticus. See Silvan, a.]

Defn: Sylvan. [R.]

SYLVESTRIAN Syl*ves"tri*an, a. Etym: [L. sylvestris, better silvestris.]

Defn: Sylvan. [R.]

SYLVIC Syl"vic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, pine or its products; specifically, designating an acid called also abeitic acid, which is the chief ingredient of common resin (obtained from Pinus sylvestris, and other species).

SYLVICOLINE Syl*vic"o*line, a. Etym: [L. sylva, silva, forest + colere to inhabit.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the family of warblers (Sylvicolidæ). See Warbler.

SYLVICULTURE Syl"vi*cul`ture, n. Etym: [L. sylva, silva, forest + E. culture.]

Defn: The cultivation of forest trees for timber or other purposes; forestry; arboriculture.

SYLVICULTURIST Syl`vi*cul"tur*ist, n.

Defn: One who cultivates forest trees, especially as a business.

SYLVINE; SYLVITE Syl"vine, Syl"vite, n. Etym: [So called from NL. sal digestivus sylvii potassium chloride.] (Min.)

Defn: Native potassium chloride.

SYM- Sym-.

Defn: See Syn-.

SYMAR; SYMARR Sy*mar", Sy"marr, n.

Defn: See Simar.

SYMBAL Sym"bal, n.

Defn: See Cimbal. [Obs.]

SYMBIOSIS Sym`bi*o"sis, n. [NL., fr. Gr. a living together, to live together; with + to live.] (Biol.)

Defn: The living together in more or less imitative association or even close union of two dissimilar organisms. In a broad sense the term includes parasitism, or antagonistic, or antipathetic, symbiosis, in which the association is disadvantageous or destructive to one of the organisms, but ordinarily it is used of cases where the association is advantageous, or often necessary, to one or both, and not harmful to either. When there is bodily union (in extreme cases so close that the two form practically a single body, as in the union of algæ and fungi to form lichens, and in the inclusion of algæ in radiolarians) it is called conjunctive symbiosis; if there is no actual union of the organisms (as in the association of ants with myrmecophytes), disjunctive symbiosis.

SYMBIOTIC Sym`bi*ot"ic, a. [Gr. .] (Biol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by, or living in, a state of symbiosis. -- Sym`bi*ot"ic*al (#), a. -- Sym`bi*ot"ic*al*ly (#), adv.

SYMBOL Sym"bol, n. Etym: [L. symbolus, symbolum, Gr. symbole. Cf. Emblem, Parable.]

1. A visible sign or representation of an idea; anything which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by resemblance or by convention; an emblem; a representation; a type; a figure; as, the lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience. A symbol is a sign included in the idea which it represents, e.g., an actual part chosen to represent the whole, or a lower form or species used as the representative of a higher in the same kind. Coleridge.

2. (Math.)

Defn: Any character used to represent a quantity, an operation, a relation, or an abbreviation.

Note: In crystallography, the symbol of a plane is the numerical expression which defines its position relatively to the assumed axes.

3. (Theol.)

Defn: An abstract or compendium of faith or doctrine; a creed, or a summary of the articles of religion.

4. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty. [Obs.] They do their work in the days of peace . . . and come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague. Jer. Taylor.

5. Share; allotment. [Obs.] The persons who are to be judged . . . shall all appear to receive their symbol. Jer. Taylor.

6. (Chem.)

Defn: An abbreviation standing for the name of an element and consisting of the initial letter of the Latin or New Latin name, or sometimes of the initial letter with a following one; as, C for carbon, Na for sodium (Natrium), Fe for iron (Ferrum), Sn for tin (Stannum), Sb for antimony (Stibium), etc. See the list of names and symbols under Element.

Note: In pure and organic chemistry there are symbols not only for the elements, but also for their grouping in formulas, radicals, or residues, as evidenced by their composition, reactions, synthesis, etc. See the diagram of Benzene nucleus, under Benzene.

Syn. -- Emblem; figure; type. See Emblem.

SYMBOL Sym"bol, v. t.

Defn: To symbolize. [R.] Tennyson.

SYMBOLIC Sym*bol"ic, n. Etym: [Cf. F. symbolique. See Symbolic, a.] (Theol.)

Defn: See Symbolics.

SYMBOLIC; SYMBOLICAL Sym*bol"ic, Sym*bol"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. symbolicus, Gr. symbolique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a symbol or symbols; of the nature of a symbol; exhibiting or expressing by resemblance or signs; representative; as, the figure of an eye is symbolic of sight and knowledge. -- Sym*bol"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Sym*bol"ic*al*ness, n. The sacrament is a representation of Christ's death by such symbolical actions as he himself appointed. Jer. Taylor. Symbolical delivery (Law), the delivery of property sold by delivering something else as a symbol, token, or representative of it. Bouvier. Chitty. -- Symbolical philosophy, the philosophy expressed by hieroglyphics.

SYMBOLICS Sym*bol"ics, n.

Defn: The study of ancient symbols; esp. (Theol.),

Defn: that branch of historic theology which treats of creeds and confessions of faith; symbolism; -- called also symbolic.

SYMBOLISM Sym"bol*ism, n.

1. The act of symbolizing, or the state of being symbolized; as, symbolism in Christian art is the representation of truth, virtues, vices, etc., by emblematic colors, signs, and forms.

2. A system of symbols or representations.

3. (Chem.) (a) The practice of using symbols, or the system of notation developed thereby. (b) A combining together of parts or ingredients. [Obs.]

4. (Theol.)

Defn: The science of creeds; symbolics.

SYMBOLIST Sym"bol*ist, n.

Defn: One who employs symbols.

SYMBOLISTIC; SYMBOLISTICAL Sym`bol*is"tic, Sym`bol*is"tic*al, a.

Defn: Characterized by the use of symbols; as, symbolistic poetry.

SYMBOLIZATION Sym`bol*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. symbolisation.]

Defn: The act of symbolizing; symbolical representation. Sir T. Browne.

SYMBOLIZE Sym"bol*ize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Symbolized; p. pr. & vb. n. Symbolizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. symboliser.]

1. To have a resemblance of qualities or properties; to correspond; to harmonize. The pleasing of color symbolizeth with the pleasing of any single tone to the ear; but the pleasing of order doth symbolize with harmony. Bacon. They both symbolize in this, that they love to look upon themselves through multiplying glasses. Howell.

2. To hold the same faith; to agree. [R.] The believers in pretended miracles have always previously symbolized with the performers of them. G. S. Faber.

3. To use symbols; to represent ideas symbolically.

SYMBOLIZE Sym"bol*ize, v. t.

1. To make to agree in properties or qualities.

2. To make representative of something; to regard or treat as symbolic. "Some symbolize the same from the mystery of its colors." Sir T. Browne.

3. To represent by a symbol or symbols.

SYMBOLIZER Sym"bol*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who symbolizes.

SYMBOLOGICAL Sym`bo*log"i*cal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a symbology; versed in, or characterized by, symbology.

SYMBOLOGIST Sym*bol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One who practices, or who is versed in, symbology.

SYMBOLOGY Sym*bol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Symbol + -logy.]

Defn: The art of expressing by symbols.

SYMBRANCHII Sym*bran"chi*i, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of slender eel-like fishes having the gill openings confluent beneath the neck. The pectoral arch is generally attached to the skull, and the entire margin of the upper jaw is formed by the premaxillary. Called also Symbranchia.

SYMMETRAL Sym"me*tral, a.

Defn: Commensurable; symmetrical. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

SYMMETRIAN Sym*me"tri*an, n.

Defn: One eminently studious of symmetry of parts. [R.] Sir P. Sidney.

SYMMETRIC Sym*met"ric, a.

Defn: Symmetrical.

SYMMETRICAL Sym*met"ric*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. symétrique. See Symmetry.]

1. Involving or exhibiting symmetry; proportional in parts; having its parts in due proportion as to dimensions; as, a symmetrical body or building.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Having the organs or parts of one side correspponding with those of the other; having the parts in two or more series of organs the same in number; exhibiting a symmetry.See Symmetry, 2.

3. (Bot.) (a) Having an equal number of parts in the successive circles of floral organs; -- said of flowers. (b) Having a likeness in the form and size of floral organs of the same kind; regular.

4. (Math.)

Defn: Having a common measure; commensurable. (b) Having corresponding parts or relations.

Note: A curve or a plane figure is symmetrical with respect to a given line, and a line, surface, or solid with respect to a plane, when for each point on one side of the line or plane there is a corresponding point on the other side, so situated that the line joining the two corresponding points is perpendicular to the line or plane and is bisectad by it. Two solids are symmetrical when they are so situate dwith the respect to an intervening plane that the several points of their surfaces thus correspond to each other in position and distance. In analysis, an expression is symmetrical with respect to several letters when any two of them may change places without affecting the expression; as, the expression a2b + ab2 + a2c + ac2 + b2c + bc2, is symmetrical with respect to the letters a, b, c. -- Sym*met"ric*al*ly, adv. -- Sym*met"ric*al*ness, n.

SYMMETRICIAN Sym`me*tri"cian, n.

Defn: Same as Symmetrian. [R.] Holinshed.

SYMMETRIST Sym"me*trist, n.

Defn: One eminently studious of symmetry of parts. Sir H. Wotton.

SYMMETRIZE Sym"me*trize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Symmetrized; p. pr. & vb. n. Symmetrizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. symétriser.]

Defn: To make proportional in its parts; to reduce to symmetry. Burke.

SYMMETRY Sym"me*try, n. Etym: [L. symmetria, Gr. symétrie. See Syn-, and Meter rhythm.]

1. A due proportion of the several parts of a body to each other; adaptation of the form or dimensions of the several parts of a thing to each other; the union and conformity of the members of a work to the whole.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The law of likeness; similarity of structure; regularity in form and arrangement; orderly and similar distribution of parts, such that an animal may be divided into parts which are structurally symmetrical.

Note: Bilateral symmetry, or two-sidedness, in vertebrates, etc., is that in which the body can be divided into symmetrical halves by a vertical plane passing through the middle; radial symmetry, as in echinoderms, is that in which the individual parts are arranged symmetrically around a central axis; serial symmetry, or zonal symmetry, as in earthworms, is that in which the segments or metameres of the body are disposed in a zonal manner one after the other in a longitudinal axis. This last is sometimes called metamerism.

3. (Bot.) (a) Equality in the number of parts of the successive circles in a flower. (b) Likeness in the form and size of floral organs of the same kind; regularity. Axis of symmetry. (Geom.) See under Axis. -- Respective symmetry, that disposition of parts in which only the opposite sides are equal to each other.

SYMPATHETIC Sym`pa*thet"ic, a. Etym: [See Sympathy, and cf. Pathetic.]

1. Inclined to sympathy; sympathizing. Far wiser he, whose sympathetic mind Exults in all the good of all mankind. Goldsmith.

2. Produced by, or expressive of, sympathy. Ope the sacred source of sympathetic tears. Gray.

3. (Physiol.) (a) Produced by sympathy; -- applied particularly to symptoms or affections. See Sympathy. (b) Of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system or some of its branches; produced by stimulation on the sympathetic nervious system or some part of it; as, the sympathetic saliva, a modified form of saliva, produced from some of the salivary glands by stimulation of a sympathetic nerve fiber. Sympathetic ink. (Chem.) See under Ink. -- Sympathetic nerve (Anat.), any nerve of the sympathetic system; especially, the axial chain of ganglions and nerves belonging to the sympathetic system. -- Sympathetic powder (Alchemy), a kind of powder long supposed to be able to cure a wound if applied to the weapon that inflicted it, or even to a portion of the bloody clothes. Dunglison. -- Sympathetic sounds (Physics), sounds produced from solid bodies by means of vibrations which have been communicated to them from some other sounding body, by means of the air or an intervening solid. -- Sympathetic system (Anat.), a system of nerves and nerve ganglions connected with the alimentary canal, the vascular system, and the glandular organs of most vertebrates, and controlling more or less their actions. The axial part of the system and its principal ganglions and nerves are situated in the body cavity and form a chain of ganglions on each side of the vertebral column connected with numerous other ganglions and nerve plexuses.

SYMPATHETICAL Sym`pa*thet"ic*al, a.

Defn: Sympathetic.

SYMPATHETICALLY Sym`pa*thet"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a sympathetic manner.

SYMPATHIST Sym"pa*thist, n.

Defn: One who sympathizes; a sympathizer. [R.] Coleridge.

SYMPATHIZE Sym"pa*thize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sympathized; p. pr. & vb. n. Sympathizing.] Etym: [F. sympathiser. See Sympathy.]

1. To have a common feeling, as of bodily pleasure or pain. The mind will sympathize so much with the anguish and debility of the body, that it will be too distracted to fix itself in meditation. Buckminster.

2. To feel in consequence of what another feels; to be affected by feelings similar to those of another, in consequence of knowing the person to be thus affected. Their countrymen . . . sympathized with their heroes in all their adventures. Addison.

3. To agree; to be in accord; to harmonize. Dryden.

SYMPATHIZE Sym"pa*thize, v. t.

1. To experience together. [Obs.] "This sympathized . . . error." Shak.

2. To ansew to; to correspond to. [Obs.] Shak.

SYMPATHIZER Sym"pa*thi`zer, n.

Defn: One who sympathizes.

SYMPATHY Sym"pa*thy, n.; pl. Sympathies. Etym: [F. sympathie, L. sympathia, Gr. Syn-, and Pathos.]

1. Feeling corresponding to that which another feels; the quality of being affected by the affection of another, with feelings correspondent in kind, if not in degree; fellow-feeling. They saw, but other sight instead -- a crowd Of ugly serpents! Horror on them fell, And horrid sympathy. Milton.

2. An agreement of affections or inclinations, or a conformity of natural temperament, which causes persons to be pleased, or in accord, with one another; as, there is perfect sympathy between them.

3. Kindness of feeling toward one who suffers; pity; commiseration; compassion. I value myself upon sympathy, I hate and despise myself for envy. Kames.

4. (Physiol.) (a) The reciprocal influence exercised by the various organs or parts of the body on one another, as manifested in the transmission of a disease by unknown means from one organ to another quite remote, or in the influence exerted by a diseased condition of one part on another part or organ, as in the vomiting produced by a tumor of the brain. (b) That relation which exists between different persons by which one of them produces in the others a state or condition like that of himself. This is shown in the tendency to yawn which a person often feels on seeing another yawn, or the strong inclination to become hysteric experienced by many women on seeing another person suffering with hysteria.

5. A tendency of inanimate things to unite, or to act on each other; as, the sympathy between the loadstone and iron. [R.]

6. Similarity of function, use office, or the like. The adverb has most sympathy with the verb. Earle.

Syn. -- Pity; fellow-feeling; compassion; commiseration; tenderness; condolence; agreement. -- Sympathy, Commiseration. Sympathy is literally a fellow-feeling with others in their varied conditions of joy or of grief. This term, however, is now more commonly applied to a fellow-feeling with others under affliction, and then coincides very nearly with commiseration. In this case it is commonly followed by for; as, to feel sympathy for a friend when we see him distressed. The verb sympathize is followed by with; as, to sympathize with a friend in his distresses or enjoyments. "Every man would be a distinct species to himself, were there no sympathy among individuals." South. See Pity. Fault, Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam wrought Commiseration. Milton.

SYMPETALOUS Sym*pet"al*ous, a. Etym: [Pref. sym- + petal.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the petals united; gamopetalous.

SYMPHONIC Sym*phon"ic, a.

1. Symphonious.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: Relating to, or in the manner of, symphony; as, the symphonic form or style of composition.

SYMPHONIOUS Sym*pho"ni*ous, a. Etym: [From Symphony.]

1. Agreeing in sound; accordant; harmonious. Followed with acclamation and the sound Symphonious of ten thousand harps. Milton.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: Symphonic.

SYMPHONIST Sym"pho*nist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. symphoniste.]

Defn: A composer of symphonies.

SYMPHONIZE Sym"pho*nize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Symphonized; p. pr. & vb. n. Symphonizing.]

Defn: To agree; to be in harmony. [R.] Boyle.

SYMPHONY Sym"pho*ny, n.; pl. Symphonies. Etym: [F. symphonie (cf. It. sinfonia), L. symphonia, Gr. Phonetic.]

1. A consonance or harmony of sounds, agreeable to the ear, whether the sounds are vocal or instrumental, or both. The trumpets sound, And warlike symphony in heard around. Dryden.

2. A stringed instrument formerly in use, somewhat resembling the virginal. With harp and pipe and symphony. Chaucer.

3. (Mus.) (a) An elaborate instrumental composition for a full orchestra, consisting usually, like the sonata, of three or four contrasted yet inwardly related movements, as the allegro, the adagio, the minuet and trio, or scherzo, and the finale in quick time. The term has recently been applied to large orchestral works in freer form, with arguments or programmes to explain their meaning, such as the "symphonic poems" of Liszt. The term was formerly applied to any composition for an orchestra, as overtures, etc., and still earlier, to certain compositions partly vocal, partly instrumental. (b) An instrumental passage at the beginning or end, or in the course of, a vocal composition; a prelude, interlude, or postude; a ritornello.

SYMPHYLA Sym*phy"la, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of small apterous insects having an elongated body, with three pairs of thoracic and about nine pairs of abdominal legs. They are, in many respects, intermediate between myriapods and true insects.

SYMPHYSEAL Sym*phys"e*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to to symphysis.

SYMPHYSEOTOMY Sym`phy*se*ot"o*my, n. Etym: [NL. symphysis pubis + Gr. (Surg.)

Defn: The operation of dividing the symphysis pubis for the purpose of facilitating labor; -- formerly called the Sigualtian section. [Written also symphysotomy.] Dunglison.

SYMPHYSIS Sym"phy*sis, n.; pl. Symphyses. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.) (a) An articulation formed by intervening cartilage; as, the pubic symphysis. (b) The union or coalescence of bones; also, the place of union or coalescence; as, the symphysis of the lower jaw. Cf. Articulation.

SYMPHYSOTOMY Sym`phy*sot"o*my, n.

Defn: Symphyseotomy.

SYMPHYTISM Sym"phy*tism, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Coalescence; a growing into one with another word. [R.] Some of the phrasal adverbs have assumed the form of single words, by that symphytism which naturally attaches these light elements to each other. Earle.

SYMPIESOMETER Sym`pi*e*som"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.]

Defn: A sensitive kind of barometer, in which the pressure of the atmosphere, acting upon a liquid, as oil, in the lower portion of the instrument, compresses an elastic gas in the upper part.

Note: The column of oil of a lower part BC of a glass tube compresses hydrogen gas in the upper part AB, and is thus measured on the scale pq by the position of a surface of the oil in the tube. The scale pq is adjustable, and its index must be set to the division on the scale rs corresponding to the temperature indicated by the termometer t, in order to correct for the effects of temperature on the gas. It is sensitive, and convenient for use at sea, but inferior in accuracy to the mercurial barometer.

SYMPLECTIC Sym*plec"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Plaiting or joining together; -- said of a bone next above the quadrate in the mandibular suspensorium of many fishes, which unites together the other bones of the suspensorium. -- n.

Defn: The symplectic bone.

SYMPLOCE Sym"plo*ce, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning and another at the end of successive clauses; as, Justice came down from heaven to view the earth; Justice returned to heaven, and left the earth.

SYMPODE Sym"pode, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A sympodium.

SYMPODIAL Sym*po"di*al, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Composed of superposed branches in such a way as to imitate a simple axis; as, a sympodial stem.

SYMPODIUM Sym*po"di*um, n.; pl. Sympodia. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: An axis or stem produced by dichotomous branching in which one of the branches is regularly developed at the expense of the other, as in the grapevine.

SYMPOSIAC Sym*po"si*ac, a. Etym: [L. symposiacus, Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to compotations and merrymaking; happening where company is drinking together; as, symposiac meetings. Symposiac disputations amongst my acquaintance. Arbuthnot.

SYMPOSIAC Sym*po"si*ac, n.

Defn: A conference or conversation of philosophers at a banquet; hence, any similar gathering.

SYMPOSIARCH Sym*po"si*arch, n. Etym: [Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: The master of a feast.

SYMPOSIAST Sym*po"si*ast, n.

Defn: One engaged with others at a banquet or merrymaking. Sydney Smith.

SYMPOSION Sym*po"si*on, n. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: A drinking together; a symposium. "Our symposion last night." Sir W. Scott.

SYMPOSIUM Sym*po"si*um, n.; pl. Symposia. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. sympo`sion a drinking party, feast; sy`n with + po`sis a drinking. See Syn-, and cf. Potable.]

1. A drinking together; a merry feast. T. Warton.

2. A collection of short essays by different authors on a common topic; -- so called from the appellation given to the philosophical dialogue by the Greeks.

SYMPTOM Symp"tom, n. Etym: [F. symptôme, Gr. pat to fly, to fall. See Syn-, and cf. Asymptote, Feather.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: Any affection which accompanies disease; a perceptible change in the body or its functions, which indicates disease, or the kind or phases of disease; as, the causes of disease often lie beyond our sight, but we learn their nature by the symptoms exhibited. Like the sick man, we are expiring with all sorts of good symptoms. Swift.

2. A sign or token; that which indicates the existence of something else; as, corruption in elections is a symptom of the decay of public virtue.

Syn. -- Mark; note; sign; token; indication.

SYMPTOMATIC; SYMPTOMATICAL Symp`tom*at"ic, Symp`tom*at"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. symptomatique, Gr.

1. Of or pertaining to symptoms; happening in concurrence with something; being a symptom; indicating the existence of something else. Symptomatic of a shallow understanding and an unamiable temper. Macaulay.

2. According to symptoms; as, a symptomatical classification of diseases. -- Symp`tom*at"ic*al*ly, adv.

SYMPTOMATOLOGY Symp`tom*a*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy: cf. F. symptomatologie.] (Med.)

Defn: The doctrine of symptoms; that part of the science of medicine which treats of the symptoms of diseases; semeiology.

Note: It includes diagnosis, or the determination of the disease from its symptoms; and prognosis, or the determination of its probable course and event.

SYN- Syn-. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A prefix meaning with, along with, together, at the same time. Syn- becomes sym- before p, b, and m, and syl- before l.

SYNACME; SYNACMY Syn*ac"me, Syn*ac"my, n. Etym: [NL. synacme. See Syn-, and Acme.] (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Synanthesis.

SYNAERESIS; SYNERESIS Syn*ær"e*sis, Syn*er"e*sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Syn-, and Heresy.] (Gram.)

Defn: The union, or drawing together into one syllable, of two vowels that are ordinarily separated in syllabification; synecphonesis; -- the opposite of diæresis.

SYNAGOGICAL Syn`a*gog"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a synagogue.

SYNAGOGUE Syn"a*gogue, n. Etym: [F., from L. synagoga, Gr. Syn-, and Agent.]

1. A congregation or assembly of Jews met for the purpose of worship, or the performance of religious rites.

2. The building or place appropriated to the religious worship of the Jews.

3. The council of, probably, 120 members among the Jews, first appointed after the return from the Babylonish captivity; -- called also the Great Synagogue, and sometimes, though erroneously, the Sanhedrin.

4. A congregation in the early Christian church. My brethren, . . . if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring. James ii. 1,2 (Rev. Ver.).

5. Any assembly of men. [Obs. or R.] Milton.

SYNALEPHA Syn`a*le"pha, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. synaloepha, Gr. (Gram.)

Defn: A contraction of syllables by suppressing some vowel or diphthong at the end of a word, before another vowel or diphthong; as, th' army, for the army. [Written also synaloepha.]

SYNALLAGMATIC Syn`al*lag*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Law)

Defn: Imposing reciprocal obligations upon the parties; as, a synallagmatic contract. Bouvier.

SYNALLAXINE Syn`al*lax"ine, a. Etym: [From Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the outer and middle toes partially united; -- said of certain birds related to the creepers.

SYNALOEPHA Syn`a*loe"pha, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: Same as Synalepha.

SYNANGIUM Syn*an"gi*um, n.; pl. Synangia. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The divided part beyond the pylangium in the aortic trunk of the amphibian heart. -- Syn*an"gi*al, a.

SYNANTHEROUS Syn*an"ther*ous, a. Etym: [Pref. syn- + anther.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the stamens united by their anthers; as, synantherous flowers.

SYNANTHESIS Syn`an*the"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The simultaneous maturity of the anthers and stigmas of a blossom. Gray.

SYNANTHOUS Syn*an"thous, a. Etym: [Pref. syn- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having flowers and leaves which appear at the same time; -- said of certain plants.

SYNANTHROSE Syn*an"throse", n. Etym: [From NL. Synantheræ the Compositæ; Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: A variety of sugar, isomeric with sucrose, found in the tubers of the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), in the dahlia, and other Compositæ.

SYNAPTA Syn*ap"ta, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of slender, transparent holothurians which have delicate calcareous anchors attached to the dermal plates. See Illustration in Appendix.

SYNAPTASE Syn*ap"tase, n. Etym: [Gr. tase.] (Chem.)

Defn: A ferment resembling diastase, found in bitter almonds. Cf. Amygdalin, and Emulsin.

SYNAPTICULA Syn`ap*tic"u*la, n.; pl. Synapticulæ. Etym: [NL., dim. from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of numerous calcareous processes which extend between, and unite, the adjacent septa of certain corals, especially of the fungian corals.

SYNARCHY Syn"ar*chy, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Joint rule or sovereignity. [R.] Stackhouse.

SYNARTESIS Syn`ar*te"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: A fastening or knitting together; the state of being closely jointed; close union. [R.] Coleridge.

SYNARTHRODIA Syn`ar*thro"di*a, n. Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: Synarthrosis. -- Syn`ar*thro"di*al, a. Dunglison.

SYNARTHROSIS Syn`ar*thro"sis, n.; pl. Synarthroses. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Immovable articulation by close union, as in sutures. It sometimes includes symphysial articulations also. See the Note under Articulation, n., 1.

SYNASTRY Syn"as*try, n. Etym: [Pref. syn- + Gr.

Defn: Concurrence of starry position or influence; hence, similarity of condition, fortune, etc., as prefigured by astrological calculation. [R.] Motley.

SYNAXIS Syn*ax"is, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Synagogue.]

Defn: A congregation; also, formerly, the Lord's Supper. Jer. Taylor.

SYNCARP Syn"carp, n. Etym: [NL. syncarpium. See Syncarpous.] (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of aggregate fruit in which the ovaries cohere in a solid mass, with a slender receptacle, as in the magnolia; also, a similar multiple fruit, as a mulberry.

SYNCARPIUM Syn*car"pi*um, n.; pl. Syncarpia. Etym: [NL.] (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Syncarp.

SYNCARPOUS Syn*car"pous, a. Etym: [Pref. syn- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Composed of several carpels consolidated into one ovary.

SYNCATEGOREMATIC Syn*cat`e*gor`e*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. Syn-, and Categorematic.] (Logic)

Defn: Not capable of being used as a term by itself; -- said of words, as an adverb or preposition.

SYNCHONDROSIS Syn`chon*dro"sis, n.; pl. Synchondroses. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: An immovable articulation in which the union is formed by cartilage. -- Syn`chon*dro"si*al, a.

SYNCHONDROTOMY Syn`chon*drot"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (Surg.)

Defn: Symphyseotomy.

SYNCHORESIS Syn`cho*re"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: A concession made for the purpose of retorting with greater force.

SYNCHRONAL Syn"chro*nal, a. Etym: [See Synchronous.]

Defn: Happening at, or belonging to, the same time; synchronous; simultaneous. Dr. H. More.

SYNCHRONAL Syn"chro*nal, n.

Defn: A synchronal thing or event.

SYNCHRONICAL Syn*chron"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. synchronique.]

Defn: Happening at the same time; synchronous. Boyle. -- Syn*chron"ic*al*ly, adv.

SYNCHRONISM Syn"chro*nism, n. Etym: [Gr. Synchronous.]

1. The concurrence of events in time; simultaneousness.

2. The tabular arrangement of historical events and personages, according to their dates.

3. (Paint.)

Defn: A representation, in the same picture, of two or events which occured at different times.

SYNCHRONISTIC Syn`chro*nis"tic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to synchronism; arranged according to correspondence in time; as, synchronistic tables.

SYNCHRONIZATION Syn`chro*ni*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of synchronizing; concurrence of events in respect to time.

SYNCHRONIZE Syn"chro*nize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Synchronized; p. pr. & vb. n. Synchronizing.] Etym: [Gr.

Defn: To agree in time; to be simultaneous. The path of this great empire, through its arch of progress, synchronized with that of Christianity. De Quincey.

SYNCHRONIZE Syn"chro*nize, v. t.

1. To assign to the same date or period of time; as, to synchronize two events of Greek and Roman history. "Josephus synchronizes Nisan with the Egyptian Pharmus." W. L. Bevan.

2. To cause to agree in time; as, to synchronize the movements of different machines; to synchronize clocks.

SYNCHRONOLOGY Syn`chro*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Pref. syn- + Gr. -logy.]

Defn: Contemporaneous chronology.

SYNCHRONOUS Syn"chro*nous, a. Etym: [Gr. Chronicle.]

Defn: Happening at the same time; simultaneous. -- Syn"chro*nous*ly, adv.

SYNCHRONY Syn"chro*ny, n.

Defn: The concurrence of events in time; synchronism. [R.] Geological contemporaneity is the same as chronological synchrony. Huxley.

SYNCHYSIS Syn"chy*sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: A derangement or confusion of any kind, as of words in a sentence, or of humors in the eye. Sparkling synchysis (Med.), a condition in which the vitreous humor is softened and contains sparkling scales of cholesterin.

SYNCLASTIC Syn*clas"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. syn- + Gr. kla^n to break.] (Math. Physics)

Defn: Curved toward the same side in all directions; -- said of surfaces which in all directions around any point bend away from a tangent plane toward the same side, as the surface of a sphere; -- opposed to anticlastic. Sir W. Thomson.

SYNCLINAL Syn*cli"nal, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. Inclined downward from opposite directions, so as to meet in a common point or line.

2. (Geol.)

Defn: Formed by strata dipping toward a common line or plane; as, a synclinal trough or valley; a synclinal fold; -- opposed to anticlinal.

Note: A downward flexure in the case of folded rocks makes a synclinal axis, and the alternating upward flexure an anticlinal axis.

SYNCLINAL Syn*cli"nal, n. (Geol.)

Defn: A synclinal fold.

SYNCLINE Syn*cline", n. (Geol.)

Defn: A synclinal fold.

SYNCLINICAL Syn*clin"ic*al, a.

Defn: Synclinal. [R.]

SYNCLINORIUM Syn`cli*no"ri*um, n.; pl. Synclinoria. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: A mountain range owing its origin to the progress of a geosynclinal, and ending in a catastrophe of displacement and upturning. Dana.

SYNCOPAL Syn"co*pal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to syncope; resembling syncope.

SYNCOPATE Syn"co*pate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Syncopated; p. pr. & vb. n. Syncopating.] Etym: [LL. syncopatus, p.p. of syncopare to syncopate, to swoon. See Syncope.]

1. (Gram.)

Defn: To contract, as a word, by taking one or more letters or syllables from the middle; as, "Gloster" is a syncopated form of "Gloucester."

2. (Mus.)