SECRET 2. A thing not discovered or explained; a mystery. The secrets of nature.' Shak. 'All secrets of the deep, all nature's works." Milton.-3. Secrecy. [Rare.] Letters under strict secret were at once written to bishops selected from various parts of Europe. Cardinal Manning. 4. In the R. Cath. Ch. one of the prayers of the mass, which is recited by the priest in so low a voice as not to be heard by the people.-5. pl. The parts which modesty and propriety require to be concealed.-In secret, in privacy or secrecy; privately. 'Bread eaten in secret is pleasant. Prov. ix. 17.-Discipline of the secret, in the early Christian church, the reserve practised concerning certain doctrines or ceremonies, founded on Christ's words, 'Give not that which is holy unto the dogs.' Secrett (se'kret), v.t. To keep private; to secrete. Bacon. Secretage (se'kret-aj), n. In furriery, a process in preparing or dressing furs, in which mercury or some of its salts is employed to impart to the fur the property of felting, which it did not previously possess. Secretarial (sek-re-ta'ri-al), a. Pertaining to a secretary. 'Some secretarial, diplomatic, or official training.' Carlyle. Secretariat, Secretariate (sek-re-ta'ri-at, sek-re-ta'ri-át), n. 1. The office of a secretary. 2. The place or office where a secretary transacts business, preserves records, &c. Secretary (sek're-ta-ri), n. [L. L. secretarius, 16 called also the Snake-eater or Serpent-eater. Secretaryship (sek're-ta-ri-ship), n. The Folded in the mystic mantle of tradition, or secreted Why one set of cells should secrete bile, another Secret-false (sekret-fals), a. Faithless in Secreting (se-kret'ing), p. and a. Separating Secretion (se-kre'shon), n. 1. The act or pro- Those secretists, that will not part with one In England the power of the Newspaper stands in antagonism with the feudal institutions, and it is all the more beneficent succour against the secretive tendencies of a monarchy. Emerson. Secretiveness (se-kre'tiv-nes), n. The quality of being secretive; tendency or disposition to conceal; specifically, in phren. that quality the organ of which, when largely developed, is said to impel the individual towards secrecy or concealment. It is situated at the inferior edge of the parietal bones. SECTION Secretly (se'kret-li), adv. 1. Privately; privily; not openly; underhand; without the knowledge of others; as, to despatch a messenger secretly. Shak. Let her awhile be secretly kept in, And publish it that she is dead indeed. 2. Inwardly; not apparently or visibly; latently. Now secretly with inward grief she pin'd. Addison. Secretness (sekret-nes), n. 1. The state of being secret, hid, or concealed. - 2. The qof keeping a secret; secretiveness. Secretory (se-krē'to-ri), a. Performing the of old philosophers.' Dryden. Slave to no sect, who takes a private road, But looks through nature up to nature's God. Pope. 2.† Section of the community; party; faction; class; rank; order. 'Packs and sects of great ones. Shak. All sects, all ages smack of this vice. 3. A cutting or scion. Shak. But we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts, whereof I take Shak. this, that you call love, to be a sect or scion. Sect (sekt), n. Sex: an incorrect usage met with in some of our early writers, and among the uneducated of our own day. So is all her sect; an they be once in a calm they Shak. are sick. Sectarian (sek-ta'ri-an). a. [L. sectarius, Sectarianize (sek-ta'ri-an-iz), v.t pret. & pp. T. Warton. Sectarist (sek'ta-rist), n. A sectary. [Rare.] I never knew that time in England when men of truest religion were not called sectaries. Milton. 2. A follower; a pupil. Galen, and all his sectaries affirm that fear and sadness are the true characters, and inseparable acciChilmead. dents of melancholy. Sectatort (sek-ta'ter), n. [L] A follower; a disciple; an adherent to a sect, school, or party. Aristotle and his sectators.' Sir W. Raleigh. The philosopher busies himself in accommodating all her (nature's) appearances to the principles of a school of which he has sworn himself the sectator. Warburton. Sectile (sek'til), a. [L. sectilis, from seco, SECTIONAL ter; the division of a law or other writing; a paragraph; hence, the character §, often used to denote such a division. (b) A distinct part of a country or people, community, class, or the like; a part of territory separated by geographical lines or of a people considered as distinct. The extreme section of one class consists of bigoted dotards, the extreme section of the other consists of Macaulay. shallow and reckless empirics. (e) In the United States, one of the portions of one square mile each into which the public lands are divided; one thirty-sixth part of a township.-3. In geom. the intersection of two superficies, or of a superficies and a solid: in the former case it is a line, in the latter a surface.-4. A representation of a building or other object as it would appear if cut through by any intersecting plane, showing the internal structure; a diagram or picture showing what would appear were a part cut off by a plane passing through or supposed to pass through an object, as a building, a machine, a succession of strata, or the like. Thus, in mechanical drawing, a longitudinal section usually presents the object as cut through its centre lengthwise and vertically; a cross or transverse section, as cut crosswise and vertically; and a hori zontal section as cut through its centre horizontally.-Oblique sections are made at various angles-5. In music, a part of a movement consisting of one or more phrases.— Conic sections. See under CONIC. 1. Pertaining to Sectional (sek'shon-al), a. a section or distinct part of a larger body or territory. All sectional interests and party feelings, it is hoped, will hereafter yield to schemes of ambition. Story. 2. Composed of or made up in several independent sections; as, a sectional boat; a sectional steam-boiler; a sectional dock, and the like. Sectionalism (sek'shon-al-izm), n. A feeling of peculiar interest in and affection for some particular section of a country, &c. [United States.] Sectionality (sek-shon-al'i-ti), n. Quality of being sectional; sectionalism. Sectionally (sek'shon-al-li), adv. In a sectional manner. Sectionize (sek'shon-iz), v. t. pret. & pp. sectionized; ppr. sectionizing. To form into sections. [Rare.] Sectio-planography (sek'shi-o-pla-nogra- Sectism (sekt'izm), n. Sectarianism; devo- a sectarian. [Rare.] One devoted to a sect; Sectiuncle (sek-ti-ung kl), n. A petty sect. 'Some new sect or sectiuncle.' J. Martineau. [Rare.] is The leader Sector. B Sective (sek'tiv), a. Same as Sectile. ch, chain; ch, Sc. loch; g, go; 17 It consists of two rulers (generally of brass The secular year was kept but once in a century. 2. Extending over, taking place in, or ac- New foes arise SECURE Secularize (sek'û-lėr-iz), v.t. pret. & pp. secularized; ppr. secularizing. [Fr. sécu lariser. See SECULAR.] 1. To make secular; as, (a) to convert from regular or monastic into secular; as, to secularize a monk or priest. (b) To convert from religious or ecclesiastical appropriation to secular or common use; as, the ancient abbeys were secularized. 2. To make worldly or unspiritual. Secularly (sek'ú-lèr-li), adv. In a secular or worldly manner. Secularness (sek'ü-lér-nes), n. The state or quality of being secular; a secular disposition; worldliness; worldly-mindedness. Johnson. Secund (se'kund), a. [L. secundus. See SECOND.] In bot. arranged on one side only; unilateral, as the leaves and flowers of Convallaria majalis. [See Secundate (se-kun'dāt), v.t. [L. secundo, from secundus, second, prosperous.] To make prosperous; to give success to; to direct favourably. [Rare.] Secundation (se-kun-da'shon), n. above.] Prosperity. [Rare.] Secundine (se'kun-din), n. [Fr. secondine, from second, L. secundus, from sequor, to follow.] 1. In bot. the outermost but one of the inclosing sacs of the ovulum, immediately reposing upon the primine.-2. All that remains in the uterus or womb after the birth of the offspring, that is, the placenta, a portion of the umbilical cord, and the membranes of the ovum; the after-birth: generally in the plural. Secundo-geniture (se-kun'dō-jen”i-tür), n. [L. secundus, second, and genitura, a begetting, birth, or generation.] The right of inheritance belonging to a second son; the possessions so inherited. was constituted The kingdom of Naples Bancroft. a secundo-geniture of Spain. Securable (se-kū'ra-bl), a. Capable of being secured. Sure is Secure (se-kür'), a. [L. securus, without care, unconcerned, free from danger, safe -se, apart, and cura, care, cure. this word in a more modified form.] 1. Free from fear or apprehension; not alarmed or disturbed by fear; confident of safety; dreading no evil; easy in mind; careless; unsuspecting; hence, over-confident. Though Page be a secure fool.' Shak. Secure, foolhardy king.' Shak. 'But thou, secure of soul, unbent with woes.' Dryden. Ruskin. Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains. This style (Arabesque) is almost exclusively secu lar. It was natural for the Venetians to imitate the beautiful details of the Arabian dwelling-house, while they would with reluctance adopt those of the mosque for Christian churches. 5. Not bound by monastic vows or rules; not confined to a monastery, or subject to the rules of a religious community; not regular; as, a secular priest. The clergy, both secular and regular.' Sir W. Temple. He tried to enforce a stricter discipline and greater regard for morals both in the religious orders and Prescott. the secular clergy. Secular (sek'ü-lèr), n. 1.† One not in holy orders; a layman." The clergy thought that if it pleased the seculars it Hales. might be done. 2. An ecclesiastic not bound by monastic rules; a secular priest.-3. A church officer, whose functions are confined to the vocal department of the choir. Supreme or Secularism (sek'ū-lêr-izm), n. exclusive attention to the affairs of this life; specifically, the opinions or doctrines of the secularists. See SECULARIST. The aim of secularism is to aggrandize the present life. For eternity it substitutes time; for providence science; for fidelity to the Omniscient usefulness to man. Its great advocate is Mr. Holyoake. Fleming. Secularist (sek'ü-lèr-ist), n. One who theoretically rejects every form of religious faith and every kind of religious worship, and accepts only the facts and influences which are derived from the present life; one who refuses to believe, on the authority of revelation, in anything external to man's present state of existence; also, one who believes that education and other matters of civil policy should be conducted without the introduction of a religious element. Secularity (sek-u-lar'i-ti), n. Supreme attention to the things of the present life; worldliness; secularism. Littleness and secularity of spirit is the greatest T. Burnet. enemy to contemplation. Secularization (sek'u-lêr-iz-ā”shon), n. The act of rendering secular, or the state of being rendered secular; the conversion from sacred or religious to lay or secular possession, purposes, or uses; as, the secularization of a monk; the secularization of church property. n, Fr. ton; ng, sing; Gideon... smote the host, for the host was secure. Judg. viii. 3. Confidence then bore thee on, secure Milton. To meet no danger. [In this sense formerly often used in opposition to safe. See also SAFE. I was too bold; he never yet stood safe Quarles.] 2. Confident; relying; depending; not distrustful: with of. It concerns the most secure of his strength to pray to God not to expose him to an enemy. Daniel Rogers. 3. Free from or not exposed to danger; in a state of safety; safe: followed by against or from; as, secure against attack or from an enemy. Secure from Fortune's blows.' Dryden. Formerly sometimes of. Secure of thunder's crack or lightning's flash.' Shak. Provision had been made for the frequent convoca. tion and secure deliberations of parliament. SECURELY effectually from escape; sometimes, to seize and confine; as, to secure a prisoner.-4. To make certain of payment (as by a bond, surety, &c.); to warrant against loss; as, to secure a debt by mortgage; to secure a creditor.-5. To make fast or firm; as, to secure a door; to secure the hatches of a ship.-6. To obtain; to get possession of; to make one's self master of; as, to secure an estate. -To secure arms, to hold a rifle or musket with the muzzle down, and the lock well up under the arm, the object being to guard the weapon from the wet. Securely (se-kür'li), adv. 1. In a secure manner; in security; safely; without danger; as, to dwell securely in a place; to pass a river on ice securely.-2. Without fear or apprehension; carelessly; in an unguarded state; in confidence of safety. Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Prov. iii. 29. Securement t (se-kür'ment), n. Security; protection. Sir T. Browne. Secureness (se-kür'nes), n. 1. The feeling of security; confidence of safety; exemption from fear; hence, want of vigilance or caution. 'A strange neglect and secureness." Bacon.-2. The state of being secure; safe; safety; security. Securer (se- kür'ér), n. One who or that which secures or protects. Securifer (se-kü'ri-fér), n. One of the Securifera. of the section Terebrantia, comprehending those in which the females have a saw-shaped or hatchet shaped terebra or appendage to the posterior part of the abdomen, which not only serves for the purpose of depositing the eggs in the stems and Securifera-Tenthredo viridis. other parts of 2, Part of the abdomen, showplants, but for ing the saw a. 3, The saw expreparing a place tracted, showing the two for their recep- blades. tion. Securiform (se-kü'ri-form), a. [L. securis, an axe or hatchet, and forma, form.] Haying the form of an axe or hatchet. Securitant (se-kü'ri-tan), n. One who lives in fancied security. The sensual securitan pleases himself in the conceits of his own peace. Bp. Hall. Security (se-kū'ri-ti), n. [Fr. sécurité, L. securitas. See SECURE.] 1. The state or quality of being secure; as, (a) freedom from care, anxiety, or apprehension; confidence of safety; hence, carelessness; heedlessness; over-confidence; negligence. Shak. And you all know, security Is mortals' chiefest enemy. He means, my lord, that we are too remiss; Whilst Bolingbroke, through our security, Grows strong and great in substance and in power. Shak. (b) Freedom from danger or risk; safety. Some.. alleged that we should have no security for our trade while Spain was subject to a prince of the Bourbon family. Swift. (c) Certainty; assuredness; confidence. His trembling hand had lost the ease Which marks security to please. Sir W. Scott. 2. That which secures or makes safe; protection; defence; guard; hence, specifically, (a) something given or deposited to make certain the fulfilment of a promise or obligation, the observance of a provision, the payment of a debt, or the like; surety; pledge. 'To lend money without security. Shak. Those who lent him money lent it on no security but his bare word. Macaulay. (b) A person who engages himself for the performance of another's obligations; one who becomes surety for another.-3. An evidence of debt or of property, as a bond, a certificate of stock, or the like; as, government securi ties. Exchequer bills have been generally reckoned the surest and most sacred of all securities. Swift. Sedan, Sedan-chair (se-dan', se-dan'char), n. [From Sedan, a town in the north of France, where it is said to have been first 18 used.] A covered chair or vehicle for carrying one person, borne on poles by two men. They were introduced into this country about Sedan-chair, time of George II. the end of the sixteenth century, were largely used in the reigns of Anne and the first Georges, but are now seldom if ever employed. 'Close mewed in their sedans.' Dryden. Sedate (se-dat'), a. [L. sedatus, from sedo, to calm or appease, to cause to subside, caus. of sedeo, to sit. See SIT.] Composed; calm; quiet; tranquil; serene; unruffled by passion; undisturbed. 'Countenance calm and soul sedate.' Dryden. "That calm and sedate temper which is so necessary to contemplate truth.' Watts. Sedately (se-dat'li), adv. In a sedate manner; calmly; without agitation of mind. Locke. Sedateness (se-dat'nes), n. The state or quality of being sedate; calmness of mind, manner, or countenance; freedom from agitation; a settled state; composure; serenity; tranquillity; as, sedateness of temper or soul; sedateness of countenance. There isa particular sedateness in their conversation and behaviour that qualifies them for council. Addison. Sedation † (se-da'shon), n. The act of calming. Feltham. Sedative (sed'a-tiv), a. [Fr. sédatif, from L. sedo, to calm. See SEDATE.] Tending to calm, moderate, or tranquillize; specifically, in med. allaying irritability and irritation; diminishing irritative activity; assuaging pain. Sedative (sed'a-tiv), n. A medicine which allays irritability and irritation, and irritative activity, and which assuages pain. Sede,t v.i. To produce seed. Chaucer. Se defendendo (se de-fen-den'do). [L.] In law, in defending himself, the plea of a person charged with slaying another that he committed the act in his own defence. Sedent (se'dent), a. Sitting; inactive; quiet. Sedentarily (sed'en-ta-ri-li), adv. In a sedentary manner. Sedentariness (sed'en-ta-ri-nes), n. state of being sedentary. The Those that live in great towns ... are inclined to paleness, which may be imputed to their sedentariness or want of motion, for they seldom stir abroad. L. Addison. Sedentary (sed'en-ta-ri), a. [L. sedentarius, from sedens, sedentis, ppr. of sedeo, to sit; Fr. sédentaire.] 1. Accustomed to sit much or to pass most of the time in a sitting posture; as, a sedentary man. Sedentary, scholastic sophists. Warburton.-2. Requiring much sitting; as, a sedentary occupation or employment. 3. Passed for the most part in sitting; as, a sedentary life.-4. Inactive; motionless; sluggish. 'Till length of years and sedentary numbness craze my limbs.' Milton. The soul, considered abstractly from its passions, is of a remiss, sedentary nature, slow in its resolves. Addison. Sedentary (sed'en-ta-ri), n. One of a section of spiders, which remain motionless till their prey is entangled in their web. Sederunt (se-de'runt). [Third pers. pl. perf. indic. of sedeo, to sit. Lit., they sat.] A term employed chiefly in minutes of the meetings of courts to indicate that such and such members were present and composed the meeting; thus, sederunt A. B., C. D., E. F., &c., signifies that these individuals were present and composed the meeting. The same term is also used as a noun to signify, specifically, a sitting or meeting of a court, but has been extended to signify a more or less formal meeting or sitting of any association, society, company, or body of men. "Tis a pity we have not Burns's own account of that long sederunt. Prof Wilson. SEDIMENT An association... met at the Baron D'Holbach's; Carlyle. there had its blue-light sederunts. -Acts of Sederunt, ordinances of the Court of Session, under authority of the stat. 1540, xciii., by which the court is empowered to make such regulations as may be necessary for the ordering of processes and the expediting of justice. The Acts of Sederunt are recorded in books called Books of Sederunt. Sedge (sej), n. [Softened form of A. Sax. secg, Sc. segg, LG. segge, a reed, sedge; comp. Ir. and Gael. seisg, W. hesg, sedge. The root is perhaps that of L. seco, to cut: the name would therefore signify originally a plant with sword-like leaves; comp. gladiolus.] The popular name of plants of the genus Carex, an extensive genus, containing about 1000 species of grass-like plants, mostly inhabiting the northern and temperate parts of the globe, nat. order Cyperaceae. They are easily distinguished from the grasses by having the stem destitute of joints. The culms are triangular, and the leaves rough upon the margins and keel. They grow mostly in marshes and swamps and on the banks of rivers. Upwards of sixty species are enumerated by British botanists. Sedge-bird (sej'bérd), n. Same as Sedge warbler. insessorial bird of the warbler family, which visits this country about the middle of April and migrates in September. It frequents the sedgy banks of rivers. Sedgy (sej'i), a. Overgrown with sedge. 'Gentle Severn's sedgy bank.' Shak. Sedigitated (se-dij'i-tat-ed), a. [L. sedigitus. having six fingers-sex, six, and digitus, a finger.] Having six fingers on one or on both hands. Darwin. Sedilia (se-dil'i-a), n. pl. [L. sedile, a seat.] In arch. stone seats for the priests in the south wall of the chancel of many churches and cathedrals. They are usually three in number, for the use of the priest, the deacon, SEDIMENTARY Sedimentary (sed-i-ment'a-ri), a. Containing sediment; consisting of sediment; formed by sediment; consisting of matter that has subsided. - Sedimentary rocks, rocks which have been formed by materials deposited from a state of suspension in water. Sedimentation (sed'i-men-tâ"shon), n. The deposition of sediment; the accumulation of earthy sediment to form strata. There must have been a complete continuity of life, and a more or less complete continuity of sedi mentation, from the Laurentian period to the present day. H. A. Nicholson. Sedition (sé-di’shon), n. [L. seditio, seditionis, a dissension, discord, sedition-sed, for se, apart, and itio, itionis, a going, from eo, itum, to go-lit, a going apart. The word has nothing to do with sedeo, to sit.] A factious commotion in a state, not amounting to an insurrection; or the stirring up of such a commotion; a rousing of discontent against government and disturbance of public tranquillity, as by inflammatory speeches or writings; acts or language tending to breach of the public peace; as, to be guilty of sedition; to stir up a sedition; a document full of sedition. Sedition, which is not strictly a legal term, comprises such offences against the state as do not amount to treason. It is of the like tendency with treason, but without the overt acts which are essential to the latter. Thus there are seditious assemblies, seditious libels, &c., as well as direct and indirect threats and acts amounting to sedition; all of which are punishable as misdemeanours by fine and imprisonment. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison. Luke xxiii. 25. Seditionary (së-di’shon-a-ri), n. An inciter Seditiousness (së-di’shus-nes), n. The state Sedrat (sed'rat), n. In Mohammedan myth. the lotus-tree which stands on the right side of the invisible throne of Allah. Each seed of its fruit contains a houri, and two rivers issue from its roots. Innumerable birds carol in its branches, which exceed in width the distance between heaven and earth, and numberless angels rest in their shade. Seduce (se-düs'), v.t. pret. & pp. seduced; ppr. seducing. [L. seduco-se, apart, and duco, to lead] 1. To draw aside or entice from the path of rectitude and duty in any manner, as by promises, bribes, or otherwise; to tempt and lead to iniquity; to lead astray; to corrupt. 19 our affections have over our seducible under- Seducingly (sē-dūs'ing-li), adv. In a se- Seductive. Ld. Seducive (se-düs'iv), a. A woman who is above flattery, and despises all Seductive (sé-duk'tiv), a. Tending to seduce Seductively (se-duk'tiv-li), adv. In a seduc- Seductress (se-duk'tres), n. A female se- Let there be but the same propensity and bent of Sedulous (sed'ü-lus), a. [L. sedulus, from What signifies the sound of words in prayer without Sedulousness (sed'u-lus-nes), n. The state or quality of being sedulous; assiduity; as- By their sedulousness and their erudition they dis- Sedum (se'dum), n. [From L. sedeo, to sit. Me the gold of France did not seduce. Shak. In the latter times some shall depart from the farth, giving beed to seducing spirits. Specifically-2. To entice to a surrender of chastity. Seducement (se-düs'ment), n. 1. The act of seducing; seduction. --2. The means employed to seduce; the arts of flattery, falsehood, and deception. Her hero's dangers touched the pitying power, Grant it me, O king; otherwise a seducer flourishes, 2. That which leads astray; that which en- He whose firm faith no reason could remove, Will melt before that soft seducer, love. Dryden. Seducible (sé-dūs'i-bl), a. Capable of being seduced or drawn aside from the path of rectitude; corruptible. The power which Jove laugh'd on Venus from his soverayne see. See (se), v.t. pret. saw; pp. seen. [A. Sax. I will now turn aside and see this great sight. Ex. iii. 3. SEE 2. To perceive mentally; to form a conception or idea of; to observe; to distinguish; to understand; to comprehend. All will come to nought, When such bad dealing must be seen in thought. 3. To regard or look to; to take care of; to Lend me thy lantern, to see my gelding in the stable. 4. To wait upon; to attend; to escort; as, to with. Seen was formerly used as an adjective in the sense of skilful, familiar by frequent use or practice, versed, accomplished. 'A schoolmaster well seen in music.' Shak. 'A gentleman . . . extraordinarily seen in divers strange mysteries.' Beau. & FL 'Noble Boyle, not less in nature seen.' Dryden. Sir James Melvil was too well seen in courts to have used this language. Bp. Hurd. -To see out, to see or hear to the end; to stay or endure longer than. I had a mind to see him out, and therefore did not care to contradict him. Addison. I have heard him say that he could see the Dundee people out any day, and walk home afterwards without staggering. Dickens. -God you see or God him see, may God keep you or him in his sight.-See, Perceive, Observe. Simply to see is often an involuntary, and always a mechanical act; to perceive implies generally or always the intelligence of a prepared mind. Observe implies to look at for the purpose of noticing facts connected with the object or its properties. See (se), v.i. 1. To have the power of perceiving by the proper organs, or the power of sight; as, some animals are able to see best in the night. Though neither eyes nor ears, to hear nor see. Yet should I be in love by touching thee. Shak. 2. To have intellectual sight or apprehension; to perceive mentally; to penetrate; to discern; to understand: often with through or into; as, to see through the plans or policy of another; to see into artful schemes and pretensions. I see into thy end, and am almost 3. To examine or inquire; to distinguish; See 'now whether pure fear and entire cowardice doth not make thee wrong this virtuous gentlewoman to close with us. Shak 4. To be attentive; to pay attention; to take Mark and perform it, see'st thou; for the fail Death to thyself but to thy lewd-tongued wife. -To see to, (a) to look at; to behold. An I will go and purse the ducats straight, See to my house, left in the fearful guard Of an unthrifty knave. Shak. -To see about a thing, to pay some attention to it; to consider it.-See to it, look well to it; attend; consider; take care.-Let me see, let us see, are used to express consideration, or to introduce the particular consideration SEE of a subject. See is used imperatively, or as an interjection, to call the attention of others to an object or a subject, signifying lo! look! behold! as, See, see, how the balloon ascends! See what it is to have a poet in your house! Pope. See (se), interj. Lo! look! observe! behold! See the verb intransitive. Seet (së), n. The sea. Chaucer. Seed (sed), n. [A. Sax. sæd, from sawan, to sow: common to all the Teutonic tongues. See Sow.] 1. The impregnated and matured ovule of a plant, which may be defined as a body within the pericarp, and containing an organized embryo, which on being placed in favourable circumstances is developed, and converted into an individual similar to that from which it derived its origin. The reproductive bodies of flowerless plants, such as sea-weeds and mushrooms, differ in structure and in their mode of germination, and are not considered as true seeds, but are named sporules. The seed is attached to the placenta by a small pedicel or umbilical cord. In some plants 1, Eschscholtzia californica. 2, Corn Blue-bottle (Centaurea Cyanus). 3, Oxalis rosea. 4. Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum). 5, Stellaria niedía. 6, Sweetwilliam (Dianthus barbatus). 7, Foxglove (Digita lis purpurea). 8, Saponaria calabrica. this pedicel is usually expanded, and rising round the seed forms a partial covering to it, named the arillus, as in the nutmeg, in which it constitutes the part called mace. The point of attachment of the cord or podosperm is named the hilum. The seed is composed of an external skin, the testa or perisperm, and a kernel or nucleus. In some cases the seeds constitute the fruit or valuable part of plants, as in the case of wheat and other esculent grain; sometimes the seeds are inclosed in the fruit, as in apples and melons. - 2. The fecundating fluid of male animals; semen; sperm: in this sense it has no plural.-3. That from which anything springs; first principle; original; as, the seeds of virtue or vice. "The seeds and roots of shame and iniquity.' Shak.4. Principle of production. Praise of great acts he scatters as a seed. Waller. 5. Progeny; offspring; children; descendants; as, the seed of Abraham; the seed of David. In this sense the word is applied to one person or to any number collectively, and is rarely used in the plural. We, the latest seed of time.' Tennyson. The seeds of Banquo kings!' Shak.-6. Race; generation; birth. Waller. Of mortal seed they were not held. -To run to seed. See under RUN, v.i. Seed (sed), v.i. 1. To grow to maturity, so as to produce seed; as, maize will not seed in a cool climate. - 2. To shed the seed. Mortimer. Seed (sed), v.t. To sow; to sprinkle or supply, as with seed; to cover with something thinly scattered; to ornament with seed-like decoratious. A sable mantle seeded with waking eyes.' B. Jonson.-To seed down, to sow with grass-seed. Seed-basket (sed'bas-ket), n. In agri. a basket for holding the seed to be sown. Seed-bed (sed'bed), n. A piece of ground prepared for receiving seed. Seed-bud (sēd'bud), n. The germ, germen, or rudiment of the fruit in embryo; the ovule. In bot. the aril or Seed-cake (sēd′kāk), n. A sweet cake containing aromatic seeds. Seed-coat (sēd kōt), n. exterior coat of a seed. Seed-cod (sēd'kod), n. A basket or vessel for holding seed while the husbandman is sowing it; a seed-lip. [Provincial.] Seed-corn (sěd'korn), n. Corn or grain for seed; seed-grain. Seed-crusher (sēd'krush-ér), n. An instrument for crushing seed for the purpose of expressing oil. Seed-down (sēd'doun), n. The down on vegetable seeds. Seeded (sēd'ed), p. and a. 1. Bearing seed; hence, matured; full-grown. 'Seeded pride.' Shak. The silent seeded meadow-grass.' Tennyson.-2. Sown; sprinkled with seed. 3. In her. represented with seeds of such or such a colour: said of roses, lilies, &c., when bearing seeds of a tincture different to the flower itself. Seeder (sed'èr), n. One who or that which sows or plants seeds. A field for raising Seed-field (sëd'feld), n. seed. The seed-field of Time.' Carlyle. Seed-garden (sed'gar-den), n. A garden for raising seed. Seed-grain (sēd'grān), n. Seed-corn; that from which anything springs. The primary seed-grain of the Norse Religion.' Carlyle. Seediness (sēd'i-nes), n. State or quality of being seedy; shabbiness; state of being miserable, wretched, or exhausted. [Colloq.] A casual visitor might suppose this place to be a temple dedicated to the Genius of Seediness. Dickens. What is called seediness, after a debauch, is a plain proof that nature has been outraged, and will have her penalty. Prof. Blackie. Seed-lac (sēd'lak). See LAC. Seed - leaf (séd′lēf), n. In bot. the primary leaf, or leaf developed from a cotyledon. Seed-leap (sed'lēp), n. Same as Seed-lip. Seedling (sed'ling), n. A plant reared from the seed, as distinguished from one propagated by layers, buds, &c. Seedling (sed'ling), a. Produced from the seed; as, a seedling pansy. Seed-lip, Seed-lop (sed'lip, sēd'lop), n. [A. Sax. sæd-leap, a seed-basket-sæd, seed, and leap, a basket.] A vessel in which a sower carries the seed to be dispersed. [Provincial English] Called also Seed-leap. Seed-lobe (séd'lōb), n. In bot. a seed-leaf; a cotyledon. Seedness † (séd'nes), n SEEL tonic tongues: Icel. sækja, Dan. söge, Sw. söka, D. zoeken, G. suchen, Goth. sókjan. In English an original o has been changed to e by umlaut. (See RECK.) The root is probably the same as in L. sequor, to follow (whence consequence, &c.). Beseech is from seek, with prefix be-.] 1. To go in search or quest of; to look for; to search for; to take pains to find: often followed by out. 'To seek me out.' Shak. The man asked nim, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren. Gen. xxxvii. 15, 16. For 'tis a truth well known to most, That whatsoever thing is lost, We seek it, ere it come to light, In every cranny but the right. Cowper. 2. To inquire for; to ask for; to solicit; to Seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal. Amos v. 5. 4. To aim at; to attempt; to pursue as an object; to strive after; as, to seek a person's life or his ruin. 'What I seek, my weary travels' end.' Shak. Often governing an infinitive; as, to seek to do one harm. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read. 2. To endeavour; to make an effort or at- Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find. Mat. vii. 7. -To seek after, to make pursuit of; to at'How men of merit tempt to find or take. Shak. are sought after.' Shak.-To seek for, to endeavour to find. Seed-time. Blossoming time That from the seedness the bare fallow brings To teeming foison. Seed-oil (sēd'oil), n. A general name for the various kinds of oil expressed from seeds. Seed-pearl (sed′pėrl), n. A small pearl resembling a grain or seed in size or form. Seed-plat, Seed-plot (sed'plat, sed plot), n. A piece of ground on which seeds are sown to produce plants for transplanting; a piece of nursery ground. Seed-sheet (sed'shet), n. The sheet containing the seed which a sower carries with him. Carlyle. Seedsman (sēdz’man), n. 1. A person who deals in seeds.-2. A sower; one who scatters seed. The seedsman Upon the slime and ooze scatters the grain, And shortly comes to harvest. Shak Seed-time (sēd'tīm), n. The season proper for sowing. While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest. and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease. Gen. viii. 22. Seed-vessel (sēd'ves-el), n. In bot. the pericarp which contains the seeds. Seed - wool (sēd'wul), n. A name given in the southern states of America to cottonwool not yet cleansed of its seeds. Seedy (sed'i), a. 1. Abounding with seeds; running to seed.-2. Having a peculiar flavour, supposed to be derived from the weeds growing among the vines: applied to French brandy.-3. Worn-out; shabby; poor and miserable-looking; as, he looked seedy; a seedy coat. [Said to be from the look of a plant whose petals have fallen off, thereby disclosing the naked ovary.] [Colloq.] Little Flanigan here is a little seedy, as we say among us that practise the law. Goldsmith. 'Devilish cold,' he added pettishly, 'standing at that door, wasting one's time with such seedy vaga. bonds.' Dickens. 4. Feeling or appearing wretched, as after a debauch. [Colloq.) Seeing (se'ing), conj. Because; inasmuch as; since; considering; taking into account that. Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me? Gen. xxvi. 27. How shall they have any trial of his doctrine, learning and ability to preach, seeing that he may not publickly either teach or exhort? Abp. Whitgift. Seek (sek), v. t. pret. & pp. sought. [O. E. seke, also seche, A. Sax. secan, sécean, to seek, pret. sóhte, pp. sóht. Common to the Teu (b) To require to be sought for; to be wanting or desiderated; as, the work is still to seek. [Scarcely used now in the former sense.] Seeker (sek'ér), n. 1. One that seeks; an inquirer; as, a seeker of truth.-2. ↑ One that makes application. Cato is represented as a seeker to oracles. Bentley. 3. One of a sect in the time of Cromwell that professed no determinate religion. Sir Henry Vane... set up a form of religion in a way of his own; yet it consisted rather in a withdrawing from all other forms than in any new or particular opinions or forms, from which he and his Burnet. party were called seekers. Seek-sorrow (sek'sor-ô), n. One that contrives to give himself vexation; a self-tormentor. Sir P. Sidney. Seel (sel), v.t. [Fr. ciller, siller, from cil, L. cilium, an eyelash.] 1. To close the eyes of with a thread: a term of falconry, it being a common practice to run a thread through the eyelids of a hawk, so as to keep them together, when first taken, to aid in making it tractable. A seeled dove that mounts and mounts." Bacon. Hence-2. To close, as a person's eyes; to blind; to hoodwink. She that so young could give out such a seeming, To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak. Shak Cold death... his sable eyes did seel. Chapman. Seelt (sel), v.i. [Comp. L.G. sielen, to lead off water.] To lean; to incline to one side; to roll, as a ship in a storm. |