SKETCHY Sketchy (skech'i), a. Possessing the char acter of a sketch; not executed with finish or carefulness of detail; rather slim or slight as regards execution; unfinished. The anatomy of the whole figure is magnificently developed, the limbs appearing to be almost ani mated by muscular action and energy, and yet the execution is sketchy throughout; the head, in particular, is left in the rough; but every stroke of the chisel has so told, that, excepting on close examination, it scarcely seems to need more of finish. F. S. Harford. Skew (sku), a. [Dan. skiev, oblique, askew; Icel. skeifr, ská, askew, askance, oblique; L.G. schewe; closely allied to verb to shy; comp. also L. scaevus, Gr. skaios, on the left.] Having an oblique position; oblique; turned or twisted to one side: chiefly used in composition; as, a skew-bridge, &c. Skew (sku), adv. Awry; obliquely. ASKEW. See Skew (sku), v.t. [Dan. skieve, to twist or distort. See adjective. ] 1. To give an oblique position to; to put askew.-2. To throw or hurl obliquely.-3. To shape or form in an oblique way. Windows broad within and narrow without, or skewed and closed. 1 Ki. vi. 4 (margin). Skew (sku), v. i. 1. To walk obliquely. Sir R. L'Estrange. 2. To start aside, as a horse; to shy. [Provincial.]-3. To look obliquely; hence, to look slightingly, suspiciously, or uncharitably. To skew at the infirmities of others.' Bp. Sanderson. Neglected, and look'd lamely on, and skew'd at Skew (sků), n. 1. A piebald horse. [Pro- Skew-back (skū’bak), n. In arch that part of a straight or curved arch which recèdes on the springing from the vertical line of the opening. In bridges it is the course of masonry forming the abutment for the voussoirs of a segmental arch; and in iron bridges, for the ribs. Skew-bald (skü'baid), a. Piebald: applied to horses; or more strictly piebald is used of horses spotted with white and black, skewbald of such as are spotted with white and some other colour than black. 'Skew-bald horse.' Cleaveland. Skew-bridge (skū’brij), n. A bridge in which the passages over and under the arch intersect each other obliquely; a bridge constructed with a skew-arch, or set obliquely to its abutments. Skew-corbel (skü'kor-bel), n. In arch. 96 Skew-wheel (sku' whel), n. A species of bevel-wheel having the teeth formed obliquely on the rim. Their purpose is to transfer motion between shafts whose axes do not admit of being united in a point. Skid (skid), n. [A. Sax. scide, a billet of wood. See SHIDE.] 1. Naut. (a) a curving timber to preserve a ship's side from injury by heavy bodies hoisted or lowered against it; a slider. (b) A strut or post to sustain a beam or deck or to throw the weight of a heavy object upon a part of the structure able to bear the burden. (c) One of a pair of timbers in the waist to support the larger boats when aboard.-2. A log forming a track for a heavy moving object; a timber forming an inclined plane in loading or unloading heavy articles from trucks, &c.-3. One of a number of timbers resting on blocks on which a structure is built, such as a boat.-4. A metal or timber support for a cannon. 5. One of a pair of parallel timbers for supporting a barrel, a row of casks, &c.-6. The break of a crane.-7. A shoe or drag used for preventing the wheels of a wagon or carriage from revolving when descending a hill. Called also Skid-pan. [Skeed is also an alternative spelling in some of the meanings.] Skid (skid), v.t. 1. To place on a skid or skids.-2. To support with skids.-3. To check with a skid, as wheels in going downhill. Dickens. Skid-pan (skid'pan), n. Same as Skid, 7. Skie, f n. [See SKY.] A shadow; a cloud. Chaucer. Same as Skyey. Skley (ski'i), a. Skiff (skif), v. t. To sail upon or pass over in skilder (skil'der), v.i. To live by begging or pilfering; to skelder. Sir W. Scott. [Local.] Skilful (skil'ful), a. 1. Having skill; skilled; well versed in any art; hence, dexterous; able in management; able to perform nicely any manual operation in the arts or professions; expert; as, a skilful mechanic; a skil ful operator in surgery; a skilful physician: often followed by at or in; as, skilful at the organ; skilful in drawing. His father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold and silver. 2 Chron. ii. 14. Thy assailant is quick, skilful and deadly. Shak. 2. Displaying or done with skill; clever; as, a skilful performance. - 3. † Cunning; judicious. Shak.-4. Reasonable. Chaucer. -SYN. Expert, skilled, dexterous, adept, masterly, adroit, clever. a stone built into the bottom of a gable Skilfully (skil'ful-li), adv. A A, Skew-corbels. A to support the skews or coping above. Called also Summer-stone, Skew-put, and Skew. Skewer (skü ́ér), n. [Prov. E. skiver, a skewer shiver, a splinter. A skewer is therefore originally a sharp splinter.] A pin of wood or iron for fastening meat to a spit or for keeping it in form while roasting. Skewer (sku'ér), v. t. To fasten with skewers; to pierce or transfix, as with a skewer. Of duels we have sometimes spoken: how, messmates, flinging down the wine-cup and weapons of reason and repartee, met in the measured field; to part bleeding; or perhaps not to part, but to fall mutually skewered through with iron. Carlyle. Skew-fillet (skü'fil-let), n. A fillet nailed on a roof along the gable coping to raise the slates there and throw the water away from the joining. In a skilful manner; with skill; with nice art; dexterously; expertly; as, a machine skilfully made; a ship skilfully managed. Thou art an old love-monger and speakest skilfully. Shak. Skilfulness (skil'ful-nes), n. The quality of being skilful or possessing skill; dexterousness; expertness; knowledge and ability derived from experience. Ps. lxxxviii. 72. Skill (skil), n. [As a noun this is a Scandinavian word: Icel. skil, discernment, knowledge, a distinction; Dan. skiel, discrimination, discernment, a boundary, a limit; from verbal stem seen in Icel. skilja, to separate, to divide, A. Sax. scylan, to divide, to separate, to distinguish. Scale, shell are from same root.] 1. Discrimination; discernment; understanding; knowledge; wit. That by his fellowship he colour might Both his estate and love from skill of any wight. Spenser. For I am mainly ignorant What place this is; and all the skill I have Remembers not these garments. Shak. 2. The familiar knowledge of any art or science, united with readiness and dexterity in execution or performance, or in the application of the art or science to practical purposes; nice art in the application of knowledge of any kind; power to discern and execute; ability to perceive and perform; dexterity; adroitness; expertness: art; aptitude; as, the skill of a mathematician, of a surveyor, of a physician or surgeon, of a diplomatist or negotiator, of a mechanic or seaman.-3. A specific exhibition or exercise of art or ability. Richard... by a thousand princely skills, gathering so much corn as if he meant not to return." Fuller.-4. Any Skew-plane (skū’plān), n. In joinery, a plane in which the mouth and the edge of the iron are obliquely across the face. Skew-put (skū’pu̟t), n. Same as Skew corbel. SKIMBLE-SCAMBLE particular art. 5. A particular cause or reason. 'For gret skill' for good reason. Chaucer. I think you have Shak Skillt (skil), v.t. To know; to understand. To skill the arts of expressing our mind." Barrow. Skill (skil), v.i. [See the noun.] 1. To dis criminate; to discern; to be knowing in; to have understanding; to be dexterous. They that skill not of so heavenly matter, All that they know not, envy, or admire. Spenser 2. To differ; to make difference; to matter or be of interest. [In this sense used inpersonally.] Shat Whate'er it be, it skills not much. I command thee, That instantly, on any terms, how poor Soe erit skills not, thou desire his pardon. Beau. & Fi Skilled (skild), a. Having skill or familiar knowledge, united with readiness and dexterity in the application of it; familiarly acquainted with; expert; skilful; as, a skilled mechanic: followed by in; as, a professor skilled in logic or geometry; one skilled in the art of engraving. "Well skilled in curses." Shak. Moses in all the Egyptian arts was skilled, Sir F. Denham, Skilless (skil'les), a. Wanting skill, knowledge, or acquaintance; ignorant; inexperienced. How many features are abroad I'm skilless of. Shak Skillet (skillet), n. [O. Fr. escuellette, dim of escuelle, Mod. Fr. écuelle, a porringer, basin, from L. scutella, dim. of seutra, a dish.] A small vessel of iron, copper, or other metal, with a long handle, used for heating and boiling water and other culinary purposes. There likewise is a copper skillet, Which runs as fast as you can fill it. Swift. Skillful. A spelling of skilful. Skilligalee, Skilligolee (skil'i-ga-lē", skiligo-le"), n. [Etym. doubtful.] A poor, thin, watery kind of broth or soup, sometimes cousisting of oatmeal and water in which meat has been boiled; a weak, watery diet served out to prisoners in the hulks, paupers in workhouses, and the like; a drink made of oatmeal, sugar, and water, formerly served out to sailors in the navy. Sometimes spelled Skillygalee, Skillygolee, and contracted into Skilly. Skilling (skil'ing), n. [Probably a form of shealing or sheeling.] A bay of a barn; also, a slight addition to a cottage. Skilling (skil'ing), n. Money formerly used in Scandinavia and North Germany, in some places as a coin and in others as a money of account. It varied in value from 4d. in Denmark to nearly 1d. in Hamburg. Written also Schilling. Skilly (skil'i), n. See SKILLIGALEE. Skilt † (skilt), n. [See SKILL.] Difference. Skim (skim), n. [A lighter form of scum] Scum; the thick matter that forms on the surface of a liquor. [Rare.] Skim (skim), v.t. pret. & pp. skimmed; ppr skimming. [See noun.] 1. To lift the scum from; to clear, as a liquid, from a substance floating thereon by an instrument that dips under and passes along the surface; as, to skim milk by taking off the cream.-2. To take off by skimming. Whilome I've seen her skim the clouted cream. Gay. 3. To pass near the surface of; to brush the surface of slightly; to pass over lightly. The swallow skims the river's wat'ry face. Dryden, 4. To glance over in a slight or superficial manner; as, to skim a newspaper article. Skim (skim), v. i. 1. To pass lightly; to glide along in an even smooth course; as, an eagle or hawk skims along the ethereal regions. Short swallow-flights of song, that dip Their wings in tears, and skim away Tennyson. 2. To glide along near the surface; to pass lightly. Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, 3. To hasten over superficially or with slight attention. They skim over a science in a superficial survey. Watts SKIMBLE-SCAMBLE Skimble-scamble, Skimble - skamble (skim bl-skam-bl), adv. In a confused manner. Skim-coulter (skim'kōl-tér), n. A coulter for paring off the surface of land. Skimington, Skimitry (skim'ing-ton, skim'it-ri) See SKIMMINGTON. Skimmer (skim'èr), n. 1. One who or that which skims; especially, a flat dish or ladle for skimming liquors.-2. One that skims over a subject; a superficial student or reader. There are different degrees of skimmers; first, he who goes no farther than the title-page; secondly, he who proceeds to the contents and index, &c. Philip Skelton. 3. An aquatic natatorial bird of the genus Rhynchops, called also cutwater, shearwater, and scissor-bill. These birds resemble the terns in their small feet, long wings, and forked tail; but are distinguished from all birds by their extraordinary bill, the upper mandible of which is shorter than the under, both being flattened so as to form simple Skimmerton. Same as Skimmington. Skim-milk (skim'milk), n. Milk from which the cream has been taken. Skimming (skim'ing), n. 1. The act of one who skims.-2. That which is removed by skimming from the surface of a liquid; scum: chiefly used in the plural. Skimmingly (skim'ing-li), adv. By gliding along the surface. Skimmington, Skimmerton (skim'ington, skim'èr-ton) A word of unknown origin, but probably the name of some notorious but forgotten scold: used only in the phrase to ride skimmington or skimmerton, or to ride the skimmington. This was a burlesque procession in ridicule of a man who allowed himself to be beaten by his wife. It consisted in a man riding behind a woman, holding a distaff in his hand, at which he seemed to work, the woman all the while beating him with a ladle. They were accompanied by what is called rough music, that is, frying-pans, bulls'-horns, marrow-bones, and cleavers. Skimp (skimp), a. [Icel. skamt, skamr, short, skemma, to shorten. See SCANT.] Seanty, niggardly, insufficient. [Provincial English and Scotch.] Skimp (skimp), v. t. [See the adjective.] To give scant, insufficient, or illiberal measure or allowance to; to treat in a negligent or niggardly manner; to scrimp. [Provincial English and Scotch.] Skimp (skimp), v.i. To be parsimonious or niggardly; to save. [Provincial English and Scotch1 Skin (skin), n. [A Scandinavian word: Icel. and Sw. skinn, Dan. skind, skin; probably from same root as Skr. sku, to cover.] 1. The external covering or tissue of most animals, consisting in all vertebrates of two layers, an outer and an inner. The former, to which the name epidermis, cuticle, or scarf skin is given, is destitute of nerves and bloodvessels, and is thus non-sensitive; the inner layer, called the dermis, corium, or true ekin, is, on the other hand, highly vascular and sensitive. (See DERM and EPIDERMIS.) The skin, besides its use as a covering, performs the functions of perspiration and absorption. The epidermis protects the ter 97 minations of the nerves, whose sensibilities would otherwise soon become blunted.2. A hide; a pelt; the skin of an animal separated from the body, whether green, dry, or tanned. In commercial lan. the term is applied to the skins of those animals, as calves, deer, goats, lambs, &c., which, when prepared, are used in the lighter works of bookbinding, the manufacture of gloves, parchment, &c.; while the term hides is applied to the skins of the ox, horse, &c., which, when tanned, are used in the manufacture of shoes, harness, and other heavy and strong articles.-3. The skin of an animal retaining its shape, used as a vessel. "Skins of wine, and piles of grapes.' Tennyson.-4. The body; the person. [Humorous.] We meet with many of these dangerous civilities, wherein 'tis hard for a man to save both his skin and his credit. Sir R. L'Estrange. 5. Any external covering resembling skin in appearance or use; a filmy or membranous substance forming on or attached to a surface.-6. The bark or husk of a plant; the exterior coat of fruits and plants.-7. Naut. (a) that part of a sail when furled which remains on the outside and covers the whole. (b) The casing covering the ribs of a ship; specifically, the iron casing covering the ribs of an armour-plated ship. Skin (skin), v.t. pret. & pp. skinned; ppr. skinning. 1. To strip off the skin or hide; to flay; to peel.-2. To cover with skin, or as with skin; to cover superficially. It will but skin and film the ulcerous place. Shak. What I took for solid earth was only heaps of rubbish skinned over with a covering of vegetables. Addison. -To skin up a sail in the bunt (naut.), to make that part of the canvas which covers the sail when furled, smooth and neat, by turning the sail well up on the yards. Skin (skin), v.i. To be covered with skin; as, a wound skins over. Skin-bound (skin'bound),a. A term descriptive of a state in which the skin appears to be drawn tightly over the flesh.-Skin-bound disease, a peculiar affection of the skin in infancy, originating in chronic inflammation of the cellular membrane. The whole sur face of the body is swelled and hard, and the skin is cold and tight-bound. Skinch (skinsh), v. t. (A form akin to skimp, scant.] To stint; to scrimp; to give short allowance. [Local.] Skindeep (skin'dep), a. Not reaching or penetrating beyond the skin; superficial; not deep; slight. That 'beauty is only skindeep' is itself but a skindeep observation. H. Spencer. Skinflint (skin'flint), n. A very niggardly person. It would have been long, said Mr. Oldbuck, ere my womenkind could have made such a reasonable bargain with that old skinflint. Sir W. Scott. Skinful (skin'ful), n. As much as the stomach will hold; as, a skinful of liquor. Skink (skingk), n. [Gr. skingkos, a kind of Adda or Common Skink (Scincus officinalis). lizard.] The common name of the lizards belonging to the genus Scincus. They have a long body entirely covered with rounded imbricate scales, and are natives of warm climates. One species, the adda (Scincus officinalis), is celebrated throughout the East as being efficacious in the cure of various cutaneous diseases, to which the inhabitants of Egypt, Arabia, &c., are subject. It is about 6 inches in length, has a cylindrical Skinkt (skingk), n. [A. Sax. scene, drink.] body and tail, and burrows in the sand. Drink. O'erwhelm me not with sweets, let me not drink eb, chain; ch, Sc. loch; g, go; j, job; b, Fr. ton; ng, sing; SKIPPING Skinkt (skingk), v.t. To serve out or draw, as liquor; to pour out for drinking. Such wine as Ganymede doth skink for Jove.' Shirley. Skink (skingk), n. [See SHANK.] A shinbone of beef; soup made with a shin of beef or other sinewy portions. [Scotch.] Skinkert (skingk'èr), n. One that serves liquors; a drawer; a tapster. Hang up all the poor hop-drinkers, Cries old Sym, the king of skinkers. B. Jonson. Skinless (skin'les), a. Having no skin, or having a thin skin; as, skinless fruit. Skinner (skin'èr), n. 1. One who skins.— 2. One who deals in skins, pelts, or hides. Skinniness (skin'i-nes), n. The quality of being skinny. Skinny (skin'i), a. Consisting of skin, or of skin only; wanting flesh; as, a skinny hand. Coleridge. Skin-wool (skin'wyl), n. Wool pulled from the dead skin; felt wool. Skip (skip), v.i. pret. & pp. skipped; ppr. skipping. [A non-nasalized form corresponding to Sw. skimpa, to run, skumpa, skompa, to skip; comp. also Icel. skoppa, to spin like a top.] 1. To fetch quick leaps or bounds; to leap; to bound; to spring; to jump lightly. I have seen the day, with my good biting falchion I would have made them skip. Shak. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play? Pope. 2. To pass without notice; to make omissions in writing: often followed by over. A gentleman made it a rule in reading to skip over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration at the end. Swift. The reading faculty unhappily broke down, and had to skip largely henceforth, diving here and there Carlyle. at a venture. Skip (skip), v. t. To pass with a quick bound; to pass over or by; often to pass over intentionally in reading. Shak. Let not thy sword skip one. They who have a mind to see the issue may skip these two chapters. Burnet. Skip (skip), n. 1. A leap; a bound; a spring. 2. In music, a passage from one sound to another by more than a degree at one time. Skip (skip), n. [A. Sax. scep, a box, basket, &c. See SKEP.] 1. A box or basket used in mines for raising the excavated material to the surface. -2. A vehicle consisting of a large wicker basket mounted on wheels, such as is used to convey cops, &c., about a factory. Skip-jack (skip'jak), n. 1. An upstart. Sir R. L'Estrange.-2. A name given to beetles of the family Elateridæ, from their being able to spring into the air, and thus regain their feet when laid on their backs. See ELATERIDE. Skip-kennel (skip'ken-el), n. A lackey; a footboy. Skipper (skip'èr), n. [D. schipper, Dan. skipper, lit. a shipper. See SHIP.] The master of a small trading or merchant vessel; a sea captain; hence, one having the principal charge in any kind of vessel. Skipper (skip'èr), n. [From skip.] 1. One who skips; a dancer.-2. A youngling; a young thoughtless person.-3. A name sometimes given to the saury pike, Scomberesox saurus.-4. The cheese maggot.-5. One of a family (Hesperiidae) of lepidopterous insects, so called from its short, jerking flight. Skippet (skip'et), n. 1. t [Dim. from A. Sax. scip, a ship.] A small boat. Spenser.-2. [Dim. of skip, a box.] In archæol. a small cylindrical turned box with a lid or cover for keeping records. Ancient Skippet. Skipping (skip'ing), p. and a. Given to skip; characterized by skips or bounds; hence, flighty; wanton; thoughtless. Thy skipping w, wig; wh, whig; zh, azure.-See KEY. SKIPPINGLY spirits.' Shak. To make one in so skipping a dialogue.' Shak. Shak. The skipping king, he ambled up and down With shallow jesters and rash bavin wits. Skippingly (skip'ing-li), adv. In a skipping manner; by skips or leaps. Skipping-rope (skip'ing-rop), n. A small rope used for exercise by young persons who make short leaps to let it be swung under their feet and over their heads. Skirl (skirl), v.i. [Allied to shrill.] To shriek; to cry with a shrill voice; to give forth a shrill sound. [Scotch.] He screw'd the pipes and gart them skirt. Burns. Skirl (skirl), n. A shrill cry or sound. W. H. Russell. I hear the skirt of the bagpipes which announces that we are not far from the Highlanders. Skirmish (sker'mish), n. [O. E. scarmishe, skrymishe, Fr. escarmouche, from 0. Fr. escremir, eskermir, to fence; It. schermire; from O.H.G. skirman, to fight, to defend one's self, from skirm, a shield or protection.] 1. A slight fight in war, especially between small parties; a loose, desultory kind of engagement in presence of two armies, between small detachments sent out for the purpose either of drawing on a battle, or of concealing by their fire the movements of the troops in the rear. Stocqueler.-2. A contest; a contention. They never meet but there's a skirmish of wit. Skirmish (skér'mish), v. i. To fight slightly or in small parties. Skirmisher (skér'mish-èr), n. One that skir mishes. Skirr,t Skirt (skér), v.t. [A form of scour.] To scour; to pass over rapidly, as on horseback, in order to clear. Send out more horses, skirr the country round. Shak. Skirr,+ Skirt (skér), v.i. To scour; to scud; to run hastily. "That in a thought skirr o'er the fields of corn.' Beau. & Fl. Writ ten also Scur. And make them skirr away, as swift as stones, Enforced from the old Assyrian slings. Shak. Skirret (skir'et), n. [Contr. for skirwort or skirroot, which itself is a corruption of sugar-wort or sugar-root.] A plant, the waterparsnep (Sium Sisarum), a native of China, Cochin-China, Corea, Japan, &c. It has long been cultivated in Europe for the sake of Skirret (Sium Sisarum). its esculent tuberous root, which somewhat resembles the parsnep in flavour. It is eaten boiled with butter, pepper, &c., or half boiled and subsequently fried. It was formerly much esteemed as a culinary vegetable, but is now gone greatly into disuse. 'The skirret which some say in sallads stirs the blood.' Drayton. Skirrhus (skir'rus), n. Same as Scirrhus. Skirt (skért), n. [The older form of shirt (which see). 1. The lower and loose part of a coat or other garment; the part below the waist; as, the skirt of a coat or mantle. 1 Sam. xv. 27.-2. The edge of any part of dress. 'A small skirt of ruffled linen which runs along the upper part of the stays before." Addison.-3. Border; edge; margin; extreme part; as, the skirts of a town. Here in the skirts of the forest.' Shak. 'Brightening the skirts of a long cloud.' Tennyson.-4. A woman's garment like a petticoat.-5. The diaphragm or midriff in animals. To sit upon one's skirts, an old phrase for taking revenge on a person. 98 Skirt (skért), v.t. To border; to form the border or edge of; or to run along the edge of; as, a plain skirted by rows of trees. A spacious circuit skirted round with wood.' Addison. Oft when sundown skirts the moor.' Tennyson. Skirt (skért), v.i. To be on the border; to live near the extremity. 'Savages. who skirt along our western frontiers.' Dr. S. S. Smith. Skirting (skért'ing), n. 1. Material for making skirts.-2. Same as Skirting-board. The Skirting-board (skért'ing-bord), n. narrow vertical board placed round the bottom of the wall of a room next the floor. Skit (skit), n. [In meaning 1 from A. Sax. scyte, lit. a shooting, whence onscyte, an attack or calumny; in meaning 2 from Prov. E. skit, to slide, also hasty, the ultimate origin in both cases being A. Sax. sceôtan, scytan, to shoot.] 1. A satirical or sarcastic attack; a lampoon; a pasquinade; a squib. 2. A light wanton wench. (Herod) at the request of a dancing skit stroke off the head of St. John the Baptist. Howard (Earl of Northampton), 1583. Skit (skit), v. t. [A. Sax. scytan, to shoot. See the noun.] To cast reflections on; to asperse. Grose. [Provincial English.] Skittish (skit'ish), a. [See above.] 1. Easily frightened: shunning familiarity; shy. A restiff skittish jade. Sir R. L'Estrange. 'A skittish filly.' Beau. & Fl. The skittish mare is all alive to-night. Dickens. 2. Wanton; volatile; hasty. They told Will it was a thousand pities so fine a lady should have such skittish tricks. Richardson. 3. Changeable; fickle. 'Skittish fortune.' Shak. Skittishly (skit'ish-li), adv. In a skittish manner; shyly; wantonly; changeably. Skittishness (skit'ish-nes), n. The state or quality of being skittish: (a) shyness; aptness to fear approach; timidity. (b) Fickleness; wantonness. Skittle-alley (skit'l-al-li), n. An oblong court in which the game of skittles is played. Skittle-ball (skit'l-bal), n. A disc of hardwood for throwing at the pins in the game of skittles. Skittle-ground (skit'l-ground), n. Same as Skittle-alley. Dickens. Skittles (skit'lz), n. pl. [From A. Sax. seytan, to shoot. See SKIT, SHOOT. Shuttle is a slightly different form of the same word.] A game played with nine pins set upright at one end of a skittle-alley, the object of the player stationed at the other end being to knock over the set of pins with as few throws as possible of a somewhat flattish-shaped ball. Skive (skiv), n. [Same word as Shive.] The revolving table or lap used by diamondpolishers in finishing the facets of the gem. Skiver (ski'ver), n. [Akin shive, shiver (which see).] 1. An inferior quality of leather made of split sheep-skin tanned by immersion in sumac and dyed. It is used for hat-linings, pocket-books, bookbinding, &c.-2. The knife or cutting-tool used in splitting sheepskins. E. H. Knight. Sklent (sklent), v.i. To slant; hence, to deviate from the truth. Burns. [Scotch.] Sklere, v.t. [Comp. G. schleier, a veil.] To cover; to protect; to take care of. Skolecite (skoʻlē-sit), n. The mineral now known generally as Mesotype (which see). When a small portion of it is placed in the exterior flame of the blow-pipe, it twists like a worm (Gr. skolēx), becomes opaque, and is converted into a blebby colourless glass. Skonce (skons). See SCONCE. Skorclet (skor'kl), v.t. To scorch. Skorodite (skor'o-dit), n. Same as Scorodite. Skout (skout), n. A popular name for the guillemot (which see). Skouth (skouth or sköth), n. [Comp. Icel. skotha, to look about, to view.] Liberty of range; free play; scope. Burns. [Scotch.] Skow (skou), n. Same as Scow. Skreed (skred), n. Floating ice in small fragments. Kane. Skreen (skren). Same as Screen. Skreigh (skrech), n. A screech; a loud shrill cry. [Scotch.] Skreigh (skrech), v. i. To screech. [Scotch.] Skrimmage (skrim'āj), n. Same as Scrimmage. Skrimp (skrimp). See SCRIMP. See SCRINGE. SKUNK A Skrippe,+ n. A scrip. Chaucer. Skua, Skua-gull (sku'a, skü'a-gul), n. palmiped bird, the Lestris cataractes, family Laridae, the most formidable of all the gull kind. It is found in the Shetland Islands, where it is also called bonzie. See LESTRIS. Skue (sku). See SKEW. Skug, Scoug (skug, skug), n. Same as Scug. [Scotch.] Skulduddery (skul-dud'er-i). See SCULDUD DERY. Skulk (skulk), v.i. [Dan. skulke, to sneak, allied to skiule, Icel. skjól, a cover, a hidingplace.] To lurk; to withdraw into a corner or into a close place for concealment; to get out of the way in a sneaking manner; to lie close from shame, fear of injury or de"Skulk tection; to shun doing one's duty. ing in corners.' Shak. Discover'd, and defeated of your prey, You skulk'd behind the fence, and sneak'd away. Dryden Skulk (skulk), v.t. To produce or bring forward clandestinely or improperly. Edin. Rev. [Rare.] Skulk, Skulker (skulk, skulk'èr), n. A person who skulks or avoids performing duties. 'Here, Brown! East! you cursed young skulks." roared out Flashman, coming to his open door, 'I know you're in-no shirking." Hughes. Skulkingly (skulk'ing-li), adv. In a skulking manner. Skull (skul), n. [From the Scandinavian; Sw skalle, a skull, skull, skoll, a bowl or drinkingcup; Dan. skal, a shell, hjerneskal, the skull (lit. brain-shell, Sc. harn-pan. See HARNS); so also G. hirnschale, lit. brain-shell. The skull was so called from forming a kind of vessel. Allied to scale (of a balance) and to shell] 1. The cranium or bony case that forms the framework of the head and incloses the brain. It consists of eight bones, namely, the frontal and occipital bones, upon its fore and back part; the two temporal and parietal bones, forming the temples and the sides of the skull; and the sphenoid and ethmoid bones, concerned in the formation of the orbits and nose. Golgotha and dead men's skulls.' Shak.-2. The brain as the seat of intelligence. Skulls that cannot teach and will not learn.' Cowper.-3. A skull-cap. Let me put on my skull first. Beau. & FL A shoal or school, as of Skullt (skul), n. fish. Skull-cap (skul'kap), n. 1. A cap fitting closely to the head or skull. The name was Iron Skull-caps. formerly given also to an iron defence for the head, sewed inside of the cap.-2. The common name of two British species of plants of the genus Scutellaria. See SCUTELLARIA. Skulless (skul'les), a. Wanting a skull or cranium; having no skull. Skull-fish (skul'fish), n. A whaler's technical name for an old whale, or one more than two years of age. Skulpin (skul'pin), n. Same as Sculpin. Skunk (skungk), n. [Contr. from native American seganku.] A digitigrade carnivorous quadruped of the genus Mephitis, fa SKUNK-BIRD North and South America, from Hudson's Bay to the Straits of Magellan. The common skunk (M. americana or varians) may be taken as the type of the genus. It is about the size of a cat, of a generally black or blackish-brown colour, with white streaks on the back, and the tail is thickly covered with long coarse hair. This animal has two glands, near the inferior extremity of the alimentary canal, which secrete an extremely fetid fluid, which the animal has the power of emitting at pleasure as a means of defence, its intense power and offensiveness being something almost inconceivable. This fluid possesses valuable medicinal powers, being used in asthma, &c. Skunk-bird, Skunk-blackbird (skungk'berd, skungk'blak-bérd), n. A name given to the bobolink or rice-bird, from the resemblance of the colours of the male, at certain periods of the year, to those of the skunk. Skunk-cabbage, Skunk-weed (skungk'kab-baj, skungk'wed), n. A North American plant of the genus Symplocarpus, the S. fœtidus, so named from its smell. The root and seeds are said to be antispasmodic, and have been employed as expectorants, and as palliatives in paroxysms of asthma. Skunkish (skungk'ish), a. Resembling a skunk; especially, having an offensive odour like a skunk. [United States.] Skurry (skurri), n. and v. Same as Scurry. Skute (sküt), n [Icel. skúta, Dan. skude, a boat, a small vessel] A boat. See SCOUT. Sky (ski), n. [A Scandinavian word: Icel. ský, Dan & Sw, sky, a cloud; Sw. Dan. skyhimmel, the heavens, the sky; allied to A. Six. scúa, a shade or shadow; also to E. shade, the root being the same as in Skr. sku, to cover. See SHADE.] 1. A cloud.-2. The apparent arch or vault of heaven, which in a clear day is of a blue colour; the firmament; as, the stars that stud the sky. Wide is the fronting gate, and raised on high, With adamantine columns threats the sky. Dryden. 3. That portion of the ethereal region in which meteorological phenomena take place; the region of clouds. Freeze, thou bitter ky Shak. Heavily the low sky raining.' Tennyson The plural skies is often used in the same sense. The skies look grimly, And threaten present blusters. Shak. 4. The weather; the climate.-Open sky, sky with no intervening cover or shelter. 'Under open sky adored.' Milton. Sky (ski), v.t. pret. & pp. skied; ppr. skying. To raise aloft or towards the sky; hence, to hang high on a wall in an exhibition of paintings; as, his picture was skied. [Colloq] Sky (ski), r.t. [A northern form of shy.] To toss, to shy. [Local] Sky (ski), v.i. To shy as horses do. [Local.] Sky-blue (ski'blú), a. Of the blue colour of the sky. Sky-blue (ski'blú), n. Skimmed milk; poor, thin, watery milk; milk adulterated with water: so called jocularly, in allusion to its colour. 'Strangers tell of three times skimmed sky blue. Bloomfield. Sky-born (ski'born), a. Born or produced in the sky; of heavenly birth. Sky-born messenger, heaven looking through his eyes. Carlyle. Sky-colour (ski'kul-ér), n. The colour of the sky; a particular species of blue colour; azure. Boyle. Sky-coloured (ski'kul-érd), a. Like the sky in colour; blue; azure. Addison. Sky-drain (ski'drān), n. An open drain, or a drain filled with loose stones not covered with earth, round the walls of a building, to prevent dampness. Sky-dyed (ski'did), a. Coloured like the sky There figs, sky-dyed, a purple hue disclose. Pope. Skyed (skid), a. Enveloped by the skies. The skyed mountain.' Thomson. [Rare.] Skyey (ski'i), a. Like the sky; ethereal. Shelley Sky-high (skihi), a. high High as the sky; very gates... had gone to air. Carlyle. Utgard with its sky-high Skyish (ski'ish), a. Like the sky, or approaching the sky. 'The skyish head of blue Olympus.' Shak. (Rare.] Sky-lark (ski lärk), n. A lark that mounts and sings as it flies, the Alauda arvensis, or common lark of Britain. See LARK. The air was full of happy sounds; overhead the shy-larks sang in jocund rivalry, mounting higher and higher, as if they would have beaten their wings ast the sun. Cornhill Mag. 99 Sky-larking (ski'lärk-ing), n. A term which seems to have been originally used by seamen to denote sportive gambols in the rigging or tops, but now applied to frolicking or tricks of various kinds. Sky-light (ski'lit), n. A window placed in the roof of a house; a frame consisting of one or more inclined planes of glass placed in a roof to light passages or rooms below. Sky-planted (ski'plant-ed), a. Placed or planted in the sky. Shak. Skyrin (ski'rin), a. [Icel. skirr, clear, bright, brilliant, skýrr, evident, manifest.] A term applied to anything that strongly takes the eye; flaunting; showy; gaudy. Burns. [Scotch.] Sky-rocket (ski'rok-et), n. A rocket that ascends high and burns as it flies; a species of firework. Sky-roofed (ski'röft), a. Having the sky for a roof. Sky-sail (ski'sål), n. A light sail in a squarerigged vessel, next above the royal. It is sometimes called a Sky-scraper when it is triangular. See cut SAIL. Skyscraper (ski'skráp-ér), n. Same as Sky-sail Skyte (skýt), n. [Scotch. A. Sax. seytan, to shoot. See SHOOT.] 1. The act of squirting; a squirt of fluid; a small quantity, as of liquor; a smart shower of hail or rain. 2. A syringe or squirt.-3. A contemptible fellow. Sky-tinctured (ski'tingk-turd),a. Tinctured by the sky; of the colour of the sky. Milton. Skyward (ski'wêrd), a. and adv. Toward the sky. Slab (slab), a. [Icel. slabb, mud, mire; comp. Ir. slaib, mud, mire left on the strand of a river.] Thick; viscous. 'Make the gruel thick and slab.' Shak. Slab (slab), n. [See SLAB, a.] Moist earth; slime; puddle. Slab (slab), n. [Perhaps for sklab, and allied to Sc. skelb, a thin slice. See SHELF.] 1. A thin flat regularly shaped piece of anything, as of marble or other stone.-2. An outside piece taken from timber in sawing it into boards, planks, &c.-Slabs of tin, the lesser masses of the metal run into moulds of stone. Slab (slab), v.t. To cut slabs or outside pieces from, as from a log, to square it for use, or that it may be sawn into boards with square edges. Slabber (slab'ér), v. i. [D. and L.G. slabberen, G. schlabbern, to slabber, freqs. of slabben, schlabben, to lap. Slobber, slubber are also forms, and slaver is akin.] To let the saliva or other liquid fall from the mouth carelessly; to drivel; to slaver. Slabber (slab'ér), v.t. 1. To sup up hastily, as liquid food. SLACKNESS From his slack hand the garland wreathed for Eve Down dropp'd, and all the faded roses shed. Milton. 3. Remiss; backward; not using due diligence; not earnest or eager; as, slack in duty or service. The duke shall know how slack thou art. Shak. Rebellion now began, for lack Of zeal and plunder, to grow slack. Hudibras. 4. Not violent; not rapid; slow. Cæsar hoisting sail with a slack south-west.' Milton. Their pace was formal, grave, and slack. Dryden. 5. Not busy; not fully occupied; dull. The wrong done by this practice is rendered more apparent by the conduct of the merchants during the brisk and slack periods. Mayhew. -Slack in stays (naut.), slow in going about, as a ship.-Slack water, the time when the tide runs slowly, or the water is at rest; or the interval between the flux and reflux of the tide. SYN. Loose, relaxed, weak, remiss, backward, abated, diminished, inactive, slow, tardy. Slack (slak), adv. In a slack manner; partially; insufficiently; not intensely; as, slack dried hops; bread slack baked. Slack (slak), n. 1. The part of a rope that hangs loose, having no stress upon it. 2. A dulness or remission, as in trade or work; a slack period. When there is a slack, the merchants are all anxious to get their vessels delivered as fast as they can. Mayhew. 3. Small coal screened from household or furnace coal of good quality.-4. [Icel. slakki, a slope on a mountain.] An opening between hills; a hollow where no water runs. [Scotch and provincial English.] Slack (slak), v.t. and i Same as Slake (which see). Slack, Slacken (slak, slak'n), v.i. [See the adjective.] 1. To become less tense, firm, or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather-2. To be remiss or backward; to neglect. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it. Deut. xxiii. 21. 3. To abate; to become less violent. Whence these raging fires Will slacken if his breath stir not their flames. Milton. 4. To lose rapidity; to become more slow; as, a current of water slackens; the tide slackens.-5. To languish; to fail; to flag. You began to change I saw it and grieved-to slacken and to cool. Tennyson, Slack, Slacken (slak, slak'n), v. t. 1. To lessen the tension of; to make less tense or tight; to loosen; to relax; as, to slacken a rope or a bandage. Slack the bolins there.' 'Our slacken'd sails.' Dryden. Taught power's due use to people and to kings, Taught not to slack nor strain its tender strings. Pope. 2. To relax; to remit for want of eagerness; to be remiss in; to neglect; as, to slacken exertion or labour. Shak. To slabber pottage.' Barret.-2. To wet and foul by liquids suffered to fall carelessly from the mouth; to slaver; to slobber. He slabbered me all over.' Arbuthnot.-3. To cover, as with a liquid spilled. The milk-pan and cream-pot so slabber'd and tost, That butter is wanting, and cheese is half lost. Tusser. Slabber (slab'êr), n. Slimy moisture from the mouth; slaver. 1. One who or that Slabber (slab'ér), n. which slabs; specifically, a saw for removing the slabs or outside parts of a log.-2. In metal working, a machine for dressing the sides of nuts or heads of bolts. Slabberer (slab'èr-ér), n. One that slabbers; a driveller. Slabbery (slab'èr-i), a. Covered with slabber; wet; sloppy. Our frost is broken since yesterday, and it is very slabbery. Swift. Slabbiness (slab'i-nes), n. The state of being thick or slabby; muddiness. Slabby (slab'i), a. [See SLAB, a.] 1. Thick; viscous. Slabby and greasy medicaments." Wiseman.-2. Wet; muddy; slimy; sloppy. When waggish boys the stunted besom ply, To rid the stabby pavements, pass not by. Gay. Slab-line (slab'lin), n. A line or small rope by which seamen truss up a sail after hauling upon the leech and bunt lines. Slab-sided (slab'sid-ed), a. Having flat sides like slabs; hence, tall; lank. [United States.] Slack (slak), a. [A. Sax. slæc, sleac; cog. O.D. and L.G. slakk, Icel. slakr, Sw. slak, M.H.G. slach. Probably from a root lag (with & prefixed) seen also in L. languidus, languid, laxus, loose, lax.] 1. Not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; loose; relaxed; as, a slack rope; slack rigging.— 2. Weak; remiss; not holding fast. Say that they slack their duties, And pour our treasures into foreign laps. Shak. 3. To mitigate; to diminish in severity; to make less intense; to abate; to remit; to relieve; as, to slacken cares; to slacken pain. Milton.-4. To cause to become more slow; to retard; to lessen rapidity; as, to slacken one's pace. I am nothing slow to slack his haste. Shak. Well pleased with such delay, they slack their pace. Milton 5. To abate; to lower; as, to slacken the heat of a fire.-6. To withhold; to cause to be used or applied less liberally; to cause to be withheld. Shak.-7. To repress; to check. I should be griev'd, young prince, to think my presence Unbent your thoughts and slacken'd'em to arms. Addison. Slacken (slak'n),n. In mining. See SLAKIN. Slack-jaw (slak'ją), n. Impertinent language. [Vulgar.] Slackly (slak li), adv. In a slack manner; as, (a) not tightly; loosely. Slackly braided in loose negligence.' Shak. (b) Negligently: remissly; carelessly. 'So slackly guarded.' Shak. Slackness (slak'nes), n. The state of being So rarely kind, are as interpreters Shak. SLADE (c) Slowness; tardiness; want of tendency; às, the slackness of flesh to heal. Sharp. (d) Weakness; want of intenseness. 'Slackness of motion." Brerewood. Slade (slad), n. [A. Sax. slæd.] A little dell or valley; a glade; also, a flat piece of low, moist ground. Satyrs that in slades and gloomy dimbles dwell.' Drayton. Slade (slad), pret. [From slide.] Slid; slipped along. [Scotch.] Slag (slag), n. [Sw. slagg, G. schlacke, slag; comp. Icel. slagna, to flow over; slag, slagi, dampness.] 1. The scoria from a smelting furnace; a vitreous mineral matter removed in the reduction of metals. It is utilized in making cement, artificial stone, &c., and in the manufacture of alum and crown-glass. 2. In iron-founding, the fused dross which accompanies the metal in a furnace, and which is held back from the ingate. Called also Cinder, Clinker, and Scorice. 3. The scoria of a volcano. Dana. Foreground black with stones and slags.' Tennyson. Slaggy (slag'i), a. Pertaining to or resembling slag. Slaie (slā), n. A weaver's reed; a sley. As these projects, however often slain, always resuscitate, it is not superfluous to examine one or two of the fallacies by which the schemers impose upon themselves. F. S. Mill. -Letters of slains, in old Scots law, letters subscribed by the relations of a person slain declaring that they had received an assythement or recompense, and containing an application to the crown for a pardon to the murderer. Slaister (slas'tér), n. [Scotch.] 1. The act of dabbling in anything moist and unctuous; the act of bedaubing.-2. A quantity of anything moist and unctuous; a worthless, heterogeneous composition. Sir W. Scott. Slaister (slas'ter), v.t. To bedaub. [Scotch.] Slaister (slás'tér), v.i. To do anything in an awkward and untidy way; especially, to dabble in anything moist and pasty. Sir W. Scott. [Scotch.] Slaistery (slas tér-i), n. The offals of a kitchen, including the mixed refuse of solids and fluids; dirty work. Eliz. Hamilton. [Scotch.] Slake (slak), v. t. pret. & pp slaked; ppr. slaking [Icel. slokva, to slake, to extinguish, to quench thirst; Dan. slukke, Sw. släckna, to extinguish, to quench thirst; akin to slack; comp. also slag.] 1. To quench; to extinguish; to abate; to decrease; as, to slake thirst. 'Slake the heav'nly fire.' Spenser. It could not slake mine ire nor ease my heart. Shak. 2. To mix or cause to combine with water so that a true chemical combination shall take place; to slack; as, to slake lime.-Slaked lime, or hydrate of lime, is quicklime reduced to a state of powder by the action of water upon it. In this state the lime is combined with about one-third of its weight of water. During the process of slaking lime a great evolution of heat takes place. -Air-slaked lime, a compound of one equivalent of carbonate of lime and one of hydrate of lime formed by lime when exposed to the air slowly attracting water and carbonic acid. As a result of this action it falls to powder. Slake (slák), v.i. 1. To become mixed with water so that a true chemical combination takes place; as, the lime slakes. — 2. To be quenched; to go out; to become extinct; to desist; to fail. His flame did slake.' Sir T. Browne.-3. To abate; to become less decided; to decrease. Shak. No flood by raining slaketh. For how, till a man know, in some measure, at what point he becomes logically defunct, can Parliamentary Business be carried on, and Talk cease or slake. Carlyle. Slake (släk), v.i. To slacken; to grow less tense. When the body's strongest sinews slake.' Sir J. Davies. [Rare.] Slake (slák), n. A slight bedaubing; a small quantity of some soft or unctuous substance applied to something else. slake o' paint.' Sir W. Scott. [Scotch.] Slake (slak), v.t. To besmear; to daub. [Scotch.] 'A Slakeless (släk'les), a. Incapable of being slaked; quenchless; inextinguishable; insatiable. 'Slakeless thirst of change.' Byron. Slakin (slak'in), n. [From slack, slake.] A spongy, semi-vitrified substance mixed by smelters with the ores of metals to prevent their fusion. It is the scoria or scum separated from the surface of a former fusion of the same metal. Spelled also Slacken. 100 Slam (slam), v.t pret. & pp. slammed; ppr. slamming. [Icel. slæma, slamra, to swing, to slam; comp. Sw, slamra, to jingle.] 1. To close with force and noise; to shut with violence; to bang. Then he disappeared, slamming the door behind him. G. A. Sala. 2. To beat; to cuff. [Local 1-3. To strike down; to slaughter. [Local.]-4. In cardplaying, to beat by winning all the tricks in a hand. Slam (slam), v.i. To strike violently or noisily, as a door, or a moving part of a machine, &c.; as, the door slams; a valve slams. Slam (slam), n. 1. A violent driving and dashing against; a violent shutting of a door. The powdered-headed footman slammed the door very hard, and scowled very grandly: but both the slam and the scowl were lost upon Sam. Dickens. 2. The winning of all the tricks in a hand at whist.-3. The refuse of alum-works. Slamkin, Slammerkin (slam'kin, slam'êrkin), n. [D. slomp, G. schlampe, a slut, a trollop, and dim. term. -kin; comp. Dan. slam, mud, mire.] A slut; a slatternly woman. [Provincial English.] Slander (slan'dèr), n. [O. E. sclaunder, esclaundre, from Fr. esclandre, from L. scandalum, Gr. skandalon; so that this word is simply scandal in another form. See SCANDAL 1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered, and tending to injure the reputation of another; the uttering of such reports; aspersion; defamation; detraction; as, to utter slander; to be fond of slander. The worthiest people are the most injured by slander. 5. In law, the maliciously defaming of a person in his reputation, profession, or business by spoken words, as a libel is by writing. Slander differs from libel in that slander consists in oral defamation only, whereas a libel must consist of matter published; also the scope of the offence of libel is more extensive than that of slander. A person guilty of slander can only be proceeded against civilly, whereas libel may be punished criminally. Slander (slan'dér), v.t. 1. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report respecting; to tarnish or impair the reputation of, by false tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate. O do not slander him, for he is kind. Shak. The leaf of eglantine, whom not to slander, 3. To disgrace; to dishonour; to discredit. Tax not so bad a voice To slander music any more than once. Shak 4. To reproach: followed by with. 'To slander Valentine with falsehood.' Shak. -Asperse, Defame, Calumniate, Slander. See under ASPERSE.-SYN. To defame, asperse, calumniate, vilify, malign, brand, traduce, blacken. One who slanSlanderer (slan'dêr-ér), n. ders; a calumniator; a defamer; one who injures another by maliciously reporting something to his prejudice. Railers or slanderers, tell-tales, or sowers of dissension. Jer. Taylor. Slanderous (slan'dèr-us), a. 1. Disposed or given to slander; uttering defamatory words or tales. 'Slanderous tongues.' Shak.2. Containing slander or defamation; calumnious; as, slanderous words, speeches, or reports, false and maliciously uttered. As by flattery a man opens his bosom to his mortal enemy, so by detraction and a slanderous misreport he shuts the same to his best friends. South 3. Scandalous; reproachful; disgraceful; shameful. The vile and slanderous death of the cross.' Book of Homilies, 1573. Ugly and slanderous to thy mother's womb, Full of unpleasing blots and sightless stains. Shak. Slanderously (slan'dêr-us-li), adv. In a slanderous manner; with slander; calumniously; with false and malicious report. SLAP Slanderousness (slan'dėr-us-nes), n. The state or quality of being slanderous or defamatory. Slang (slang), old pret. of sling. Slang (slang), n. [Origin uncertain; perhaps from the language of the Gypsies. Slang is a word of recent introduction, cant being its predecessor.] 1. Colloquial language current among a certain class or classes, educated or uneducated, but having hardly the stamp of general approval, and often to be regarded as inelegant, incorrect, or even vulgar. The term is somewhat loosely applied to certain familiar words and phrases, both coarse and refined, which float about and change with fashion and taste; such being now more or less in use among persons in a variety of walks in life. There is a slang attached to various professions, occupations, and classes of society; as, the slang of fashionable life, parliamentary slang. literary slang, civic slang, and shopkeepers' slang. Slang is somewhat allied to, though not identical with, cant. The word is often used adjectively; as, a slang word or ex pression.-Rhyming slang, a kind of cant or secret slang spoken by street vagabonds in London, consisting of the substitution of words and sentences which rhyme with other words or sentences intended to be kept secret. See also BACK-SLANG.-2. A term used by London costermongers for counterfeit weights and measures. Mayhew.-3. Among showmen, (a) a performance; (6) a travelling booth or show. Mayhew. Slang (slang), v.i. To use slang; to engage in vulgar, abusive language. To slang with the fishwives.' Mayhew. Slang (slang), v.t. To address with slang or ribaldry; to insult or abuse with vulgar language. Every gentleman abused by a cabman or slanget by a bargee was bound there and then to take of his coat and challenge him to fisticuffs. Spectator newspaper. Slang (slang), n. A fetter worn by convicts: so called from being slung on their legs by a string to prevent shipping down. Slangey, Slangy (slang'i), a. Of or relating to slang; of the nature of slang; addicted to the use of slang. Dukens Both were too gaudy, too slangey, too odorous of cigars, and too much given to horseflesh. Slangular (slang'gû-lèr), a. Having the nature or character of slang; slangy. His strength lying in a slangular direction' Dickens. [Rare; humorous.] Slang-whanger (slang'whang-ér), n. A noisy, frothy demagogue; a turbulent partisan. Irving. [Colloq.] Slang-whanging (slang'whang-ing), a. Us ing slangy abusive language. Billingsgate's slang-whanging Tartars.' Hood. [Colloq.] Slank (slangk), pret. of slink. Slant (slant), a. [Sc. selent, sloping, oblique: Prov. E. slent, to slope; Sw. slinta, to slide or glide down; other connections doubtful} Sloping; oblique; inclined from a direct line, whether horizontal or perpendicular. The slant lightning.' Milton. Slant (slant), v.t. 1. To turn from a direct line; to give an oblique or sloping direction to.-2. To hold or stretch out in a slanting direction: with out. Two noble steeds, and palfreys twain, Were slanting out their necks with loosen'd rein Keats Slant (slant), n. 1. An oblique direction or plane; a slope. It lies on a slant C. Richardson.-2. An oblique reflection or gibe; a sarcastic remark.-Slant of wind (naut), a transitory breeze of wind, or the period of its duration. Slant (slant), v.i. To slope; to lie obliquely. On the side of yonder slanting hill. Dodsley. Slantingly (slant'ing-li), adv. In a slanting manner: (a) with a slope or inclination: (b) with an oblique hint or remark. Strype Slantly, Slantwise (slant'li, slant'wiz),ade. Obliquely; in an inclined direction. Slap (slap), n. [LG. slappe, G. schlappe, a slap, slappen, schlappen, to slap; probably from the sound.] 1. A blow given with the open hand, or with something broad-2 A gap; a breach in a wall or fence. [Provin cial English and Scotch.] Slap (slap), vt. pret. & pp. slapped; pp. slapping. 1. To strike with the open hand or with something broad. Milton. -2 In masonry, to break out an opening in a solid wall. [Local.] Slap (slap), ade. With a sudden and violent blow; plumply. [Colloq.] |