SKIRTING — SLEAZY
SKIRTING, ppr. Bordering; forming a border.
SKIT, n. A wanton girl; a reflection; a jeer or jibe; a whim.
SKIT, v.t. To cast reflections.
1. Shy; easily frightened; shunning familiarity; timorous; as a restif skittish jade. L’Estrange.NWAD SKITTISH.2
2. Wanton; volatile; hasty.NWAD SKITTISH.3
3. Changeable; fickle; as skittish fortune.NWAD SKITTISH.4
SKITTISHLY, adv. Shyly; wantonly; changeably.
1. Shyness; aptness to fear approach; timidity.NWAD SKITTISHNESS.2
2. Fickleness; wantonness.NWAD SKITTISHNESS.3
SKOLEZITE, n. A mineral allied to Thomsonite, occurring crystallized and massive, colorless and nearly transparent. When a small portion of it is placed in the exterior flame of the blowpipe, it twists like a worm, becomes opake, and is converted into a blebby colorless glass.
SKONCE, [See Sconce.]
SKORADITE, n. A mineral of a greenish color of different shades or brown and nearly black, resembling the martial arseniate of copper. It occurs massive, but generally crystallized in rectangular prisms.
SKREEN. [See Screen.]
SKRINGE, properly scringe; a vulgar corruption of cringe.
SKUE. [See Skew.]
SKUG, v.t. To hide.
SKULK, v.i. To lurk; to withdraw into a corner or into a close place for concealment [See Sculk.]
1. The bone that forms the exterior of the head, and incloses the brain; the brain-pan. It is composed of several parts united at the sutures.NWAD SKULL.2
2. A person.NWAD SKULL.3
Skulls that cannot teach and will not learn.NWAD SKULL.4
3. Skull, for skeal or school, of fishNWAD SKULL.5
1. A head piece.NWAD SKULL-CAP.2
2. A plant of the genus Scutellaria.NWAD SKULL-CAP.3
SKUNK, n. In America, the popular name of a fetid animal of the weasel kind; the Viverra Mephitis of Linne.
SKUNK-CABBAGE, SKUNK-WEED, n. A plant vulgarly so called, the Tetodes fatidus, so named from its smell.
SKUTE, n. A boat. [See Scow.]
1. The aerial region which surrounds the earth; the apparent arch or vault of heaven, which in a clear day is of a blue color.NWAD SKY.2
2. The heavens.NWAD SKY.3
3. The weather; the climate.NWAD SKY.4
4. A cloud; a shadow.NWAD SKY.5
SKY-COLORED, a. Like the sky in color; blue; azure.
SKY-DYED, a. Colored like the sky.
SKYEY, a. Like the sky; etherial.
SKYISH, a. Like the sky, or approaching the sky. The skyish head of blue Olympus.
SKYLARK, n. A lark that mounts and sings as it flies.
SKY-LIGHT, n. A window placed in the top of a house or ceiling of a room for admission of light.
SKY-ROCKET, n. A rocket that ascends high and burns as it flies; a species of fire works.
SLAB, a. Thick; viscous. [Not used.]
SLAB, n.
1. A plane or table of stone; as a marble slab.NWAD SLAB.3
2. An outside piece taken from timber in sawing it into boards, planks, etc.NWAD SLAB.4
3. A puddle. [See Slop.]NWAD SLAB.5
SLABS OF TIN, the lesser masses which the workers cast the metal into. These are run into molds of stone.
SLABBER, v.i. To let the saliva or other liquid fall from the mouth carelessly; to drivel. It is also written slaver.
SLABBER, v.t.
1. To sup up hastily, as liquid food.NWAD SLABBER.3
2. To wet and foul by liquids suffered to fall carelessly from the mouth.NWAD SLABBER.4
3. To shed; to spill.NWAD SLABBER.5
SLABBERERM, n. One that slabbers; an idiot.
1. Thick; viscous. [Not much used.]NWAD SLABBY.2
2. Wet. [See Sloppy.]NWAD SLABBY.3
SLAB-LINE, n. A line or small rope by which seamen truss up the main-sail or fore-sail.
1. Not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as a slack rope; slack rigging; slack shrouds.NWAD SLACK.2
2. Weak; remiss; not holding fast; as a slack hand.NWAD SLACK.3
3. Remiss; backward; not using due diligence; not earnest or eager; as slack in duty or service; slack in business.NWAD SLACK.4
4. Not violent; not rapid; slow; as a slack pace.NWAD SLACK.5
SLACK IN STAYS, in seamen’s language, slow in going about; as a ship.
SLACK WATER, in seamen’s language, the time when the tide runs slowly, or the water is at rest; or the interval between the flux and reflux of the tide.
SLACK, adv. Partially; insufficiently; not intensely; as slack dried hops; bread slack baked.
SLACK, n. The part of a rope that hangs loose, having no stress upon it.
SLACK, SLACKEN, v.i.
1. To become less tense, firm or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather.NWAD SLACK.4
2. To be remiss or backward; to neglect. Deuteronomy 23:21.NWAD SLACK.5
3. To lose cohesion or the quality of adhesion; as, lime slacks and crumbles into power.NWAD SLACK.6
4. To abate; to become less violent. Whence these raging fires will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames.NWAD SLACK.7
5. To lose rapidity; to become more slow; as, a current of water slackens; the tide slackens.NWAD SLACK.8
6. To languish; to fail; to flag.NWAD SLACK.9
SLACK, SLACKEN, v.t.
1. To lessen tension; to make less tense or tight; as, to slacken a rope or a bandage.NWAD SLACK.11
2. To relax; to remit; as, to slacken exertion or labor.NWAD SLACK.12
3. To mitigate; to diminish in severity; as, to slacken pain.NWAD SLACK.13
4. To become more slow; to lessen rapidity; as, to slacken one’s pace.NWAD SLACK.14
5. To abate; to lower; as, to slacken the heat of a fire.NWAD SLACK.15
6. To relieve; to unbend; to remit; as, to slacken cares.NWAD SLACK.16
7. To withhold; to use less liberally.NWAD SLACK.17
8. To deprive or cohesion; as, to slack lime.NWAD SLACK.18
9. To repress; to check. I should be griev’d young prince, to think my presence unbent you thoughts and slacken’d ‘em to arms.NWAD SLACK.19
10. To neglect. Slack not the good presage.NWAD SLACK.20
11. To repress, or make less quick or active.NWAD SLACK.21
SLACK, n. Small coal; coal broken into small parts.
SLACK, n. A valley or small shallow dell.
SLACKEN, n. Among miners, a spungy semi-vitrified substance which they mix with the ores of metals to prevent their fusion.
1. Not tightly; loosely.NWAD SLACKLY.2
2. Negligently; remissly.NWAD SLACKLY.3
1. Looseness; the state opposite to tension; not tightness or rigidness; as the slackness of a cord or rope.NWAD SLACKNESS.2
2. Remissness; negligence; inattention; as the slackness of men in business or duty; slackness in the performance of engagements.NWAD SLACKNESS.3
3. Slowness; tardiness; want of tendency; as the slackness of flesh to heal.NWAD SLACKNESS.4
4. Weakness; not intenseness.NWAD SLACKNESS.5
SLADE, n. A little dell or valley; also, a flat piece of low moist ground.
SLAG, n. The dross or recrement of a metal; or vitrified cinders.
SLAIE, n. A weaver’s reed.
SLAIN, pp. of slay; so written for slayen. Killed.
SLAKE, v.t. To quench; to extinguish; as, to slake thirst. And slake the heav’nly fire.
SLAKE, v.i.
1. To go out; to become extinct.NWAD SLAKE.3
2. To grow less tense. [a mistake for slack.]NWAD SLAKE.4
1. To strike with force and noise; to shut against; a violent shutting of a door.NWAD SLAM.2
2. To beat; to cuff.NWAD SLAM.3
3. To strike down; to slaughter.NWAD SLAM.4
4. To win all the tricks in a hand; as we say, to take all at a stroke or dash.NWAD SLAM.5
SLAM, n.
1. A violent driving and dashing against; a violent shutting of a door.NWAD SLAM.7
2. Defeat at cards, or the winning of all the tricks.NWAD SLAM.8
3. The refuse of alum-works; used in Yorkshire as a manure, with sea weed and lime.NWAD SLAM.9
SLAMKIN, SLAMMERKIN, n. A slut; a slatternly woman. [Not used.]
1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered. and tending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, by exposing min to impeachment and punishment, or by impairing his means of lining; defamation. Slander, that worst of poisons, ever finds an easy entrance to ignoble minds.NWAD SLANDER.2
2. Disgrace; reproach; disreputation; ill name.NWAD SLANDER.3
SLANDER, v.t. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report respecting one; to tarnish or impair the reputation of one by false tales, maliciously told or propagated.
SLANDERED, pp. Defamed; injured in good name by false and malicious reports.
SLANDERER, n. A defamer; one who injures another by maliciously reporting something to his prejudice.
1. That utters defamatory words or tales; as a slanderous tongue.NWAD SLANDEROUS.2
2. Containing slander or defamation; calumnious; as slanderous words, speeches or reports, false and maliciously uttered.NWAD SLANDEROUS.3
3. Scandalous; reproachful.NWAD SLANDEROUS.4
SLANDEROUSLY, adv. With slander; calumniously; with false and malicious reproach.
SLANDEROUSNESS, n. The state or quality of being slanderous or defamatory.
SLANG, old pret. of sling. We now use slung.
SLANG, n. Low vulgar unmeaning language. [Low.]
SLANK, n. A plant. [alga marina.]
SLANT, STANTING, a. Sloping; oblique; inclined from a direct line, whether horizontal or perpendicular; as a slanting ray of light; a slanting floor.
SLANT, v.t. To turn form a direct line; to give an oblique or sloping direction to.
SLANT, n.
1. An oblique reflection or gibe; a sarcastic remark. [In vulgar use.]NWAD SLANT.4
2. A copper coin of Sweden, of which 196 pass for one rix-dollar.NWAD SLANT.5
SLANTINGLY, adv. With a slope or inclination; also, with an oblique hint or remark.
SLANTLY, SLANTWISE, adv. Obliquely; in an inclined direction.
SLAP, n. [L. alapa and schloppus.] A blow given with the open hand, or with something broad.
SLAP, v.t. To strike with the open hand, or with something broad.
SLAP, adv. With a sudden and violent blow.
SLAPDASH, adv. [slap and dash.] All at once.
SLAPE, a. Slippery; smooth.
1. To cut by striking violently and at random; to cut in long cuts.NWAD SLASH.2
2. To lash.NWAD SLASH.3
SLASH, v.i. To strike violently and at random with a sword, hanger or other edger instrument; to lay about one with blows. Hewing and slashing at their idle shades.
SLASH, n. A long cut; a cut made at random.
SLASHED, pp. Cut at random.
SLASHING, ppr. Striking violently and cutting at random.
SLAT, n. [This is doubtless the sloat of the English dictionaries. See Sloat.] A narrow piece of board or timber used to fasten together larger pieces; as the slats of a cart or a chair.
1. In seamen’s language, the period of a transitory breeze.NWAD SLATCH.2
2. An interval of fair weather.NWAD SLATCH.3
3. Slack.NWAD SLATCH.4
1. An argillaceous stone which readily splits into plates; argillite; argillaceous shist.NWAD SLATE.2
2. A piece of smooth argillaceous stone, used for covering buildings.NWAD SLATE.3
3. A piece of smooth stone of the above species, used for writing on.NWAD SLATE.4
SLATE, v.i. To cover with slate or plates of stone; as, to slate a roof. [It does not signify to tile.]
SLATE, SLETE, v.t. To set a dog loose at any thing.
SLATE-AX, n. A mattock with an ax-end; used in slating.
SLATED, pp. Covered with slates.
1. To be careless of dress and dirty.NWAD SLATER.2
2. To be careless, negligent or awkward; to spill carelessly.NWAD SLATER.3
SLATTERN, n. A woman who is negligent of her dress, or who suffers her clothes and furniture to be in disorder; one who is not neat and nice.
SLATTERN, v.i. To slattern away, to consume carelessly or wastefully; to waste.
SLATTERNLY, adv. Negligently; awkwardly.
SLATY, a. Resembling slate; having the nature or properties of slate; as a slaty color or texture; a slaty feel.
SLAUGHTER, n. slaw’ter [See Slay.]
1. In a general sense, a killing. Applied to men, slaughter usually denotes great destruction of life by violent means; as the slaughter of men in battle.NWAD SLAUGHTER.2
2. Applied to beasts, butchery; a killing of oxen or other beasts for market.NWAD SLAUGHTER.3
SLAUGHTER, v.t. slaw’ter.
1. To kill; to slay; to make great destruction of life; as, to slaughter men in battle.NWAD SLAUGHTER.5
2. To butcher; to kill for the market; as beasts.NWAD SLAUGHTER.6
SLAUGHTERED, pp. slaw’tered. Slain; butchered.
SLAUGHTER-HOUSE, n. slaw’ter-house, A house where beasts are butchered for the market.
SLAUGHTERING, ppr. slaw’tering, Killing; destroying human life; butchering,
SLAUGHTER-MAN, n. slaw’ter-man. One employed in killing.
SLAUGHTEROUS, a. slaw’terous. Destructive; murderous.
1. A person who is wholly subject to the will of another; one who has no will of his own, but whose person and services are wholly under the control of another. In the early state of the world, and to this day among some barbarous nations, prisoners of war are considered and treated as slaves. The slaves of modern times are more generally purchased, like horses and oxen.NWAD SLAVE.2
2. One who has lost the poser of resistance; or one who surrenders himself to any power whatever; as a slave to passion, to lust, to ambition.NWAD SLAVE.3
3. A mean person; one in the lowest state of life.NWAD SLAVE.4
4. A drudge; one who labors like a slave.NWAD SLAVE.5
SLAVE, v.i. To drudge; to toil; to labor as a slave.
SLAVEBORN, a. Born in slavery.
SLAVELIKE, a. Like or becoming a slave.
SLAVER, n. [the same as slabber.] Saliva driveling from the mouth.
SLAVER, v.i.
1. To suffer the spittle to issue from the mouth.NWAD SLAVER.3
2. To be besmeared with saliva.NWAD SLAVER.4
SLAVER, v.t. To smear with saliva issuing from the mouth; to defile with drivel.
SLAVERED, pp. Defiled with drivel.
SLAVERER, n. A driveler; an idiot.
SLAVERING, ppr. Letting fall saliva.
SLAVERY, n. [See Slave.]
1. Bondage; the state of entire subjection of one person to the will of another. Slavery is the obligation to labor for the benefit of the master, without the contract of consent of the servant. Slavery may proceed from crimes, from captivity or from debt. Slavery is also voluntary or involuntary; voluntary, when a person sells or yields his own person to the absolute command of another; involuntary, when he is placed under the absolute power of another without his own consent. Slavery no longer exists in Great Britain, not in the northern states of America.NWAD SLAVERY.2
2. The offices of a slave; drudgery.NWAD SLAVERY.3
SLAVE-TRADE, n. [slave and trade.] The barbarous and wicked business of purchasing men and women, transporting them to a distant country and selling them for slaves.
1. Pertaining to slaves; servile; mean; base; such as becomes a slave; as a slavish dependence on the great.NWAD SLAVEISH.2
2. Servile; laborious; consisting in drudgery; as a slavish life.NWAD SLAVEISH.3
SLAVISHLY, adv. Servilely; meanly; basely.
SLAVISHNESS, n. The state or quality of being slavish; servility; meanness.
SLAVONIC, a. Pertaining to the Slavons or ancient inhabitants of Russia.
SLAVONIC, n. The Slavonic language.
SLAY, v.t. pret. slew; pp. slain. [The proper sense is to strike, and as beating was an early mode of killing, this word, like smite, came to signify to kill. It seems to be formed on the root of lay; as we say to lay on.]
1. To kill; to put to death by a weapon or by violence. We say, he slew a man with a sword, with a stone, or with a club, or with other arms; but we never say, the serif slays a malefactor with a halter, or a man is slain on the gallows or by poison. So the slay retains something of its primitive sense of striking or beating. It is particularly applied to killing in battle, but is properly applied also to the killing of a individual man or beast.NWAD SLAY.2
2. To destroy.NWAD SLAY.3
SLAYER, n. One that slays; a killer; a murderer; an assassin; a destroyer of life.
SLAYING, ppr. Killing; destroying life.
SLEAVE, n. The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread; silk or thread untwisted.
SLEAVE, v.t. To separate threads; or to divide a collection of threads; to sley; a word used by weavers.
SLEAVED, a. Raw; not spun or wrought.
SLEAZY, SLEEZY, a. [probably from the root of loose.] Thin; flimsy; wanting firmness of texture or substance; as sleezy silk or muslin.