Search the Dictionary

Darkness; obscurity; -- often in the plural. The shades of night were falling fast. Longfellow.

A pair of shears; -- now always used in the plural, but formerly also in the singular. See Shears. On his head came razor none, nor shear. Chaucer. Short of the wool, and naked from the shear. Dryden.

A modest, diffident look; a loving glance; -- commonly in the plural. I saw her just now give him the languishing eye, as they call it; . . . of old called the sheep's-eye. Wycherley.

f a sheep. -- produced by glacial action. Called also roche moutonnée; -- usually in the plural.

inters, into which a brittle thing is broken by sudden violence; -- generally used in the plural. "All to shivers dashed." Milton.

of the human frame on which it is most easy to carry a heavy burden; -- often used in the plural. Then by main force pulled up, and on his shoulders bore The gates of Azza. Milton. Adown her shoulders fell her length of hair. Dryden.

A game with but one player on each side; -- usually in the plural.

Denoting one person or thing; as, the singular number; -- opposed to dual and Ant: plural.

an or boy, but sometimes to a woman. In sililoquies often preceded by ah. Not used in the plural. "Ah, sirrah mistress." Beau & Fl. Go, sirrah, to my cell. Shak.

That which is skimmed from the surface of a liquid; -- chiefly used in the plural; as, the skimmings of broth.

which in a clear day is of a blue color; the heavens; the firmament; -- sometimes in the plural. The Norweyan banners flout the sky. Shak.

Mean and weak drink or liquid food; -- usually in the plural.

ed, and often vicious population; any low neighborhood or dark retreat; -- usually in the plural; as, Westminster slums are haunts for theives. Dickens.

A thin, crisp cake, usually small, and flavored with ginger; -- used chiefly in the plural.

A male descendant, however distant; hence, in the plural, descendants in general. I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings. Isa. xix. 11. I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Mal. iii. 6.

the ocean, or other water, where a sounding line will reach the bottom; -- usually in the plural.

material, for playing a game, or for counting the score in a game, as in cribbage. In the plural (spilikins), a game played with such pieces; pushpin. [Written also spillikin, spilliken.]

on of mind; mental condition or disposition; intellectual or moral state; -- often in the plural; as, to be cheerful, or in good spirits; to be downhearted, or in bad spirits. God has . . . made a spirit of building succeed a spirit of pulling down. South. A perfect judge will read each work of wit With the same spirit…

f a successful party or faction, to be bestowed for its own advantage; -- commonly in the plural; as to the victor belong the spoils. From a principle of gratitude I adhered to the coalition; my vote was counted in the day of battle, but I was overlooked in the division of the spoil. Gibbon.

Marriage; nuptials; espousal; -- generally used in the plural; as, the spousals of Hippolita. Dryden. Boweth your head under that blissful yoke . . . Which that men clepeth spousal or wedlock. Chaucer. the spousals of the newborn year. Emerson.