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t. See Illust. under Knot. -- Single whip (Naut.), a single rope running through a fixed block.

or of the same condition; -- generally used adjectively; as, sister fruits. Pope. Sister Block (Naut.), a tackle block having two sheaves, one above the other. -- Sister hooks, a pair of hooks fitted together, the shank of one forming a mousing for the other; -- called also match hook. -- Sister of charity, Sister o…

A fool; a blockhead. [R.] Shak. Half snipe, the dunlin; the jacksnipe. -- Jack snipe. See Jacksnipe. -- Quail snipe. See under Quail. -- Robin snipe, the knot. -- Sea snipe. See in the Vocabulary. -- Shore snipe, any sandpiper. -- Snipe hawk, the marsh harrier. [Prov. Eng.] -- Stone snipe, the tattler. -- Summer…

A plain block or plinth forming a low pedestal; any base; especially, the base of a statue, column, or the like. See Plinth.

Chance; lot; destiny. [Obs.] By aventure, or sort, or cas [chance]. Chaucer. Let blockish Ajax draw The sort to fight with Hector. Shak.

A stupid person; a blockhead; a dull fellow; a dolt. [Obs.] outh. In Egypt oft has seen the sot bow down, And reverence some dOldham.

A chip or fragment, especially a chip of stone as struck off the block by the hammer, having at least one feather-edge.

en together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action. Span blocks (Naut.), blocks at the topmast and topgallant-mast heads, for the studding-sail halyards. -- Span counter, an old English child's game, in which one throws a counter on the ground, and another tries to hit it with his coun…

s and a three-seeded fruit. -- Spanish burton (Naut.), a purchase composed of two single blocks. A double Spanish burton has one double and two single blocks. Luce (Textbook of Seamanship). -- Spanish chalk (Min.), a kind of steatite; -- so called because obtained from Aragon in Spain. -- Spanish cress (Bot.), a cru…

mals; also, the fat of the hippopotamus. Speck falls (Naut.), falls or ropes rove through blocks for hoisting the blubber and bone of whales on board a whaling vessel.

A kind of drawing knife or planing tool for dressing the spokes of wheels, the shells of blocks, and other curved work.

An area of four sides, generally with houses on each side; sometimes, a solid block of houses; also, an open place or area for public use, as at the meeting or intersection of two or more streets. The statue of Alexander VII. stands in the large square of the town. Addison.

under Order. -- Standing part. (Naut.) (a) That part of a tackle which is made fast to a block, point, or other object. (b) That part of a rope around which turns are taken with the running part in making a knot of the like. -- Standing rigging (Naut.), the cordage or rope which sustain the masts and remain fixed in…

A spar, with a block at one end, used in stowing cotton bales, and similar kinds of cargo which need to be packed tightly.

eral, a framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specif., a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast.

e art or process of making such plates, or of executing work by means of them. Stereotype block, a block, usually of wood, to which a stereotype plate is attached while being used in printing.

A block of wood; something fixed and solid; a pillar; a firm support; a post. All our fathers worshiped stocks and stones. Milton. Item, for a stock of brass for the holy water, seven shillings; which, by the canon, must be of marble or metal, and in no case of brick. Fuller.

Like a stock; stupid; blockish. Since naught so stockish, hard, and full of rage, But music for the time doth change his nature. Shak.

A device, or piece, as a pin, block, pawl, etc., for arresting or limiting motion, or for determining the position to which another part shall be brought.

A piece of rope or metal passing around a block and used for fastening it to anything.