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The science of meanings or sense development (of words); the explanation of the development and changes of the meanings of words. --Se*ma`si*o*log"ic*al (#), a.

mental capacity; understanding; also, that which is sound, true, or reasonable; rational meaning. "He speaks sense." Shak. He raves; his words are loose As heaps of sand, and scattering wide from sense. Dryden.

Full of sense, meaning, or reason; reasonable; judicious. [R.] "Senseful speech." Spenser. "Men, otherwise senseful and ingenious." Norris.

Sense; meaning; significance. [Obs.] Tales of best sentence and most solace. Chaucer. The discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence. Milton.

Abounding with sentences, axioms, and maxims; full of meaning; terse and energetic in expression; pithy; as, a sententious style or discourse; sententious truth. How he apes his sire, Ambitiously sententious! Addison.

ption of external objects. Reid. Sentiment, as here and elsewhere employed by Reid in the meaning of opinion (sententia), is not to be imitated. Sir W. Hamilton.

A combining form meaning seven; as, septifolious, seven-leaved; septi-lateral, seven-sided.

A combining form meaning six; as, sexdigitism; sexennial.

thing which is distinguished from others similar by slight differences; as, the shades of meaning in synonyms. New shades and combinations of thought. De Quincey. Every shade of religious and political opinion has its own headquarters. Macaulay. The Shades, the Nether World; the supposed abode of souls after leaving th…

shall, and the event is described as certain to occur, and the expression approximates in meaning to our emphatic "I will go." In a question, the relation of speaker and source of obligation is of course transferred to the person addressed; as, "Shall you go" (answer, "I shall go"); "Shall he go" i. e., "Do you require…

That which is signified; meaning; import; as, the significance of a nod, of a motion of the hand, or of a word or expression.

Fitted or designed to signify or make known somethingl having a meaning; standing as a sign or token; expressive or suggestive; as, a significant word or sound; a significant look. It was well said of Plotinus, that the stars were significant, but not efficient. Sir W. Raleigh.

That which is signified or made known; that meaning which a sign, character, or token is intended to convey; as, the signification of words.

Having signification or meaning; expressive of a meaning or purpose; significant. Neither in the degrees of kindred they were destitute of significative words. Camden. -- Sig*nif"i*ca*tive*ly, adv. -- Sig*nif"i*ca*tive*ness, n.

An erroneous form of the Scotch word slughorne, or sloggorne, meaning slogan.

se also of St. Simon and Fourier . . . The word, however, is used with a great variety of meaning, . . . even by economists and learned critics. The general tendency is to regard as socialistic any interference undertaken by society on behalf of the poor, . . . radical social reform which disturbs the present system of…

True; faithful; trustworthy. [Obs. or Scot.] The sentence [meaning] of it sooth is, out of doubt. Chaucer. That shall I sooth (said he) to you declare. Spensser.

To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study. [Obs.] Where I may sit and rightly spell Of every star that heaven doth shew, And every herb that sips the dew. Milton.

Intent; real meaning; -- opposed to the letter, or to formal statement; also, characteristic quality, especially such as is derived from the individual genius or the personal character; as, the spirit of an enterprise, of a document, or the like.

To give a spiritual meaning to; to take in a spiritual sense; -- opposed to literalize.