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An extortioner; a sharp bargainer; a skinflint; a niggard. Thackeray.

with the chisel on, in, or from, wood, stone, or metal; to carve; to engrave. Sculptured tortoise (Zoöl.), a common North American wood tortoise (Glyptemys insculpta). The shell is marked with strong grooving and ridges which resemble sculptured figures.

of the family Serpulidæ. They secrete a calcareous tube, which is usually irregularly contorted, but is sometimes spirally coiled. The worm has a wreath of plumelike and often bright-colored gills around its head, and usually an operculum to close the aperture of its tube when it retracts.

The humbling of a person by act or words, especially by a retort or a reproof; the retort or the reproof which has such effect.

A small tortricid moth whose larva sews together the edges of a leaf by means of silk; as, the apple-leaf sewer (Phoxopteris nubeculana)

oving the beard; to cut closely; hence, to be hard and severe in a bargain; to practice extortion; to cheat.

ncealed by the mantle. Also, the hard covering of some vertebrates, as the armadillo, the tortoise, and the like.

together, or make strong with, or as with, sinews. Shak. Wretches, now stuck up for long tortures . . . might, if properly treated, serve to sinew the state in time of danger. Goldsmith.

A tortoise; in ancient warfare, a movable roof or shed to protect besiegers; a testudo. [Obs.] They had also all manner of gynes [engines] . . . that needful is [in] taking or sieging of castle or of city, as snails, that was naught else but hollow pavises and targets, under the which men, when they fought, were heled…

A kind of knotweed (Polygonum Bistorta).

A smile, grin, or contortion of the face, indicative of contempt; an indirect expression or insinuation of contempt. "Who can refute a sneer" Raley.

. -- Soft-tack, leavened bread, as distinguished from hard-tack, or ship bread. -- Soft tortoise (Zoöl.), any river tortoise of the genus Trionyx. See Trionyx.

d crab. (Zoöl.) See the Note under Crab, 1. -- Soft-shelled turtle. (Zoöl.) Same as Soft tortoise, under Soft.

ore being taken to jail, or until they compromise with their creditors. At these houses extortionate charges are commonly made for food, lodging, etc.

With a heavy fall; plump. [Vulgar] The eagle took the tortoise up into the air, and dropped him down, squab, upon a rock. L'Estrange.

on of certain judges. It could proceed on mere rumor or examine witnesses; it could apply torture. It was abolished by the Long Parliament in 1641. Encyc. Brit.

llation of liquids; specifically, one used for the distillation of alcoholic liquors; a retort. The name is sometimes applied to the whole apparatus used in in vaporization and condensation.

The musk turtle, or musk tortoise. See under Musk.

A contortion, or twist. [Obs.] If you talk, Or pull your face into a stitch again, I shall be angry. Marston.

The operation for the removal of squinting by the division of such muscles as distort the eyeball.