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Forced; unnatural; insincere; hence, derisive, mocking, malignant, or bitterly sarcastic; -- applied only to a laugh, smile, or some facial semblance of gayety. Where strained, sardonic smiles are glozing still, And grief is forced to laugh against her will. Sir H. Wotton. The scornful, ferocious, sardonic grin of a bl…

A staff or baton borne by a sovereign, as a ceremonial badge or emblem of authority; a royal mace. And the king held out Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Esther v. 2.

Hardening of the cell wall by lignification. Cerebro-spinal sclerosis (Med.), an affection in which patches of hardening, produced by increase of the neuroglia and atrophy of the true nerve tissue, are found scattered throughout the brain and spinal cord. It is associated with complete or partial paralysis, a peculiar…

The ceremonial observed by one of the Masonic systems, called in full the Ancient and Accepted Scotch Rite; also, the system itself, which confers thirty-three degrees, of which the first three are nearly identical with those of the York rite.

The act of jostling and pushing for something desired; eager and unceremonious struggle for what is thrown or held out; as, a scramble for office. Scarcity [of money] enhances its price, and increases the scramble. Locke.

A greedy and unceremonious contestant.

Cerecloth. Mortimer.

A genus of cereal grasses including rye.

s and dignitaries, in the Middle Ages, who had the superintendence of feasts and domestic ceremonies; a steward. Sometimes the seneschal had the dispensing of justice, and was given high military commands. Then marshaled feast Served up in hall with sewers and seneschale. Milton. Philip Augustus, by a famous ordinance…

th in sensation and volition; -- applied to those nerve fibers which pass to and from the cerebro-spinal axis, and are respectively concerned in sensation and volition. Dunglison.

, or concerning, the body, in distinction from the spirit. Pleasing and sensual rites and ceremonies. Bacon. Far as creation's ample range extends, The scale of sensual, mental powers ascends. Pope.

A large wax candle used in the ceremonies of various churches.

devotion; official religious duty performed; religious rites appropriate to any event or ceremonial; as, a burial service. The outward service of ancient religion, the rites, ceremonies, and ceremonial vestments of the old law. Coleridge.

e's self; to undertake earnestly; -- now followed by out. If he sets industriously and sincerely to perform the commands of Christ, he can have no ground of doubting but it shall prove successful to him. Hammond.

uddhist sect of Japan, resting its faith rather upon Amida than Gautama Buddha. Rites and ceremonies are held useless without uprightness.

Not given to artifice, stratagem, or duplicity; undesigning; sincere; true. Full many fine men go upon my score, as simple as I stand here, and I trust them. Marston. Must thou trust Tradition's simple tongue Byron. To be simple is to be great. Emerson.

Sincere; inguenuous; guileless. Sir W. Scott.

The quality or state of being sincere; honesty of mind or intention; freedom from simulation, hypocrisy, disguise, or false pretense; sincereness. I protest, in the sincerity of love. Shak. Sincerity is a duty no less plain than important. Knox.

Not deceitful or artful; honest; sincere. I speak it with a single heart. Shak.

Honestly; sincerely; simply. [R.] Johnson.