Search the Dictionary

Voluntarily taken on one's self; as, self-imposed tasks.

- used especially of the ancient clans in Ireland. The chief, struck by the illustration, asked at once to be baptized, and all his sept followed his example. S. Lover.

A basket. [Obs.] Ainsworth.

o instigate. "Thou, traitor, hast set on thy wife to this." Shak. (b) To employ, as in a task. " Set on thy wife to observe." Shak. (c) To fix upon; to attach strongly to; as, to set one's heart or affections on some object. See definition 2, above. -- To set one's cap for. See under Cap, n. -- To set one's self agai…

ess from our age. Shak. I could scarcely shake him out of my company. Bunyan. To shake a cask (Naut.), to knock a cask to pieces and pack the staves. -- To shake hands, to perform the customary act of civility by clasping and moving hands, as an expression of greeting, farewell, good will, agreement, etc. -- To shake…

Trickery; fraud; petty rapine; as, to live upon the shark. [Obs.] South. Baskin shark, Liver shark, Nurse shark, Oil shark, Sand shark, Tiger shark, etc. See under Basking, Liver, etc. See also Dogfish, Houndfish, Notidanian, and Tope. -- Gray shark, the sand shark. -- Hammer-headed shark. See Hammerhead. -- Port Ja…

A thin, flat cork used for stopping a wide-mouthed bottle; also, a thin wooden bung for casks.

A set of staves and headings sufficient in number for one hogshead, cask, barrel, or the like, trimmed, and bound together in compact form.

; to advance; as, to shoot up rapidly. Well shot in years he seemed. Spenser. Delightful task! to rear the tender thought, To teach the young idea how to shoot. Thomson.

f or pertaining to shops, or one's own shop or business; as, shoppy talk. [Colloq.] Mrs. Gaskell.

To take upon the shoulder or shoulders; as, to shoulder a basket; hence, to assume the burden or responsibility of; as, to shoulder blame; to shoulder a debt. As if Hercules Or burly Atlas shouldered up their state. Marston. Right shoulder arms (Mil.), a position in the Manual of Arms which the piece is placed on the r…

seen; a spectacle; an exhibition; as, a traveling show; a cattle show. As for triumphs, masks, feasts, and such shows. Bacon.

t contends is right. Pope. They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task. Jowett (Thucyd.)

Sidelong; on the side; laterally; also, obliquely; askew. A fellow nailed up maps . . . some sideling, and others upside down. Swift.

On or toward one side; laterally; sideways. I saw them mask their awful glance Sidewise meek in gossamer lids. Emerson.

A kind of coarse basket. Simmonds. Sieve cells (Bot.), cribriform cells. See under Cribriform.

ple substance; a simple idea; a simple sound; a simple machine; a simple problem; simple tasks.

o roll to the top of a hill a huge stone, which constantly rolled back again, making his task incessant.

se 2), or widow. The players bid for the privilege of attempting any of several games or tasks, in most of which the player undertaking the game must take tricks counting in aggregate at least 61 (the counting cards being ace 11, ten 10, king 4, queen 3, jack 2). The four jacks are the best trumps, ranking club, spade,…

A coarse round farm basket. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Tusser.