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, in modern usage, occasionally, a person who questions whether any truth or fact can be established on philosophical grounds; sometimes, a critical inquirer, in opposition to a dogmatist. All this criticism [of Hume] proceeds upon the erroneous hypothesis that he was a dogmatist. He was a skeptic; that is, he accepted…

niversal doubt; the position that no fact or truth, however worthy of confidence, can be established on philosophical grounds; critical investigation or inquiry, as opposed to the positive assumption or assertion of certain principles.

Unstable; changeable; mutable; uncertain; inconstant; fickle. "The slippery state of kings." Denham.

apable of being readily shifted. The sloop usually carries a centerboard, and depends for stability upon breadth of beam rather than depth of keel. The two types have rapidly approximated since 1880. One radical distinction is that a slop may carry a centerboard. See Cutter, and Illustration in Appendix. Sloop of war,…

ing combined, as in common salt, in albite, etc. It is isolated as a soft, waxy, white, unstable metal, so readily oxidized that it combines violently with water, and to be preserved must be kept under petroleum or some similar liquid. Sodium is used combined in many salts, in the free state as a reducer, and as a mean…

Firm; compact; strong; stable; unyielding; as, a solid pier; a solid pile; a solid wall.

r, -- opposed to openness or hollowness; strength; soundness, -- opposed to weakness or instability; the primary quality or affection of matter by which its particles exclude or resist all others; hardness; massiveness. That which hinders the approach of two bodies when they are moving one toward another, I call solidi…

o called because these yachts do not conform to the restrictions for the regular classes established by the rules of the International Yacht Racing Union. In yachts of the sonderclass, as prescribed for the season of 1911, the aggregate of the length on water line, extreme beam, and extreme draft must be not more than…

ther of them, in water, -- commonly seasoned or flavored; strong broth. Soup kitchen, an establishment for preparing and supplying soup to the poor. -- Soup ticket, a ticket conferring the privilege of receiving soup at a soup kitchen.

A sharp-pointed instrument with barbs, used for stabbing fish and other animals.

laintiff, or surrender himself into custody. Tomlins. Wharton (Law Dict.). -- Special constable. See under Constable. Bouvier. -- Special damage (Law), a damage resulting from the act complained of, as a natural, but not the necessary, consequence of it. -- Special demurrer (Law), a demurrer for some defect of form…

Involving, or formed by, speculation; ideal; theoretical; not established by demonstration. Cudworth.

To stab. [Obs.] Gammer Gurton's Needle.

A pole, stick, or wand borne as an ensign of authority; a badge of office; as, a constable's staff. Methought this staff, mine office badge in court, Was broke in twain. Shak. All his officers brake their staves; but at their return new staves were delivered unto them. Hayward.

ed spot; hence, the stand or place where a horse or an ox kept and fed; the division of a stable, or the compartment, for one horse, ox, or other animal. "In an oxes stall." Chaucer.

Stabling. Tennyson.

That which is established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, extent, value, or quality; esp., the original specimen weight or measure sanctioned by government, as the standard pound, gallon, or yard.

Established by law, custom, or the like; settled; continually existing; permanent; not temporary; as, a standing army; legislative bodies have standing rules of proceeding and standing committees.

taples of the United States. We should now say, Cotton is the great staple, that is, the established merchandize, of Manchester. Trench.

To set; to settle; to establish. [R.] I myself, though meanest stated, And in court now almost hated. Wither. Who calls the council, states the certain day. Pope.