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me to a more shallow part of; as, a ship shoals her water by advancing into that which is less deep. Marryat.

Less important, efficaceous, or powerful; not equal or equivalent; less (than); -- with of. Hardly anything short of an invasion could rouse them again to war. Landor.

To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen; to abridge; to curtail; to contract; as, to shorten work, an allowance of food, etc. Here, where the subject is so fruitful, I am shortened by my chain. Dryden.

A sucking whale less than one year old; -- so called by sailors.

An implement consisting of a broad scoop, or more or less hollow blade, with a handle, used for lifting and throwing earth, coal, grain, or other loose substances. Shovel hat, a broad-brimmed hat, turned up at the sides, and projecting in front like a shovel, - - worn by some clergy of the English Church. [Colloq.] --…

To wrinkle, bend, or curl; to shrivel; hence, to contract into a less extent or compass; to gather together; to become compacted. And on a broken reed he still did stay His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay. Spenser. I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room.…

The act of shrinking; a contraction into less bulk or measurement.

A woody plant of less size than a tree, and usually with several stems from the same root.

Wanting sight; without sight; blind. Of all who blindly creep or sightless soar. Pope.

nd long-tailed Asiatic pheasants, of the genus Euplocamus. They have the tail and more or less of the upper parts silvery white. The most common species (E. nychtemerus) is native of China. -- Silver plate, domestic utensils made of silver. -- Silver plover (Zoöl.), the knot. -- Silver salmon (Zoöl.), a salmon (Onco…

To make simple; to make less complex; to make clear by giving the explanation for; to show an easier or shorter process for doing or making. The collection of duties is drawn to a point, and so far simplified. A. Hamilton. It is important, in scientific pursuits, to be caitious in simplifying our deductions. W. Nichols…

pretense; sincereness. I protest, in the sincerity of love. Shak. Sincerity is a duty no less plain than important. Knox.

Free from sin. Piers Plowman. -- Sin"less*ly, adv. -- Sin"less*ness, n.

to rank, ability, character, etc.; as, the office demands a man of larger size. Men of a less size and quality. L'Estrange. The middling or lower size of people. Swift.

s of the body and head, give a somewhat rhombic form to these fishes. The skin is more or less spinose.

The more or less firm or hardened framework of an invertebrate animal.

Wanting skill. Shak.

ass over or by without notice; to omit; to miss; as, to skip a line in reading; to skip a lesson. They who have a mind to see the issue may skip these two chapters. Bp. Burnet.

To become slack; to be made less tense, firm, or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather.

To abate; to become less decided. [R.] Shak.