Search the Dictionary

To fix the mind closely upon a subject; to dwell upon anything in thought; to muse; to ponder. Chaucer. I found a moral first, and then studied for a fable. Swift.

st or crowd; to press; to pack. Put roses into a glass with a narrow mouth, stuffing them close together . . . and they retain smell and color. Bacon.

nd the rod or shaft for containing packing which is compressed and made to fill the space closely by means of a sleeve, called the gland, which fits loosely around the rod, and is pressed upon the packing by bolts or other means.

Ill-ventilated; close.

ten also stiptic.] Styptic weed (Bot.), an American leguminous herb (Cassia occidentalis) closely related to the wild senna.

To follow closely, or so as to overtake; to pursue. [Obs.] To follow and detain him, if by any possibility he could be subsecuted and overtaken. E. Hall.

A California food fish (Menticirrus undulatus) closely allied to the kingfish (a); -- called also bagre.

Very hot and moist, or hot, close, stagnant, and oppressive, as air. When in the sultry glebe I faint, Or on the thirsty mountain plant. Addison.

Everything on the surface of a piece of ground, or of a building, so closely connected by art or nature as to constitute a part of it, as houses, or other superstructures, fences, trees, vines, etc.

A meal taken at the close of the day; the evening meal.

s coat to be worn over his other garments; an overcoat, especially when long, and fitting closely like a body coat. Gay.

ining from ancient times, the origin of which is often unknown, or imperfectly known. The close bearing of the doctrine of survival on the study of manners and customs. Tylor. Survival of the fittest. (Biol.) See Natural selection, under Natural.

sparrow (Zoöl.), a common North American sparrow (Melospiza Georgiana, or M. palustris), closely resembling the song sparrow. It lives in low, swampy places. -- Swamp willow. (Bot.) See Pussy willow, under Pussy.

Sward; short grass. Grassy swarth, close cropped by nibbling sheep. Cowper.

tilinear, while various decorative designs, as Greek fret or meander, are derived from or closely associated with it. The swastika is found in remains from the Bronze Age in various parts of Europe, esp. at Hissarlik (Troy), and was in frequent use as late as the 10th century. It is found in ancient Persia, in India, w…

A short run by a race horse in exercise. Sweat box (Naut.), a small closet in which refractory men are confined. -- Sweat glands (Anat.), sudoriferous glands. See under Sudoriferous.

To descend with closed wings from a height upon prey, as a hawk; to swoop.

rce; violence. Milton. -- Sword lily. (Bot.) See Gladiolus. -- Sword mat (Naut.), a mat closely woven of yarns; -- so called from a wooden implement used in its manufacture. -- Sword shrimp (Zoöl.), a European shrimp (Pasiphæa sivado) having a very thin, compressed body. -- Sword stick, a sword cane. -- To measure…

hful friends. -- Sworn enemies, determined or irreconcilable enemies. -- Sworn friends, close friends.

The living together in more or less imitative association or even close union of two dissimilar organisms. In a broad sense the term includes parasitism, or antagonistic, or antipathetic, symbiosis, in which the association is disadvantageous or destructive to one of the organisms, but ordinarily it is used of cases wh…