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A prefix or combining form signifying backward, back; as, retroact, to act backward; retrospect, a looking back.

A suffix signifying dominion, jurisdiction; as, bishopric, the district over which a bishop exercises authority.

A prefix (also used adjectively) signifying rose-red; specifically used to designate certain rose-red compounds (called roseo-cobaltic compounds) of cobalt with ammonia. Cf. Luteo-.

A combining form usually signifying an instrument for viewing (with the eye) or observing (in any way); as in microscope, telescope, altoscope, anemoscope.

To mark or signify by lines or notches; to keep record or account; to set down; to record; to charge. Madam, I know when, Instead of five, you scored me ten. Swift. Nor need I tallies thy dear love to score. Shak.

them was formerly considered perilous; hence, the saying "Between Scylla and Charybdis," signifying a great peril on either hand.

A word of doubtful meaning, occuring frequently in the Psalms; by some, supposed to signify silence or a pause in the musical performance of the song. Beyond the fact that Selach is a musical term, we know absolutely nothing about it. Dr. W. Smith (Bib. Dict.)

A prefix signifying half, and sometimes partly or imperfectly; as, semiannual, half yearly; semitransparent, imperfectly transparent.

Forcing or forced; -- a direction placed over a note, to signify that it must be executed with peculiar emphasis and force; -- marked fz (an abbreviation of forzando), sf, sfz, or

y a sign; to make known in a typical or emblematic manner, in distinction from speech; to signify. I signed to Browne to make his retreat. Sir W. Scott.

Especially, the name of any person, written with his own hand, employed to signify that the writing which precedes accords with his wishes or intentions; a sign manual; an autograph.

Fitted or designed to signify or make known somethingl having a meaning; standing as a sign or token; expressive or suggestive; as, a significant word or sound; a significant look. It was well said of Plotinus, that the stars were significant, but not efficient. Sir W. Raleigh.

The act of signifying; a making known by signs or other means. A signification of being pleased. Landor. All speaking or signification of one's mind implies an act or addres of one man to another. South.

To make a difference; to signify; to matter; -- used impersonally. Spenser. What skills it, if a bag of stones or gold About thy neck do drown thee Herbert. It skills not talking of it. Sir W. Scott.

To signify; to import; to denote. [Obs.] Milton. Soun[d]ing alway the increase of his winning. Chaucer.

Let it stand; -- a word used by proof readers to signify that something once erased, or marked for omission, is to remain.

ivity in the organism, or in any of its parts; -- sometimes used without qualification to signify an alcoholic beverage used as a stimulant.

The extent to which anything may be stretched. Quotations, in their utmost stretch, can signify no more than that Luther lay under severe agonies of mind. Atterbury. This is the utmost stretch that nature can. Granville.

To lower a flag, or colors, in token of respect, or to signify a surrender of a ship to an enemy. That the English ships of war should not strike in the Danish seas. Bp. Burnet.

A prefix signifying under, below, beneath, and hence often, in an inferior position or degree, in an imperfect or partial state, as in subscribe, substruct, subserve, subject, subordinate, subacid, subastringent, subgranular, suborn. Sub- in Latin compounds often becomes sum- before m, sur before r, and regularly becom…