Skulk - Slander

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{ Skulk (?), Skulker (?), } n. One who, or that which, skulks.
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Skulkingly, adv. In a skulking manner.
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Skull (?), n. [See a multitude.] A school, company, or shoal. [Obs.]
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A knavish skull of boys and girls did pelt at him. Warner.
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These fishes enter in great flotes and skulls. Holland.
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Skull, n. [OE. skulle, sculle, scolle; akin to Scot. skull, skoll, a bowl, Sw. skalle skull, skal a shell, and E. scale; cf. G. hirnschale, Dan. hierneskal. Cf. of a balance.] 1. (Anat.) The skeleton of the head of a vertebrate animal, including the brain case, or cranium, and the bones and cartilages of the face and mouth. See Illusts. of , of Facial angles under , and of Skeleton, in Appendix.
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☞ In many fishes the skull is almost wholly cartilaginous but in the higher vertebrates it is more or less completely ossified, several bones are developed in the face, and the cranium is made up, wholly or partially, of bony plates arranged in three segments, the frontal, parietal, and occipital, and usually closely united in the adult.
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2. The head or brain; the seat of intelligence; mind.
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Skulls that can not teach, and will not learn. Cowper.
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3. A covering for the head; a skullcap. [Obs. & R.]
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Let me put on my skull first. Beau. & Fl.
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4. A sort of oar. See .
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Coloq. Skull and crossbones , a symbol of death. See .
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Skullcap (?), n. 1. A cap which fits the head closely; also, formerly, a headpiece of iron sewed inside of a cap for protection.
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2. (Bot.) Any plant of the labiate genus Scutellaria, the calyx of whose flower appears, when inverted, like a helmet with the visor raised.
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3. (Zoöl.) The Lophiomys.
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Coloq. Mad-dog skullcap (Bot.), an American herb (Scetellaria lateriflora) formerly prescribed as a cure for hydrophobia.
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Skullfish (?), n. A whaler's name for a whale more than two years old.
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Skulpin (?), n. (Zoöl.) See .
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Skun (?), n. & v. See .
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Skunk (?), n. [Contr. from the Abenaki (American Indian) seganku.] (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of American musteline carnivores of the genus Mephitis and allied genera. They have two glands near the anus, secreting an extremely fetid liquid, which the animal ejects at pleasure as a means of defense.
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☞ The common species of the Eastern United States (Mephitis mephitica) is black with more or less white on the body and tail. The spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius), native of the Southwestern United States and Mexico, is smaller than the common skunk, and is variously marked with black and white.
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Coloq. Skunk bird , Coloq. Skunk blackbird (Zoöl.), the bobolink; -- so called because the male, in the breeding season, is black and white, like a skunk. -- Coloq. Skunk cabbage (Bot.), an American aroid herb (Symplocarpus fœtidus) having a reddish hornlike spathe in earliest spring, followed by a cluster of large cabbagelike leaves. It exhales a disagreeable odor. Also called swamp cabbage. -- Coloq. Skunk porpoise . (Zoöl.) See under .
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Skunk, v. t. In games of chance and skill: To defeat (an opponent) (as in cards) so that he fails to gain a point, or (in checkers) to get a king. [Colloq. U. S.]
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Skunkball (?), n. (Zoöl.) The surf duck.
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Skunkhead (?), n. (Zoöl.) (a) The surf duck. (b) A duck (Camptolaimus Labradorus) which formerly inhabited the Atlantic coast of New England. It is now supposed to be extinct. Called also Labrador duck, and pied duck.
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Skunkish, a. Like the skunk, especially in odor.
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Skunktop (?), n. (Zoöl.) The surf duck.
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Skunkweed (?), n. (Bot.) Skunk cabbage.
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Skurry (?), n. & v. See .
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Skute (?), n. [Icel. sk�ta; akin to Sw. skuta, Dan. skude, D. schuit, Lg. schüte, and E. schoot, v.t.] A boat; a small vessel. [Obs.] Sir R. Williams.
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Skutterudite (?), n. [From Skutterud, in Norway, whence it is obtained.] (Min.) A mineral of a bright metallic luster and tin-white to pale lead-gray color. It consists of arsenic and cobalt.
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Sky (skī), n.; pl. Skies (skīz). [OE. skie a cloud, Icel. skȳ; akin to Sw. & Dan. sky; cf. AS. scūa, scūwa, shadow, Icel. skuggi; probably from the same root as E. scum. √158. See , and cf. skin, .] 1. A cloud. [Obs.]
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[A wind] that blew so hideously and high,
That it ne lefte not a sky
In all the welkin long and broad. Chaucer.
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2. Hence, a shadow. [Obs.]
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She passeth as it were a sky. Gower.
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3. The apparent arch, or vault, of heaven, which in a clear day is of a blue color; the heavens; the firmament; -- sometimes in the plural.
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The Norweyan banners flout the sky. Shak.
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4. The wheather; the climate.
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Thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies. Shak.
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☞ Sky is often used adjectively or in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, sky color, skylight, sky-aspiring, sky-born, sky-pointing, sky-roofed, etc.
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Coloq. Sky blue , an azure color. -- Coloq. Sky scraper (Naut.), a skysail of a triangular form. Totten. -- Coloq. Under open sky , out of doors. “Under open sky adored.” Milton.
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Sky, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Skied (?) or Skyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Skying (?).] 1. To hang (a picture on exhibition) near the top of a wall, where it can not be well seen. [Colloq.]
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Brother Academicians who skied his pictures. The Century.
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2. To throw towards the sky; as, to sky a ball at cricket. [Colloq.]
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Sky-blue (?), a. Having the blue color of the sky; azure; as, a sky-blue stone. Wordsworth.
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Skyed (?), a. Surrounded by sky. [Poetic & R.] “The skyed mountain.” Thomson.
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Skye terrier (?). (Zoöl.) See .
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Skyey (?), a. Like the sky; ethereal; being in the sky. “Skyey regions.” Thackeray.
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Sublime on the towers of my skyey bowers,
Lightning, my pilot, sits. Shelley.
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Sky-high (?), adv. & a. Very high. [Colloq.]
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Skyish, a. Like the sky, or approaching the sky; lofty; ethereal. [R.] Shak.
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Skylark (?), n. (Zoöl.) A lark that mounts and sings as it files, especially the common species (Alauda arvensis) found in Europe and in some parts of Asia, and celebrated for its melodious song; -- called also sky laverock. See under .
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☞ The Australian skylark (Cincloramphus cantillans) is a pipit which has the habit of ascending perpendicularly like a skylark, but it lacks the song of a true lark. The Missouri skylark is a pipit (Anthus Spraguei) of the Western United States, resembling the skylark in habit and song.
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Skylarking, n. The act of running about the rigging of a vessel in sport; hence, frolicking; scuffing; sporting; carousing. [Colloq.]
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Skylight (?), n. A window placed in the roof of a building, in the ceiling of a room, or in the deck of a ship, for the admission of light from above.
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Skyman (?), n.; pl. -men. An aëronaut. [Slang]
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Sky pilot. (Aëronautics) A person licensed as a pilot. [Slang]
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skyrocket (skīrŏkĕt), n. A rocket that ascends high and burns as it flies; a species of fireworks.
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skyrocket (skīrŏkĕt), v. i. To rise rapidly; -- usually used figuratively, as of prices.
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Skysail (?), n. (Naut.) The sail set next above the royal. See Illust. under .
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Skyscraper (?), n. (a) (Naut.) (1) A skysail of a triangular form. [Rare] (2) A name for the one of the fancy sails alleged to have been sometimes set above the skysail. [Obs.] (b) A very tall building, especially one over 20 stories high. (c) Hence, anything usually large, high, or excessive. [Slang or Colloq.]
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Skyward (?), a. & adv. Toward the sky.
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Slab (?), n. [OE. slabbe, of uncertain origin; perhaps originally meaning, a smooth piece, and akin to slape, Icel. sleipr slippery, and E. slip, v. i.] 1. A thin piece of anything, especially of marble or other stone, having plane surfaces. Gwilt.
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2. An outside piece taken from a log or timber in sawing it into boards, planks, etc.
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3. (Zoöl.) The wryneck. [Prov. Eng.]
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4. (Naut.) The slack part of a sail.
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Coloq. Slab line (Naut.), a line or small rope by which seamen haul up the foot of the mainsail or foresail. Totten.
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Slab, a. [Cf. Gael. & Ir. slaib mud, mire left on a river strand, and E. slop puddle.] Thick; viscous. [Obs.]
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Make the gruel thick and slab. Shak.
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Slab, n. That which is slimy or viscous; moist earth; mud; also, a puddle. [Obs.] Evelyn.
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Slabber (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Slabbered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slabbering.] [OE. slaberen; akin to LG. & D. slabbern, G. schlabbern, LG. & D. slabben, G. schlabben, Icel. slafra. Cf. , , .] To let saliva or some liquid fall from the mouth carelessly, like a child or an idiot; to drivel; to drool. [Written also slaver, and slobber.]
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Slabber, v. t. 1. To wet and foul spittle, or as if with spittle.
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He slabbered me over, from cheek to cheek, with his great tongue. Arbuthnot.
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2. To spill liquid upon; to smear carelessly; to spill, as liquid foed or drink, in careless eating or drinking.
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The milk pan and cream pot so slabbered and tost
That butter is wanting and cheese is half lost. Tusser.
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Slabber, n. Spittle; saliva; slaver.
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Slabber (?), n. [See 1st .] (Mach.) (a) A saw for cutting slabs from logs. (b) A slabbing machine.
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Slabberer (?), n. One who slabbers, or drools; hence, an idiot.
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Slabbery (?), a. Like, or covered with, slabber or slab; slippery; sloppy.
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Slabbiness (?), n. Quality of being slabby.
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Slabbing (?), a. [See 1st .] Adapted for forming slabs, or for dressing flat surfaces.
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Coloq. Slabbing machine , a milling machine.
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Slabby (?), a. [Compar. Slabbier (?); superl. Slabbiest.] [See , a.] 1. Thick; viscous.
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They present you with a cup, and you must drink of a slabby stuff. Selden.
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2. Sloppy; slimy; miry. See . Gay.
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Slab-sided (?), a. Having flat sides; hence, tall, or long and lank. [Colloq. U. S.]
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Slack (?), n. [Cf. .] Small coal; also, coal dust; culm. Raymond.
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Slack, n. [Icel. slakki a slope on a mountain edge.] A valley, or small, shallow dell. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.
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Slack, a. [Compar. Slacker (?); superl. Slackest.] [OE. slak, AS. sleac; akin to OS. slak, OHG. slah, Prov. G. schlack, Icel. slakr, Sw. slak; cf. Skr. sṛj to let loose, to throw. Cf. .] Lax; not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as, a slack rope.
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2. Weak; not holding fast; as, a slack hand. Milton.
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3. Remiss; backward; not using due diligence or care; not earnest or eager; as, slack in duty or service.
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The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness. 2 Pet. iii. 9.
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4. Not violent, rapid, or pressing; slow; moderate; easy; as, business is slack. “With slack pace.” Chaucer.
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C�sar . . . about sunset, hoisting sail with a slack southwest, at midnight was becalmed. Milton.
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Coloq. Slack in stays (Naut.), slow in going about, as a ship. -- Coloq. Slack water , the time when the tide runs slowly, or the water is at rest; or the interval between the flux and reflux of the tide. -- Coloq. Slack-water navigation , navigation in a stream the depth of which has been increased, and the current diminished, by a dam or dams.
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Syn. -- Loose; relaxed; weak; remiss; backward; abated; diminished; inactive; slow; tardy; dull.
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Slack (?), adv. Slackly; as, slack dried hops.
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Slack, n. The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it; as, the slack of a rope or of a sail.
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{ Slack (?), Slacken (?), } v. i. [imp. & p. p. Slacked (?), Slackened (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Slacking, Slackening.] [See , a.] 1. To become slack; to be made less tense, firm, or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather.
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2. To be remiss or backward; to be negligent.
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3. To lose cohesion or solidity by a chemical combination with water; to slake; as, lime slacks.
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4. To abate; to become less violent.
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Whence these raging fires
Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames. Milton.
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5. To lose rapidity; to become more slow; as, a current of water slackens.
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6. To languish; to fail; to flag.
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7. To end; to cease; to desist; to slake. [Obs.]
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That through your death your lineage should slack. Chaucer.
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They will not of that firste purpose slack. Chaucer.
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{ Slack, Slacken, } v. t. 1. To render slack; to make less tense or firm; as, to slack a rope; to slacken a bandage. Wycklif (Acts xxvii. 40)
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2. To neglect; to be remiss in. [Obs.] Shak.
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Slack not the pressage. Dryden.
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3. To deprive of cohesion by combining chemically with water; to slake; as, to slack lime.
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4. To cause to become less eager; to repress; to make slow or less rapid; to retard; as, to slacken pursuit; to slacken industry. “Rancor for to slack.” Chaucer.
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I should be grieved, young prince, to think my presence
Unbent your thoughts, and slackened 'em to arms. Addison.
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In this business of growing rich, poor men should slack their pace. South.
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With such delay
Well plased, they slack their course. Milton.
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5. To cause to become less intense; to mitigate; to abate; to ease.
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To respite, or deceive, or slack thy pain
Of this ill mansion. Milton.
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Coloq. Air-slacked lime , lime slacked by exposure to the air, in consequence of the absorption of carton dioxide and water, by which it is converted into carbonate of lime and hydrate of lime.
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Slacken (?), n. (Metal.) A spongy, semivitrifled substance which miners or smelters mix with the ores of metals to prevent their fusion. [Written also slakin.]
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Slackly, adv. In a slack manner. Trench.
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Slackness, n. The quality or state of being slack.
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Slade (?), n. [AS. sl�d.] 1. A little dell or valley; a flat piece of low, moist ground. [Obs.] Drayton.
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2. The sole of a plow.
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Slag (slăg), n. [Sw. slagg, or LG. slacke, whence G. schlacke; originally, perhaps, the splinters struck off from the metal by hammering. See , v. t.] 1. The dross, or recrement, of a metal; also, vitrified cinders.
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2. The scoria of a volcano.
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3. (Metal.) A product of smelting, containing, mostly as silicates, the substances not sought to be produced as matte or metal, and having a lower specific gravity than the latter; -- called also, esp. in iron smelting, cinder. The slag of iron blast furnaces is essentially silicate of calcium, magnesium, and aluminium; that of lead and copper smelting furnaces contains iron.
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Coloq. Slag furnace , or Coloq. Slag hearth (Metal.), a furnace, or hearth, for extracting lead from slags or poor ore. -- Coloq. Slag wool , mineral wool. See under .
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Slag, v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. Slagged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slagging.] (Metal.) To form, or form into, a slag; to agglomerate when heated below the fusion point.
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Slaggy (?), a. Of or pertaining to slag; resembling slag; as, slaggy cobalt.
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Slaie (?), n. [See .] A weaver's reed; a sley.
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Slake (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slaked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slaking.] [OE. slaken to render slack, to slake, AS. sleacian, fr. sleac slack. See , v. & a.] 1. To allay; to quench; to extinguish; as, to slake thirst. “And slake the heavenly fire.” Spenser.
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It could not slake mine ire nor ease my heart. Shak.
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2. To mix with water, so that a true chemical combination shall take place; to slack; as, to slake lime.
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Slake, v. i. 1. To go out; to become extinct. “His flame did slake.” Sir T. Browne.
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2. To abate; to become less decided. [R.] Shak.
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3. To slacken; to become relaxed. “When the body's strongest sinews slake.” [R.] Sir J. Davies.
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4. To become mixed with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place; as, the lime slakes.
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Coloq. Slake trough , a trough containing water in which a blacksmith cools a forging or tool.
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Slakeless, a. Not capable of being slaked.
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Slakin (?), n. (Metal.) Slacken.
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Slam (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slammed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slamming.] [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. slamra, slambra, sl�ma, Norw. slemba, slemma, dial. Sw. slämma.] 1. To shut with force and a loud noise; to bang; as, he slammed the door.
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2. To put in or on some place with force and loud noise; -- usually with down; as, to slam a trunk down on the pavement.
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3. To strike with some implement with force; hence, to beat or cuff. [Prov. Eng.]
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4. To strike down; to slaughter. [Prov. Eng.]
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5. To defeat (opponents at cards) by winning all the tricks of a deal or a hand. Hoyle.
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Coloq. To slam to , to shut or close with a slam. “He slammed to the door.” W. D. Howells.
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Slam, v. i. To come or swing against something, or to shut, with sudden force so as to produce a shock and noise; as, a door or shutter slams.
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Slam, n. 1. The act of one who, or that which, slams.
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2. The shock and noise produced in slamming.
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The slam and the scowl were lost upon Sam. Dickens.
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3. (Card Playing) Winning all the tricks of a deal (called, in bridge, Coloq. grand slam , the winning of all but one of the thirteen tricks being called a Coloq. little slam or Coloq. small slam ).
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4. The refuse of alum works. [Prov. Eng.]
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Slam-bang (?), adv. With great violence; with a slamming or banging noise. [Colloq.]
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{ Slamkin (?), Slammerkin (?), } n. [Cf. G. schlampe, schlamp, dim. schlämpchen; schlampen to dangle, to be slovenly in one's dress.] A slut; a slatternly woman. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
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Slander (?), n. [OE. sclandere, OF. esclandre, esclandle, escandre, F. esclandre, fr. L. scandalum, Gr. ��� a snare, stumbling block, offense, scandal; probably originally, the spring of a trap, and akin to Skr. skand to spring, leap. See , and cf. .] 1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered, tending to injure the reputation of another; the malicious utterance of defamatory reports; the dissemination of malicious tales or suggestions to the injury of another.
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Whether we speak evil of a man to his face or behind his back; the former way, indeed, seems to be the most generous, but yet is a great fault, and that which we call “reviling;” the latter is more mean and base, and that which we properly call “slander”, or “Backbiting.” Tillotson.
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[We] make the careful magistrate
The mark of slander. B. Jonson.
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