Sill Sill noun [ Middle English sille , sylle , Anglo-Saxon syl , syll ; akin to German schwelle , Old High German swelli , Icelandic syll , svill , Swedish syll , Danish syld , Goth. gasuljan to lay a foundation, to found.] The basis or foundation of a thing; especially, a horizontal piece, as a timber, which forms the lower member of a frame, or supports a structure; as, the sills of a house, of a bridge, of a loom, and the like. Hence: (a) The timber or stone at the foot of a door; the threshold. (b) The timber or stone on which a window frame stands; or, the lowest piece in a window frame. (c) The floor of a gallery or passage in a mine. (d) A piece of timber across the bottom of a canal lock for the gates to shut against.

Sill course (Architecture) , a horizontal course of stone, terra cotta, or the like, built into a wall at the level of one or more window sills, these sills often forming part of it.

Sill Sill noun [ Confer Thill .] The shaft or thill of a carriage. [ Prov. Eng.]

Sill Sill noun [ Confer 4th Sile .] A young herring. [ Eng.]

Sillabub Sil"la·bub noun [ Confer sile to strain, and bub liquor, also Prov. English sillibauk .] A dish made by mixing wine or cider with milk, and thus forming a soft curd; also, sweetened cream, flavored with wine and beaten to a stiff froth. [ Written also syllabub .]

Siller Sil"ler noun Silver. [ Scot.]

Sillily Sil"li·ly adverb [ From Silly .] In a silly manner; foolishly. Dryden.

Sillimanite Sil"li·man·ite noun [ After Benjamin Siliman , an American meneralogist.] (Min.) Same as Fibrolite .

Silliness Sil"li·ness noun The quality or state of being silly.

Sillock Sil"lock noun (Zoology) The pollock, or coalfish.

Sillon Sil"lon noun [ French, a furrow.] (Fort.) A work raised in the middle of a wide ditch, to defend it. Crabb.

Silly Sil"ly adjective [ Compar. Sillier ; superl. Silliest .] [ Middle English seely , sely , Anglo-Saxon s...lig , ge s...lig , happy, good, from s...l , s...l , good, happy, s...l good fortune, happines; akin to Old Saxon sālig , a, good, happy, Dutch zalig blessed, German selig , Old High German sālīg , Icelandic s...l , Swedish säll , Danish salig , Goth. s...ls good, kind, and perhaps also to Latin sollus whole, entire, Greek ........., Sanskrit sarva . Confer Seel , noun ] 1. Happy; fortunate; blessed. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

2. Harmless; innocent; inoffensive. [ Obsolete] "This silly , innocent Custance." Chaucer.

The silly virgin strove him to withstand.

Spenser.

A silly , innocent hare murdered of a dog.

Robynson (More's Utopia).

3. Weak; helpless; frail. [ Obsolete]

After long storms . . .
With which my silly bark was tossed sore.

Spenser.

The silly buckets on the deck.

Coleridge.

4. Rustic; plain; simple; humble. [ Obsolete]

A fourth man, in a silly habit.

Shak.

All that did their silly thoughts so busy keep.

Milton.

5. Weak in intellect; destitute of ordinary strength of mind; foolish; witless; simple; as, a silly woman.

6. Proceeding from want of understanding or common judgment; characterized by weakness or folly; unwise; absurd; stupid; as, silly conduct; a silly question.

Syn. -- Simple; brainless; witless; shallow; foolish; unwise; indiscreet. See Simple .

Sillyhow Sil"ly·how noun [ Prov. English silly- hew ; confer Anglo-Saxon sǣlig happy, good, and hūfe a cap, hood. See Silly , adjective ] A caul. See Caul , noun , 3. [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Silo Si"lo noun [ French] A pit or vat for packing away green fodder for winter use so as to exclude air and outside moisture. See Ensilage .

Silt Silt noun [ Middle English silte gravel, from silen to drain, English sile ; probably of Scand. origin; confer Swedish sila , probably akin to Anglo-Saxon seón to filter, sīgan to fall, sink, cause to sink, German seihen to strain, to filter, Old High German sihan , Icelandic sī> a , Sanskrit sic to pour; confer Greek ......... moisture. Confer Sig , Sile .] Mud or fine earth deposited from running or standing water.

Silt Silt transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Silted ; present participle & verbal noun Silting .] To choke, fill, or obstruct with silt or mud.

Silt Silt intransitive verb To flow through crevices; to percolate.

Silty Silt"y adjective Full of silt; resembling silt.

Silundum Si·lun"dum noun [ Trade name] A form of silicon carbide, produced in the electric furnace, possessing great hardness, and high electrical resistance, and not subject to oxidation below 2880° F., or 1600° C.

Silure Si·lure" noun [ Latin silurus a sort of river fish, Greek .........: confer French silure .] (Zoology) A fish of the genus Silurus , as the sheatfish; a siluroid.

Silurian Si·lu"ri·an adjective [ From Latin Silures , a people who anciently inhabited a part of England and Wales.] (Geol.) Of or pertaining to the country of the ancient Silures; -- a term applied to the earliest of the Paleozoic eras, and also to the strata of the era, because most plainly developed in that country.

» The Silurian formation, so named by Murchison, is divided into the Upper Silurian and Lower Silurian . The lower part of the Lower Silurian, with some underlying beds, is now separated under the name Cambrian , first given by Sedwick. Recently the term Ordovician has been proposed for the Lower Silurian, leawing the original word to apply only to the Upper Silurian.

Silurian Si·lu"ri·an noun The Silurian age.

Siluridan Si·lu"ri·dan noun (Zoology) Any fish of the family Siluridæ or of the order Siluroidei.

Siluroid Si·lu"roid noun [ Silurus + -oid .] (Zoology) Belonging to the Siluroidei, or Nematognathi, an order of fishes including numerous species, among which are the American catfishes and numerous allied fresh-water species of the Old World, as the sheatfish ( Silurus glanis ) of Europe. -- noun A siluroid fish.

Siluroidei Sil`u·roi"de·i noun plural [ New Latin ] (zoöl.) An order of fishes, the Nematognathi.

Silurus Si·lu"rus noun [ Latin See Silure .] (Zoology) A genus of large malacopterygious fishes of the order Siluroidei. They inhabit the inland waters of Europe and Asia.

Silva Sil"va noun ; plural English Silvas , Latin Silvae [ Latin , properly, a wood, forest.] [ Written also sylva .] (Botany) (a) The forest trees of a region or country, considered collectively. (b) A description or history of the forest trees of a country.

Silvan Sil"van adjective [ Latin silva , less correctly sylva , a wood or grove, perhaps akin to Greek "y`lh ; confer Latin Silvanus Silvanus the god of woods: confer French sylvain silvan. Confer Savage .] Of or pertaining to woods; composed of woods or groves; woody. [ Written also sylvan .]

Betwixt two rows of rocks, a silvan scene
Appears above, and groves forever green.

Dryden.

Silvan Sil"van noun (Old Chem.) See Sylvanium . [ Obsolete]

Silvanite Sil"van·ite noun (Min.) See Sylvanite .

Silvas, Selvas Sil"vas, Sel"vas noun plural [ Latin silva a forest, Spanish selva .] Vast woodland plains of South America.

Silvate Sil"vate noun (Chemistry) Same as Sylvate .

Silver Sil"ver noun [ Middle English silver , selver , seolver , Anglo-Saxon seolfor , siolfur , siolufr , silofr , sylofr ; akin to Old Saxon silubar , OFries. selover , Dutch zilver , LG. sulver , Old High German silabar , silbar , German silber , Icelandic silfr , Swedish silfver , Danish sölv , Goth. silubr , Russian serebro , Lithuanian sidabras ; of unknown origin.] 1. (Chemistry) A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile, very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic, antimony, chlorine, etc., in the minerals argentite, proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of the "noble" metals, so-called, not being easily oxidized, and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a great variety of articles. Symbol Ag ( Argentum ). Atomic weight 107.7. Specific gravity 10.5.

» Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of light upon them, and are used in photography.

2. Coin made of silver; silver money.

3. Anything having the luster or appearance of silver.

4. The color of silver.

» Silver is used in the formation of many compounds of obvious meaning; as, silver -armed, silver -bright, silver -buskined, silver -coated, silver -footed, silver -haired, silver -headed, silver -mantled, silver -plated, silver -slippered, silver -sounding, silver -studded, silver -tongued, silver -white. See Silver , adjective

Black silver (Min.) , stephanite; -- called also brittle silver ore , or brittle silver glance . -- Fulminating silver . (Chemistry) (a) A black crystalline substance, Ag ₂ O.(NH ₃ ) ₂ , obtained by dissolving silver oxide in aqua ammonia. When dry it explodes violently on the slightest percussion. (b) Silver fulminate, a white crystalline substance, Ag ₂ C ₂ N ₂ O ₂ , obtained by adding alcohol to a solution of silver nitrate. When dry it is violently explosive. -- German silver . (Chemistry) See under German . -- Gray silver . (Min.) See Freieslebenite . -- Horn silver . (Min.) See Cerargyrite . -- King's silver . (O. Eng. Law) See Postfine . -- Red silver , or Ruby silver . (Min.) See Proustite , and Pyrargyrite . -- Silver beater , one who beats silver into silver leaf or silver foil. -- Silver glance , or Vitreous silver . (Min.) See Argentine .

Silver Sil"ver adjective 1. Of or pertaining to silver; made of silver; as, silver leaf; a silver cup.

2. Resembling silver. Specifically: (a) Bright; resplendent; white. " Silver hair." Shak.

Others, on silver lakes and rivers, bathed
Their downy breast.

Milton.

(b) Precious; costly. (c) Giving a clear, ringing sound soft and clear. " Silver voices." Spenser. (d) Sweet; gentle; peaceful. " Silver slumber." Spenser.

American silver fir (Botany) , the balsam fir. See under Balsam . -- Silver age (Roman Lit.) , the latter part ( a.d. 14-180) of the classical period of Latinity, -- the time of writers of inferior purity of language, as compared with those of the previous golden age , so-called. -- Silver-bell tree (Botany) , an American shrub or small tree ( Halesia tetraptera ) with white bell-shaped flowers in clusters or racemes; the snowdrop tree. -- Silver bush (Botany) , a shrubby leguminous plant ( Anthyllis Barba- Jovis ) of Southern Europe, having silvery foliage. -- Silver chub (Zoology) , the fallfish. -- Silver eel . (Zoology) (a) The cutlass fish. (b) A pale variety of the common eel. -- Silver fir (Botany) , a coniferous tree ( Abies pectinata ) found in mountainous districts in the middle and south of Europe, where it often grows to the height of 100 or 150 feet. It yields Burgundy pitch and Strasburg turpentine. -- Silver foil , foil made of silver. -- Silver fox (Zoology) , a variety of the common fox ( Vulpes vulpes , variety argenteus ) found in the northern parts of Asia, Europe, and America. Its fur is nearly black, with silvery tips, and is highly valued. Called also black fox , and silver-gray fox . -- Silver gar . (Zoology) See Billfish (a) . -- Silver grain (Botany) , the lines or narrow plates of cellular tissue which pass from the pith to the bark of an exogenous stem; the medullary rays. In the wood of the oak they are much larger than in that of the beech, maple, pine, cherry, etc. -- Silver grebe (Zoology) , the red-throated diver. See Illust. under Diver . -- Silver hake (Zoology) , the American whiting. -- Silver leaf , leaves or sheets made of silver beaten very thin. -- Silver lunge (Zoology) , the namaycush. -- Silver moonfish . (Zoology) See Moonfish (b) . -- Silver moth (Zoology) , a lepisma. -- Silver owl (Zoology) , the barn owl. -- Silver perch (Zoology) , the mademoiselle, 2. -- Silver pheasant (Zoology) , any one of several species of beautiful crested and 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 (Zoology) , the knot. -- Silver salmon (Zoology) , a salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) native of both coasts of the North Pacific. It ascends all the American rivers as far south as the Sacramento. Called also kisutch , whitefish , and white salmon . -- Silver shell (Zoology) , a marine bivalve of the genus Anomia. See Anomia . -- Silver steel , an alloy of steel with a very small proportion of silver. -- Silver stick , a title given to the title field officer of the Life Guards when on duty at the palace. [ Eng.] Thackeray. -- Silver tree (Botany) , a South African tree ( Leucadendron argenteum ) with long, silvery, silky leaves. -- Silver trout , (Zoology) See Trout . -- Silver wedding . See under Wedding . -- Silver whiting (Zoology) , a marine sciænoid food fish ( Menticirrus littoralis ) native of the Southern United States; -- called also surf whiting . -- Silver witch (Zoology) , A lepisma.

Silver Sil"ver transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Silvered ; present participle & verbal noun Silvering .] 1. To cover with silver; to give a silvery appearance to by applying a metal of a silvery color; as, to silver a pin; to silver a glass mirror plate with an amalgam of tin and mercury.

2. To polish like silver; to impart a brightness to, like that of silver.

And smiling calmness silvered o'er the deep.

Pope.

3. To make hoary, or white, like silver.

His head was silvered o'er with age.

Gay.

Silver Sil"ver intransitive verb To acquire a silvery color. [ R.]

The eastern sky began to silver and shine.

Latin Wallace.

Silver certificate Sil"ver cer·tif"i·cate A certificate issued by a government that there has been deposited with it silver to a specified amount, payable to the bearer on demand. In the United States and its possessions, it is issued against the deposit of silver coin, and is not legal tender, but is receivable for customs, taxes, and all public dues.

Silver State Silver State Nevada; -- a nickname alluding to its silver mines.

Silver-gray Sil"ver-gray` adjective Having a gray color with a silvery luster; as, silver-gray hair.

Silverback Sil"ver·back` noun (Zoology) The knot.

Silverberry Sil"ver·ber`ry noun (Botany) A tree or shrub ( Elæagnus argentea ) with silvery foliage and fruit. Gray.

Silverbill Sil"ver·bill` noun (Zoology) An Old World finch of the genus Minia , as the M. Malabarica of India, and M. cantans of Africa.

Silverboom Sil"ver·boom` noun [ Dutch zilver silver + boom tree.] (Botany) See Leucadendron .

Silverfin Sil"ver·fin` noun (Zoology) A small North American fresh-water cyprinoid fish ( Notropis Whipplei ).

Silverfish Sil"ver·fish` noun (Zoology) (a) The tarpum. (b) A white variety of the goldfish.

Silveriness Sil"ver·i·ness noun The state of being silvery.

Silvering Sil"ver·ing noun (Metal.) The art or process of covering metals, wood, paper, glass, etc., with a thin film of metallic silver, or a substance resembling silver; also, the firm do laid on; as, the silvering of a glass speculum.

Silverite Sil"ver·ite noun One who favors the use or establishment of silver as a monetary standard; -- so called by those who favor the gold standard. [ Colloq. or Cant]

Silverize Sil"ver·ize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Silverized ; present participle & verbal noun Silverizing .] To cover with silver.

Silverless Sil"ver·less adjective Having no silcver; hence, without money; impecunious. Piers Plowman.

Silverling Sil"ver·ling noun A small silver coin. [ Obsolete]

A thousand vines at a thousand silverings .

Isa. vii. 23.

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