Sumpter Sump"ter noun [ Old French sommetier the driver of a pack horse; akin to Old French & French sommier a pack horse, Latin sagmarius , from sagma a pack saddle, in Late Latin , a load, Greek ... a pack saddle, from ... to pack, load; confer Sanskrit saj , sañj , to hang on. Confer Seam a weight, Summer a beam.] 1. The driver of a pack horse. [ Obsolete] Skeat.

2. A pack; a burden. [ Obsolete] Beau. & Fl.

3. An animal, especially a horse, that carries packs or burdens; a baggage horse. Holinshed.

Sumpter Sump"ter adjective Carrying pack or burdens on the back; as, a sumpter horse; a sumpter mule. Bacon.

Sumption Sump"tion noun [ Latin sumptio , from sumere , sumptum , to take.] 1. A taking. [ Obsolete] Jer. Taylor.

2. (Logic) The major premise of a syllogism.

Sumptuary Sump"tu·a·ry adjective [ Latin sumptuarius , from sumptus expense, cost, from sumere , sumptum , to take, use, spend; sub under + emere to take, buy: confer French somptuaire . See Redeem .] Relating to expense; regulating expense or expenditure. Bacon.

Sumptuary laws or regulations , laws intended to restrain or limit the expenditure of citizens in apparel, food, furniture, etc.; laws which regulate the prices of commodities and the wages of labor; laws which forbid or restrict the use of certain articles, as of luxurious apparel.

Sumptuosity Sump`tu·os"i·ty noun [ Latin sumptuositas : confer French somptuosité .] Expensiveness; costliness; sumptuousness. [ R.] Sir W. Raleigh.

Sumptuous Sump"tu·ous adjective [ Latin sumptuosus , from sumptus expanse, cost: confer French somptueux . See Sumptuary .] Involving large outlay or expense; costly; expensive; hence, luxurious; splendid; magnificient; as, a sumptuous house or table; sumptuous apparel.

We are too magnificient and sumptuous in our tables and attendance.

Atterbury.

She spoke, and turned her sumptuous head, with eyes
Of shining expectation fixed on mine.

Tennyson.

-- Sump"tu*ous*ly , adverb -- Sump"tu*ous*ness , noun

Sun Sun noun (Botany) See Sunn .

Sun Sun noun [ Middle English sunne , sonne , Anglo-Saxon sunne ; akin to OFries. sunne , Dutch zon , Old Saxon & Old High German sunna , German sonne , Icelandic sunna , Goth. sunna ; perhaps from same root as Latin sol . √297. Confer Solar , South .] 1. The luminous orb, the light of which constitutes day, and its absence night; the central body round which the earth and planets revolve, by which they are held in their orbits, and from which they receive light and heat. Its mean distance from the earth is about 92,500,000 miles, and its diameter about 860,000.

» Its mean apparent diameter as seen from the earth is 32′ 4″, and it revolves on its own axis once in 25⅓ days. Its mean density is about one fourth of that of the earth, or 1.41, that of water being unity. Its luminous surface is called the photosphere , above which is an envelope consisting partly of hydrogen, called the chromosphere , which can be seen only through the spectroscope, or at the time of a total solar eclipse. Above the chromosphere, and sometimes extending out millions of miles, are luminous rays or streams of light which are visible only at the time of a total eclipse, forming the solar corona .

2. Any heavenly body which forms the center of a system of orbs.

3. The direct light or warmth of the sun; sunshine.

Lambs that did frisk in the sun .

Shak.

4. That which resembles the sun, as in splendor or importance; any source of light, warmth, or animation.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield.

Ps. lxxiv. 11.

I will never consent to put out the sun of sovereignity to posterity.

Eikon Basilike.

Sun and planet wheels (Machinery) , an ingenious contrivance for converting reciprocating motion, as that of the working beam of a steam engine, into rotatory motion. It consists of a toothed wheel (called the sun wheel ), firmly secured to the shaft it is desired to drive, and another wheel (called the planet wheel ) secured to the end of a connecting rod. By the motion of the connecting rod, the planet wheel is made to circulate round the central wheel on the shaft, communicating to this latter a velocity of revolution the double of its own. G. Francis. -- Sun angel (Zoology) , a South American humming bird of the genus Heliangelos , noted for its beautiful colors and the brilliant luster of the feathers of its throat. -- Sun animalcute . (Zoology) See Heliozoa . -- Sun bath (Medicine) , exposure of a patient to the sun's rays; insolation. -- Sun bear (Zoology) , a species of bear ( Helarctos Malayanus ) native of Southern Asia and Borneo. It has a small head and short neck, and fine short glossy fur, mostly black, but brownish on the nose. It is easily tamed. Called also bruang , and Malayan bear . -- Sun beetle (Zoology) , any small lustrous beetle of the genus Amara . -- Sun bittern (Zoology) , a singular South American bird ( Eurypyga helias ), in some respects related both to the rails and herons. It is beautifully variegated with white, brown, and black. Called also sunbird , and tiger bittern . -- Sun fever (Medicine) , the condition of fever produced by sun stroke. -- Sun gem (Zoology) , a Brazilian humming bird ( Heliactin cornutus ). Its head is ornamented by two tufts of bright colored feathers, fiery crimson at the base and greenish yellow at the tip. Called also Horned hummer . -- Sun grebe (Zoology) , the finfoot. -- Sun picture , a picture taken by the agency of the sun's rays; a photograph. -- Sun spots (Astron.) , dark spots that appear on the sun's disk, consisting commonly of a black central portion with a surrounding border of lighter shade, and usually seen only by the telescope, but sometimes by the naked eye. They are very changeable in their figure and dimensions, and vary in size from mere apparent points to spaces of 50,000 miles in diameter. The term sun spots is often used to include bright spaces (called faculæ ) as well as dark spaces (called maculæ ). Called also solar spots . See Illustration in Appendix. -- Sun star (Zoology) , any one of several species of starfishes belonging to Solaster , Crossaster , and allied genera, having numerous rays. -- Sun trout (Zoology) , the squeteague. -- Sun wheel . (Machinery) See Sun and planet wheels , above. -- Under the sun , in the world; on earth. "There is no new thing under the sun ." Eccl. i. 9.

» Sun is often used in the formation of compound adjectives of obvious meaning; as, sun -bright, sun - dried, sun -gilt, sun like, sun -lit, sun - scorched, and the like.

Sun Sun transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Sunned ; present participle & verbal noun Sunning .] To expose to the sun's rays; to warm or dry in the sun; as, to sun cloth; to sun grain.

Then to sun thyself in open air.

Dryden.

Sun star Sun" star` (Zoology) See Sun star , under Sun .

Sun-burner Sun"-burn`er noun A circle or cluster of gas-burners for lighting and ventilating public buildings.

Sun-dried Sun"-dried` adjective Dried by the heat of the sun. " Sun-dried brick." Sir T. Herbert.

Sun-struck Sun"-struck` adjective (Medicine) Overcome by, or affected with, sunstroke; as, sun-struck soldiers.

Sunbeam Sun"beam` noun [ Anglo-Saxon sunnebeam .] A beam or ray of the sun. "Evening sunbeams ." Keble.

Thither came Uriel, gliding through the even
On a sunbeam .

Milton.

Sunbird Sun"bird` noun (Zoology) (a) Any one of numerous species of small brilliantly colored birds of the family Nectariniidæ , native of Africa, Southern Asia, the East Indies, and Australia. In external appearance and habits they somewhat resemble humming birds, but they are true singing birds (Oscines). (b) The sun bittern.

Sunblink Sun"blink` noun A glimpse or flash of the sun. [ Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Sunbonnet Sun"bon"net noun A bonnet, generally made of some thin or light fabric, projecting beyond the face, and commonly having a cape, -- worn by women as a protection against the sun.

Sunbow Sun"bow` noun A rainbow; an iris. Byron.

Sunburn Sun"burn` transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Sunburned or Sunburnt ; present participle & verbal noun Sunburning .] To burn or discolor by the sun; to tan.

Sunburnt and swarthy though she be.

Dryden.

Sunburn Sun"burn` noun The burning or discoloration produced on the skin by the heat of the sun; tan.

Sunburning Sun"burn`ing noun Sunburn; tan. Boyle.

Sunburst Sun"burst` noun A burst of sunlight.

Suncup Sun"cup` noun A yellow flowered evening primrose ( Taraxia, syn. Œnothera, ovata ) native of California.

Sundart Sun"dart` noun Sunbeam. [ R.] Mrs. Hemans.

Sunday Sun"day noun [ Anglo-Saxon sunnandæg ; sunne , gen. sunnan , the sun + dæg day; akin to Dutch zondag , German sonntag ; -- so called because this day was anciently dedicated to the sun , or to its worship. See Sun , and Day .] The first day of the week, -- consecrated among Christians to rest from secular employments, and to religious worship; the Christian Sabbath; the Lord's Day.

Advent Sunday , Low Sunday , Passion Sunday , etc. See under Advent , Low , etc.

Syn. -- See Sabbath .

Sunday Sun"day adjective Belonging to the Christian Sabbath.

Sunday letter . See Dominical letter , under Dominical . -- Sunday school . See under School .

Sunder Sun"der transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Sundered ; present participle & verbal noun Sundering .] [ Middle English sundren , Anglo-Saxon sundrain (in ā sundrain , ge sundrain ), from sundor asunder, separately, apart; akin to Dutch zonder , preposition , without, German sonder separate, as preposition , without, sondern but, Old High German suntar separately, Icelandic sundr asunder, Swedish & Danish sönder , Goth. sundrō alone, separately.] To disunite in almost any manner, either by rending, cutting, or breaking; to part; to put or keep apart; to separate; to divide; to sever; as, to sunder a rope; to sunder a limb; to sunder friends.

It is sundered from the main land by a sandy plain.

Carew.

Sunder Sun"der intransitive verb To part; to separate. [ R.] Shak.

Sunder Sun"der noun [ See Sunder , transitive verb , and confer Asunder .] A separation into parts; a division or severance.

In sunder , into parts. "He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder ." Ps. xlvi. 9.

Sunder Sun"der transitive verb To expose to the sun and wind. [ Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Sundew Sun"dew` noun (Botany) Any plant of the genus Drosera, low bog plants whose leaves are beset with pediceled glands which secrete a viscid fluid that glitters like dewdrops and attracts and detains insects. After an insect is caught, the glands curve inward like tentacles and the leaf digests it. Called also lustwort .

Sundial Sun"di`al noun An instrument to show the time of day by means of the shadow of a gnomon, or style, on a plate.

Sundial shell (Zoology) , any shell of the genus Solarium. See Solarium .

Sundog Sun"dog` noun (Meteorol.) A luminous spot occasionally seen a few degrees from the sun, supposed to be formed by the intersection of two or more halos, or in a manner similar to that of halos.

Sundog Sun"dog` noun (Meteor.) A fragmentary rainbow; a small rainbow near the horizon; -- called also dog and weathergaw .

Sundown Sun"down` noun 1. The setting of the sun; sunset. "When sundown skirts the moor." Tennyson.

2. A kind of broad-brimmed sun hat worn by women.

Sundowner Sun"down`er noun A tramp or vagabond in the Australian bush; -- so called from his coming to sheep stations at sunset of ask for supper and a bed, when it is too late to work; -- called also traveler and swagman (but not all swagmen are sundowners ).

Sundowners , -- men who loaf about till sunset, and then come in with the demand for unrefusable rations.

Francis Adams.

Sundries Sun"dries noun plural Many different or small things; sundry things.

Sundrily Sun"dri·ly adverb In sundry ways; variously.

Sundrops Sun"drops` noun [ Sun + drop .] (Botany) Any one of the several species of Kneiffia , esp. K. fruticosa (syn. Œnothera fruticosa ), of the Evening-primrose family, having flowers that open by daylight.

Sundry Sun"dry adjective [ Middle English sundry , sondry , Anglo-Saxon syndrig , from sundor asunder. See Sunder , transitive verb ] 1. Several; divers; more than one or two; various. " Sundry wines." Chaucer. " Sundry weighty reasons." Shak.

With many a sound of sundry melody.

Chaucer.

Sundry foes the rural realm surround.

Dryden.

2. Separate; diverse. [ Obsolete]

Every church almost had the Bible of a sundry translation.

Coleridge.

All and sundry , all collectively, and each separately.

Sundryman Sun"dry·man noun ; plural Sundrymen One who deals in sundries, or a variety of articles.

Sunfish Sun"fish` noun (Zoology) (a) A very large oceanic plectognath fish ( Mola mola , Mola rotunda , or Orthagoriscus mola ) having a broad body and a truncated tail. (b) Any one of numerous species of perch-like North American fresh- water fishes of the family Centrachidæ . They have a broad, compressed body, and strong dorsal spines. Among the common species of the Eastern United States are Lepomis gibbosus (called also bream , pondfish , pumpkin seed , and sunny ), the blue sunfish, or dollardee ( Latin pallidus ), and the long-eared sunfish ( Latin auritus ). Several of the species are called also pondfish . (c) The moonfish, or bluntnosed shiner. (d) The opah. (e) The basking, or liver, shark. (f) Any large jellyfish.

Sunflower Sun"flow`er noun Any plant of the genus Helianthus ; -- so called probably from the form and color of its flower, which is large disk with yellow rays. The commonly cultivated sunflower is Helianthus annuus , a native of America.

Sunflower State Sun"flow`er State Kansas; a nickname.

Sung Sung imperfect & past participle of Sing .

Sunglass Sun"glass` noun ; plural Sunglasses A convex lens of glass for producing heat by converging the sun's rays into a focus. "Lighting a cigar with a sunglass ." Hawthorne.

Sunglow Sun"glow` noun A rosy flush in the sky seen after sunset.

Sunk Sunk imperfect & past participle of Sink .

Sunk fence , a ditch with a retaining wall, used to divide lands without defacing a landscape; a ha-ha.

Sunken Sunk"en adjective Lying on the bottom of a river or other water; sunk.

Sunless Sun"less adjective Destitute or deprived of the sun or its rays; shaded; shadowed.

The sunken glen whose sunless shrubs must weep.

Byron.

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