Scalp Scalp noun [ Perhaps akin to Dutch
schelp shell. Confer
Scallop .]
1. That part of the integument of the head which is usually covered with hair. By the bare scalp of Robin Hodd's fat friar,
This fellow were a king for our wild faction!
Shak. 2. A part of the skin of the head, with the hair attached, cut or torn off from an enemy by the Indian warriors of North America, as a token of victory. 3. Fig.: The top; the summit. Macaulay. Scalp lock ,
a long tuft of hair left on the crown of the head by the warriors of some tribes of American Indians.
Scalp Scalp transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Scalped ;
present participle & verbal noun Scalping .]
1. To deprive of the scalp; to cut or tear the scalp from the head of. 2. (Surg.) To remove the skin of. We must scalp the whole lid [ of the eye].
J. S. Wells. 3. (Milling) To brush the hairs or fuzz from, as wheat grains, in the process of high milling. Knight.
Scalp Scalp intransitive verb To make a small, quick profit by slight fluctuations of the market; -- said of brokers who operate in this way on their own account. [ Cant]
Scalpel Scal"pel (skăl"pĕl)
noun [ Latin
scalpellum , dim. of
scalprum a knife, akin to
scalpere to cut, carve, scrape: confer French
scalpel .]
(Surg.) A small knife with a thin, keen blade, -- used by surgeons, and in dissecting.
Scalper Scalper (skălp"ẽr)
noun 1. One who, or that which, scalps. 2. (Surg.) Same as Scalping iron , under Scalping . 3. A broker who, dealing on his own account, tries to get a small and quick profit from slight fluctuations of the market. [ Cant]
4. A person who buys and sells the unused parts of railroad tickets. [ Cant]
Scalping Scalp"ing (skălp"ĭng),
adjective & noun from Scalp . Scalping iron (Surg.) ,
an instrument used in scraping foul and carious bones; a raspatory. --
Scalping knife ,
a knife used by North American Indians in scalping.
Scalpriform Scal"pri·form adjective [ Latin
scalprum chisel, knife +
-form .]
(Anat.) Shaped like a chisel; as, the scalpriform incisors of rodents.
Scaly Scal"y adjective 1. Covered or abounding with scales; as, a scaly fish. "
Scaly crocodile."
Milton. 2. Resembling scales, laminĉ, or layers. 3. Mean; low; as, a scaly fellow. [ Low]
4. (Botany) Composed of scales lying over each other; as, a scaly bulb; covered with scales; as, a scaly stem. Scaly ant-eater (Zoology) ,
the pangolin.
Scaly-winged Scal"y-winged` adjective (Zoology) Scale-winged.
Scamble Scam"ble intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Scambled ;
present participle & verbal noun Scambling .] [ Confer OD.
schampelen to deviate, to slip,
schampen to go away, escape, slip, and English
scamper ,
shamble .]
1. To move awkwardly; to be shuffling, irregular, or unsteady; to sprawl; to shamble. "Some
scambling shifts."
Dr. H. More. "A fine old hall, but a
scambling house."
Evelyn. 2. To move about pushing and jostling; to be rude and turbulent; to scramble. "The
scambling and unquiet time did push it out of . . . question."
Shak.
Scamble Scam"ble transitive verb To mangle. [ Obsolete]
Mortimer.
Scambler Scam"bler noun 1. One who scambles. 2. A bold intruder upon the hospitality of others; a mealtime visitor. [ Scot.]
Scamblingly Scam"bling·ly adverb In a scambling manner; with turbulence and noise; with bold intrusiveness.
Scamell, Scammel Scam"ell, Scam"mel noun (Zoology) The female bar-tailed godwit. [ Prov. Eng.] » Whether this is the
scamel mentioned by Shakespeare [ "Tempest," ii. 2] is not known.
Scamillus Sca·mil"lus noun ;
plural Scamilli . [ Latin , originally, a little bench, dim. of
scamnum bench, stool.]
(Architecture) A sort of second plinth or block, below the bases of Ionic and Corinthian columns, generally without moldings, and of smaller size horizontally than the pedestal.
Scammoniate Scam·mo"ni·ate adjective Made from scammony; as, a scammoniate aperient.
Scammony Scam"mo·ny (skăm"mo*nȳ)
noun [ French
scammonée , Latin
scammonia ,
scammonea , Greek
skammwni`a .]
1. (Botany) A species of bindweed or Convolvulus ( C. Scammonia ). 2. An inspissated sap obtained from the root of the Convolvulus Scammonia , of a blackish gray color, a nauseous smell like that of old cheese, and a somewhat acrid taste. It is used in medicine as a cathartic.
Scamp Scamp (skămp)
noun [ Old French
escamper to run away, to make one's escape. Originally, one who runs away, a fugitive, a vagabond. See
Scamper .]
A rascal; a swindler; a rogue. De Quincey.
Scamp Scamp transitive verb [ Confer
Scamp ,
noun , or
Scant ,
adjective , and
Skimp .]
To perform in a hasty, neglectful, or imperfect manner; to do superficially. [ Colloq.]
A workman is said to scamp his work when he does it in a superficial, dishonest manner.
Wedgwood. Much of the scamping and dawdling complained of is that of men in establishments of good repute.
T. Hughes.
Scampavia Scam`pa·vi"a noun [ Italian ]
A long, low war galley used by the Neapolitans and Sicilians in the early part of the nineteenth century.
Scamper Scam"per intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Scampered ;
present participle & verbal noun Scampering .] [ Old French
escamper to escape, to save one's self; Latin
ex from +
campus the field (sc. of battle). See
Camp , and confer
Decamp ,
Scamp ,
noun ,
Shamble ,
transitive verb ]
To run with speed; to run or move in a quick, hurried manner; to hasten away. Macaulay. The lady, however, . . . could not help scampering about the room after a mouse.
S. Sharpe.
Scamper Scam"per noun A scampering; a hasty flight.
Scamperer Scam"per·er noun One who scampers. Tyndell.
Scampish Scamp"ish adjective Of or like a scamp; knavish; as, scampish conduct.
Scan Scan (skăn)
transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Scanned (skănd);
present participle & verbal noun Scanning .] [ Latin
scandere ,
scansum , to climb, to scan, akin to Sanskrit
skand to spring, leap: confer French
scander . Confer
Ascend ,
Descend ,
Scale a ladder.]
1. To mount by steps; to go through with step by step. [ Obsolete]
Nor stayed till she the highest stage had scand .
Spenser. 2. Specifically (Pros.) , to go through with, as a verse, marking and distinguishing the feet of which it is composed; to show, in reading, the metrical structure of; to recite metrically. 3. To go over and examine point by point; to examine with care; to look closely at or into; to scrutinize. The actions of men in high stations are all conspicuous, and liable to be scanned and sifted.
Atterbury.
Scandal Scan"dal noun [ French
scandale , from Latin
scandalum , Greek ..., a snare laid for an enemy, a stumbling block, offense, scandal: confer Middle English
scandle , Old French
escandle . See
Slander .]
1. Offense caused or experienced; reproach or reprobation called forth by what is regarded as wrong, criminal, heinous, or flagrant: opprobrium or disgrace. O, what a scandal is it to our crown,
That two such noble peers as ye should jar!
Shak. [ I] have brought scandal
To Israel, diffidence of God, and doubt
In feeble hearts.
Milton. 2. Reproachful aspersion; opprobrious censure; defamatory talk, uttered heedlessly or maliciously. You must not put another scandal on him.
Shak. My known virtue is from scandal free.
Dryden. 3. (Equity) Anything alleged in pleading which is impertinent, and is reproachful to any person, or which derogates from the dignity of the court, or is contrary to good manners. Daniell. Syn. -- Defamation; detraction; slander; calumny; opprobrium; reproach; shame; disgrace.
Scandal Scan"dal transitive verb 1. To treat opprobriously; to defame; to asperse; to traduce; to slander. [ R.]
I do fawn on men and hug them hard
And after scandal them.
Shak. 2. To scandalize; to offend. [ Obsolete]
Bp. Story. Syn. -- To defame; traduce; reproach; slander; calumniate; asperse; vilify; disgrace.
Scandalize Scan"dal·ize transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Scandalized ;
present participle & verbal noun Scandalizing ] [ French
scandaliser , Latin
scandalizare , from Greek
skandali`zein .]
1. To offend the feelings or the conscience of (a person) by some action which is considered immoral or criminal; to bring shame, disgrace, or reproach upon. I demand who they are whom we scandalize by using harmless things.
Hooker. The congregation looked on in silence, the better class scandalized , and the lower orders, some laughing, others backing the soldier or the minister, as their fancy dictated.
Sir W. Scott. 2. To reproach; to libel; to defame; to slander. To tell his tale might be interpreted into scandalizing the order.
Sir W. Scott.
Scandalous Scan"dal·ous adjective [ Confer French
scandaleux .]
1. Giving offense to the conscience or moral feelings; exciting reprobation; calling out condemnation. Nothing scandalous or offensive unto any.
Hooker. 2. Disgraceful to reputation; bringing shame or infamy; opprobrious; as, a scandalous crime or vice. 3. Defamatory; libelous; as, a scandalous story.
Scandalously Scan"dal·ous·ly adverb 1. In a manner to give offense; shamefully. His discourse at table was scandalously unbecoming the dignity of his station.
Swift. 2. With a disposition to impute immorality or wrong. Shun their fault, who, scandalously nice,
Will needs mistake an author into vice.
Pope.
Scandalousness Scan"dal·ous·ness noun Quality of being scandalous.
Scandalum magnatum Scan"da·lum mag·na"tum` [ Latin , scandal of magnates.] (Law) A defamatory speech or writing published to the injury of a person of dignity; -- usually abbreviated scan. mag.
Scandent Scan"dent adjective [ Latin
scandens ,
-entis , present participle of
scandere to climb.]
Climbing. » Scandent plants may climb either by twining, as the hop, or by twisted leafstalks, as the clematis, or by tendrils, as the passion flower, or by rootlets, as the ivy.
Scandia Scan"di·a noun [ New Latin See
Scandium .]
(Chemistry) A chemical earth, the oxide of scandium.
Scandic Scan"dic adjective (Chemistry) Of or pertaining to scandium; derived from, or containing, scandium.
Scandinavian Scan`di·na"vi·an adjective Of or pertaining to Scandinavia, that is, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. --
noun A native or inhabitant of Scandinavia.
Scandium Scan"di·um noun [ New Latin So called because found in
Scandinavian minerals.]
(Chemistry) A rare metallic element of the boron group, whose existence was predicted under the provisional name ekaboron by means of the periodic law, and subsequently discovered by spectrum analysis in certain rare Scandinavian minerals ( euxenite and gadolinite ). It has not yet been isolated. Symbol Sc. Atomic weight 44.
Scansion Scan"sion noun [ Latin
scansio , from
scandere ,
scansum , to climb. See
Scan .]
(Pros.) The act of scanning; distinguishing the metrical feet of a verse by emphasis, pauses, or otherwise.
Scansores Scan·so"res noun plural [ New Latin , from Latin
scandere ,
scansum , to climb.]
(Zoology) An artifical group of birds formerly regarded as an order. They are distributed among several orders by modern ornithologists. » The toes are in pairs, two before and two behind, by which they are enabled to cling to, and climb upon, trees, as the woodpeckers, parrots, cuckoos, and trogons. See
Illust. under
Aves .
Scansorial Scan·so"ri·al adjective (Zoology) (a) Capable of climbing; as, the woodpecker is a scansorial bird; adapted for climbing; as, a scansorial foot. (b) Of or pertaining to the Scansores. See Illust. . under Aves . Scansorial tail (Zoology) ,
a tail in which the feathers are stiff and sharp at the tip, as in the woodpeckers.
Scant Scant adjective [
Compar. Scanter ;
superl. Scantest .] [ Icelandic
skamt , neuter of
skamr ,
skammr , short; confer
skamta to dole out, to portion.]
1. Not full, large, or plentiful; scarcely sufficient; less than is wanted for the purpose; scanty; meager; not enough; as, a scant allowance of provisions or water; a scant pattern of cloth for a garment. His sermon was scant , in all, a quarter of an hour.
Ridley. 2. Sparing; parsimonious; chary. Be somewhat scanter of your maiden presence.
Shak. Syn. -- See under
Scanty .
Scant Scant transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Scanted ;
present participle & verbal noun Scanting .]
1. To limit; to straiten; to treat illiberally; to stint; as, to scant one in provisions; to scant ourselves in the use of necessaries. Where a man hath a great living laid together and where he is scanted .
Bacon. I am scanted in the pleasure of dwelling on your actions.
Dryden. 2. To cut short; to make small, narrow, or scanty; to curtail. "
Scant not my cups."
Shak.
Scant Scant intransitive verb To fail, or become less; to scantle; as, the wind scants .
Scant Scant adverb In a scant manner; with difficulty; scarcely; hardly. [ Obsolete]
Bacon. So weak that he was scant able to go down the stairs.
Fuller.
Scant Scant noun Scantness; scarcity. [ R.]
T. Carew.
Scantily Scant"i·ly adverb In a scanty manner; not fully; not plentifully; sparingly; parsimoniously. His mind was very scantily stored with materials.
Macaulay.
Scantiness Scant"i·ness noun Quality or condition of being scanty.
Scantle Scan"tle intransitive verb [ Dim. of
scant , v.]
To be deficient; to fail. [ Obsolete]
Drayton.
Scantle Scan"tle transitive verb [ Old French
escanteler ,
eschanteler , to break into contles; prefix
es- (L.
ex ) +
cantel ,
chantel , corner, side, piece. Confused with English
scant . See
Cantle .]
To scant; to be niggard of; to divide into small pieces; to cut short or down. [ Obsolete]
All their pay
Must your discretion scantle ; keep it back.
J. Webster.
Scantlet Scant"let noun [ Old French
eschantelet corner.]
A small pattern; a small quantity. [ Obsolete]
Sir M. Hale.
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