Seriph Ser"iph noun (Type Founding) See Ceriph .

Serjeant, Serjeantcy Ser"jeant, Ser"jeant·cy etc. See Sergeant , Sergeantcy , etc.

Serjeant-at-arms . See Sergeant-at- arms , under Sergeant .

Sermocination Ser·moc`i·na"tion noun [ Latin sermocinatio . See Sermon .] The making of speeches or sermons; sermonizing. [ Obsolete] Peacham.

Sermocinator Ser·moc"i·na`tor noun [ Latin ] One who makes sermons or speeches. [ Obsolete] Howell.

Sermon Ser"mon noun [ Middle English sermoun , sermun , French sermon , from Latin sermo , -onis , a speaking, discourse, probably from serer , sertum , to join, connect; hence, a connected speech. See Series .] 1. A discourse or address; a talk; a writing; as, the sermons of Chaucer. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

2. Specifically, a discourse delivered in public, usually by a clergyman, for the purpose of religious instruction and grounded on some text or passage of Scripture.

This our life exempt from public haunts
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones and good in everything.

Shak.

His preaching much, but more his practice, wrought,
A living sermon of the truths he taught.

Dryden.

3. Hence, a serious address; a lecture on one's conduct or duty; an exhortation or reproof; a homily; -- often in a depreciatory sense.

Sermon Ser"mon intransitive verb [ Confer Old French sermoner , French sermonner to lecture one.] To speak; to discourse; to compose or deliver a sermon. [ Obsolete] Holinshed.

What needeth it to sermon of it more?

Chaucer.

Sermon Ser"mon transitive verb 1. To discourse to or of, as in a sermon. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

2. To tutor; to lecture. [ Poetic] Shak.

Sermoneer Ser`mon·eer" noun A sermonizer. B. Jonson.

Sermoner Ser"mon·er noun A preacher; a sermonizer. [ Derogative or Jocose.] Thackeray.

Sermonet Ser`mon·et" noun A short sermon. [ Written also sermonette .]

Sermonic, Sermonical Ser·mon"ic, Ser·mon"ic·al adjective Like, or appropriate to, a sermon; grave and didactic. [ R.] "Conversation . . . satirical or sermonic ." Prof. Wilson. " Sermonical style." V. Knox.

Sermoning Ser"mon·ing noun The act of discoursing; discourse; instruction; preaching. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Sermonish Ser"mon·ish adjective Resembling a sermon. [ R.]

Sermonist Ser"mon·ist noun See Sermonizer .

Sermonize Ser"mon·ize intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Sermonized ; present participle & verbal noun Sermonizing .] 1. To compose or write a sermon or sermons; to preach.

2. To inculcate rigid rules. [ R.] Chesterfield.

Sermonize Ser"mon·ize transitive verb To preach or discourse to; to affect or influence by means of a sermon or of sermons. [ R.]

Which of us shall sing or sermonize the other fast asleep?

Landor.

Sermonizer Ser"mon·i`zer noun One who sermonizes.

Serolin Ser"o·lin noun [ Ser um + Latin ole um oil.] (Physiol. Chem.) (a) A peculiar fatty substance found in the blood, probably a mixture of fats, cholesterin, etc. (b) A body found in fecal matter and thought to be formed in the intestines from the cholesterin of the bile; -- called also stercorin , and stercolin .

Seron, Seroon Se·ron", Se·roon" noun [ Spanish seron a kind of hamper or pannier, aug. of sera a large pannier or basket.] Same as Ceroon .

» This word as expressing a quantity or weight has no definite signification. McElrath.

Serose Se"rose` adjective Serous. [ Obsolete] Dr. H. More.

Serosity Se·ros"i·ty noun [ Confer French serosité . See Serous .] 1. The quality or state of being serous.

2. (Physiol.) A thin watery animal fluid, as synovial fluid and pericardial fluid.

Serotherapy Se`ro·ther"a·py noun (Medicine) (a) Serum-therapy. (b) The whey cure.

Serotine Ser"o·tine noun [ French sérotine , from Latin serotinus that comes or happens late.] (Zoology) The European long-eared bat ( Vesperugo serotinus ).

Serotinous Se·rot"i·nous adjective [ Latin serotinus , from serus late.] (Biol.) Appearing or blossoming later in the season than is customary with allied species.

Serous Se"rous adjective [ Confer French séreux . See Serum .] (Physiol.) (a) Thin; watery; like serum; as the serous fluids. (b) Of or pertaining to serum; as, the serous glands, membranes, layers. See Serum .

Serous membrane . (Anat.) See under Membrane .

Serow, Surrow Ser"ow, Sur"row noun (Zoology) The thar.

Serpens Ser"pens noun [ Latin See Serpent .] (Astron.) A constellation represented as a serpent held by Serpentarius.

Serpent Ser"pent noun [ French, from Latin serpens , -entis (sc. bestia ), from serpens , present participle of serpere to creep; akin to Greek ........., Sanskrit sarp , and perhaps to Latin repere , English reptile . Confer Herpes .] 1. (Zoology) Any reptile of the order Ophidia; a snake, especially a large snake. See Illust. under Ophidia .

» The serpents are mostly long and slender, and move partly by bending the body into undulations or folds and pressing them against objects, and partly by using the free edges of their ventral scales to cling to rough surfaces. Many species glide swiftly over the ground, some burrow in the earth, others live in trees. A few are entirely aquatic, and swim rapidly. See Ophidia , and Fang .

2. Fig.: A subtle, treacherous, malicious person.

3. A species of firework having a serpentine motion as it passess through the air or along the ground.

4. (Astron.) The constellation Serpens.

5. (Mus.) A bass wind instrument, of a loud and coarse tone, formerly much used in military bands, and sometimes introduced into the orchestra; -- so called from its form.

Pharaoh's serpent (Chemistry) , mercuric sulphocyanate, a combustible white substance which in burning gives off a poisonous vapor and leaves a peculiar brown voluminous residue which is expelled in a serpentine from. It is employed as a scientific toy. -- Serpent cucumber (Botany) , the long, slender, serpentine fruit of the cucurbitaceous plant Trichosanthes colubrina ; also, the plant itself. -- Serpent eage (Zoology) , any one of several species of raptorial birds of the genera Circaëtus and Spilornis , which prey on serpents. They inhabit Africa, Southern Europe, and India. The European serpent eagle is Circaëtus Gallicus . -- Serpent eater . (Zoology) (a) The secretary bird . (b) An Asiatic antelope; the markhoor. -- Serpent fish (Zoology) , a fish ( Cepola rubescens ) with a long, thin, compressed body, and a band of red running lengthwise. -- Serpent star (Zoology) , an ophiuran; a brittle star. -- Serpent's tongue (Paleon.) , the fossil tooth of a shark; -- so called from its resemblance to a tongue with its root. -- Serpent withe (Botany) , a West Indian climbing plant ( Aristolochia odoratissima ). -- Tree serpent (Zoology) , any species of African serpents belonging to the family Dendrophidæ .

Serpent Ser"pent intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Serpented ; present participle & verbal noun Serpenting .] To wind like a serpent; to crook about; to meander. [ R.] "The serpenting of the Thames." Evelyn.

Serpent Ser"pent transitive verb To wind; to encircle. [ R.] Evelyn.

Serpent-tongued Ser"pent-tongued` adjective (Zoology) Having a forked tongue, like a serpent.

Serpentaria Ser`pen·ta"ri·a adjective [ Latin (sc. herba ), from serpens serpent.] (Medicine) The fibrous aromatic root of the Virginia snakeroot ( Aristolochia Serpentaria ).

Serpentarius Ser`pen·ta"ri·us noun [ New Latin , from Latin serpens serpent.] (Astron.) A constellation on the equator, lying between Scorpio and Hercules; -- called also Ophiuchus .

Serpentiform Ser·pen"ti·form adjective [ Latin serpens a serpent + -form .] Having the form of a serpent.

Serpentigenous Ser`pen·tig"e·nous adjective [ Latin serpens , -entis , a serpent + -genous : confer Latin serpentigena .] Bred of a serpent.

Serpentine Ser"pen·tine adjective [ Latin serpentinus : confer French serpentin .] Resembling a serpent; having the shape or qualities of a serpent; subtle; winding or turning one way and the other, like a moving serpent; anfractuous; meandering; sinuous; zigzag; as, serpentine braid.

Thy shape
Like his, and color serpentine .

Milton.

Serpentine Ser"pen·tine noun [ Confer (for sense 1) French serpentine , (for sense 2) serpentin .] 1. (Min.) A mineral or rock consisting chiefly of the hydrous silicate of magnesia. It is usually of an obscure green color, often with a spotted or mottled appearance resembling a serpent's skin. Precious , or noble , serpentine is translucent and of a rich oil-green color.

» Serpentine has been largely produced by the alteration of other minerals, especially of chrysolite.

2. (Ordnance) A kind of ancient cannon.

Serpentine Ser"pen·tine intransitive verb To serpentize. [ R.] Lyttleton.

Serpentinely Ser"pen·tine·ly adverb In a serpentine manner.

Serpentinian Ser`pen·tin"i·an noun (Eccl.) See 2d Ophite .

Serpentinize Ser"pen·tin·ize transitive verb (Min.) To convert (a magnesian silicate) into serpentine. -- Ser`pen*tin`i*za"tion noun

Serpentinous Ser"pen·ti`nous adjective Relating to, or like, serpentine; as, a rock serpentinous in character.

Serpentize Ser"pent·ize intransitive verb To turn or bend like a serpent, first in one direction and then in the opposite; to meander; to wind; to serpentine. [ R.]

The river runs before the door, and serpentizes more than you can conceive.

Walpole.

Serpentry Ser"pent·ry noun 1. A winding like a serpent's.

2. A place inhabited or infested by serpents.

Serpet Ser"pet noun [ Latin sirpus , scirpus , a rush, bulrush.] A basket. [ Obsolete] Ainsworth.

Serpette Ser·pette" noun [ French] A pruning knife with a curved blade. Knight.

Serpiginous Ser·pig"i·nous adjective [ Confer French serpigineux .] (Medicine) Creeping; -- said of lesions which heal over one portion while continuing to advance at another.

Serpigo Ser·pi"go noun [ Late Latin , from Latin serpere to creep.] (Medicine) A dry, scaly eruption on the skin; especially, a ringworm.

Serpolet Ser"po·let noun [ French] (Botany) Wild thyme.

Serpula Ser"pu·la noun ; plural Serpulæ , English Serpulas . [ Latin , a little snake. See Serpent .] (Zoology) Any one of numerous species of tubicolous annelids of the genus Serpula and allied genera of the family Serpulidæ . They secrete a calcareous tube, which is usually irregularly contorted, but is sometimes spirally coiled. The worm has a wreath of plumelike and often bright-colored gills around its head, and usually an operculum to close the aperture of its tube when it retracts.

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