Serein, se-rang′, n. a fine rain which falls from a cloudless sky. [Fr.]
Serena, sē-rē′na, n. the damp, unwholesome air of evening.
Serenade, ser-e-nād′, n. evening music in the open air, esp. given by a lover to his mistress under her window at night: a piece of music suitable for such an occasion.—v.t. to entertain with a serenade.—ns. Serenā′der, one who serenades; Serenä′ta, an instrumental work for performance in the open air; Ser′enāte (Milt.), a serenade. [Fr.,—It. serenata, sereno, serene—L. serenus.]
Serene, sē-rēn′, adj. calm: unclouded: unruffled: an adjunct to the titles of certain German princes—a translation of Durchlaucht.—v.t. to tranquillise.—n. the chilly damp of evening: blight.—adv. Serēne′ly, calmly, coolly.—ns. Serēne′ness; Seren′itude; Seren′ity, state or quality of being serene, calmness, peace.—v.t. Serenise′, to make bright: to glorify. [L. serenus, clear.]
Serenoa, sē-rē′nō-a, n. a genus of dwarf palms in Florida.
Serf, sėrf, n. a slave attached to the soil and sold with it: a labourer rendering forced service in Russia: a menial.—ns. Serf′age, Serf′dom, condition of a serf. [Fr.,—L. servus, a slave.]
Serge, sėrj, n. a strong twilled fabric, once of silk, now usually of worsted.—n. Sergette′, a thin serge. [Fr.,—L. serica, silk—Seres, the Chinese.]
Sergeant, Serjeant, sär′jent, n. a non-commissioned officer of the army and marines next above a corporal, overlooking the soldiers in barracks, and assisting the officers in all ways in the field: a bailiff: a constable: a servant in monastic offices: a police-officer of superior rank.—ns. Ser′geancy, Ser′geantcy, Ser′geantship, office of a sergeant; Ser′geant-at-arms, an officer of a legislative body for keeping order, &c.; Ser′geant-fish, the cobra, so called from the lateral stripes; Ser′geant-mā′jor, the highest non-commissioned officer, employed to assist the adjutant: the cow-pilot, a fish; Ser′geantry, Ser′geanty, a kind of feudal tenure on condition of service due to the king only; Ser′jeant-at-arms, an officer who attends upon the Lord Chancellor with the mace, and who executes various writs of process in the course of a Chancery suit: a similar officer who attends on each House of Parliament, and arrests any person ordered by the House to be arrested; Ser′jeant-at-law, formerly in England the highest degree of barrister, once with exclusive audience in the Court of Common Pleas, their proper dress a violet-coloured robe with a scarlet hood, and a black coif, represented in modern times by a patch of silk at the top of the wig.—Grand sergeanty, a tenure of lands by special honorary service to the king; Petit sergeanty, a tenure of lands by a rent or tender. [Fr. sergent—L. serviens, -entis, pr.p. of servīre, to serve.]
Serial, sē′ri-al, adj. pertaining to, or consisting of, a series: appearing periodically.—n. a tale or other composition appearing in successive parts, as in a periodical: a publication issued in successive numbers, a periodical.—n. Sērial′ity.—advs. Sē′rially, Sē′riately, in a series or regular order.—adj. Sē′riāte, arranged in a series.—adv. Sē′riātim, one after another.—n. Sēriā′tion.
Serian, sē′ri-an, adj. Chinese—also Ser′ic.—ns. Ser′ica, a genus of melolonthine beetles; Sericā′ria, a genus of bombycid moths, containing the mulberry silkworm.—adjs. Ser′icate, -d, silky, covered with silky down; Sericeous (sērish′i-us), pertaining to, or consisting of, silk: (bot.) covered with soft silky hairs, as a leaf.—n.pl. Seric′ides, a section of melolonthine beetles.—ns. Ser′icin, the gelatinous substance of silk; Ser′icite, a variety of potash mica.—adj. Sericit′ic.—ns. Sericocar′pus, a genus of composite plants of the United States; Sericos′tōma, the typical genus of caddis-flies; Serictē′rium, a spinning gland; Ser′iculture, the breeding of silkworms—also Ser′iciculture; Sericul′turist. [Gr. Sēres, the Seres, an Asiatic people who supplied the Greeks and Romans with their silk.]