Sgraffito, sgraf-fē′tō, n. (same as Graffito, q.v.): a kind of decorative work in pottery and superimposed metals, in which clays, &c., of different colours are laid one upon another, and the pattern is produced by cutting away the outer layers:—pl. Sgraffi′ti.
Shabby, shab′i,—adj. threadbare or worn, as clothes: having a look of poverty: mean in look or conduct: low: paltry.—adv. Shabb′ily.—n. Shabb′iness.—adj. Shabb′y-genteel′, keeping up or affecting an appearance of gentility, though really shabby. [An adj. formed from shab, an old by-form of scab—thus a doublet of scabby.]
Shabrack, shab′rak, n. a trooper's housing or saddle-cloth. [Fr.,—Ger. shabracke—Pol. czaprak.]
Shack, shak, v.i. to tramp or wander about.—n. a tramp, a vagabond.
Shack, shak, v.i. to shed or fall out, as ripe grain from the ear: to feed on stubble: (U.S.) to hibernate, to go into winter quarters.—n. grain, &c., fallen on the ground: liberty of winter pasturage: a hastily-built cabin, a rickety house.—ns. Shack′-bait, such bait as may be picked up at sea; Shack′le, stubble. [Shake.]
Shackle, shak′l, n. a curved bar, as of iron: a link or staple: a link securing two ankle-rings or two wrist-rings together, and so (pl.) fetters, manacles: a hinderance.—v.t. to fetter: to tie the limbs of: to confine.—ns. Shack′le-bolt, a bolt having a shackle on the end: (her.) a bearing representing a fetlock for hobbling a horse; Shack′le-joint, a peculiar kind of articulation seen in the exoskeleton of some fishes. [A.S. sceacul, scacul, a shackle—sceacan, to shake; cog. with Old Dut. schakel, a link of a chain, Ice. skökull, the pole of a cart.]
Shad, shad, n. a fish of the herring kind, but having the upper jaw deeply notched, and ascending rivers to spawn.—adj. Shad′-bell′ied, flat-bellied—opp. to Pot-bellied: sloping away gradually in front, cut away.—ns. Shad′-bird, the common American snipe: the sandpiper; Shad′-bush, the June-berry or service-berry; Shad′-fly, a May-fly; Shad′-frog, a large and very agile American frog; Shad′-wait′er, the pilot-fish or round-fish. [A.S. sceadda.]
Shaddock, shad′ok, n. a tree of the same genus as the orange, having larger leaves, flowers, and fruit. [Named from Captain Shaddock, who introduced it to the West Indies from China about 1810.]