Shamanism, sham′an-izm, n. a name applied loosely to the religion of the Turanian races of Siberia and north-eastern Asia, based essentially on magic and sorcery.—n. Sham′an, a wizard priest.—adj. Shaman′ic.—n. Sham′anist.—adj. Shamanis′tic. [Perh. Hind. shaman, idolater.]
Shamble, sham′bl, v.i. to walk with an awkward, unsteady gait.—n. a shambling gait.—adj. Sham′bling. [Skeat refers to Dut. schampelen—O. Fr. s'escamper, to decamp.]
Shambles, sham′blz, n.pl. stalls on which butchers exposed their meat for sale, hence a flesh-market: a slaughter-house. [A.S. scamel (Ger. schämel), a stool—Low L. scamellum, for L. scabellum, dim. of scamnum, a bench.]
Shame, shām, n. the feeling caused by the exposure of that which ought to be concealed, or by a consciousness of guilt: the cause of shame, a person or thing to be ashamed of: disgrace, dishonour: (B.) the parts of the body which modesty requires to be concealed.—v.t. to make ashamed: to cause to blush: to cover with reproach: to drive or compel by shame.—adj. Shame′faced (properly Shame′fast, A.S. sceam-fæst), very modest or bashful.—adv. Shame′facedly.—ns. Shame′facedness, Shame′fastness, modesty.—adj. Shame′ful, disgraceful.—adv. Shame′fully.—n. Shame′fulness.—adj. Shame′less, immodest: done without shame: audacious.—adv. Shame′lessly.—n. Shame′lessness.—adj. Shame′-proof (Shak.), insensible to shame.—ns. Shā′mer, one who, or that which, makes ashamed; Shame′-reel, the first dance after the celebration of marriage, the bride being the best man's partner, the best maid the bridegroom's.—For shame, an interjectional phrase, signifying 'you should be ashamed!'—Put to shame, to cause to feel shame. [A.S. sceamu, scamu, modesty; Ice. skömm, a wound, Ger. scham.]
Shammatha, sha-mä′tha, n. the severest form of excommunication among the ancient Jews. [Heb.]
Shammy, sham′i, same as Chamois.—v.t. Sham′oy, to prepare leather by working oil into the skin.—n. Sham′oying.
Shampoo, sham-pōō′, v.t. to squeeze and rub the body, in connection with the hot bath: to wash thoroughly with soap and water.—ns. Shampoo′; Shampoo′er. [Hind. chāmpnā, squeeze.]
Shamrock, sham′rok, n. the national emblem of Ireland, a leaf with three leaflets, or plant having such leaves, sometimes supposed to be the Wood-sorrel, but the name is more frequently applied to some species of Clover, or to some common plant of some of the nearly allied genera, as the Bird's Foot Trefoil or the Black Medick. The Lesser Yellow Trefoil is the plant usually sold in Dublin on St Patrick's Day. [Ir. seamrog, Gael. seamrag, trefoil, dim. of seamar, trefoil.]
Shan, shan, adj. pertaining to the Shans, a number of tribes of common origin, who live on the borders of Burma, Siam, and China.
Shand, shand, n. (obs.) shame: (Scot.) base coin.—adj. worthless. [A.S. sceand, scand.]