Siserary, sis′e-rā-ri, n. a stroke, blow, originally a legal writ transferring a cause to a higher court.—With a siserary, with suddenness or vehemence. [A corr. of certiorari.]
Siskin, sis′kin, n. a genus of perching birds belonging to the family Fringillidæ, the true finches. [Dan. sisgen, Sw. siska, Ger. zeisig.]
Sist, sist, v.t. (Scots law) to present at the bar: cause to appear, summon: to delay, stop.—n. the act of staying diligence or execution on decrees for civil debts. [L. sistĕre, to make to stand.]
Sister, sis′tėr, n. a female born of the same parents: a female closely allied to or associated with another.—adj. closely related, akin.—v.t. and v.i. to resemble closely: to be a sister to: to be allied.—ns. Sis′terhood, state of being a sister, the duty of a sister: a society of females, a community of women living together under a religious rule, and with a common object for their united life; Sis′ter-hook, in a ship's rigging, one of a pair of hooks fitting closely together and working on the same axis—also Clip-hook and Clove-hook; Sis′ter-in-law, a husband's or wife's sister, or a brother's wife.—adjs. Sis′terless, having no sister; Sis′ter-like, Sis′terly, like or becoming a sister: kind: affectionate. [A.S. sweostor; Dut. zuster, Ger. schwester.]
Sistine, sis′tin, adj. pertaining to a pope of the name of Sixtus, esp. Sixtus IV. (1471-84) and Sixtus V. (1585-90)—also Six′tine.—Sistine Chapel, the Pope's chapel in the Vatican, built in 1473 by Sixtus IV., covered with magnificent frescoes by Michael Angelo and the great Florentine masters; Sistine Madonna, or Madonna of San Sisto, a famous painting by Raphael Santi, now at Dresden, representing the Virgin and Child in glory, St Sixtus on the left, St Barbara on the right, and two cherubs below.
Sistrum, sis′trum, n. a form of rattle used in ancient Egypt in connection with the worship of Isis.
Sisyphean, sis-i-fē′an, adj. relating to Sisyphus: incessantly recurring. [From Sisyphus, a king of Corinth, who was condemned in Tartarus to roll to the top of a hill a huge stone, which constantly rolled down again, making his task incessant.]
Sit, sit, v.i. to rest on the haunches: to perch, as birds: to rest: to remain, abide: to brood: to occupy a seat, esp. officially: to be officially engaged: to blow from a certain direction, as the wind: to be worn, to fit, to be becoming: to take an attitude of readiness, or for any special purpose: to hold a deliberative session.—v.t. to keep a seat, or good seat, upon: to seat, place on a seat:—pr.p. sit′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. sat.—n. a subsidence of the roof of a coal-mine: (slang) a situation.—adj. Sit′-fast, fixed, stationary.—n. a callosity of the skin under the saddle, often leading to ulcer.—ns. Sit′ter; Sit′ting, state of resting on a seat: a seat, a special seat allotted to a seat-holder, at church, &c.; also the right to hold such: the part of the year in which judicial business is transacted: the act or time of resting in a posture for a painter to take a likeness: an official meeting to transact business: uninterrupted application to anything for a time: the time during which one continues at anything: a resting on eggs for hatching, the number hatched at one time; Sit′ting-room, the parlour or most commonly used room in many houses.—Sit down, to take a seat: to pause, rest: to begin a siege; Sit loose, or loosely, to be careless or indifferent; Sit on, or upon, to hold an official inquiry regarding: (slang) to repress, check; Sit out, to sit, or to sit apart, during: to await the close of; Sit under, to be in the habit of hearing the preaching of; Sit up, to raise the body from a recumbent to a sitting position: to keep watch during the night (with). [A.S. sittan; Ger. sitzen, L. sedēre.]
Sitar, sit′ar, n. an Oriental form of guitar.