Sansevieria, san-sev-i-ē′ri-a, n. a genus of monocotyledonous plants of the order Hæmodoraceæ, native to southern Africa and the East Indies, yielding bowstring-hemp. [Named after the Neapolitan Prince of Sanseviero (1710-71).]
Sanskrit, sans′krit, n. the ancient literary language of India, the easternmost branch of the great Indo-Germanic (Indo-European, Aryan) stock of languages.—n. Sans′kritist, one skilled in Sanskrit. [Sans. samskrita, perfected, polished, from Sans. sam, together, krita, done, perfected, from kri, cog. with L. creāre, to create.]
Santa Claus, san′ta klawz, n. a famous nursery hero, a fat rosy old fellow who brings presents to good children on Christmas Eve.
Santalaceæ, san-ta-lā′sē-ē, n. an order of apetalous plants, the sandalwood family.—adjs. Santalā′ceous; Santal′ic, pertaining to sandalwood.—ns. San′talin, the colouring matter of red sandalwood; San′talum, the type genus of the sandalwood family.
Santir, san′tėr, n. a variety of dulcimer used in the East.—Also San′tur.
Santolina, san-tō-lī′na, n. a genus of composite plants, of the Mediterranean region, of tribe Anthemideæ, including the common lavender-cotton.
Santon, san′ton, n. an Eastern dervish or saint. [Sp. santon—santo, holy—L. sanctus, holy.]
Santonine, son′to-nin, n. a colourless crystalline poisonous compound contained in Santonica. [Gr. santonicon, a wormwood found in the country of the Santones in Gaul.]
Sap, sap, n. the vital juice of plants: (bot.) the part of the wood next to the bark: the blood: a simpleton: a plodding student.—v.i. to play the part of a ninny: to be studious.—ns. Sap′-bee′tle a beetle which feeds on sap; Sap′-col′our, a vegetable juice inspissated by slow evaporation, for the use of painters.—adj. Sap′ful, full of sap.—ns. Sap′-green, a green colouring matter from the juice of buckthorn berries; Sap′head, a silly fellow.—adj. Sap′less, wanting sap: not juicy.—ns. Sap′ling, a young tree, so called from being full of sap: a young greyhound during the year of his birth until the end of the coursing season which commences in that year; Sap′ling-cup, an open tankard for drinking new ale; Sap′piness.—adj. Sap′py, abounding with sap: juicy: silly.—ns. Sap′-tube, a vessel that conveys sap; Sap′-wood, the outer part of the trunk of a tree, next the bark, in which the sap flows most freely: albumen.—Crude sap, the ascending sap. [A.S. sæp; Low Ger. sapp, juice, Ger. saft.]
Sap, sap, v.t. to destroy by digging underneath: to undermine: to impair the constitution.—v.i. to proceed by undermining:—pr.p. sap′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. sapped.—n. a narrow ditch or trench by which approach is made from the foremost parallel towards the glacis or covert-way of a besieged place.—n. Sap′per, one who saps. [O. Fr. sappe—Low L. sapa, a pick, prob. from Gr. skapanē, a hoe.]