simper, to twinkle, glimmer. Beaumont and Fl., Lover’s Progress, iii. 1. 8; ‘I mark how starres above Simper and shine’, G. Herbert, The Church, The Search, l. 14.
simper, to simmer; ‘I symper, as lycour dothe on the fyre before it begynneth to boyle’, Palsgrave. In prov. use in north Ireland, west Yorks., and east Anglia (EDD.).
simper-the-cocket, an affected coquettish air; a woman so characterised, a flirt. B. Jonson, Gipsies Metamorphosed (Patrico); Skelton, El. Rummyng, 55; simper de cocket, ‘Coquine, a beggar-woman; also a simper de cockit, nice thing’, Cotgrave; Heywood’s Proverbs, Pt. ii, ch. 1 (ed. Farmer, 52). See Nares.
simple, a simple remedy, as a plant used medicinally without admixture; ‘Where a sycknesse may be cured with symples’, Sir T. Elyot, Castel of Helthe, bk. ii, c. 28; to gather simples or medicinal herbs, Butler, Hud. ii. 3. 823.
simulty, a grudge. B. Jonson, Discoveries, cxxii, § 2. F. simulté, a grudge (Cotgr.). L. simultas, a hostile encounter, animosity.
sin, since. Spenser, F. Q. vi. 11. 44. In gen. prov. use (EDD.). ME. sithen, since (Wars Alex.); see Dict. M. and S. OE. sīððan.
single: single money, small change; ‘The ale-wives’ single money’, B. Jonson, Alchem. v. 2 (Subtle); Fletcher, Woman’s Prize, iv. 5 (Pedro).
single, in hunting, the tail of a deer; ‘The tayle of Harte, Bucke, Rowe or any other Deare is to be called the Syngle’, Turbervile, Hunting, 243 (NED.); Howell, Parley of Beasts, 63; used of Pan’s tail, ‘That single wagging at thy butt’, Cotton, Burlesque, 277 (Davies). Hence, ‘a boy leasht on the single’, is explained by ‘beaten on the taile’, Lyly, Midas, iv. 3 (Pet.). Still in prov. use in Northants. and west Somerset, see EDD. (s.v. Single, sb.1 9).
singler, a full-grown wild boar. Manwood, Lawes Forest, iv, § 5. See [sanglier].
singles, the claws of a hawk. The middle claws were called the long singles, and the outer the petty singles. Heywood, A Woman killed, i. 3 (Sir Francis). The single was orig. the middle or outer claw on the foot of the hawk (NED.).