†singles, the entrails; ‘The singles (Lat. prosecta) also of a wolfe’, Golding, Metam. vii. 271; fol. 82 (1603). Not found elsewhere.
sink and sise, five and six; at dice; ‘All at sink and sise’, i.e. I have lost all my effects at dice-playing, Like will to Like, in Hazlitt’s Dodsley, iii. 346.
sinkanter, a term of contempt; ‘One Volanerius, an old sinkanter or gamester and scurrilous companion by profession’, Jackson, Creed, x. 19; ‘Rocard, an overworn sincaunter, one that can neither whinny nor wag the tail’, Cotgrave.
si quis, an advertisement; also called a bill. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Humour, ii. 2 (end). From L. si quis, lit. if any one; from the first two words; the advertisement begins: ‘If there be any lady or gentlewoman’, id., iii. 1 (Puntarvolo). Cp. Hall, Sat. ii. 5. 1.
Sir John, a familiar appellation for a priest, because John was a common name, and it was usual to prefix sir to a priest’s name. Richard III, iii. 2. 111; Heywood, Wise Woman of Hogsdon, i. 2 (Luce). Cp. Chaucer (C. T. B. 4000), ‘Com neer thou preest, com hider thou sir John.’ See NED. (s.v. Sir, 4).
sirts of sand, quicksands. Mirror for Mag., Madan, st. 7. For syrtes, pl. of L. Syrtis, Gk. Σύρτις, the name of two large sandbanks (Major and Minor) on the coast of Libya. Cp. ‘A boggy Syrtis’, Milton, P. L. ii. 939.
sit, to be fitting, to befit, suit; ‘It sits not’ (i.e. it is unbecoming), Spenser, F. Q. i. 1. 30; ‘With them it sits’, Shep. Kal., May, 77; id., Nov., 26. In the north country ‘It sits him weel indeed’ is often said ironically of a person who arrogates to himself more than is thought proper, see EDD. (s.v. Sit, 16). Sitting, suitable, fit, becoming; ‘To the [thee] it is sittynge’, Fabyan, Chron., Part vii, c. 232; ed. Ellis, p. 265; Skelton, Garl. of Laurell, 149.
sith, time; also pl. times. Spenser has ‘a thousand sith’, a thousand times, F. Q. iii. 10. 33; also, ‘a thousand sithes’, Shep. Kal., Jan., 49. OE. sīð, a journey, time.
sith, since. Drayton, Pol. xiii. 95. ME. sith, since (Chaucer, C. T. A. 930).
sithence, since. Coriolanus, iii. 1. 47. ME. sithenes, since (P. Plowman, B. x. 257; xix. 15).