SOURA, Ind. A division; as that of chapter.
SOURD, e. Fr. Literally means deaf, dull. It is variously applied by the French—viz.
Lanterne Sourde, Fr. A dark lantern.
Lime Sourde, Fr. A file which is made in such a manner, that you may separate pieces of iron without making any noise in the operation. It is likewise used in a figurative sense—to signify a person who says little, but is always meditating something mischievous or injurious to others.
The French likewise say, sourdes pratiques, pratiques sourdes; secret or underhand practices; sourdes menees, menees sourdes, secret or underhand ways. These terms are always used in a bad sense. In mathematics, the French call those quantities, quantites sourdes, which are incommensurable, that is, which cannot be exactly expressed, either by whole numbers or by fractions. Thus the square root, or racine carree, of two is a quantite sourde.
SOURDINE, Fr. A little pipe, a mute. It likewise means a small spring, which is fixed in a dumb repeater. The French make use of this word in a figurative sense, to signify, literally, without noise. Les ennemis ont délogé à la sourdine, the enemy decamped privately, and without noise.
SOURIS, Fr. Literally a mouse. For its application in fortification, see [Pas de souris]. It is likewise used to express a want of expedients or resources in critical moments, and the consequent danger of being caught in the snare one is endeavoring to avoid—La souris qui n’a qu’un trou est bientôt prise, the mouse that has only one hole to run to, is soon caught.
SOUS, Fr. A proposition which is used to denote the state or condition of one thing with respect to another which is above it, viz.
SOUS-tangente, Fr. Sub-tangent.
SOUS-lieutenant, Fr. Sub-lieutenant.