Emily Dickinson Lexicon

scrutinize, v. [see scrutiny, n.] (webplay: man).

1. To watch carefully; examine; scan.
2. To analyze; inquire into; investigate; study.
3. Intrude; disturb; affect; concern.
4. To understand.

scrutiny, n. [L. 'to examine, to search even to the rags'.] (webplay: measures, minute).

1. Close study; examination, ability to distinguish between; to sift.
2. Observation; watch; surveillance.
3. Aloof; impartial; uninvolved; disinterested; examination: perusal browsing.
4. Estimation; calculation; assessment; comprehensibility; recognition.
5. Investigation; inspection.
6. Analysis; attention; evaluation; judgement.

scutcheon, n. [see escutcheon, n.] (webplay: coat).

[Lit.] a shield on which a coat of arm is depicted or ensign; a name-plate put usually on the door; hatchement; [fig.] permanent feature; characteristic feature; a sense of belonging.

scuttle, v. [Fr. écoutille, the hatchway.]

Perforate; pierce.

scythe, n. [OE siðe, < OTeut 'to cut'.] (webplay: mower, armed).

An agricultural and manual implement for cutting grass or a weapon; both having a long curving blade, fastened at an angle with the handle; [fig.] the attribute (instrument) of Death.

sea (-s), n. [OE 'lake, pond, marsh'.]

1. Continuous body of salt water that covers the greater part of the earth's surface.
2. [Fig.] Sky.
3. [Fig.] Mortality; life.
4. [Fig.] Obstacle; challenge to overcome.
5. [Fig.] Great person, being, or essence.
6. [Fig.] Death.
7. [Fig.] Large group of people; collection of thoughts.
8. [Fig.] Process of dying.
9. [Fig.] Higher system of communication.
10. [Fig.] World; heaven; universe.
11. [Fig.] Eternity.
12. [Fig.] Afterlife.
13. [Fig.] Breeze; current of air.
14. [Fig.] Tree.
15. [Fig.] Darkness; night.
16. [Fig.] Future.
17. [Fig.] Winter.
18. [Fig.] Fields after winter.
19. [Fig.] Feelings undisclosed to others.
20. [Fig.] Summer.
21. [Fig.] Self-appointed freedom from rules; personal liberty.
22. [Fig.] God; deity.
23. [Fig.] River; running waters.
24. [Fig.] Source; point of origin.

seal (-s), n. [OFr < L. sigillum, small picture, engraved figure.] (webplay: confirmation; engraved).

1. Retainer; protective label that shuts, confines, or secures; marker that fastens something private, secret, sacred, or confidential; fastener for a door or storehouse in the absence of the lord; adhesive substance fixed on a closed door so that one cannot open it without the owner knowing; [fig.] divine barrier on the door into the next life or the presence of Deity; large stone that blocked the entrance to Christ's tomb (see Matthew 27:60).
2. Token; emblem; symbol of a covenant; official sign or ring; authoritative mark or signature; signet ring of a monarch for making covenants or finalizing legal documents; mark or name on the forehead of the righteous [allusion to Revelation 7:31, 9:4, 14:1, 22:4.]
3. Ice; frozen organisms.

seal (-ed), v. [OFr seeler.; see seal, n.] (webplay: letter; states; writing).

1. Conceal; hide; protect.
2. Enclose securely in an envelope; fasten or impress wax to close a letter.
3. Lock; close; secure from outside influences.
4. Prove; establish as fact; confirm; finalize; complete.

seal (-ed), verbal adj. [see seal, v.] (webplay: engraved; hand).

1. Royal; authoritative; official.
2. Frozen; frost-bitten; nipped.
3. Nominated; elect; chosen; beloved; promised; covenant; [fig.] marked with the Lord's name on the forehead; having a sign of righteousness [allusion to Revelation 7:3, 9:4, 14:1, 22:4.]
4. Closed off; impossible to go back through.
5. Airtight; bottled and capped; hermetic; tightly closed to preserve; [fig.] impervious to outside influences.

seam (-s), n. [OE 'to sow'.] (webplay: to sew, a hem, needle, floor, coat, without, joint, to become, cloth).

1. [Lit.] ripple; flaw; rift.
2. Stitch; hem.
3. [Lit.] the act of sewing two parts together; [fig.] making something complete; concluded; accomplished.
4. Something put together; joined together; sewn;[fig.] fusion of words in sentence; binding together the words, connecting words; distorting them or confining a polisemous word into one meaning or faceting it.
5. Chink; fissure; crack.
6. [Fig.] joints of petals in making a bud.
7. The line along which pieces of fabric are joined
8. Layers; veins