Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SCAR'I-FI-ER, n. [from scarify.]

1. The person who scarifies.
2. The instrument used for scarifying.

SCAR'I-FY, v.t. [Fr. scarifier; L. scarifico. Qu. scar, Gr. εσχαρα and L. facio, to make. But the Greek is σκαριφαομαι, from σκαριφος, a pointed instrument, or a sharp pointed piece of wood.]

– To scratch or cut the skin of an animal, or to make small incisions by means of a lancet or cupping instrument, so as to draw blood from the smaller vessels without opening a large vein. Encyc.

SCAR'I-FY-ING, ppr.

Making small incisions in the skin with an instrument.

SCAR-ING, ppr.

Frightening; suddenly terrifying.

SCA'RI-OUS, a. [Low L. scarrosus, rough.]

In botany, tough, thin and semi-transparent, dry and sonorous to the touch; as a perianth. – Martyn.

SCAR-LAT'IN-A, n. [It. scarlattino and scarlatto, scarlet.]

An exceedingly barbarous Italian term with a Latin termination, employed by many to designate that febrile exanthem, commonly called in English scarlet fever, and in nosology rosalia. It is characterized by fever, attended about the third day with an eruption of level or nearly level crimson red patches, first appearing in the fauces, and on the face, neck and breasts, and progressively on the whole surface, often confluent and terminating about the seventh day, in cuticular exfoliations.

SCAR-LAT'IN-OUS, a.

Of a scarlet color; pertaining to the scarlet fever.

SCAR-LET, a.

Of the color called scarlet; of a bright red color; as, a scarlet cloth or thread; a scarlet lip. – Shak.

SCAR-LET, n. [Fr. ecarlate; Arm. scarladd; It. scarlatto; Sp. escarlata; Ir. scarloid; W. ysgarlad, the effusion of a wound, scarlet, from ysgar, to separate, (see Shear;) D. scharlaken; G. scharlack; Dan. skarlagen. Qu. Ch. סקר, to color, as a derivative, minium; Ar. شَقَرَ shakara, to be red.]

1. A beautiful bright red color, brighter than crimson. Encyc.
2. Cloth of a scarlet color. All her household are clothed with scarlet. Prov. xxxi.

SCAR-LET-BEAN, n.

A plant; a red bean. – Mortimer.

SCAR-LET-FE'VER, n.

Rosalia. [See Scarlatina, above.]

SCAR-LET-OAK, n.

A species of oak, the Quercus coccifera, or chermes oak, producing small insects, the Coccus Ilicis, called chermes or scarlet grain. More properly, the Quercus coccinea of the United States.

SCAR-MAGE, or SCAR-MOGE, n. [or v.]

Peculiar modes of spelling Skirmish. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

SCARN, n. [Sax. scearn.]

Dung. [Not in use or local.] – Ray.

SCARN-BEE, n.

A beetle. [Not in use or local.] – Ray.

SCARP, n.¹ [Fr. escarpe; It. scarpa, a scarp, a shoe, a slope; Sp. escarpa.]

In fortification, the interior talus or slope of the ditch next the place, at the foot of the rampart. – Encyc.

SCARP, n.²

In heraldry, the scarf which military commanders wear for ornament; borne somewhat like a batoon sinister, but broader, and continued to the edges of the field. – Encyc.

SCARP-ED, a.

Cut down like the scarp of a fortification.

SCAR'RED, pp.

Marked with a scar.

SCAR'RING, ppr.

Marking with a scar.

SCA'RUS, n.

A fish. [See Scar.]

SCA'RY, n.

Barren land having only a thin coat of grass upon it. [Local.]

SCATCH, n. [Fr. escache.]

A kind of horsebit for bridles. – Bailey.

SCATCH'ES, n. [plur. Fr. echasses.]

Stilts to put the feet in for walking in dirty places. – Bailey.

SCATE, n. [Sax. sceadda; L. squatina, squatus.]

A fish, a species of ray.