Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SCI-AT'IC, or SCI-AT'IC-A, n. [L. sciatica, from Gr. ισχιαδικος, from ισχιας, a pain in the hips, from ισχιον, hip, from ισχις, the loin.]

A peculiar and specific painful affection, principally seated in the sciatic nerve, which, if protracted, produces emaciation, of the limb affected, with weakness, and a more or less permanent flexion. If it is not a true neuralgia, it is nearly allied to it.

SCI'ENCE, n. [Fr. from L. scientia, from scio, to know; Sp. ciencia; It. scienza. Scio is probably a contracted word.]

1. In a general sense, knowledge, or certain knowledge; the comprehension or understanding of truth or facts by the mind. The science of God must be perfect.
2. In philosophy, a collection of the general principles or leading truths relating to any subject. Pure science as the mathematics, is built on self-evident truths; but the term science is also applied to other subjects founded on generally acknowledged truths, as metaphysics; or on experiment and observation, as chemistry and natural philosophy; or even to an assemblage of the general principles of an art, as the science of agriculture; the science of navigation. Arts relate to practice, as painting and sculpture. A principle in science is a rule in art. Playfair.
3. Art derived from precepts or built on principles. Science perfects genius. Dryden.
4. Any art or species of knowledge. No science doth make known the first principles on which it buildeth. Hooker.
5. One of the seven liberal branches of knowledge, viz. ' grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. Bailey. Johnson. Note. Authors have not always been careful to use the terms art and science with due discrimination and precision. Music is an art as well as a science. In general, an art is that which depends on practice or performance, and science that which depends on abstract or speculative principles. The theory of music is a science; the practice of a an art.

SCI'ENT, a. [L. sciens.]

Skillful. [Not used.] Cockeram.

SCI-EN'TIAL, a.

Producing science. Milton.

SCI-EN-TIF'IC, or SCI-EN-TIF'IC-AL, a. [Fr. scientifique; It. scientifico; Sp. cientifico; L. scientia and facio, to make.]

1. Producing certain knowledge or demonstration; as, scientific evidence. South.
2. According to the rules or principles of science; as, a scientific arrangement of fossils.
3. Well versed in science; as, a scientific physician.

SCI-EN-TIF'IC-AL-LY, adv.

1. In such a manner as to produce knowledge. It is easier to believe, than to be scientifically instructed. Locke.
2. According to the rules or principles of science.

SCIL'LI-TIN, n. [See Squill.]

A white transparent acrid substance, extracted from squills by Vogel. Ure.

SCIM'I-TAR, n. [See CIMITER.]

SCIN'COID, a.

Resembling the animal called Scincus, a saurian reptile of Egypt.

SCIN'COID, n.

The scincoids are a family of saurian reptiles, having short feet, a nonextensile tongue, the body and tail covered with equal scales, like tiles, and the toes margined. Brande.

SCINK, n.

A cast calf. [Not in use or local.] Ainsworth.

SCIN'TIL-LANT, a. [See Scintillate.]

Emitting sparks or fine igneous particles; sparkling.

SCIN'TIL-LATE, v.i. [L. scintillo. This word seems to be a diminutive formed on the Teutonic scinan, Eng. to shine.]

1. To emit sparks or fine igneous particles. Marbles do not scintillate with steel. Fourcroy.
2. To sparkle, as the fixed stars.

SCIN'TIL-LA-TING, ppr.

Emitting sparks; sparkling.

SCIN-TIL-LA'TION, n.

The act of emitting sparks or igneous particles; the act of sparkling. Brown. Glanrille.

SCI-OG'RA-PHY, n. [Gr. σκια and γραφω.]

The art of delineating shadows with truthfulness.

SCI'O-LISM, n. [See Sciolist.]

Superficial knowledge. Brit. Critic.

SCI'O-LIST, n. [L. sciolus, a diminutive formed on scio, to know.]

One who knows little, or who knows many things superficially; a smatterer. These passages in that book, were enough to humble the presumption of our modern scientists, if their pride were not as great as their ignorance.

SCI'O-LOUS, a.

Superficially or imperfectly knowing.

SCI-OM'A-CHY, n. [Gr. σκια, a shadow, and μαχη, a battle.]

A battle with a shadow. [Little used.] Cowley.

SCI'O-MAN-CY, n. [Gr. σκια and μαντεια.]

Divination by shadows.

SCI'ON, n. [See CION.]

SCI-OP'TIC, a. [Gr. σκια, shadow, and οπτομαι, to see.]

Pertaining to the camera obscura, or to the art of exhibiting images through a hole in a darkened room. Bailey.

SCI-OP'TIC, n.

A sphere or globe with a lens made to turn like the eye; used in experiments with the camera obscura.

SCI-OP'TICS, n.

The science of exhibiting images of external objects, received through a double convex glass into a darkened room.