Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SES'BAN, n.

A plant, a species of Æschynomene or Bastard sensitive plant. – Encyc.

SES'E-LI, n. [L. Gr. seselis.]

A genus of plants; meadow saxifrage; hartwort. – Encyc.

SES'QUI, n. [L. one and a half.]

In chimistry, this is much used as a prefix to the names of compounds of an acidifying and basifying principle with another element, to form a saldiable base; or of an acid with a salifiable base, to form a salt. It always denotes that the elementary or proximate principles of the compound are in the proportions of one and a half of the acidifying and basifying principle, or of the acid, to one of the other element or proximate principle; but as there can be no such thing as half of an equivalent, such compounds are always to be understood as consisting of three equivalents of the acidifying and basifying principle, or of the acid, to two equivalents of the other element or proximate principle.

SES-QUI-AL'TER, or SES-QUI-AL'TER-AL, a. [L. from sesqui, the whole and half as much more, and alter, other.]

1. In geometry, designating a ratio where one quantity or number contains another once, and half as much more; as 9 contains 6 and its half. – Bentley.
2. A sesquialteral floret, is when a large fertile floret is accompanied with a small abortive one. – Martyn.

SES-QUI-BRO'MID, n.

A basic compound of bromine with another element, in the proportions of three equivalents of bromine to two of the other element.

SES-QUI-CAR'BO-NATE, n.

A salt composed of three, equivalents of carbonic acid, with two equivalents of any base; as the sesquicarbonate of ammonia, i. e. the common volatile salt of hartshorn.

SES-QUI-CHLO'RID, n.

A basic compound of chlorine with another element, in the proportions of three equivalents of chlorine to two of the other element.

SES-QUI-CY'A-NID, n.

A basic compound of cyanogens with some element, in the proportions of three equivalents of cyanogen to two of the other element.

SESQUIDUPLE, n. [Sesquiduple. L. sesquiduplus.]

is sometimes used in the same manner, to denote the proportions of two and a half to one, or rather of five to two.

SES-QUI-DU'PLI-CATE, a. [L. sesqui, supra, and duplicatus, double.]

Designating the ratio of two and a half to one, or where the greater term contains the lesser twice and a half, as that of 50 to 20.

SES-QUI'O-DID, n.

A basic compound of iodine with another element, in the proportions of three equivalents of iodine to two of the other element.

SES-QUIP'E-DAL, or SES-QUIP-E-DA'LI-AN, a. [L. sesqui, one and a half, and pedalis, from pes, a foot.]

Containing a foot and a half; as, a sesquipedalian pigmy. Arbuthnot. Addison uses sesquipedal as a noun.

SES-QUIP'LI-CATE, a. [L. sesqui, one and a half, and plicatus, plico, to fold.]

Designating the ratio of one and a half to one; as, the sesquiplicate proportion of the periodical times of the planets. – Cheyne.

SES-QUI-SUL'PHID, n.¹

A basic compound of sulphur with some other element, in the proportions of three equivalents of sulphur to two of the other element.

SES-QUI-SUL'PHID, n.² [L. sesqui, one and a half, and sulphidum, a sulphid.]

A basic compound of three equivalents of sulphur, with two equivalents of some other element.

SES-QUI-TER'TIAN, or SES-QUI-TER'TION-AL, a. [L. sesqui, one and a half, and tertius, third.]

Designating the ratio of one and one third. Johnson.

SES'QUI-TONE, n.

In music, a minor third, or interval of three semitones.

SES-QUOX'YD, n.¹

A basic compound of oxygen with some other element, in the proportions of three equivalents of the oxygen to two of the other element.

SES-QUOX'YD, n.² [L. sesqui, one and a half, and oxydum, an oxyd.]

A basic compound of three equivalents of oxygen, with two equivalents of some other element.

SESS, n. [L. sessio.]

A tax. [Little used, or not at all. See Assessment.]

SES'SILE, a. [L. sessilis. See Set.]

In botany, a sessile leaf issues directly from the main stem or branch, without a petiole or footstalk. A sessile flower has no peduncle. A sessile pappus has no stipe, but is placed immediately on the ovary. Martyn.

SES'SION, n. [Fr. from L. sessio, from sedeo. See Set.]

1. A sitting or being placed; as, the ascension of Christ and his session at the right hand of God. – Hooker.
2. The actual sitting of a court, council, legislature, &c.; or the actual assembly of the members of these or any similar body for the transaction of business. Thus we say, the court is now in session, meaning that the members are assembled for business.
3. The time, space, or term during which a court, council, legislature and the like, meet daily for business; or the space of time between the first meeting and the prorogation or adjournment. Thus a session of parliament is opened with a speech from the throne, and closed by prorogation. The session of a judicial court is called a term. Thus a court may have two sessions or four sessions usually. The supreme court of the United States has one annual session. The legislatures of most of the states have one annual session only; some have more. The congress of the United States has one only.
4. Sessions, in some of the states, is particularly used for court of justices, held for granting licenses to innkeepers or taverners, for laying out new highways, or altering old ones and the like. Quarter sessions, in England, is a court held once in every quarter, by two justices of the peace, one of whom is of the quorum, for the trial of small felonies and misdemeanors. Sessions of the peace, a court consisting of justices of the peace, held in each county, for inquiring into trespasses, larcenies, forestalling, &c., and in general, for the conservation of the peace. – Laws of New York.

SESS'-POOL, n. [sess and pool.]

A cavity sunk in the earth to receive and retain the sediment of water conveyed in drains. Sesspools should be placed at proper distances in all drains, and particularly should one be placed at the entrance. – Encyc.

SES'TERCE, n. [Fr. from L. sestertius.]

A Roman coin or denomination of money, in value the fourth part of a denarius, and originally containing two asses and a half, about two pence sterling or four cents. The sestertium, that is, sestertium pondus, was two pounds and a half, or two hundred and fifty denarii; about seven pounds sterling, or thirty-one dollars. One qualification of a Roman knight was the possession of estate of the value of four hundred thousand sesterces; that of a senator was double this sum. Authors mention also a copper sesterce, of the value of one third of a penny sterling. Sesterce was also used by the ancients, for a thing containing two wholes and a half; the as being taken for the integer. – Encyc.

SET, n.¹

1. A number or collection of things of the same kind and of similar form, which are ordinarily used together; as, a set of chairs; a set of tea-cups; a set of China or other ware.
2. A number of things fitted to be used together, though different in form; as, a set of dining-tables. A set implies more than two, which are called a pair.
3. A number of persons customarily or officially associated, as, a set of men, a set of officers; or a number of persons having a similitude of character, or of things which have some resemblance or relation to each other. Hence our common phrase, a set of opinions. This falls into different divisions or sets of nations connected under particular religions, &c. Ward's Law of Nations.
4. A number of particular things that are united in the formation of a whole; as, a set of features. – Addison.
5. A young plant for growth; as, sets of white thorn or other shrub. – Encyc.
6. The descent of the sun or other luminary below the horizon; as, the set of the sun. – Atterbury.
7. A wager at dice. That was but civil war, an equal set. – Dryden.
8. A game. We will, in France, play a set / Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard. – Shak.