Emily Dickinson Lexicon

sidewise, adv. [see side, n. + wise, adj.]

1. Obliquely; crabwise; sideways; moving laterally; not forward or backward, rather in perpendicular motion.
2. Askance; indirectly; at an angle; turning the head away slightly.

sieve (-s), n. [OE sife, strain; see sift, v.]

Sifter; colander; strainer; fan; winnowing screen; utensil for separating coarse from fine material; [fig.] cloud bank; winter wind; stormy sky; weather front.

sift (-s), v. [OE; see sieve, n.]

1. Study; inspect; examine minutely.
2. Separate; winnow; fan; blow; shower; [fig.] disperse; broadcast; disseminate; fall down in particles; suspend and descend in flakes.

sigh, n. [OE < siche < MD sike, to draw breath; see sighing, verbal n.] (webplay: Grief).

1. Gasp; quick inhalation; sudden breath that indicates admiration, wonder, or attraction.
2. Single deep respiration; long exhalation of breath that indicates grief, pain, or dejection.
3. Inhalation of a larger quantity of air than usual; sudden emission of breath that indicates longing.
4. Sharp exhalation; intense breathing; [fig.] death rattle.
5. Slow steady release of vocalized breath; [fig.] prayer; petition.
6. Sound; noise; vocalization; [fig.] “ribbit”; amphibian's croaking voice.
7. Breeze; warm wind current; [fig.] music of nature.
8. “Ooh!”; “Ah!”; exclamation of wonder.
9. Wish; expression of need.

sigh (-ing, -s), v. [see sigh, n.]

1. Heave a long breath; emit air from the lungs; release a deep single respiration; [fig.] lament; grieve; mourn; express sorrow.
2. Blow; fan; move with a sound suggestive of human breathing.
3. Breathe; inhale and exhale; [fig.] admire; express pleasure in response to beauty.
4. Pronounce; articulate; [word play on “say”] put into words; speak with sorrow.
5. Spend; expend; deplete; exhaust; consume time.
6. Transpire; emit oxygen as a plant; [fig.] ask; question.
7. Speak with a deep breath.
8. Lament; grieve; mourn.
9. Wish; long ardently; express desire by inhaling or exhaling intensely.

sighing, verbal n. [see sigh, n.]

1. Ardent breathing; [fig.] wooing; yearning; courtship; longing for affection; expressing romantic feelings; speaking soft words of love.
2. Respiration; breathing in oxygen; inhalation and exhalation of air through the lungs; [fig.] life; being alive.
3. Phrase. “latest sighing”: last breath; final expiration.

sight ('s), n. [OE; see see, v.] (webplay: Deity, eye, eyes, Heaven, land, look, mountains, sea, see, vision).

1. Eye; instrument of seeing; ability to perceive with ocular vision.
2. Seeing; beholding; visual awareness; perception through the eye.
3. Beholding; show; spectacle; view.
4. Awakening; opening of eyes after sleep; [fig.] awareness; recognition; acceptance of reality; resignation to the fact of death.
5. Faculty of vision; focus of the eyes.
6. Open view; range of vision.
7. Picture; scene; image.
8. Visibility; ability to see.
9. Glance; glimpse; scan; skim with the eyes.
10. Vision; total perception; complete awareness; [fig.] physical and spiritual reality.
11. Mental perception; point of view; [fig.] opinion; judgment; assessment.
12. Watch; ogle; take note; pay attention; look attentively.
13. Phrase. “In sight of me”: within my view; with me as an eyewitness.
14. Phrase. “out of sight”: invisible; disappeared; [fig.] very far away.
15. Phrase. “out of sight”: backstage; behind the scenes; off the stage; in the wings of a theater.
16. Phrase. “out of sight”: beyond comparison; surpassing all expectation.
17. Phrase. “at the sight of”: seeing; recognizing.
18. Phrase. “In sight”: visible; in view; within range of vision; at a reasonable distance for seeing with the eyes; [fig.] achievable; accessible; nearby; close; within reach.

sight (-ed, -s), v. [see sight, n.]

1. See; notice; detect; observe; spot with the eyes.
2. Perceive; discover; discern; find.

sightless, adj. [see sight, n.]

Invisible; hidden; hard to see.

sign (-s), n. [Fr. < L. 'mark, token'.] (webplay: Door, House, sight, symbol).

1. Mark; device having some special meaning.
2. Signal; report; message.
3. Appearance; manifestation; representation; visible mark.
4. Placard; advertisement; board at a shop door showing the tenant's occupation.
5. Seal; stamp; certification; mark of attestation; written closure message upon a document.
6. Motion; action; gesture indicating some idea, wish, or command.
7. Proof; evidence; validation; signature of witnesses; [fig.] ceremony; wedding certificate; marriage license.
8. Token; omen; indication of the approach of something.
9. Phrase. “Crucifixal sign”: gesture of reverence in the shape of the cross; cross-like hand motions made by members of the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church.