Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SIN'FUL, a. [from sin.]

1. Tainted with sin; wicked; iniquitous; criminal; unholy; as, sinful men. Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity! – Isa. i.
2. Containing sin, or consisting in sin; contrary to the laws of God; as, sinful actions; sinful thoughts; sinful words.

SIN'FUL-LY, adv.

In a manner which the laws of God do not permit; wickedly; iniquitously; criminally.

SIN'FUL-NESS, n.

1. The quality of being sinful or contrary to the divine will; wickedness; iniquity; criminality; as, the sinfulness of an action; the sinfulness of thoughts or purposes.
2. Wickedness; corruption; depravity; as, the sinfulness of men or of the human race.

SING, v.i. [pret. sung, sang; pp. sung. Sax. singan, syngan; Goth. siggwan; G. singen; D. zingen; Sw. siunga; Dan. synger. It would seem from the Gothic that n is casual, and the elements Sg. If so, it coincides with say and seek, all signifying to strain, urge, press or drive.]

1. To utter sounds with various inflections or melodious modulations of voice, as fancy may dictate, or according to the notes of a song or tune. The noise of them that sing do I hear. – Exod. xxxii.
2. To utter sweet or melodious sounds, as birds. It is remarkable that the female of no species of birds ever sings. And singing birds in silver cages hung. – Dryden.
3. To make a small shrill sound; as, the air sings in passing through a crevice. O'er his head the flying spear / Sang innocent, and spent its force in air. – Pope.
4. To tell or relate something in numbers or verse. Sing / Of human hope by cross events destroy'd. – Prior.

SING, v.t.

1. To utter with musical modulations of voice. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. – Rev. xv.
2. To celebrate in song; to give praises to in verse. The last, the happiest British king, / Whom thou shalt paint or I shall sing. – Addison.
3. To relate or rehearse in numbers, verse or poetry. Arms and the man I sing. – Dryden. While stretch'd at case you sing your happy loves. – Dryden.

SINGE, n.

A burning of the surface; a slight burn.

SINGE, v.t. [sinj; Sax. sængan; G. sengen; D. zengen.]

To burn slightly or superficially; to burn the surface of a thing, as the nap of cloth, or the hair of the skin; as, to singe off the beard. – Shak. Thus riding on his curls, he seemed to pass / A rolling fire along, and singe the grass. – Dryden.

SING'ED, pp.

Burnt superficially.

SING'E-ING, ppr.

Burning the surface.

SING'ER, n. [from sing.]

1. One that sings.
2. One versed in music, or one whose occupation is to sing; as, a chorus of singers. – Dryden.
3. A bird that sings. – Bacon.

SING'ING, n.

The act of uttering musical inflections; musical articulation; the utterance of melodious notes. – Cant. ii.

SING'ING, ppr.

Uttering melodious or musical notes; making a shrill sound; celebrating in song; reciting in verse.

SING'ING-BOOK, n.

A music-book, as it ought to be called; a book containing tunes.

SING'ING-LY, adv.

With sounds like singing; with a kind of tune. – North.

SING'ING-MAN, n. [singing and man.]

A man who sings, or is employed to sing; as in cathedrals.

SING'ING-MAS-TER, n.

A music-master; one that teaches vocal music. – Addison.

SING'ING-WO-MAN, n.

A woman employed to sing.

SIN'GLE, a. [L. singulus; probably from a root that signifies to separate.]

1. Separate; one; only; individual; consisting of one only; as, a single star; a single city; a single act.
2. Particular; individual. No single man is born with a right of controlling the opinions of all the rest. – Pope.
3. Uncompounded. Simple ideas are opposed to complex, and single to compound. – Watts.
4. Alone; having no companion or assistant. Who single hast maintain'd / Against revolted multitudes the cause of truth. – Milton.
5. Unmarried; as, a single man; a single woman.
6. Not double; not complicated; as, a single thread; a single strand of a rope.
7. Performed with one person or antagonist on a side, or with one person only opposed to another; as, a single fight; a single combat.
8. Pure; simple; incorrupt; unbiased; having clear vision of divine truth. – Matth. vi.
9. Small; weak; silly. [Obs.] – Beaum. Shak.
10. In botany, a single flower is when there is only one on a stem, and in common usage, one not double. – Martyn.

SIN'GLE, v.t.

1. To select, as an individual person or thing from among a number; to choose one from others. A dog who can single out his master in the dark. – Bacon.
2. To sequester; to withdraw; to retire; as, an agent singling itself from comforts. [Not used.] – Hooker.
3. To take alone; as, men commendable when singled from society. [Not in use.] – Hooker.
4. To separate. – Sidney.

SING'LED, pp.

Selected from among a number.

SING'LE-HAND-ED, a.

Having one hand or workman only.

SING'LE-HEART-ED, a.

Having no duplicity. – More.

SING'LE-MIND-ED, a.

Having a single purpose. – Sedgwick.

SING'LE-NESS, n.

1. The state of being one only or separate from all others; the opposite of doubleness, complication or multiplicity.
2. Simplicity; sincerity; purity of mind or purpose; freedom from duplicity; as, singleness of belief; singleness of heart. – Hooker. Law.

SING'LE-SEED-ED, a.

Containing one seed only.