Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SOL'E-CISM, n. [Gr. σολοικισμος, said to be derived from Soli, a people of Attica, who being transplanted to Cilicia, lost the purity of their language.]

1. Impropriety in language, or a gross deviation from the rules of syntax; incongruity of words; want of correspondence or consistency. A barbarism may be in one word; a solecism must be of more. – Johnson, from Cicero.
2. Any unfitness, absurdity or impropriety. – B. Jonson. Cesar, by dismissing his guards and retaining his power, committed a dangerous solecism in politics. – Middleton.

SOL'E-CIST, n. [Gr. σολοικιστος.]

One who is guilty of impropriety in language. – Blackwall.

SOL'E-CIST-IC, or SOL-E-CIST'IC-AL, a.

Incorrect; incongruous. – Johnson.

SOL-E-CIST'IC-AL-LY, adv.

In a solecistic manner. – Blackwell.

SOL'E-CIZE, v.i. [Gr. σολοικιζω.]

To commit solecism. – More.

SOL'ED, pp.

Furnished with a sole.

SOLE'-LEATH-ER, n.

Thick strong leather used for the soles of shoes.

SOLE'LY, adv.

Singly; alone; only; without another; as, to rest a cause solely on one argument; to rely solely on one's own strength.

SOL'EMN, a. [sol'em; Fr. solennel; It. solenne; Sp. solemne; L. solennis, from soleo, to be accustomed, to use, that is, to hold on or continue, as we have wont, from G. wohnen, to dwell.]

1. Anniversary; observed once a year with religious ceremonies. The worship of this image was advanced, and a solemn supplication observed every year. – Stillingfleet. [I doubt the correctness of this definition of Johnson; or whether solemn, in our language, ever includes the sense of anniversary. In the passage cited, the sense of anniversary is expressed by every year, and if it is included in solemn also, the sentence is tautological. I should say then, that solemn in this passage of Stillingfleet, has the sense given in the second definition below.]
2. Religiously grave; marked with pomp and sanctity; attended with religious rites. His holy rites and solemn feasts profan'd. – Milton.
3. Religiously serious; piously grave; devout; marked by reverence to God; as, solemn prayer; the solemn duties of the sanctuary.
4. Affecting with seriousness; impressing or adapted to impress seriousness, gravity or reverence; sober; serious. There reign'd a solemn silence over all. – Spenser. To 'swage with solemn touches troubled thoughts. – Milton.
5. Grave; serious; or affectedly grave; as, a solemn face.
6. Sacred; enjoined by religion; or attended with a serious appeal to God; as, a solemn oath.
7. Marked with solemnities; as, a solemn day.

SOL'EMN-BREATH'ING, a.

Diffusing or inspiring solemnity. – Gray.

SOL'EM-NESS, n.

1. The state or quality of being solemn; reverential manner; gravity; as, the solemness of public worship.
2. Solemnity; gravity of manner. – Wotton.

SO-LEM'NI-TY, n. [Fr. solemnité.]

1. A rite or ceremony annually performed with religious reverence. Great was the cause; our old solemnities / From no blind zeal or fond tradition rise, / But sav'd from death, our Argives yearly pay / These grateful honors to the god of day. – Pope. [Solemnities seems here to include the sense of anniversary. See the fourth line. But in modern usage, that sense is rarely or never attached to the word.]
2. A religious ceremony; a ritual performance attended with religious reverence; as, the solemnity of a funeral or of a sacrament.
3. A ceremony adapted to impress awe; as, the solemnities of the last day.
4. Manner of acting awfully serious. With horrible solemnity he caused every thing to be prepared for his triumph of victory. Sidney.
5. Gravity; steady seriousness; as, the solemnity of the Spanish language. Spectator.
6. Affected gravity. Solemnity's a cover for a sot. Young.

SOL-EM-NI-ZA'TION, n.

The act of solemnizing; celebration; as, the solemnization of a marriage. Bacon.

SOL'EM-NIZE, v.t. [Fr. solenniser; It. solennizzare.]

1. To dignify or honor by ceremonies; to celebrate; as, to solemnize the birth of Christ. Their choice nobility and flow'r / Met from all parts to solemnize this feast. – Milton.
2. To perform with ritual ceremonies and respect, or according to legal forms; as, to solemnize a marriage. – Z. Swift.
3. To perform religiously once a year. [Qu.] – Hooker.
4. To make grave, serious and reverential; as, to solemnize the mind for the duties of the sanctuary. [This use of the word is well authorized in the United States.]

SOL'EM-NIZ-ED, pp.

Celebrated religiously; made grave.

SOL'EM-NIZ-ER, n.

One who performs a solemn rite.

SOL'EM-NIZ-ING, ppr.

Honoring with sacred rites.

SOL'EMN-LY, adv.

1. With gravity and religious reverence. Let us solemnly address the throne of grace.
2. With official formalities and by due authority. This question of law has been solemnly decided in the highest court.
3. With formal state.
4. With formal gravity and stateliness, or with affected gravity. There in deaf murmurs solemnly are wise. – Dryden.
5. With religious seriousness; as, I solemnly declare myself innocent. I do solemnly assure the reader. – Swift.

SOLE'NESS, n. [from sole.]

Singleness; a state of being unconnected with others. – Dering.

SO'LEN-ITE, n.

Petrified solen, a genus of shells.

SOL'-FA, v.i.

To pronounce the notes of the gammut, ascending or descending, ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and e converso.

SOL-FA-TA'RA, n.

A volcanic vent emitting sulphur and sulphurous compounds.

SOL-FEG'GI-O, n. [It.]

In music, the system of arranging the scale by the names do, re, mi, fal, so, la, by which singing is taught.

SO'LI, n.

In music, plur. of Solo.

SO-LIC'IT, v.t. [L. solicito; Fr. solliciter; It. sollecitare. I know not whether this word is simple or compound; probably the latter. Qu. L. lacio.]

1. To ask with some degree of earnestness; to make petition to; to apply to for obtaining something. This word implies earnestness in seeking, but I think less earnestness than beg, implore, entreat, and importune, and more than ask or request; as when we say, a man solicits the minister for an office; he solicits his father for a favor. Did I solicit thee / From darkness to promote me? – Milton.
2. To ask for with some degree of earnestness; to seek by petition; as, to solicit an office; to solicit a favor.
3. To awake or excite to action; to summon; to invite. That fruit solicited her longing eye. – Milton. Sounds and some tangible qualities solicit their proper senses, and force an entrance to the mind. Locke.
4. To attempt; to try to obtain. I view my crime, but kindle at the view, / Repeat old pleasures and solicit new. – Pope.
5. To disturb; to disquiet; a Latinism rarely used. But anxious fears solicit my weak breast. – Dryden.