Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SYM-BOL'IC, or SYM-BOL'IC-AL, a.

Representative; exhibiting or expressing by resemblance or signs; as, the figure of an eye is symbolical of sight and knowledge. The ancients had their symbolical mysteries. The sacrament is a representation of Christ's death, by such symbolical actions as he appointed. – Taylor. Symbolical philosophy, is the philosophy expressed by hieroglyphics.

SYM-BOL'IC-AL-LY, adv.

By representation or resemblance of properties; by signs; typically. Courage is symbolically represented by a lion.

SYM-BOL'ICS, n.

The science of creeds.

SYM'BOL-ISM, n.

Among chimists, consent of parts. – Encyc.

SYM-BOL-I-ZA'TION, n. [See Symbolize.]

The act of symbolizing; resemblance in properties. – Brown.

SYM'BOL-IZE, v.i. [Fr. symboliser.]

To have a resemblance of qualities or properties. The pleasing of color symbolizeth with the pleasing of a single tone to the ear; but the pleasing of order doth symbolize with harmony. – Bacon. They both symbolize in this, that they love to look upon themselves through multiplying glasses. – Howell.

SYM'BOL-IZE, v.t.

1. To make to agree in properties.
2. To make representative of something. Some symbolize the same from the mystery of its colors. – Brown.

SYM'BOL-IZ-ED, pp.

Made to agree in properties.

SYM'BOL-IZ-ING, ppr.

Representing by some properties in common; making to agree or resemble in properties.

SYM-BOL'O-GY, n. [Gr. συμβολον and λογος.]

The art of expressing by symbols.

SYM'ME-TRAL, a. [from symmetry.]

Commensurable. – More.

SYM-ME'TRI-AN, or SYM'ME-TRIST, n. [from symmetry.]

One eminently studious of proportion or symmetry of parts. – Sidney. Wotton.

SYM-ME'TRIC-AL, a. [from symmetry.]

1. Proportional it its parts; having its parts in due proportion, as to dimensions; as, a symmetrical body or building.
2. In botany, flowers are symmetrical when the segments the calyx, the petals and the stamens are regular, equal, and alike. – Lindley.

SYM-MET'RIC-AL-LY, adv.

With due proportion of part.

SYM-MET'RIC-AL-NESS, n.

State or quality of being symmetrical.

SYM'ME-TRIZE, v.t.

To make proportional in its parts; to reduce to symmetry. – Burke.

SYM'ME-TRIZ-ED, pp.

Made proportional.

SYM'ME-TRIZ-ING, ppr.

Reducing to symmetry.

SYM'ME-TRY, n. [Gr. συμμετρια; συν, with, together, and μετρον, measure; μετρεω, to measure; Fr. symetrie; It. and Sp. simetria.]

A due proportion of the several parts of a body to each other; adaptation of the dimensions of the several parts of a thing to each other; or the union and conformity of the members of a work to the whole. Symmetry arises from the proportion which the Greeks call analogy, which is the relation of conformity of all the parts to a certain measure; as, the symmetry of a building or an animal body. – Cyc. Uniform symmetry, in architecture, is where the same ordinance reigns throughout the whole. Respective symmetry, is where only the opposite sides are equal to each other. – Cyc.

SYM-PA-THET'IC, or SYM-PA-THET'IC-AL, a. [Fr. sympathique. See Sympathy.]

1. Pertaining to sympathy.
2. Having common feeling with another; susceptible of being affected by feelings like those of another, or of feelings in consequence of what another feels; as, a sympathetic heart.
3. In medicine, the term sympathetic is applied to symptoms and affections, which occur in parts more or less remote from the primary seat of disease, and are occasioned by some nervous connection of the parts. A disease which is immediately preceded and occasioned by another disease, is sometimes said to be sympathetic, in contradistinction from idiopathic, which is applied to a disease not preceded or occasioned by any other; but, in this case, the term symptomatic is not only more appropriate, but more commonly employed.
4. Among alchimists, an epithet applied to a kind of powder, possessed of the wonderful property that if spread on a cloth dipped in the blood of a wound, the wound will be healed, though the patient is at a distance. This opinion is discarded as charlatanry. This epithet is given also to a species of ink or liquor, with which a person may write letters which are not visible till something else is applied.
5. In anatomy, the term sympathetic is applied to that system of nerves, which takes its origin from the semilunar ganglion in the center of the epigastrium, and is sent to the whole nutritive system, and also to the organs of reproduction.

SYM-PA-THET'ICAL-LY, adv.

With sympathy or common feeling; in consequence of sympathy; by communication from something else.

SYM'PA-THIZE, v.i. [Fr. sympathiser. See Sympathy.]

1. To have a common feeling, as of bodily pleasure or pain. The mind will sympathize so much with the anguish and debility of the body, that it will be too distracted to fix itself in meditation. – Buckminster.
2. To feel in consequence of what another feels; to be affected by feelings similar to those of another, in consequence of knowing the person to be thus affected. We sympathize with our friends in distress; we feel some pain when we see them pained, or when we are informed of their distresses, even at a distance. It is generally and properly used of suffering or pain, and not of pleasure or joy. It may be sometimes used with greater latitude.
3. To agree; to fit. [Not in use.] – Dryden.

SYM'PA-THIZ-ING, ppr.

Feeling mutually, or in consequence of what another feels.

SYM'PA-THY, n. [Gr. συμπαθεια, συμπαθεω; συν, with, and παθος, passion.]

1. Fellow feeling; the quality of being affected by the affection of another, with feelings correspondent in kind, if not in degree. We feel sympathy for another when we see him in distress, or when we are informed of his distresses. This sympathy is a correspondent feeling of pain or regret. Sympathy is produced through the medium of organic impression. – Chipman. I value myself upon sympathy; I hate and despise myself for envy. – Kames.
2. An agreement of affections or inclinations, or a conformity of natural temperament, which makes two persons pleased with each other. – Encyc. To such associations may be attributed most of the sympathies and antipathies of our nature. – Anon.
3. In medicine, a correspondence of various parts of the body in similar sensations or affections; or an affection of the whole body or some part of it, in consequence of an injury or disease of another part, or of a local affection. Thus a contusion on the head will produce nausea and vomiting. This is said to be by sympathy, or consent of parts. – Cyc.
4. In natural history, a propension of inanimate things to unite, or to act on each other. Thus we say, there is a sympathy between the lodestone and iron. – Cyc.

SYM-PHO'NI-OUS, a. [from symphony.]

Agreeing in sound; accordant; harmonious. Sounds / Symphonious of ten thousand harps. – Milton.