Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SCI-AG'RA-PHY, n. [Gr. σκιαγραφια; σκια, a shadow, and γραφω, to describe.]

1. The art of sketching or delineating.
2. In architecture, the profile or section of a building to exhibit its interior structure. – Bailey.
3. In astronomy, the art of finding the hour of the day night by the shadows of objects, caused by the sun, moon, or stars; the art of dialing. – Ash. Bailey.

SCI-A-THER'IC, or SCI-A-THER'IC-AL, a. [Gr. σκια, a shadow, and θηρα, a catching.]

Belonging to a sun-dial. [Little used.] – Brown.

SCI-A-THER'IC-AL-LY, adv.

After the manner of a sundial. – Gregory.

SCI-AT'IC, or SCI-AT'IC-AL, a.

1. Pertaining to the hip; as, the sciatic artery or nerve.
2. Affecting the hip; as, sciatic pains.

SCI-AT'IC, or SCI-AT'IC-A, n. [L. sciatica, from Gr. ισχιαδικος, from ισχιας, a pain in the hips, from ισχιον, hip, from ισχις, the loin.]

A peculiar and specific painful affection, principally seated in the sciatic nerve, which, if protracted, produces emaciation, of the limb affected, with weakness, and a more or less permanent flexion. If it is not a true neuralgia, it is nearly allied to it.

SCI'ENCE, n. [Fr. from L. scientia, from scio, to know; Sp. ciencia; It. scienza. Scio is probably a contracted word.]

1. In a general sense, knowledge, or certain knowledge; the comprehension or understanding of truth or facts by the mind. The science of God must be perfect.
2. In philosophy, a collection of the general principles or leading truths relating to any subject. Pure science as the mathematics, is built on self-evident truths; but the term science is also applied to other subjects founded on generally acknowledged truths, as metaphysics; or on experiment and observation, as chimistry and natural philosophy; or even to an assemblage of the general principles of an art, as the science of agriculture; the science of navigation. Arts relate to practice, as painting and sculpture. A principle in science is a rule in art. – Playfair.
3. Art derived from precepts or built on principles. Science perfects genius. – Dryden.
4. Any art or species of knowledge. No science doth make known the first principles on which it buildeth. – Hooker.
5. One of the seven liberal branches of knowledge, viz. grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. – Bailey. Johnson. Note. Authors have not always been careful to use the terms art and science with due discrimination and precision. Music is an art as well as a science. In general, an art is that which depends on practice or performance, and science that which depends on abstract or speculative principles. The theory of music is a science; the practice of a an art.

SCI'ENT, a. [L. sciens.]

Skillful. [Not used.] – Cockeram.

SCI-EN'TIAL, a.

Producing science. – Milton.

SCI-EN-TIF'IC, or SCI-EN-TIF'IC-AL, a. [Fr. scientifique; It. scientifico; Sp. cientifico; L. scientia and facio, to make.]

1. Producing certain knowledge or demonstration; as, scientific evidence. – South.
2. According to the rules or principles of science; as, a scientific arrangement of fossils.
3. Well versed in science; as, a scientific physician.

SCI-EN-TIF'IC-AL-LY, adv.

1. In such a manner as to produce knowledge. It is easier to believe, than to be scientifically instructed. – Locke.
2. According to the rules or principles of science.

SCIL'LI-TIN, n. [See Squill.]

A white transparent acrid substance, extracted from squills by Vogel. – Ure.

SCIM'I-TAR, n. [See CIMITER.]

SCIN'COID, a.

Resembling the animal called Scincus, a saurian reptile of Egypt.

SCIN'COID, n.

The scincoids are a family of saurian reptiles, having short feet, a nonextensile tongue, the body and tail covered with equal scales, like tiles, and the toes margined. – Brande.

SCINK, n.

A cast calf. [Not in use or local.] – Ainsworth.

SCIN'TIL-LANT, a. [See Scintillate.]

Emitting sparks or fine igneous particles; sparkling.

SCIN'TIL-LATE, v.i. [L. scintillo. This word seems to be a diminutive formed on the Teutonic scinan, Eng. to shine.]

1. To emit sparks or fine igneous particles. Marbles do not scintillate with steel. – Fourcroy.
2. To sparkle, as the fixed stars.

SCIN'TIL-LA-TING, ppr.

Emitting sparks; sparkling.

SCIN-TIL-LA'TION, n.

The act of emitting sparks or igneous particles; the act of sparkling. – Brown. Glanville.

SCI-OG'RA-PHY, n. [Gr. σκια and γραφω.]

The art of delineating shadows with truthfulness.

SCI'O-LISM, n. [See Sciolist.]

Superficial knowledge. Brit. Critic.

SCI'O-LIST, n. [L. sciolus, a diminutive formed on scio, to know.]

One who knows little, or who knows many things superficially; a smatterer. These passages in that book, were enough to humble the presumption of our modern sciolists, if their pride were not as great as their ignorance. – Temple.

SCI'O-LOUS, a.

Superficially or imperfectly knowing.

SCI-OM'A-CHY, n. [Gr. σκια, a shadow, and μαχη, a battle.]

A battle with a shadow. [Little used.] Cowley.

SCI'O-MAN-CY, n. [Gr. σκια and μαντεια.]

Divination by shadows.