Part 1008

Dryden.

This change was not wrought by altering the form or position of the earth, as was surmised by a very learned man, but by dissolving it.

Woodward.

Sur*mis"er (?), n. One who surmises.

Sur*mis"ing, a. & n. from Surmise, v.

Sur*mount" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Surmounted; p. pr. & vb. n. Surmounting.] [OE. sourmounten, OF. surmonter, sormonter, F. surmonter; sur over + monter to mount. See Sur-, and Mount, v. i.] 1. To rise above; to be higher than; to overtop.

The mountains of Olympus, Athos, and Atlas, overreach and surmount all winds and clouds.

Sir W. Raleigh.

2. To conquer; to overcome; as, to surmount difficulties or obstacles. Macaulay.

3. To surpass; to exceed. Spenser.

What surmounts the reach Of human sense I shall delineate.

Milton.

Syn. -- To conquer; overcome; vanquish; subdue; surpass; exceed.

Sur*mount"a*ble (?), a. [Cf. F. surmontable.] Capable of being surmounted or overcome; superable. -- Sur*mount"a*ble*ness, n.

Sur*mount"ed, a. 1. (Arch.) Having its vertical height greater than the half span; -- said of an arch.

2. (Her.) Partly covered by another charge; -- said of an ordinary or other bearing.

Sur*mount"er (?), n. One who, or that which, surmounts.

Sur*mul"let (?), n. [F. surmulet; saur, saure, brownish yellow, red + mulet a mullet. See Sorrel, a., and Mullet.] (Zoöl.) Any one of various species of mullets of the family Millidæ, esp. the European species (Millus surmulletus), which is highly prized as a food fish. See Mullet.

Sur"mu*lot (?), n. [F.] (Zoöl.) The brown, or Norway, rat.

Sur"name` (?), n. [Pref. sur + name; really a substitution for OE. sournoun, from F. surnom. See Sur-, and Noun, Name.] 1. A name or appellation which is added to, or over and above, the baptismal or Christian name, and becomes a family name.

Surnames originally designated occupation, estate, place of residence, or some particular thing or event that related to the person; thus, Edmund Ironsides; Robert Smith, or the smith; William Turner. Surnames are often also patronymics; as, John Johnson.

2. An appellation added to the original name; an agnomen. "My surname, Coriolanus." Shak.

This word has been sometimes written sirname, as if it signified sire-name, or the name derived from one's father.

Sur*name" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Surnamed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Surnaming.] [Cf. F. surnommer.] To name or call by an appellation added to the original name; to give a surname to.

Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

Isa. xliv. 5.

And Simon he surnamed Peter.

Mark iii. 16.