Part 1060

2. (Gram.) The agreement of a verb or adjective with one, rather than another, of two nouns, with either of which it might agree in gender, number, etc.; as, rex et regina beati.

{ Syl*lep"tic (?), Syl*lep"tic*al (?), } a. [Gr. &?; collective.] Of or pertaining to a syllepsis; containing syllepsis. -- Syl*lep"tic*al*ly, adv.

Syl*lid"i*an (?), n. [From NL. Syllis, the typical genus.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of marine annelids of the family Syllidæ.

Many of the species are phosphorescent; others are remarkable for undergoing strobilation or fission and for their polymorphism. The egg, in such species, develops into an asexual individual. When mature, a number of its posterior segments gradually develop into one or more sexual individuals which finally break away and swim free in the sea. The males, females, and neuters usually differ greatly in form and structure.

Syl"lo*gism (?), n. [OE. silogisme, OF. silogime, sillogisme, F. syllogisme, L. syllogismus, Gr. syllogismo`s a reckoning all together, a reasoning, syllogism, fr. syllogi`zesqai to reckon all together, to bring at once before the mind, to infer, conclude; sy`n with, together + logi`zesqai to reckon, to conclude by reasoning. See Syn-, and Logistic, Logic.] (Logic) The regular logical form of every argument, consisting of three propositions, of which the first two are called the premises, and the last, the conclusion. The conclusion necessarily follows from the premises; so that, if these are true, the conclusion must be true, and the argument amounts to demonstration; as in the following example:

Every virtue is laudable; Kindness is a virtue; Therefore kindness is laudable.

These propositions are denominated respectively the major premise, the minor premise, and the conclusion.

If the premises are not true and the syllogism is regular, the reasoning is valid, and the conclusion, whether true or false, is correctly derived.

{ Syl`lo*gis"tic (?), Syl`lo*gis"tic*al (?), } a. [L. syllogisticus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. syllogistique.] Of or pertaining to a syllogism; consisting of a syllogism, or of the form of reasoning by syllogisms; as, syllogistic arguments or reasoning.

Syl`lo*gis"tic*al*ly, adv. In a syllogistic manner.

Syl`lo*gi*za"tion (?), n. A reasoning by syllogisms. [Obs. or R.] Harris.

Syl"lo*gize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Syllogized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Syllogizing (?).] [Gr. &?;: cf. F. syllogiser.] To reason by means of syllogisms.

Men have endeavored . . . to teach boys to syllogize, or frame arguments and refute them, without any real inward knowledge of the question.

I. Watts.

Syl"lo*gi`zer (?), n. One who syllogizes.

Sylph (?), n. [F. sylphe, m., fr. Gr. &?; a kind of grub, beetle, or moth; -- so called by Paracelsus.] 1. An imaginary being inhabiting the air; a fairy.

2. Fig.: A slender, graceful woman.

3. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of very brilliant South American humming birds, having a very long and deeply-forked tail; as, the blue-tailed sylph (Cynanthus cyanurus).

Sylph"id (?), n. [F. sylphide, fem. See Sylph.] A little sylph; a young or diminutive sylph. "The place of the sylphid queen." J. R. Drake.

Ye sylphs and sylphids, to your chief give ear, Fays, fairies, genii, elves, and demons, hear.

Pope.

Sylph"ine (?), a. Like a sylph.

Sylph"ish (?), a. Sylphlike. Carlyle.

Sylph"like` (?), a. Like a sylph; airy; graceful.

Sometimes a dance . . . Displayed some sylphlike figures in its maze.

Byron.

||Syl"va (?), n.; pl. Sylvæ (#). [L. sylva, better silva, a wood. See ||Silva.] (Bot.) Same as Silva.

Syl"van (?), a. [See Silvan, a.] 1. Of or pertaining to a sylva; forestlike; hence, rural; rustic.