Part 202

Seld"seen` (?), a. [AS. seldsiene.] Seldom seen. [Obs.] Drayton.

Seld"shewn` (?), a. [Seld + shown.] Rarely shown or exhibited. [Obs.] Shak.

Se*lect" (?), a. [L. selectus, p. p. of seligere to select; pref. se- aside + levere to gather. See Legend.] Taken from a number by preferance; picked out as more valuable or exellent than others; of special value or exellence; nicely chosen; selected; choice.

A few select spirits had separated from the crowd, and formed a fit audience round a far greater teacher.

Macaulay.

Se*lect", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Selected; p. pr. & vb. n. Selecting.] To choose and take from a number; to take by preference from among others; to pick out; to cull; as, to select the best authors for perusal. "One peculiar nation to select." Milton.

The pious chief . . . A hundred youths from all his train selects.

Dryden.

Se*lect"ed*ly, adv. With care and selection. [R.]

Se*lec"tion (?), n. [L. selectio: cf. F. sélection.] . The act of selecting, or the state of being selected; choice, by preference.

2. That which is selected; a collection of things chosen; as, a choice selection of books.

Natural selection. (Biol.) See under Natural.

Se*lect"ive (?), a. Selecting; tending to select.

This selective providence of the Almighty.

Bp. Hall.

Se*lect"man (?), n.; pl. Selectmen (&?;). One of a board of town officers chosen annually in the New England States to transact the general public business of the town, and have a kind of executive authority. The number is usually from three to seven in each town.

The system of delegated town action was then, perhaps, the same which was defined in an "order made in 1635 by the inhabitants of Charlestown at a full meeting for the government of the town, by selectmen;" the name presently extended throughout New England to municipal governors.

Palfrey.

Se*lect"ness, n. The quality or state of being select.

Se*lect"or (?), n. [L.] One who selects.

Sel"e*nate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of selenic acid; -- formerly called also seleniate.

Sel`en*hy"dric (?), a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, hydrogen selenide, H2Se, regarded as an acid analogous to sulphydric acid.

Se*len"ic (?), a. [Cf. F. sélénique.] (Chem.) Of or pertaining to selenium; derived from, or containing, selenium; specifically, designating those compounds in which the element has a higher valence as contrasted with selenious compounds.

Sel"e*nide (?), n. (Chem.) A binary compound of selenium, or a compound regarded as binary; as, ethyl selenide.

Sel`e*nif"er*ous (?), a. [Selenium + -ferous. ] Containing, or impregnated with, selenium; as, seleniferous pyrites.

Se*le"ni*o- (&?;). (Chem.) A combining form (also used adjectively) denoting the presence of selenium or its compounds; as, selenio-phosphate, a phosphate having selenium in place of all, or a part, of the oxygen.

Se*le"ni*ous (?), a. [Cf. F. sélénieux.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or containing, selenium; specifically, designating those compounds in which the element has a lower valence as contrasted with selenic compounds.

Sel"e*nite (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of selenious acid.