Part 282

Sex`to*dec"imo, n.; pl. Sextodecimos (&?;). A book composed of sheets each of which is folded into sixteen leaves; hence, indicating, more or less definitely, a size of a book; -- usually written 16mo, or 16°.

Sex"to*let (?), n. (Mus.) A double triplet; a group of six equal notes played in the time of four.

Sex"ton (?), n. [OE. sextein, contr. fr. sacristan.] An under officer of a church, whose business is to take care of the church building and the vessels, vestments, etc., belonging to the church, to attend on the officiating clergyman, and to perform other duties pertaining to the church, such as to dig graves, ring the bell, etc.

Sexton beetle (Zoöl.), a burying beetle.

Sex"ton*ess, n. A female sexton; a sexton's wife.

Sex"ton*ry (?), n. Sextonship. [Obs.] Ld. Bernes.

Sex"ton*ship, n. The office of a sexton. Swift.

Sex"try (?), n. See Sacristy. [Obs.]

Sex"tu*ple (?), a. [Formed (in imitation of quadruple) fr. L. sextus sixth: cf. F. sextuple.] 1. Six times as much; sixfold.

2. (Mus.) Divisible by six; having six beats; as, sixtuple measure.

Sex"u*al (?), a. [L. sexualis, fr. sexus sex: cf. F. sexuel.] Of or pertaining to sex, or the sexes; distinguishing sex; peculiar to the distinction and office of male or female; relating to the distinctive genital organs of the sexes; proceeding from, or based upon, sex; as, sexual characteristics; sexual intercourse, connection, or commerce; sexual desire; sexual diseases; sexual generation.

Sexual dimorphism (Biol.), the condition of having one of the sexes existing in two forms, or varieties, differing in color, size, etc., as in many species of butterflies which have two kinds of females. -- Sexual method (Bot.), a method of classification proposed by Linnæus, founded mainly on difference in number and position of the stamens and pistils of plants. -- Sexual selection (Biol.), the selective preference of one sex for certain characteristics in the other, such as bright colors, musical notes, etc.; also, the selection which results from certain individuals of one sex having more opportunities of pairing with the other sex, on account of greater activity, strength, courage, etc.; applied likewise to that kind of evolution which results from such sexual preferences. Darwin.

In these cases, therefore, natural selection seems to have acted independently of sexual selection.

A. R. Wallace.

Sex"u*al*ist, n. (Bot.) One who classifies plants by the sexual method of Linnæus.

Sex`u*al"i*ty (?), n. The quality or state of being distinguished by sex. Lindley.

Sex"u*al*ize (?), v. t. To attribute sex to.

Sex"u*al*ly, adv. In a sexual manner or relation.

{ Sey (?), Seyh (?) }, obs. imp. sing. & 2d pers. pl. of See. Chaucer.

{ Seye (?), Seyen (?) }, obs. imp. pl. & p. p. of See.

Seynd (?), obs. p. p. of Senge, to singe. Chaucer.

Seynt (?), n. A gridle. See 1st Seint. [Obs.]

{ ||Sfor*zan"do (?), ||Sfor*za"to (?), } a. [It. sforzando, p. pr., and sforzato, p. p. of sforzare to force.] (Mus.) Forcing or forced; -- a direction placed over a note, to signify that it must be executed with peculiar emphasis and force; -- marked fz (an abbreviation of forzando), sf, sfz, or &?;.

||Sfu*ma"to (?), a. [It.] (Paint.) Having vague outlines, and colors ||and shades so mingled as to give a misty appearance; -- said of a ||painting.

||Sgraf*fi"to (?), a. [It.] (Paint.) Scratched; -- said of decorative ||painting of a certain style, in which a white overland surface is cut ||or scratched through, so as to form the design from a dark ground ||underneath.

Shab (?), n. [OE. shabbe, AS. sc&?;b. See Scab.] The itch in animals; also, a scab. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Shab, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shabbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Shabbing.] [See Scab, 3.] To play mean tricks; to act shabbily. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Shab, v. t. To scratch; to rub. [Obs.] Farquhar.