Part 396

Sil"ique (?), n. [L. siliqua a pod or husk, a very small weight or measure: cf. F. silique.] (Bot.) An oblong or elongated seed vessel, consisting of two valves with a dissepiment between, and opening by sutures at either margin. The seeds are attached to both edges of the dissepiment, alternately upon each side of it.

Sil"i*qui*form (?), a. [Silique + -form: cf. F. siliquiforme.] (Bot.) Having the form of a silique.

||Sil`i*quo"sa (?), n. pl. [NL. See Siliquose.] (Bot.) A Linnæan order ||of plants including those which bear siliques.

{ Sil"i*quose` (?), Sil"i*quous (?), } a. [NL. siliquosus: cf. F. siliqueux.] (Bot.) Bearing siliques; as, siliquose plants; pertaining to, or resembling, siliques; as, siliquose capsules.

Silk (?), n. [OE. silk, selk, AS. seolc, seoloc; akin to Icel. silki, SW. & Dan. silke; prob. through Slavic from an Oriental source; cf. Lith. szilkai, Russ. shelk', and also L. sericum Seric stuff, silk. Cf. Sericeous. Serge a woolen stuff.] 1. The fine, soft thread produced by various species of caterpillars in forming the cocoons within which the worm is inclosed during the pupa state, especially that produced by the larvæ of Bombyx mori.

2. Hence, thread spun, or cloth woven, from the above-named material.

3. That which resembles silk, as the filiform styles of the female flower of maize.

Raw silk, silk as it is wound off from the cocoons, and before it is manufactured. -- Silk cotton, a cottony substance enveloping the seeds of the silk-cotton tree. -- Silk-cotton tree (Bot.), a name for several tropical trees of the genera Bombax and Eriodendron, and belonging to the order Bombaceæ. The trees grow to an immense size, and have their seeds enveloped in a cottony substance, which is used for stuffing cushions, but can not be spun. -- Silk flower. (Bot.) (a) The silk tree. (b) A similar tree (Calliandra trinervia) of Peru. -- Silk fowl (Zoöl.), a breed of domestic fowls having silky plumage. -- Silk gland (Zoöl.), a gland which secretes the material of silk, as in spider or a silkworm; a sericterium. -- Silk gown, the distinctive robe of a barrister who has been appointed king's or queen's counsel; hence, the counsel himself. Such a one has precedence over mere barristers, who wear stuff gowns. [Eng.] -- Silk grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Stipa comata) of the Western United States, which has very long silky awns. The name is also sometimes given to various species of the genera Aqave and Yucca. -- Silk moth (Zoöl.), the adult moth of any silkworm. See Silkworm. -- Silk shag, a coarse, rough-woven silk, like plush, but with a stiffer nap. -- Silk spider (Zoöl.), a large spider (Nephila plumipes), native of the Southern United States, remarkable for the large quantity of strong silk it produces and for the great disparity in the sizes of the sexes. -- Silk thrower, Silk throwster, one who twists or spins silk, and prepares it for weaving. Brande & C. -- Silk tree (Bot.), an Asiatic leguminous tree (Albizzia Julibrissin) with finely bipinnate leaves, and large flat pods; -- so called because of the abundant long silky stamens of its blossoms. Also called silk flower. -- Silk vessel. (Zoöl.) Same as Silk gland, above. -- Virginia silk (Bot.), a climbing plant (Periploca Græca) of the Milkweed family, having a silky tuft on the seeds. It is native in Southern Europe.

Silk"en (?), a. [AS. seolcen, seolocen.] 1. Of or pertaining to silk; made of, or resembling, silk; as, silken cloth; a silken veil.

2. Fig.: Soft; delicate; tender; smooth; as, silken language. "Silken terms precise." Shak.

3. Dressed in silk. "A . . . silken wanton." Shak.

Silk"en, v. t. To render silken or silklike. Dyer.

Silk"i*ness (?), n. 1. The quality or state of being silky or silken; softness and smoothness.

2. Fig.: Effeminacy; weakness. [R.] B. Jonson.

Silk"man (?), n.; pl. Silkmen (&?;). A dealer in silks; a silk mercer. Shak.

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Silk"ness (?), n. Silkiness. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Silk"weed` (?), n. (Bot.) Any plant of the genera Asclepias and Acerates whose seed vessels contain a long, silky down; milkweed.

Silk"worm` (?), n. [AS. seolcwyrm.] (Zoöl.) The larva of any one of numerous species of bombycid moths, which spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its cocoon before changing to a pupa.

The common species (Bombyx mori) feeds on the leaves of the white mulberry tree. It is native of China, but has long been introduced into other countries of Asia and Europe, and is reared on a large scale. In America it is reared only to small extent. The Ailanthus silkworm (Philosamia cynthia) is a much larger species, of considerable importance, which has been introduced into Europe and America from China. The most useful American species is the Polyphemus. See Polyphemus.

Pernyi silkworm, the larva of the Pernyi moth. See Pernyi moth. -- Silkworm gut, a substance prepared from the contents of the silk glands of silkworms and used in making lines for angling. See Gut. - - Silkworm rot, a disease of silkworms; muscardine.

Silk"y (?), a. [Compar. Silkier (?); superl. Silkiest.] 1. Of or pertaining to silk; made of, or resembling, silk; silken; silklike; as, a silky luster.

2. Hence, soft and smooth; as, silky wine.

3. Covered with soft hairs pressed close to the surface, as a leaf; sericeous.

Silky oak (Bot.), a lofty Australian tree (Grevillea robusta) with silky tomentose lobed or incised leaves. It furnishes a valuable timber.

Sill (?), n. [OE. sille, sylle, AS. syl, syll; akin to G. schwelle, OHG. swelli, Icel. syll, svill, Sw. syll, Dan. syld, Goth. gasuljan to lay a foundation, to found.] The basis or foundation of a thing; especially, a horizontal piece, as a timber, which forms the lower member of a frame, or supports a structure; as, the sills of a house, of a bridge, of a loom, and the like. Hence: (a) The timber or stone at the foot of a door; the threshold. (b) The timber or stone on which a window frame stands; or, the lowest piece in a window frame. (c) The floor of a gallery or passage in a mine. (d) A piece of timber across the bottom of a canal lock for the gates to shut against.

Sill course (Arch.), a horizontal course of stone, terra cotta, or the like, built into a wall at the level of one or more window sills, these sills often forming part of it.

Sill, n. [Cf. Thill.] The shaft or thill of a carriage. [Prov. Eng.]