Part 570

6. A trifle. "The soldier's pay is a song." Silliman.

Old song, a trifle; nothing of value. "I do not intend to be thus put off with an old song." Dr. H. More. -- Song bird (Zoöl.), any singing bird; one of the Oscines. -- Song sparrow (Zoöl.), a very common North American sparrow (Melospiza fasciata, or M. melodia) noted for the sweetness of its song in early spring. Its breast is covered with dusky brown streaks which form a blotch in the center. -- Song thrush (Zoöl.), a common European thrush (Turdus musicus), noted for its melodius song; -- called also mavis, throstle, and thrasher.

Syn. -- Sonnet; ballad; canticle; carol; canzonet; ditty; hymn; descant; lay; strain; poesy; verse.

Song"craft` (sng"krft`), n. The art of making songs or verses; metrical composition; versification.

A half-effaced inscription, Written with little skill of songcraft.

Longfellow.

Song"ful (-fl), a. Disposed to sing; full of song.

Song"ish, a. Consisting of songs. [R.] Dryden.

Song"less, a. Destitute of the power of song; without song; as, songless birds; songless woods.

Song"ster (-str), n. [AS. sangestre a female singer.] 1. One who sings; one skilled in singing; -- not often applied to human beings.

2. (Zoöl.) A singing bird.

Song"stress (?), n. [See Songster, and -ess.] A woman who sings; also, a female singing bird. Thomson.

Son"i*fer (?), n. [NL. See Soniferous.] A kind of ear trumpet for the deaf, or the partially deaf.

So*nif"er*ous (?), a. [L. sonus sound + -ferous.] Sounding; producing sound; conveying sound.

Son`i*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [L. sonus sound + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See - fy.] The act of producing sound, as the stridulation of insects.

Son"-in-law` (?), n.; pl. Sons-in-law (&?;). The husband of one's daughter; a man in his relationship to his wife's parents.

To take me as for thy son in lawe.

Chaucer.

Son"less, a. Being without a son. Marston.

As no baron who was sonless could give a husband to his daughter, save with his lord's consent.

J. R. Green.

Son"net (?), n. [F., fr. It. sonetto, fr. suono a sound, a song, fr. L. sonus a sound. See Sound noise.] 1. A short poem, -- usually amatory. [Obs.] Shak.

He had a wonderful desire to chant a sonnet or hymn unto Apollo Pythius.

Holland.

2. A poem of fourteen lines, -- two stanzas, called the octave, being of four verses each, and two stanzas, called the sestet, of three verses each, the rhymes being adjusted by a particular rule.

In the proper sonnet each line has five accents, and the octave has but two rhymes, the second, third, sixth, and seventh lines being of one rhyme, and the first, fourth, fifth, and eighth being of another. In the sestet there are sometimes two and sometimes three rhymes; but in some way its two stazas rhyme together. Often the three lines of the first stanza rhyme severally with the three lines of the second. In Shakespeare's sonnets, the first twelve lines are rhymed alternately, and the last two rhyme together.

Son"net, v. i. To compose sonnets. "Strains that come almost to sonneting." Milton.

Son`net*eer" (?), n. A composer of sonnets, or small poems; a small poet; -- usually in contempt.