Part 787

2. (Naut.) The after or rear end of a ship or other vessel, or of a boat; the part opposite to the stem, or prow.

3. Fig.: The post of management or direction.

And sit chiefest stern of public weal.

Shak.

4. The hinder part of anything. Spenser.

5. The tail of an animal; -- now used only of the tail of a dog.

By the stern. (Naut.) See By the head, under By.

Stern, a. Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits.

Stern board (Naut.), a going or falling astern; a loss of way in making a tack; as, to make a stern board. See Board, n., 8 (b). -- Stern chase. (Naut.) (a) See under Chase, n. (b) A stern chaser. -- Stern chaser (Naut.), a cannon placed in a ship's stern, pointing backward, and intended to annoy a ship that is in pursuit. -- Stern fast (Naut.), a rope used to confine the stern of a ship or other vessel, as to a wharf or buoy. -- Stern frame (Naut.), the framework of timber forms the stern of a ship. -- Stern knee. See Sternson. -- Stern port (Naut.), a port, or opening, in the stern of a ship. -- Stern sheets (Naut.), that part of an open boat which is between the stern and the aftmost seat of the rowers, -- usually furnished with seats for passengers. -- Stern wheel, a paddle wheel attached to the stern of the steamboat which it propels.

Stern"age (?), n. Stern. [R.] Shak.

Ster"nal (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sternum; in the region of the sternum.

Sternal ribs. See the Note under Rib, n., 1.

Stern"berg*ite (?), n. [So named after Count Kaspar Sternberg of Prague.] (Min.) A sulphide of silver and iron, occurring in soft flexible laminæ varying in color from brown to black.

||Ster"ne*bra (?), n.; pl. Sternebræ (#). [NL., fr. sternum + - bra of ||vertebra.] (Anat.) One of the segments of the sternum. -- ||Ster"ne*bral (#), a.

Sterned (?), a. Having a stern of a particular shape; -- used in composition; as, square- sterned.

Stern"er (?), n. [See 3d Stern.] A director. [Obs. & R.] Dr. R. Clerke.

Stern`fore"most` (?), adv. With the stern, instead of the bow, in advance; hence, figuratively, in an awkward, blundering manner.

A fatal genius for going sternforemost.

Lowell.

Ster"nite (?), n. [From Sternum.] (Zoöl.) The sternum of an arthropod somite.

Stern"ly (?), adv. In a stern manner.

Stern"most` (?), a. Farthest in the rear; farthest astern; as, the sternmost ship in a convoy.

Stern"ness, n. The quality or state of being stern.

Ster"no- (?). A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the sternum; as, sternocostal, sternoscapular.

Ster`no*cor"a*coid (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sternum and the coracoid.

Ster`no*cos"tal (?), a. [Sterno- + costal.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sternum and the ribs; as, the sternocostal cartilages.

Ster`no*hy"oid (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sternum and the hyoid bone or cartilage.

Ster`no*mas"toid (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sternum and the mastoid process.