Part 788

Ster`no*thy"roid (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sternum and the thyroid cartilage.

Stern"post` (?), n. (Naut.) A straight piece of timber, or an iron bar or beam, erected on the extremity of the keel to support the rudder, and receive the ends of the planks or plates of the vessel.

Sterns"man (?), n. A steersman. [Obs.]

Stern"son (?), n. [See Stern, n., and cf. Stemson.] (Naut.) The end of a ship's keelson, to which the sternpost is bolted; -- called also stern knee.

Ster"num (?), n.; pl. L. Sterna (#), E. Sternums (#). [NL., from Gr. &?;, the breast, chest.] 1. (Anat.) A plate of cartilage, or a series of bony or cartilaginous plates or segments, in the median line of the pectoral skeleton of most vertebrates above fishes; the breastbone.

The sternum is connected with the ribs or the pectorial girdle, or with both. In man it is a flat bone, broad anteriorly, narrowed behind, and connected with the clavicles and the cartilages of the seven anterior pairs of ribs. In most birds it has a high median keel for the attachment of the muscles of the wings.

2. (Zoöl.) The ventral part of any one of the somites of an arthropod.

Ster`nu*ta"tion (?), n. [L. sternutatio, fr. sternutare to sneeze, intens. from sternuere.] The act of sneezing. Quincy.

Ster*nu"ta*tive (?), a. Having the quality of provoking to sneeze.

Ster*nu"ta*to*ry (?), a. Sternutative. -- n. A sternutatory substance or medicine.

Stern"way` (?), n. (Naut.) The movement of a ship backward, or with her stern foremost.

Stern"-wheel` (?), a. Having a paddle wheel at the stern; as, a stern-wheel steamer.

Stern"-wheel`er (?), n. A steamboat having a stern wheel instead of side wheels. [Colloq. U.S.]

Ster*quil"i*nous (?), a. [L. sterquilinium a dung pit, fr. stercus dung.] Pertaining to a dunghill; hence, mean; dirty; paltry. [Obs.] Howell.

Ster"re (?), n. A star. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ster"rink (?), n. (Zoöl.) The crab-eating seal (Lobodon carcinophaga) of the Antarctic Ocean.

Ster"ro*met`al (?), n. [Gr. &?; firm, solid + E. metal.] Any alloy of copper, zinc, tin, and iron, of which cannon are sometimes made.

Stert (?), obs. p. p. of Start. Started. Chaucer.

Ster"te (?), obs. p. p. of Start. Chaucer.

Ster*to"ri*ous (str*t"r*s), a. Stertorous. [R.]

Ster"to*rous (str"t*rs), a. [L. stertere to snore: cf. F. stertoreux.] Characterized by a deep snoring, which accompanies inspiration in some diseases, especially apoplexy; hence, hoarsely breathing; snoring.

Burning, stertorous breath that hurt her cheek.

Mrs. Browning.

The day has ebbed away, and it is night in his room, before his stertorous breathing lulls.

Dickens.

Sterve (strv), v. t. & i. To die, or cause to die; to perish. See Starve. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.

Stet (stt), L., subj. 3d pers. sing. of stare to stand, remain. [See Stand.] (Print.) Let it stand; -- a word used by proof readers to signify that something once erased, or marked for omission, is to remain.

Stet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stetted (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Stetting.] (Print.) To cause or direct to remain after having been marked for omission; to mark with the word stet, or with a series of dots below or beside the matter; as, the proof reader stetted a deled footnote.