S to Saccharum
S
(S) the nineteenth letter of the English alphabet, is a consonant, and is often called a sibilant, in allusion
to its hissing sound. It has two principal sounds; one a mere hissing, as in sack, this; the other a vocal
hissing (the same as that of z), as in is, wise. Besides these it sometimes has the sounds of sh and
zh, as in sure, measure. It generally has its hissing sound at the beginning of words, but in the middle
and at the end of words its sound is determined by usage. In a few words it is silent, as in isle, débris.
With the letter h it forms the digraph sh. See Guide to pronunciation, §§ 255-261.
Both the form and the name of the letter S are derived from the Latin, which got the letter through the
Greek from the Phænician. The ultimate origin is Egyptian. S is etymologically most nearly related to c,
z, t, and r; as, in ice, OE. is; E. hence, OE. hennes; E. rase, raze; erase, razor; that, G. das; E. reason, F.
raison, L. ratio; E. was, were; chair, chaise (see C, Z, T, and R.).
-
s
(-s).
1. [OE. es, AS. as.] The suffix used to form the plural of most words; as in roads, elfs, sides, accounts.
2. [OE. -s, for older -th, AS. - ð.] The suffix used to form the third person singular indicative of English
verbs; as in falls, tells, sends.
3. An adverbial suffix; as in towards, needs, always, — originally the genitive, possesive, ending. See -
's.
-
's
(-'s) [OE. -es, AS. -es.] The suffix used to form the possessive singular of nouns; as, boy's; man's.
('s). A contraction for is or (colloquially) for has. "My heart's subdued." Shak.
Saadh
(Sa"adh) n. See Sadh.
Saan
(Saan) n. pl. (Ethnol.) Same as Bushmen.
Sabadilla
(Sab`a*dil"la) n. [Sp. cebadilla.] (Bot.) A Mexican liliaceous plant (Schœnocaulon officinale); also,
its seeds, which contain the alkaloid veratrine. It was formerly used in medicine as an emetic and purgative.
Sabæan
(Sa*bæ"an) a. & n. Same as Sabian.
Sabæanism
(Sa*bæ"an*ism) n. Same as Sabianism.
Sabæism
(Sa"bæ*ism Sa"ba*ism) , n. See Sabianism.
Sabal
(Sa"bal) n. (Bot.) A genus of palm trees including the palmetto of the Southern United States.
Sabaoth
(Sab"a*oth) (sab"a*oth or sa"ba*oth; 277), n. pl. [Heb. tseba'oth, pl. of tsaba', an army or
host, fr. tsaba', to go forth to war.]
1. Armies; hosts. [Used twice in the English Bible, in the phrase "The Lord of Sabaoth."]
2. Incorrectly, the Sabbath.
Sabbat
(Sab"bat) n. [See Sabbath.] In mediæval demonology, the nocturnal assembly in which demons
and sorcerers were thought to celebrate their orgies.
Sabbatarian
(Sab`ba*ta"ri*an) n. [L. Sabbatarius: cf. F. sabbataire. See Sabbath.]
1. One who regards and keeps the seventh day of the week as holy, agreeably to the letter of the fourth
commandment in the Decalogue.
