| scrabble | 1. To scrape, paw, or scratch with the hands; to proceed by clawing with the hands and feet; to scramble; as, to scrabble up a cliff or a tree. "Now after a while Little-faith came to himself, and getting up made shift to scrabble on his way." (Bunyan) 2. To make irregular, crooked, or unmeaning marks; to scribble; to scrawl. "David . . . Scrabbled on the doors of the gate." (1. Sam. Xxi. 13) Origin: Freq. Of scrape. Cf. Scramble, Scrawl. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| scraber | <zoology> The Manx shearwater. The black guillemot. Origin: Cf. Scrabble. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| scrag | 1. Something thin, lean, or rough; a bony piece; especially, a bony neckpiece of meat; hence, humorously or in contempt, the neck. "Lady MacScrew, who . . . Serves up a scrag of mutton on silver." (Thackeray) 2. A rawboned person. 3. A ragged, stunted tree or branch. <zoology> Scrag whale, a North Atlantic whalebone whale (Agaphelus giddosus). By some it is considered the young of the right whale. Origin: Cf. Dial. Sw. Skraka a great dry tree, a long, lean man, Gael. Sgreagach dry, shriveled, rocky. See Shrink, and cf. Scrog, Shrag. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| scrape | 1. To rub over the surface of (something) with a sharp or rough instrument; to rub over with something that roughens by removing portions of the surface; to grate harshly over; to abrade; to make even, or bring to a required condition or form, by moving the sharp edge of an instrument breadthwise over the surface with pressure, cutting away excesses and superfluous parts; to make smooth or clean; as, to scrape a bone with a knife; to scrape a metal plate to an even surface. 2. To remove by rubbing or scraping (in the sense above). "I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock." (Ezek. Xxvi. 4) 3. To collect by, or as by, a process of scraping; to gather in small portions by laborius effort; hence, to acquire avariciously and save penuriously; often followed by together or up; as, to scrape money together. "The prelatical party complained that, to swell a number the nonconformists did not choose, but scrape, subscribers." (Fuller) 4. To express disapprobation of, as a play, or to silence, as a speaker, by drawing the feet back and forth upon the floor; usually with down. To scrape acquaintance, to seek acquaintance otherwise than by an introduction. "He tried to scrape acquaintance with her, but failed ignominiously." (G. W. Cable) Origin: Icel. Skrapa; akin to Sw. Skrapa, Dan. Skrabe, D. Schrapen, schrabben, G. Schrappen, and prob. To E. Sharp. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| scrape-off layer | <radiobiology> Outer layer of a plasma which is affected (scraped off) by a divertor or limiter. That is, the outer layer of a magnetically confined plasma (ca. 2 cm thick) where the field lines penetrate a material surface (limiter or divertor plate) rather than close upon themselves. This region defines the outer limit of the plasma because any plasma crossing into the SOL is rapidly lost since transport along the field is much faster than that across the field. That is, particles follow these field lines into the material surface and are lost from the plasma. (09 Oct 1997) |
| scrapie | A chronic neurological disease of sheep and goats, similar to other spongiform encephalopathies and much used as a model for studying the diseases. Controversy still surrounds the nature of the transmissible agent slow viruses are proposed by some workers, prions by an increasing number of others. (18 Nov 1997) |
| scratch | 1. A break in the surface of a thing made by scratching, or by rubbing with anything pointed or rough; a slight wound, mark, furrow, or incision. "The coarse file . . . Makes deep scratches in the work." (Moxon) "These nails with scratches deform my breast." (Prior) "God forbid a shallow scratch should drive The prince of Wales from such a field as this." (Shak) 2. A line across the prize ring; up to which boxers are brought when they join fight; hence, test, trial, or proof of courage; as, to bring to the scratch; to come up to the scratch. 3. <veterinary> Minute, but tender and troublesome, excoriations, covered with scabs, upon the heels of horses which have been used where it is very wet or muddy. 4. A kind of wig covering only a portion of the head. 5. A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke. Scratch cradle. See Cratch cradle, under Cratch. <botany> Scratch grass, a climbing knotweed (Polygonum sagittatum) with a square stem beset with fine recurved prickles along the angles. Scratch wig. Same as Scratch, 4, above. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| scratch reflex | In dogs, stimulus applied to the skin of a saddle-shaped area of the back, sides, and flanks produces a scratching movement of the hind leg of the side stimulated. (05 Mar 2000) |
| scratch test | A form of skin test in which antigen is applied through a scratch in the skin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| scratcher | <zoology> One who, or that which, scratches; specifically, any rasorial bird. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| scratches | Initially, lesions of horsepox occurring in the skin of the flexor surface of the fetlock of the horse, now frequently applied to any weeping, eczematous condition of that area. Synonym: scratches. Painful heel, a condition in which bearing weight on the heel causes pain of varying severity. Synonym: calcaneodynia, calcodynia. Prominent heel, a condition marked by a tender swelling on the os calcis due to a thickening of the periosteum or fibrous tissue covering the back of the os calcis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| scratchweed | <botany> Cleavers. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| scraw | A turf. Origin: Ir. Scrath a turf, sgraith a turf, green sod; akin to Gael. Sgrath, sgroth, the outer skin of anything, a turf, a green sod. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| scray | <zoology> A tern; the sea swallow. Alternative forms: sgraye. Origin: Cf. W. Ysgraen, ysgraell, a sea swallow, Armor. Skrav. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| screamer | <ornithology> Any one of three species of South American birds constituting the family Anhimidae, and the suborder Palamedeae. They have two spines on each wing, and the head is either crested or horned. They are easily tamed, and then serve as guardians for other poultry. The crested screamers, or chajas, belong to the genus Chauna. The horned screamer, or kamichi, is Palamedea cornuta. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |