| shallow | 1. A place in a body of water where the water is not deep; a shoal; a flat; a shelf. "A swift stream is not heard in the channel, but upon shallows of gravel." (Bacon) "Dashed on the shallows of the moving sand." (Dryden) 2. <zoology> The rudd. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| shallow breathing | A type of breathing with abnormally low tidal volume. (05 Mar 2000) |
| shallow-hearted | Incapable of deep feeling. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sham feeding | A procedure used in the study of the psychic phase of gastric secretion: in experiments on dogs, the food, after being eaten, does not enter the stomach but issues from an oesophageal fistula made in the neck; the chewing and swallowing of food causes an abundant secretion of gastric juice. Synonym: fictitious feeding. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sham rage | A quasi-emotional state, characterised by manifestations of fear and anger upon trifling provocation; produced in animals by the removal of the cerebral cortex (decortication). (05 Mar 2000) |
| sham-movement vertigo | Dizziness accompanied by an impression that the body is rotating or that objects are rotating about the body. Synonym: gyrosa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| shama | <zoology> A saxicoline singing bird (Kittacincla macroura) of India, noted for the sweetness and power of its song. In confinement it imitates the notes of other birds and various animals with accuracy. Its head, neck, back, breast, and tail are glossy black, the rump white, the under parts chestnut. Origin: Hind. Shama. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shamanism | An intermediate stage between polytheism and monotheism, which assumes a "great spirit", with lesser deities subordinated. With the beginnings of shamanism there was the advent of the medicine man or witch doctor, who assumed a supervisory relation to disease and its cure. Formally, shamanism is a religion of ural-altaic peoples of northern asia and europe, characterised by the belief that the unseen world of gods, demons, ancestral spirits is responsive only to shamans. The indians of north and south america entertain religious practices similar to the ural-altaic shamanism. The word shaman comes from the tungusic (manchuria and siberia) saman, meaning buddhist monk. The shaman handles disease almost entirely by psychotherapeutic means; he frightens away the demons of disease by assuming a terrifying mien. (12 Dec 1998) |
| shamble | 1. <chemical> One of a succession of niches or platforms, one above another, to hold ore which is thrown successively from platform to platform, and thus raised to a higher level. 2. A place where butcher's meat is sold. "As summer flies are in the shambles." (Shak) 3. A place for slaughtering animals for meat. "To make a shambles of the parliament house." (Shak) Origin: OE. Schamel a bench, stool, AS. Scamel, sceamol, a bench, form, stool, fr. L. Scamellum, dim. Of scamnum a bench, stool. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shame | 1. A painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt or impropriety, or of having done something which injures reputation, or of the exposure of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal. "HIde, for shame, Romans, your grandsires' images, That blush at their degenerate progeny." (Dryden) "Have you no modesty, no maiden shame?" (Shak) 2. Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonor; ignominy; derision; contempt. "Ye have borne the shame of the heathen." (Ezek. Xxxvi. 6) "Honor and shame from no condition rise." (Pope) "And every woe a tear can claim Except an erring sister's shame." (Byron) 3. The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach, and degrades a person in the estimation of others; disgrace. "O Csar, what a wounding shame is this!" (Shak) "Guides who are the shame of religion." (Shak) 4. The parts which modesty requires to be covered; the private parts. For shame! you should be ashamed; shame on you! To put to shame, to cause to feel shame; to humiliate; to disgrace. "Let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil." Origin: OE. Shame, schame, AS. Scamu, sceamu; akin to OS. & OHG. Scama, G. Scham, Icel. Skomm, shkamm, Sw. & Dan. Skam, D. & G. Schande, Goth. Skanda shame, skaman sik to be ashamed; perhaps from a root skam meaning to cover, and akin to the root (kam) of G. Hemd shirt, E. Chemise. Cf. Sham. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shamefaced | Easily confused or put out of countenance; diffident; bashful; modest. "Your shamefaced virtue shunned the people's prise." (Dryden) Shamefaced was once shamefast, shamefacedness was shamefastness, like steadfast and steadfastness; but the ordinary manifestations of shame being by the face, have brought it to its present orthography. Shame"faced, Shame"facedness. Origin: For shamefast; AS. Scamfst. See Shame, and Fast firm. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shammy | 1. <zoology> The chamois. 2. A soft, pliant leather, prepared originally from the skin of the chamois, but now made also from the skin of the sheep, goat, kid, deer, and calf. See Shamoying. Alternative forms: chamois, shamoy, and shamois. Origin: F. Chamious a chamois, shammy leather. See Chamois. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shamoying | A process used in preparing certain kinds of leather, which consists in frizzing the skin, and working oil into it to supply the place of the astringent (tannin, alum, or the like) ordinarily used in tanning. See: Shammy. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shamrock | <botany> A trifoliate plant used as a national emblem by the Irish. The legend is that St. Patrick once plucked a leaf of it for use in illustrating the doctrine of the trinity. The original plant was probably a kind of wood sorrel (Oxalis Acetocella); but now the name is given to the white clover (Trifolium repens), and the black medic (Medicago lupulina). Origin: L. Seamrog, seamar, trefoil, white clover, white honeysuckle; akin to Gael. Seamrag. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shanghai | <zoology> A large and tall breed of domestic fowl. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |