| shank | To fall off, as a leaf, flower, or capsule, on account of disease affecting the supporting footstalk; usually followed by off. <zoology> See Chank. 1. The part of the leg from the knee to the foot; the shin; the shin bone; also, the whole leg. "His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank." (Shak) 2. Hence, that part of an instrument, tool, or other thing, which connects the acting part with a handle or other part, by which it is held or moved. Specifically: That part of a key which is between the bow and the part which enters the wards of the lock. The middle part of an anchor, or that part which is between the ring and the arms. That part of a hoe, rake, knife, or the like, by which it is secured to a handle. A loop forming an eye to a button. 3. The space between two channels of the Doric triglyph. 4. A large ladle for molten metal, fitted with long bars for handling it. 5. The body of a type. 6. The part of the sole beneath the instep connecting the broader front part with the heel. 7. <zoology> A wading bird with long legs; as, the green-legged shank, or knot; the yellow shank, or tattler; called also shanks. 8. Flat-nosed pliers, used by opticians for nipping off the edges of pieces of glass to make them round. Shank painter, a short rope or chain which holds the shank of an anchor against the side of a vessel when it is secured for a voyage. To ride shank's mare, to go on foot; to walk. Origin: OE. Shanke, schanke, schonke, AS. Scanca, sceanca, sconca, sceonca; akin to D. Schonk a bone, G. Schenkel thigh, shank, schinken ham, OHG. Scincha shank, Dan. & Sw. Skank. Cf. Skink. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| shank bone | <anatomy> The large bone between the knee and foot that supports 5/6 of the body weight (fibula supports 1/6). (27 Sep 1997) |
| shanker | <medicine> See Chancre. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shanny | Origin: Etymol. Uncertain. <zoology> The European smooth blenny (Blennius pholis). It is olive-green with irregular black spots, and without appendages on the head. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shape | 1. Character or construction of a thing as determining its external appearance; outward aspect; make; figure; form; guise; as, the shape of a tree; the shape of the head; an elegant shape. "He beat me grievously, in the shape of a woman." (Shak) 2. That which has form or figure; a figure; an appearance; a being. "Before the gates three sat, On either side, a formidable shape." (Milton) 3. A model; a pattern; a mold. 4. Form of embodiment, as in words; form, as of thought or conception; concrete embodiment or example, as of some quality. 5. Dress for disguise; guise. "Look better on this virgin, and consider This Persian shape laid by, and she appearing In a Greekish dress." (Messinger) 6. A rolled or hammered piece, as a bar, beam, angle iron, etc, having a cross-section different from merchant bar. A piece which has been roughly forged nearly to the form it will receive when completely forged or fitted. To take shape, to assume a definite form. In shape, having a good muscle tone; healthy. Get into shape, to exercise so as to acquire a good muscle tone. Origin: OE. Shap, schap, AS. Sceap in gesceap creation, creature, fr. The root of scieppan, scyppan, sceppan, to shape, to do, to effect; akin to OS. Giskeppian, OFries. Skeppa, D. Scheppen, G. Schaffen, OHG. Scaffan, scepfen, skeffen, Icer. Skapa, skepja, Dan. Skabe, skaffe, Sw. Skapa, skaffa, Goth. Gaskapjan, and perhaps to E. Shave, v. Cf. -ship. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shaper | 1. One who shapes; as, the shaper of one's fortunes. "The secret of those old shapers died with them." (Lowell) 2. That which shapes; a machine for giving a particular form or outline to an object. <chemistry> Specifically; A machine with a vertically revolving cutter projecting above a flat table top, for cutting irregular outlines, moldings, etc. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shaping | In operant conditioning, when the operant response is not in the organism's repertoire, a procedure in which the experimenter breaks down the response into those parts which appear most frequently, begins reinforcing them, and then slowly and successively withholds the reinforcer until more and more of the operant is emitted. (05 Mar 2000) |
| shapoo | <zoology> The oorial. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shard | A plant; chard. 1. A piece or fragment of an earthen vessel, or a like brittle substance, as the shell of an egg or snail. "The precious dish Broke into shards of beauty on the board." (E. Arnold) 2. <zoology> The hard wing case of a beetle. "They are his shards, and he their beetle." (Shak) 3. A gap in a fence. 4. A boundary; a division. Origin: AS. Sceard, properly a p. P. From the root of scearn to shear, to cut; akin to D. Schaard a fragment, G. Scharte a notch, Icel. Skar. See Shear, and cf. Sherd Alternative forms: sheard, and sherd. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sharded | <zoology> Having elytra, as a beetle. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| share | 1. The part (usually an iron or steel plate) of a plow which cuts the ground at the bottom of a furrow; a plowshare. 2. The part which opens the ground for the reception of the seed, in a machine for sowing seed. Origin: OE. Schar, AS. Scear; akin to OHG. Scaro, G. Schar, pflugshar, and E. Shear, v. See Shear. 1. A certain quantity; a portion; a part; a division; as, a small share of prudence. 2. Especially, the part allotted or belonging to one, of any property or interest owned by a number; a portion among others; an apportioned lot; an allotment; a dividend. "My share of fame." 3. Hence, one of a certain number of equal portions into which any property or invested capital is divided; as, a ship owned in ten shares. 4. The pubes; the sharebone. To go shares, to partake; to be equally concerned. Share and share alike, in equal shares. Origin: OE. Share, AS. Scearu, scaru, fr. Sceran to shear, cut. See Shear. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sharebone | <anatomy> The public bone. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| shared paranoid disorder | A condition in which two closely related persons, usually in the same family, share the same delusions. (12 Dec 1998) |
| shared psychotic disorder | Identical or similar mental disorders, such as a paranoid fixation, usually affecting two members of the same family living together. Synonym: shared psychotic disorder. Origin: Fr. Two (05 Mar 2000) |
| sharewort | <botany> A composite plant (Aster Tripolium) growing along the seacoast of Europe. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |