| silkworm | <zoology> The larva of any one of numerous species of bombycid moths, which spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its cocoon before changing to a pupa. The common species (Bombyx mori) feeds onm the leaves of the white mulberry tree. It is native of China, but has long been introduced into other countries of Asia and Europe, and is reared on a large scale. In America it is reared only to small extent. The Ailanthus silkworm (Philosamia cynthia) is a much larger species, of considerable importance, which has been introduced into Europe and America from China. The most useful American species is the Polyphemus. See Polyphemus. Pernyi silkworm, the larva of the Pernyi moth. See Pernyi moth. Silkworm gut, a substance prepared from the contents of the silk glands of silkworms and used in making lines for angling. See Gut. Silkworm rot, a disease of silkworms; muscardine. Origin: AS. Seolcwyrm. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| silkworms | Moths of the family bombycidae of the order lepidoptera, called silkworm moths. The family contains a single species, bombyx mori from the greek for silkworm + mulberry tree (on which it feeds). A native of asia, it is sometimes reared in this country. It has long been raised for its silk and after centuries of domestication it probably does not exist in nature. It is used extensively in experimental genetics. (12 Dec 1998) |
| silky | 1. Of or pertaining to silk; made of, or resembling, silk; silken; silklike; as, a silky luster. 2. Hence, soft and smooth; as, silky wine. 3. Covered with soft hairs pressed close to the surface, as a leaf; sericeous. <botany> Silky oak, a lofty Australian tree (Grevillea robusta) with silky tomentose lobed or incised leaves. It furnishes a valuable timber. Origin: Silkier; Silkiest. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sillimanite | <chemical> Same as Fibrolite. Origin: After Benjamin Siliman, an American meneralogist. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sillock | <zoology> The pollock, or coalfish. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| silly | 1. Happy; fortunate; blessed. 2. Harmless; innocent; inoffensive. "This silly, innocent Custance." "The silly virgin strove him to withstand." (Spenser) "A silly, innocent hare murdered of a dog." (Robynson (More's Utopia)) 3. Weak; helpless; frail. "After long storms . . . With which my silly bark was tossed sore." (Spenser) "The silly buckets on the deck." (Coleridge) 4. Rustic; plain; simple; humble. "A fourth man, in a sillyhabit." (Shak) "All that did their silly thoughts so busy keep." (Milton) 5. Weak in intellect; destitute of ordinary strength of mind; foolish; witless; simple; as, a silly woman. 6. Proceeding from want of understanding or common judgment; characterised by weakness or folly; unwise; absurd; stupid; as, silly conduct; a silly question. Synonym: Simple, brainless, witless, shallow, foolish, unwise, indiscreet. See Simple. Origin: OE. Seely, sely, AS. Slig, geslig, happy, good, fr. Sl, sl, good, happy, sl good fortune, happines; akin to OS. Salig, a, good, happy, D. Zalig blessed, G. Selig, OHG. Salig, Icel. Sl, Sw. Sall, Dan. Salig, Goth. Sls good, kind, and perh. Also to L. Sollus whole, entire, Gr, Skr. Sarva. Cf. Seel. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| silo filler's disease | Pneumonia or bronchiolitis caused by inhalation of nitrogen dioxide released by silage. (12 Dec 1998) |
| silo-filler's disease | A pulmonary lesion produced by oxides of nitrogen due to fresh silage; in its acute form it may lead to death from pulmonary oedema or may go on to a subacute or chronic proliferative pulmonary disease sometimes leading to chronic pulmonary invalidism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| silo-filler's lung | Pulmonary oedema, usually delayed for 1-4 hours, occurring in an individual exposed to silage, probably due to nitrogen dioxide; can progress to bronchiolitis obliterans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| siloxanes | Silicon polymers that contain alternate silicon and oxygen atoms in linear or cyclic molecular structures. (12 Dec 1998) |
| silt | Particles in siliciclastic sediment that range in size from 0.0039 millimetres (very fine silt) to 0.0625 millimetres (coarse silt), according to the Udden-Wentworth scale. In field geology, a mudrock has silt in it if it feels smooth to the fingers but tastes gritty between the teeth.Silt and clay are collectively classified as mud. (09 Oct 1997) |
| Silteplase | <chemical> Pharmacological action: fibrinolytic agents (26 Jun 1999) |
| silure | <zoology> A fish of the genus Silurus, as the sheatfish; a siluroid. Origin: L. Silurus a sort of river fish, Gr., cf. F. Silure. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| silurian | <geology> Of or pertaining to the country of the ancient Silures; a term applied to the earliest of the Paleozoic eras, and also to the strata of the era, because most plainly developed in that country. The Silurian formation, so named by Murchison, is divided into the Upper Silurian and Lower Silurian. The lower part of the Lower Silurian, with some underlying beds, is now separated under the name Cambrian, first given by Sedwick. Recently the term Ordovician has been proposed for the Lower Silurian, leawing the original word to apply only to the Upper Silurian. Origin: From L. Silures, a people who anciently inhabited a part of England and Wales. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| siluridan | <zoology> Any fish of the family Silurid or of the order Siluroidei. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |