| squinzey | <otolaryngology> An inflammation of the throat, or parts adjacent, especially of the fauces or tonsils, attended by considerable swelling, painful and impeded deglutition, and accompanied by inflammatory fever. It sometimes creates danger of suffocation. Synonym: squinancy, and squinzey. Origin: Contr. Fr. Squinancy, F. Esquinancie, L. Cynanche a sort of sore throat, Gr. Sore throat, dog quinsy, fr. Dog + to choke; cf. Also L. Synanche sore throat, Gr. Cf. Hound, Anger, and Cynanche. (10 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| squire | 1. A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight. 2. A title of dignity next in degree below knight, and above gentleman. See Esquire. "His privy knights and squires." 3. A male attendant on a great personage; also, a devoted attendant or follower of a lady; a beau. 4. A title of office and courtesy. See Esquire. Origin: Aphetic form of esquire. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| squirm | To twist about briskly with contorions like an eel or a worm; to wriggle; to writhe. Origin: Cf. Swarm to climb a tree. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| squirrel | 1. <zoology> Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Sciurus and several allied genera of the famly Sciuridae. Squirrels generally have a bushy tail, large erect ears, and strong hind legs. They are commonly arboreal in their habits, but many species live in burrows. Among the common North American squirrels are the gray squirrel (Scirius Carolinensis) and its black variety; the fox, or cat, sqirrel (S. Cinereus, or S. Niger) which is a large species, and variable in colour, the southern variety being frequently black, while the northern and western varieties are usually gray or rusty brown; the red squirrel (see Chickaree); the striped, or chipping, squirrel (see Chipmunk); and the California gray squirrel (S. Fossor). Several other species inhabit Mexico and Central America. The common European species (Sciurus vulgaris) has a long tuft of hair on each ear. The so-called Australian squirrels are marsupials. See Petaurist, and Phalanger. 2. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder. <zoology> Barking squirrel . See Jelerang. <botany> Squirrel corn, a grass (Hordeum jubatum) found in salt marshes and along the Great Lakes, having a dense spike beset with long awns. Origin: OE. Squirel, OF. Esquirel, escurel, F. Ecureuil, LL. Squirelus, squirolus, scuriolus, dim. Of L. Sciurus, Gr. Sioyros; skia shade + o'yra tail. Cf. Shine. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| squirrel plague conjunctivitis | One of the causes of Parinaud's conjunctivitis. Synonym: tularaemic conjunctivitis, conjunctivitis tularensis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| squirrel porphyria | Porphyria as an apparently normal metabolic state seen in the Florida fox squirrel (Sciurus niger). (05 Mar 2000) |
| squirt | To drive or eject in a stream out of a narrow pipe or orifice; as, to squirt water. "The hard-featured miscreant coolly rolled his tobacco in his cheek, and squirted the juice into the fire grate." (Sir W. Scott) Squirting cucumber. <botany> See Ecballium. Origin: Cf. LG. Swirtjen to squirt, OSw. Sqvatta, E. Squander. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| squitch grass | <botany> Quitch grass. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| squitee | <zoology> The squeteague; called also squit. Origin: From the N. American Indian name. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |