<B>Schwenkfelder, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a member of a Protestant church originating with immigrants from Silesia who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1730's. The Schwenkfelders have simple church services. </DL>
<A NAME="schwerpunkt">
<B>Schwerpunkt, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (German.) <DD><B> 1. </B>the point of main thrust of a military attack. <BR> <I>Ex. On the insistence of Manstein ... the Schwerpunkt was redirected to the Ardennes and Sedan (Observer).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(literally) center of gravity. </DL>
<A NAME="schwyzerdutsch">
<B>Schwyzerdutsch, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the German dialect of Switzerland. </DL>
<B>SCI</B> (no periods),<DL COMPACT><DD> Ship Controlled Interception (a radar system used by warships to direct fighter planes against enemy bombers). </DL>
<B>sciaenoid, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> of or belonging to a large group of spiny-finned carnivorous fishes usually with air bladders that make a drumming sound. It includes the drumfishes and some kingfishes. <DD><I>noun </I> a sciaenoid fish. </DL>
<B>sciamachy, </B>noun, pl. <B>-chies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>fighting with a shadow; futile combat with an imaginary enemy. <DD><B> 2. </B>a sham combat. Also, <B>sciomachy.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="sciatic">
<B>sciatic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or in the region of the hip. <BR> <I>Ex. the sciatic artery.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>affecting the sciatic nerve. <BR> <I>Ex. sciatic neuralgia.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="sciatica">
<B>sciatica, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> pain in a sciatic nerve and its branches, felt in the hip, thigh, and leg. <BR> <I>Ex. In severe cases, sciatica can cause loss of leg reflexes or the wasting of muscles in one or both calves (Louis D. Boshes).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="sciatical">
<B>sciatical, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of sciatica; affected with sciatica. adv. <B>sciatically.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="sciaticnerve">
<B>sciatic nerve,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a large, branching nerve which extends from the lower back down the back part of the thigh and leg to the foot. </DL>
<A NAME="scid">
<B>SCID</B> (no periods),<DL COMPACT><DD> severe combined immunodeficiency, a disease similar to AIDS. </DL>
<A NAME="science">
<B>science, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>knowledge based on observed facts and tested truths arranged in an orderly system. <BR> <I>Ex. the laws of science, pure science. Science is verified knowledge; that is, knowledge that can be validated and communicated to other people (George Simpson).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a branch of such knowledge. Biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy are natural sciences. Economics and sociology are social sciences. Agriculture and engineering are applied sciences. <DD><B> 2. </B>a branch of such knowledge dealing with the phenomena of the universe and their laws; a physical or natural science. <BR> <I>Ex. Geology, botany, and zoology are sciences.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>skill based on training and practice; technique. <BR> <I>Ex. the science of judo, the science of sailing, to have housework down to a fine science.</I> (SYN) proficiency. <DD><B> 4. </B>a particular branch of knowledge or study, especially as distinguished from art. <BR> <I>Ex. the science of perspective.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>the search for truth. <BR> <I>Ex. a martyr to science. Be love my youth's pursuit, and science crown my age (Thomas Gray).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="science">
<B>Science. </B>noun. =Christian Science.</DL>
<A NAME="sciencecourt">
<B>science court,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a proposed panel of scientists appointed to review scientific issues of national concern and advise the government on their practicability. </DL>
<A NAME="sciencefair">
<B>science fair,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a group of exhibits, each demonstrating a scientific principle, process, etc. </DL>
<A NAME="sciencefiction">
<B>science fiction,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a novel, short story, play, or the like, that combines science and fantasy, Science fiction deals with life in the future, in other galaxies or in other fantastic situations, usually making much use of recent discoveries of technology and advances in science. <BR> <I>Ex. Science fiction is as old as the myth of Icarus and Daedalus (New York Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="sciencefictioneer">
<B>science fictioneer,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a writer of science fiction. </DL>
<A NAME="scienter">
<B>scienter, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Law.) <DD><B> 1. </B>a clause in a complaint or indictment charging that the defendant has knowledge which makes him responsible or guilty. <DD><B> 2. </B>the fact that the defendant has such knowledge. </DL>
<A NAME="sciential">
<B>sciential, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or having to do with science or knowledge. <DD><B> 2. </B>having knowledge. </DL>
<A NAME="scientific">
<B>scientific, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>based on, regulated by, or done according to the facts and laws of science. <BR> <I>Ex. a scientific arrangement of fossils, scientific farming.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>using the facts and laws of science. <BR> <I>Ex. scientific research, a scientific farmer.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having to do with science; used in science; <BR> <I>Ex. scientific books, scientific laws, scientific instruments.</I> <DD><B> 3a. </B>systematic; accurate; exact. <BR> <I>Ex. a scientific survey.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>trained in skill or technique. <BR> <I>Ex. a scientific boxer, a scientific engraver.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="scientifically">
<B>scientifically, </B>adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>in a scientific manner. <BR> <I>Ex. Einstein and Edison thought scientifically.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>according to the facts and laws of science. <BR> <I>Ex. A perpetual motion machine is scientifically impossible.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="scientificcreationism">
<B>scientific creationism,</B> <B>=creationism </B>(def. 1). <I>Ex. Arkansas and Louisiana enacted laws that direct schools to teach "scientific creationism" on an equal basis with the theory of evolution (Kenneth C. Davis)</I> </DL>
<A NAME="scientificmethod">
<B>scientific method,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an orderly method used in scientific research, generally consisting of identifying a problem, gathering all the pertinent data, formulating a hypothesis, performing experiments, interpreting results, and drawing a conclusion. </DL>
<A NAME="scientificnotation">
<B>scientific notation,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a method used in scientific work to express a number as the product of a number from 1 to 10 and a power of 10. </DL>
<A NAME="scientism">
<B>scientism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the habit of thought and manner of expression characteristic of scientists. <BR> <I>Ex. The lingo of scientism is still used by businessmen (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the tendency to reduce all reality and experience to mathematical descriptions of physical and chemical phenomena. <BR> <I>Ex. Those of us who think that scientific method is applicable to political problems are apt to be told, rather sharply, that we are talking "Scientism" (Saturday Review).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="scientist">
<B>scientist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who has expert knowledge of some branch of science. Persons specially trained in and familiar with the facts and laws of such fields as biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, geology, and astronomy are scientists. </DL>
<B>scientistic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or like the methods of a scientist; scientific. adv. <B>scientistically.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="scientize">
<B>scientize, </B>verb, <B>-tized,</B> <B>tizing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> to treat in a scientific manner; organize scientifically. <BR> <I>Ex. to scientize raw data.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to lay down scientific propositions; theorize. </DL>
<A NAME="scientology">
<B>Scientology, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Trademark.) a religion and system of healing founded by L. Ron Hubbard, emphasizing pastoral counseling to heal the spirit and thereby alleviate physical ailments. </DL>
<A NAME="scifi">
<B>sci-fi, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) <DD><I>noun </I> science fiction. <DD><I>adj. </I> (Especially U.S.) of or having to do with science fiction. <BR> <I>Ex. a sci-fi thriller.</I> </DL>
<B>scilicet, </B>adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD> to wit; namely. (Abbr:) sc. </DL>
<A NAME="scilla">
<B>scilla, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a group of early-blooming, ornamental plants of the lily family with bluish or white flowers; squill. </DL>
<A NAME="scilla">
<B>Scilla, </B>noun. =Scylia.</DL>
<A NAME="scillonian">
<B>Scillonian, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a native or inhabitant of the Scilly Isles, a group of islands southwest of England. <DD><I>adj. </I> of or having to do with the Scilly Isles or the Scillonians. </DL>
<A NAME="scimitar">
<B>scimitar</B> or <B>scimiter, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a short, curved sword used by Turks, Persians, Arabs, and other Oriental peoples. Also, <B>simitar.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="scincoid">
<B>scincoid, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>belonging to the same group of reptiles as the skinks. <DD><B> 2. </B>resembling the skinks. <DD><I>noun </I> a skink. </DL>
<A NAME="scintigraphy">
<B>scintigraphy, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a means of obtaining diagnostic pictures of internal organs by administering radioisotopes to the patient and subsequently recording their distribution with a device related to the scintillation counter. </DL>
<A NAME="scintilla">
<B>scintilla, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a spark; particle; trace; <BR> <I>Ex. not a scintilla of truth.</I> (SYN) jot, mite. </DL>
