<B>sconce</B> (2), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) <DD><B> 1. </B>the head, especially, the top of the head. <BR> <I>Ex. Peter Stuyvesant dealt him a thwack over the sconce with his wooden leg (Washington Irving).</I> (SYN) skull. <DD><B> 2. </B>sense; wit. (SYN) brains. </DL>
<A NAME="sconce">
<B>sconce</B> (3), noun, verb, <B>sconced,</B> <B>sconcing.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a small detached fort or earthwork. <DD><B> 2. </B>a shelter; screen; protection. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to fortify; shelter; ensconce. </DL>
<A NAME="sconce">
<B>sconce</B> (4), verb, <B>sconced,</B> <B>sconcing,</B> noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> to mulct; fine for some breach of conventional usage. <DD><I>noun </I> the fine imposed. </DL>
<A NAME="scone">
<B>scone, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>a thick, flat cake cooked on a griddle. <DD><B> b. </B>a similar cake baked in an oven. Some scones taste much like bread; some are like buns. <DD><B> 2. </B>one of the four pieces into which such a cake is often cut. </DL>
<A NAME="sconres">
<B>S. Con. Res.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> Senate concurrent resolution (used with a number). </DL>
<A NAME="scoop">
<B>scoop, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a tool like a shovel, but having a short handle and a deep hollow part for dipping out or shoveling up and carrying loose materials: <DD><B> a. </B>a kitchen utensil to take up flour, sugar, and the like. <DD><B> b. </B>a large ladle. <DD><B> c. </B>a utensil for dishing out a portion of ice cream, mashed potatoes, or other semisolids. <DD><B> 2. </B>the part of a dredge or power shovel that takes up the coal, sand, or other like things. <DD><B> 3. </B>the act of taking up with, or as if with, a scoop. <DD><B> 4a. </B>the amount taken up at one time by a scoop; scoopful. <BR> <I>Ex. She used two scoops of flour and one of sugar.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>(Informal.) a big haul, as of money made in speculation. <DD><B> 5. </B>a place scooped or hollowed out; hollow. <BR> <I>Ex. The rabbit hid in the scoop it had made in the earth.</I> (SYN) cavity. <DD><B> 6. </B>(Informal.) <DD><B> a. </B>the publishing of a piece of news before a rival newspaper does. (SYN) beat. <DD><B> b. </B>the piece of news. <DD><B> 7. </B>a spoonshaped surgical instrument used to extract matter from cavities. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1a. </B>to take up or out with a scoop, or as a scoop does. <BR> <I>Ex. Scoop out a quart of grain. The boys scooped up the snow with their hands to make snowballs.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>(Informal.) to gather up or in as if with a scoop. <BR> <I>Ex. Werner was with us when father scooped us all up and took us to the concert at the Stadium (Harper's).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to hollow out; dig out; make by scooping. <BR> <I>Ex. The children scooped holes in the sand.</I> (SYN) excavate. <DD><B> 3. </B>to empty with a scoop. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Informal.) to publish a piece of news before (a rival newspaper). <DD><B> 5. </B>(Informal.) to sing (a note or phrase) by sliding to the correct pitch from a note below. <BR> <I>Ex. She is given to scooping her notes and is unable to produce convincing chest tones (New Yorker).</I> noun <B>scooper.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="scoopful">
<B>scoopful, </B>noun, pl. <B>-fuls.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> enough to fill a scoop. </DL>
<A NAME="scoopneck">
<B>scoop neck</B> or <B>neckline,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a rounded, fairly lowcut neck, as on a dress or blouse. </DL>
<A NAME="scoopnecked">
<B>scoop-necked, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having a scoop neck. </DL>
<A NAME="scoopnet">
<B>scoop net,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a net to scoop something out of the water, as a person in a rescue operation. <BR> <I>Ex. The pilot ... was rescued within a few minutes by a scoop net attached to a helicopter (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="scoot">
<B>scoot, </B>verb, noun, interjection.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) <DD><I>v.i. </I> to go quickly; dart. <BR> <I>Ex. The cat scooted out the door.</I> <DD><I>noun </I> the act of scooting. <DD><I>interj. </I> be off with you! scat! </DL>
<A NAME="scooter">
<B>scooter</B> (1), noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a child's vehicle consisting of a board for the feet between two wheels, one in front of the other, steered by a handlebar and propelled by pushing against the ground with one foot. <DD><B> 2. </B>a similar vehicle run by a motor; motor scooter. <DD><B> 3. </B>(U.S.) a sailboat with runners, for use on either water or ice. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to sail or go in or on a scooter. </DL>
<A NAME="scooter">
<B>scooter</B> (2), noun. =scoter.</DL>
<A NAME="scooterist">
<B>scooterist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who rides a motor scooter. </DL>
<A NAME="scop">
<B>scop, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an Anglo-Saxon poet or minstrel; bard. </DL>
<A NAME="scopalamine">
<B>scopalamine, </B>noun. =scopolamine.</DL>
<A NAME="scope">
<B>scope</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>the distance the mind can reach; extent of view. <BR> <I>Ex. Very hard words are not within the scope of a child's understanding.</I> (SYN) compass. <DD><B> b. </B>the area over which any activity operates or is effective; range of application. <BR> <I>Ex. This subject is not within the scope of our investigation. Beyond the scope of all speculation (Edmund Burke).</I> (SYN) compass. <DD><B> 2. </B>room to range; space; opportunity. <BR> <I>Ex. Football gives scope for courage and quick thinking. I gave full scope to my imagination (Laurence Sterne).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>the range or length of flight of an arrow or other missile. <DD><B> 4a. </B>extent; length; sweep. <BR> <I>Ex. The yacht's gig was towing easily at the end of a long scope of line (Joseph Conrad).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>the length of cable at which a ship rides when at anchor. <DD><B> 5. </B>(Archaic.) an aim; purpose; ultimate object. </DL>
<A NAME="scope">
<B>scope</B> (2), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) <DD><B> 1. </B>an instrument for viewing, such as a microscope, telescope, or radarscope. <DD><B> 2. </B>a telescopic sight for a rifle. <BR> <I>Ex. All were equipped with 20-power scopes (New York Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="scope">
<B>-scope,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (combining form.) an instrument for viewing, examining, or observing. <BR> <I>Ex. Telescope = an instrument for viewing distant objects. Stethoscope = an instrument for examining the chest.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="scopola">
<B>scopola, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the dried rhizome and larger roots of a plant of the nightshade family, used as a source of atropine and scopolamine. </DL>
<A NAME="scopolamine">
<B>scopolamine, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an alkaloid drug that has a depressant effect on the central nervous system, and is used to dilate the pupils of eyes, to produce a partial stupor known as "twilight sleep," and as a truth serum. </DL>
<A NAME="scopoline">
<B>scopoline, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a crystalline, narcotic compound obtained from scopolamine by decomposition. </DL>
<A NAME="scopophilia">
<B>scopophilia, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the desire to look at erotic pictures, acts, and the like. </DL>
<A NAME="scopula">
<B>scopula, </B>noun, pl. <B>-las</B> or <B>-lae.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a small brushlike pad of stiff hairs on the tarsi of bees and spiders. </DL>
<A NAME="scopulate">
<B>scopulate, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Zoology.) shaped like a broom or brush; brushlike. </DL>
<A NAME="scopy">
<B>-scopy,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (combining form.) observation; examination. <BR> <I>Ex. Cranioscopy = examination of the cranium.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="scorbutic">
<B>scorbutic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of, having to do with, or like scurvy. <DD><B> 2. </B>affected with scurvy. </DL>
<A NAME="scorbutical">
<B>scorbutical, </B>adjective. =scorbutic.</DL>
<A NAME="scorbutus">
<B>scorbutus, </B>noun. =scurvy.</DL>
<A NAME="scorch">
<B>scorch</B> (1), verb, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to burn slightly; burn on the outside. <BR> <I>Ex. The cake tastes scorched. I scorched the shirt in ironing it.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to dry up; wither. <BR> <I>Ex. The grass is scorched by so much hot sunshine.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Figurative.) to criticize with burning words. <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to be or become scorched. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Informal, Figurative.) to drive or ride very fast. <DD><I>noun </I> a slight burn. </DL>
<A NAME="scorch">
<B>scorch</B> (2), transitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Obsolete.) to slash with a knife. </DL>
<A NAME="scorchedearth">
<B>scorched earth,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> destruction by government orders of all things useful to an invading army. </DL>
<A NAME="scorcher">
<B>scorcher, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person or thing that scorches. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Informal.) a very hot day. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Informal, Figurative.) a person who drives or rides very fast. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Informal, Figurative.) a scathing rebuke; withering criticism. </DL>
<A NAME="scorching">
<B>scorching, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that scorches; burning; withering. adv. <B>scorchingly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="scordato">
<B>scordato, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Music.) put out of tune; tuned in an unusual manner for the purpose of producing particular effects. </DL>
<A NAME="scordatura">
<B>scordatura, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ture,</B> <B>-turas.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Music.) an intentional deviation from the usual tuning of a stringed instrument for some particular effect. </DL>
