SOL G 



mmjle is one formed by three or more plane 

 angles, which meet in a point; a solid pro- 

 blem, in geometry, is one which requires 



the application of conic sections. 2. 



In physics, a name for all bodies, the par- 

 ticles of which cohere so firmly as not to 

 be separated without some degree of 



force ; in contradistinction to fluid. 3. 



In anatomy, the solids are the bones, li- 

 gaments, membranes, muscles, nerves, 

 and vessels. 



SOLIDA'GO. Golden rod. The name of 

 an extensive genus of perennfcil plants. 

 Syngenesia Poly, superflua. Nat. order 

 Composite. Name from solido, to make 

 firm, in allusion to its uses in healing 

 wounds. The common golden rod (S. viry- 

 aurea), is a native of Britain. 



SOLIDCN'GULA. whole-hoofed: solidus, 

 solid, and ungula, a hoof. Applied to ani- 

 mals of the equine genus, which have the 

 hoof undivided. 



SOLITID'IANS. In theology, those who 

 taaintain that faith alone is sufficient for 

 salvation : solus aruljides, faith. 



SOLI'PEDES. A family of mammalia, of 

 the order Pachydermata, having only one 

 apparent toe and a single hoof on each 

 foot; solidus and pes, a foot. One genus 

 only is known, Equus, Lin. 



SOL'ITARY, Lat. solitarius, from solus, 

 alone. In natural history, applied to 

 parts and to individuals when they exist 

 singly. Thus peduncles are solitary when 

 there is only one on the same plant; 

 birds are solitary when they live alone. 

 Most of the ferocious animals are solitary. 



SOLLI'CITO, It. afflicted, in music, sig- 

 nifies that the music is to be performed 

 in a mournful manner : also that it is to 

 be done carefully. 



SO'LO, Ital. from Lat. solus, alone. A 

 tune, air, or strain to be played by a single 

 instrument, or sung by a single voice. 



SOL'STICE, Lat, solstitium, from sol, the 

 sun, and sto, to stand. In astronomy, the 

 point of the ecliptic at which the sun 

 ceases to recede from the equator, either 

 north in summer, or south in winter. 

 There are, consequently, two such points : 

 the summer solstice, when the sun enters 

 Cancer, on the 21st of June (the longest 

 day) ; and the winter solstice, when the 

 sun enters Capricorn, on the 22nd of De- 

 cember (the shortest day). 



SOLSTI'TIAL POINTS of the ecliptic. 

 Those at which the sun arrives- at the 

 time of the solstices. 



SOLU'TION, Lat. solutio, from solvo, to 

 melt. 1. A term applied to a very ex- 

 tensive class of phenomena. When a 

 solid disappears in a liquid, the compound 

 retaining perfect transparency, we have 

 an example of solution, and the word is 

 applied both to the act of combination 

 and to the result of the process. Solution 

 is the resutt of attraction or affinity be- 



U K 



tween the fluid and the soiid. ihis 

 affinity continues to opeiate to a certain 

 point, where it is overbalanced by the 

 cohesion of the solid ; it then ceases ; the 

 fluid is said to be saturated; the point 

 where the operation ceases is called satu- 

 ration ; and the result is a saturated solu- 

 tion. The dissolving fluid is called a 

 menstruum, or solvent. 2. In arithme- 

 tic, &c., the answer to a question. 3. 

 In surgery, the separation of connection, 

 or connected substances or parts, is termed 

 solution of continuity. 



SOM'ATIST, from ffoafMtrixos, corporeal, 

 from trtafjux., body. In theology, one who 

 admits the existence of corporeal or 

 material beings only. 



SOMATOL'OGY, from ffvfjui, body, and 

 Xoya?, discourse. The doctrine of mate- 

 rial substances. 



SOMNAM'BULISM, from somnus, sleep, 

 and ambulo, to walk. A term applied to 

 sleep-walking; and also to a particular 

 state induced by what is termed animal 

 magnetism. 



SONA'TA. An Italian term meaning a 

 tune, but used to designate solos for 

 single instruments. 



SON'NET, Ital. sonnetto. A short poem, 

 consisting of H lines ; two stanzas of 4 

 verses each, and two of three each, the 

 rhymes being adjusted by a particular 

 rule. 



SONOM'ETER, from sonus, sound, and 

 f^iT^ov, measure. An instrument for 

 measuring sounds, or the intervals of 

 sounds. 



SOOT, Sax. sot. The pulverulent matter 

 condensed from smoke. It consists prin- 

 cipally of charcoal ; that from wood is 

 pungent, nauseous, and bitter, and is 

 found to contain some sulphate and car- 

 bonate of ammonia, an empyreumatic 

 oil, a fixed alkali, and an insipid earth ; 

 and that from pit-coal contains besides 

 some bituminous matter. 



SOPH, from sophista. A title given in 

 universities to a student in his second 

 year. 



SOPH'IST, from sophista, from g-oQas, 

 wise. A name at first given to philoso- 

 phers, or men remarkable for their wis- 

 dom ; next to rhetoricians ; and subse- 

 quently to such as devoted their time to 

 verbal niceties and logical quibbles. In 

 this sense the term may be said to be in 

 some measure applicable to all the school- 

 men of the middle ages. 



SOP'RA (It.). Above. In music, a term 

 of description, thus, nella parte di sopra. 

 in the upper part. 



SOPRA'NO, in Italian music, means su- 

 preme, or the highest vocal part. 



SOR'BIC ACID. Another name for malic 

 acid (q. v.), because it may be obtained, 

 most readily asd in greatest purity, irom 



