&q.a 
1. The nineteenth letter 
and fifteenth consonant of 
the English alphabet, hav- 
ing a corresponding place 
also in the alphabets from 
which that is derived (the 
twenty-first, or last but 
one, in Phenician). The his- 
torical exhibit of related forms, as 
given for the other letters (see especially A), is as follows : 
Egyptian. 
Hieroglyphic. Hieratic 
Pheni- 
cian. 
Early 
Greek and Latin. 
The Phenician system had more than one sibilant sign, 
and the Greek choice wavered at first between two of 
them, until it settled upon this one. Of all the signs here 
given the value was the same namely, our normal 
8-sound, as in so, us. This is a surd or breathed utterance, 
a fricative or continuable consonant, of a peculiar charac- 
ter, to which we give the name of sibilant or hissing. Its 
sonant or voiced counterpart (related toitasrftot.aspto 
/, and so on) is z, as in zeal, dizzy (the buzzing sound). They 
are produced between the tongue, at or near its tip, and 
a point on the roof of the month either close behind the 
front teeth or at a further remove from them. Probably 
no other of our alphabetic sounds are producible through 
so wide a range of (slightly) varying positions, or actually 
produced, iu different districts and individuals, in so dif- 
ferent a manner. None, also, are more freely combinable 
with other consonant-sounds into intricate groups, as in 
strands, twelfths, splints, sixths. In virtue of their mode of 
production, they are akin with t and </, and, like them, are 
often called dental, orlingual, or tongue-tip sounds. The 
proper or hissing s is one of the most common elements of 
English utterance, forming more than 1>, per cent, of it. 
But its sign has also other values. As s is one of our 
most used endings for example, of plural number, of 
possessive case, of third person singular present it comes 
extremely often at the end of a word, and there, after any 
sonant sound, it is pronounced as z : for example, lows, 
lore's, he loves ; flies, fly's, he flies; and it has the same 
sound often in the interior of words, especially between so- 
nants : for example, use, nose, dismal. The t-sound, on the 
other hand, is represented to a considerable extent by c 
before e, i, y (see C) ; and by double s> or 88, which is fre- 
quent in the middle and at the end of words, and has the 
hissing sound, save in a few exceptional cases, like dis- 
solve, possess (between the a and e). Another sound often 
represented by is the *A-sound (see below) namely, in 
very numerous cases where the s is followed by a conso- 
nantal y-sound, whether written with t, as in passion, or 
implied in "long u," as in sure, flssure: since the combi- 
nation sy in English pronunciation has a strong tendency 
to fuse Into sh, and in ordinary free utterance often does 
so, even in cases where theory and extra-careful usage re- 
quire the separation of the two sounds. This fused sound 
is represented by the important digraph sh (also by ch in a 
few French words, as machine). It is a second sibilant, a 
more palatal one as simple an utterance as the s-sibi- 
lant, but very much less frequent (less than 1 per cent, 
or one fifth of s; but about l| per cent, if its presence in 
the cA-sound is included). It is made with nearly the 
same part of the tongue as s, and against the roof of the 
mouth, but generally a little further back, and especially 
(it would seem) with an opener cavity immediately behind 
the point of closest approximation of the organs. Its com- 
pound sign (Middle English and German sch) marks it ns 
coming historically from the fusion of an s with a follow. 
ing guttural spirant. It haa a rare sonant counterpart in 
the zA'Sound of azure, pleasure, and the like (as to which, 
see X). The sh- and zA-sounds also constitute the con- 
cluding element in the compound eh- and j- or soft ^/-sounds 
(see ch and Q and /) combined with a somewhat modified 
t and d respectively (made by a contact at the sA-point) as 
first element. 
2. As a medieval Roman numeral, 7; also 70; 
with a dash over it (S), 70,000. 3. In chem., the 
symbol of sulphur. 4. An abbreviation : (a) Of 
Society in such combinations as F. R. S. (Fel- 
low of the Royal Society), F . L. S. (Fellow of 
the Linnean Society), etc. (6) Of Surgery, as 
in D. D. S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery), (c) Of 
Science, as in B. S. (Bachelor of Science), (d) 
Of South or Southern, (e) Of Sunday and Satur- 
day- (/) [' c.~\ Of Latin solidum, equivalent 
to English shilling: as, s. d., pounds, shil- 
lings, pence, (g) In anat. and sool., of surml : 
used in vertebral formulae : as, S. 5, five sacral 
vertebrae. (7<) [I. c.] Of second (sixtieth part 
of a minute), substantive (a noun), snow (in a 
ship's log-book), of Latin semi, half (used in 
medical prescriptions after a quantity which 
is to be divided into two), and of spherical (of 
a lens), (i) [J. <.] In her., of sable, (j) In me- 
teor., of stratus, (k) In musical notation (1), 
of sensa; (2) in the form :S:, of segno (see 
D. S. and segno). 5. An operative symbol in 
quaternions, signifying the operation of tak- 
ing the scalar part of a quaternion. It is also 
used in algebra for certain varieties of summation. The 
lower-case s usually denotes space, or the length of the 
arc of a curve. An s below the line, in enumerative geom- 
etry, refers to a plane pencil of rays. S (Greek S) signi- 
fies the sum of successive values of a function ; the vari- 
able which is to take successive integral values in the 
terms to be added may be written below the line after the 
-, and the lower and upper limit of the summation may 
be written below and above the S. Thus, 
v = ! i . (log. z>>. 
In the calculus of finite differences 2 Is used like a sign 
of indefinite integration, the lower limit being replaced 
by an arbitrary constant, while the upper is supposed to 
be 1 less than the value of the variable. Thus, 2 Fz = 
V(x 1) -f F (z 2) 4- etc., down to a constant value of 
the variable, and then an arbitrary constant is to be added 
to the series. S is used in the integral calculus to denote 
the area of a surface. A modified long s, /, is the sign of 
integration. Light green S. Same as acid-yreen.Ua.- 
genta S., rubine S. Same as acid-magenta. 
-S 1 . The suffix of the possessive or genitive case 
singular, earlier -es, by syncope -g, now regu- 
larly written with an apostrophe, 's. See -es 1 . 
-S a . The suffix of the plural form of nouns, 
earlier -es, which is now retained in pronuncia- 
tion only after a sibilant, being otherwise re- 
duced by syncope to -*. See -es 2 . 
-B 3 . The suffix of the third person singular of 
the present indicative of verbs, earlier -es, more 
originally -eth, -th. See -eth%, -th 3 . 
S. A. An abbreviation of Latin secundum ar- 
tem, according to the rules of art : used in med- 
ical prescriptions. 
S. a. An abbreviation of Latin sine anno (with- 
out year), without date. 
sa, adv. An obsolete or Scotch form of o 2 . 
sa. In her., an abbreviation of sable 1 . 
saat, . A Middle English form of soe. 
sab (sab), v. and n. A Scotch form of sob. 
sabadilla (sab-a-dil'a), n. See cevadilla, and 
caustic barley (under barley 1 ). 
Sabaean 1 (sa-be'an), . and a. See Sabean 1 , 
Sabean 2 . 
Sabaean- (sa-be'an), a. and n. See Sabian 1 , 
Sabaeanism (sa-be'an-izm), n. See Sabaism. 
Sabaism (sa'ba-izm), n. [See Sabian?.'} The 
doctrines of the Sabians or Mandseans. Also 
Sabasism, Sabianism, Sabeism, and sometimes, 
incorrectly, Sabeeanism. 
Palmetto (Sairal Palmetto}. 
5285 
Sabal (sa'bal), n. [NL. (Adanson, 1763) ; said to 
be from a S. Amer. or Mex. name.] A genus of 
fan-palms of the tribe Coryphem, including sev- 
eral palmettos. It U distinguished from the genera 
next akin, Washingtonia and Corypha, by its dorsal em- 
bryo, and is further characterized by bisexual flowers with 
a cup-shaped calyx and a deep-lobed imbricate corolla 
persistent unchanged after blossoming, by its six united 
stamens forming at their dilated bases a ring attached to 
the corolla-tube, and by its three-lobed and three-celled 
ovary, tapering into a robust columnar style which is 
basilar in fruit. The fruit is usually globose and one- 
celled, with a loose fleshy pericarp, and a single shining 
dark-brown roundish and depressed seed, with hard cor- 
neous albumen which is deeply hollowed in at the base. 
The 7 species are natives of tropical America, from Vene- 
zuela and Trinidad northward into Florida and South Caro- 
lina and the Bermuda Islands. They are thomless palms, 
some species low and almost stemless, others with a tall 
robust trunk ringed at the base and covered above with 
the remains of sheaths. The leaves are terminal, round- 
ish, and deep-cleft; the flowers are small and smooth, white 
or greenish, and the fruit is small and black, both borne on 
a large and elongated spadix which is at first erect, and in- 
closed in a long tubular spathe, from which hang many 
long and slender branches and branchlets. See palmetto 
and cabbage-tree, and cut in preceding column. 
sabalo (sab'a-16), N. [< Sp. sdbalo, a shad.] 
The tarpon, ifegalops atlanticus. 
Sabaoth (sab'a-oth or sa-ba'oth), n. pi. [= F. 
Sabaoth, < L. Sabaoth, < Gr. 2a3o<M, < Heb. tee- 
bdoth, armies, pi. of tsaba, an army. < tsdbd, at- 
tack, fight.] 1. In Scrip., armies; hosts: used 
as part of a title of God. 
The cries of them which have reaped are entered into 
the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Jaa. v. 4. 
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth. 
Book of Common Prayer, Te Deum. 
2f. Same as Sabbath. [An error.] 
But thence-forth all shall rest eternally 
With him that is the God of Sabaoth hight : 
! that great Sabaoth God, grant me that Sabaoths sight : 
Spenser, F. Q., VII. viii. >. 
Sacred and inspired Divinity, the Sabaoth and port of 
all men's labours and peregrinations. 
Bacon, Advancement of Learning, ii. 
Sabathian (sa-ba'thi-an), n. SsaneasSabbatiaii. 
sabatount, sabatynt, Middle English forms 
of sabbaton. 
Sabbat, n. See Sabbath. 
Sabbatarian (sab-a-ta'ri-an), a. and 11. [< L. 
sabbatarius (> Sp. sabatarib = Pg. sabbatario =. 
F. sabbataire), of or belonging to the Sabbath 
(sabbatarii, pi., the Sabbath-keepers, i. e. the 
Jews), < sabbatum, Sabbath: see Sabbath.] I. 
a-. Pertaining to the Sabbath or its observ- 
ance. 
U. 11. One who maintains the observance 
of the Sabbath (in the original sense) as ob- 
ligatory on Christians. Hence (a) One who ob- 
serves the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, as the 
Jews do, instead of the first (Sunday), as do Christians 
generally. A denomination of Baptists are called Sabba- 
tarians, or Seventh-day Baptists, because they maintain 
that the Jewish Sabbath has not been abrogated. The 
Seventh-day Adveutists hold the same views. 
And because some few Sabbatarians among ourselves do 
keep the old sabbath only, and call still for Scripture proof 
for the institution of the Lord's day, let me briefly tell 
them that which is enough to evince their error. 
Baxter, Life of Faith, ii. 7. 
(6) One who observes the Sabbath (whether Saturday or 
Sunday) according to the real or supposed Jewish rules 
for its observance ; hence, one who observes it with more 
than the usual strictness. In the Puritan controversies 
of the sixteenth century the church party maintained that 
the obligation to observe one day in seven as a day of rest 
and devotion rested not upon the fourth commandment, 
but upon church usage and the beneficent results arising 
therefrom ; the Puritans maintained that the obligation 
was based upon the Jewish law, and that the nature of the 
obligation was to be deduced from the Jewish regulations. 
They interdicted every sort of worldly occupation and 
every form of pastime and recreation, and were termed 
Sabbatarians by their opponents ; hence the later use of 
the term as one of reproach. 
We have myriads of examples In this kinde amongst 
those rigid Sabbatarians. Burton, Anat. of Mel., p. 680. 
We left Lillehannner on a heavenly Sabbath morning. 
. . . Rigid Sabbatarians may be shocked at our travelling 
on that day : but there were few hearts in all the churches 
of Christendom whose hymns of praise were more sincere 
and devout than ours. B. Taylor, Northern Travel, p. 254. 
