seneschal 
seneschal (sen'e-shal), n. [Early mod. E. also 
seneshall; < ME. seneschal (= It. senesciallo), < 
OF. seneschal, senescal, F. se>icclial= Pr. Sp. Pg. 
senescal = It. siniscalco, seniscalco, < ML. sene- 
scalcus, ftiniseitlcus, later also senescallus, si'iu-- 
scaldus (> MHG. scium-luill, sint-xchalt, G. sene- 
schall), a steward, prefect, majordomo, as if < 
Goth. "siiiKxknlkx, ' old servant,' < *siiis (super!. 
sinista), old (= L. sen-ex, old: see senate), + 
skalks, servant: see skalk. The same element 
-shal occurs in marshal 1 , q. v.] Formerly, an of- 
ficer in the household of a prince or dignitary, 
, who had the superintendence of domestic cere- 
monies and feasts; a majordomo; a steward. 
In some instances the seneschal was a royal officer serving 
as the presiding magistrate of a district or province. 
The disorders of seneschalls, captaynes, and theyr soul- 
diours, and many such like. Spenser, State of Ireland. 
Thrusting in his rage 
To right and left each seneschal and page. 
Longfellow, Wayside Inn, Sicilian's Tale. 
seneschalship (sen'e-shal-ship), n. [< sene- 
schal + -ship.] The office of seneschal, 
seneshallt, See seneschal. 
senett, . See sennet. 
Senex (se'neks), n. [NL. (J. E. Gray. 1839), < 
L. senex, old: see senate.] 1. A South Amer- 
ican genus of polyborine hawks, the type of 
which is S. leucurus. 2f. A South American 
genus of Cypselidss, the type of which is Cypse- 
lus senex or Senex temmincki, a Brazilian swift. 
Streubcl, 1848. 
senget, *'. An obsolete (the original) form of 
singe 1 . 
sengellyt, senglelyt, adr. [ME., also sengilly, 
semjeley, < AS. singallice, continually, < singal, 
continual, continuous.] Continually. 
Ouere-so-euer I lugged gemmez gaye, 
I sette hyr senyeley in synglure. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), i. 8. 
Bot I am sengilly here, with sex sum of knyghtes. 
MorU Arthure (E. E. T. S.), 1. 471. 
seng-gung (seng'gung), . [Sunda Javanese.] 
The teleau or Javan badger, Mydaus meliceps. 
See cut under teledu. 
senglet, a. An obsolete form of single^. 
sengreen (sen'gren), n. [< ME. sengrene, sin- 
grene, evergreen, < AS. sin-grene (= D. sene- 
groen = MHG. singruene, G. singriin = Dan. sin- 
griin, periwinkle), < sin-, an intensive prefix, 
exceeding, very, great (sin-byrnendc, ever-burn- 
ing, sin-grim, exceeding fierce, sin-niht, eternal 
night, sin-here, immense army, etc.) (= MD. 
OHG. sin- = Icel. si- ; perhaps akin to E. same, 
and L. semper: see semper idem), + grene, green : 
see green 1 .] 1. A plant, the houseleek, Semper- 
vivum tectorum. 2. In her., a figure resembling 
the houseleek, used as a bearing Water-sen- 
green, the water-soldier, Stratiotei aloides. Also knights' 
water-sengreen. 
senhor (se-nyor'), n. [Pg. : see senior, seilor, 
signor, sir.] The Portuguese form correspond- 
ing to the Spanish seilor and Italian signor. 
See seSor, signor. 
senile (se'nil), a. [<OF. senile, F. senile = Pr. 
Sp. Pg. senil = It. senile, < L. senilis, of or be- 
longing to an old man or old age, < senex (sen-), 
old, an old man : see senate, senior.] Of, per- 
taining to, or characteristic of old age ; pro- 
ceeding from age ; especially, pertaining to or 
proceeding from the weaknesses that usually 
attend old age : as, senile garrulity ; senile petu- 
lance. 
Loss of colour of the hair may be accidental, premature, 
or senile. Copland, Diet. Pract. Med. 
A person in whom nature, education, and time have hap- 
pily matched a senile maturity of judgement with youth- 
ful vigour of fancy. Boyle, On Colours. (Latham.) 
Consider briefly the striking phenomena of loss of mem- 
ory in what is called senile imbecility. 
Maudsley, Mind, XII. 508. 
Senile atrophy, the emaciation of old age. Senile atro- 
phy Of bones, wide-spread lacunar resorption of bone in- 
cident to old age.- Senile bronchitis, the subacute or 
chronic bronchitis of old people. Senile dementia. See 
dementia. Senile Involution, the shrinking or shrivel- 
ing up of the body or any organ in aged people. Senile 
tremor, the shaking movement or tremor seen in old 
persons. 
senility (se-mTi-ti), . [= Y.senilite; as senile 
+ -i-t;/.] The state of being senile; old age; 
especially, the weakness or imbecility of old age. 
Mr. Edwards, when going away, again recurred to his 
consciousness of senility, and, looking full in Johnson's 
face, said to him, " You'll find in Dr. Young, O my coevals ! 
remnants of yourselves." Bostcell, Johnson, an. 1778. 
It is wonderful to see the unseasonable senility of what 
is called the Peace Party. 
Emerson, Emancipation Proclamation. 
senior (se'nior), . and H. [Early mod. E. ne- 
niour; < L. xcnior. older; as a noun an elder, 
5491 
elderly person, old man, eccl. an elder, ML. a 
lord, chief; compar. of senex (sen-), old: see 
senate. From the L. senior are also ult. seignior, 
xi/linir, m'Hiir, xnilnir, xin; air; also the second 
element in monsieur and mon.t!gnor.] I. n. 1. 
Older; elder: when following a personal name, 
as John Smith, senior (usually abbreviated <SV. 
or Sen.), it denotes the older of two persons in 
one family or community of that name. 2. 
Older in office or service : as, a senior judge, 
colonel, etc. 3. Belonging or pertahiing to the 
fourth or last year of the curriculum of an Amer- 
ican college, seminary, or other institution : as, 
the senior class Senior optlme. See optime. Se- 
nior soph, see sojihixter, 3. Senior wrangler. See 
wrangler. 
II. H. 1. A person who is older than another; 
one more advanced in life ; an elder. 
Excepte they washe their handes ofte, eate not, observ- 
inge the tradicions of the seniours. Tyndale, Mark vii. 3. 
He [Pope] died in May, 1744, about a year and a half be- 
fore his friend Swift, who, more than twenty years his se- 
nior, had naturally anticipated that he should be the first 
to depart. Craik, Hist. Eng. Lit., II. 241. 
2. One who is older in office or service, or whose 
first entrance upon such office or service was 
anterior to that of another. 3. An aged per- 
son ; one of the older inhabitants. 
A senior of the place replies, 
Well read, and curious of antiquities. Dryden. 
4. In the universities of England, one of the 
older fellows of a college. See seniority, 3. 
5. In the United States, a student in the fourth 
year of the curriculum in colleges or semina- 
ries; also, one in the last or most advanced 
year in certain professional schools ; by exten- 
sion, a student in the most advanced class in 
various institutions. 
seniority (se-nior'i-ti), n. [< ME. senyoryte, < 
ML. seniorita(t-)s, < senior, elder: see senior.] 
1. The' state of being senior; priority of birth: 
opposed to juniority : as, the elder brother is 
entitled to the place by seniority. 
Mr. Treatall, upon the serving up of the supper, desired 
the ladies to take their places according to their different 
age and seniority, for that it was the way always at his ta- 
ble to pay respect to years. 
Addison, Trial of Ladies' Quarrels. 
2. Priority in office or service : as, the seniority 
of a surgeon or a chaplain. 3. A body of se- 
niors or elders ; an assembly or court consist- 
ing of the senior fellows of a college. 
The Duke Satt in Seynt Markes Churche in ryght hys 
astate in the Qwer on the ryght syd with senyoryte, which 
they call lords, in Riche aparell, as purpyll velvet, cremsyn 
velvet, ffyne Scarlett. 
Torkinyton, Diarie of Eng. Travell, p. 14. 
The dons . . . regarded the matter in so serious a light 
that they summoned a seniority for its immediate investi- 
gation. Farrar, Julian Home, xxiii. 
seniorizet (se'nior-iz), v.i. [< senior + -ize .] To 
exercise lordly authority ; lord it; rule. Fair- 
fax. 
senioryt (se'nior-i), n. [< ML. senioria, < L. 
senior, senior : see sen ior. Cf. seigniory.] Same 
as seniority. 
It ancient sorrow be most reverend, 
Give mine the benefit of seniory. 
Shak., Rich. III., iv. 4. 36. 
senium (se'ni-um), n. [L.] The feebleness of 
old age. 
senna (sen'a), n. [Formerly also sena, seny, 
senie, sene; t. OF. senne, sene, F. sene = Sp. sen, 
sena = Pg. senne = It. sena (= D. zeneblad = G. 
senesbldtter = Sw. sennetsblad = Dan. senncs- 
blad) = Hind, sena, < Ar. sena, sana, senna.] 1. 
A drug consisting of the dried leaflets of several 
species of Cassia. The officinal species are C. acutifo- 
Ita and C. anywit\folia, the former being known as Alexan- 
Flowering Branch of Senna (Cassia obmjata). a, a pod. 
senor 
drum, the latter as Indian senna. The product of some 
other species is more or less used. (See names below.) 
Senna is a prompt, efficient, and very safe purgative, espe- 
cially suited to fevers and febrile complaints. It was in- 
troduced into medicine by the Arabs. 
2. Any species of Cassia yielding the above 
drug. The name is extended more or less to 
other species of Cn.ini(i, and to a few similar 
plants Aleppo senna, the product of Cassia obovata, 
an inferior kiniCwild in Syria. Egypt, and Senegambia, 
formerly cultivated in Italy, etc., but now out of com- 
merce except as an adulterant. The same plant is called 
Italian and Senegal senna. Alexandrian senna, one 
of the officinal sennas exported by way of Alexandria 
derived from Cassia aeuti/olia, a species which grows wild 
abundantly in Upper Egypt, ^bia, etc. American 
senna, Casria MarUandwi, an erect herbs or i feet high, 
with from six to nine pairs of leaflets and yellow flowers, 
abounding southward in the eastern I'nited States. Its 
leaves are a safe and efficient cathartic, but less active 
than the Oriental kinds. Also wild senna. Bastard 
senna. Same as bladder-senna. India or Indian 
senna, the product of Cassia angusti/olia (C. elongata, 
etc.), obtained chiefly in Arabia, but reaching western 
lands by way of Bombay and other Indian ports. Some- 
times also called Mocha senna, as originally from that 
port. The same plant in cultivation yields Tinneyelly 
senna. Mecca senna, the product of Cassia angusttfolia 
exported through Mecca. MOCha senna. See India 
senna. Scorpion-senna. See CoranillaV. Senegal 
senna. See Aleppo senna, above. Tinnevelly senna. 
See India senna, above. Tripoli senna, an article as- 
cribed to Cassia jZthiopica, and thought to he obtained in 
ezzan. Wild senna. See American senna, above. 
sennachie, sennachy, n. Same as seannachie. 
senna-tree (sen'a-tre), re. An arborescent spe- 
cies of Cassia, C.'emarginata of the West Indies. 
sennet 1 ! (sen'et), n. [Also written sennit, genet, 
scnnate, synnet, cynet, signet, signate: see signet, 
signate.] A particular set of tones on a trum- 
pet or cornet, different from a flourish. The 
word occurs chiefly in the stage directions of 
old plays. 
Trumpets sound a flourish, and then a sennet. 
Deleter, Satiromastix. 
Cornets sound a cynet. 
Marston, Antonio's Revenge. (Nares.) 
sennet 2 (sen'et), . Same a,s sennight. [Prov. 
Eng.] 
sennight (seu'it), n. [E. dial, sennet; early 
mod. E. senyght, sevenyght, < ME. seve-niht, sore- 
nyht, sevennyghte, sefennahkt, a week, < seven + 
night: see seven and night, and cf. fortnight (for 
*fourteennight).] The space of seven nights 
and days ; a week. 
I chanced to show you, most honorable audience, this 
day sennight, what I heard of a man that was slain. 
Latimer, 6th Sermon bef . Edw. VI. , 1549. 
She shall never have a happy hour, unless she marry 
within this sen'night. B. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, 1. 1. 
We agreed to meet at Watertown that day sen'nigM. 
Winthrop, Hist. New England, I. 46. 
My love for Nature is as old as I ; 
But thirty moons, one honeymoon to that, 
And three rich sennights more, my love for her. 
Tennyson, Edwin Morris. 
sennit 1 (sen'it), n. [Also sinnet, formerly sin- 
nett; said to be < seven (contracted 
to sen- as in sennight) + Jcnit: see 
knit, and for the sense 'seven-knit- 
ted' cf. similar formations, as dimity 
('two-threaded') and samite ('six- 
threaded').] Naut., a sort of flat 
braided cordage used for various pur- 
poses, and formed by plaiting rope- 
yarns or spun yarn together; also, 
grass or straw plaited by seamen for making 
hats. 
Trene. A threefold rope, cord, string, or twist, called 
by Mariners a Sinnet. Cotgrave. 
The boys who could not sew well enough to make their 
own clothes laid up grass into sinnet for the men, who 
sewed for them in return. 
R. H. Dana, Two Years Before the Mast, p. 269. 
sennit 2 t, See sennefl. 
senocular (se-nok'u-lar), a. [< L. seni, six each 
(< sex, six), + oculus, eye, + -ar 3 .] Having 
six eyes. 
Most animals are binocular, spiders for the most part 
octonocular, and some . . . senocular. 
Derham, Physico-Theology, viii. 3, note. 
Senonian (se-no'ni-an), . [< L. Sinones, a 
people in central Gaul, + -ian.] In geol., a 
division of the Upper Cretaceous in France 
and Belgium. The term is also used to some extent 
in English geology. The Senonian lies between the Tu- 
ronian and the Danian, and is subdivided into the San- 
tonian and Campanian ; it corresponds to the "Upper 
Chalk with flints " of the English Cretaceous, which is there 
essentially a white pulverulent mass of chnlk, with flints 
arranged in nearly parallel layers. Although exhibiting 
in England a remarkable uniformity of lithological char- 
acter from top to bottom, it has been shown to be paleon- 
tologically separable into several distinct zones closely 
resembling those into which the chalk of the northern 
Cretaceous basin of France has been divided. 
senor (se-nyor'), n. [Sp. senor, a gentleman, sir, 
< L. senior, elder, ML. a lord : see senior, sir.] 
