Serapias 
ing to the Azores. They are terrestrial herbs, growing 
from undivided tubers, and bearing narrow leaves and a 
spike of a few handsome flowers. S. Lingua is known as 
the tongue-flowered and 5. cordigera as the heart-Jkncered 
orchis, both of which are occasionally cultivated in gar- 
dens. 
Serapic (se-ra'pik), a. [Cf. LL. Sertipicus, Se- 
riijii(Wus,Sarapiacits,Gi. only as personal name, 
Zpa7rZKOf, St/rama/cdf.] Of or pertaining to 
Serapis or his cult. 
They include various types of the god Abraxas, Cnuphic 
anil Serapic emblems, Egyptian types. 
Pop. Sci. Mo., XXXII. 560. 
Serapis (se-ra'pis), . [< L. Serapis, < Gr. Eapa- 
mf, also Zepamf, Serapis.] 1. The Roman name 
of a deity of Egyptian origin whose worship was 
officially promoted under the Ptolemies, and was 
introduced into Greece and Rome. Serapis was 
the dead Apis honored under the attributes of Osiris ; he 
was lord of the under-world, and identified with the Greek 
Hades. His worship was a combination of Egyptian and 
Greek cults, and was favored by the Ptolemies for political 
2. In conch., a genus of gastropods. 3. In 
entom., a genus of hymenopterous insects, 
seraskier (ser-as-keV), . [Also serasguier, sir- 
askier; < F. serasquier, seraskier = Sp. Pg. seras- 
quier = G. seraskier, < Turk, serasker (seraskyer), 
< (Pers.) sar, ser, head, + (Ar.) 'asker, 'askar, 
army.] A Turkish general or commander of 
land forces. This title is given by the Turks to every 
general having command of an army, but especially to the 
commander-in-chief and minister of war. 
The Seraskier is knock'd upon the head, 
But the stone bastion still remains, wherein 
The old Pacha sits among some hundreds dead. 
Byron, Don Juan, viii. 98. 
seraskierat (ser-as-ker'at), it. [< seraskier.] 
The central office of the ministry of war at 
Constantinople. 
The great tower of Galata, like that of the Seraskierat 
(War Office) on the opposite height in Stainboiil, is used 
as a fire-tower. Encyc. Brit., VI. 307. 
Serb (serb), a. and w. [= F. serbe = G. Serbs, 
Serbier = Dan. Serber = Turk. Serp, a Servian, < 
Serv. Serb, lit. 'kinsman': see Servian.] I. a. 
Of or pertaining to Servia or the Servians. 
To oppose the Serb advance on Sofia, the Prince of Bul- 
garia had but three battalions on the frontier. 
Contemporary Rev., L. 503. 
II. n. 1. A native of Servia; a Servian. 
2. The language of the Servians; Servian. 
Serb became a proscribed tongue. 
Fortniyktly Rev., N. 8., XXXIX. 146. 
Serbian (ser'bi-an), a. and n. Same as Servian. 
There is no Serbian original of the Memoirs of a Janis- 
sary. The Academy, Jan. 18, 1890, p. 41. 
Serbpnian(ser-b6'ni-an),a. [< L. Serbonis or Sir- 
bonis + -inn.] Noting a large bog or lake in 
Egypt, lying between the Delta and the Isthmus 
of Suez. It was surrounded by hills of loose sand, which, 
being blown into it, afforded a treacherous footing, whole 
armies attempting to cross it having been swallowed up. 
Hence the phrase Serbonicm bog has passed into a proverb, 
signifying a difficult or complicated situation from which 
it is almost impossible to extricate one's self ; a distract- 
ing condition of affairs. 
A gulf profound as that Serbonian boy, 
Betwixt Damiata and Mount Casing old, 
Where armies whole have sunk. 
Milton, P. L, ii. 592. 
I know of no Serbonian bog deeper than a 5 rating 
would prove to be. 
Disraeli, in London Times, March 19, 187. (Encyc. Diet.) 
sercel (ser'sel), . 1. Same as sarcel. 2. 
Same as sarcelle. 
serdab (ser'dab), n. [Ar. serdab, a subterranean 
chamber.] In the funereal architecture of an- 
cient Egypt, the secret cell of the mastaba (the 
most ancient and archwologically important 
form of monumental tomb), in which were pre- 
served statues and other representations of the 
defunct, to serve as "supports" to the soul, in 
order to assure its continued existence in the 
event of the crumbling of the mummified body. 
sere 1 , . and v. See sear 1 . 
Sere 2 t, [Also seer; < ME. sere, ser, < Icel. ser, 
for oneself, separately, prop. dat. refl. pron., to 
oneself ; cf . Icel. ace. sik (= G. sich = L. se, etc . ), 
oneself.] Separate ; several ; many. 
I haf seten by your-self here fere twyes. 
Sir Gawayne and the Oreen Kniyht (E. E. T. 8.), 1. 1522. 
Be-halde now, ser, and thou schalt see 
Sere kyngdomes and sere centre ; 
Alle this wile I giffe to the. York Plays, p. 183. 
Therefore I have seen good shooters which would have 
for every bow a sere case, made of woollen cloth. 
Afcham, Toxophilus (ed. 1864), p. 112. 
sere 3 t, a. [ME. sere, ser, mod. E. dial, seer; ap- 
par. a var. of sure, ME. seur, suir : see sure.] 
Safe; secure. 
5506 
And thankyd God ofte-sythe 
That sche sawe hur lorde so dere 
Comyn home bothe hoole and sere. 
US. Cantab. Ff. ii. 38, f. 222. (HalliweU.) 
sere 4 t (ser), n. [< OF. (and F.) serre, F. dial. 
sarre = Pr. It. serra, a talon, < L. sera, a bar to 
close a door, lock: see sear 2 , seraglio.'} A claw 
or talon. 
In spite of all your eagles' wings, well work 
A pitch above ye ; and from our height we'll stoop 
As fearless of your bloody seres, and fortunate, 
As if we prey'd on heartless doves. 
Fletcher, Bouduca, iv. 4. 
Of lions it is said, and eagles, 
That, when they go, they draw their seres and talons 
Close up. Chapman, Revenge of Bussy D' Ambois, iii. 1. 
sereclotht, " A bad spelling of cerecloth. 
serein (se-ran'), . [F.: see serene*.] A mist 
or exceedingly fine rain which falls from a 
cloudless sky, a phenomenon not unusual in 
tropical climates. 
By local refrigeration, after sunset, the vapour invisibly 
diffused through the atmosphere is condensed at once into 
excessively fine drops of liquid water, forming the rain 
called serein. Huxley, Physiography, p. 40. 
serelepest, adv. [ME.,< sere, separate (see sere 2 ), 
+ -lepcs, an adv. gen. form of -lepi in anlepi, < 
AS. anlepig, single.] Separately; by them- 
selves. 
Thus it is, nedeth no man to trowe non other, 
That thre thinges bilongeth in owre lorde of heuene, 
And aren serelepeg by hem-self, asondry were neure. 
Piers Plowman (B\ xviL 164. 
serelyt, adv. [< ME. serelycti; < sere* + -ly 2 .] 
Severally. 
gone haf thay her sortes sette & serelych deled, 
it ay the lote, vpon laste, lymped on lonas. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. MorrisX iii. 193. 
Serena 1 * (se-re'na),n. [See serene 2 , serein.] The 
damp, unwholesome air of evening. 
They had already byway of precaution armed themselves 
against the Serena with a caudle. 
Gentleman Instructed, p. 108. (Danes.) 
Serena 2 (se-ra'na), n. [< Pr. gerena : see sere- 
nade.] Same as serenade in its original sense: 
opposed to aubade. 
serenade (ser-e-nad'), n. [Formerly also sere- 
nate (= D. G. Dan. serenade = Sw. serenad); < 
OF. serenade, F. serenade = Sp. Pg. serenata = 
It. serenata, "music given under gentlewomens 
windowes in a morning or evening" (Florio) 
(cf. Pr. serena, a serenade), < serenarc, make 
serene, < sereno, serene: see serene 1 , and cf. se- 
rene 2 , soiree.] 1. In magic, an evening song; 
especially, such a song sung by a lover at the 
window of his lady. 
Shall I the neighbours' nightly rest invade 
At her deaf doors with some vile serenade' 
Dryden, tr. of Persius's Satires, v. 239. 
Be not loud, bat pathetic; for it is a serenade to a 
damsel in bed, and not to the Man in the Moon. 
Longfellow, Spanish student, i. 2. 
2. An instrumental piece resembling such a 
song ; a nocturne. 3. Same as serenata. 
serenade (ser-e-nad'), ; pret. and pp. sere- 
naded, ppr. serenading. [< serenade, n.] I. 
trans. To entertain with a serenade or noc- 
turnal music. 
Oh, the fiddles, the fiddles! I sent for them hither to 
oblige the women, not to offend 'em ; for I intend to sere- 
nade the whole Park to-night 
Wyeherley, Love in a Wood, ii. 1. 
II. intrans. 'fo perform serenades or noc- 
turnal music. 
What, I suppose, you have been serenading too ! Eh, 
disturbing some peaceable neighbourhood with villainous 
catgut and lascivious piping! Sheridan, The Duenna, 1. 3. 
God grant he may soon be married, for then shall all 
this serenading cease. Longfellow, Spanish Student, L 2. 
serenader (ser-e-na'der), n. [< serenade + -er 1 .] 
One who serenades, or performs nocturnal 
music. 
serenata (ser-e-na'ta), n. [< It. serenata, a sere- 
nade : see serenade.] In music, either a variety 
of secular cantata, or (more usually) an instru- 
mental work consisting of several movements, 
like a suite, and intended more or less dis- 
tinctly for performance in the open air by a 
private orchestra or band. The serenata forms an 
Intermediate link between the suite and the symphony, 
being more emancipated from the control of mere dance- 
forms than the one, and much less unified and technically 
elaborate than the other. It was a favorite form of com- 
position with Mozart. Also cassation and divertimento. 
On Saturday we had a serenata at the Opera-house, 
called Peace in Europe, but it was a wretched perform- 
ance. Walpole, Letters, II. 152. 
June the 10th will be performed Acls and Galatea, a 
serenata, revised with several additions. 
Burney, Hist. Music, IV. 361. 
serenatet (ser-e-naf), n. [< It. serenata, a sere- 
nade: see serenade.] A serenade. 
serenely 
Or serenate. which the starved lover sings 
To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain. 
Milton, P. L., iv. 769. 
serene 1 (se-ren'), a. and n. [= F. Herri n = Pr. 
.vrcrw, sere = Sp. Pg. It. sereno, < L. sereniix. 
bright, clear, calm (of weather); akin to Gr. 
ae'Aa;, brightness, atAt/yr/, the moon (see Selene), 
Skt. svar, sun, sunlight, heaven.] I. . 1. 
Clear, or fair, and calm. 
Spirits live insphered 
In regions mild, of calm and serene air. 
Milton, Comus, 1. 4. 
The moon, serene in glory, mounts the sky. 
Pope, Winter, 1. 6. 
Full many a gem of purest ray serene 
The dark, unfathom'd caves of ocean bear. 
Gray, Elegy. 
2. Calm; placid; unruffled; undisturbed: as, 
a serene aspect; a serene soul. 
Unruffled and serene I've met 
The common accidents of life. 
Addison, Cato, ill. 2. 
He who resigns the world has no temptation to envy, 
hatred, malice, anger, but is in constant possession of a 
serene mind. Steele, Spectator, No. 282. 
Thine eyes are springs, in whose serene 
And silent waters heaven is seen. 
Bryant, Fairest of the Kural Maids. 
Serene, and resolute, and still, 
And calm, and self-possessed. 
Longfellow, The Light of Stars. 
3. An epithet or adjunct to the titles of some 
persons of very high rank : it is not given to 
any noble or official in England, and is used 
chiefly (in the phrase Serene Hiifhiietts) in ren- 
dering the German term Durchlaucht (given to 
members of certain mediatized houses, and to 
some other princes) and the French epithet 
serdnissime. 
To the most terene Prince Leopold, Archduke of Aus- 
tria. Milton, Letters of State. 
Noble adventurers travelled from court to court ; . . 
they . . . became the favorites of their Serene or Royal 
Highnesses. Thackeray, Four Georges, George I. 
Drop serene. See dn>p.=Syn. 1. Bright, peaceful. l 
and 2. Tranquil, ]'lacid,etc. Seecatoii. 2. Sedate. 
II. n. 1. Clearness; serenity; a serene ex- 
panse or region. 
As winds come whispering lightly from the west, 
Kissing, not ruffling, the blue deep's serene. 
Byron, Childe Harold, ii. 70. 
How beautiful is night! . . . 
No mist obscures, nor cloud, nor speck, nor stain 
Breaks the serene of heaven. Southey, Thalaba, i. 1. 
2. Serenity; placidity; tranquillity; calmness. 
[Rare.] 
The serene of heartfelt happiness has little of adventure 
in it. Brooke, Fool of Quality, II. 241. (Dames.) 
My body is cleft by these wedges of pains 
From my spirit's serene. 
Mrs. Browning, Rhapsody of Life's Progress. 
serene 1 (se-ren'), v. t. ; pret. and pp. serened, 
ppr. serening. [< serene^, a.] 1 . To make clear 
and calm ; tranquilize. 
The Hand 
That hush'd the thunder, and serenes the sky. 
Thomson, Summer, 1. 1240. 
A smile serenes his awful brow. Pope, Iliad, XT. 178. 
2. To clear; clarify. [Rare.] 
Take care 
Thy muddy beverage to serene, and drive 
Precipitant the baser ropy lees. 
J. Philips, Cider, ii. 
serene 2 ! (se-ren'), . [Also in mod. technical 
use serein (< mod. F.); formerly also syrene; < 
OF. serein, earlier strain, F. serein = Pr. seren 
= Sp. Pg. sereno, the night-dew, the damp of 
evening, appar. orig. applied to a clear, beau- 
tiful evening, < L. serenum, neut. of serenus, se- 
rene (see serene 1 ), but taken later as a deriva- 
tive of serus, late (see soiree).] The chilly damp 
of evening; unwholesome air; blight. 
The fogges and the Syrene offends vs more 
(Or we made thinke sir), then they did before. 
Daniel, Queen's Arcadia (ed. Grosart), i. 1. 
Some serene blast me, or dire lightning strike 
This my offending face ! B. Jonson, Volpone, iii. 6. 
serenely (se-ren'li), adv. 1. Calmly; quietly; 
placidly. 
He dyed at his house in Q. street, very serenely; asked 
what was o'clock, and then, sayd he, an hour hence I shall 
depart ; he then turned his head to the other side and ex- 
pired. Aubrey, Lives, Edward Lord Herbert. 
The moon was pallid, but not faint, . . . 
Serenely moving on her way. 
Longfellow, Occultation of Orion. 
2. Without excitement ; coolly ; deliberately. 
Whatever practical rule is, in any place, generally and 
with allowance broken, cannot be supposed innate ; it 
being impossible that men should, without shame or fear, 
confidently and serenely break a rule which they could 
not but evidently know that God had set up. 
Locke, Human Understanding, I. iii. 13. 
