sidereal 
Pertaining or relating to the constellations or 
fixed stars ; consisting of or constituted by fixed 
stars: as, the xidrreul regions; sidereal calcula- 
tions; a sidereal group or system. Sidereal distinc- 
tively refers rather to stars in the aggregate or us urnuiizcd 
in constellations or groups than' to a star considered 
singly. It is, therefore, not a precise synonym of stellar 
or cutral, and still less, of course, of starry; although in 
many phrases it is interchangeable with stellar. Thus, 
the "sidereal spaces" are the "stellar spaces," and "side- 
real gold " is "starry spangles." 
The sun, which is the organ and promptuary of all ter- 
restrial and siderial light. Urquhart, tr. of Rabelais, i. 10. 
And o'er the deserts of the sky unfold 
Their burning spangles of sidereal gold. 
W. Broome, Paraph, of Ecclus. xliii. 
The conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn is 
one of the rarest of sidereal events. 
Harper's Mag., LXXVI. 169. 
Sidereal clock or chronometer, a clock or chronometer 
that keeps sidereal time. Sidereal day, hour, month. 
See the nouns. Sidereal magnetism, according to the 
believers in animal magnetism, the influence of the stars 
upon patients. Imp. Diet. Sidereal system, the sys 
tern of stars. The solar system is considered a member of 
the sidereal system, in the same sense as the earth with 
its moon, and Saturn with its satellites, are considered 
members of the solar system. Sidereal time, time as 
measured by the apparent diurnal motion of the stars. 
The sidereal day, the fundamental period of sidereal time, 
is taken to begin and end with the passage over the merid- 
ian of the vernal equinox, the first point of Aries, or the 
origin of right ascension (three names for the same thing). 
There is just one more sidereal than mean solar day in a 
sidereal year. The sidereal day is 3m. 55.91s. shorter than 
a mean solar day. The sidereal time of mean noon is 
hours on March 22d (21st, leap-years), 6 hours on June 21st, 
12 hours on September '20th (21st, years preceding leap- 
years), and 18 hours on December 21st (20th, leap-years). 
These dates are for the meridian of Washington. For 
Greenwich it is hours on March 22d in all years, and 
6 hours on June 22d in years preceding leap-years. Side- 
real time is the only uniform standard of time-measure- 
ment ; and this cannot be absolutely uniform, since the 
friction of the tides must tend to retard the motion of 
the earth. Sidereal year, the time in which the earth 
makes one complete revolution round the sun. The ratio 
of the sidereal year to the tropical year is that of unity 
to unity minus the quotient of the yearly precession by 
360 that is, it is longer than the tropical year by 20m. 
23.3s. ; its length is thus :;;> days 6 hours !> minutes 9.5 
seconds. 
side-reflector (sld're-flek*'tor), . In microsco- 
py, a small concave mirror used to illuminate 
the object by directing the light upon it from 
the side. 
sidereoust (si-de're-Tis), a. [< L. sidercus, per- 
taining to a constellation, or to a star or stars: 
see sidereal."] Sidereal. 
The genial or the sidereous sun. Sir T. Browne. 
side-rib (sld'rib), n. In a carbine, a rod at the 
side, to which the sling is fastened. E. H. 
Knight. 
siderism 1 (sid'e-rizm), . [< stilus (sider-), a 
constellation, a star, + -ISM.] The doctrine 
that the stars influence the destinies of men 
and produce other terrestrial effects. 
siderism' 2 (sid'e-rizm), w. Same as siderixmus. 
siderismus (sid'-e-ris'mus), w. [NL., < Gr. ai- 
fir/ppi;, iron.] A name given by the believers iu 
animal magnetism to the effects produced by 
bringing metals and other inorganic bodies into 
a magnetic connection with the human body. 
Imp. Did. 
siderite (sid'e-rit), . [Formerly also syderite ; 
< OF. siderite, < L. sideritis, the lodestone, also 
a precious stone so called, also vervain, < Gr. 
atSt/piriK, of iron (mS/iplm; 'Aidof, the lodestone), < 
oi&qpof, iron.] 1. The lodestone. The Latin word 
was also used by Pliny to designate a mineral which he 
classed with the diamond, but which cannot be identified 
from his description. It may possibly have been blende. 
See siderolite. 
Not flint, I trowe, I am a Iyer ; 
But syderite that feeles noe fier. 
Puttentiam, Partheniades, vii. 
2. Native iron protocarbonate, a mineral of a 
yellowish or brownish color, crystallizing in 
the rhombohedral system with perfect rhom- 
bohedral cleavage. It is isomorphous with calcite 
(calcium carbonate) and the other rhombohedral carbon- 
ates of magnesium, zinc, and manganese. It also occurs 
in granular, compact forms ; in spheroidal concretionary 
forms with fibrous structure (sphserosiderite) ; and in 
earthy or stony forms, impure from the presence of sand 
or clay, and then called day ironstone. It is one of the 
important ores of iron. Also called chalybite, spathic or 
sparry iron, junckerite, junkerite. The term siderite is used 
only as meaning chalybite, spathic iron, or carbonate of 
iron by scientific men at the present time. 
Sideritis (sid-e-ri'tis), n. [NL. (Tournefort, 
1700), < L. sideritis, vervain, < Gr. ov<%>mf, an 
uncertain herb, fern, of atiijpcnif, of iron: see 
siderite."] A genus of gamopetalous plants of 
the order Labiates, tribe Stachydese, and sub- 
tribe Marrttbieif. It is characterized by flowers with 
aflve-toothed tubular calyx within which the corolla-tube, 
stamens, and style are nil included, a corolla with the up- 
per lip flattish and the lower with a larger middle lobe, 
5616 
and four didynamous stamens, the anthers of the forward 
or longer pair usually only half-formed, those of the other 
jiiiiruf two diverging cells. There are about 45 species, 
natives of the Mediterranean region, abundant in western 
Asia and extending west to the Canaries. They are herbs 
or shrubs, usually densely woolly or velvety, with en tire or 
toothed leaves, and small and generally yellowish flowers 
in axillary whorls or crowded into a dense spike. The 
species are known as ironwort; S. Canariensig and S. 
Syriaca (S. Cretica), the latter known as sage-leafed iron- 
wort, are sometimes cultivated in gardens, and are remark- 
able for their woolly leaves. 
siderpconite (sid-e-rok'o-mt), . [< Gr. aidn- 
pof, iron, + K6vif, d'ust, H- -ife 2 .] In mineral., a 
variety of calcite colored yellow or yellowish- 
brown by hydrated iron oxid. 
side-rod (sld'rod), n. In marine engin. : (a) 
Either of the rods of a side-beam engine which 
connect the cross-head on the piston-rod with 
the working-beam. (6) Either of the rods of 
a side-beam engine which connect the working- 
beams with the cross-head of the air-pump. 
siderograph (sid'e-ro-graf), n. [< siderogra- 
pli-y.j An engraving produced by siderogra- 
phy. 
sitlerographic (sid'e-ro-graf 'ik), a. [< siderog- 
raph-y + -ic."\ Pertaining to siderography; 
produced from engraved plates of steel: as, 
siderographie art; siderographic impressions. 
Siderographical (sid"e-ro-graf'i-kal), a. [< 
siderographic + -al.'] Same as siderographic. 
siderographist (sid-e-rog'ra-fist), n. [< side- 
rograph-y + -int.] 'One wto engraves steel 
plates, or performs work by means of such 
plates. 
Siderography (sid-e-rog'ra-fi), n. [< Gr. ai6r/- 
pof, iron ? + -j [tafia, < ypafyetv, write.] The art 
or practice of engraving on steel: particularly 
applied to the transfer process of Perkins. In 
this process the design is first engraved on a steel block, 
which is afterward hardened, and the engraving trans- 
ferred to a steel roller under heavy pressure, the roller 
being afterward hardened and used as a die to impress 
the engraving upon the printing-plate. 
siderolite (sid'e-ro-lit), n. [< Gr. ai&r/pps, iron, 
+ X/0of, stone.] 1. A name first given by 
N. S. Maskelyne (in the form aero-siderolite) to 
those meteorites which G. Eose had previously 
called pallasites. For meteorites consisting chiefly of 
metallic (nickeliferous) iron the name siderite was pro- 
posed by C. U. Shepard, and that of holosiderite by Pau- 
bree ; but the former is not admissible, because this name 
was long ago preoccupied by a well-known and widely dis- 
tributed mineral species, and the lattercannot be accepted, 
because the majority of. the specimens so designated are 
not wholly of iron. The name siderolite has therefore 
been transferred by M. E. Wadaworth to those meteorites 
which are composed chiefly of iron in most cases, how- 
ever, inclosing more or less irregular and nodular masses 
of pyirhotite, schreibersite, graphite, etc. The same au- 
thor includes in siderolite masses of iron of similar cnar- 
acter although of terrestrial origin, as those of Ovifak in 
Greenland. See meteorite, under which the meaning of 
pallaxite is given. 
2. In :ool., same as siderolith. 
siderolith (sid'e-ro-lith), n. [<Gr. nifypof, iron, 
+ USoc., stone. ] A fossil nummulite of star- 
like or radiate figure. 
sideromagnetic(sid"e-ro-mag-net'ik),a. [< Gr. 
aiSt/pof, iron, + //aj-w/f (-IT-), magnet, + -i'e.] 
Ferromagnetic; paramagnetic. 
Some authorities use the term " ferro-magnetic. " "Side- 
ro-maynetic " would be less objectionable than this hybrid 
word. S. P. Thompson, Meet, and Mag., p. 300, note. 
sideromancy(sid'e-ro-man-si), w. [< Gr. aifr/pof, 
iron, + fiavreia, divination.] A species of divi- 
nation performed by burning straws, etc., upon 
red-hot iron, and observing their bendings, fig- 
ures, sparkling, and burning. 
sideronatrite (sid*e-ro-na'trit), n. [< Gr. ov<%- 
pof, iron, + NL. nairuin + -ite 2 .] In mineral., a 
hydrated sulphate of iron and sodium occur- 
ring in crystalline masses of a dark-yellow 
color: it is found in Peru. 
siderpphyllite (sid'e-ro-fil'it), w. [< Gr. aiSri- 
poc, iron, + QvMiTiK, of or belonging to leaves: 
see phyllite.] In mineral., a kind of mica, allied 
to biotite, but characterizedby the presence of a 
large amount of iron protoxid and the almost 
complete absence of magnesia: it is found near 
Pike's Peak in Colorado. 
sideroscope (sid'e-ro-skop), n. [< Gr. aidr/pof, 
iron, + OKoirsiv, look at, examine.] An instru- 
ment for detecting small quantities of iron in 
any substance by means of a delicate combina- 
tion of magnetic needles. 
siderpsis (sid-e-ro'sis), n. [NL., < Gr. aidr/pu- 
ovr, ironwork, < atfr/povv, overlay with iron, < 
ciSripni;. iron.] Pneumonoconiosis in which 
the particles are metallic, especially iron. 
siderostat (sid'e-ro-stat), n. [< L. sidvs (sider-), 
a constellation, a heavenly body, + Gr. ororof, 
standing: see static.'] A heliosfat regulated to 
sidereal time. See cut under heliostitt. 
side-slip 
siderostatic (sid"e-ro-stat'ik), (i. [< Ki 
+ -i'c.] Connected with a siderostat: applied 
to a telescope which is fixed in a permanent 
position, usually horizontal, and receives (lie 
rays from the object by reflection from the mir- 
ror of a siderostat. 
siderotechny (sid'e-ro-tek-ni), 11. [< Gr. a'tftn- 
pof, iron, 4- re^vri, aft.]' The metallurgy of iron. 
side-round (sid'round), n. In joinery, a plane 
for cutting half-round moldings. Such planes 
are made in pairs, a right and a left. E. H. 
Knight. 
Sideroxyleae (sid'e-rok-sire-e), n. pi. [NL. 
(Kadlkof er, 1887), (Siderorylon + -ex.'] A tribe 
of gamopetalous trees and shrubs of the order 
Sapotacese, including six tropical genera, and 
one genus (Argania) native of Morocco. See 
Achrax, fiideroxylon (the type), and organ-tree. 
Sideroxylon (sid-e-rok'si-lon), n. [NL. (Dil- 
leuius, 1732), lit. ' ironwood,' so called from its 
strength, < Gr. ai6t/pof, iron, + fi'Aov, wood.] A 
genus of gamopetalous trees or shrubs of the or- 
der Sapotacese, and type of the tribe Siderorylrtr. 
It is characterized by regular and symmetrical flowers 
with both calyx and corolla usually divided into five simi- 
lar imbricated broad and obtuse lobes, and commonly 
Inclosing five stamens, five staminodes, and a five-celled 
ovary which ripens into a roundish berry containing from 
one to five hard and shining seeds, with fleshy albumen 
and broad leaf-like cotyledons. There are 60 or 70 species, 
widely scattered through the tropics, a few occurring be- 
yond them, in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, 
and one in Madeira. They are trees or shrubs, either 
smooth or hairy, bearing thin and veiny but rigid leaves, 
destitute of stipules. The somewhat bell-shaped and usu- 
ally small flowers are borne in sessile or pedicelled axillary 
clusters, which are commonly white or whitish. The spe- 
cies are known In general as ironu'ood, especially 5. Capense 
of Cape Colony. One yellow-flowered species extends into 
Florida, for which see mastic-tree. For S. australis, the 
wycanlie of the native Australians, see wild plum (e), un- 
der pJuttii. S. ruffosum is known in Jamaica as beef- 
appte and bull-apple tree, and bears large yellowish berries 
with a rigid rind. S. dulcificum, of the coast of western 
Africa, is there called miraculous-berry by English resi- 
dents, from the duration of its sweet flavor upon the palate. 
siderurgical (sid-e-rer'ji-kal), a. [< siderurg-y 
+ -ic-oT.] Of or pertaining to siderurgy. Ure, 
Diet., IV. 470. 
Sidemrgy (sid-e-rer'ji), n. [< Gr. aiiripovpfia, 
iron-working, \ ai6r/povpy6f, an iron-worker, < 
aiiripof, iron, + ipyov, work.] The manufacture 
of iron in any state ; iron- and steel-working. 
side-saddle (sid'sad'l), n. A saddle the occu- 
pant of which sits with both feet on the same 
side of the horse: used chiefly by women. During 
the middle ages and until a late epoch such saddles were of 
the nature of a chair, having one or two broad stirrups for 
the feet, and the pommel carried along the opposite side of 
the saddle so as to constitute a kind of parapet ; the mod- 
ern side-saddle has a horn over which the right knee is 
put, the left foot resting in a stirrup. See cut under saddle. 
The horse came, in due time, but a side saddle is an 
article unknown in the arctic regions, and the lady was 
obliged to trust herself to a man's saddle. 
B. Taylor, Northern Travel, p. 289. 
sidesaddle-flower (sid'sad-l-flou' i 'er), n. A 
plant of the genus Sarracenia, especially S. 
purpvrea: from a fancied resemblance of the 
flower to a side-saddle. (See Sarracenia and 
pitcher-plant.) Varlingtonia Californica has 
been called Californium sidesaddle-flower. 
side-screw (sid'skro), w. 1. In firearms, one of 
the screws by which the lock-plate is fastened 
to the stock. These screws pass through the stock, 
and are held by side-screw washers or a side-screw plate. 
E. H. Knight. See cuts under gun and pun-lock. 
2. A screw on the front edge of a joiners' bench, 
for holding the work securely. 
side-scription (sid'skrip'shon), . In Scots law, 
the mode of subscribing deeds in use before the 
introduction of the present system of writing 
them bookwise. The successive sheets were pasted 
together, and the party subscribing, in order to authenti- 
cate them, signed his name on the side at each junction, 
half on the one sheet and half on the other. 
side-seat (sid'set), . In a vehicle of any kind, 
a seat with the back against the side of the 
vehicle, as usually in a horse-car or omnibus. 
Side-show (sid'sho), n. A minor show or ex- 
hibition alongside of or near a principal one; 
hence, an incidental diversion or attraction ; a 
by-play. 
Presently the gilded dome of the State House, which 
marked our starting-point, came into view for the second 
time, and I knew that this side-show was over. 
The Atlantic, LXV. 268. 
It was a six weeks' fete, . . . with rifle-galleries, swings, 
and all sorts of side-shorn. The Century, XL. 176. 
side-slip (sld'slip), w. 1. A slip or twig taken 
from the side; an oblique offshoot ; hence, an 
unacknowledged or illegitimate child. 
The old man . . . left it to this fide-flip of a son that 
he kept in the dark. Georyc Elwt, Middlemarch, xl. 
