sortition 
sortition (sor-bish'on), >i. [< L. sorliitio(n-), a 
supping up, a draught or potion, < sorbere, pp. 
soroitus, suck in, swallow up: see sorlnni.} 
The act of drinking or sipping. 
Sarbition, ... a supping, aa of broth or pottage. 
IlliitiHt, Olossographia (ed. 1670). 
Sorbonical (s6r-bpn'i-kal),. [< Sorbmnir, q. v., 
+ -ic-nl.'] Pertaining to the Sorbonne or the 
Sorbonists. 
The sorbonical or theological wine, and their feasts or 
gaudy days, are now come to be proverbially jested at, 
Fiona, tr. of Montaigne, p. 20. (Latham.) 
Sorbonist (sdr'bgn-ist), H. and a. [< SorlHnnn 
+ -ist.] I. . A doctor of the Sorbonne, in 
the University of Paris. 
Dull Smbonist, fly contradiction ! 
Fie ! thou oppugn'st the definition. 
Hanton, Scourge of Villanie, iv. 186. 
For he a rope of sand could twist 
As tough as learned Sorbonist. 
S. Butter, Hudibras (ed. 1774), I. i. 15s. 
II. a. Of or pertaining to the Sorbonne or 
its members. 
Rabelais had indeed again made for himself protectors 
whom no clerical or Sorbonist jealousy could touch. 
Encyc. Brit., XX. 195. 
Sorbonne (sdr-bon'), n. [F. Sorbonne, so named 
from Robert de Sorbon, its founder.] A cele- 
brated house founded in the University of Paris 
about 1250 bv Robert de Sorbon, chaplain and 
confessor of Louis IX. The college of the Sorbonne 
became one of the four constituent parts, and the pre- 
dominant one, of the faculty of theology in the univer- 
sity. It exercised a high influence in ecclesiastical af- 
fairs and on the public mind, especially in the sixteenth 
and seventeenth centuries. It was suppressed during the 
revolution and deprived of its endowments. At the recon- 
struction of the university under Napoleon I. the build- 
ing erected for it by Richelieu, and still called the Sor- 
bonne, was given to the theological faculty in connection 
with the faculties of science and belles-lettres. 
sorb-tree (sorb'tre), . Same as sorb 1 , 1. 
Sorbus (sdr'bus), . [NL. (Tournefort, 1700), 
< L. sorb us, sorb: see sorb 1 , serve%, service^.] 
A former genus of rosaceous trees , now included 
in Pyrus. See Pyrus, also sorb 1 and service-tree. 
sorcert (sor'ser), n. [< ME. sorter, sorser, < OF. 
sorder = Sp. sortero = It. sortiere, a sorcerer, 
< ML. sortiarius, a teller of fortunes by lot, a 
sorcerer, < L. sor(t-)s, lot: see sort.'] Same as 
sorcerer. 
Deuinores of demorlaykes that dremes cowthe rede, 
Sorters & exorsismus & f ele such clerkes. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), ii. 1579. 
sorcerer (s6r'ser-er), n. [< sorcer + -er (super- 
fluously added, as in fruiterer, poulterer, uphol- 
sterer, etc.): see sorcer.'] Originally, one who 
casts lots; one who divines or interprets by 
the casting of lots ; hence, one who uses magic 
arts in divination or for other ends ; a wizard ; 
an enchanter; a conjurer. 
The King commanded to call the magicians, and the 
astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to 
show the King his dreams. Dan. ii. 2. 
Dark-working sorcerers that change the mind. 
Shak., C. of E., i. 2. 99. 
sorceress (sor'ser-es), H. [< ME. sorceresse, < 
OF. sorceresse, fern, of sorcier, a sorcerer: see 
sorcerer.] A female sorcerer. 
Phitonesses, channeresses, 
Olde wyches, sorceresses, 
That usen exorsisaciouns. 
Chaucer, House of Fame, 1. 1263. 
Fucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress, 
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares. 
Skak., 1 Hen. VI., iii. 2. 38. 
SOrceringt (s6r's6r-ing), n. [< sorcery + -ing 1 .] 
The use or art of sorcery. 
His trade of sorceriny had so inured him to receive 
voices from his familiars in shape of beasts that this event 
seemed not strange to him. 
/>'/) Hall, Contemplations, vii. 3, Balaam. 
sorcerous (sor'ser-us), a. [< sorcer-y + -ons.'] 
Using or involving sorcery ; magical. 
This sorcerous worker, to make hym pope, in the space 
of xiii. yeres poysened vi. of his predecessours one after 
another. Bp. Bale, English Votaries, ii. 
O that in mine eyes 
Were all the sorcerous poison of my woes, 
That I might witch ye headlong from your height ! 
Chapman, Byron's Tragedy, iv. 1. 
sorcery (s6r'ser-i), n. ; pi. sorceries (-iz). [< 
ME. sorcery, sorcerie, sorceri, sorsory, < OF. sor- 
cerie, sorcherie, sorgoirie, casting of lots, magic, 
sorcery (cf. F. sorccllerie, sorcery ),< sorcier, sor- 
cerer: see sorcer.] Originally, divination from 
the casting of lots ; hence, the use of super- 
natural knowledge or power gained in any man- 
ner, especially through the connivance of evil 
spirits; magic art; enchantment; witchcraft; 
spells; charms. 
5775 
And somme lewes selden with lorcrrie ho wrouhte, 
And thwwa the myghte of .Mahoii and thorw mysbylcyue. 
Piers Plumnan (C), xlx. 150. 
My thy sorceries were all nations deceivi-.l. 
Rev. xviii. -a. 
sord 1 (sord), . Aii obsolete or dialeetiil vari- 
ant of xieiird. 
In the midst an altar aa the landmark stood 
Rustic, of grassy sord. Milton, I'. L., xi. 4:. 
sord-t (sord), H. An obsolete variant of sort. 
sorda, <i. See sordo. 
sordamente (sor-da-meu'te), a<lr. [It., < sordo, 
deaf, mute: see surd.} In m usic, in a veiled or 
muffled manner. 
sordavalite (s6r'da-val-H), H. [Also sorditini/- 
tte; < Sordavala (see def.) + -ite%.] A gliissy 
dark-colored mineral substance with conchoid- 
al fracture, found in thin layers in di:ilmse 
near Sordavala in Finland. It has been included 
among minerals, but is more properly a vitreous f 
diabase. It is called glassy trap by Tornebohm in Sweden. 
sordellina (s&r-de-le'na), n. [It., < sordo, mute : 
see sordine, surd.] A variety of bagpipe. 
sordes (sor'dez), n. [< L. sordes, < sordere, be 
dirty or foul.] Filth; refuse; dregs; dross; spe- 
cifically, in tned., crusts which form upon the 
lips and teeth of persons suffering from ex- 
treme exhaustion, as in typhoid and other fe- 
vers. 
Yet this, however, not under the name of pleasure ; to 
cleanse itself from the sordes of its impure original, it 
was necessary it should change its name. 
Bentham, Introd. to Morals and Legislation, ii. 6. 
sordet (sor'det), n. [It., < sordo, mute (see sor- 
dine, sordo), + -et.~] Same as sordino. 
sordid (sdr'did), a. [< F. sordide = Sp. sordi- 
do = Pg. It. sordido, < L. sordidus, dirty, filthy, 
foul, vile, mean. base,< sordere, be dirty (sordes, 
dirt), akin to E. swart, black: see swart.'] 1. 
Dirty; filthy; squalid; foul. 
There Charon stands, who rules the dreary coast, 
A sordid god ; down from his hoary chin 
A length of beard descends, uncombed, unclean. 
Dryden, JKneid, vi. 414. 
The wretched family are ashamed to show their sordid 
tatters in the church on the Sabbath day. 
Everett, Orations, I. 372. 
2. In lot. and zool., of a dull or dirty hue; im- 
pure ; muddy : noting a color when it appears as 
if clouded by admixture with another, or parts so 
colored: as, sordid blue, etc. 3. Morally foul; 
gross; base; vile; ignoble; selfish; miserly. 
To set the hearts of men on fire 
To scorn the sordid world, and unto heaven aspire. 
Milton, Death of a Fair Infant, 1. 63. 
What is all righteousness that men devise? 
What but a sordid bargain for the skies? 
Cowper, Truth, 1. 76. 
He was clearly a man not destitute of real patriotism and 
magnanimity, a man whose vices were not of a sordid kind. 
Macaulay, Warren Hastings. 
4. Low; menial; groveling. 
Amongst them all she placed him most low, 
And in his hand a dlstaffe to him gave, 
That he thereon should spin both flax and tow ; 
A sordid office for a mind so brave. 
Spenser, F. Q., V. v. 23. 
Sordid dragonet, a callionymoid fish, by some supposed 
to be the female of the gemmous dragonet, or sculpin, 
Callionymus lyra. 
sordidityt (s6r-did'i-ti), w. [< sordid + -ity.] 
Sordidness. 
Swimming in suddes of all sordiditie. 
Dames, Humours Heaven on Earth, p. 21. (Davies.) 
Weary and ashamed of their own sordidity and manner 
of life. Burton, Anat. of Mel. (Trench.) 
sordidly (sor'did-li), adv. In a sordid manner. 
Sordidly shifting hands with shades and night. 
Crashaw, Glorious Epiphany of Our Lord God. 
sordidness (sor'did-nes), n. The state or char- 
acter of being sordid, (a) Filthiness ; foulness. 
An effect of Divine Providence designed to deter men 
and women from sluttishness and sordidness, and to pro- 
voke them to cleanliness. Ray, Works of Creation, p. 809. 
(6) Baseness; vileness; depravity. 
The madnesses of Caligula's delights, and the execrable 
sordidness of those of Tiberius. Cowley, Greatness. 
(>) Mean, mercenary selfishness or covetousness : as, the 
sordidness of gambling. 
sordine (sor'den), n. [< OF. sourdine, < It. sor- 
dino, a mute ; cf. It. sordina (> Sp. sordina = Pg. 
surdina), a mute; < L. surdus, deaf, mute: see 
SY?.] Same as sordino, 1. 
Sordino (s6r-de'no), n.; pi. sordini (-ni). [It.: 
see sordine.] 1. Same as mute 1 , 3. See con sor- 
dini, and senza sordini (under senza). These 
terms are occasionally used with reference to 
the soft pedal of the pianoforte. 2. Same as 
pochette. 
SOrdiOUSt (s6r'di-us), a. [< L. sordes, dirt, + 
-ous.] Filthy; foul. 
sore 
The ashes of earth-wormes duely prepared cleanseth 
tordinun, stinking, and rotten ulcers, consuming and wast- 
ing away theii hard llppra, or callous e< . tem- 
pered with tarn and siruhlhin hony, as l-liny ufliniu-th 
Topurtl, III 
BOrdityt (sor'di-ti), . [Sli,,rt f,,r surdiilily.} 
Saint- MS tordtaUg. 
Greediness In getting, tenacity In keeping sorilit'/ in 
spending. Burton, Anat of Mel., |. 
sordo, SOrda (sor'do, sor'dii), a. [It., < I,. 
iliix, tli-iil', unite: see .ill, 'il. \ 111 miUte, ilnrilpeil 
with a mute: as. <7n'/ tlo sordo, a damped or 
muffled t-hiriiiel : //.,,// .nnln. ;i tlumped or 
muffled trumpet. 
SOrdono (ni"ir-do'no), H.; pi. mntoiii (-ni). [< 
It. sordo, mute : see sordo, nurd.] 1. A musi- 
cal instrument of the oboe family, resembling 
the bombard. Its tube had twelve finger-holes. 
2. In orijitH-liuililiHij, an obsolete variety of 
reed-stop, giving damped or muffled tones. 3. 
A form of mute or sordino used in the trumpet . 
sordor (sdr'dor), . [< L. as if "son/or, < sor- 
derc, be filthy: see sordid, snrdes. ] Filth; dregs; 
refuse; sordes. [Rare.] 
The sordtir of civilisation, mix'd 
With all the savage which man's fall hath fix'd. 
ll'irmi. The Island, U. 4. 
sore 1 (sor), <i. [8c. sair, sure; < ME. gore, tare, 
sor, sar, < AS. sdr. painful, = OS. ser = MD. 
seer, D. seer = MLG. ser = OHG. MHO. ser. 
painful, wounded, = Icel. sdrr = Norw. soar, 
sore (cf. 8w. sdr = Dan. soar, wound, = Goth. 
sair, sorrow, travail, found only as a noun ). Cf. 
Finn. Sutras, sick (< Teut.). No cognates are 
found outside of Teut.] 1. Painful, as being 
the seat of a wound or of disease ; aching; spe- 
cifically, painfully sensitive to the touch: said 
of the part affected, or, by extension, of the en- 
tire member or person concerned. 
Than waxes his gast seke and tare. 
Hampole, Pricke of Conscience, 1. 772 (Morris and Skeat). 
He maketh sore, and hindeth up : he woundeth, and his 
hands make whole. Job v. 18. 
Why art thou then exasperate, thou idle immaterial 
skein of sleave-silk, thou green sarcenet flap for a tore eye? 
Shak., T. and C., v. 1. 36. 
2. Inflicting physical suffering ; giving bodily 
pain. 
Merlin frusht a-mouge hem with his banere, and his 
companye with hym, and leyde on gore strokes. 
Merlin(E. E. T. S.), II. 207. 
There 'a a sair pain in my head, father, 
There ' a sair pain in my side. 
Fair Janet (Child's Ballads, n. 89). 
3. Suffering mental pain ; distressed ; painfully 
sensitive; touchy. 
Peace is my dear delight not Fleury's more ; 
But touch me, and no minister so sore. 
Pope, Imit. of Horace, II. i. 76. 
Why speak I vain words to a heart still sore 
With sudden death of happiness? 
William Morris, Earthly Paradise, III. 94. 
4. Bringing sorrow, misery, or regret ; distress- 
ing; grievous; oppressive. 
A sore word for them that are negligent in discharging 
their otfice. Latiiner, Sermon of the Plough. 
He laid a Tax full hard and sore, 
Tho' many Men were sick. 
Prior, The Viceroy, at. 12. 
Sore task to hearts worn out by many wars. 
Tennyson, Lotos-Eaters, Choric Song. 
6. Associated with painful ideas or feelings; 
accompanied by grief, anger, mortification, re- 
gret, discomfort, or the like ; serving as an oc- 
casion of bitterness: as, a sore subject. 
The sore terms we stand upon with the goda will be 
atrong with us for giving over. Shot., Pericles, iv. 2. 37. 
I wish he were a wee bairn lying in my arms again. It 
were a sore day when I weaned him. 
Mrs. Oaskell, The Crooked Branch. 
6. Severe; violent; fierce. 
I will peraevere in my course of loyalty, though the con- 
flict be sore between that and my blood. 
Mm*., Lear, III. 5. 24. 
On Trinitye Mondaye in the morne 
This sore battayle was doom'd to bee. 
King Arthur's Death (Child's Ballads, I. 4U 
7. Exceeding; extreme; intense. 
You must needs have heard how I am punish'd 
With sore distraction. Shale., Hamlet, v. 241. 
Restrain 
The sore disquiet of a restless brain. 
Whittier, First-day Thoughts. 
The Oxford gownsmen must have been In sore need of a 
Jest. E. Dowden, Shelley, I. 92. 
8. Wretched: vile; worthless; base. [Obso- 
lete or prov. Eng.] 
To lapse In fulness 
la sorer than to He for need. 
Shak., Cymbellne. III. 6. 18. 
