SERAI, se-ra'i, _n._ a khan, a caravansary: a seraglio for women. [Pers.
_serai_, a palace.]
SERALBUMIN, s[=e]r-al-b[=u]'min, _n._ albumin of the blood.
SERANG, se-rang', _n._ the skipper of a small East Indian vessel, the boatswain of a lascar crew. [Pers. _sarhang_, a commander.]
SERAPE, se-ra'pe, _n._ a Mexican shawl worn by men, often gay-coloured.
SERAPEUM, SERAPEIUM, ser-a-p[=e]'um, _n._ a temple of _Serapis_, esp. that near Memphis.
SERAPH, ser'af, _n._ an angel of the highest rank in the traditional angelology of the church, due to Dionysius the Areopagite, who places the seraphim at the head of the nine choirs of angels, the first rank being formed by the seraphim, cherubim, and _throni_:--_pl._ SERAPHS (ser'afs), SERAPHIM (ser'af-im), celestial beings on either side of the throne of Jehovah, seen in prophetic vision by Isaiah, and by him alone (vi. 2-6): a geometrid moth.--_adjs._ SERAPH'IC, -AL, pertaining to, or becoming, a seraph: angelic: pure: sublime: refined.--_adv._ SERAPH'ICALLY. [Heb.
_Ser[=a]ph[=i]m_--_s[=a]raph_, to burn.]
SERAPHINE, ser'a-f[=e]n, _n._ a coarse-toned musical reed-instrument, played with a key-board--the precursor of the harmonium.
SERAPIAS, se-r[=a]'pi-as, _n._ a genus of orchids.
SERAPIS, ser-[=a]'pis, _n._ Apis honoured by the Romans under the attributes of Osiris: a genus of gasteropods: a genus of hymenopterous insects.
SERASKIER, ser-as'k[=e]r, _n._ a Turkish general, esp. the commander-in-chief or the minister of war.--_n._ SERAS'KIERATE, the office of a seraskier. [Turk.,--Pers. _sar_, _ser_, head, Ar. _'asker_, army.]
SERB, serb, _adj._ Servian.--_n._ a Servian.
SERBONIAN, ser-b[=o]'ni-an, _adj._ relating to a dangerous bog in Egypt, hence to any difficult situation.
SERDAB, ser'dab, _n._ a secret chamber within the masonry of an ancient Egyptian tomb in which images of the deceased were stored. [Ar.
_serd[=a]b_.]
SERE. Same as SEAR.
SERE, s[=e]r, _adj._ (_obs._) separate, several, many.
SERE, s[=e]r, _n._ (_obs._) a claw.
SEREIN, se-rang', _n._ a fine rain which falls from a cloudless sky. [Fr.]
SERENA, s[=e]-r[=e]'na, _n._ the damp, unwholesome air of evening.
SERENADE, ser-e-n[=a]d', _n._ evening music in the open air, esp. given by a lover to his mistress under her window at night: a piece of music suitable for such an occasion.--_v.t._ to entertain with a serenade.--_ns._ SEREN[=A]'DER, one who serenades; SERENa'TA, an instrumental work for performance in the open air; SER'EN[=A]TE (_Milt._), a serenade. [Fr.,--It.
_serenata_, _sereno_, serene--L. _serenus_.]
SERENE, s[=e]-r[=e]n', _adj._ calm: unclouded: unruffled: an adjunct to the titles of certain German princes--a translation of _Durchlaucht_.--_v.t._ to tranquillise.--_n._ the chilly damp of evening: blight.--_adv._ SER[=E]NE'LY, calmly, coolly.--_ns._ SER[=E]NE'NESS; SEREN'ITUDE; SEREN'ITY, state or quality of being serene, calmness, peace.--_v.t._ SERENISE', to make bright: to glorify. [L. _serenus_, clear.]
SERENOA, s[=e]-r[=e]'n[=o]-a, _n._ a genus of dwarf palms in Florida.
SERF, s[.e]rf, _n._ a slave attached to the soil and sold with it: a labourer rendering forced service in Russia: a menial.--_ns._ SERF'AGE, SERF'DOM, condition of a serf. [Fr.,--L. _servus_, a slave.]
SERGE, s[.e]rj, _n._ a strong twilled fabric, once of silk, now usually of worsted.--_n._ SERGETTE', a thin serge. [Fr.,--L. _serica_, silk--_Seres_, the Chinese.]
SERGEANT, SERJEANT, sar'jent, _n._ a non-commissioned officer of the army and marines next above a corporal, overlooking the soldiers in barracks, and assisting the officers in all ways in the field: a bailiff: a constable: a servant in monastic offices: a police-officer of superior rank.--_ns._ SER'GEANCY, SER'GEANTCY, SER'GEANTSHIP, office of a sergeant; SER'GEANT-AT-ARMS, an officer of a legislative body for keeping order, &c.; SER'GEANT-FISH, the cobra, so called from the lateral stripes; SER'GEANT-M[=A]'JOR, the highest non-commissioned officer, employed to assist the adjutant: the cow-pilot, a fish; SER'GEANTRY, SER'GEANTY, a kind of feudal tenure on condition of service due to the king only; SER'JEANT-AT-ARMS, an officer who attends upon the Lord Chancellor with the mace, and who executes various writs of process in the course of a Chancery suit: a similar officer who attends on each House of Parliament, and arrests any person ordered by the House to be arrested; SER'JEANT-AT-LAW, formerly in England the highest degree of barrister, once with exclusive audience in the Court of Common Pleas, their proper dress a violet-coloured robe with a scarlet hood, and a black coif, represented in modern times by a patch of silk at the top of the wig.--GRAND SERGEANTY, a tenure of lands by special honorary service to the king; PETIT SERGEANTY, a tenure of lands by a rent or tender. [Fr. _sergent_--L. _serviens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _serv[=i]re_, to serve.]
SERIAL, s[=e]'ri-al, _adj._ pertaining to, or consisting of, a series: appearing periodically.--_n._ a tale or other composition appearing in successive parts, as in a periodical: a publication issued in successive numbers, a periodical.--_n._ S[=E]RIAL'ITY.--_advs._ S[=E]'RIALLY, S[=E]'RIATELY, in a series or regular order.--_adj._ S[=E]'RI[=A]TE, arranged in a series.--_adv._ S[=E]'RI[=A]TIM, one after another.--_n._ S[=E]RI[=A]'TION.
SERIAN, s[=e]'ri-an, _adj._ Chinese--also SER'IC.--_ns._ SER'ICA, a genus of melolonthine beetles; SERIC[=A]'RIA, a genus of bombycid moths, containing the mulberry silkworm.--_adjs._ SER'ICATE, -D, silky, covered with silky down; SERICEOUS (s[=e]rish'i-us), pertaining to, or consisting of, silk: (_bot._) covered with soft silky hairs, as a leaf.--_n.pl._ SERIC'IDES, a section of melolonthine beetles.--_ns._ SER'ICIN, the gelatinous substance of silk; SER'ICITE, a variety of potash mica.--_adj._ SERICIT'IC.--_ns._ SERICOCAR'PUS, a genus of composite plants of the United States; SERICOS'T[=O]MA, the typical genus of caddis-flies; SERICT[=E]'RIUM, a spinning gland; SER'ICULTURE, the breeding of silkworms--also SER'ICICULTURE; SERICUL'TURIST. [Gr. _S[=e]res_, the Seres, an Asiatic people who supplied the Greeks and Romans with their silk.]
SERICON, ser'i-kon, _n._ in the jargon of alchemy, a red tincture--opp. to _Bufo_, a black.
SERIEMA, ser-i-[=e]'ma, _n._ a long-legged, crested Brazilian bird.--Also CARIA'MA.
SERIES, s[=e]'ri-[=e]z, _n.sing._ and _pl._ a succession of things connected by some likeness: sequence: order: (_math._) a progression of numbers or quantities according to a certain law.--ARITHMETICAL SERIES, a series whose terms progress by the addition or subtraction of a constant difference; GEOMETRICAL SERIES, a series whose successive terms progress by a constant multiplier or divisor--the _common ratio_; RECIPROCAL SERIES, a series each of whose terms is the reciprocal of the corresponding term of another series. [L.,--_ser[)e]re, sertum_, to join.]
SERIF, ser'if, _n._ the short cross-line at the ends of unconnected Roman types, as in H, l, d, y, &c.--Also CER'IPH and SER'IPH.
SERIFORM, s[=e]'ri-form, _adj._ noting a section of the Altaic family of languages, comprising Chinese, &c.
SERILOPHUS, s[=e]-ril'[=o]-fus, _n._ an Indian genus of broadbills. [Gr.
_s[=e]rikos_, silky, _lophos_, a crest.]
SERIN, ser'in, _n._ a small fringilline bird like the canary.--_n._ SERINETTE', a bird-organ. [Fr.,--L. _citrinus_, _citrine_, yellow.]
SERINGA, se-ring'ga, _n._ a name of several Brazilian trees yielding india-rubber. [Port.]
SERINGHI, ser-ing-g[=e]', _n._ a musical instrument of the viol class used in India.
SERINUS, s[=e]-r[=i]'nus, _n._ a genus of birds of the fringilline family, including canaries. [Fr. _serin_.]
SERIOLA, s[=e]-r[=i]'[=o]-la, _n._ a genus of carangoid fishes, the amber fishes.
SERIOUS, s[=e]'ri-us, _adj._ solemn: in earnest: important: attended with danger: weighty: professedly religious.--_adjs._ S[=E]'RIO-COM'IC, -AL, partly serious and partly comical.--_adv._ S[=E]'RIOUSLY, gravely, deeply: without levity.--_n._ S[=E]'RIOUSNESS. [Fr. _serieux_--L. _serius_, akin to _severus_, severe.]
SERIPH. See SERIF.
SERJEANT. See SERGEANT.
SERMOCINATION, ser-mos-i-n[=a]'shun, _n._ (_obs._) speech-making: (_rhet._) a form of prosopopoeia in which one answers a question he has himself asked.
SERMON, s[.e]r'mon, _n._ a discourse on a text of Scripture delivered during divine service: any serious address, any serious counsel, admonition, or reproof.--_v.t._ to tutor, to lecture.--_ns._ SERMOL'OGUS, a volume containing sermons by the Church fathers; SERMONEER', a sermoniser; SER'MONER, a preacher; SER'MONET, a little sermon.--_adjs._ SERMON'IC, -AL, having the character of a sermon.--_n._ SER'MONING, the act of preaching: a homily.--_v.i._ SER'MONISE, to compose or preach sermons: to lecture: to lay down the law.--_v.t._ to preach a sermon to.--_ns._ SERMON[=I]'SER, one who preaches or writes sermons; SERM[=O]'NIUM, a historical play, formerly acted by the inferior orders of the Roman Catholic clergy; SERMUN'CLE, a little sermon. [L. _sermo_, _sermonis_--_ser[)e]re_, to join.]
SEROON, se-r[=oo]n', _n._ a crate or hamper in which Spanish and Levantine figs, raisins, &c. are usually packed.--_n._ SER'ON, a bale of about 200 lb. of Paraguay tea wrapped in hide. [Sp. _seron_.]
SEROPURULENT, s[=e]-r[=o]-p[=u]'r[=oo]-lent, _adj._ composed of serum mixed with pus.--_adj._ SEROSANGUIN'OLENT, pertaining to bloody serum.
SEROTINE, ser'[=o]-tin, _n._ a small reddish vespertilionine bat. [L.
_serotinus_--_sero_, late.]
SEROTINOUS, s[=e]-rot'i-nus, _adj._ (_bot._) appearing late the season. [L.
_serotinus_--sero, late.]