Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

sirenmore about siren

siren

 

  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Siren  \Si"ren\,  a. 
  Of  or  pertaining  to  a  siren;  bewitching,  like  a  siren; 
  fascinating;  alluring;  as  a  siren  song. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Siren  \Si"ren\,  n.  [L.,  fr  Gr  ???:  cf  F.  sir[`e]ne.] 
  1.  (Class.  Myth.)  One  of  three  sea  nymphs,  --  or  according 
  to  some  writers,  of  two  --  said  to  frequent  an  island 
  near  the  coast  of  Italy,  and  to  sing  with  such  sweetness 
  that  they  lured  mariners  to  destruction. 
 
  Next  where  the  sirens  dwell  you  plow  the  seas;  Their 
  song  is  death,  and  makes  destruction  please.  --Pope. 
 
  2.  An  enticing,  dangerous  woman.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  Something  which  is  insidious  or  deceptive. 
 
  Consumption  is  a  siren.  --W.  Irving. 
 
  4.  A  mermaid.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  5.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  long,  slender  amphibian  of  the  genus 
  {Siren}  or  family  {Sirenid[ae]},  destitute  of  hind  legs 
  and  pelvis,  and  having  permanent  external  gills  as  well  as 
  lungs.  They  inhabit  the  swamps,  lagoons,  and  ditches  of 
  the  Southern  United  States.  The  more  common  species 
  ({Siren  lacertina})  is  dull  lead-gray  in  color,  and 
  becames  two  feet  long. 
 
  6.  [F.  sir[`e]ne,  properly,  a  siren  in  sense  1.]  (Acoustics) 
  An  instrument  for  producing  musical  tones  and  for 
  ascertaining  the  number  of  sound  waves  or  vibrations  per 
  second  which  produce  a  note  of  a  given  pitch.  The  sounds 
  are  produced  by  a  perforated  rotating  disk  or  disks.  A 
  form  with  two  disks  operated  by  steam  or  highly  compressed 
  air  is  used  sounding  an  alarm  to  vessels  in  fog.  [Written 
  also  {sirene},  and  {syren}.] 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Siren 
  n  1:  a  sea  nymph  (part  woman  and  part  bird)  supposed  to  lure 
  sailors  to  destruction  on  the  rocks  where  the  nymphs 
  lived;  "Odysseus  ordered  his  crew  to  plug  their  ears  so 
  they  would  not  hear  the  Siren's  fatal  song"  [syn:  {Siren}] 
  2:  a  woman  who  is  considered  to  be  dangerously  seductive  [syn: 
  {enchantress},  {temptress},  {Delilah},  {femme  fatale}] 
  3:  a  warning  signal  that  is  a  loud  wailing  sound 
  4:  a  device  producing  a  loud  often  wailing  sound  as  a  signal  or 
  warning 
  5:  eel-like  aquatic  North  American  salamander  with  small 
  forelimbs  and  no  hind  limbs;  have  permanent  external  gills 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Siren,  WI  (village,  FIPS  74175) 
  Location:  45.78368  N,  92.37997  W 
  Population  (1990):  863  (456  housing  units) 
  Area:  2.6  sq  km  (land),  0.1  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  54872 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  SIREN,  n.  One  of  several  musical  prodigies  famous  for  a  vain  attempt 
  to  dissuade  Odysseus  from  a  life  on  the  ocean  wave.  Figuratively,  any 
  lady  of  splendid  promise,  dissembled  purpose  and  disappointing 
  performance.




more about siren