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surdmore about surd

surd

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Surd  \Surd\,  a.  [L.  surdus  deaf  (whence  the  meaning,  deaf  to 
  reason,  irrational),  perhaps  akin  to  E.  swart.  Cf 
  {Sordine}.] 
  1.  Net  having  the  sense  of  hearing;  deaf.  [Obs.]  ``A  surd  .  . 
  .  generation.''  --Sir  T.  Browne. 
 
  2.  Unheard.  [Obs.]  --Kenrick. 
 
  3.  (Math.)  Involving  surds;  not  capable  of  being  expressed  in 
  rational  numbers;  radical;  irrational;  as  a  surd 
  expression  or  quantity;  a  surd  number. 
 
  4.  (Phonetics)  Uttered,  as  an  element  of  speech,  without 
  tone,  or  proper  vocal  sound;  voiceless;  unintonated 
  nonvocal;  atonic;  whispered;  aspirated;  sharp;  hard,  as  f, 
  p,  s,  etc.;  --  opposed  to  sonant.  See  Guide  to 
  Pronunciation,  [sect][sect]169,  179,  180. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Surd  \Surd\,  n.  (Math.) 
  1.  A  quantity  which  can  not  be  expressed  by  rational  numbers; 
  thus  [root]2  is  a  surd. 
 
  2.  (Phon.)  A  surd  element  of  speech.  See  {Surd},  a.,  4. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  surd 
  adj  :  (linguistics)  of  speech  sounds  [syn:  {voiceless},  {unvoiced}] 
  [ant:  {sonant}] 
  n  :  a  consonant  produced  without  sound  from  the  vocal  cords 
  [syn:  {voiceless  consonant}]




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