from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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.
[1913 Webster]
Next where the sirens dwell you plow the seas;
Their song is death, and makes destruction please.
--Pope.
[1913 Webster]
2. An enticing, dangerous woman. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. Something which is insidious or deceptive.
[1913 Webster]
Consumption is a siren. --W. Irving.
[1913 Webster]
4. A mermaid. [Obs.] --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
5. (Zool.) Any long, slender amphibian of the genus {Siren}
or family {Sirenidae}, 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.
[1913 Webster]
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}.]
[1913 Webster]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Mud \Mud\ (m[u^]d), n. [Akin to LG. mudde, D. modder, G. moder
mold, OSw. modd mud, Sw. modder mother, Dan. mudder mud. Cf.
{Mother} a scum on liquors.]
Earth and water mixed so as to be soft and adhesive.
[1913 Webster]
{Mud bass} (Zool.), a fresh-water fish ({Acantharchum
pomotis} or {Acantharchus pomotis}) of the Eastern United
States. It produces a deep grunting note.
{Mud bath}, an immersion of the body, or some part of it, in
mud charged with medicinal agents, as a remedy for
disease.
{Mud boat}, a large flatboat used in dredging.
{Mud cat}. See {mud cat} in the vocabulary.
{Mud crab} (Zool.), any one of several American marine crabs
of the genus {Panopeus}.
{Mud dab} (Zool.), the winter flounder. See {Flounder}, and
{Dab}.
{Mud dauber} (Zool.), a mud wasp; the {mud-dauber}.
{Mud devil} (Zool.), the fellbender.
{Mud drum} (Steam Boilers), a drum beneath a boiler, into
which sediment and mud in the water can settle for
removal.
{Mud eel} (Zool.), a long, slender, aquatic amphibian ({Siren
lacertina}), found in the Southern United States. It has
persistent external gills and only the anterior pair of
legs. See {Siren}.
{Mud frog} (Zool.), a European frog ({Pelobates fuscus}).
{Mud hen}. (Zool.)
(a) The American coot ({Fulica Americana}).
(b) The clapper rail.
{Mud lark}, a person who cleans sewers, or delves in mud.
[Slang]
{Mud minnow} (Zool.), any small American fresh-water fish of
the genus {Umbra}, as {Umbra limi}. The genus is allied to
the pickerels.
{Mud plug}, a plug for stopping the mudhole of a boiler.
{Mud puppy} (Zool.), the menobranchus.
{Mud scow}, a heavy scow, used in dredging; a mud boat.
[U.S.]
{Mud turtle}, {Mud tortoise} (Zool.), any one of numerous
species of fresh-water tortoises of the United States.
{Mud wasp} (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
hymenopterous insects belonging to {Pepaeus}, and allied
genera, which construct groups of mud cells, attached,
side by side, to stones or to the woodwork of buildings,
etc. The female places an egg in each cell, together with
spiders or other insects, paralyzed by a sting, to serve
as food for the larva. Called also {mud dauber}.
[1913 Webster]