suricate (surikat)

[Also suricat, surikate; from a native S. African name.] An animal of the genus Suricata, S. zenik or S. tetradactyl a, inhabiting South Africa, where it is known to the Dutch colonists as the meerkat; a zenick. It is yellowish-brown with dark bands acro the back, the head whitish with black orbits and ears, the tail tipped with black. The fore claws are strong, enabling the ani mal. No longer mourn for me when I am dead Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell Give warning to the world that I am fled. Shak., Sonnets, lxxi. And softened into joy the surly storms. Thomson, Summer, 1. 125. These [Pilgrim Fathers) found no lotus growing upon the surly shore, the taste of which could make them forget their little native Ithaca. Lowell, Biglow Papers, 1st ser., Int. Syn. 1. Cro , crusty, snappish, uncivil. surly-boots (ser'li-böts), n. A surly fellow. [Colloq.] When Surly - boots yawn'd wide and spoke. Combe , Dr. Syntax's Tours, i. 22. ( Davies .) surma (sör'mä), n. [Also soorma ; surma .] Black sulphuret of antimony, used by Moslem and Hindu women for darkening the eyes. See kohl . surmark (ser'märk), n. [Also sirmark ; appar. The latter, covered with blood from the plume to the spur, drove his steed furiously up the breach, which Louis surmounted with the stately pace of one who leads a proce ion. Scott, Quentin Durward, xxxvii. 3. To place something over or upon. The spacious fireplace opposite to me. mounted by a large old-fashioned mantelpiece. Irving , Sketch-Book, p. 431. 4. To overcome; pa over, as difficulties or obstacles; get the better of. The English had much ado to surmount the natural dif- ficulties of the place. Sir J. Hayward . IMG:content-2555.png:[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors] surmountable (sér-moun′ta-bl), a. [ surmount + -able.] Capable of being surmounted or overcome; conquerable; superable. Stack house , Hist. Bible, III. iv. 4. surmountable ne (ser-mount a-bl-nes), n. The state of being surmountable. Imp . Dict. surmounted (sér-mounted), p . a. 1. Over- come; conquered; surpa ed.-2. In her . , hav- Scott , Rokeby, ii. 28. ing another bearing of the same kind placed IMG:content-2556.png:[blocks in formation] upon it: as, a chief surmounted by another. This and supported in the same sense are charges difficult rightly to explain; the representation of them can only be by narrow fillets or fimbriations which stand for the lower charge, and it would be better to blazon a chief charged with a fillet, a chief fimbriated, or the like. Also sommé . Surmounted arch. See arch1 . =Syn. 1. See surmise , v., and inference. surmise (sér-miz'), v . t .; pret. and pp. surmised , ppr. surmising . [ And some gave out that Mortimer, to rise, Had cut off Kent, that next was to succeed, Whose treasons they avowed March to surmise, As a mere colour to that lawle deed. It wafted nearer yet, and then she knew That what before she but surmis'd was true. In South-sea days not happier, when surmised The lord of you sands, than if now excised. Pope , Imit. of Horace, II. ii. 133. A foot unknown That by the breeche of cloth were chalenged, Nor I thinke never were, for to my wyt They were fantastic all, imagined; For it (the daisy] surmount eth pleynly alle odoures, And eek of riche beaute alle floures. surmullet (sér-mul'et), n. [OF. (and F.) sur- mulet , "a sore mullet, or the great sea-barbel" (Cotgrave); cf. equiv. OF. sors mules (pl.), lit. red mullet (cf. sur , saur , reddish, harenc saur , a red herring); sor , saur , red, sorrel, + mul- let : see mullet1 .] A fish of the family Mul- lidæ ; specifically, Mullus surmuletus , one of the choicest food-fishes of the Mediterranean (an- ciently the mull us , of gastronomic renown), red in color with three yellow longitudinal stripes. The red or plain surmullet of Europe urope is M. bar- bat us . See mullet1 . surn (sern), n. [ Surnia ; a day-owl or hawk-owl. See cut under hawk - owl . surname (sér'nām), n . [Formerly also sirname; as sur- + namel , after surnom , OF. surnom , surnon (>E. E. surnoun) = Sp. Sp. so bren ombre = Pg. sobrenome = It. soprannome , super , over, + nomen , name: see name , nomen .] An additional name, fre- quently descriptive, as in Harold Harefoot ; specifically, a name or appellation added to the baptismal or Christian name, and becoming a family family name. See to- name . English surnames ori- ginally designated occupation, estate, place of residence, or some particular thing or event that related to the person. Thus, William Rufus , or red ; Edmund Ironsides ; Robert Smith , or the smith ; William Turner . Many surnames are formed by adding the word son to the name of the father; thus, from Thomas the son of William we have Thomas Williams on . Surnames as family names were unknown before the middle of the eleventh century, except in rare cases where a family "established a fund for the deliver- ance of the souls of certain ancestors (Christian names specified) from purgatory." (Encyc. Brit., X. 144.) The use of surnames made slow progre , and was not entirely established till after the thirteenth century. My surname , Coriolanus. Shak., Cor., iv. 5. 74. About this time, Henry Fitz-Allen, Earl of Arundel, died, in whom the Sir - name of a most Noble Family ended. Baker , Chronicles, p. 358. Soche oon that shall surmounte alle the knyghtes that shull be in his tyme. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 438. Raleigh. The gentiles supposed those princis whiche in vertue and honour surmounted other men to be goddes. Their own Wives must master them by their Sirnames , Sir T. Elyot , The Govern our, i. 8. because they are Ladies, and will not know them from The revenues will suffice to the driving of the enemy out other men. Brome, Northern La , of these countries forever, and afterwards mount the receipts at home. surname (sėr'nām), v. t.; pret. and pp. sur- Cavendish, in Motley's Hist. Netherlands, II. 62. named , ppr. surnaming . [ surname , n . , after F. table-cloth laid over the larger cloth at one end, as before the master of the feast. When the lorde hase eten, tho sewer schalle bryng Tho surnape on his schulder bryng, A narew towelle, a brode be-syde, And of hys hondes he lettes hit slyde. IMG:content-2557.png:[blocks in formation] pa er , pa : see pa .] 1. To exceed; excel; go beyond in any way or respect. Hir pleasant speech surpa ed mine somuch That vayne Delight to hir adrest his sute. Gas coigne, Steele Glas (ed. Arber), p. 51. She as far surpa eth Sycorax IMG:content-2558.png:[blocks in formation] On the threshold stood a Lady of surpa ing beauty. Barham , In golds by Legends, I. 72. surpa ingly (sér-pås'ing-li), adv . In a sur- pa ing manner; extremely. surpa ingne (sér-pås'ing-nes), n. The state of being surpa ing. surphult, v. t. [Also surphal , surful , surfel , sur- fell, surfle ; prob. a corruption of sulphur , v.] To wash, as the face, with a cosmetic supposed to have been prepared from sulphur or mercury, called surphuling water . She shall no oftener powder her hair, surfle her cheeks, but she shall as often gaze on my picture. Ford, Love's Sacrifice, ii. 1. A muddy inside, though a surphuled face. Marston, Scourge of Villanie, i. 57. sur far sur surphulingt, n. [ surphul , v.] A cosmetic. And now from thence [Venice] what hither dost thou bring, But surphulings , new paints, and poisoning? Marston, Satires, ii. 144. surplice