n. [ OE. sire, F. sire, contr. from the nominative L. senior an elder, elderly person, compar. of senex, senis, an aged person; akin to Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_; old, Skr. sana, Goth. sineigs old, sinista eldest, Ir. & Gael. sean old, W. hen. Cf. Seignior, Senate, Seneschal, Senior, Senor, Signor, Sire, Sirrah. ]
He was crowned lord and sire. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]
In the election of a sir so rare. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Sir Horace Vere, his brother, was the principal in the active part. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]
Instead of a faithful and painful teacher, they hire a Sir John, which hath better skill in playing at tables, or in keeping of a garden, than in God's word. Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ Anciently, this title, was often used when a person was addressed as a man holding a certain office, or following a certain business. “Sir man of law.” “Sir parish priest.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
Sir reverance.
n. See Seraskier. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. See Seraskierate. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. See Serbonian. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Hind. & Per. sarkār a superintendant, overseer, chief; Per. sar the head + kār action, work. ]
n. [ Hind. & Per. sardār a chief, general; sar the head, top + dār holding, possessing. ] A native chief in Hindostan; a headman. Malcom. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F. sire, originally, an older person. See Sir. ]
Pain and distress, sickness and ire,
And melancholy that angry sire,
Be of her palace senators. Rom. of R. [ 1913 Webster ]
Jankin thet was our sire [ i.e., husband ]. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
And raise his issue, like a loving sire. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
[ He ] was the sire of an immortal strain. Shelley. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ Sire is often used in composition; as in grandsire, grandfather; great-grandsire, great-grandfather. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t.
n. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_; a siren. ] (Zool.) The larval form of any salamander while it still has external gills; especially, one of those which, like the axolotl (Amblystoma Mexicanum), sometimes lay eggs while in this larval state, but which under more favorable conditions lose their gills and become normal salamanders. See also Axolotl. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Of or pertaining to a siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring;