Siren

Siren
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. (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. [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]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Siren — Студийный альбом …   Википедия

  • Siren — Pour les articles homonymes, voir SIREN …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sirén — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Johan Sigfrid Sirén, (1889–1961) finnischer Architekt Kaija Sirén (1920–2001), finnische Architektin Heikki Sirén (* 1918), finnischer Architekt Niki Sirén (* 1976), schweizerisch finnischer… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Siren — ist: der luxemburgische Name des Dorfes Syren ein Dorf und eine Stadt in Wisconsin, siehe Siren (Wisconsin) eine Gattung der Armmolche (Sirenidae), siehe Sirenv (Gattung) ein Album von Ronnie Spector, siehe Siren (Album) ein Album (1975) von Roxy …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Siren — Si ren, a. Of or pertaining to a siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring; as, a siren song. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Siren — Siren, WI U.S. village in Wisconsin Population (2000): 988 Housing Units (2000): 499 Land area (2000): 1.103843 sq. miles (2.858940 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.022314 sq. miles (0.057793 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.126157 sq. miles (2.916733 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Siren, WI — U.S. village in Wisconsin Population (2000): 988 Housing Units (2000): 499 Land area (2000): 1.103843 sq. miles (2.858940 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.022314 sq. miles (0.057793 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.126157 sq. miles (2.916733 sq. km) FIPS …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • siren — sìren m <G siréna> DEFINICIJA zool. repati vodozemac (Siren lacertina) podrijetlom iz Sjeverne Amerike; dvonogi s. ETIMOLOGIJA nlat. siren, v. sirena …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • Sirén — Sirén,   1) Heikki, finnischer Architekt, * Helsinki 5. 10. 1918; eröffnete 1948 mit seiner Frau Kaija (* 1920) ein Architekturbüro in Helsinki; beide zählen zu den finnischen Vertretern des Funktionalismus. Sie errichteten u. a. Wohnhäuser in… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • siren — mid 14c., sea nymph who by her singing lures sailors to their destruction, from O.Fr. sereine, from L.L. Sirena, from L. Siren, from Gk. Seiren [ Odyssey, xii.39 ff.], perhaps lit. binder, from seira cord, rope. Meaning device that makes a… …   Etymology dictionary

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