Si"ren (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;:
cf. F. sirène.] 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.
Next where the sirens dwell you plow the
seas;
Their song is death, and makes destruction please.
Pope.
2. An enticing, dangerous woman.
Shak.
3. Something which is insidious or
deceptive.
Consumption is a siren.
W.
Irving.
4. A mermaid. [Obs.] Shak.
5. (Zoöl.) Any long, slender
amphibian of the genus Siren or family Sirenidæ,
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.
6. [F. sirène, 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.]
Si"ren, a. Of or pertaining to a
siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring; as, a
siren song.
Si"ren (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;:
cf. F. sirène.] 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.
Next where the sirens dwell you plow the
seas;
Their song is death, and makes destruction please.
Pope.
2. An enticing, dangerous woman.
Shak.
3. Something which is insidious or
deceptive.
Consumption is a siren.
W.
Irving.
4. A mermaid. [Obs.] Shak.
5. (Zoöl.) Any long, slender
amphibian of the genus Siren or family Sirenidæ,
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.
6. [F. sirène, 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.]
Si"ren, a. Of or pertaining to a
siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring; as, a
siren song.