sconce

sconce
sconce
sconce1 [skäns]
n.
[ME sconse, aphetic < OFr esconse, dark lantern < pp. of escondre, to hide < L abscondere: see ABSCOND]
a bracket attached to a wall for holding a candle, candles, or the like
sconce2 [skäns]
n.
[Du schans, fortress, orig., wickerwork, wicker basket < Ger schanze < It scanso, defense < scansare, to avoid < VL * excampsare < ex-, away + * campsare, to sail around < Gr kampsai, aorist of kamptein, to bend; akin to L campus: see CAMPUS]
1. a small fort, bulwark, etc.
2. Archaic
a) a hut, shed, or other shelter
b) a helmet or the like
c) the head or skull; also, brains; good sense
vt.
sconced, sconcing Obs.
1. to provide with a SCONCE2 (sense 1)
2. to shelter or protect
sconce3 [skäns]
vt.
sconced, sconcing [< ?]
to fine; esp., at Oxford University, to fine lightly for a breach of manners
n.
such a fine

English World dictionary. . 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sconce — Sconce, n. [D. schans, OD. schantse, perhaps from OF. esconse a hiding place, akin to esconser to hide, L. absconsus, p. p. of abscondere. See {Abscond}, and cf. {Ensconce}, {Sconce} a candlestick.] 1. A fortification, or work for defense; a fort …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sconce — sconce, scons(e), skons ou skun(k)s n. m. Fourrure de la moufette. ⇒SCONCE, SCONS(E), SKUNKS, SKUNGS, (SCONS, SCONSE)subst. masc. Fourrure fournie par les carnass …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Sconce — Sconce, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sconced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sconcing}.] 1. To shut up in a sconce; to imprison; to insconce. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Immure him, sconce him, barricade him in t. Marston. [1913 Webster] 2. To mulct; to fine. [Obs.] Milton …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sconce — may refer to any of the following: * Sconce (fortification), a military fortification * Sconce (light fixture) * Sconcing, imposing a penalty in the form of drink * SCoNCe, Secure Computing and Networking Center, University of California, Irvine …   Wikipedia

  • sconce — index fine, penalty Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • sconce — [skɔns US ska:ns] n [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: esconse screen for a light , from escondre to hide , from Latin abscondere; ABSCOND] an object that is attached to a wall and holds ↑candles or electric lights …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • sconce — [ skans ] noun count an object attached to a wall for holding a light or candle …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • sconce — late 14c., candlestick with a screen, aphetic of O.Fr. esconse lantern, hiding place, from M.L. sconsa, from L. absconsa, fem. pp. of abscondere to hide. Meaning metal bracket candlestick fastened to a wall is recorded from mid 15c …   Etymology dictionary

  • sconce — ► NOUN ▪ a candle holder attached to a wall with an ornamental bracket. ORIGIN Old French esconse lantern , from Latin absconsa laterna dark lantern …   English terms dictionary

  • sconce — Effectively, English now only has one word sconce in general use, although others have come and gone in the past. That is the noun meaning ‘candlestick’ or ‘wall bracket for a light’ [14]. It originally denoted a ‘lantern’ or ‘covered… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

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