n. [ OE. sille, sylle, AS. syl, syll; akin to G. schwelle, OHG. swelli, Icel. syll, svill, Sw. syll, Dan. syld, Goth. gasuljan to lay a foundation, to found. ] The basis or foundation of a thing; especially, a horizontal piece, as a timber, which forms the lower member of a frame, or supports a structure; as, the sills of a house, of a bridge, of a loom, and the like. Hence: (a) The timber or stone at the foot of a door; the threshold. (b) The timber or stone on which a window frame stands; or, the lowest piece in a window frame. (c) The floor of a gallery or passage in a mine. (d) A piece of timber across the bottom of a canal lock for the gates to shut against. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sill course (Arch.), a horizontal course of stone, terra cotta, or the like, built into a wall at the level of one or more window sills, these sills often forming part of it. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. 4th Sile. ] A young herring. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Thill. ] The shaft or thill of a carriage. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. sile to strain, and bub liquor, also Prov. E. sillibauk. ] A dish made by mixing wine or cider with milk, and thus forming a soft curd; also, sweetened cream, flavored with wine and beaten to a stiff froth. [ Written also syllabub. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Silver. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ From Silly. ] In a silly manner; foolishly. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ After Benjamin Siliman, an American meneralogist. ] (Min.) Same as Fibrolite. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being silly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The pollock, or coalfish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., a furrow. ] (Fort.) A work raised in the middle of a wide ditch, to defend it. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]