sir

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. ] 1. A man of social authority and dignity; a lord; a master; a gentleman; -- in this sense usually spelled sire. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He was crowned lord and sire. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the election of a sir so rare. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A title prefixed to the Christian name of a knight or a baronet. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sir Horace Vere, his brother, was the principal in the active part. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An English rendering of the LAtin Dominus, the academical title of a bachelor of arts; -- formerly colloquially, and sometimes contemptuously, applied to the clergy. Nares. [ 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 ]

4. A respectful title, used in addressing a man, without being prefixed to his name; -- used especially in speaking to elders or superiors; sometimes, also, used in the way of emphatic formality. “What's that to you, sir?” Sheridan. [ 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. See under Reverence, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Seraskier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Seraskierate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. See Serbonian. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hind. & Per. sardār a chief, general; sar the head, top + dār holding, possessing. ] A native chief in Hindostan; a headman. Malcom. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In Turkey, Egypt, etc., a commander in chief, esp. the one commanding the Anglo-Egyptian army. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. sire, originally, an older person. See Sir. ] 1. A lord, master, or other person in authority. See Sir. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Pain and distress, sickness and ire,
And melancholy that angry sire,
Be of her palace senators. Rom. of R. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A tittle of respect formerly used in speaking to elders and superiors, but now only in addressing a sovereign. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A father; the head of a family; the husband. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jankin thet was our sire [ i.e., husband ]. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

And raise his issue, like a loving sire. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A creator; a maker; an author; an originator. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ He ] was the sire of an immortal strain. Shelley. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The male parent of a beast; -- applied especially to horses; as, the horse had a good sire. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Sire is often used in composition; as in grandsire, grandfather; great-grandsire, great-grandfather. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sired p. pr. & vb. n. Siring. ] To beget; to procreate; -- used of beasts, and especially of stallions. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]