siren

n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;: 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. [ 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. (Zool.) Any long, slender amphibian of the genus Siren or family Sirenidae, 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. 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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a siren; bewitching, like a siren; fascinating; alluring; as, a siren song. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Siren, 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ NL. ] (Zool.) An order of large aquatic herbivorous mammals, including the manatee, dugong, rytina, and several fossil genera. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The hind limbs are either rudimentary or wanting, and the front ones are changed to paddles. They have horny plates on the front part of the jaws, and usually flat-crowned molar teeth. The stomach is complex and the intestine long, as in other herbivorous mammals. See Cetacea (b). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Any species of Sirenia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like, or appropriate to, a siren; fascinating; deceptive. [ 1913 Webster ]

Here's couple of sirenical rascals shall enchant ye. Marton. [ 1913 Webster ]