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Second   /sˈɛkənd/  /sˈɛkən/   Listen
adjective
Second  adj.  
1.
Immediately following the first; next to the first in order of place or time; hence, occurring again; another; other. "And he slept and dreamed the second time."
2.
Next to the first in value, power, excellence, dignity, or rank; secondary; subordinate; inferior. "May the day when we become the second people upon earth... be the day of our utter extirpation."
3.
Being of the same kind as another that has preceded; another, like a prototype; as, a second Cato; a second Troy; a second deluge. "A Daniel, still say I, a second Daniel!"
Second Adventist. See Adventist.
Second cousin, the child of a cousin.
Second-cut file. See under File.
Second distance (Art), that part of a picture between the foreground and the background; called also middle ground, or middle distance. (R.)
Second estate (Eng.), the House of Peers.
Second girl, a female house-servant who does the lighter work, as chamber work or waiting on table.
Second intention. See under Intention.
Second story, Second floor, in America, the second range of rooms from the street level. This, in England, is called the first floor, the one beneath being the ground floor.
Second thought or Second thoughts, consideration of a matter following a first impulse or impression; reconsideration. "On second thoughts, gentlemen, I don't wish you had known him."



noun
Second  n.  
1.
One who, or that which, follows, or comes after; one next and inferior in place, time, rank, importance, excellence, or power. "Man An angel's second, nor his second long."
2.
One who follows or attends another for his support and aid; a backer; an assistant; specifically, one who acts as another's aid in a duel. "Being sure enough of seconds after the first onset."
3.
Aid; assistance; help. (Obs.) "Give second, and my love Is everlasting thine."
4.
pl. An article of merchandise of a grade inferior to the best; esp., a coarse or inferior kind of flour.
5.
The sixtieth part of a minute of time or of a minute of space, that is, the second regular subdivision of the degree; as, sound moves about 1,140 English feet in a second; five minutes and ten seconds north of this place.
6.
In the duodecimal system of mensuration, the twelfth part of an inch or prime; a line. See Inch, and Prime, n., 8.
7.
(Mus.)
(a)
The interval between any tone and the tone which is represented on the degree of the staff next above it.
(b)
The second part in a concerted piece; often popularly applied to the alto.
8.
(Parliamentary Procedure) A motion in support of another motion which has been moved in a deliberative body; a motion without a second dies without discussion.
Second hand, the hand which marks the seconds on the dial of a watch or a clock.



verb
Second  v. t.  (past & past part. seconded; pres. part. seconding)  
1.
To follow in the next place; to succeed; to alternate. (R.) "In the method of nature, a low valley is immediately seconded with an ambitious hill." "Sin is seconded with sin."
2.
To follow or attend for the purpose of assisting; to support; to back; to act as the second of; to assist; to forward; to encourage. "We have supplies to second our attempt." "In human works though labored on with pain, A thousand movements scarce one purpose gain; In God's, one single can its end produce, Yet serves to second too some other use."
3.
Specifically, (Parliamentary Procedure) To support, as a motion (6) or proposal, by adding one's voice to that of the mover or proposer. Note: Under common parliamentary rules used by many organizations, especially legislative bodies, a motion must be seconded in order to come properly before the deliberative body for discussion. Any motion (6) for which there is no second (8) dies for lack thereof.






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Second" Quotes from Famous Books



... and it was just beginning to be known in the world at the commencement of 1815, when the author left Germany on a voyage round the world, of which the story contains a remarkable anticipation. "Peter Schlemihl" was his parting salutation to his second fatherland, and the first foundation-stone ...
— Peter Schlemihl etc. • Chamisso et. al.

... The second order in the state was the Nobility. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that this word bears on the Continent exactly the same meaning as in England. Where all the children of a nobleman are nobles, a strict class is created. An English peerage, descending only to the eldest son, is more ...
— The Eve of the French Revolution • Edward J. Lowell

... that her gaze had traveled unconcernedly across his face a dozen times—his seat was in the fourth row, too—without the slightest flicker of recognition. Of course the way she stood there frozen for a second, when at last she did see him, settled that question. She was Rose Aldrich and she was in ...
— The Real Adventure • Henry Kitchell Webster

... meeting on the stairs Her second-floor lodger, me, bound citywards, Told of her sister's death, doing her best To match her face's colour with the news: While I in listening made a running gloss Beneath her speech of all she left unsaid. As—'in the kitchen,' rather in the way, Poor thing; 'busy on breakfast,' awkward ...
— English Poems • Richard Le Gallienne

... and hook than of oars. But the people in the boat seemed to understand all that. There were two men rowing, and one steering with an oar, and a fourth standing up, as if to give directions; though in truth he knew nothing about it, but hated even to seem to play second fiddle. ...
— Mary Anerley • R. D. Blackmore


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