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sirene

sirene


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sirene  \Si*rene"\,  n. 
  See  {Siren},  6. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Siren  \Si"ren\,  n.  [L.,  fr  Gr  ???:  cf  F.  sir[`e]ne.] 
  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. 
 
  Next  where  the  sirens  dwell  you  plow  the  seas;  Their 
  song  is  death,  and  makes  destruction  please.  --Pope. 
 
  2.  An  enticing,  dangerous  woman.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  Something  which  is  insidious  or  deceptive. 
 
  Consumption  is  a  siren.  --W.  Irving. 
 
  4.  A  mermaid.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  5.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  long,  slender  amphibian  of  the  genus 
  {Siren}  or  family  {Sirenid[ae]},  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. 
 
  6.  [F.  sir[`e]ne,  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}.] 
 
  From  V.E.R.A.  --  Virtual  Entity  of  Relevant  Acronyms  13  March  2001  [vera]: 
 
  SIRENE 
  Supplementary  Information  REquest  at  the  National  Entry  (SIS,  Europe)