sir
(noun) term of address for a man
Sir
(noun) a title used before the name of knight or baronet
Source: WordNet® 3.1
SIR (plural SIRs)
(manufacturing) Initialism of surface insulation resistance.
(biochemistry, genetics) Abbreviation of silent information regulator.
SIR (not comparable)
(epidemiology) Initialism of susceptible-infected/infectious-removed/recovered.
• IRS, ISR, Isr., RIS, RIs, RSI, SRI
Sir (plural Sirs)
Alternative letter-case form of sir.
(British) The titular prefix given to a knight or baronet.
• Dame
• IRS, ISR, Isr., RIS, RIs, RSI, SRI
sir (plural sirs)
A man of a higher rank or position.
A respectful term of address to a man of higher rank or position, particularly
to a knight or other low member of the peerage.
to a superior military officer.
Coordinate term: ma'am
to a teacher.
Coordinate term: miss
A respectful term of address to an adult male (often older), especially if his name or proper title is unknown.
Coordinate terms: madam, ma'am, miss
sir (third-person singular simple present sirs, present participle sirring, simple past and past participle sirred)
To address (someone) using "sir".
Coordinate terms: ma'am, mam
• IRS, ISR, Isr., RIS, RIs, RSI, SRI
Source: Wiktionary
Sir, n. Etym: [OE. sire, F. sire, contr. from the nominative L. senior an elder, elderly person, compar. of senex,senis, an aged person; akin to Gr. 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.] He was crowned lord and sire. Gower. In the election of a sir so rare. Shak.
2. A title prefixed to the Christian name of a knight or a baronet. Sir Horace Vere, his brother, was the principal in the active part. Bacon.
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. 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.
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.
Note: 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. Sir reverance. See under Reverence, n.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
19 November 2024
(noun) bushy plant of Old World salt marshes and sea beaches having prickly leaves; burned to produce a crude soda ash
The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.
