SUNS
Noun
suns
plural of sun
Verb
suns
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of sun
Anagrams
• USNs, nuss, snus
Source: Wiktionary
SUN
Sun, n. (Bot.)
Definition: See Sunn.
Sun, n. Etym: [OE. sunne, sonne, AS. sunne; akin to OFries. sunne, D.
zon, OS. & OHG. sunna, G. sonne, Icel. sunna, Goth. sunna; perh. fr.
same root as L. sol. *297. Cf. Solar, South.]
1. The luminous orb, the light of which constitutes day, and its
absence night; the central body round which the earth and planets
revolve, by which they are held in their orbits, and from which they
receive light and heat. Its mean distance from the earth is about
92,500,000 miles, and its diameter about 860,000.
Note: Its mean apparent diameter as seen from the earth is 32' 4",
and it revolves on its own axis once in 25photosphere, above which is
an envelope consisting partly of hydrogen, called the chromosphere,
which can be seen only through the spectroscope, or at the time of a
total solar eclipse. Above the chromosphere, and sometimes extending
out millions of miles, are luminous rays or streams of light which
are visible only at the time of a total eclipse, forming the solar
corona.
2. Any heavenly body which forms the center of a system of orbs.
3. The direct light or warmth of the sun; sunshine.
Lambs that did frisk in the sun. Shak.
4. That which resembles the sun, as in splendor or importance; any
source of light, warmth, or animation.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield. Ps. lxxiv. 11.
I will never consent to put out the sun of sovereignity to posterity.
Eikon Basilike.
Sun and planet wheels (Mach.), an ingenious contrivance for
converting reciprocating motion, as that of the working beam of a
steam engine, into rotatory motion. It consists of a toothed wheel
(called the sun wheel), firmly secured to the shaft it is desired to
drive, and another wheel (called the planet wheel) secured to the end
of a connecting rod. By the motion of the connecting rod, the planet
wheel is made to circulate round the central wheel on the shaft,
communicating to this latter a velocity of revolution the double of
its own. G. Francis.
– Sun angel (Zoöl.), a South American humming bird of the genus
Heliangelos, noted for its beautiful colors and the brilliant luster
of the feathers of its throat.
– Sun animalcute. (Zoöl.) See Heliozoa.
– Sun bath (Med.), exposure of a patient to the sun's rays;
insolation.
– Sun bear (Zoöl.), a species of bear (Helarctos Malayanus) native
of Southern Asia and Borneo. It has a small head and short neck, and
fine short glossy fur, mostly black, but brownish on the nose. It is
easily tamed. Called also bruang, and Malayan bear.
– Sun beetle (Zoöl.), any small lustrous beetle of the genus Amara.
– Sun bittern (Zoöl.), a singular South American bird (Eurypyga
helias), in some respects related both to the rails and herons. It is
beautifully variegated with white, brown, and black. Called also
sunbird, and tiger bittern.
– Sun fever (Med.), the condition of fever produced by sun stroke.
– Sun gem (Zoöl.), a Brazilian humming bird (Heliactin cornutus).
Its head is ornamented by two tufts of bright colored feathers, fiery
crimson at the base and greenish yellow at the tip. Called also
Horned hummer.
– Sun grebe (Zoöl.), the finfoot.
– Sun picture, a picture taken by the agency of the sun's rays; a
photograph.
– Sun spots (Astron.), dark spots that appear on the sun's disk,
consisting commonly of a black central portion with a surrounding
border of lighter shade, and usually seen only by the telescope, but
sometimes by the naked eye. They are very changeable in their figure
and dimensions, and vary in size from mere apparent points to spaces
of 50,000 miles in diameter. The term sun spots is often used to
include bright spaces (called faculæ) as well as dark spaces (called
maculæ). Called also solar spots. See Illustration in Appendix.
– Sun star (Zoöl.), any one of several species of starfishes
belonging to Solaster, Crossaster, and allied genera, having numerous
rays.
– Sun trout (Zoöl.), the squeteague.
– Sun wheel. (Mach.) See Sun and planet wheels, above.
– Under the sun, in the world; on earth. "There is no new thing
under the sun." Eccl. i. 9.
Note: Sun is often used in the formation of compound adjectives of
obvious meaning; as, sun-bright, sun-dried, sun-gilt, sunlike, sun-
lit, sun-scorched, and the like.
Sun, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sunned; p. pr. & vb. n. Sunning.]
Definition: To expose to the sun's rays; to warm or dry in the sun; as, to
sun cloth; to sun grain.
Then to sun thyself in open air. Dryden.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition