Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Sconce?

\Sconce\, n. [D. schans, OD. schantse, perhaps from OF. esconse a hiding place, akin to esconser to hide, L. absconsus, p. p. of abscondere. See {Abscond}, and cf. {Ensconce}, {Sconce} a candlestick.] 1. A fortification, or work for defense; a fort. No sconce or fortress of his raising was ever known either to have been forced, or yielded up, or quitted. --Milton. 2. A hut for protection and shelter; a stall. One that . . . must raise a sconce by the highway and sell switches. --Beau. & Fl. 3. A piece of armor for the head; headpiece; helmet. I must get a sconce for my head. --Shak. 4. Fig.: The head; the skull; also, brains; sense; discretion. [Colloq.] To knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel. --Shak. 5. A poll tax; a mulct or fine. --Johnson. 6. [OF. esconse a dark lantern, properly, a hiding place. See Etymol. above.] A protection for a light; a lantern or cased support for a candle; hence, a fixed hanging or projecting candlestick. Tapers put into lanterns or sconces of several-colored, oiled paper, that the wind might not annoy them. --Evelyn. Golden sconces hang not on the walls. --Dryden. 7. Hence, the circular tube, with a brim, in a candlestick, into which the candle is inserted. 8. (Arch.) A squinch. 9. A fragment of a floe of ice. --Kane. 10. [Perhaps a different word.] A fixed seat or shelf. [Prov. Eng.]
\Sconce\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sconced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sconcing}.] 1. To shut up in a sconce; to imprison; to insconce. [Obs.] Immure him, sconce him, barricade him in 't. --Marston. 2. To mulct; to fine. [Obs.] --Milton.