Symbol

7 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Symbol \Sym"bol\ (s[i^]m"b[o^]l), n. [L. symbolus, symbolum, Gr.
     sy`mbolon a sign by which one knows or infers a thing, from
     symba`llein to throw or put together, to compare; sy`n with +
     ba`llein to throw: cf. F. symbole. Cf. {Emblem}, {Parable}.]
     1. A visible sign or representation of an idea; anything
        which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by


        resemblance or by convention; an emblem; a representation;
        a type; a figure; as, the lion is the symbol of courage;
        the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A symbol is a sign included in the idea which it
              represents, e. g., an actual part chosen to
              represent the whole, or a lower form or species used
              as the representative of a higher in the same kind.
                                                    --Coleridge.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Math.) Any character used to represent a quantity, an
        operation, a relation, or an abbreviation.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In crystallography, the symbol of a plane is the
           numerical expression which defines its position
           relatively to the assumed axes.
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     3. (Theol.) An abstract or compendium of faith or doctrine; a
        creed, or a summary of the articles of religion.
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     4. [Gr. ? contributions.] That which is thrown into a common
        fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty. [Obs.]
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              They do their work in the days of peace . . . and
              come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague.
                                                    --Jer. Taylor.
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     5. Share; allotment. [Obs.]
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              The persons who are to be judged . . . shall all
              appear to receive their symbol.       --Jer. Taylor.
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     6. (Chem.) An abbreviation standing for the name of an
        element and consisting of the initial letter of the Latin
        or New Latin name, or sometimes of the initial letter with
        a following one; as, {C} for carbon, {Na} for sodium
        (Natrium), {Fe} for iron (Ferrum), {Sn} for tin (Stannum),
        {Sb} for antimony (Stibium), etc. See the list of names
        and symbols under {Element}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In pure and organic chemistry there are symbols not
           only for the elements, but also for their grouping in
           formulas, radicals, or residues, as evidenced by their
           composition, reactions, synthesis, etc. See the diagram
           of {Benzene nucleus}, under {Benzene}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: Emblem; figure; type. See {Emblem}.
          [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Symbol \Sym"bol\, v. t.
     To symbolize. [R.] --Tennyson.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  symbol
       n 1: an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a
            conventional significance
       2: something visible that by association or convention
          represents something else that is invisible; "the eagle is
          a symbol of the United States" [syn: {symbolization}, {symbolisation},
           {symbolic representation}]
       [also: {symbolling}, {symbolled}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  272 Moby Thesaurus words for "symbol":
     abbreviation, accent, accent mark, acronym, agent, allegory,
     alphabet, alphabetic character, alternate, alternative, analogy,
     armory, arms, art, attribute, backup, badge, badge of office,
     badges, banner, bar, baton, bearing, binary digit, bit, blazonry,
     blueprint, brand, brassard, button, cancel, cap and gown, case,
     case in point, chain, chain of office, change, changeling,
     character, charactering, characterization, charactery, chart,
     choreography, cipher, class ring, coat of arms, cockade, code,
     collar, colophon, comparison, conventional representation,
     conventional symbol, copy, counterfeit, crest, cross, cryptogram,
     custos, dance notation, decoration, delineation, demonstration,
     depiction, depictment, deputy, design, device, diagram, digit,
     direct, dot, double, drama, drawing, dress, dummy, eagle, emblem,
     emblems, ensigns, equal, equivalent, ersatz, escutcheon, example,
     exchange, exemplar, exemplification, explanation, exponent,
     expression mark, fake, fasces, father symbol, fermata,
     fertility symbol, figuration, figure, figurehead, fill-in, flag,
     fleur-de-lis, ghost, ghostwriter, glosseme, graph, grapheme,
     hammer and sickle, heraldry, hieroglyphic, hold, icon, iconography,
     iconology, ideogram, illustration, image, imagery, imaging,
     imitation, indication, initialism, insignia, instance,
     key signature, lapel pin, lead, letter, lexeme, lexical form,
     lexigraphic character, ligature, limning, livery, locum tenens,
     logo, logogram, logograph, logotype, love knot, mace, makeshift,
     mantle, map, mark, markings, measure, medal, metaphor, metonymy,
     metronomic mark, monogram, morpheme, mortarboard, mother symbol,
     motif, musical notation, next best thing, notation, note, number,
     numeral, numero, object lesson, old school tie, password, pattern,
     pause, pennant, personnel, phallic symbol, phonetic character,
     phonetic symbol, phony, phrase, pictogram, pictographic character,
     picturization, pin, pinch hitter, plan, portraiture, portrayal,
     prefigurement, presa, presentment, printing, projection, proxy,
     realization, regalia, relevant instance, relief, rendering,
     rendition, replacement, representation, representative, reserves,
     ring, ringer, rose, schema, school ring, score, script,
     second string, secondary, segno, semasiological unit, sememe,
     shamrock, shibboleth, sigillography, sign, signature, signifiant,
     significant, skull and crossbones, slur, spares, sphragistics,
     staff, stamp, stand-in, standard, sub, substituent, substitute,
     substitution, succedaneum, superseder, supplanter, surrogate,
     swastika, swell, syllabary, syllabic, symbolic system, symbolism,
     symbolization, symbology, synecdoche, tablature, tartan,
     tempo mark, term, third string, thistle, tie, time signature,
     token, totem, totem pole, type, typical example, understudy,
     uniform, universal symbol, utility player, verge, vicar,
     vice-president, vice-regent, vinculum, wand, watchword, word,
     writing, written character
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  SYMBOL. A sign; a token; a representation of one thing by another. 
       2. A symbolical delivery is equivalent, in many cases, in its legal 
  effects, to actual delivery; as, for example, the delivery of the keys of a 
  warehouse in which goods are deposited, is a delivery sufficient to transfer 
  the property. 1 Atk. 171; 5 John. 335; 2 T. R. 462; 7 T. R. 71; 2 Campb. 
  243; 1 East, R. 194; 3 Caines, 182; 1 Esp. 598; 3 B. & C. 423. 
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  SYMBOL, n.  Something that is supposed to typify or stand for
  something else.  Many symbols are mere "survivals" -- things which
  having no longer any utility continue to exist because we have
  inherited the tendency to make them; as funereal urns carved on
  memorial monuments.  They were once real urns holding the ashes of the
  dead.  We cannot stop making them, but we can give them a name that
  conceals our helplessness.
  
  

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Symbol, KY
    Zip code(s): 40729