Definitions for sconce
skɒnssconce

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.5 / 2 votes

1. sconcenoun

   a shelter or screen providing protection from enemy fire or from the weather

2. sconcenoun

   a small fort or earthwork defending a ford, pass, or castle gate

3. sconcenoun

   a candle or flaming torch secured in a sconce

4. sconcenoun

   a decorative wall bracket for holding candles or other sources of light

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Sconcenoun

   Etymology: schantz, German.

   1. A fort; a bulwark.

   Such fellows are perfect in the great commanders names, and they will learn you by rote where services were done; at such and such a sconce, at such a breach. William Shakespeare, Henry V.

   2. The head: perhaps as being the acropolis, or citadel of the body. A low word.

   Why does he suffer this rude knave now to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel, and will not tell him of his action of battery? William Shakespeare, Hamlet.

   3. A pensile candlestick, generally with a looking-glass to reflect the light.

   Golden sconces hang upon the walls,
   To light the costly suppers and the balls. John Dryden, Lucret.

   Triumphant Umbriel, on a sconce’s height,
   Clapp’d his glad wings, and sat to view the fight. Alexander Pope.

   Put candles into sconces. Jonathan Swift, Direct. to the Butler.

2. To Sconceverb

   A word used in the universities, To mulct; to fine. A low word which ought not to be retained.

   Etymology: and derived plausibly by Stephen Skinner, whose etymologies are generally rational, from sconce, as it signifies the head; to sconce being to fix a fine on any one's head.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. sconce

   A sconce is a type of light fixture that is mounted on a wall and uses either candles or light bulbs as its light source. It does not have a base on the ground. Sconces are often used for decorative and accent lighting in homes, hotels, and other buildings. The term can also refer to a protective fortification or bracket for holding objects.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 1 vote

1. Sconce

   a fortification, or work for defense; a fort

2. Sconce

   a hut for protection and shelter; a stall

3. Sconce

   a piece of armor for the head; headpiece; helmet

4. Sconce

   fig.: The head; the skull; also, brains; sense; discretion

5. Sconce

   a poll tax; a mulct or fine

6. Sconce

   a protection for a light; a lantern or cased support for a candle; hence, a fixed hanging or projecting candlestick

7. Sconce

   hence, the circular tube, with a brim, in a candlestick, into which the candle is inserted

8. Sconce

   a squinch

9. Sconce

   a fragment of a floe of ice

10. Sconce

    a fixed seat or shelf

11. Sconceverb

    to shut up in a sconce; to imprison; to insconce

12. Sconceverb

    to mulct; to fine

13. Etymology: [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.]

WikidataRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. Sconce

   A sconce is a type of light fixture affixed to a wall in such a way that it uses only the wall for support, and the light is usually directed upwards. It does not have a base on the ground. The word applies both to traditional forms of torch lighting, but also to modern gas and electric light sources affixed in the same way. The etymology of sconce is from the Latin absconsus, and the French esconce. It is a word of many meanings, mostly signifying a covering or protection, or, by extension, that which is covered or protected. Modern electric light fixture sconces are often used in hallways or corridors to provide both lighting and a point of interest in a long passage. Sconce height in a passageway is generally 3/4 of the distance up the wall as measured from the floor to the ceiling, and the distance between sconces on the wall is generally equal to the distance of the sconces from the floor, often alternating sides of the passageway.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. Sconce

   skons, n. a bulwark: a small fort: a protective headpiece, hence the head, the skull, brains, wits: a covered stall: a fine: a seat in an old-fashioned open chimney-place, a chimney-seat: a fragment of an icefloe.—v.t. to fortify: to tax, to fine lightly, at Oxford and Cambridge, for some irregularity. [O. Fr. esconcer, to conceal—L. abscondĕre, absconsum.]

2. Sconce

   skons, n. the part of a candlestick for the candle: a hanging candlestick with a mirror to reflect the light: a lantern. [O. Fr. esconse—Low L. absconsa, a dark-lantern—abscondĕre, to hide.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. sconce

   A petty fort. Also, the head; whence Shakspeare's pun in making Dromio talk of having his sconce ensconced. Also, the Anglo-Saxon for a dangerous candle-holder, made to let into the sides or posts in a ship's hold. Also, sconce of the magazine, a close safe lantern.

Military Dictionary and GazetteerRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. sconce

   In fortification, is a term applied to any small redoubt or fort, detached from the main works for some local object, as the defense of a pass or fort, etc. The word is not now often used.

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. SCONCE

   According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Sconce is ranked #59017 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
   
   The Sconce surname appeared 343 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 would have the surname Sconce.
   
   91.8% or 315 total occurrences were White.
   4.3% or 15 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
   3.2% or 11 total occurrences were of two or more races.

Matched Categories

1. • Bracket
   • Earthwork
   • Fortress
   • Light
   • Shelter

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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How to pronounce sconce?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say sconce in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of sconce in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of sconce in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=sconce
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=sconce
3. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
4. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sconce
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=sconce
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=sconce
7. ^ Dictionary of Nautical Terms
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26000/pg26000-images.html#:~:text=sconce
8. ^ Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/59563/pg59563-images.html
9. ^ Surnames Frequency by Census Records
   https://www.census.gov/topics/population/genealogy/data/2010_surnames.html
10. ^ Usage in printed sources
    https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=sconce