Adjacent Words

Skull definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SKULL, n.
1. The bone that forms the exterior of the head, and incloses the brain; the brain-pan. It is composed of several parts united at the sutures.
2. A person.
Skulls that cannot teach and will not learn.
3. Skull, for skeal or school, of fish

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the bony skeleton of the head of vertebrates

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English skulle, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect skulle skull Date: 13th century 1. the skeleton of the head of a vertebrate forming a bony or cartilaginous case that encloses and protects the brain and chief sense organs and supports the jaws 2. the seat of understanding or intelligence ; mind • skulled adjective II. transitive verb Date: 1945 1. to hit on the head 2. to unintentionally hit (a golf ball or shot) with the bottom edge of the clubface

Britannica Concise

Skeletal framework of the head. With the exception of the lower jaw, its bones meet in immovable joints (sutures) to form a unit that encloses and protects the brain and sense organs and gives shape to the face. The cranium, the upper part enclosing the brain, comprising the frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, spheroid, and ethmoid bones, is globular and relatively large compared to the facial portion. Its base has an opening through which the spinal cord connects to the brain. The skull sits on the top vertebra (atlas), which permits back-and-forth motion. For side-to-side motion, the atlas turns on the next vertebra (axis). See also craniosynostosis, fontanel.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the bony case of the brain of a vertebrate. 2 a the part of the skeleton corresponding to the head. b this with the skin and soft internal parts removed. c a representation of this. 3 the head as the seat of intelligence. Phrases and idioms: out of one's skull sl. out of one's mind, crazy. skull and crossbones a representation of a skull with two thigh-bones crossed below it as an emblem of piracy or death. skull session US sl. a discussion or conference. Derivatives: skulled adj. (also in comb.). Etymology: ME scolle: orig. unkn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Skull Skull, n. [See School a multitude.] A school, company, or shoal. [Obs.] A knavish skull of boys and girls did pelt at him. --Warner. These fishes enter in great flotes and skulls. --Holland.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Skull Skull, n. [OE. skulle, sculle, scolle; akin to Scot. skull, skoll, a bowl, Sw. skalle skull, skal a shell, and E. scale; cf. G. hirnschale, Dan. hierneskal. Cf. Scale of a balance.] 1. (Anat.) The skeleton of the head of a vertebrate animal, including the brain case, or cranium, and the bones and cartilages of the face and mouth. See Illusts. of Carnivora, of Facial angles under Facial, and of Skeleton, in Appendix. Note: In many fishes the skull is almost wholly cartilaginous but in the higher vertebrates it is more or less completely ossified, several bones are developed in the face, and the cranium is made up, wholly or partially, of bony plates arranged in three segments, the frontal, parietal, and occipital, and usually closely united in the adult. 2. The head or brain; the seat of intelligence; mind. Skulls that can not teach, and will not learn. --Cowper. 3. A covering for the head; a skullcap. [Obs. & R.] Let me put on my skull first. --Beau. & Fl. 4. A sort of oar. See Scull. Skull and crossbones, a symbol of death. See Crossbones.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(skulls) Your skull is the bony part of your head which encloses your brain. Her husband was later treated for a fractured skull. N-COUNT

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

skul (gulgoleth; kranion): The Hebrew word, which is well known to Bible readers in its Aramaic-Greek form "Golgotha," expresses the more or less globular shape of the human skull, being derived from a root meaning "to roll." It is often translated in English Versions of the Bible by "head," "poll," etc. In the meaning "skull" it is found twice (Jud 9:53; 2Ki 9:35). In the New Testament the word is found only in connection with GOLGOTHA (which see), "the place of a skull" (Mt 27:33; Mr 15:22; Joh 19:17), or "the skull" (Lu 23:33).

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Cranium, brain-pan. 2. Brain.

Moby Thesaurus

Azrael, Black Death, Death, Grim Reaper, Pale Death, Reaper, angel of death, brain box, brainpan, cranium, crossbones, epicranium, memento mori, pale horse, pale rider, pericranium, sickle of Death, skull and crossbones, that fell sergeant, that grim ferryman, white cross