a part or voice or instrument or orchestra section lower in pitch than or subordinate to the first
<adj.all> second flute the second violins [ adv ]
in the second place
<adv.all> second, we must consider the economy [ adj ]
coming next after the first in position in space or time or degree or magnitude
<adj.all>
Second \Sec"ond\, a. [F., fr. L. secundus second, properly, following, fr. sequi to follow. See {Sue} to follow, and cf. {Secund}.] 1. Immediately following the first; next to the first in order of place or time; hence, occurring again; another; other.
And he slept and dreamed the second time. --Gen. xli. 5.
2. Next to the first in value, power, excellence, dignity, or rank; secondary; subordinate; inferior.
May the day when we become the second people upon earth . . . be the day of our utter extirpation. --Landor.
3. Being of the same kind as another that has preceded; another, like a prototype; as, a second Cato; a second Troy; a second deluge.
A Daniel, still say I, a second Daniel! --Shak.
{Second Adventist}. See {Adventist}.
{Second cousin}, the child of a cousin.
{Second-cut file}. See under {File}.
{Second distance} (Art), that part of a picture between the foreground and the background; -- called also {middle ground}, or {middle distance}. [R.]
{Second estate} (Eng.), the House of Peers.
{Second girl}, a female house-servant who does the lighter work, as chamber work or waiting on table.
{Second intention}. See under {Intention}.
{Second story}, {Second floor}, in America, the second range of rooms from the street level. This, in England, is called the {first floor}, the one beneath being the {ground floor}.
{Second thought} or {Second thoughts}, consideration of a matter following a first impulse or impression; reconsideration.
On second thoughts, gentlemen, I don't wish you had known him. --Dickens.
Second \Sec"ond\, n. 1. One who, or that which, follows, or comes after; one next and inferior in place, time, rank, importance, excellence, or power.
Man An angel's second, nor his second long. --Young.
2. One who follows or attends another for his support and aid; a backer; an assistant; specifically, one who acts as another's aid in a duel.
Being sure enough of seconds after the first onset. --Sir H. Wotton.
3. Aid; assistance; help. [Obs.]
Give second, and my love Is everlasting thine. --J. Fletcher.
4. pl. An article of merchandise of a grade inferior to the best; esp., a coarse or inferior kind of flour.
5. [F. seconde. See {Second}, a.] The sixtieth part of a minute of time or of a minute of space, that is, the second regular subdivision of the degree; as, sound moves about 1,140 English feet in a second; five minutes and ten seconds north of this place.
6. In the duodecimal system of mensuration, the twelfth part of an inch or prime; a line. See {Inch}, and {Prime}, n., 8.
7. (Mus.) (a) The interval between any tone and the tone which is represented on the degree of the staff next above it. (b) The second part in a concerted piece; -- often popularly applied to the alto.
8. (Parliamentary Procedure) A motion in support of another motion which has been moved in a deliberative body; a motion without a second dies without discussion. [PJC]
{Second hand}, the hand which marks the seconds on the dial of a watch or a clock.
Second \Sec"ond\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Seconded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Seconding}.] [Cf. F. seconder, L. secundare, from secundus. See {Second}, a.] 1. To follow in the next place; to succeed; to alternate. [R.]
In the method of nature, a low valley is immediately seconded with an ambitious hill. --Fuller.
Sin is seconded with sin. --South.
2. To follow or attend for the purpose of assisting; to support; to back; to act as the second of; to assist; to forward; to encourage.
We have supplies to second our attempt. --Shak.
In human works though labored on with pain, A thousand movements scarce one purpose gain; In God's, one single can its end produce, Yet serves to second too some other use. --Pope.
3. Specifically, (Parliamentary Procedure) to support, as a motion[6] or proposal, by adding one's voice to that of the mover or proposer.
Note: Under common parliamentary rules used by many organizations, especially legislative bodies, a motion must be seconded in order to come properly before the deliberative body for discussion. Any motion[6] for which there is no second[8] dies for lack thereof. [PJC]
Changes to the VAT rules mean a Pounds 900m tax payment in the second half.
Can we never see eye-to-eye until all 120 million Japanese become Christians?" My second encounter occurred in the late 1980s, when I overheard a comment as I passed by a meeting room in the New York head office of a major financial organization.
One juvenile was in custody and warrants were issued for a second juvenile and Darryl Wilson, 22, of Denver, she said.
Large companies continued to cut staff, while small companies were increasing the size of their workforce. However, employment expectations for the second quarter are improving.
Moore, a Republican who was governor from 1969 to 1977 and again from 1985 to 1989, is the second West Virginia governor to serve a prison term.
Shortly after the deposit was made, the businessman transferred the money out of Credit Suisse and invested it in a certificate of deposit at a second Swiss bank, where it has accumulated an estimated $253,000 in interest, Mr. Belnick said.
A successful override later this year in the Democratic-controlled Assembly would clear the way for the electric chair to be put back into use in the nation's second largest state. California already has the death penalty.
The awards will be given during the second annual Grammy Legends Tribute, a two-hour primetime CBS-TV special for broadcast later this year.
Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation yesterday announced its second investment in Chinese container ports in 10 days. The group is to take a controlling stake in the Yangtze river port of Zhangjiagang.
Nixon, on the second day of a private visit as a guest of the government, was briefed on China's "practice of being kind-hearted toward the students while setting strict demands on them," the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Robertson's comments on the hostages marked the second time in two weeks that his statements on international matters have sparked controversy.
In 1960, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy and Republican opponent Richard M. Nixon held the second of their broadcast debates.
The District of Columbia has the nation's second highest per capita income after the state of Connecticut: $20,303 annually, which is 32.3 percent higher than the national average.
The second night of violence also began at an apartment complex, where police were confronted by an estimated 1,000 people.
It's the second time in a year that an exhibit at the school has stirred controversy.
Its trade-weighted effective exchange rate is higher than during the second half of 1991 and early 1992.
Until yesterday Lord Richardson of Duntisbourne, head of the Bank of England between 1973 and 1983, had been the second British director on the BIS board. The choice of title was less straightforward.
The midseason replacement series reached No. 1 in the A.C. Nielsen ratings for the second week of March, and a one-hour rerun special knocked venerable "60 Minutes" out of the Top 10 slot.
But there was no conclusive proof, and a second test application began Sunday.
The Mongolians were allied with the Soviet Union in gaining independence and establishing the world's second Communist state in 1921.
Among manufacturers, productivity grew at a 3.8% rate in the third quarter and a 3.7% rate in the second, after falling in the first quarter of 1991 and the last quarter of 1990.
The Red River crested Tuesday evening at Shreveport, Louisiana's second biggest city, and was expected to crest Sunday at Alexandria.
Courier Dispatch Group Inc., Atlanta, said it expects to roughly "break even" in its second quarter, ending Dec. 31, but expects to improve earnings in the third and fourth quarters.
P&G's U.S. shipments were up just 1%, partly because the company decided to shift more promotions and sales for health and beauty products to the fiscal second quarter.
The second cause is that calorific intake is too great.
Florida's rich citrus growing region reported minor crop damage after the second night of record cold.
Why should founding an electronics company be harder the second time around?
Their buy suggestions for the second half are about double their sell suggestions.
A second person who ate poisonous mushrooms at a dinner party underwent a liver transplant operation Friday, and another person was awaiting a donor.
Circus Circus Enterprises Inc. said it is negotiating to buy 117 acres for a second hotel-casino along the Las Vegas Strip.