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if makes no part of the substance or solid content or matter of thebody. See Geometry, and Mensuration .

SUPERFINE, in the manufactories, a term used to expressthe superlative lineness of a stuff; thus a doth, a camhlet, &c.are said to be superfine, when made of the finest wool, &c. orwhen thev are the finest that can be made.

, SUPERFLUOUS INTERVAL, in music, is one that ex-ceeds a true diatonic interval by a semitone minor. See In-ti rvai..

•SUI’ERINSTI'l UTION, [superinstilutio, Lat.] denotes aninstitution upon another, as where All is admitted and institutedto a benefice upon one title, and CD is admitted and institutedon that of another.

SUPERINTENDENT, or SUPERINTEND ANT, denotesan ecclesiastical superior in several reformed churches where epis-copacy is not admitted; particularly among the Lutherans inGermany, and the Calvinists in some other places. The super-intendant is similar to a bishop ; only his power is somewhat morerestrained than that of the diocesan bishops.

SUPERIOR, a person raised above another in rank, office, ortalents.

Superior, in geography, a lake of N. America , so called fromits very extraordinary magnitude, wherein it is superior to all theoilier lakes and waters in the American continent. Some sup-pose it to be the largest body of fresh water in the world. Lon.84, 40. to 91. 55. \V. Lat. 4b. 4. to 48. 45. N.

SUPERLA TIVE, in grammar, is one of the three degrees ofcomparison, being that inflection of adjective nouns that serves toaugment and heighten their signification, and shews the quality ofthe tiling denoted to be in the highest degree. See Gram-mar.

SUPERNUMERARY, something over and above a fixednumber. In several of the offices are supernumerary clerks, tobe ready on extraordinary occasions.

S UP E R PA If 11C U LA R PROPORTION, or RATIO, isthat in which the greater term exceeds the less by unit or 1. Asthe ratio of t to 2, or 2 to 3, or 3 to 4, &c.

SUPERPARTIENT PROPOR TION, or RATIO, is whenthe greater term contains the less term once, and leaves somenumber greater than 1 remaining. As the ratio

of 3 to 5, which is equal to that of 1 to If;

of 7 to 10, which is equal to that of 1 to If. fkc.

SUPERSEDEAS, in law, according to Eitzherbert, is a writwhich lies in divers cases, and in general signifies a command tostay some of the ordinary proceedings in law, which, on goodcause shewn, ought not to proceed. It is likewise used for the stay-ing of an execution after a writ of error is allowed, and bail put in,but not before bail is given, in case there be a judgement uponverdict, or by default in debt, &c. A supersedeas is also grantedby the court for setting aside an erroneous judicial process, &c.And a prisoner may be thereby discharged upon entering his ap-pearance, and on the plaintiff’s not filing a declaration againsthim.

SUPER-STATUTO DE ARTICULIS CLERf, in law, awrit that lies against the sheriff, or other officer that distrains inthe king’s highway, or in the lands anciently given to thechurch.

SUPERSTITION is a word that has been used so indefinitely,that it is difficult to determine its precise meaning. From its re-semblance in sound to the Latin word superstes, “ a survivor,”it is evidently derived from it. Some have traced it from theprimitive words, super, above, and .sto, I stand ; for the supersti-tious in all ages and religions flatter themselves, that they standsuperior to the rest of mankind in holiness. Superstition is a word of a very extensive signification. We apply it to the idolatry ofthe heathens; we apply it also to the Jews , who made the will ofGod ot none effect by their traditions, and substituted ceremonies inplace of the religion of their fathers. We say also that Christians are guilty of superstition ; the Roman Catholics , who believe intriinsubstantiation and in the efficacy of pravers to saints ; andthose Protestants who esteem baptism and the Lord’s supper, andt:ie punctual performance of other ceremonies, without regard tofaith, and its genuine tmit, as sufficient for salvation.

SUPINATION, in anatomy, the action of a supinator-muscle,or the motion whereby it turns the hand so as that the palm islifted up towards heaven. See Anatomy.

SUPINE, in Latin grammar, part of the conjugation of a verb,being a verbal substantive of the singular number and the fourthdeclension.

SUPPER is the evening-refreshment , or the last meal which i?usually taken, shortly before retiring to rest. Since late dinnershave, within these few years, become fashionable, suppers are in agreat measure relinquished; but, as many persons still retain thelatter practice, it should be remarked, that all flatulent and heavyfood ought to be avoided ; for, as digestion is more slowly effectedduring sleep, the stomach will become oppressed, and oftentroubled with nausea, eructations, accompanied whir head-ach,&c. in the morning, consequent on excess in eating. Where,however, a healthy person is obliged to labour at the desk, or inany other sedentary manner, during the greater part of the night,it will be advisable to take a slight repast, such as bread-pudding,water-gruel, or milk with biscuit, toasted bread, and the like, atleast one or two hours previously to bed-time. Nevertheless, toconvalescents, it may, under certain circumstances, be allowableto eat an egg, or partake of a few oysters, or similar shell-fish,that afford a more solid nutriment than any of the dishes beforementioned; provided they agree with their digestive organs.

Surfer ok the Lord, otherwise called the Eucharist , is asacrament ordained by Christ in his church, of which the outwardpart is bread and wine, and the inward parlor tiling signified thebody and blood of Christ, which the majority of Christians be-lieve to he in some sense or other taken and received by the faith-ful communicants. There is no ordinance of the gospel whichlias been the subject of more violent controversies between dif-ferent churches, and even between different divines of the same,church, than this sacrament; and though all confess that one pur-pose of its institution was to be a bond of love and union amongChristians , it lias by the perverseness of mankind, been too oftenconverted into an occasion ot hatred.

SUPPLEMEN T, in literature, an appendage to supply whatis •wanting in a book.

Supplement of an Arch or Angle , in geometry, or trigo-nometry, is what it wants of a semicircle, or of 180°; as the com-plement is what it wants of a quadrant, or of 90*. So the sup-plement of 50° is 130° ; as the complement of it is 40°.

SUPPLICAVIT, in law, a writ that issues out of the court ofChancery for taking surety of the peace, where a person is indanger of receiving some bodily hurt from another. It is directedto the justices of the peace and sheriff of the county, and isgrounded on the statute 1 of Edward III. which appoints, thatcertain persons shall be appointed by the lord-chancellor to takecare of the peace.

SUPPLIES, the sums granted by parliament for defraying thepublic expenditure for the current year. The known or probableamount of the different branches of the year’s expences, is statedto the house of commons in a committee of supply, by the chan-cellor of the exchequer; and after they have been voted by thecommittee, are formally granted by an act’of parliament. Thegranting of the annual supplies, as well as permanent taxes, is apeculiar privilege of the house of commons, who never permit an)'alteration or amendment to be made by the lords in the bill*passed for this purpose.

SUPPOR'I EllS, in heraldry. See Heraldry. Supporter*are chiefly figures of beasts : figures of human creatures for thatpurpose are called tenants.

SUPPOSITION, in music, is when one of the parts dwells o»a note, while another part makes two or more less notes equiva'lent to it, by conjoint degrees. Supposition is defined the usingof two successive notes, of the same value as to time; the onewhereof, being a discord, supposes the other a concord. ,

SUPPOSITORY, a kind of medicated cone, which is introducedinto the anus for opening the belly. It is usually composed °*common honey, mixed up with either soap or oil, and formed inf®pieces of the length and thickness of the little finger,only pyramidal'

SUPPRESSION, in medicine, is generally used to signify *retention of urine or of the menses. •

SUPPURATION, the second way wherein an inflamniah®"terminates ; being a conversion of the inspissated blood and p*first adjacent parts, as the vessels and fat into pus or matter ; wh c ,disorder, when it has not yet found an opening, is generally caff ean abscess. , i

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