seculum.html - adj. & n.
--adj.

1 concerned with the affairs of this world; not spiritual or sacred.
2 (of education etc.) not concerned with religion or religious belief.
3 a not ecclesiastical or monastic. b (of clergy) not bound by a religious rule.
4 occurring once in an age or century.
5 lasting for or occurring over an indefinitely long time.

--n.

a secular priest.

secular variation Astron. variation compensated over a long period of time.

secularism n. secularist n. secularity n. secularize v.tr. (also -ise). secularization n. secularly adv. [ME (in senses 1-3 f. OF seculer) f. L saecularis f. saeculum generation, age]

seculum.html - {n.}, {slang}, {colloquial} An idea, person, or object that one holds on to for psychological reassurance or comfort as infants usually hang on to the edge of a pillow, a towel, or a blanket. * /Sue has gone to Aunt Mathilda for a chat; she is her security blanket./

seculum.html - noun
(Politics) The internal security force (until December 1989) of the Socialist Republic of Romania. Etymology : A direct borrowing from Romanian securitate 'security'; this in turn is a colloquial abbreviation in Romanian of the official name, Departamentul pentru Securitatea Statului 'Department for State Security' (the Securitate was a Department of the Ministry of the Interior). History and Usage: Securitate was the colloquial name in Romanian of the feared Communist secret police under the Ceausescu regime (and before--the Departamentul pentru Securitatea Statului was set up in 1948). The word was only rarely used in English during the sixties and seventies; what really brought it into the news and gave it some currency in English was the overthrow of that regime in December 1989. News reports from Romania in late 1989 covered popular demonstrations against the Securitate and attempts to ransack its offices and destroy its files. The Securitate was officially disbanded in December 1989 and a National Salvation Front decree ratified this on 1 January 1990; in March 1990 a new security service was set up under the direct control of the President , and this was named Serviciul Rom

n de Informatii 'Romanian Information Service'. This organization took over the duties of the Intelligence section of the old Securitate, but subject to formal guarantees that there would be no abuses of power such as those seen under the Securitate itself. The beliefs that they are constantly watched by the regime's political police, the Securitate, more than suffices to convince Rumanians to keep their thoughts to themselves. New York Times 24 Nov. 1989, section A, p.
17 The Ceausescus' execution weakened the resistance of the hated secret police, the Securitate, who had been mounting indiscriminate attacks on army units and civilians in an unsuccessful attempt to crush the revolution. The Annual Register 1989 (1990), p. 127

seculum.html - adj. & n.
--adj.

1 concerned with the affairs of this world; not spiritual or sacred.
2 (of education etc.) not concerned with religion or religious belief.
3 a not ecclesiastical or monastic. b (of clergy) not bound by a religious rule.
4 occurring once in an age or century.
5 lasting for or occurring over an indefinitely long time.

--n.

a secular priest.

secular variation Astron. variation compensated over a long period of time.

secularism n. secularist n. secularity n. secularize v.tr. (also -ise). secularization n. secularly adv. [ME (in senses 1-3 f. OF seculer) f. L saecularis f. saeculum generation, age]

seculum.html - adj.
Bot. arranged on one side only (as the flowers of lily of the valley).

secundly adv. [L secundus (as SECOND)]

seculum.html - adj. & v.
--adj.

1 untroubled by danger or fear.
2 safe against attack: impregnable.
3 reliable; certain not to fail (the plan is secure).
4 fixed or fastened so as not to give way or get loose or be lost (made the door secure).
5 a (foll. by of) certain to achieve (secure of victory). b (foll. by against, from) safe, protected (secure against attack).

--v.

tr.
1 make secure or safe; fortify.
2 fasten, close, or confine securely.
3 succeed in obtaining or achieving (have secured front seats).
4 guarantee against loss (a loan secured by property).
5 compress (a blood-vessel) to prevent bleeding.

secure arms Mil. hold a rifle with the muzzle downward and the lock in the armpit to guard it from rain.

securable adj. securely adv. securement n. [L securus (as SE-, cura care)]