Sum"mer, v. t. To keep or carry
through the summer; to feed during the summer; as, to summer
stock.
Sum"mer, n. [OE. sumer,
somer, AS. sumor, sumer; akin to OFries.
sumur, D. zomer, OS. sumar, G. sommer,
OHG. & Icel. sumar, Dan. sommer, Sw. sommar, W.
haf, Zend hama, Skr. samā year.
√292.] The season of the year in which the sun shines most
directly upon any region; the warmest period of the year.
☞ North of the equator summer is popularly taken to include
the months of June, July, and August. Astronomically it may be
considered, in the northern hemisphere, to begin with the summer
solstice, about June 21st, and to end with the autumnal equinox, about
September 22d.
Indian summer, in North America, a period of
warm weather late in autumn, usually characterized by a clear sky, and
by a hazy or smoky appearance of the atmosphere, especially near the
horizon. The name is derived probably from the custom of the Indians
of using this time in preparation for winter by laying in stores of
food. -- Saint Martin's summer. See under
Saint. -- Summer bird
(Zoöl.), the wryneck. [Prov. Eng.] --
Summer colt, the undulating state of the air
near the surface of the ground when heated. [Eng.] --
Summer complaint (Med.), a popular term
for any diarrheal disorder occurring in summer, especially when
produced by heat and indigestion. -- Summer
coot (Zoöl.), the American gallinule.
[Local, U.S.] -- Summer cypress (Bot.),
an annual plant (Kochia Scoparia) of the Goosefoot family.
It has narrow, ciliate, crowded leaves, and is sometimes seen in
gardens. -- Summer duck. (Zoöl.)
(a) The wood duck. (b)
The garganey, or summer teal. See Illust. of Wood
duck, under Wood. -- Summer fallow,
land uncropped and plowed, etc., during the summer, in order to
pulverize the soil and kill the weeds. -- Summer
rash (Med.), prickly heat. See under
Prickly. -- Summer sheldrake
(Zoöl.), the hooded merganser. [Local, U.S.] --
Summer snipe. (Zoöl.)
(a) The dunlin. (b) The
common European sandpiper. (c) The green
sandpiper. -- Summer tanager
(Zoöl.), a singing bird (Piranga rubra) native
of the Middle and Southern United States. The male is deep red, the
female is yellowish olive above and yellow beneath. Called also
summer redbird. -- Summer teal
(Zoöl.), the blue-winged teal. [Local, U.S.] --
Summer wheat, wheat that is sown in the spring,
and matures during the summer following. See Spring wheat.
-- Summer yellowbird. (Zoöl.) See
Yellowbird.
Sum"mer, n. [F. sommier a rafter,
the same word as sommier a beast of burden. See
Sumpter.] (Arch.) A large stone or beam placed
horizontally on columns, piers, posts, or the like, serving for
various uses. Specifically: (a) The lintel of a door
or window. (b) The commencement of a cross vault.
(c) A central floor timber, as a girder, or a piece
reaching from a wall to a girder. Called also
summertree.
Sum"mer, v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Summered (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Summering.] To pass the summer; to spend the warm season;
as, to summer in Switzerland.
The fowls shall summer upon them.
Isa. xviii. 6.Sum"mer (?), n. [From Sum,
v.] One who sums; one who casts up an
account.