What does "second" mean?
Second: 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.
Additional senses
- 2.Being of the same kind as another that has preceded; another, like a protype; 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, Story 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 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.
- 3.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.
- 4.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.
- 5.Aid; assistance; help. [Obs.] Give second, and my love Is everlasting thine. J. Fletcher.
- 6.pl. An article of merchandise of a grade inferior to the best; esp., a coarse or inferior kind of flour.
- 7.Etym: [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.
- 8.In the duodecimal system of mensuration, the twelfth part of an inch or prime; a line. See Inch, and Prime, n., 8.
- 9.(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. Second hand, the hand which marks the seconds on the dial of a watch or a clock.
- 10.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.
- 11.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.
- 12.Specifically, to support, as a motion or proposal, by adding one's voice to that of the mover or proposer.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00