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semantics
n.pl.
5< SEMANTIC, based on Fr s=mantique6 [with sing. v.]
1 the branch of linguistics concerned with the nature, the structure, and the development and changes of the meanings of speech forms, or with contextual meaning
2 a) SEMIOTICS b) the branch of semiotics dealing with relationships of signs and symbols to the things to which they refer, or with referential meaning
3 the relationships between signs and symbols and the concepts, feelings, etc. associated with them in the minds of their interpreters; notional meaning
4 loosely, deliberate distortion or twisting of meaning, as in some types of advertising, propaganda, etc.
5 GENERAL SEMANTICS
Semelfactive: a single act out of a possible series.
semiarid, semifinal, semilunar, seminar,
semiotics
n.pl.
5Gr scmeibtikos < scmeion, sign, akin to scma: see SEMANTIC6 Philos. a general theory of signs and symbols; esp., the analysis of the nature and relationships of signs in language, usually including three branches, syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics
se#mi[ot$ic or se#mi[ot$i[cal
adj.
se#mi[o[ti4cian 73! ti*4!n8
n.
senator, senescence, seniority, senseless, sensitive, sensual, sentence, separability, separable,
septenarius - A Latin verse used only in comedy and consisting of seven feet, especially a catalectic iambic or trochaic tetrameter
septic, septum, sepulture,
sequacious
adj.
5L sequax < sequi, to follow (see SEQUENT) + 3OUS6
1 tending to follow any leader; lacking individuality, as in thought; dependent; servile; compliant
2 [Rare] showing or following logical or smooth sequence
se[qua4cious[ly
adv.
se[quac4i[ty 73kwas4! tc8
n.
sequester
vt.
5ME sequestren < MFr sequestrer < LL sequestrare, to remove, lay aside, separate < L sequester, trustee, akin to sequi: see SEQUENT6
1 to set off or apart; separate; segregate; often, to segregate or isolate (the jury) during a trial
2 to take and hold (property) by judicial authority, for safekeeping or as security, until a legal dispute is resolved
3 to take over; confiscate; seize, esp. by authority
4 to withdraw; seclude: often used reflexively
seraph
n.,
pl. 3aphs or 3a[phim# 73! fim#8 5back-form. < LL(Ec) seraphim, pl. < Heb serafim, pl., sing. saraf, prob. < saraf, to burn6
1 Bible one of the heavenly beings surrounding the throne of God, represented as having three pairs of wings: Isa. 6:2
2 any of the highest order of angels, above the cherubim
se[raph[ic 7s! raf4ik8
adj.
se[raph$i[cal[ly
adv.
serenity, serfism, serial, serialize, sericulture (production of silk)
serigraph
n.
5< L sericum (see SERICEOUS) + 3GRAPH6 a color print made by the silk-screen process and printed by the artist personally
se[rig[ra[pher 7s! rig4r! f!r8
n.
se[rig4ra[phy
n.
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Carpal Tunnel
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hah! thanks Bill, that's a new one on me, and one that could be very useful. Consider it adopted into a good home 
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Carpal Tunnel
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And I agree with mav', wwh. Sequacious is a useful word, just as useful as the 9-letter one for a servile, obsequious follower.
Not that sequacious is a synonym here for general toadiness, but sequacious provides an added dimension to the possible type.
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old hand
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old hand
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What fascinates me about this lovely word is the gulf between definitions 1 and 2. The first is pejorative, the second complimentary, I wonder how that happened.
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>...the second complimentary
but note that the second is marked "rare".
-joe bfstplk
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old hand
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>but note that the second is marked "rare".
That I did. It's still an interesting shift.
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Carpal Tunnel
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shift
Well, I guess you could argue there's no difference in meaning as such ~ something like the tendency to follow a smooth path of least resistance ~ and that the shift lies in the value judgments we're associating with certain examples of the behavio(u)r...?
I mean, for example, that if you were addressing a bunch of fresh army recruits under fire, sequacious behavio(u)r might seem an admirable trait - unless they became asked to blindly follow a madman, in which case we might criticise them for "only obeyink orders"!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Mav: and if the new recruits under fire for first time,
if one panicked and fled, and the rest followed him,
that would be the pejorative form of sequacious behaviour.
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old hand
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old hand
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Aksherly, my infidel friend, a careful reading of my post will show that I said nothing about a shift in <i>meaning</i>. This is significant because I nearly did, but thought better of it, and, instead, simply remarked upon the "gulf" between the first two definitions. 
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Following any leader without thought of what the leader represented could be highly illogical. I think the gulf between the two definitions could be a very deep one.
Logic, smoothly executed, would require thinking of the highest order; the obsequious following of any leader wouldn't require thought at all. Ergo, the gulf that sjm is seeing--as I see speculate about the sight, that is.
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