Sconce (?), n. [D. schans, OD. schantse, perhaps from OF. esconse a hiding place, akin to esconser to hide, L. absconsus, p. p. of abscondere. See Abscond, and cf. Ensconce, Sconce a candlestick.]
1.
A fortification, or work for defense; a fort.
No sconce or fortress of his raising was ever known either to have been forced, or yielded up, or quitted.
Milton.
2.
A hut for protection and shelter; a stall.
One that . . . must raise a sconce by the highway and sell switches.
Beau. & Fl.
3.
A piece of armor for the head; headpiece; helmet.
I must get a sconce for my head.
Shak.
4.
Fig.: The head; the skull; also, brains; sense; discretion.
[Colloq.]
To knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel.
Shak.
5.
A poll tax; a mulct or fine.
Johnson.
6. [OF. esconse a dark lantern, properly, a hiding place. See Etymol. above.]
A protection for a light; a lantern or cased support for a candle; hence, a fixed hanging or projecting candlestick.
Tapers put into lanterns or sconces of several-colored, oiled paper, that the wind might not annoy them.
Evelyn.
Golden sconces hang not on the walls.
Dryden.
7.
Hence, the circular tube, with a brim, in a candlestick, into which the candle is inserted.
8. Arch.
A squinch.
9.
A fragment of a floe of ice.
Kane.
10. [Perhaps a different word.]
A fixed seat or shelf.
[Prov. Eng.]
© Webster 1913.
Sconce, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sconced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sconcing.]
1.
To shut up in a sconce; to imprison; to insconce.
[Obs.]
Immure him, sconce him, barricade him in 't.
Marston.
2.
To mulct; to fine.
[Obs.]
Milton.
© Webster 1913.