sconce

Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose

The head, probably as being the fort and citadel of a man: from SCONCE, an old name for a fort, derived from a Dutch word of the same signification; To build a sconce: a military term for bilking one's quarters. To sconce or skonce; to impose a fine. ACADEMICAL PHRASE.

Related Words

Sconce
·p.p. A fixed seat or shelf. II. Sconce ·p.p. A poll tax; a mulct or fine. III. Sconce ·p.p. A fra...

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
sconce
The head; pate. An old English vulgarism. A hyst is of itself bad enough--your sconce gets a crack;...

Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
sconce
a lantern. Lane. ...

A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
sconce
A petty fort. Also, the head; whence Shakspeare's pun in making Dromio talk of having his sconce ens...

The Sailor's Word-Book