Skull
The skull is a bony structure that forms the head in vertebrates. It supports the structures of the face and provides a protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. In the human, these two parts are the neurocranium and the viscerocranium or facial skeleton that includes the mandible as its largest bone. The skull forms the anterior most portion of the skeleton and is a product of cephalisation—housing the brain, and several sensory structures such as the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. In humans these sensory structures are part of the facial skeleton.
Functions of the skull include protection of the brain, fixing the distance between the eyes to allow stereoscopic vision, and fixing the position of the ears to enable sound localisation of the direction and distance of sounds. In some animals such as horned ungulates, the skull also has a defensive function by providing the mount (on the frontal bone) for the horns.
The English word “skull” is probably derived from Old Norse “skulle”, while the Latin word cranium comes from the Greek root κρανίον (kranion).
The skull is made up of a number of fused flat bones, and contains many foramina, fossae, processes, and several cavities or sinuses. In zoology there are openings in the skull called fenestrae.
Scull (noun)
A single oar mounted at the stern of a boat and moved from side to side to propel the boat forward.
Scull (noun)
One of a pair of oars handled by a single rower.
Scull (noun)
A small rowing boat, for one person.
Scull (noun)
A light rowing boat used for racing by one, two, or four rowers, each operating two oars (sculls), one in each hand.
Scull (noun)
obsolete form of skull
Scull (noun)
A skull cap. A small bowl-shaped helmet, without visor or bever.
Scull (noun)
A shoal of fish.
Scull (verb)
To row a boat using a scull or sculls.
Scull (verb)
To skate while keeping both feet in contact with the ground or ice.
Scull (verb)
To drink the entire contents of (a drinking vessel) without pausing.
Skull (noun)
The main bones of the head considered as a unit; including the cranium, facial bones, and mandible.
Skull (noun)
A symbol for death; death’s-head
Skull (noun)
The mind or brain.
Skull (noun)
A crust formed on the ladle, etc. by the partial cooling of molten metal.
Skull (noun)
The crown of the headpiece in armour.
Skull (noun)
A shallow bow-handled basket.
Skull (noun)
obsolete form of school
Skull (verb)
To hit in the head with a fist, a weapon, or a thrown object.
Scull (noun)
each of a pair of small oars used by a single rower.
Scull (noun)
an oar placed over the stern of a boat to propel it by a side to side motion, reversing the blade at each turn.
Scull (noun)
a light, narrow boat propelled with a scull or a pair of sculls
“their current training programme involves two outings a day at the weekend in their single sculls”
Scull (noun)
a race between boats in which each participant uses a pair of oars
“he competed for the cross-country team and later concentrated on single sculls”
Scull (noun)
a large group of fish which has migrated from the open sea to inshore waters.
Scull (noun)
the annual migration of fish from the open sea to inshore waters.
Scull (verb)
propel a boat with sculls
“he built boats and taught the gentlemen how to scull”
Scull (verb)
transport (someone) in a boat propelled with sculls
“she had to be sculled through the floods”
Scull (verb)
(of an aquatic animal) propel itself with fins or flippers
“the limbs were modified into efficient paddles, perfectly adapted for sculling through the water”
Skull (noun)
a bone framework enclosing the brain of a vertebrate; the skeleton of a person’s or animal’s head
“he broke his collar bone and fractured his skull”
Skull (noun)
a person’s head or brain
“a skull crammed with too many thoughts”
Skull (verb)
hit (someone) on the head
“my waking came in drugged stages—I had been skulled”