sconce

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“
The candle in the sconce was six paces away from the guards.

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Definitions (25)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. noun A small defensive earthwork or fort.
  2. noun A decorative wall bracket for holding candles or lights.
  3. noun A flattened candlestick that has a handle.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (15)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

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Examples (50)

  • While the candle still burned in the wall sconce, he had pulled her into the position he wanted, the position in which he could demonstrate his mastery over her and all women, and then he had demonstrated that mastery without subtlety or gentleness. —  Mary Balogh - The Secret Pearl
  • A fat candle sputtered in a wooden sconce, its spare light flirting with the shadows. —  A WHISPER OF ROSES - TERESA MEDEIROS
  • Morgan wrenched his candle from its sconce, tearing loose its tallow moorings, and thrust it through the bars. —  A WHISPER OF ROSES - TERESA MEDEIROS
  • Setting the torch in a sconce, he paced the confines of the dank cell, his eyes never leaving her. —  LADY OF CONQUEST - TERESA MEDEIROS
  • ; Teferi withdrew his powerstone from the sconce, and immediately the hall was plunged into darkness It took awhile for their light-acclimated eyes to adjust to the murk Taking a deep breath, Jhoira inched forward until she reached the doorway. —  J
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Etymologies (5)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. Dutch schans, from German Schanze, from Middle High German.
  2. Middle English, from Old French esconse, lantern, hiding place, from Medieval Latin scōnsa, from Latin abscōnsa, feminine past participle of abscondere, to hide away : ab-, abs-, away; see ab-1 + condere, to preserve; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (3)

  1. Early modern English also sconse, skonce, scons, from Middle English sconse, sconce, skonce, scons, a lantern, candlestick, = Icelandic skons, a dark lantern, skonsa. a dark nook; from Old French esconse, esconce, a dark lantern, French dial. econse, a lantern, from Middle Latin absconsa (also absconsum), also (after Roman) sconsa, a dark lantern, feminine (and neuter) of Latin absconsus, past participle of abscondere, hide away: see abscond. Cf. sconce.
  2. Early modern English also sconse, skonce; = Middle Dutch schantse, Dutch schans = Middle Low German schantze, a fortress, sconce, = late Middle High German schanze, a bundle of twigs, intrenchment, German schanze, German dial. schanz, bulwark, fortification (later Italian scancia, bookcase), = Danish skandse, fort, quarter-deck, = Swedish skans, fort, sconce, steerage, from Old French esconse, esconce, feminine, escons, masculine, a hiding-place, a retreat, from Latin absconsa, feminine, absconsum, neuter, past participle of abscondere (reg. past participle absconditus), hide: see abscond. Cf sconce, from the same source.
  3. from sconce, n.
 

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/skɑns/
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