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. [ 1913 Webster ] No sconce or fortress of his raising was ever known either to have been forced, or yielded up, or quitted. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. A hut for protection and shelter; a stall. [ 1913 Webster ] One that . . . must raise a sconce by the highway and sell switches. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. A piece of armor for the head; headpiece; helmet. [ 1913 Webster ] I must get a sconce for my head. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Fig.: The head; the skull; also, brains; sense; discretion. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ] To knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. A poll tax; a mulct or fine. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ] Tapers put into lanterns or sconces of several-colored, oiled paper, that the wind might not annoy them. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ] Golden sconces hang not on the walls. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ] 7. Hence, the circular tube, with a brim, in a candlestick, into which the candle is inserted. [ 1913 Webster ] 8. (Arch.) A squinch. [ 1913 Webster ] 9. A fragment of a floe of ice. Kane. [ 1913 Webster ] 10. [ Perhaps a different word. ] A fixed seat or shelf. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ] | 
