salute

SALU'TE, v.t. [L. saluto; salus or salvus.]

1. To greet; to hail; to address with expressions of kind wishes.

If ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Matt 5.

2. To please; to gratify. [Unusual.]

3. To kiss.

4. In military and naval affairs, to honor some person or nation by a discharge of cannon or small arms, by striking colors, by shouts, &c.

SALU'TE, n.

1. The act of expressing kind wishes or respect; salutation; greeting.

2. A kiss.

3. In military affairs, a discharge of cannon or small arms in honor of some distinguished personage. A salute is sometimes performed by lowering the colors or beating the drums. The officers also salute each other by bowing their half pikes.

4. In the navy, a testimony of respect or deference rendered by the ships of one nation to the ships of another, or by ships of the same nation to a superior or equal. This is performed by a discharge of cannon, volleys of small arms, striking the colors or top-sails, or by shouts of the seamen mounted on the masts or rigging. When two squadrons meet, the two chiefs only are to exchange salutes.