Sable \Sa"ble\, a.
   Of the color of the sable's fur; dark; black; -- used chiefly
   in poetry.
   
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         Night, sable goddess! from her ebon throne,
         In rayless majesty, now stretches forth
         Her leaden scepter o'er a slumbering world. --Young.
   
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   {Sable antelope} (Zool.), a large South African antelope
      ({Hippotragus niger}). Both sexes have long, sharp horns.
      The adult male is black; the female is dark chestnut
      above, white beneath.

   {Sable iron}, a superior quality of Russia iron; -- so called
      because originally stamped with the figure of a sable.

   {Sable mouse} (Zool.), the lemming.
      
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Sable \Sa"ble\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sabled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Sabling}.]
   To render sable or dark; to drape darkly or in black.
   
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         Sabled all in black the shady sky.       --G. Fletcher.
   
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Sable \Sa"ble\, n. [OF. sable, F. zibeline sable (in sense 4),
   LL. sabellum; cf. D. sabel, Dan. sabel, zobel, Sw. sabel,
   sobel, G. zobel; all fr. Russ. s['o]bole.]
   1. (Zool.) A carnivorous animal of the Weasel family
      ({Mustela zibellina}) native of the northern latitudes of
      Europe, Asia, and America, -- noted for its fine, soft,
      and valuable fur.
      
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   Note: The sable resembles the marten, but has a longer head
         and ears. Its fur consists of a soft under wool, with a
         dense coat of hair, overtopped by another still longer.
         It varies greatly in color and quality according to the
         locality and the season of the year. The darkest and
         most valuable furs are taken in autumn and winter in
         the colder parts of Siberia, Russia, and British North
         America.
         
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   Note: The American sable, or marten, was formerly considered
         a distinct species ({Mustela Americana}), but it
         differs very little from the Asiatic sable, and is now
         considered only a geographical variety.
         
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   2. The fur of the sable.
      
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   3. A mourning garment; a funeral robe; -- generally in the
      plural. "Sables wove by destiny." --Young.
      
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   4. (Her.) The tincture black; -- represented by vertical and
      horizontal lines crossing each other.
      
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marten \mar"ten\, n. [From older martern, marter, martre, F.
   martre, marte, LL. martures (pl.), fr. L. martes; akin to AS.
   mear[eth], meard, G. marder, OHG. mardar, Icel. m["o]r[eth]r.
   Cf. {Foumart}.]
   1. (Zool.) Any one of several fur-bearing carnivores of the
      genus {Martes} (formerly {Mustela}), closely allied to the
      sable. Among the more important species are the European
      {beech marten} or {stone marten} ({Martes foina}); the
      {pine marten} ({Martes martes}); and the {American  marten}, or {sable} ({Martes Americana}), which some
      Zoologists consider only a variety of the Russian sable.
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   2. The fur of the marten, used for hats, muffs, etc.
      
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