Both Uses of
cipher
in
My Brother Sam is Dead
- Perhaps I might take him on as an apprentice in a year or two, once he's learned to cipher.†
p. 66.7
- I liked ciphering all right, but I didn't care much for spelling and studying the Bible and memorizing psalms.†
p. 66.4 *
Definitions:
-
(1)
(cipher as in: a secret cipher) to write a message in a secret code; or such a message; or a substitution table or other system used to encode and decode such a message
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
At one time, cipher frequently referenced the act of doing mathematical calculations or a person capable of such calculations.
A cipher can also refer to a person without power or influence. It can also refer to the mathematical digit, zero.
A comprehensive dictionary will describe other less common senses of cipher.