סְתָם m. (preced.) 1) closing up. Tosef. Ab. Zar. VII (VIII), 14; Ab. Zar. 69ᵇ, v. סְתוֹם, a. שְׁתָם. —2) something unknown, undefined. Ib. 74ᵃ bot. סְתַם יינן Ms. M. a. Rashi (ed. יין) wine of gentiles of which it is not known that it has been dedicated to an idol, opp. יין נסך; Ḥull. 4ᵇ. Y. Ab. Zar. III, 43ᵇ bot. בס׳ חלוקין they differ with regard to a tree (Asherah) of which it is not known that is has been worshipped. Ib. סְתָמָן עובדין וכ׳ those of them (the gentiles) not otherwise known worship an image but not a tree. Macc. 3ᵇ המלוה את חבירו ס׳ he who makes a loan to his neighbor without terms, cannot claim payment before thirty days. Snh. 25ᵇ ס׳ גבאי כשר a tax collector, unless known to be dishonest, is admissible as witness; ס׳ רועה פסול a shepherd, unless known to guard his flock from illicit pasture, is disqualified. B. Mets. 69ᵃ (in Chald. dict.) ס׳ אריסא וכ׳ the presumption is that a tenant obligates himself, etc. R. Hash. 7ᵇ ס׳ כי אגר וכ׳ as a rule, when one rents a house etc.; a. v. fr. —3) an opinion stated without an authority, anonymous opinion. Yeb. 42ᵇ, a. fr. מחלוקת ואח"כ ס׳ הלכה כס׳ where differing opinions are quoted and followed by an anonymous opinion (‘the scholars say’), the latter is the practice. Ḥull. 43ᵃ, a. e. הלכה כס׳ משנה the practice follows the anonymous opinion in the Mishnah. Snh. 86ᵃ, a. e. ס׳ מתני׳ ר׳ מאיר וכ׳ wherever an anonymous opinion is stated in the Mishnah, it is R. Meïr’s; in the Tosefta, etc.; a. fr.—Y. Sot. I, 17ᵇ bot. כתוב לה ס׳ write the order for two men without specified names.