# dict

Words: Siberia
Meaning:
a very large area in Russia, between the Ural Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, where there are many minerals but very few people. It is extremely cold, and the  Soviet governments used to send people there who disagreed with them.//  -- Siberian adj //


Words: sibilant
Meaning:
adj  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: , present participle of  sibilare  ’to hiss, whistle’]//  making or being an ’s’ or ’sh’ sound//  --a sibilant whisper//\nsibilant 2 n [C]  technical   a sibilant sound such as ’s’ or ’sh’ in English//


Words: sibling
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: sibb  ’related’]//\n  1  formal a brother or sister:  --Most young smokers are influenced by their friends’ and older siblings’ smoking habits.//\n  2  sibling rivalry:  competition between brothers and sisters for their parents’ attention or love//


Words: sic
Meaning:
adv  written  formal   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Latin; Origin: ’so, in this way’]//  used after a word that you have copied in order to show that you know it was not spelled or used correctly//  --We had seen several signs that said ’ORANGE’S (sic) FOR SALE’.//\nsic 2   past tense and past participle  sicced present participle  siccing  v [T]  AmE  informal //  [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: seek]//\n  1 to tell a dog to attack someone:  sic sth on sb//  --He sicced his dog on me.//\n  2  sic ’em!:   spoken used to tell a dog to attack someone//\n  3 to tell someone in authority that someone has done something wrong, so that they are punished:  sic on//  --He sicced his lawyers on them.//


Words: Sicily
Meaning:
an island in the Mediterranean Sea, which is part of Italy and is close to the country’s southwest coast. Many people think of it as the home of the  Mafia. Capital: Palermo.//  -- Sicillian n  adj //


Words: sick
Meaning:
adj   ----------//\n   1 ill:\n   2 be sick:\n   3 feel sick:\n   4 make me/you sick:\n   5 make somebody/yourself sick:\n   6 be sick (and tired) of (doing) something:\n   7 be worried sick/be sick with worry:\n   8 strange/cruel:\n   9 sick at heart:\n  10 sick as a parrot:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: seoc]//\n  1 ILL:   especially AmE suffering from a disease or illness//  --His mother’s very sick.//  --Maria can’t come in today because she’s sick.//  --a sick child//  --a sick animal//  sick with//  --I have been sick with flu.//  get sick (=become ill)  AmE //  --At the last minute I got sick and couldn’t go.//  be off sick  BrE //  ; be out sick  AmE  (=be away from work or school because you are ill) //  --Two of his employees were out sick.//  --I was off sick for four days with the flu.//  phone/ring/call in sick (=phone to say you are not coming to work because you are ill) //  --He was upset because it was the first day of the sale and Astrid had called in sick.//  --What will happen to the business if you fall sick  (=become ill) or die?//  --He took sick  (=became ill) and died a week later.//  --Pete’s at home in bed, sick as a dog  (=very sick) .//\n  2  be sick:  if you are sick, the food in your stomach comes up through your mouth//   vomit, throw up//  --I think I’m going to be sick.//  --He dashed to the bathroom and was sick again.//  --The cat’s been sick on the carpet.//  --You’ll be sick if you eat any more of that chocolate!//  --I was violently sick  (=suddenly and severely sick) the last time I ate prawns.//\n  3  feel sick:   also be/feel sick to your stomach  AmE //  to feel as if you are going to vomit//  --As soon as the ship started moving I began to feel sick.//  feel sick with//  --Mary felt sick with fear.//  --She began to shiver, feeling sick to her stomach .//  --Virginia had a sick feeling in her stomach.//    carsick,  seasick,  travel-sick at travel sickness//\n  4  make me/you sick:   spoken //  a) to make you feel very angry//  --People like you make me sick!//  b)  spoken to make someone feel jealous - used humorously//  --You make me sick with your ’expenses paid’ holidays!//\n  5  make sb/yourself sick:   BrE //  a) if something makes you sick, it makes you bring food up from your stomach through your mouth//  --The smell of blood made him sick.//  b) if you make yourself sick, you do something to bring food up from your stomach through your mouth//  --I’ve never been able to make myself sick.//  --You’ll make yourself sick if you eat any more!//\n  6  be sick (and tired) of (doing) sth:   also be sick to death of sth //   spoken to be angry or bored with something that has been happening for a long time//  --I’m sick and tired of your excuses.//  --I am sick of working for other people.//\n  7  be worried sick/be sick with worry:  to be extremely worried//  --Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home late? I’ve been worried sick!//\n  8 STRANGE/CRUEL:  a) someone who is sick does things that are strange and cruel, and seems mentally ill//  --I keep getting obscene phone calls from some sick pervert.//  --You’re sick!//  --a sick mind //  b) sick stories, jokes etc deal with death and suffering in a cruel or unpleasant way//  --I don’t want to hear any of your sick jokes , thank you.//  -- That’s really sick !//\n  9  sick at heart:   literary very unhappy, upset, or disappointed about something//  --I was sick at heart to think that I would never see the place again.//\n  10  sick as a parrot:   BrE  spoken extremely disappointed - used humorously//  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: sick, throw up, vomit, ill, not well, unwell //  In British English,  sick  is usually used in the expressions  be sick (=have the food in your stomach come up through your mouth) and  feel sick  (=feel as if this is going to happen) : Someone had been sick on the floor. |  Stop it, I feel sick! //  In American English, you say that someone  throws up .  Throw up  is also used in British English but is fairly informal. //  Vomit  is a fairly formal way to say ’throw up’.  //  If someone has an illness or disease, you usually say that they are  ill  in British English, and  sick  in American English : He missed a lot of school when he was ill (BrE)/sick (AmE) .  //  In American English,  ill suggests you have a more serious disease, from which you may not recover. //  If someone is slightly ill, you often say in British English that they are  not well : I won’t come out - I’m not very well. //  Unwell is a more formal word for ’ill’ or ’sick’. //  ----------//\nsick 2 n \n  1  the sick:  people who are ill//  --The sick and wounded were allowed to go free.//  --They devoted their lives to the care of the sick.//\n  2 [U]  BrE  informal  vomit:  --The phone box smelt of sick.//\nsick 3 v   sick up [sick sth → up] phr v//  to bring up food from your stomach - used especially of children//  American Equivalent:  vomit up//  --Ruth had frequently sicked up her bottle milk.//


Words: sick building syndrome
Meaning:
n [U]   when chemicals and germs stay in an office building and make the people who work there feel ill//  --A common household fungus can contribute to sick building syndrome.//


Words: sick leave
Meaning:
n [U]   time that you are allowed to spend away from work because you are sick//  on sick leave//  --He has been on sick leave for more than three months.//


Words: sick note
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   a note written by your doctor or your parents saying that you were too ill to go to work or school//  American Equivalent:  excuse//


Words: sick-out
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a strike (=protest about pay or working conditions)  in which all the workers at a company say they are sick and stay home on the same day//


Words: sickbag
Meaning:
n [C]   a special paper bag for people to use if they need to  vomit, for example when they are travelling on a plane//


Words: sickbed
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   the bed where a sick person is lying//  from your sickbed//  --The president carried on working from his sickbed.//


Words: sicken
Meaning:
v \n  1 [T] to make you feel shocked and angry, especially because you strongly disapprove of something:   disgust//  --The thought of such cruelty sickened her.//  --All decent people should be sickened by such a pointless waste of life.//\n  2 [I]  old-fashioned to gradually become very ill:  --The older people just sickened and died as food supplies ran low.//  be sickening for [be sickening for sth] phr v//  to be starting to have an illness//  --Perhaps you’re sickening for something.//  sicken of [sicken of sth] phr v//  to lose your desire for something or your interest in it//  --He finally sickened of the endless round of parties and idle conversation.//


Words: sickening
Meaning:
adj \n  1 very shocking, annoying, or upsetting:   disgusting//  --Police described it as a sickening racial attack.//  --their sickening hypocrisy//  it is sickening that//  --It is sickening that human beings have done this to two innocent young women.//\n  2  sickening thud/crash/sound etc:  an unpleasant sound that makes you think someone has been injured or something has been broken//  --His head hit the floor with a sickening thud.//  --There was a sickening sound of tearing metal.//\n  3 very unpleasant and making you feel as if you want to vomit:  --The sickening stench of rotting rubbish rose into the air.//\n  4  BrE  spoken making you feel jealous:  --’Helen’s just bought herself a huge house in the south of France.’ ’God, how sickening!’//  -- sickeningly adv //


Words: sickie
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  BrE  informal a day when you say that you are sick and do not go to work, even though you are not really sick:  --Looks like he’s thrown another sickie  (=pretended to be sick and not gone to work) .//\n  2  AmE  informal a sicko - used humorously:


Words: sickle
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: sicol]//  a tool with a blade in the shape of a hook, used for cutting wheat or long grass//


Words: sickle-cell anaemia
Meaning:
BrE  sickle-cell anemia AmE n [U]   a serious illness that mainly affects black people, in which the blood cells change shape, causing weakness and fever//


Words: sickly
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a sickly person or animal is weak, unhealthy, and often ill:  --a sickly child //  --She looked pale and sickly.//\n  2  especially BrE a sickly smell, taste etc is unpleasant and makes you feel sick:  --A sickly smell clung to his clothes and hair.//\n  3 a sickly colour or light is unpleasantly pale or weak:  --The walls were painted a sickly green.//  --a pale, sickly moon//  -- sickly adv //  --a sickly sweet perfume//


Words: sickness
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] the state of being ill:   illness//  --an insurance policy against long-term sickness and injury//  --working days lost due to sickness//\n  2 [U] the feeling that you are about to bring up food from your stomach, or the act of bringing food up:   nausea//  travel/motion/car/sea etc sickness (=sickness that some people get while travelling) //  --Liam had suffered violent sickness and diarrhoea.//    morning sickness,  sleeping sickness//\n  3 [C] a particular illness:  --war-related sicknesses//\n  4 [U and C] the serious problems and weaknesses of a social, political, or economic system:  --He said the idea of ’success’ was part of the sickness of Western cultures.//


Words: sicko
Meaning:
n   plural  sickos  [C]  informal //  someone who gets pleasure from things that most people find unpleasant or upsetting//  --What kind of sicko would write something like that?//


Words: side
Meaning:
n [C]   ----------//\n   1 part of an area:\n   2 next to:\n   3 of a building/object/vehicle etc:\n   4 edge:\n   5 of a thin object:\n   6 part of your body:\n   7 shape:\n   8 mountain/valley:\n   9 page:\n  10 side by side:\n  11 from side to side:\n  12 subject/situation:\n  13 argument/war:\n  14 opinion:\n  15 take sides:\n  16 sport:\n  17 part of somebody’s character:\n  18 of a family:\n  19 somebody’s side of a deal/bargain:\n  20 on the side:\n  21 food:\n  22 on/from all sides:\n  23 put/leave/set something to one side:\n  24 be at somebody’s side/stay by somebody’s side/not leave somebody’s side:\n  25 take/draw somebody to one side:\n  26 have something on your side/something is on your side:\n  27 get on the wrong side of somebody:\n  28 keep on the right side of somebody:\n  29 on the right/wrong side of 30/40 etc:\n  30 on the small/high/heavy etc side etc:\n  31 this side of Christmas/midnight etc:\n  32 the best/biggest etc ... this side of something:\n  33 on the wrong/right side of the law:\n  34 be on the side of the angels:\n  35 let the side down:\n  36 criticize/nag/hassle somebody up one side and down the other:\n  37 meat:\n  38 tv station:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin:]//\n  1 PART OF AN AREA:  one of the two areas that are on the left or the right of an imaginary line, or on the left or the right of a border, wall, river etc//  side of//  --The south side of town is pretty run down.//  on the ... side//  --a scar on the right side of his face//  --Fuel is cheaper on the French side of the border.//  to one/the side//  --She tilted her head to one side, pretending to consider the question.//  --A man stood watching me from the other side of the road.//  --His friends and family were all on the other side of the world.//  --The restaurant was empty apart from another couple on the far side of the room (=the area that is furthest away from you) .//  the right-hand/left-hand side (=the right side or the left side) //  --In Sri Lanka they drive on the left-hand side of the road.//\n  2 NEXT TO:   [usually singular] a position directly next to someone or something, on the right or the left//  on this/one side (of sb/sth)//  --Stand on this side of me so Dad can get a photo.//  at sb’s side/at the side of sth//  --A little girl was skipping along at her side.//  --There was a card tacked to the wall at the side of the photograph.//  on either side (of sth)//  --Two large screens stood on either side of the stage (=one on the left and one on the right side of it) .//  to sb’s side//  --Maggie hurried to his side.//\n  3 OF A BUILDING/OBJECT/VEHICLE ETC:  a surface of something that is not its front, back, top, or bottom//  side of//  --He led the way round to the side of the building.//  --Toni ran her finger down the side of her glass.//  --Someone ran into the side of my car.//  high-sided/straight-sided etc //  --high-sided vehicles//  --a straight-sided dish//\n  4 EDGE:  the part of an object or area that is furthest from the middle, at or near the edge//  side of//  --Jack sat down heavily on the side of the bed.//  --She pulled into the side of the road and stopped the car.//    fireside,  lakeside,  riverside,  roadside,  seaside1 //\n  5 OF A THIN OBJECT:  one of the two surfaces of a thin flat object//  side of//  --Write on only one side of the paper.//  --I’ll paint the other side of the fence tomorrow.//  --There’s a scratch on one side of the record.//\n  6 PART OF YOUR BODY:  the part of your body from the top of your arm to the top of your leg//  --He had a scar running right the way down his side.//  --Betty was lying on her side on the bed.//\n  7 SHAPE:  one of the flat surfaces or edges of a shape//  --A cube has six sides.//  three-sided/four-sided etc //  --a seven-sided coin//\n  8 MOUNTAIN/VALLEY:  one of the sloping areas of a hill, mountain etc//  side of//  --Their house was on the side of the valley.//  hillside/mountainside //  --sheep grazing on the steep hillside//  steep-sided/sheer-sided etc //  --a steep-sided valley//\n  9 PAGE:   BrE a page of writing on one side of a piece of paper//  --How many sides have we got to write?//\n  10  side by side:  a) next to each other//  --We walked along the beach, side by side.//  b) if people work side by side, they work together to achieve something//  side by side with//  --Local citizens worked side by side with emergency crews to pull their neighbors out of the rubble.//  c) if different things or groups exist side by side, they exist in the same place or at the same time, even though this may seem difficult or surprising//  --a visit to see how modern agriculture and wildlife can exist side by side//\n  11  from side to side:  first to one side, then to the other, several times or continuously//  --’Did you catch him?’ Matthew shook his head from side to side.//  swing/rock/sway from side to side //  --The boat rocked violently from side to side.//\n  12 SUBJECT/SITUATION:  one part or feature of something, especially when compared with another part//  technical/financial/social etc side //  --She takes care of the financial side of the business.//  serious/funny/negative/positive etc side //  --Can’t you see the funny side of all this?//  --Environmental pollution gives great cause for concern, but, on the positive side , people are beginning to try and find solutions.//  -- Look on the bright side  (=see the good side of a situation) - at least you learned something from the experience.//  --It’s a children’s book about fairies and magic, but it does have a dark side .//\n  13 ARGUMENT/WAR:  one of the people, groups, or countries opposing each other in a quarrel, war etc//  --He fought on the republican side in the Spanish Civil War.//  --a peace deal that is acceptable to both sides//  --During the war, he changed sides several times.//  be on sb’s side (=support them) //  --Well at least someone’s on my side.//  whose side are you on?  spoken  (=used when someone is arguing against you when they should be supporting you) //  --He always likes to be on the winning side .//\n  14 OPINION:  one person’s opinion or attitude in an argument or disagreement//   point of view//  --Try and see my side of things for a change!//  --Well, I can see both sides . They both have a point.//  sb’s side of the story (=one person’s opinion of what happened in a situation, especially someone who has been accused of doing something wrong) //  --We haven’t heard Mike’s side of the story yet.//\n  15  take sides:  to choose to support one person or group in an argument, and oppose the other one//\n  16 SPORT:   BrE a sports team//  --They’re a good side, but I think we’re a better one.//\n  17 PART OF SOMEBODY’S CHARACTER:   [usually singular] one part of someone’s character, especially when compared with another part//  side of//  --It was a side of Shari that I hadn’t seen before.//  -- There was a side to him that worried her, that seemed cold and cruel.//  sb’s softer/feminine/emotional etc side //  --These days men are not all afraid to show their softer side.//\n  18 OF A FAMILY:  a part of a family//  --My father’s side of the family are short, but my mother’s side are tall.//\n  19  sb’s side of a deal/bargain:  what someone agrees to do as part of an agreement//  --The Russians kept their side of the bargain , and pulled out of East Germany.//\n  20  on the side:  a) used to say that someone does work in addition to their regular job//  --Most consultants do private work on the side.//    sideline1 (1)//  b) secretly, and dishonestly or illegally//  --His wife discovered that he had a woman on the side.//    a bit on the side at bit3 //  c) food that is served on the side is ordered with the main dish in a restaurant, but is not usually part of that dish//  --I’d like eggs with toast on the side.//\n  21 FOOD:   AmE a small amount of food that you order in a restaurant in addition to your main meal//  side of//  --a hamburger with a side of fries//\n  22  on/from all sides:   also on/from every side //  a) in or from every direction//  --Planes were attacking us from all sides.//  --The town is surrounded on all sides by vineyards.//  b) by or from a lot of people with different opinions//  --Clinton was praised on all sides for his warm manner and diplomatic approach.//\n  23  put/leave/set sth to one side:  to save something to be dealt with or used later//  --Let’s leave that question to one side for now.//  --Put a little money to one side each week.//\n  24  be at sb’s side/stay by sb’s side/not leave sb’s side:  to be with someone, and take care of them or support them//  --He faced the reporters with his wife at his side.//  --She nursed him through his illness, never leaving his side.//\n  25  take/draw sb to one side:  to take someone away from other people for a short time for a private talk//  --Before they left, Colette took me to one side and warned me about Bernard.//\n  26  have sth on your side/sth is on your side:  used to say that you have an advantage that increases your chances of success//  have time/luck/God/right etc on your side //  --Barnes didn’t have much experience, but he had youth and enthusiasm on his side.//\n  27  get on the wrong side of sb:  to annoy someone or make them angry, especially someone who can cause serious problems for you//  --Be careful not to get on the wrong side of her.//\n  28  keep on the right side of sb:  to be careful not to annoy someone, because you want them to help you and not cause problems for you//  --We tried to keep on the right side of the housekeeper, so that she would let us bring beer in.//\n  29  on the right/wrong side of 30/40 etc:   informal younger or older than 30, 40 etc//\n  30  on the small/high/heavy etc side etc:   spoken a little too small, too high, too heavy etc//  --The trousers are a bit on the small side.//\n  31  this side of Christmas/midnight etc:  before a particular time - used to say that something will not happen before then//  --I doubt we’ll see him this side of Christmas.//\n  32  the best/biggest etc ... this side of sth:  used humorously to say that something is very good, big etc//  --the best Chinese food this side of Peking//\n  33  on the wrong/right side of the law:   informal breaking or not breaking the law//\n  34  be on the side of the angels:  to be doing what is morally right//\n  35  let the side down:   BrE to behave badly or do something that embarrasses or disappoints your family, friends etc//\n  36  criticize/nag/hassle sb up one side and down the other:   AmE  spoken to criticize someone, complain to them in an annoying way etc without worrying about how they feel//\n  37 MEAT:   a side of beef/bacon etc//  one half of an animal’s body, used as food//\n  38 TV STATION:   [usually singular]  BrE  spoken a television station//   channel//  --Do you know what’s on the other side?//    double-sided,  one-sided,  to be on the safe side at safe1 (7),  err on the side of caution at err(1),  flip side,  split your sides at split1 (10),  the other side of the coin at coin1 (3),  two sides of the same coin at coin1 (4)//\nside 2 adj [only before noun] \n  1 in or on the side of something:  --Hannah slipped out through a side exit.//\n  2 from the side of something:  --Can you get a side view?//\nside 3 v [I]   to support or argue against a person or group in a quarrel, fight etc//  side with/against//  --Frank sided with David against their mother.//


Words: side benefit
Meaning:
n [C]   an additional advantage or good result that comes from something, besides its main purpose//  --A side benefit to filming close-up shots is that your microphone will pick up clearer sound.//


Words: side effect
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 an effect that a drug has on your body in addition to curing pain or illness:  harmful/serious/adverse etc side effect //  --a natural remedy with no harmful side effects//  side effect of//  --the side effects of the medication//\n  2 an unexpected or unplanned result of a situation or event:  --These policy changes could have beneficial side effects  for the whole economy.//


Words: side issue
Meaning:
n [C]   a subject or problem that is not as important as the main one, and may take people’s attention away from the main subject//  --The tax proposal is really a side issue with us.//


Words: side order
Meaning:
n [C]   a small amount of food ordered in a restaurant to be eaten with a main meal but served on a separate dish//  --a side order of onion rings//


Words: side-on
Meaning:
adj   coming from one side rather than from in front or behind//  --a side-on collision //  -- side-on adv //


Words: side-saddle
Meaning:
adv   ride/sit sidesaddle//  to ride or sit on a horse with both legs on the same side of the horse//


Words: side-wheeler
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   an old-fashioned type of ship which is pushed forward by a pair of large wheels at the sides//  British Equivalent:  paddle steamer//


Words: sidebar
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a separate part of something such as a newspaper article where extra information is given:\n  2  AmE  law an occasion when the lawyers and the judge in a trial discuss something without letting the jury hear what they are saying:


Words: sideboard
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] a long low piece of furniture usually in a dining room, used for storing plates, glasses etc:\n  2  sideboards:   BrE sideburns//


Words: sideburns
Meaning:
n [plural]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: burnsides type of beard in which the chin is shaved, from Ambrose  Burnside (1824-81), U.S. general who wore such a beard]//  hair grown down the sides of a man’s face in front of his ears//


Words: sidekick
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   someone who spends time with or helps another person, especially when that other person is more important than they are//


Words: sidelight
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   one of the two small lights next to the main front lights on a car//  American Equivalent:  parking light//


Words: sideline
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] an activity that you do as well as your main job or business, in order to earn more money:  as a sideline//  --Zoe does a bit of freelance photography as a sideline.//\n  2  on the sidelines:  not taking part in an activity even though you want to or should do//  stand/stay/remain etc on the sidelines //  --You can’t stay on the sidelines for ever; it’s time you got involved.//\n  3  sidelines [plural] the area just outside the lines that form the edge of a sports field:  on the sidelines//  --Wenger stood on the sidelines shouting instructions to his team.//\n  4 [C] a line at the side of a sports field, which shows where the players are allowed to play:\nsideline 2 v [usually passive]   if you are sidelined, you are unable to play in a sports game because you are injured, or unable to take part in an activity because you are not as good as someone else//  --Baggio was once again sidelined through injury.//


Words: sidelong
Meaning:
adj   sidelong look/glance//  a way of looking at someone by moving your eyes to the side, especially so that it seems secret, dishonest, or disapproving//  --He gave Oliver a sidelong glance .//  -- sidelong adv //  --’You looked very well this morning,’ she added, glancing sidelong at him.//


Words: sideshow
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a separate small part of a fair or circus, where you pay to play games or watch a performance:\n  2 an event that is much less important or serious than another one:  --The initial conflict was a mere sideshow compared with the World War that followed.//


Words: sidestep
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  sidestepped present participle  sidestepping //\n  1  sidestep a problem/issue/question:  to avoid dealing with something difficult//  --The report sidesteps the environmental issues.//\n  2 [I and T] to step quickly sideways to avoid being hit or walking into someone:  -- sidestep n  [C] //


Words: sideswipe
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   if you take a sideswipe at someone or something, you criticize them while you are talking about something different//  --Sir Kenneth concluded with a sideswipe at his critics.//\nsideswipe 2 v [T]  AmE   to hit the side of a car with another car so that the two sides touch quickly//  --She was going too fast and sideswiped a parked car.//


Words: sidetrack
Meaning:
v [T usually passive] \n  1 to make someone stop doing what they should be doing, or stop talking about what they started talking about, by making them interested in something else:  --Don’t get sidetracked by the audience’s questions.//\n  2  AmE to delay or stop the progress of something:  --An effort to improve security was sidetracked by budget problems.//


Words: sidewalk
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a hard surface or path at the side of a street for people to walk on//  British Equivalent:  pavement//


Words: sideways
Meaning:
adv \n  1 to or towards one side:  --A strong gust of wind blew the car sideways into the ditch.//\n  2 with the side, rather than the front or back, facing forwards:  --They brought the piano sideways through the front door.//\n  3 if you are moved sideways at work, you are given a job that is different but is at the same level as your old job:  --He would be moved sideways, rather than demoted.//  -- sideways adj //  --a sideways glance //    knock sb sideways at knock1 (13)//


Words: siding
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] a short railway track connected to a main track, where trains are kept when they are not being used:\n  2 [U]  AmE long, narrow pieces of wood, metal, or plastic, used for covering the outside walls of houses:


Words: sidle
Meaning:
preposition]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from  sideling  ’sideways’ (14-19 centuries)]//  to walk towards something or someone slowly and quietly, as if you do not want to be noticed//  sidle up/towards/along//  --A woman sidled up to us and asked if we wanted to buy a watch.//


Words: SIDS
Meaning:
n [U]  medical   Sudden Infant Death Syndrome when a baby stops breathing and dies while it is sleeping, for no known reason//  British Equivalent:  cot deathAmerican Equivalent:  crib death//


Words: siege
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: sege  ’seat, siege’, from  Vulgar Latin sedicum, from  Latin sedere  ’to sit’]//\n  1 a situation in which an army or the police surround a place and try to gain control of it or force someone to come out of it:  --The siege lasted almost four months.//  --a three-day police siege at a remote country cottage//  siege of//  --the siege of Leningrad//  end/lift/raise a siege (=end a siege) //\n  2  lay siege to sb/sth:  a) if the army or police lay siege to a place, they start a siege against it//  --In June 1176 King Richard laid siege to Limoges.//  b) if you lay siege to someone, you do everything you can to try and get them to talk to you//  --Then he set to work laying siege to her with letters.//\n  3  be under siege:  a) to be surrounded by an army in a siege//  b) to be being criticized, attacked, or threatened all the time//  --The TV station has been under siege from irate viewers phoning in to complain.//\n  4  siege mentality:  the feeling among a group of people that they are surrounded by enemies and must do everything they can to protect themselves//


Words: Siegel
Meaning:
Bugsy   (1906-47) a New York  gangster (=member of a violent group of criminals) , who built the first large hotel and  casino in Las Vegas in 1947, and made Las Vegas the most popular place for  gambling (=playing games to win money)  in the US//


Words: Siegfried Line
Meaning:
the   a line of military defences that the German armies built on the  Western Front during World War I and before and during World War II//


Words: sienna
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Italian; Origin: terra di Siena  ’Siena earth’, from  Siena town in Italy]//  a yellowish brown colour//


Words: sierra
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: Latin serra  ’saw’]//  a row or area of sharply pointed mountains//


Words: Sierra Club
Meaning:
the   a US organization that tries to protect the environment, especially natural areas such as forests, mountains, and rivers. The Sierra Club is also a social club for people who like to  hike.//


Words: Sierra Leone
Meaning:
a country in West Africa between Liberia and Guinea. Population: 5,500.000 (2001). Capital: Freetown.//  -- Sierra Leonean n  adj //


Words: Sierra Nevada
Meaning:
1  the Sierra Nevada:   also the Sierras //  a mountain  range in California//\n  2 a mountain  range in southern Spain:


Words: siesta
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Spanish; Origin: Latin sexta (hora)  ’sixth hour, noon’]//  a short sleep in the afternoon, especially in warm countries//  take/have a siesta //  --The stores all close after lunch when everyone takes a siesta.//


Words: sieve
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: sife]//\n  1 :  a) a round wire kitchen tool with a lot of small holes, used for separating solid food from liquid or small pieces of food from large pieces//  b) a round wire tool for separating small objects from large objects//\n  2  have a memory like a sieve:   informal to forget things easily//\nsieve 2 v [T]   to put flour or other food through a sieve//  --Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl.//


Words: sift
Meaning:
v [T]   [Language: Old English; Origin: siftan]//\n  1 to put flour, sugar etc through a sieve or similar container in order to remove large pieces:\n  2  also sift through :  to examine information, documents etc carefully in order to find something out or decide what is important and what is not//  --Police are sifting through the evidence in the hope of finding more clues.//  sift out [sift sth → out] phr v//  to separate something from other things//  sift something → out from//  --It’s hard to sift out the truth from the lies in this case.//


Words: sifter
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  BrE a container with a lot of small holes in the top used for shaking flour, sugar etc onto things:  American Equivalent:  shaker//\n  2  AmE a container with a handle and a lot of small holes on the bottom, used for removing large pieces from flour or for mixing flour and other dry things together in cooking:


Words: sigh
Meaning:
v [I]   [Language: Old English; Origin: sican]//\n  1 to breathe in and out making a long sound, especially because you are bored, disappointed, tired etc:  --’Well, there’s nothing we can do about it now,’ she sighed.//  sigh heavily/deeply //  --Frankie stared out of the window and sighed deeply.//  sigh with//  --He sighed with despair at the thought of all the opportunities he had missed.//\n  2  literary if the wind sighs, it makes a long sound like someone sighing:  --The wind sighed in the trees.//\n  3  sigh for sth:  to be sad because you are thinking about a pleasant time in the past//  --Emilia sighed for her lost youth.//\nsigh 2 n [C]   an act or sound of sighing//  sigh of//  --She let out a sigh of impatience.//  give/let out/heave a sigh //  --Laura shrugged, and gave a heavy sigh.//  --We all breathed a sigh of relief when we heard they were safe.//


Words: sight
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 ability to see:\n   2 act of seeing:\n   3 thing you see:\n   4 in/within sight:\n   5 within/in sight of something:\n   6 in your sights:\n   7 out of sight:\n   8 out of sight, out of mind:\n   9 disappear/vanish from sight:\n  10 come into sight:\n  11 on sight:\n  12 not let somebody out of your sight:\n  13 be sick of/can’t stand/hate the sight of somebody/something:\n  14 a sight for sore eyes:\n  15 a (damn/darned/darn) sight more/better etc:\n  16 be a sight:\n  17 sight unseen:\n  18 be a (beautiful, strange, frightening etc) sight to behold:\n  19 gun:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: gesiht]//\n  1 ABILITY TO SEE:   [U] the physical ability to see//   vision//  --Anne’s sight is very good for someone of her age.//  --He began to lose his sight six years ago.//  --an emergency operation to save his sight//  --You will get a free sight test if you are under 16.//\n  2 ACT OF SEEING:   [singular, U] the act of seeing something//  sight of//  --Just the sight of him made her go all weak.//  at the sight of sth//  --Marcie will faint at the sight of blood.//  --The house is hidden from sight behind trees.//\n  3 THING YOU SEE:   [C] //  a) something you can see//  familiar/common/rare etc sight //  --Street dentists are a common sight in Pakistan.//  --As he reached the front door he saw a strange sight.//  --the sights and sounds of the forest//    not a pretty sight at pretty2 (3)//    sorry sight at sorry(8)//  b)  the sights [plural] famous or interesting places that tourists visit//  --In the afternoon, you’ll have a chance to relax or see the sights .//  the sights of//  --So, Maria’s showing you the sights of Copenhagen, is she?//    sightseeing//\n  4  in/within sight:  a) inside the area that you can see//  --I glanced around me quickly. There was no one in sight. //  --They burned every house in sight .//  --The boys get home and eat everything in sight .//  --Since my hotel was within sight, I told him he could go.//  b) likely to happen soon//  --Six months from the start of the strike, there is still no end in sight .//  --Peace is now in sight.//\n  5  within/in sight of sth:  a) in the area where you can see something//  --We camped within sight of the lake.//  --At last they came in sight of the city.//  b) in a position where you will soon be able to get something or achieve something//  --Dan was now within sight of the championship.//\n  6  in your sights:  if you have someone or something in your sights, you intend to achieve it or get it for yourself or to attack them//  have sb/sth in your sights //  --Rogers had victory firmly in his sights.//\n  7  out of sight:  outside the area that you can see//  --Karen waved until the car was out of sight.//\n  8  out of sight, out of mind:  used to say that people soon stop thinking about other people if they do not see them for a while//\n  9  disappear/vanish from sight:  to disappear//  --’Will she be all right?’ asked Jen as the car disappeared from sight.//\n  10  come into sight:  to appear//  --when the ship at last came into sight//\n  11  on sight:  as soon as you see someone//  --The army has been ordered to shoot rebel soldiers on sight .//  --Jo disliked him on sight.//\n  12  not let sb out of your sight:  to make sure that someone stays near you//  --Since the accident, Donna hasn’t let the children out of her sight.//\n  13  be sick of/can’t stand/hate the sight of sb/sth:  to dislike someone or something very much//  --Alan and Sam can’t stand the sight of each other.//  --Everybody hates the sight of you.//\n  14  a sight for sore eyes:   spoken //  a) someone or something that you feel very happy to see//  b)  BrE someone or something that is very unattractive or very funny to look at//\n  15  a (damn/darned/darn) sight more/better etc:   informal a lot more, a lot better etc//  --I know the place a damn sight better than you do.//  --You’re all going to have to work a darned sight harder.//  --The old lady is a sight cleverer than Sarah.//\n  16  be a sight:   also look a sight //  to look very funny or stupid, or very untidy or unpleasant//  --We’d had an all-night party, and the place looked a bit of a sight.//\n  17  sight unseen:  if you buy or choose something sight unseen, you do it without looking at the thing first//  --I can’t believe you would rent a place sight unseen.//\n  18  be a (beautiful, strange, frightening etc) sight to behold:   formal used to emphasize that something or someone looks very unusual, for example because they are very beautiful, strange, or frightening//  --His garden was a sight to behold.//  --His face was not a pleasant sight to behold.//  barrel, sight, trigger//\n  19 GUN:   [C usually plural] the part of a gun or other weapon that guides your eye when you are aiming at something//    at first sight at first1 (6),  know sb by sight at know1 (3),  lose sight of sth at lose(1),  set your mind/sights/heart on (doing) sth at set1 (13)//\nsight 2 v [T]   to see something from a long distance away, or see something you have been looking for//  --The sailors gave a shout of joy when they sighted land .//  --Several rare birds have been sighted in the area.//


Words: sight-read
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  sight-read /-red/ [I and T] //  to play or sing written music when you look at it for the first time, without practising it first//  -- sight-reader n  [C] //  -- sight-reading n  [U] //


Words: sighted
Meaning:
adj   someone who is sighted can see, and is not blind//  --Blind and sighted children are taught in the same classroom.//  --her partially sighted  (=having limited ability to see) father//    clear-sighted,  far-sighted,  long-sighted,  short-sighted//


Words: sighting
Meaning:
n [C]   an occasion on which something is seen, especially something rare or something that people are hoping to see//  sighting of//  --There were two unconfirmed sightings of UFOs in the area.//  --Where was the latest sighting?//


Words: sightseeing
Meaning:
n [U]   when you visit famous or interesting places, especially as tourists//  --She swam and sunbathed, went sightseeing and relaxed.//


Words: sign
Meaning:
W2S3   n   ----------//\n   1 gives information:\n   2 shows something is true:\n   3 movement or sound:\n   4 symbol:\n   5 star sign:\n   6 language:\n   7 there is no sign of somebody/something:\n   8 sign of life:\n   9 sign of the times:\n  10 the sign of the Cross:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: signe, from  Latin signum  ’mark, sign, image, seal’]//\n  1 GIVES INFORMATION:   [C] a piece of paper, metal, or wood with words or a picture that gives people information, warnings, or instructions//  --a sign on the door//  -- road signs //  --a no smoking sign //  --Don’t ignore the fog warning signs .//\n  2 SHOWS SOMETHING IS TRUE:   [C] an event, fact etc that shows that something is happening or that something is true or exists//   indication//  sign of//  --A red morning sky is a sign of an impending storm.//  --Crying is seen as a sign of weakness.//  --A paw print in the dust was a  sign that  a tiger was close.//  --There were no obvious signs of engine wear.//  --Raised blood pressure is a warning sign .//  --If she can move her leg, that’s a very good sign .//  --His door was closed. That was a bad sign .//  --She gave no outward signs of her problems.//  --He kept walking up and down, which was a sure sign he was worried.//  --The tell-tale signs of drug abuse are mainly to do with behaviour.//  -- There are signs that the situation is improving.//  -- There were no signs of forced entry into the house.//  --The economy is beginning to show signs of recovery.//  --The play shows every sign of being a big success.//  -- At the first sign of trouble they had disappeared to England.//\n  3 MOVEMENT OR SOUND:   [C] a movement, sound etc that you make in order to tell someone something//  --the thumbs-up sign (=a sign that you make with your hand to show that something is successful) //  give/make a sign //  --Wait until I give the sign.//  sign that//  --Bruce made a sign that he was ready to leave.//  sign for sb to do sth//  --Three short blasts on the whistle was the sign to begin.//\n  4 SYMBOL:   [C] a mark or shape that has a particular meaning//   symbol//  --the dollar sign//  --a minus sign//\n  5 STAR SIGN:   [C]  also star sign //  a group of stars, representing one of 12 parts of the year, that some people believe influences your behaviour and your life//  --What sign are you?//\n  6 LANGUAGE:   [U] a language that uses hand movements instead of spoken words, used by people who cannot hear//   sign language//\n  7  there is no sign of sb/sth:  used to say that someone or something is not in a place or cannot be found//  --I waited for two hours but there was still no sign of her.//\n  8  sign of life:  a) a movement that shows that someone is alive, or something that shows that there are people in a particular place//  --She listened intently for signs of life.//  b) something that shows that a situation is becoming more active//  --Commercial property markets are now showing definite signs of life .//\n  9  sign of the times:  something that shows how people live now//  --It’s just a sign of the times that many children have mobile phones.//\n  10  the sign of the Cross:  the hand movement that some Christians make in the shape of a cross, to show respect for God or to protect themselves from evil//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 2 //  sign (that) //  clear/obvious sign //  warning sign //  good/positive/encouraging sign //  bad sign //  outward/visible sign //  sure sign (=clear proof) //  tell-tale signs (=signs that clearly show something bad) //  there are signs/there are no signs //  show signs of (doing) something //  show/give every sign of doing something (=used to say that something is very likely) //  take/see something as a sign (that) (=understand something to mean something) //  at the first sign of something (=immediately) //  ----------//\nsign 2 W3S3 v   ----------//\n   1 name:\n   2 sign an agreement/contract/treaty etc:\n   3 music/sport:\n   4 sign on the dotted line:\n   5 sign a bill/legislation/agreement into law:\n   6 (all) signed and sealed:\n   7 use movements:\n   8 language:  Phrasal verbs//   sign something → away//   sign for something//   sign in//   sign off//   sign on//   sign out//   sign something → over//   sign up//  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: signer, from  Latin signare, from  signum;   SIGN1]//\n  1 NAME:   [I and T] to write your signature on something to show that you wrote it, agree with it, or were present//  --Sign here, please.//  --The artist had signed his name in the corner of the painting.//  --You forgot to sign the cheque. //  --Over a hundred people have signed the petition. //  --Steffi signs her autograph every time she’s asked.//  --a signed photo of Paul McCartney//\n  2  sign an agreement/contract/treaty etc:  to make a document, agreement etc official and legal by writing your signature on it//  --France has just signed a new trade deal with Japan.//\n  3 MUSIC/SPORT:   [I and T] if a football team or music company signs someone, or if someone signs for them, that person signs a contract in which they agree to work for them//  --CBS Records had signed her back in 1988 on a three-album contract.//  sign for/to/with//  --Miller worked in the shipyards before signing for Rangers.//  --Before long they had signed with Virgin.//\n  4  sign on the dotted line:   informal to officially agree to something by signing a contract//  --Make sure the repairs are done before you sign on the dotted line.//\n  5  sign a bill/legislation/agreement into law:  if someone in authority signs something into law, they make it part of the law by signing an official document//\n  6  (all) signed and sealed:   also (all) signed, sealed, and delivered //  with all the necessary legal documents signed//  --It’ll all be signed and sealed by Friday, and you can move in then.//\n  7 USE MOVEMENTS:   [I] to try to tell someone something or ask them to do something by using signs and movements//   signal//  sign to sb to do sth//  --He signed to the maid to leave the room.//  sign for sb to do sth//  --She signed for us to go inside.//\n  8 LANGUAGE:   [I and T] to use or translate something into sign language//  -- signer n  [C] //  sign away [sign sth → away] phr v//  to sign a document that gives your property or legal rights to someone else//  --She had signed away all claims to the house.//  --I felt as if I was signing away my life. //  sign for [sign for sth] phr v//  to sign a document to prove that you have received something//  --This is a registered letter - someone will have to sign for it.//  sign in phr v//\n  1 to write your name on a form, in a book etc when you enter a place such as a hotel, office, or club:  --Remember to sign in at reception.//\n  2  sign sb → in:  to write someone else’s name in a book so that they are allowed to enter a club, an office etc//  sign off phr v//\n  1  informal to end a radio or television programme by saying goodbye:\n  2 to write your final message at the end of an informal letter:  --It’s getting late so I’ll sign off now. Love, John.//\n  3  sign sb off:   BrE if a doctor signs someone off, he or she gives them a note saying that they are ill and not able to work//  --For the last month she has been signed off sick from work.//\n  4  sign sth → off:   BrE sign off on sth  AmE to show that you approve of a plan or that something is finished by signing an official document//  --Major repainting work now needs to be signed off by a qualified engineer.//  sign on phr v//\n  1  BrE to state officially that you are unemployed by signing a form, so that you can get money from the government:\n  2 to sign a document to show that you agree to work for someone:  sign on as//  --He signed on as a soldier in the US army.//  sign on with//  --I’ll probably have to sign on with a nursing agency.//  sign out phr v//\n  1 to write your name in a book when you leave a place such as a hotel, office, or club:\n  2  sign sth → out:  to write your name on a form or in a book to show that you have taken or borrowed something//  --Bernstein signed out a company car.//\n  3  sign sb → out:  to write in a book that someone is allowed to leave somewhere such as a school, office etc//  --Parents must sign pupils out when collecting them for doctor’s or dentist’s appointments.//  sign over [sign sth → over] phr v//  to sign an official document that gives your property or legal rights to someone else//  sign something → over to//  --When he became ill, he signed his property in France over to his son.//  sign up phr v//\n  1 to put your name on a list for something because you want to take part in it:  sign up for//  --I’m thinking of signing up for a yoga course.//  sign up to do sth//  --Over half the people who signed up to do engineering were women.//\n  2  sign sb →up:  if someone is signed up by an organization, they sign a contract in which they agree to work for that organization//  --Several well-known researchers have been signed up for the project.//


Words: sign language
Meaning:
n [U and C]   a language that uses hand movements instead of spoken words, used by people who cannot hear well//


Words: signal
Meaning:
W2S3   n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: signale, from  Medieval Latin, from  Late Latin signalis  ’of a sign’, from  Latin signum;   SIGN1]//\n  1 a sound or action that you make in order to give information to someone or tell them to do something:  signal (for sb) to do sth//  --When she got up from the table, it was obviously the signal for us to leave.//  --The headmaster gave the signal to begin.//  --At a pre-arranged signal the lights went out.//    smoke signal//\n  2 an event or action that shows what someone feels, what exists, or what is likely to happen:  signal (that)//  --These results are a signal that the child may need special help.//  signal of//  --The opinion poll is a clear signal of people’s dissatisfaction with the government.//  --The display flashed a red warning signal .//  --A red flag is often used as a danger signal.//  send/give a signal //  --This will send the wrong signal to potential investors.//\n  3 a series of light waves, sound waves etc that carry an image, sound, or message, for example in radio or television:  send (out)/transmit/emit a signal (to sb) //  --This new pay-TV channel sends signals via satellite to cable companies.//  --In the 1970s it was illegal to transmit fax signals via the public telephone system.//  receive/pick up/detect a signal //  --a small antenna which receives radio signals//  --The Coast Guard picked up a distress signal from a freighter 50 miles out at sea.//\n  4 a piece of equipment with coloured lights, used on a railway to tell train drivers whether they can continue or must stop:  --a stop signal//  --a signal failure  (=when these lights do not work) //    busy signal at busy1 (4)//\nsignal 2 v   past tense and past participle  signalled present participle  signalling  BrE //  past tense and past participle  signaled present participle  signaling  AmE //\n  1 [I and T] to make a sound or action in order to give information or tell someone to do something:  --She signalled, and the waiter brought the bill.//  --The whistle signalled the end of the match.//  signal at//  --Mary signalled wildly at them, but they didn’t notice.//  signal to//  --The judge signaled to a police officer and the man was led away.//  signal for//  --He pushed his plate away and signalled for coffee.//  signal (to) sb to do sth//  --She signalled to the children to come inside.//  signal that//  --The bell signaled that school was over.//\n  2 [T] to make something clear by what you say or do - used in news reports:  --Both sides have signaled their willingness to start negotiations.//  --British sources last night signalled their readiness to talk.//  signal (that)//  --The Prime Minister’s speech today signals that there will be a shake-up in the cabinet.//\n  3 [T] to be a sign that something is going to happen:  signal the start/beginning/end of sth //  --the lengthening days that signal the end of winter//\n  4 [I] to show the direction you intend to turn in a vehicle, using the lights:  American Equivalent:  indicate//  --Signal before you pull out.//\nsignal 3 adj [only before noun]  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: signale, past participle of  signaler  ’to show a difference between’, from  Old Italian segnalare, from  Medieval Latin signale;   SIGNAL1]//  important//  signal achievement/success/failure etc //  --The university has done me the signal honour of making me an Honorary Fellow.//


Words: signalman
Meaning:
n   plural  signalmen /-m[hA353]n/ [C] //\n  1  especially BrE someone whose job is to control railway signals:\n  2  also signaller  BrE a member of the army or navy who is trained to send and receive signals:


Words: signatory
Meaning:
n   plural  signatories  [C] //  one of the people, organizations, or countries that signs an official agreement//  signatory to/of//  --The UK is a signatory to the Berne convention.//  --the signatories of the Helsinki Declaration//


Words: signature
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Old French; Origin: Medieval Latin signatura, from  Latin signare;   SIGN2]//\n  1 [C] your name written in the way you usually write it, for example at the end of a letter, or on a cheque etc to show that you have written it:  --Her signature is totally illegible  (=cannot be read) .//  --The school collected 4000 signatures for the petition.//  --The Ukranians put their signatures to the Lisbon Protocol.//  --Someone’s forged my signature  (=made an illegal copy of my name to deceive people) on this letter.//  --Each child must obtain the signature of his or her parents.//\n  2 [U]  formal the act of signing something:  for signature//  --We will send you a copy of the agreement for signature.//\n  3 [C usually singular] something that is closely related to an event, person, or style:  --The shapes in the paintings are easily recognised as his signature.//  --Smith’s signature singing style//    key signature,  time signature//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  Your signature is what you write when you sign your name. The act of putting a signature on something is called signing: the signing of the treaty //  ----------//


Words: signature tune
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   a short piece of music used at the beginning and end of a television or radio programme//


Words: signboard
Meaning:
n [C]   a flat piece of wood, cardboard etc in a public place, with writing on it that gives people information//


Words: signet
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: signe;   SIGN1]//  a metal object used for printing a small pattern in wax as an official seal1(1)//


Words: significance
Meaning:
W2   n [singular, U] \n  1 the importance of an event, action etc, especially because of the effects or influence it will have in the future:  → insignificance//  --Stella didn’t attach any significance to Doug’s query.//  significance of//  --the significance of climate change//  --The book assesses the significance of Stalin’s policies between 1927 and 1939.//  significance for//  --The results of the study have a wider significance for all the profession.//  great/little significance (in sth) //  --The crime problem has great significance to the general public.//  grasp/appreciate the significance (of sth) (=fully understand something) //  --The press were slow to grasp the significance of what happened.//\n  2 the meaning of a word, sign, action etc, especially when this is not immediately clear:  significance of//  --the significance of the words that refer to the bread Christ shares with his disciples//  full/real/true significance //  --Only later did we realize the true significance of his remark.//


Words: significant
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: , present participle of  significare;   SIGNIFY]//\n  1 having an important effect or influence, especially on what will happen in the future:  → insignificant//  --His most significant political achievement was the abolition of the death penalty.//  --Please inform us if there are any significant changes in your plans.//  significant for//  --The result is highly significant for the future of the province.//  it is significant that//  --It is significant that the writers of the report were all men.//\n  2 large enough to be noticeable or have noticeable effects:  → insignificant//  --A significant number of drivers fail to keep to speed limits.//  --A significant part of Japan’s wealth is invested in the West.//  --There is a significant difference between the number of home births now and ten years ago.//  --The rise in temperature is not statistically significant. //\n  3 a significant look, smile etc has a special meaning that is not known to everyone:  --He gave me a significant look.//


Words: significantly
Meaning:
W2S3   adv \n  1 in an important way or to an important degree:  --Health problems can be significantly reduced by careful diet.//  --Methods used by younger teachers differ significantly from those used by older ones.//  significantly better/greater/worse etc //  --Delia’s work has been significantly better this year.//\n  2 [sentence adverb] used to say that something is very important:  --The Democrats, significantly, finished well behind the Green Party.//\n  3 in a way that seems to have a special meaning:  --George paused, and glanced significantly in my direction.//


Words: signify
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  signified present participle  signifying third person singular  signifies   [not in progressive] //  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: signifier, from  Latin significare, from  signum;   SIGN1]//\n  1 [T] to represent, mean, or be a sign of something:  --Some tribes use special facial markings to signify status.//  --The image of the lion signified power and strength.//  signify (that)//  --The symbol used signifies that the frequency is measured in kHz.//\n  2 [T]  formal if you signify a feeling, opinion etc, you do something that acts as a sign so that other people know your feeling or opinion:  signify that//  --Hamilton waved his hand to signify that he didn’t mind what they decided.//  signify sth (to sb)//  --He turned away from her slightly to signify his indifference.//\n  3 [I] to be important enough to have an effect on something:  --These figures don’t really signify in the overall results.//


Words: signing
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] the act of writing your name at the end of document to show that you agree with it:  --The formal signing will take place on April 9th.//  signing of//  --the signing of the ceasefire agreement//\n  2 :  a)  [C]  BrE someone who has just signed a contract to join a sports team or work with a record company//  --New signing, Mark Brown, scored three goals in his first match.//  b)  [U] when a sports team or record company prepares a contract which someone then signs to say that they will join the team or work with the company//  signing of//  --Birmingham City have completed the signing of Doug Bell from Shrewsbury Town.//\n  3 [U] the use of sign language to communicate to or between people who cannot hear well:


Words: signpost
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  especially BrE a sign at the side of a road showing directions and distances:  American Equivalent:  sign//  --I’m sure that signpost is pointing the wrong way.//  --Just follow the signposts to the city centre.//\n  2 something that helps you understand how something is organized, where to go, or what will follow - used especially in news reports:  --As yet, there are few signposts pointing to success.//\nsignpost 2 v [T]  BrE \n  1  be well/clearly/badly signposted:  to be clearly or unclearly shown by signposts//  --The village isn’t very well signposted.//\n  2 to show something clearly so that everyone will notice and understand it - used especially in news reports:  --They have signposted their conclusions in the report.//


Words: Sikes
Meaning:
Bill   a character in the book  Oliver Twist by Charles  Dickens. He is a violent thief who murders his girlfriend, Nancy.//


Words: Sikh
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Hindi; Origin: ’disciple, follower’]//  a member of an Indian religious group that developed from Hinduism in the 16th century//  -- Sikh adj //


Words: silage
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: ensilage, from  ensiler  ’to keep in a silo’, from  silo, from  Spanish;   SILO]//  grass or other plants cut and stored so that they can be used as winter food for cattle//


Words: silence
Meaning:
W2   n   ----------//\n   1 no noise:\n   2 no talking:\n   3 no discussion/answer:\n   4 no communication:\n   5 one-minute/two-minute etc silence:  ----------//\n  1 NO NOISE:   [U] complete absence of sound or noise//   quiet//  silence of//  --Nothing disturbed the silence of the night.//  silence falls/descends (on/upon sth) //  --After the explosion, an eerie silence fell upon the scene.//  break/shatter the silence //  --A loud scream shattered the silence.//\n  2 NO TALKING:   [U and C] complete quiet because nobody is talking//  --There was a brief silence before anyone answered.//  in silence//  --The four men sat in silence.//  complete/total/dead silence //  --’How long have you been here?’ I asked. There was complete silence.//  --’Silence in court!’ roared the judge.//  embarrassed/awkward/stunned etc silence //  --There was an awkward silence between them.//  --The accused exercised his right to silence  (=the legal right to choose to say nothing) .//\n  3 NO DISCUSSION/ANSWER:   [U] failure or refusal to discuss something or answer questions about something//  silence on//  --The government’s silence on such an important issue seems very strange.//  --Once again the answer was a deafening silence  (=a very noticeable refusal to discuss something) .//\n  4 NO COMMUNICATION:   [U] failure to write a letter to someone, telephone them etc//  --After two years of silence he suddenly got in touch with us again.//\n  5  one-minute/two-minute etc silence:  a period of time in which everyone stops talking as a sign of honour and respect towards someone who has died//\nsilence 2 v [T] \n  1 to make someone stop talking, or stop something making a noise:  --She held up her hand to silence the children.//\n  2 to make someone stop expressing opposition or criticisms - used especially in news reports:  --attempts to silence the rumours//  --Barnes has failed to silence his critics.//


Words: Silence of the Lambs
Meaning:
The   (1990) an extremely frightening US film about a young policewoman and a man called Hannibal Lecter who kills people and then eats them.//


Words: silencer
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  BrE a piece of equipment that is connected to the exhaust of a vehicle to make its engine quieter:  American Equivalent:  muffler//\n  2 a thing that is put on the end of a gun so that it makes less noise when it is fired:


Words: silent
Meaning:
W3   adj   ----------//\n   1 not speaking:\n   2 not communicating:\n   3 quiet:\n   4 films:\n   5 letter:  ----------//  [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: , present participle of  silere  ’to be silent’]//\n  1 NOT SPEAKING:  a) not saying anything//  --Alan was silent.//  remain/stay/keep silent //  --She kept silent, forcing Buchanan to continue.//  --The crowd fell silent  (=became silent) when the President appeared.//  b)  [only before noun] not talking much to other people//  the strong silent type (=a man who looks strong and does not talk very much) //\n  2 NOT COMMUNICATING:  failing or refusing to talk about something or express an opinion//  silent on/about//  --The report was silent on the subject.//\n  3 QUIET:  without any sound, or not making any sound//  --The large house was silent and lonely.//  --At last the guns fell silent. //  --Julie offered up a silent prayer that she would pass her exam.//  as silent as the grave (=completely silent in a mysterious or uncomfortable way) //\n  4 FILMS:   [only before noun] a silent film has pictures but no sound//\n  5 LETTER:  a silent letter in a word is not pronounced//  --The ’w’ in ’wreck’ is silent.//  -- silently adv //  --He sat silently by the bed.//


Words: silent majority
Meaning:
n   the silent majority//  the ordinary people in a country, who are not active politically and who do not make their opinions known//


Words: Silent Night
Meaning:
a well-known Christmas carol (=a traditional religious song) , which was originally written in German //


Words: silent partner
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   someone who owns part of a business but is not actively involved in the way it operates//  British Equivalent:  sleeping partner//


Words: silhouette
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: , from [hA14A]tienne de  Silhouette (1709-67), French politician famous for not liking to spend money, and therefore appropriately giving his name to a cheap simple picture]//\n  1 [U and C] a dark image, shadow, or shape that you see against a light background:  silhouette of//  --a dark silhouette of domes and minarets//  silhouette against//  --Soon the bombers would return, black silhouettes against a pale sky.//  in silhouette//  --The old windmill stood out in silhouette.//  2 [U and C] a drawing of something or someone, often from the side, showing a black shape against a light background//  --silhouette pictures of snowmen and reindeer//  in silhouette//  --a picture of Mozart in silhouette//\n  3 [C] the particular shape certain clothes give you:  --Fitted clothes often give the neatest silhouettes.//  -- silhouetted adj //  --tall chimney stacks silhouetted against the orange flames//


Words: silica
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Latin silex  ’flint’]//  a chemical compound that exists naturally as sand, quartz, and flint, used in making glass//


Words: silicate
Meaning:
n [U and C]  technical   one of a group of common solid mineral substances that exist naturally in the Earth//


Words: silicon
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: silica]//  a chemical substance that exists as a solid or as a powder and is used to make glass, bricks, and parts for computers. It is a chemical element: symbol Si//


Words: Silicon Glen
Meaning:
a humorous name for an area of central Scotland where there are many companies producing computer products. Its name is based on Silicon Valley, because "glen" is a Scottish word for a valley.//


Words: Silicon Valley
Meaning:
a part of California in the area between San Francisco and San Jose, which is a centre of the computer industry. Many important inventions were made in this area, and many large and small companies producing computer  software and  hardware are based there. It is called Silicon Valley because the computer industry is based on the  silicon chip.//


Words: silicone
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: silicon]//  a chemical that is not changed by heat or cold, does not let water through, and is used in making artificial body parts, paint, and rubber//


Words: silicone implant
Meaning:
n [C]   a piece of silicone that is put into the body, especially into a woman’s breasts to make them larger//


Words: silk
Meaning:
n   [Language: Old English; Origin: seolc]//\n  1 [U] a thin smooth soft cloth made from very thin thread which is produced by a silkworm:  -- pure silk stockings//  --a beautiful dress in raw silk //\n  2 [C]  BrE  law a very important lawyer:   Queen’s Counsel (QC)//  --His practice quickly grew and he took silk  (=became a QC) in 1988.//\n  3  silks:   technical the coloured shirts worn by jockeys (=people who ride horses in races) //\n  4  make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear:  to make something good out of something that is bad quality//


Words: Silk Road
Meaning:
the Silk Road//  an ancient  route along which silk was carried from China and across central Asia to the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe//


Words: silk screen
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   silk screen prints are made by forcing paint or ink onto a surface through a stretched piece of cloth//  -- silk screen n  [C] //


Words: silken
Meaning:
adj [usually before noun]  literary \n  1 soft, smooth, and shiny like silk:  --her silken hair//\n  2 made of silk:  --a silken handkerchief//


Words: silky
Meaning:
adj \n  1 soft, smooth, and shiny like silk:  --silky fur//\n  2 [only before noun] made of silk:  --the silky fabric of her dress//\n  3 a silky voice is gentle, and is used especially when trying to persuade someone to do something:  -- silkily adv //  -- silkiness n  [U] //


Words: sill
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: syll]//\n  1 the narrow shelf at the base of a window frame:\n  2 the part of a car frame at the bottom of the doors:


Words: silly
Meaning:
S3   adj   comparative  sillier superlative  silliest //  [Language: Old English; Origin: s[zB024]lig  ’happy’]//\n  1 not sensible, or showing bad judgment:  --Stop asking silly questions.//  --You made a lot of silly mistakes .//  --I left my keys at home, which was a pretty silly thing to do .//  --’Shall we go for a walk?’ ’ Don’t be silly , it’s dark.’//\n  2 stupid in a  childish or embarrassing way:  --I feel so silly in this outfit.//  --a silly hat//  --I hate their parties - we always end up playing silly games.//\n  3  spoken not serious or practical:  --They served us coffee in these silly little cups.//\n  4  bore sb silly:   informal to make someone extremely bored//\n  5  drink/scare/laugh etc yourself silly:   informal to drink or laugh etc so much that you stop behaving sensibly//  -- silliness n  [U] //\nsilly 2 n  spoken   used to tell someone that you think they are not behaving sensibly//  --No, silly, I didn’t mean that.//


Words: silly billy plural
Meaning:
silly billies  n [C]  especially BrE  spoken   used to tell someone, especially a child, that they are behaving in a silly way//


Words: silly season
Meaning:
n   the silly season//   BrE  informal a period in the summer when newspapers print stories that are not very serious because there is not much political news//


Words: silo
Meaning:
n   plural  silos  [C] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Spanish; Origin: Latin sirus, from  Greek siros  ’hole for storing corn’]//\n  1 a tall structure like a tower that is used for storing grain, winter food for farm animals etc:\n  2 a large structure under the ground from which a large missile can be fired:


Words: silt
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//  sand, mud, soil etc that is carried in water and then settles at a bend in a river, an entrance to a port etc//\nsilt 2 v   silt up phr v//  if something silts up or is silted up, it becomes filled with silt//  --The old harbour silted up years ago.//


Words: silver
Meaning:
S3   n   [Language: Old English; Origin: seolfor]//\n  1 [U] a valuable shiny, light grey metal that is used to make jewellery, knives, coins etc. It is a chemical element: symbol Ag:  --a silver necklace//  --cups made of solid silver //\n  2 [U] spoons, forks, dishes etc that are made of silver:   silverware//  --It was my job to polish the silver .//\n  3 [U and C] the colour of silver:  --The lake sparkled with shades of blue and silver.//  --This season’s colours are rich golds and elegant silvers.//\n  4 [U and C]  informal a silver medal:  --He won a silver at the last Olympics.//\n  5 [U]  BrE coins that contain silver or are the colour of silver:  --He put his hand into his pocket and brought out a handful of silver.//\nsilver 2 adj \n  1 made of silver:  --a silver teapot//  --a silver coin//  --a solid silver brooch//\n  2 having the colour of silver:  --an old man with silver hair//\n  3  on a silver platter:  if something is given to you on a silver platter, you do not have to make any effort to get it//  --He had a scholarship handed to him on a silver platter.//\n  4  silver bullet:   AmE something that solves a difficult problem very quickly and easily//  --There is no silver bullet for this problem.//    be born with a silver spoon in your mouth at born2 (8),  every cloud has a silver lining at cloud1 (6)//\nsilver 3 v [T] \n  1  technical to cover a surface with a thin shiny layer of silver or another metal in order to make a mirror:\n  2  literary to make something shine and look the colour of silver:  --The farmhouse appeared, silvered by the moon.//


Words: silver jubilee
Meaning:
n [C]  especially BrE   the date that is exactly 25 years after the date when something important happened, especially when someone became king or queen//  --the Queen’s Silver Jubilee//


Words: silver medal
Meaning:
n [C]   a medal made of silver that is given to the person who finishes second in a race or competition//  -- silver medallist n  [C] //


Words: silver plate
Meaning:
n [U]   metal that is covered with a thin layer of silver//  -- silver-plated adj //  --a silver-plated candlestick//


Words: silver screen
Meaning:
n   the silver screen//   old-fashioned the film industry, especially in Hollywood//  --stars of the silver screen//


Words: silver wedding anniversary
Meaning:
n [C]   the date that is exactly 25 years after the date of a wedding//  --a party to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary//


Words: silver-tongued
Meaning:
adj  literary   good at talking to people and making them like you, or persuading them to do what you want//


Words: silverfish
Meaning:
n   plural  silverfish  or  silverfishes  [C] //  a small silver-coloured insect that cannot fly and is found in houses//


Words: silverware
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1  BrE objects that are made of silver, for example dishes, plates, knives, forks etc:\n  2  AmE knives, forks, and spoons that are made of silver or a similar metal:\n  3  BrE a silver cup that a person or team wins in a sports competition:  --The club has not yet given up hope of ending the season with some silverware.//


Words: silvery
Meaning:
adj \n  1 shiny and silver in colour:  --her silvery hair//  --the silvery light of the moon//\n  2  literary a silvery voice or sound is light, pleasant, and musical:  --Clara gave a small, silvery laugh.//


Words: sim card
Meaning:
n [C]   a plastic card in a mobile phone that stores your personal information and allows you to use the phone//


Words: simian
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: simia  ’ape’, perhaps from  simus  ’flat-nosed’]//\n  1  literary similar to a monkey:  --his dark hair and simian features//\n  2  technical relating to monkeys:  --simian diseases//


Words: similar
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: similaire, from  Latin similis  ’like, similar’]//  almost the same//    alike//  → different//  --We have similar tastes in music.//  --Both approaches seem to achieve similar results.//  --A number of his friends had been affected in a similar way .//  --The two products look quite similar .//  similar to//  --Her ideas are quite similar to mine.//  similar in//  --The two cars are very similar in size and design.//  broadly/roughly similar //  --The two groups have broadly similar aims.//  remarkably/strikingly similar //  --The speech was strikingly similar to one given by the American President earlier this year.//    similarly//


Words: similarity
Meaning:
W2   n   plural  similarities //  [U and C] if there is a similarity between two things or people, they are similar in some way//  → difference//    likeness//  similarity between//  --There are some striking similarities between the two plays.//  similarity to//  --the song’s close similarity to traditional Jewish music//  --The present crisis bears some similarity to the oil crisis of the 1970s.//  similarity of//  --the similarity of their names//  similarity in//  --I was struck by the similarities in their early lives.//  similarity with//  --The police are checking for similarities with other recent attacks in the area.//  -- There are similarities with German, though Yiddish is a distinct language.//  --They are both blonde, but there the similarity ends .//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  striking similarity //  close/great/strong similarity //  bear a/some similarity to something (=be like something) //  there the similarity ends (=used to say that two people or things are not alike in other ways) //  ----------//


Words: similarly
Meaning:
adv   in a similar way//  → differently//  --The first letter she wrote me was less than a page long, and her second letter was similarly brief.//  [sentence adverb] //  --The cost of food and clothing has come down in recent years. Similarly, fuel prices have fallen quite considerably.//


Words: simile
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: similis;   SIMILAR]//  [U and C] an expression that describes something by comparing it with something else, using the words ’as’ or ’like’, for example ’as white as snow’//    metaphor//


Words: simmer
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: simper  ’to simmer’ (15-19 centuries), perhaps from the sound]//\n  1 [I and T] to boil gently, or to cook something slowly by boiling it gently:  --Bring the soup to the boil and allow it to simmer gently for about half an hour.//\n  2 [I] if you are simmering with anger, or if anger is simmering in you, you feel very angry but do not show your feelings:  simmer with//  --He was left simmering with rage.//\n  3 [I] if an argument is simmering, people feel angry with each other but only show it slightly:  --The row has been simmering for some time.//  --Violent revolt was simmering in the country.//  simmer down phr v//  to become calm again after you have been very angry//  --We decided she needed some time to simmer down.//\nsimmer 2 n [singular]   when something is boiling gently//  --Bring the vegetables to a simmer.//


Words: simnel cake
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  simnel from  Old French simenel, from  Latin simila  ’high- quality flour’]//  a cake made with dried fruit that is traditionally eaten at Easter//


Words: Simon and Garfunkel
Meaning:
two US singers, Paul  Simon and Art  Garfunkel, who started playing together during the 1960s and became very famous when some of their songs were used in the film  The Graduate (1967). Their songs, most of which were written by Paul Simon, include  The Sound of Silence,  Mrs Robinson and  Bridge Over Troubled Water. Paul Simon later became successful singing and playing by himself.//


Words: Simone
Meaning:
Nina   (1933- ) a US  jazz and blues singer who also plays the piano. As well as being a musician, she was involved in the  Civil Rights Movement in the US in the 1960s//


Words: simpatico
Meaning:
adj  AmE  informal   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Italian; Origin:  and  Spanish, from  Latin sympathia;   SYMPATHY]//\n  1 someone who is simpatico is pleasant and easy to like:\n  2 in agreement:  --We’re simpatico about most things.//


Words: simper
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Perhaps from a  Scandinavian language]//  to smile in a silly annoying way//  --Betsy simpered at him as she spoke.//  --a silly, simpering girl//  -- simper n  [C] //


Words: simple
Meaning:
adj   comparative  simpler superlative  simplest //  ----------//\n   1 easy:\n   2 plain:\n   3 only:\n   4 not having many parts:\n   5 ordinary:\n   6 grammar:\n   7 the simple life:\n   8 stupid:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: ’plain, uncomplicated’, from  Latin simplus, from  sim-  ’one’ +  -plus  ’multiplied by’]//\n  1 EASY:  not difficult or complicated to do or understand//  --a simple but effective solution to the problem//  --There is no simple answer to this question.//  --I’m sure there’s a perfectly simple explanation.//  simple to use/make/operate etc //  --Modern cameras are very simple to use.//  relatively/fairly/quite etc simple //  --There are relatively simple exercises to build strength.//  --We want to keep the costumes as simple as possible.//  --We can’t pay people any more money until the company is more profitable. I’m afraid it’s as simple as that .//\n  2 PLAIN:  made in a plain style, without a lot of decoration or unnecessary things added//  --She dressed with simple elegance.//  --simple but delicious food//  --a building constructed in a simple, classic style//\n  3 ONLY:   [usually before noun] used to emphasize that only one thing is involved//  --Completing the race is not just a simple matter of physical fitness.//  -- The simple fact is , he’s not very good at his job.//  --Their motive was greed, pure and simple .//\n  4 NOT HAVING MANY PARTS:  made or built of only a few parts, and not having a complicated structure//  --It’s a very simple machine.//  --They evolved from simple life forms that existed millions of years ago.//\n  5 ORDINARY:  honest and ordinary and not special in any way//  --Joe was just a simple farmer.//\n  6 GRAMMAR:   technical simple tenses are not formed with an auxiliary such as ’have’ or ’be’//\n  7  the simple life:  life without too many possessions or modern machines, usually in the countryside//\n  8 STUPID:   [not before noun] someone who is simple is not very intelligent//  --I’m afraid Luke’s a bit simple.//


Words: simple fracture
Meaning:
n [C]  medical   an injury in which a bone in your body is broken but does not cut through the flesh that surrounds it//    compound fracture//


Words: simple interest
Meaning:
n [U]    interest that is calculated on the sum of money that you first invested, and does not include the interest it has already earned//    compound interest//


Words: Simple Simon
Meaning:
a stupid person who believes everything he is told, from the name of a stupid young man in a  nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children) . The rhyme goes: Simple Simon met a pieman/Going to the fair;/Says Simple Simon to the pieman/"Let me taste your ware."//


Words: simpleton
Meaning:
n [C]  old-fashioned   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: simple +  -ton (probably as in names like Washington)]//  someone who has a very low level of intelligence//


Words: simplicity
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: simplicite, from  Latin, from  simplex  ’single, simple’, from  sim- (  SIMPLE) +  -plex  ’multiplied by’]//  the quality of being simple and not complicated, especially when this is attractive or useful//  --Mona wrote with a beautiful simplicity of style.//  --For the sake of simplicity, the tax form is divided into three sections.//  --James’s solution to this problem was simplicity itself  (=very simple) .//


Words: simplify
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  simplified present participle  simplifying third person singular  simplifies  [T] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: simplifier, from  Medieval Latin simplificare, from  Latin simplus;   SIMPLE]//  to make something easier or less complicated//  --an attempt to simplify the tax system//  --The law needs to be simplified.//  --a simplified version of the game//  -- simplification/s[hA366]mpl[hA369]f[hA369]ke[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n/ n  [U and C] //  --These figures are a simplification. The real situation is much more complicated than this.//    oversimplify//


Words: simplistic
Meaning:
adj   treating difficult subjects in a way that is too simple//  --This is a very simplistic approach to the problem.//  -- simplistically/-kli/ adv //


Words: simply
Meaning:
adv \n  1 used to emphasize what you are saying:  --This work is simply not good enough.//  --He simply won’t accept the committee’s decision.//  --That would be simply wonderful!//  --It is quite simply the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard.//\n  2 only:   just//  --Some students lose marks simply because they don’t read the question properly.//  --It’s not simply a question of money.//  --What we need is not simply a smaller organization, but a more efficient one.//\n  3 used to emphasize how easy it is to do something:  --Simply fill in the coupon and take it to your local store.//\n  4 if you say or explain something simply, you say it in a way that is easy for people to understand:  --Try to express yourself more simply.//  -- To put it simply , the tax cuts mean the average person will be about 3% better off.//\n  5 if you live simply, you live in a plain and ordinary way, without spending much money:  --We had to live very simply on my father’s small salary.//


Words: Simpson
Meaning:
O.J.   (1947- ) a US football player, one of the most successful players of the 1970s, who later became an actor. In 1994 he was charged with murdering his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. The  jury decided that he did not kill her. Later, relatives of the murdered people won a  civil court case against him and he was ordered to pay them $8.5 million.//\n Wallis   (1896-1986) a US woman, often known simply as Mrs Simpson, who had a relationship with the British king  Edward VIII. Because she had already been married twice before, Edward was not allowed to marry her. In 1938, he decided to  abdicate (=give up his position as king)  so that he could marry her. She then became the Duchess of Windsor.//


Words: Simpsons
Meaning:
The   a humorous US television  cartoon programme about a family called Simpson. The children argue and fight a lot. Their father loves his children but spends a lot of time watching TV, eating, and drinking beer. Many people think it shows the problems and worries that real families experience, which the ’perfect’ families in some other television shows do not.//


Words: simulacrum
Meaning:
n   plural  simulacra /-kr[hA353]/ [C + of]  formal //  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: simulare;   SIMULATE]//  something that is made to look like another thing//


Words: simulate
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: , past participle of  simulare  ’to copy’, from  similis;   SIMILAR]//\n  1 to make or produce something that is not real but has the appearance or feeling of being real:  --a machine that simulates conditions in space//  --Interviews can be simulated in the classroom.//\n  2  formal to pretend to have a feeling:  --He found it impossible to simulate grief.//


Words: simulated
Meaning:
adj   not real, but made to look, sound, or feel real//  --a simulated nuclear explosion//  --She looked at the report with simulated interest.//


Words: simulation
Meaning:
n   [U and C] the activity of producing conditions which are similar to real ones, especially in order to test something, or the conditions that are produced//  --a computer simulation used to train airline pilots//  simulation of//  --a simulation of a rainforest environment//


Words: simulator
Meaning:
n [C]   a machine that is used for training people by letting them feel what real conditions are like, for example in a plane//  --a flight simulator//


Words: simulcast
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  simulcast  [T usually passive]  AmE //  [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: simultaneous +  broadcast]//  to broadcast a programme on television and radio at the same time//  -- simulcast n  [C] //


Words: simultaneous
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: simultaneus, from  Latin simul  ’at the same time’]//  things that are simultaneous happen at exactly the same time//  --They grabbed each other’s hands in simultaneous panic.//  --Up to twenty users can have simultaneous access to the system.//  simultaneous with//  --The withdrawal of British troops should be simultaneous with that of US forces.//  --The speeches will be broadcast live, with simultaneous translation  (=immediate translation, as the person is speaking) into English.//  -- simultaneously adv //  --The opera will be broadcast simultaneously on television and radio.//


Words: sin
Meaning:
S2   n   [Language: Old English; Origin: synn]//\n  1 [U and C] an action that is against religious rules and is considered to be an offence against God:  sin of//  --the sin of pride//  --She needed to confess her sins and ask for forgiveness.//  --He knew that he had committed a terrible sin .//  the seven deadly sins (=seven bad feelings or desires, in the Christian religion) //\n  2  informal  a sin:  something that you think is very wrong//  it is a sin (to do sth)//  --There’s so much lovely food here, it would be a sin to waste it.//\n  3  live in sin:   old-fashioned if two people live in sin, they live together in a sexual relationship without being married//\n  4  as miserable/ugly/guilty as sin:   especially BrE  spoken very unhappy, ugly, or guilty//  --I saw Margaret this morning looking as miserable as sin.//\n  5  for my sins:   especially BrE  spoken an expression used to suggest jokingly that you have to do something as a punishment//  --I work at head office now, for my sins.//   sinful//    cover/hide a multitude of sins at multitude(4),  cardinal sin,  mortal sin,  original sin//\nsin 2   past tense and past participle  sinned present participle  sinning  v [I] //\n  1 to do something that is against religious rules and is considered to be an offence against God:  sin against//  --You have sinned against God.//\n  2  be more sinned against than sinning:   old-fashioned used to say that someone should not be blamed for what they have done wrong, because they have been badly treated by other people//\nsin 3  technical   the written abbreviation of sine //


Words: sin bin
Meaning:
n [singular]  BrE  informal   a place away from the playing area where players in some sports, for example  ice hockey, are sent if they break the rules//


Words: Sinai
Meaning:
the part of northeast Egypt to the east of the Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal//\n Mount   a mountain in Sinai in northeast Egypt on which, according to the Old Testament of the Bible,  Moses received the  Ten Commandments from God//


Words: Sinatra
Meaning:
Frank   (1915-98) a US singer and film actor, who first became successful in the 1940s, and is famous especially for the song  My Way. He is one of the most famous and successful singers of the 20th century.//


Words: Sinbad
Meaning:
Sindbad  the main character in the story of  Sinbad the Sailor from  The Arabian Nights, who has many adventures at sea//    Roc, the//    Old Man of the Sea, the//


Words: since
Meaning:
prep, conj, adv   [Language: Old English; Origin: siththan, from  sith tham  ’since that’]//\n  1 [generally used with a perfect tense in the main clause] from a particular time or event in the past until the present, or in that period of time:  --We’ve been waiting here since two o’clock.//  --I haven’t played rugby since I left university.//  --She left London ten years ago, and I haven’t seen her since.//  --The factory has been here since the 1970s.//  --It was exactly five years since her father had died.//  --Since the end of the war over five thousand prisoners have been released.//  --He lost his job five years ago, but has since found other work.//  --I left school in 1995, and since then I’ve lived in London.//  ever since (=all the time since) //  --We’ve been friends ever since we were at school together.//  --She’s been terrified of the sound of aircraft ever since the crash.//  --We came to the UK in 1974 and have lived here ever since.//\n  2 used to give the reason for something:  --Since you are unable to answer, perhaps we should ask someone else.//\n  3  since when?:   spoken used in questions to show that you are very surprised or angry//  --Since when have you been interested in my feelings?//\n  4  long since:  if something has long since happened, it happened a long time ago//  --I’ve long since forgiven her for what she did.//  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: since, for, during, over //  Use  since  to say that something started at a point in time in the past, and is still continuing : He has been living in Leeds since 1998. |  We’ve known about it since May.  //  Since is usually followed by a time expression (’last year’, ’this morning’, ’4 o’clock’ etc) or by the simple past tense. Use the present perfect or the past perfect in the other clause : I have loved movies since I first went to the cinema.| He had been seriously ill since Christmas. //  !!  Speakers of British English usually say  it is  a long time/two weeks etc  since ..., and speakers of American English  it has been  a long time/two weeks etc  since ..., but both uses are correct : It’s weeks (BrE)/It’s been weeks (AmE) since I saw Grandma. //  Use  for when you state the length of time that something has been happening : We have known each other for ten years (NOT since ten years). |  I had been waiting for hours (NOT since hours).| I haven’t seen him for ages (NOT since ages). //  During  and  over are used when you state the period of time in which something happens or changes : During her first year at college, she had several boyfriends. |  Over the last six months, crime has doubled. //  ----------//


Words: sincere
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: sincerus  ’clean, pure’]//\n  1 a feeling, belief, or statement that is sincere is honest and true, and based on what you really feel and believe:   genuine//  sincere thanks/thank you/gratitude //  --I would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me.//  --Please accept my sincere apologies .//  --his sincere desire to find out the truth//\n  2 someone who is sincere is honest and says what they really feel or believe:  → insincere//  --a warm-hearted, sincere man//  sincere in//  --They were obviously sincere in their beliefs.//  --I wasn’t sure that he was sincere in what he was saying.//


Words: sincerely
Meaning:
adv \n  1 if you feel or believe something sincerely, you really feel or believe it and are not just pretending:   truly//  --I sincerely hope I’ll see her again.//  --We are sincerely grateful for your help.//\n  2  (yours) sincerely:  an expression used to end a formal letter, especially one that you have begun by using someone’s name//


Words: sincerity
Meaning:
n [U]   when someone is sincere and really means what they are saying//  --I don’t doubt her sincerity, but I think she’s got her facts wrong.//  --May I say in all sincerity that we could not have achieved this much without your help and support.//


Words: Sinclair
Meaning:
Upton   (1878-1968) a US writer who wrote  The Jungle, a novel about the  meat-packing industry in Chicago, which showed that the workers were badly treated and the food was not clean and was likely to cause disease//


Words: sine
Meaning:
n [C]  technical   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: sinus, from  Latin;   SINUS]//  the fraction(2) calculated for an angle by dividing the length of the side opposite it in a  triangle that has a  right angle, by the length of the the side opposite the right angle//    cosine,  tangent//


Words: sine qua non
Meaning:
n [singular]  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Late Latin; Origin: ’without which not’]//  something that you must have, or which must exist, before something else can happen//  sine qua non for/of//  --The control of inflation is a sine qua non for economic stability.//


Words: sinecure
Meaning:
n [C]  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: sine cura  ’without cure (of souls), without the usual duties of a priest’]//  a job which you get paid for even though you do not have to do very much work//


Words: sinew
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: seono]//\n  1 a part of your body that connects a muscle to a bone:  --The sinews on his neck stood out like knotted string.//\n  2  the sinews of sth:   literary something that gives strength or support to a government, country, or system//  --They have begun building the sinews of an independent nation.//


Words: sinful
Meaning:
adj \n  1 against religious rules, or doing something that is against religious rules:    wicked//  --Dancing was believed to be sinful.//  --a wicked, sinful man//\n  2 very wrong or bad:  --a sinful waste of taxpayers’ money//  -- sinfully adv //


Words: sing
Meaning:
v   past tense  sang /s[zB024][hA26E]///  past participle  sung /s[hA356][hA26E]///  microphone, sheet music//  ----------//\n   1 with your voice:\n   2 birds:\n   3 high noise:\n   4 sing somebody’s praises:\n   5 sing a different tune:\n   6 be singing from the same hymn sheet/book:\n   7 give information:  Phrasal verbs//   sing along//   sing out//   sing up//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: singan]//\n  1 WITH YOUR VOICE:   [I and T] to produce a musical sound with your voice//  --She can sing beautifully.//  --Most children enjoy singing.//  --We had a great time singing some of the old songs .//  sing to//  --My mother used to sing to me when I was young.//  --He was singing to himself quietly.//  sing sb sth//  --Come on, sing us a song!//  --I’ve never been able to sing in tune  (=sing the correct notes) .//  --She patiently sang the baby to sleep .//    singing//\n  2 BIRDS:   [I] if birds sing, they produce high musical sounds//  --I could hear the birds singing outside my window.//\n  3 HIGH NOISE:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to make a high whistling sound//  --A kettle was singing on the stove.//  sing past//  --A bullet sang past my ear.//\n  4  sing sb’s praises:  to praise someone very much//  --Mrs Edwards was singing your praises today.//\n  5  sing a different tune:  to say something different from what you said before//  --You’re singing a different tune now!//\n  6  be singing from the same hymn sheet/book:  used to say that a group of people all have the same aims or all express the same opinion on a particular subject//  --Union representatives are all singing from the same hymn sheet on the issue of pay.//\n  7 GIVE INFORMATION:   [I]  informal to tell people everything you know about a crime when they ask you questions about it - used especially by criminals and the police//  --I think he’ll sing.//  sing along phr v//  to sing with someone else who is already singing//  --Sing along if you know the words.//  sing along to//  --Jess was singing along to the radio.//  sing out phr v//\n  1  sing out (sth):  to shout or sing some words clearly and loudly//  --’Freeze!’ a shrill voice sang out.//\n  2  AmE to sing loudly so that people can hear you easily:  sing up phr v//  to sing more loudly//  --Sing up, boys, I can’t hear you!//


Words: Sing a song of sixpence
Meaning:
a  nursery rhyme (=an old song or poem for young children)  which starts: Sing a song of sixpence,/A pocket full of rye;/Four-and-twenty blackbirds/Baked in a pie./When the pie was opened,/The birds began to sing,/Wasn’t that a dainty dish/To set before the King?//


Words: Singapore
Meaning:
a small country on an island in southeast Asia, between Malaysia and Indonesia. Population: 4,300,000 (2001). Capital: Singapore City. Singapore is an important business, industrial, and financial centre.//  -- Singaporean n  adj //


Words: singe
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  singed present participle  singeing  [I and T] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: sengan]//  to burn the surface of something slightly, or to be burned slightly//  --The flames had singed her hair.//\nsinge 2 n [C]   a mark on the surface of something where it has been burnt slightly//


Words: Singer
Meaning:
Isaac Bashevis   (1904-91) a Jewish-American writer, born in Poland, who won the  Nobel Prize for Literature in 1978, and who is best known for his short stories and for his novel  The Slave. He wrote in  Yiddish and his work has been translated into many languages.//


Words: singer
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   someone who sings//  pop/opera/folk etc singer //  --her favourite pop singer//  --a famous Italian opera singer//  --the lead singer  (=main singer) of Slade//  --Tina Turner’s backing singers  (=people who sing with her) //


Words: Singin’ in the Rain
Meaning:
(1952) a very famous and popular US  musical (=a film that uses singing and dancing to tell a story)  in which Gene  Kelly and Debbie Reynolds appear. The film contains a famous scene in which Gene Kelly dances in the street while it is raining, and sings "Singin’ in the Rain". //


Words: singing
Meaning:
n [U]   the activity of producing musical sounds with your voice//  --He entered the Royal College of Music to study singing.//


Words: single
Meaning:
W1S2   adj   ----------//\n   1 one:\n   2 every single:\n   3 not a single:\n   4 the single biggest/greatest etc:\n   5 not married:\n   6 single bed/room etc:\n   7 ticket:  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin singulus]//\n  1 ONE:   [only before noun] only one//  --A single tree gave shade from the sun.//  --They won the game by a single point.//  --the highest price ever paid for a single work of art//  --a single-sex school  (=one for only boys or girls) //\n  2  every single:  used to emphasize that you are talking about every person or thing//  --Don’t write down every single word I say.//  --He works every single day.//\n  3  not a single:  no people or things at all//  --The plane was brought down safely and not a single passenger was killed.//  --We didn’t get a single reply to the advertisement.//\n  4  the single biggest/greatest etc:  used to emphasize that you are talking about the one thing that is the biggest, greatest etc//  --Cigarette smoking is the single most important cause of lung cancer.//  --Tourism is the country’s single biggest earner.//\n  5 NOT MARRIED:  not married, or not involved in a romantic relationship with anyone//  --The changes in tax rates will benefit single people the most.//  --Is he single?//\n  6  single bed/room etc:  a bed, room etc that is meant to be used by one person only//  --You have to pay extra for a single room.//\n  7 TICKET:   BrE a single ticket etc is for a trip from one place to another but not back again//   one-way//    return, round-trip//\nsingle 2 n [C]   ----------//\n   1 music:\n   2 sport:\n   3 tennis:\n   4 not married:\n   5 ticket:\n   6 money:\n   7 room:  ----------//\n  1 MUSIC:  a CD that has only one song on it, not a number of songs, or a song which is sold in this way//  --Have you heard their latest single?//\n  2 SPORT:  a) one run2 in a game of cricket//  b) a hit that allows the person who is hitting the ball to reach first base in a game of baseball//\n  3 TENNIS:   singles [U] a game, especially in tennis, in which one person plays on their own against another person//  --I prefer playing singles .//  --Who won the women’s singles?//    doubles at double2 (3)//\n  4 NOT MARRIED:   singles [plural] people who are not married and are not involved in a romantic relationship with anyone//  --The show is especially popular among young singles.//  --a singles night at the club//\n  5 TICKET:   BrE a ticket for a trip from one place to another but not back again//    return//  --A single to Oxford, please.//\n  6 MONEY:   AmE a piece of paper money worth one dollar//  --Anybody have five singles?//\n  7 ROOM:  a room in a hotel for just one person//  --I’m afraid we haven’t got any singles available.//\nsingle 3 v   single out [single sb/sth → out] phr v//  to choose one person or thing from among a group because they are better, worse, more important etc than the others//  single somebody/something → out for//  --I don’t see why he should be singled out for special treatment.//  single somebody/something → out as//  --One programme was singled out as being particularly good.//


Words: single combat
Meaning:
n [U]   when one person, usually a soldier, fights against one other person//  --He had already defeated an enemy champion in single combat.//


Words: single currency
Meaning:
n [singular]   a unit of money that is shared by several different countries//  --Europe is moving steadily towards a single currency.//


Words: single figures
Meaning:
n [plural]   a number below 10//  in single figures//  --Interest rates have stayed in single figures for over a year now.//  --The number of cases of the disease is now down to single figures.//


Words: single file
Meaning:
n   in single file//  moving in a line, with one person behind another//  --We walked in single file across the bridge.//  -- single file adv //


Words: single honours
Meaning:
n [U]   a university degree course in Britain in which you study only one main subject//    joint honours//


Words: single market
Meaning:
n   the single market//  a group of countries in Europe that allow goods to be moved, bought, and sold between them with very few controls//


Words: single parent
Meaning:
n [C]   a mother or father who looks after their children on their own, without a partner//   lone parent//


Words: single-breasted
Meaning:
adj   a single-breasted jacket or suit has only one set of buttons down the front//    double-breasted//


Words: single-decker
Meaning:
also  single decker n [C]  BrE   a bus with only one level//    double-decker(1)//  -- single-decker adj  [only before noun] //  --a single-decker bus//


Words: single-handedly
Meaning:
adv  also single-handed   if one person does something single-handedly, they do it without help from anyone else//  --She brought up three children single-handedly.//  -- single-handed adj  [only before noun] //  --a single-handed voyage across the Atlantic//


Words: single-minded
Meaning:
adj   someone who is single-minded has one clear aim and works very hard to achieve it//  --a tough, single-minded lady//  --He worked with single-minded determination.//  -- single-mindedly adv //  -- single-mindedness n  [U] //


Words: singleness
Meaning:
n  formal   singleness of purpose//  great determination when you are working to achieve something//


Words: singlet
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   a piece of clothing that you wear for sport which covers the top part of your body but not your arms//


Words: singsong
Meaning:
n \n  1 [singular] a way of speaking in which your voice keeps rising and falling:  --I recognized her soft singsong immediately.//\n  2 [C]  BrE an informal occasion when people sing songs together:  American Equivalent:  singalong//  --We had a bit of a singsong later.//  -- singsong adj //  --a singsong voice//


Words: singular
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: singuler, from  Latin singularis, from  singulus;   SINGLE1]//\n  1 a singular noun, verb, form etc is used when writing or speaking about one person or thing:    plural//  --the singular form of the noun//  --If the subject is singular, use a singular verb.//\n  2 [usually before noun]  formal very great or very noticeable:  --He showed a singular lack of tact in the way he handled the situation.//  --a singular achievement//\n  3  literary very unusual or strange:  --I wondered why she was behaving in so singular a fashion.//\nsingular 2 n   the singular//  the form of a word used when writing or speaking about one person or thing//    plural//  --’Datum’ is the singular of ’data’.//  in the singular//  --Should the verb be in the singular or the plural?//


Words: singularity
Meaning:
n   plural  singularities //\n  1 [C]  technical an extremely small point in space that contains an extremely large amount of material and which does not obey the usual laws of nature, for example a black hole or the point at the beginning of the universe:\n  2 [U]  old-fashioned the quality of something that makes it unusual or strange:  --He had an attractive singularity of viewpoint.//


Words: singularly
Meaning:
adv  formal   in a way that is very noticeable or unusual//  --a singularly foolish plan//  --He has singularly failed to live up to his promises.//


Words: Sinhalese
Meaning:
n   plural  Sinhalese //  [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Sanskrit; Origin: Simhala  ’Sri Lanka’]//\n  1 [C] someone who belongs to the race of people that forms the largest part of the population in Sri Lanka:\n  2 [U] the language used by the Sinhalese:  -- Sinhalese adj //


Words: sinister
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: sinistre, from  Latin sinister  ’left-handed, unlucky’]//  making you feel that something evil, dangerous, or illegal is happening or will happen//  there is sth/nothing sinister about sb/sth //  --There was something sinister about Mr Scott’s death.//  --There is a sinister side to these events.//  --He was a handsome man in a sinister sort of way.//  --a sinister atmosphere//


Words: sink
Meaning:
W3   v   past tense  sank /s[zB024][hA26E]k/past participle  sunk /s[hA356][hA26E]k///  ----------//\n   1 in water:\n   2 boat:\n   3 move lower:\n   4 fall/sit down:\n   5 get worse:\n   6 your heart sinks:\n   7 lower amount/value:\n   8 voice:\n   9 sinking feeling:\n  10 be sunk:\n  11 sink without trace:\n  12 sink so low:\n  13 use something sharp:\n  14 dig into ground:\n  15 sink or swim:\n  16 money:\n  17 ball:\n  18 sink your differences:\n  19 drink:  Phrasal verbs//   sink in//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: sincan]//\n  1 IN WATER:   [I] to go down below the surface of water, mud etc//  → float//  --Their motorboat struck a rock and began to sink.//  --The kids watched as the coin sank to the bottom of the pool.//  --The heavy guns sank up to their barrels in the mud.//\n  2 BOAT:   [T] to damage a ship so badly that it sinks//  --A luxury yacht was sunk in a bomb attack yesterday.//\n  3 MOVE LOWER:   [I] to move downwards to a lower level//  --The sun was sinking behind the coconut palms.//  --Her chin sank onto her chest, and she looked despairing.//\n  4 FALL/SIT DOWN:   [I] to fall down or sit down heavily, especially because you are very tired and weak//  sink into/to/down/back etc//  --She let out a groan and sank into a chair.//  --He let go of her shoulders and she sank at once to the floor.//  --Marion sank down on a rock, and wept.//  --The minister sank to his knees  (=he went down into a kneeling position) and prayed.//\n  5 GET WORSE:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to gradually get into a worse condition//  sink into//  --They lost all their money and sank into desperate poverty.//  --The good mood left me and I sank into depression.//  --The doctor said that the boy was sinking fast  (=getting weaker and about to die) .//\n  6  your heart sinks:   also your spirits sink //  used to say that you lose hope or confidence//  --His heart sank the way it always did when she left him.//  --She felt desperately tired, and her spirits sank.//\n  7 LOWER AMOUNT/VALUE:   [I] to go down in amount or value//   drop//  → rise//  --Shares in the company have sunk as low as 620p.//  sink to//  --The population of the village sank to just a few families.//\n  8 VOICE:   [I]  written if your voice sinks, it becomes very quiet//  sink to/into//  --Her voice sank to a whisper.//\n  9  sinking feeling:   informal the unpleasant feeling that you get when you suddenly realize that something bad is going to happen//  --I had a sinking feeling inside as I realized I was going to fail yet again.//\n  10  be sunk:   spoken to be in a situation where you are certain to fail or have a lot of problems//  --If I don’t get paid by next week, I’ll really be sunk.//\n  11  sink without trace:   especially BrE  also sink like a stone  especially AmE //  if something sinks without trace, it fails quickly or no one pays attention to it//  --He made a few records which all sank without trace.//\n  12  sink so low:   also sink to doing sth //  to be dishonest enough or selfish enough to do something very bad or unfair//   stoop//  --How could he have sunk so low?//\n  13 USE SOMETHING SHARP:   [T] to put your teeth or something sharp into someone’s flesh, into food etc//  sink sth into sth//  --The dog sank its teeth into my arm.//  --She sank her fork into the pie.//\n  14 DIG INTO GROUND:   [T] if you sink something such as a well or part of a building, you dig a hole to put it into the ground//  --A well was sunk in the back garden, and water could be pumped up into the kitchen.//\n  15  sink or swim:  to succeed or fail without help from anyone else//  --They don’t give you a lot of guidance - you’re just left to sink or swim, really.//\n  16 MONEY:   [T] to spend a lot of money on something//  sink sth in/into sth//  --They sank their entire savings into their house.//\n  17 BALL:   [T] to put a ball into a hole or basket in games such as golf or basketball//\n  18  sink your differences:   BrE to agree to stop arguing and forget about your disagreements, especially in order to unite and oppose someone else//  --Nations must sink their differences to achieve greater security.//\n  19 DRINK:   [T]  BrE  informal to drink alcohol, especially in large quantities//  --We sank a few pints at the pub first.//  sink in phr v//  if information, facts etc sink in, you gradually understand them or realize their full meaning//  --He paused a moment for his words to sink in.//  --The implications of Labour’s defeat were beginning to sink in.//\nsink 2 n [C]   a large open container that you fill with water and use for washing yourself, washing dishes etc//    basin//  --Dirty plates were piled high in the sink.//\nsink 3 adj   sink estate/school//   BrE an area where people live or a school that is in a very bad condition and seems unlikely to improve//  --Go to almost any city and you find sink estates where you get the feeling that the council hates the place and the people too.//


Words: Sinn Fein
Meaning:
an Irish political party, active especially in Northern Ireland, which wants Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland. It is sometimes called the ’political wing of the IRA’. From the mid-1990s, Sinn Fein had an active part in the ’peace process’ (=the attempts to achieve a peaceful solution to the problems of Northern Ireland)  under its president Gerry  Adams. //


Words: Sino-
Meaning:
prefix [in nouns and adjectives]   [Language: French; Origin: Late Latin Sinae  ’Chinese’]//\n  1 Chinese and something else:  --Sino-Japanese trade//\n  2 relating to China:  --a sinologist (=someone who studies Chinese culture, language, history etc) //


Words: sinuous
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: sinuosus, from  sinus;   SINUS]//\n  1 moving with smooth twists and turns, like a snake:  --the sinuous grace of a cat//\n  2 with many smooth twists and turns:  --They followed the sinuous trail deep into the mountains.//  -- sinuously adv //


Words: sinus
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Latin,  ’curve, fold, hollow place’]//  your sinuses are the spaces in the bones of your head that are connected to the inside of your nose//  --blocked sinuses//  --a sinus infection//


Words: sip
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  sipped present participle  sipping  [I and T] //  [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Perhaps from  sup  ’to drink in small mouthfuls’ (11-21 centuries), from  Old English supan]//  to drink something slowly, taking very small mouthfuls//  --She was sitting at the table sipping her coffee.//  sip at//  --He sipped at his wine with pleasure.//\nsip 2 n [C]   a very small amount of a drink//  sip of//  --a sip of water//  --She poured more wine and took a sip .//


Words: siphon
Meaning:
also  syphon BrE   n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: Latin sipho  ’pipe, tube’, from  Greek siphon]//\n  1 a bent tube used for getting liquid out of a container, used by holding one end of the tube at a lower level than the end in the container:\n  2  also soda siphon :  a type of bottle for holding soda water, which is forced out of the bottle using gas pressure//\nsiphon 2  also  syphon BrE v [T always + adverb/preposition] \n  1  also siphon sth → off/out :  to remove liquid from a container by using a siphon//  --It took him only a few minutes to siphon off the petrol and drive away.//  siphon sth out of/from sth//  --Crews began siphoning oil from the leaking boat.//\n  2  also siphon sth → off :  to dishonestly take money from a business, account etc to use it for a purpose for which it was not intended//  --Emergency aid was siphoned off by foreign ministry officials for their own use.//  siphon sth from sth//  --I found she had siphoned thousands of dollars from our bank account.//


Words: sipping lid
Meaning:
n [C]   a plastic cover with a small hole in it that you put on a cup of coffee, tea etc, so that you can drink from the cup while walking, travelling etc//


Words: sir
Meaning:
W3   n   [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  SIRE1]//\n  1  spoken used when speaking to a man in order to be polite or show respect:  --’Report back to me in an hour, sergeant.’ ’Yes, sir.’//  --Can I help you, sir?//  --Sir! You dropped your wallet.//    madam(1),  BrE  ma’am AmE //\n  2  Dear Sir/Sirs:  used at the beginning of a formal letter to a man or to people you do not know//\n  3  Sir:  a title used before the first name of a knight or baronet//  --Sir Paul McCartney//  --Sir Jasper//\n  4  BrE  spoken used by children at school when speaking to or talking about a male teacher:  --Sir, I’ve forgotten my homework.//  --Look out - sir’s coming back!//    miss2 (4)//\n  5  no/yes sir!:   also no/yes siree!  especially AmE //   old-fashioned  spoken used to emphasize a statement or an answer to a question//  --I will not have that man in my home, no sir!//


Words: Sir Alec Guinness
Meaning:
(1914- 2000) a British actor in films and in the theatre, whose best-known films are  The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957),  Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and  Star Wars (1977)//


Words: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Meaning:
a long English poem written in the 14th century by an unknown poet. It is about Gawain, a brave  knight in the time of King  Arthur, and his adventures with a mysterious green knight.//    Arthurian Legend//


Words: Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
Meaning:
(1934-) a British  composer of modern  classical music. His works include the  operas Taverner (1972),  The Martyrdom of St Magnus (1977),  The Lighthouse (1980), and  Resurrection (1987).//


Words: sire
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin senior  ’older’]//\n  1  old use used when speaking to a king:  --The people await you, sire.//\n  2 [C usually singular] the father of a four-legged animal, especially a horse:\nsire 2 v [T] \n  1 to be the father of an animal, especially a horse or dog:  --a stallion that has sired several race winners//\n  2  old-fashioned to be the father of a child:  --Sam sired eight children.//


Words: siren
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: sereine, from  Latin siren, from  Greek seiren;]//  [Sense: 1; Origin: French sir[hA169]ne, from  Old French sereine]//\n  1 a piece of equipment that makes very loud warning sounds, used on police cars, fire engines etc:  --the wail of the ambulance sirens//  --I heard police sirens in the distance.//\n  2  siren voices/song/call:   literary encouragement to do something that seems very good, especially when this could have bad results//  --siren voices calling for the sale of weapons to the region//\n  3 a woman who is very attractive but also dangerous to men - used especially in newspapers:  --a Hollywood siren//\n  4  the Sirens:  a group of women in ancient Greek stories, whose beautiful singing made sailors sail towards them into dangerous water//


Words: Sirhan Sirhan
Meaning:
(1944- ) a man from Jordan who murdered the US politician Robert F.  Kennedy, the brother of President John F. Kennedy, in 1968, when Robert Kennedy was trying to become president//


Words: sirloin
Meaning:
n  also sirloin steak  [U and C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: surlonge, from  sur  ’above’ +  loigne,  longe (  LOIN)]//  a good quality piece of beef which is cut from the lower part of a cow’s back//


Words: sirocco
Meaning:
n   plural  siroccos  [C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Italian; Origin: scirocco, from  Arabic sharq  ’east’]//  a hot wind that blows from the desert of North Africa across to southern Europe//


Words: sis
Meaning:
n  spoken  informal   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: sister]//  a name used when speaking to your sister//


Words: sisal
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Mexican Spanish; Origin: Sisal Mexican port]//  a Central American plant whose leaves produce strong fibres, also called sisal, which are used in making rope//


Words: Sissinghurst
Meaning:
a castle in Kent, southern England, with beautiful gardens, which were designed by its owner, the writer Vita Sackville-West//


Words: sissy
Meaning:
cissy/s[hA366]si/ n [C]  informal  not polite   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: sister]//  a boy that other boys dislike because he prefers doing things that girls enjoy//  --He wanted to go to dance classes, but he was afraid the other boys would call him a sissy.//  -- sissy adj //


Words: sister
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: sweostor]//\n  1 a girl or woman who has the same parents as you:    brother, half-sister, step-sister//  --Janet and Abby are sisters.//  --He has two sisters and a brother.//  older/big sister //  --My older sister is a nurse.//  younger/little sister //  --Where’s your little sister?//  --She’s my twin sister .//\n  2  sister paper/publication/company etc:  a newspaper etc that belongs to the same group or organization//  --the Daily Post’s sister paper, the Liverpool Echo//\n  3  also  Sister:  a nun//  --Good morning, Sister Mary.//\n  4  BrE  also Sister :  a nurse in charge of a hospital ward//  --the ward sister //  --I’m feeling a bit better today, Sister.//\n  5 a word used by women to talk about other women and to show that they have feelings of friendship and support towards them:  --We appeal to our sisters all over the world to stand by us.//\n  6  AmE  spoken a way of talking to or about an African-American woman, used especially by African Americans:


Words: sister-in-law plural
Meaning:
sisters-in-law  n [C] \n  1 the sister of your husband or wife:\n  2 your brother’s wife:\n  3 the wife of the brother of your husband or wife:


Words: sisterhood
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] a special loyal relationship among women who share the same ideas and aims, especially among feminists:  --the special bond of sisterhood that joins women together//\n  2 [C] a group of women who live a religious life together:  --the Christian sisterhood//


Words: sisterly
Meaning:
adj   typical of a loving sister//  --She gave Lee a sisterly kiss.//  --Their friendship can best be described as sisterly.//


Words: Sistine Chapel
Meaning:
the Sistine Chapel//  a  chapel in the Vatican, Rome, famous for the paintings on its ceiling done by  Michaelangelo, which many people consider one of the most impressive works of art in Europe//


Words: Sisulu
Meaning:
Walter   (1912- ) a South African  civil rights worker and the first full-time Secretary General of the African National Congress. He was in prison for 25 years for his opposition to  apartheid.//


Words: Sisyphus
Meaning:
in ancient Greek stories, an evil king whose punishment after death was to roll a very large stone to the top of a steep hill. Each time he got near to the top of the hill, the stone rolled down to the bottom, and he had to start again, and he had to continue doing this for ever. A very difficult job that seems impossible to finish is sometimes described as a ’Sisyphean task’.//


Words: sit
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  sat /s[zB024]t///  present participle  sitting //  ----------//\n   1 in a chair etc:\n   2 objects/buildings etc:\n   3 do nothing:\n   4 committee/parliament etc:\n   5 meeting:\n   6 animal/bird:\n   7 look after:\n   8 sit tight:\n   9 be sitting pretty:\n  10 sit in judgment (on/over somebody):\n  11 not sit well/easily/comfortably (with somebody):\n  12 sit on the fence:\n  13 sit on your hands:\n  14 exams:\n  15 picture/photo:  Phrasal verbs//   sit around//   sit back//   sit by//   sit down//   sit in//   sit in for somebody//   sit on something//   sit something → out//   sit through something//   sit up//  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: sittan]//\n  1 IN A CHAIR ETC:  a)  also be sitting down //   [I] to be on a chair or seat, or on the ground, with the top half of your body upright and your weight resting on your buttocks//  sit on/in/by etc//  --I sat on the shore and looked at the sea.//  --She was sitting in a chair by the fire.//  --She’s the girl who sits next to me at school.//  --In the driving seat sat a man of average height.//  sit at a desk/table etc (=sit facing it) //  --Jean sat at the table writing a letter.//  sit doing sth//  --They sat sipping their drinks.//  --We used to sit and listen to her for hours.//  --She wandered round all morning, unable to sit still .//  --She was sitting upright in her chair.//  --He was sitting cross-legged on the floor.//  b)  also sit down //   [I always + adverb/preposition] to get into a sitting position somewhere after you have been standing up//  --He came over and sat beside her.//  --Sam sat opposite her and accepted a cigarette.//  c)  also sit sb down //   [T always + adverb/preposition] to make someone sit or help them to sit//  sit sb on/in etc sth//  --I gently led her to the chair and sat her on it.//\n  2 OBJECTS/BUILDINGS ETC:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to be in a particular position or condition//  sit on/in etc//  --a little church sitting on a hillside//  --The parliament building sits in a large square.//  --He’s got a computer sitting on his desk, but he doesn’t use it.//  --My climbing boots were sitting unused in a cupboard.//  --The house has sat empty for two years.//\n  3 DO NOTHING:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to stay in one place for a long time, especially sitting down, doing nothing useful or helpful//  --I spent half the morning sitting in a traffic jam.//  --Well, I can’t sit here chatting all day.//  --Are you just going to sit there complaining?//\n  4 COMMITTEE/PARLIAMENT ETC:   [I] to be a member of a committee, parliament, or other official group//  sit in/on//  --They both sat on the management committee.//  --He was the first journalist to sit in parliament.//\n  5 MEETING:   [I] to have a meeting in order to carry out official business//  --The council only sits once a month.//  --The court will sit until all the evidence has been heard.//\n  6 ANIMAL/BIRD:   [I always + adverb/preposition] //  a) to be in, or get into, a resting position, with the tail end of the body resting on a surface//  --The cat likes to sit on the wall outside the kitchen.//  b)  Sit!//  used to tell a dog to sit with the tail end of its body resting on the ground or floor//  c) if a bird sits on its eggs, it covers them with its body to make the eggs hatch//\n  7 LOOK AFTER:   [I + for] to look after a baby or child while its parents are out//   babysit//\n  8  sit tight:   spoken //  a) to stay where you are and not move//  --Just sit tight - I’ll be there in five minutes.//  b) to stay in the same situation, and not change your mind and do anything new//  --We’re advising all our investors to sit tight till the market improves.//\n  9  be sitting pretty:  to be in a very good or favourable position//  --We’ve paid off the mortgage, so we’re sitting pretty now.//\n  10  sit in judgment (on/over sb):  to give your opinion about whether someone has done something wrong, especially when you have no right to do this//  --How can you sit in judgement on somebody you hardly know?//\n  11  not sit well/easily/comfortably (with sb):  if a situation, plan etc does not sit well with someone, they do not like it//  --He had never before been accused of stealing, and it did not sit well with him.//\n  12  sit on the fence:  to avoid saying which side of an argument you support or what your opinion is about a particular subject//  --The weakness of the book is that it sits on the fence on important issues.//\n  13  sit on your hands:  to delay taking action when you should do something//  --Workers are losing their jobs while the government sits on its hands and does nothing.//\n  14 EXAMS:   [I and T]  BrE to take an examination//  --Tracy’s sitting her GCSEs this year.//  sit for//  --They were preparing children to sit for the entry examination.//\n  15 PICTURE/PHOTO:   [I] to sit somewhere so that you can be painted or photographed//  sit for//  --She sat for (=was painted by) Holman Hunt and Millais.//  sit around phr v//  to spend a lot of time sitting and doing nothing very useful//  --We sat around for a bit, chatting.//  sit back phr v//\n  1 to get into a comfortable position, for example in a chair, and relax:  -- Sit back and relax - I’ll open a bottle of wine.//\n  2 to relax and make no effort to get involved in something or influence what happens:  --Don’t just sit back and wait for new business to come to you.//  sit by phr v//  to allow something wrong or illegal to happen without doing anything about it//  --I’m not going to sit by and watch a man go to prison for something I’ve done.//  sit down phr v//\n  1 to be in a sitting position or get into a sitting position:  --It was good to be sitting down eating dinner with my family.//  --Sit down, Amy - you look tired.//  sit yourself down//  --Sit yourself down and have a drink.//\n  2  sit sb down:  to make someone sit down or help them to sit down//  sit somebody down in/on//  --I helped her into the room and sat her down in an armchair.//\n  3  sit down and do sth:  to try to solve a problem or deal with something that needs to be done, by giving it all your attention//  --The three of us need to sit down and have a talk.//  --Sit down and work out just what you spend.//  sit in phr v//  to be present at a meeting but not take an active part in it//  sit in on//  --Would you like to sit in on some of my interviews?//  sit in for [sit in for sb] phr v//  to do a job, go to a meeting etc instead of the person who usually does it//  --This is Alan James sitting in for Suzy Williams on the mid-morning show.//  sit on [sit on sth] phr v//  to delay dealing with something//  --I sent my application about six weeks ago and they’ve just been sitting on it.//  sit out [sit sth → out] phr v//\n  1 to stay where you are and do nothing until something finishes, especially something boring or unpleasant:  --She had two weeks to sit it out while she waited to hear if she had got the job.//  --She was prepared to sit out the years of Jack’s jail sentence.//\n  2 to not take part in something, especially a game or dance, when you usually take part:  --Johnson sat out the game with a shoulder injury.//  sit through [sit through sth] phr v//  to attend a meeting, performance etc, and stay until the end, even if it is very long and boring//  --I wasn’t the least bit interested in all the speeches I had to sit through.//  sit up phr v//\n  1 to be in a sitting position or get into a sitting position after you have been lying down:  --He was sitting up in bed, reading his book.//  --She sat up and reached for her glass.//\n  2  sit sb up:  to help someone to sit after they have been lying down//  sit somebody up in/on etc//  --I’ll sit you up on the pillows and you’ll be nice and comfortable.//\n  3 to sit in a chair with your back straight:  --Just sit up straight and stop slouching.//\n  4 to stay up very late:  --Sometimes we just sit up and watch videos all night.//\n  5  sit up (and take notice):  to suddenly start paying attention to someone, because they have done something surprising or impressive//  --If Maria succeeded, then everyone would sit up and take notice.//  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: sit, sit down, sit in/on, seat //  You usually use  sit down  rather than  sit to say that someone moves into a sitting position : Everyone sat down to listen. //  You use  sit when you mention where someone sits down : She sat next to me. |  Where shall I sit? //  !!  You  sit on  or  sit in a chair, depending on whether it is flat and simple or soft and comfortable : We sat on barstools. |  He sat in his favourite armchair.  You  sit on  flat things such as a bench, the floor, or the grass. You  sit in a room, a corner, long grass, a tree, or a seat in a car : I get travel sick when I sit in the back. //  !!  To tell someone to sit down, say ’Sit down’ ,  ’Have a seat’ , or in very formal situations, ’Be seated’ . You usually only say ’Sit!’  to a dog. //  ----------//


Words: sit-in
Meaning:
n [C]   a type of protest in which people refuse to leave the place where they work or study until their demands are agreed to//  hold/stage a sit-in //  --Several thousand students staged sit-ins and protest marches.//


Words: sit-up
Meaning:
BrE  situp AmE   n [C]   an exercise to make your stomach muscles strong in which you sit up from a lying position, while keeping your feet on the floor//    crunch//  --Jerry says he does two hundred sit-ups a day.//


Words: sitar
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Hindi]//  a very long musical instrument from India similar to a guitar, with two sets of strings and a round body//


Words: sitcom
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: situation comedy]//  situation comedy a funny television programme in which the same characters appear in different situations each week//


Words: site
Meaning:
W2   n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin situs, from  sinere  ’to leave, put’]//\n  1 a place where something important or interesting happened:  --an archaeological site//  site of//  --The house is built on the site of a medieval prison.//  --the site of the air crash//\n  2 an area of ground where something is being built or will be built:  site of/for//  --the site of a proposed missile base//  --a site for a new airport//  building/construction site //  --He managed to get himself a job on a building site.//\n  3 a place that is used for a particular purpose:  --a camping site //  site of/for//  --a nesting site for birds//\n  4 a website:\n  5  on site:  at the place where people work, study, or stay//  --There’s a bar, restaurant, and gym on site.//\nsite 2 v [T usually passive]   to place or build something in a particular place//  be sited in/on/at/near etc sth//  --Some of this new housing has been sited in inner city areas.//


Words: site-specific
Meaning:
adj   designed and made to to be used in a particular place, or relating to a particular place//  --a site-specific policy//


Words: sitter
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  especially AmE a babysitter:\n  2 someone who sits or stands while someone else paints them or takes photographs of them:


Words: sitting
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 one of the times when a meal is served in a place where there is not enough space for everyone to eat at the same time:  --School dinners are served in three sittings.//\n  2  at/in one sitting:  during one continuous period when you are sitting in a chair//  --I sat down and read the whole book in one sitting.//\n  3 an occasion when you have yourself painted or photographed:\n  4 a meeting of a law court or parliament:


Words: Sitting Bull
Meaning:
(1834-90) a  native American chief of the  Sioux tribe who helped  Crazy Horse to win a victory over General  Custer ’s army of US soldiers in the battle at the  Little Bighorn in 1876. He later performed in  Buffalo Bill ’s Wild West Show.//


Words: sitting duck
Meaning:
also sitting target  n [C]   someone who is easy to attack or easy to cheat//  --Out in the open, the soldiers were sitting ducks for enemy fire.//


Words: sitting member
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   someone who is a member of a parliament at the present time//  --the sitting member for Newbury//


Words: sitting room
Meaning:
n [C]  especially BrE   the room in a house where you sit, relax, watch television etc//   living room//


Words: sitting tenant
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   someone who lives in a rented house or flat, especially when this gives them legal rights to stay there//


Words: situate
Meaning:
v [T]  formal   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: , past participle of  situare, from  Latin situs;   SITE1]//  to describe or consider something as being part of something else or related to something else//  situate sth in sth//  --The women have the opportunity to situate their own struggles in a wider historical context.//


Words: situated
Meaning:
adj   be situated//  to be in a particular place or position//   located//  be situated in/near/at etc//  --The house is situated near the college.//  --a farm situated in the valley//  conveniently/ideally/beautifully etc situated //  --The hotel is ideally situated near the sea-front.//


Words: situation
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a combination of all the things that are happening and all the conditions that exist at a particular time in a particular place:  --I explained the situation.//  in a ... situation//  --She coped well  in a difficult situation .//  --Schoolchildren must be taught to deal with dangerous situations .//  --We were in an impossible situation - whatever we did, someone would be upset.//  --a long analysis of the political situation //  --I cannot put up with the current situation one day longer.//  --Some companies are taking measures to improve this situation .//  --The district judge had assessed the situation .//  --This situation has arisen as a result of our serious staffing shortages.//  --From that day onwards the situation worsened .//\n  2 the type of area where a building is situated - used especially by people who sell or advertise buildings:   location//  --The house is in a charming situation, on a wooded hillside.//\n  3  old-fashioned a job:  --She managed to get a situation as a parlour maid.//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  in a ... situation //  difficult/dangerous/tricky etc situation //  impossible situation (=one that is very difficult to deal with) //  economic/political/financial etc situation //  present/current situation //  improve/remedy a situation //  assess/monitor/review a situation //  defuse a situation (=stop a situation from being difficult or tense) //  a situation arises (=it happens) //  a situation worsens/deteriorates/improves //  a no-win situation (=a situation in which no one can get what they want) //  a win-win situation (=a situation in which everyone gets what they want) //  ----------//


Words: Siva
Meaning:
also Shiva   one of the three main gods in the Hindu religion. People see him as both "the Destroyer" and "the Creator" of the universe //    Brahma//    Vishnu//


Words: six
Meaning:
number, n   [Language: Old English; Origin:]//\n  1 the number 6:  --six months ago//  --She arrived just after six (=six o’clock) .//  --He learnt to play the violin when he was six (=six years old) .//\n  2  six figures/digits:  used to talk about a number that is between 100,000 and 1,000,000//  --The final cost of the project will easily run into six figures  (=be over one hundred thousand pounds or dollars) .//\n  3  at sixes and sevens:   informal disorganised and confused//  --When the visitors arrived we were still at sixes and sevens.//\n  4  it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other:   spoken used to say that both people or groups who are involved in a situation are equally responsible for something bad that happens//  --In any family quarrel, it’s usually six of one and half a dozen of the other.//\n  5  knock/hit sb for six:   BrE  spoken to affect someone strongly in a bad way//  --Losing his job really knocked him for six.//\n  6 [C] a hit in cricket that scores six runs because the ball crosses the edge of the playing area before touching the ground:


Words: six-figure
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   used to describe a number that is 100,000 or more, especially an amount of money//  --a six-figure sum//  --a six-figure salary//


Words: six-pack
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 six cans or bottles of a drink, especially beer, sold together as a set:  --There’s a six-pack in the fridge.//  six-pack of//  --a six-pack of beer//\n  2 well-developed muscles that you can see on a man’s stomach - used humorously:


Words: sixfold
Meaning:
adv  formal   by six times as much or as many//  --Burglaries have increased sixfold .//  -- sixfold adj //  --a sixfold increase in teenage pregnancies//


Words: sixteen
Meaning:
number   [Language: Old English; Origin: sixtiene, from  six  ’six’ +  tien  ’ten’]//  the number 16//  --sixteen years later//  --He moved to London when he was sixteen (=sixteen years old) .//  -- sixteenth adj  pron //  --her sixteenth birthday//  --the sixteenth century//  --Let’s have dinner on the sixteenth  (=the sixteenth day of the month) .//


Words: sixteenth note
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a musical note which continues for a sixteenth of the length of a whole note//  British Equivalent:  semiquaver//


Words: sixth
Meaning:
adj   coming after five other things in a series//  --her sixth birthday//  --the sixth century//  -- sixth pron //  --Let’s have dinner on the sixth  (=the sixth day of the month) .//\nsixth 2 n [C]   one of six equal parts of something//  --About one sixth of the children admitted to taking drugs.//


Words: sixth form
Meaning:
n [C]   the highest level in the British school system. Children aged between 16 and 18 stay in the sixth form for two years while they prepare to take A levels (=the highest level of school exams) .//  -- sixth former n  [C] //


Words: sixth form college
Meaning:
n [C]   a type of school in Britain for students who are preparing to take A levels (=the highest level of school exams) //


Words: sixth sense
Meaning:
n [singular]   a special ability to know things without using any of your five ordinary senses such as your hearing or sight//  --He seemed to have a sixth sense for knowing when his brother was in trouble.//


Words: sixty
Meaning:
number   [Language: Old English; Origin: sixtig, from  six  ’six’]//\n  1 the number 60:  --sixty years ago//\n  2  the sixties [plural]  also the ’60s, the 1960s :  the years from 1960 to 1969//  --The book was written in the sixties.//  the early/late sixties //  --the student riots in Paris in the late sixties//\n  3  be in your sixties:  to be aged between 60 and 69//  early/mid/late sixties //  --I’d say she was in her late sixties.//\n  4  in the sixties:  if the temperature is in the sixties, it is between 60 degrees and 69 degrees//  in the low/mid/high sixties //  --a fine spring day, with the temperatures in the low sixties//  -- sixtieth adj  pron //  --her sixtieth birthday//


Words: Sixty Minutes
Meaning:
a US television news programme made by CBS, which deals with several subjects in detail in each programme//


Words: size
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 how big:\n   2 very big:\n   3 clothes/goods:\n   4 large-sized/medium-sized/pocket-size etc:\n   5 do something to size:\n   6 that’s about the size of it:\n   7 paste:  ----------//  [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: assise  ’sitting to make a legal judgment or a judgment on standard amounts’, from  asseoir  ’to seat’]//\n  1 HOW BIG:   [U and C] how big or small something is//  --He’s a small boy, about John’s size.//  --Jensens’ house is about the same size as ours.//  size of//  --The firm underestimated the size of the market for their new product.//  --I saw a spider the size of  (=the same size as) my hand in the backyard.//  --He’s quite a big dog, but he’s still not full size yet.//  in size//  --The apartment is roughly 360 square feet in size.//  (of) that/this size//   (=as big as that or this) //  --In a class this size, there are bound to be a few trouble-makers.//  --We can’t give loans of that size to just anyone.//  in all/different/various (shapes and) sizes //  --These phones come in all shapes and sizes.//  good/fair/nice size (=fairly big) //  --The breakfast room is a good size.//\n  2 VERY BIG:   [U] used to say that something is very big//  size of//  --I can’t believe the size of her car!//  --The sheer size of the classes makes learning difficult for students.//\n  3 CLOTHES/GOODS:   [C] one of a set of standard measures according to which clothes and other goods are produced and sold//  --These shoes are one size too big.//  --The shirts come in three sizes: small, medium, and large.//  --Do you have these pants in a size 12?//\n  4  large-sized/medium-sized/pocket-size etc:  of a particular size, or about the same size and shape as something//  --a medium-sized car//  --a pocket-size mirror//  good-sized/fair-sized/decent-sized (=big enough for a particular purpose) //\n  5  do sth to size:  if you cut, make, or prepare something to size, you make it the right size for a particular use//  --The materials will be provided, and everything is already cut to size.//\n  6  that’s about the size of it:   spoken used to agree that someone’s description of a situation is correct//\n  7 PASTE:   [U]  also  sizing//  a thick sticky liquid used for giving stiffness and a shiny surface to cloth, paper etc, or used to prepare walls for wallpaper//    cut sb down to size at cut down(6),  try sth on for size at try1 (2)//\nsize 2 v [T] \n  1 to sort things according to their size:  --Shrimp are sized and selected for canning.//\n  2 [usually passive] to make something into a particular size or sizes:  --Most costume patterns are sized for children.//\n  3 to put size1(7) on a wall before decorating:  size up [size sth/sb → up] phr v//  to look at or consider a person or situation and make a judgment about them//  --It only took a few seconds for her to size up the situation.//


Words: sizeable
Meaning:
sizable/sa[hA366]z[hA353]b[hA368]l/ adj   fairly large//  sizeable amount/number //  --a sizeable amount of money//  sizeable proportion/portion/minority (of sth) //  --Part-time students make up a sizeable proportion of the college population.//


Words: Sizewell
Meaning:
a  nuclear power station in Suffolk, eastern England. There are two power stations there, the older Sizewell A and the newer Sizewell B.//


Words: sizzle
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  From the sound]//  to make a sound like water falling on hot metal//  --The bacon began to sizzle in the pan.//


Words: sizzling
Meaning:
adj  especially AmE \n  1 very hot:   boiling//  --a sizzling afternoon//\n  2 very exciting, especially in a sexual way:  --a sizzling scandalous affair//


Words: skate
Meaning:
n   [Sense: 1-2,4; Date: 1600-1700; Language: Dutch; Origin: schaats  ’stilt, skate’, from  Old North French escache  ’stilt’]//  [Sense: 3; Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old Norse; Origin: skata]//\n  1 [C] one of a pair of boots with metal blades on the bottom, for moving quickly on ice:   ice skate//\n  2 [C] one of a pair of boots or frames with small wheels on the bottom, for moving quickly on flat smooth surfaces:   roller skate//\n  3 [U and C] :  plural  skate  or  skates a large flat sea fish that can be eaten//\n  4  get/put your skates on:   BrE  spoken used to tell someone to hurry//  --Put your skates on, or you’ll be late for school.//\nskate 2 v [I] \n  1 to move on skates:  --The children skated on the frozen pond.//\n  2  be skating on thin ice:   informal to be doing something that may get you into trouble//  -- skater n  [C] //  skate over/around [skate over/around sth] phr v//  to avoid mentioning a problem or subject, or not give it enough attention//  --The President was accused of skating over the issue of the homeless.//


Words: skateboard
Meaning:
n [C]   a short board with two small wheels at each end, which you can stand on and ride for fun or as a sport//  -- skateboarding n  [U] //  -- skateboarder n  [C] //


Words: skating
Meaning:
n [U]   the activity or sport of moving around on skates for fun or as a sport//  --We went skating in Central Park.//


Words: skedaddle
Meaning:
v [I]  spoken   to leave a place quickly, especially because you do not want to be caught - used humorously//


Words: skeet shooting
Meaning:
n [U]  AmE   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  skeet invented word, intended as an "old" form of  shoot; perhaps influenced by  Old Norse skjota  ’to shoot’]//  the sport of shooting at clay objects that have been thrown into the air//  British Equivalent:  clay pigeon shooting//


Words: skeeve
Meaning:
v  AmE  informal   skeeve out [skeeve sb out] phr v//  to make someone feel sick or upset because they think something is unpleasant//  --I hate touching raw meat. I just get skeeved out .//


Words: Skegness
Meaning:
a town on the east coast of England which is a popular place especially for  working class people from central England to go for a day or for their holidays//


Words: skein
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: escaigne]//\n  1 a long loosely wound piece of thread, wool, or yarn:\n  2  literary a complicated series of things that are related to each other:   web//  --a skein of lies//


Words: skeletal
Meaning:
adj \n  1 like a skeleton or relating to a skeleton:  --Police discovered the skeletal remains of a corpse buried near the river.//\n  2 someone who is skeletal is so thin that you can see their bones through their skin:  --prisoners whose clothes hung loosely on their skeletal bodies//


Words: skeleton
Meaning:
n   backbone, breastbone, collarbone, kneecap, pelvis, skull, spine, rib//  ----------//\n   1 bones:\n   2 basic parts:\n   3 thin person:\n   4 structure:\n   5 a skeleton in the closet:\n   6 skeleton staff/crew/service etc:\n   7 sport:  ----------//  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: Greek, from  skeletos  ’dried up’]//\n  1 BONES:   [C] //  a) the structure consisting of all the bones in a human or animal body//  --the human skeleton//  b) a set of these bones or a model of them, fastened in their usual positions, used for example by medical students//\n  2 BASIC PARTS:   [singular] the most important parts of something, to which more detail can be added later//  --We agreed on a skeleton outline of the proposal.//\n  3 THIN PERSON:   [C] an extremely thin person or animal//  --The disease had reduced Harry to a skeleton.//\n  4 STRUCTURE:   [C] the main structure that supports a building, bridge etc//  --Minutes after the explosion, all that remained was the skeleton of the bridge.//\n  5  a skeleton in the closet:   also a skeleton in the cupboard  BrE an embarrassing or unpleasant secret about something that happened to you in the past//\n  6  skeleton staff/crew/service etc:  only enough workers or services to keep an operation or organization running//  --The bus company is operating a skeleton service on Christmas Day.//\n  7 SPORT:   [C, singular] a sport in which you slide down a special ice track while lying on your front on a type of sledge, or the vehicle you slide on//    bobsleigh,  luge//


Words: skeptic
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Greek; Origin: skeptikos, from  skeptikos  ’thoughtful’, from  skeptesthai  ’to look, consider’]//  the American spelling of sceptic//


Words: sketch
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Dutch; Origin: schets, from  Italian schizzo, from  schizzare  ’to splash’]//\n  1 a simple, quickly-made drawing that does not show much detail:  sketch of//  --Cantor drew a rough sketch of his apartment on a napkin.//\n  2 a short humorous scene on a television programme, in a theatre etc, that is part of a larger show:  --Her TV programme is made up of a series of comic sketches.//\n  3 a short written or spoken description:  sketch of//  --a brief sketch of the main weaknesses of the British economy//  --a thumbnail sketch  (=very brief description) of topics treated in depth elsewhere//\nsketch 2 v \n  1 [I and T] to draw a sketch of something:\n  2  also  sketch out:   [T] to describe something in a general way, giving the basic ideas//  --Holford sketched a 10-year programme for rebuilding the city.//  sketch in [sketch in sth] phr v//  to add more information about something//  --I’d like to sketch in a few details for you.//


Words: sketchy
Meaning:
adj   not thorough or complete, and not having enough details to be useful//  -- Details of the accident are still sketchy .//


Words: skew
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old North French; Origin: escuer  ’to avoid’]//\n  1 if something skews the results of a test etc, it affects the results, making them incorrect:  --All the people we questioned lived in the same area, which had the effect of skewing the figures.//\n  2 to affect or influence someone’s ideas, actions, or judgment, especially in a way that makes the ideas etc not correct or fair:  --These assumptions about Communism skewed American foreign policy for decades.//


Words: skew-whiff
Meaning:
adj [not before noun]  BrE  spoken  informal   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: skew]//  not straight//   crooked//  --The top of the bookcase is skew-whiff.//


Words: skewed
Meaning:
adj \n  1 an opinion, piece of information, result etc that is skewed is incorrect, especially because it has been affected by a particular thing or because you do not know all the facts:  --The media’s coverage of the election has been skewed from the very beginning.//\n  2 something that is skewed is not straight and is higher on one side than the other:   crooked//  --The picture on the wall was slightly skewed.//


Words: skewer
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Perhaps from  skiver  ’skewer’ (15-19 centuries)]//  a long metal or wooden stick that is put through pieces of meat to hold them together while they are cooked//\nskewer 2 v [T] \n  1 to make a hole through a piece of food, an object etc with a skewer or with some other pointed object:\n  2 to criticize someone very strongly, often in a way that other people find humorous:  --Du Bois skewered Washington’s policies in his book, ’The Souls of Black Folks.’//


Words: ski
Meaning:
n   plural  skis  [C] //  ski, ski pole//  [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Norwegian; Origin: Old Norse skith  ’stick of wood, ski’]//\n  1 one of a pair of long thin narrow pieces of wood or plastic that you fasten to your boots and use for moving on snow or on water:  --ski slopes//  --a ski resort (=where people can go skiing) //\n  2 a long thin narrow piece of strong material, fastened under a small vehicle so that it can travel on snow:\nski 2   past tense and past participle  skied present participle  skiing third person singular  skis  v [I] //  ski, ski pole//  to move on skis for sport or in order to travel on snow or water//    skiing//  --I’m learning to ski.//  --We skied down to the village of Argentiere.//


Words: ski jump
Meaning:
n [C]   a long steep sloping platform which people go down on skis and jump off to see how far they can go through the air in sports competitions//  -- ski jumping n  [U] //


Words: ski pants
Meaning:
n [plural] \n  1 thick trousers with long thin pieces of cloth that fasten over your shoulders, worn while skiing:  --a pair of ski pants//\n  2 tight trousers with a band of cloth that goes under your foot, worn by women:


Words: ski plane
Meaning:
n [C]   an aircraft that has long thin narrow parts on the bottom instead of wheels, for landing on snow//


Words: ski pole
Meaning:
n [C]   ski, ski pole//  one of two pointed short poles that you hold to help you balance and push off the snow when skiing//


Words: skid
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  skidded present participle  skidding  [I] //  if a vehicle or a wheel on a vehicle skids, it suddenly slides sideways and you cannot control it//  --The car skidded as she turned onto the highway.//  skid on/into/across etc//  --The bus skidded off the road and into a ditch.//   see usage note  slide1 //\nskid 2 n [C]   ----------//\n   1 sliding movement:\n   2 on the skids:\n   3 put the skids under something:\n   4 sport:\n   5 aircraft:\n   6 used to lift/move:  ----------//  [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Perhaps from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 SLIDING MOVEMENT:  a sudden sliding movement of a vehicle that you cannot control//  --Turn the car towards the skid if you lose control of it.//  --He slammed on the brakes and we went into a long skid  (=started to skid) .//\n  2  on the skids:   informal in a situation that is bad and getting worse//  --He’s been on the skids since losing his job.//\n  3  put the skids under sth:   BrE  informal to make it likely or certain that something will fail//  --The recession put the skids under his plans for starting a new business.//\n  4 SPORT:   [usually singular]  AmE a period of time during which a person or team is not successful - used in news reports//  --The Red Sox victory ended a six-game skid.//\n  5 AIRCRAFT:  a flat narrow part that is under some aircraft such as helicopters, and is used in addition to wheels for landing//\n  6 USED TO LIFT/MOVE:   [usually plural] a piece of wood that is put under a heavy object to lift or move it//


Words: skid mark
Meaning:
n [C usually plural] \n  1 a long mark that is left on the ground when a vehicle skids:  --There were skid marks on the road where the crash occurred.//\n  2  informal a dirty mark inside someone’s underwear:


Words: skid row
Meaning:
Skid Row/sk[hA366]d r[hA353][hA35E] $ -ro[hA35E]/ n \n  1  be on skid row:   informal if someone is on skid row, they drink too much alcohol and have no job, nowhere to live etc//\n  2 [U] used to talk about a part of a city with a lot of old buildings in bad condition, where poor people who drink too much alcohol spend their time:


Words: skiff
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: esquif, from  Old Italian schifo]//  a small light boat for one person//


Words: skiffle
Meaning:
n [U]  especially BrE   a type of popular music played in the 1950s and often using instruments made by the musicians themselves//


Words: skiing
Meaning:
n [U]   the sport of moving down hills, across land in the snow, or on water wearing skis//  --We’re going to go skiing in Colorado this winter.//  cross-country/downhill skiing //


Words: skijoring
Meaning:
n [U]   a sport in which a skier is pulled over snow or ice by one or more dogs//  -- skijor v  [I] //


Words: skilful
Meaning:
BrE  skillful AmE   adj \n  1 good at doing something, especially something that needs special ability or training:  --a skilful footballer//  skilful at (doing) sth//  --After a few years, he became very skilful at drawing.//\n  2 made or done very well, showing a lot of ability:  --the skilful use of sound effects//  --sensitive and skillful leadership//  -- skilfully adv //  --She had used make-up skilfully to mask the bruise.//


Words: skill
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old Norse; Origin: skil  ’good judgment, knowledge’]//  an ability to do something well, especially because you have learned and practised it//    talent//  --Reading and writing are two different skills.//  --Many jobs today require computer skills.//  skill in/at//  --He was valued for his skill in raising money for the company.//  develop/acquire/learn a skill //  --opportunities to acquire new skills//  with skill//  --The whole team played with great skill and determination.//  technical/management/practical etc skill //  --the kinds of communication skills required of teachers//  --Students need to possess certain basic skills by the time they finish school.//


Words: skilled
Meaning:
adj \n  1 someone who is skilled has the training and experience that is needed to do something well:  → unskilled//  -- Skilled craftsmen , such as carpenters, are in great demand.//  --The company is fortunate to have such highly skilled workers.//  skilled at/in//  --She’s very skilled at dealing with the public.//  --The school offers a program for students who are skilled in metalwork.//\n  2 [usually before noun] skilled work needs people with special abilities or training to do it:  → unskilled//  --Bricklaying is very skilled work.//


Words: skillet
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Perhaps from  Old French escuelete  ’small plate’, from  escuele  ’plate’]//  a flat heavy cooking pan with a long handle//   frying pan//


Words: skim
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  skimmed present participle  skimming //  [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Perhaps from  scum  ’to remove scum’ (14-19 centuries), from  scum (noun)]//\n  1 [T] to remove something from the surface of a liquid, especially floating fat, solids, or oil:  skim sth off/from sth//  --After simmering the meat, skim the fat from the surface.//\n  2 [I and T] to read something quickly to find the main facts or ideas in it:   scan//  --Julie skimmed the sports page.//  skim through/over//  --Just skim through the second section to save time.//\n  3 [T] to move along quickly over a surface, never touching it or not touching it often:  --seagulls skimming the waves//  skim over/along/across//  --The ball skimmed across the grass and stopped against the wall.//\n  4  skim stones/pebbles etc:   BrE to throw smooth, flat stones into a lake, river etc in a way that makes them jump across the surface//  American Equivalent:  skip//  skim off [skim sb/sth → off] phr v//\n  1 to take the best people or the best part of something for yourself:  --Professional sport skims off all the best players.//\n  2 to take money illegally or dishonestly:  --For years his business partner had been skimming off the profits.//


Words: skimp
Meaning:
v [I and T]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Perhaps from  scrimp]//  to not spend enough money or time on something, or not use enough of something, so that what you do is unsuccessful or of bad quality//  skimp on//  --It’s vital not to skimp on staff training.//


Words: skimpy
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a skimpy dress or skirt etc is very short and does not cover very much of a woman’s body:\n  2 not enough of something:  --a skimpy meal//


Words: skin
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 body:\n   2 from an animal:\n   3 food:\n   4 on a liquid:\n   5 part of an object:\n   6 computer:\n   7 have (a) thin/thick skin:\n   8 get under somebody’s skin:\n   9 by the skin of your teeth:\n  10 make somebody’s skin crawl:\n  11 be skin and bone:\n  12 it’s no skin off somebody’s nose:\n  13 something is only skin deep:\n  14 skins:  ----------//  [Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old Norse; Origin: skinn]//\n  1 BODY:   [U and C] the natural outer layer of a person’s or animal’s body//  --She had thick black hair and smooth dark skin .//  --If you are  fair-skinned , you should try to stay out of the sun.//  --My skin is quite sensitive .//  --an ugly man with bad skin and brown teeth//  --chemicals that irritate the skin //  --The eggs are hatched under a fold of skin on the penguin’s belly.//  --a skin disease//    skincare//\n  2 FROM AN ANIMAL:   [U and C] the skin of an animal, sometimes including its fur, used to make leather, clothes etc//  --a leopard skin//  flesh, seed, skin//\n  3 FOOD:   [U and C] //  a) the natural outer cover of some fruits and vegetables//   peel//  --banana skins//  b) the outer cover of a sausage//\n  4 ON A LIQUID:   [U and C] a thin solid layer that forms on the top of a liquid, especially when it gets cold//  --Cover the soup to stop a skin from forming.//\n  5 PART OF AN OBJECT:   [C] a layer that is part of a vehicle, building, object etc, especially on the outside//  --The outer skin of the aircraft was not punctured.//  --The lampshade has a double skin so that it remains cool.//\n  6 COMPUTER:   [U and C] the way particular information appears on a computer screen, especially when this can be changed quickly and easily//\n  7  have (a) thin/thick skin:  to be easily upset or not easily upset by criticism//  --This is not a job for someone with thin skin.//\n  8  get under sb’s skin:   informal if someone gets under your skin, they annoy you, especially by the way they behave//  --What really gets under my skin is people who push straight to the front of the line.//\n  9  by the skin of your teeth:   informal if you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just succeed in doing it, and very nearly failed to do it//  --Two others made it by the skin of their teeth.//\n  10  make sb’s skin crawl:   informal to make someone feel very uncomfortable combined with a strong feeling of dislike//  --Her singing makes my skin crawl.//\n  11  be skin and bone:   BrE  be skin and bones AmE  informal to be extremely thin in a way that is unattractive and unhealthy//\n  12  it’s no skin off sb’s nose:   spoken used to say that someone does not care what another person thinks or does, because it does not affect them//  --If she doesn’t want me to help, it’s no skin off my nose!//\n  13  sth is only skin deep:  used to say that something may seem to be important or effective, but it really is not because it only affects the way things appear//  --Beauty is only skin deep.//\n  14  skins [plural]  BrE  informal papers for rolling a cigarette, especially one with marijuana in it:    save sb’s skin at save1 (11),  jump out of your skin at jump1 (4)//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  fair/pale skin //  dark/olive skin //  dark-skinned/fair-skinned //  dry/oily/sensitive skin //  smooth/soft skin //  leathery skin (=thick and hard skin) //  scaly skin (=rough dry skin on animals such asLIZARDs ) //  good/bad skin (=healthy or unhealthy skin on your face) //  skin colour/tone //  rub/irritate your skin //  flap/fold/layer of skin //  ----------//\nskin 2   past tense and past participle  skinned present participle  skinning  v [T] //\n  1 to remove the skin from an animal, fruit, or vegetable:    peel//  --Add the tomatoes, skinned and sliced.//\n  2 to hurt yourself by rubbing off some skin:   graze//  --She fell and skinned her knee.//\n  3  skin sb alive:  to punish someone very severely - used humorously//  --Dad will skin you alive when he sees this place!//\n  4  informal to completely defeat someone:   hammer//  --The football team really skinned Watertown last year.//  skin up phr v//  to make a cigarette with marijuana in it//


Words: skin graft
Meaning:
n [C]   a medical operation in which healthy skin is removed from one part of your body and used on another part to replace burned or damaged skin//


Words: skin-diving
Meaning:
skin diving n [U]   the sport of swimming under water with light breathing equipment but without a protective suit//  -- skin diver n  [C] //


Words: skincare
Meaning:
n [U]   things that you do in order to improve the condition of your skin, especially the skin on your face//  --expensive skincare products //


Words: skinflint
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  From the idea of people who so hate spending money that they would remove the outer part of a stone to try to make some gain]//  someone who hates spending money or giving it away - used to show disapproval//   miser//


Words: skinhead
Meaning:
n [C]   a young white person who has hair that is cut very short, especially one who behaves violently towards people of other races//


Words: Skinner
Meaning:
B.F.   (1904-90) a US  psychologist (=a scientist who studies the way the human mind works)  who developed the ideas of  behaviourism. He did a lot of  experiments, especially with animals, to see how they behave in certain situations and how they can be trained to change their behaviour. He also invented "programmed learning", a teaching method which influenced the way that languages and other subjects were taught in the 1970s, although most teachers now think that Skinner’s method was wrong.//


Words: skinny
Meaning:
S3   adj   comparative  skinnier superlative  skinniest //  very thin, especially in a way that is unattractive//  --Some supermodels are far too skinny.//   see usage note  thin1 //


Words: skinny-dipping
Meaning:
n [U]  informal   swimming with no clothes on//  --As soon as it got dark, we all went skinny-dipping .//


Words: skint
Meaning:
adj [not before noun]  BrE  informal   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: skinned  ’defeated, overcome, having no money’ (1900-2000), from  skin]//  having no money, especially for a short time//   broke//  --I’m skint at the moment.//


Words: skip
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  skipped present participle  skipping //  ----------//\n   1 not do something:\n   2 not deal with something:\n   3 change subjects:\n   4 movement:\n   5 jump over a rope:\n   6 skip town/skip the country:\n   7 skip it!:\n   8 skip rocks/stones:\n   9 ball:\n  10 skip a year/grade:  Phrasal verbs//   skip off//  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  Perhaps from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 NOT DO SOMETHING:   [T]  informal to not do something that you usually do or that you should do//   miss//  --She skipped lunch in order to go shopping.//  --Williams skipped the game to be with his wife in the hospital.//  skip school/class  especially AmE //  --He skipped chemistry class three times last month.//\n  2 NOT DEAL WITH SOMETHING:   [I and T] to not read, mention, or deal with something that would normally come or happen next//  --I decided to skip the first chapter.//  skip to//  --Let’s skip to the last item on the agenda.//  skip over//  --I suggest we skip over the details and get to the point.//\n  3 CHANGE SUBJECTS:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to go from one subject to another in no fixed order//  skip about/around/from//  --It’s difficult to have a conversation with her because she skips from one topic to another.//\n  4 MOVEMENT:   [I] to move forward with quick steps and jumps//  skip across/along etc//  --He turned and skipped away, singing happily to himself.//  skipping rope//\n  5 JUMP OVER A ROPE:   [I] to jump over a rope as you swing it over your head and under your feet, as a game or for exercise//  American Equivalent:  jump rope//\n  6  skip town/skip the country:   informal to leave a place suddenly and secretly, especially to avoid being punished or paying debts//  --Then they found that Zaffuto had already skipped town.//\n  7  skip it!:   spoken  informal  especially AmE used to say angrily and rudely that you do not want to talk about something//  --’Sorry, what were you saying?’ ’Oh, skip it!’//\n  8  skip rocks/stones:   AmE to throw smooth, flat stones into a lake, river etc in a way that makes them jump across the surface//  British Equivalent:  skim//\n  9 BALL:   [I always + adverb/preposition] if a ball or something similar skips off a surface, it quickly moves away from that surface after hitting it - used especially in news reports//  skip off/along/across etc//  --The ball skipped off Bonds’ glove and bounced toward the fence.//\n  10  skip a year/grade:  to start a new school year in a class that is one year ahead of the class you would normally enter//    sb’s heart skips a beat at heart//  skip off phr v//  to leave suddenly and secretly, especially in order to avoid being punished or paying money//  --He skipped off without paying.//  skip off on//   AmE //  --Tenants who skip out on utility bills are the focus of a new law.//  --Joel skipped out on his wife when she was 8 months pregnant.//\nskip 2 n [C] \n  1 a skipping movement:\n  2  BrE a large container for bricks, wood, and similar heavy waste:  American Equivalent:  dumpster//


Words: skipper
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: schipper, from  schip  ’ship’]//\n  1 the person in charge of a ship:   captain//\n  2 the leader of a sports team:   captain//\nskipper 2 v [T]   to be in charge of a ship, sports team etc - used especially in news reports//   captain//


Words: skipping rope
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   a long piece of rope with handles that children use for jumping over//  American Equivalent:  jump rope//\nSkippy 2   a name for any kangaroo, named after the kangaroo in a British TV programme in the 1960s//


Words: skirmish
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: escaramouche, from  Old Italian scaramuccia]//\n  1 a fight between small groups of soldiers, ships etc, especially one that happens away from the main part of a battle - used in news reports:  skirmish with/between/over//  --The young soldier was killed in a skirmish with government troops.//\n  2 a short argument, especially between political or sports opponents:  skirmish with/between/over//  --Bates was sent off after a skirmish with the referee.//  --a budget skirmish between the President and Congress//  -- skirmish v  [I] //  --They skirmished briefly with soldiers from Fort Benton.//


Words: skirt
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: skyrta  ’shirt’]//\n  1 a piece of outer clothing worn by women and girls, which hangs down from the waist like the bottom part of a dress:  --She wore a white blouse and a plain black skirt.//  leather/pleated/cotton etc skirt //  --a green velvet skirt//  short/long skirt //  --a short skirt and high heels//\n  2  also skirts :   [plural]  old-fashioned the part of a dress or coat that hangs down from the waist//\n  3  the skirts of a forest/hill/village etc:   BrE the outside edge of a forest etc//   outskirts//\n  4  a bit of skirt:   BrE  informal  not polite an offensive expression meaning an attractive woman//\nskirt 2  also skirt around/round  v [T] \n  1 to go around the outside edge of a place or area:  --The old footpath skirts around the village.//\n  2 to avoid talking about an important subject, especially because it is difficult or embarrassing - used to show disapproval:  --a disappointing speech that skirted around all the main issues //


Words: skirting board
Meaning:
also skirting   n [U and C]  BrE   a long narrow piece of wood that is fastened along the bottom of the walls in a room//  American Equivalent:  baseboard//


Words: skit
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Perhaps from a  Scandinavian language]//  a short humorous performance or piece of writing//


Words: skitter
Meaning:
preposition]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Probably from  skite  ’to slide, skip’ (18-20 centuries), probably from a  Scandinavian language]//  to move very quickly and lightly, like a small animal//   scurry//  skitter across/down/along etc//  --Something skittered across the alley.//


Words: skittish
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Perhaps from  Old Norse skjota  ’to shoot’]//\n  1 an animal, especially a horse, that is skittish gets excited or frightened very easily:\n  2 a person who is skittish is not very serious, and their feelings, behaviour, and opinions keep changing:\n  3 if people who buy shares are skittish, they are nervous and worried about them dropping in value, and might sell the shares that they own because of this:   jittery//  --Some skittish Wall Street investors are staying away from the market.//  -- skittishly adv //


Words: skittle
Meaning:
n \n  1  skittles [U] a British game in which a player tries to knock down objects shaped like bottles by rolling a ball at them:\n  2 [C] one of the objects you roll the ball at in the game of skittles:


Words: skive
Meaning:
v  also skive off  [I]  BrE  informal   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Perhaps from  French esquiver  ’to get away secretly’]//  to avoid work or school by staying away or leaving without permission//  -- skiver n  [C] //


Words: skivvy
Meaning:
n   plural  skivvies  [C]  BrE //  a servant who does only the dirty unpleasant jobs in a house//  --You iron your shirt - I’m not your skivvy.//\nskivvy 2   past tense and past participle  skivvied present participle  skivvying third person singular  skivvies  v [I]  BrE //  to do all the dirty unpleasant jobs in a house, as if you were a servant//


Words: Skopje
Meaning:
also  Skoplje  the capital city of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in the north of the country on the River Vardar//


Words: skulduggery
Meaning:
skullduggery/sk[hA356]ld[hA356]g[hA353]ri/ n [U]  old-fashioned   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: sculduddery  ’immoral activity’ (18-19 centuries)]//  secretly dishonest or illegal activity - also used humorously//


Words: skulk
Meaning:
preposition]   [Date: 1100-1200; Origin:  From a  Scandinavian language]//  to hide or move about secretly, trying not to be noticed, especially when you are intending to do something bad//   lurk//  skulk about/around/in etc//  --He was still skulking around outside when they left the building.//


Words: skull
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  From a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 the bones of a person’s or animal’s head:\n  2  sb can’t get it into their (thick) skull:   spoken someone is unable to understand something very simple//  --He can’t seem to get it into his skull that I’m just not interested in him.//


Words: skull and crossbones
Meaning:
n [singular]   1 a picture of a human skull with two bones crossed below it, used in past times on the flags of pirate ships//\n  2 a picture of a human skull with two bones crossed below it, used on containers to show that what is inside is poison or very dangerous:


Words: skull cap
Meaning:
n [C]   a small round close-fitting hat for the top of the head, worn sometimes by Christian priests or Jewish men//


Words: skunk
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Massachusett]//\n  1 [C] a small black and white North American animal that produces a strong unpleasant smell if it is attacked or afraid:\n  2 [U] a very strong type of marijuana:


Words: sky
Meaning:
n   plural  skies //  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: ’cloud’]//\n  1 [singular, U] the space above the earth where clouds and the sun and stars appear:  --The sky grew dark, and a cold rain began to fall.//  --A shooting star sped across the sky.//  in the sky//  --There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.//  blue/black/grey etc sky //  --The sun rose higher in a clear blue sky.//  clear/cloudy/dark etc sky //  --Robyn lay on her back looking up at the cloudless sky.//  --under a slightly overcast sky  (=with clouds) //  night/morning/summer etc sky //  --The evening sky was darkening as I made my way home.//  --She looked out over the rooftops and the open sky .//\n  2  skies [plural] a word meaning ’sky’, used especially when describing the weather or what the sky looks like in a place:  --a land of blue skies and warm sunshine//  --The skies were overcast, and it was chilly and damp.//\n  3  the sky’s the limit:   spoken used to say that there is no limit to what someone can achieve, spend, win etc//  --Francis believes the sky’s the limit for the young goalkeeper.//    pie in the sky at pie(4),  praise sb/sth to the skies at praise1 (1)//


Words: Sky TV
Meaning:
also Sky BskyB   a television company owned by Rupert  Murdoch’s News Corporation, which operates several different  satellite television programmes in the UK//


Words: sky-high
Meaning:
adv \n  1 extremely high:  --sky-high prices//  --Her confidence is sky-high.//\n  2  blow sth sky-high:  to destroy something completely with an explosion//


Words: skydiving
Meaning:
n [U]   the sport of jumping from a plane and falling through the sky before opening a parachute//  -- skydive v  [I] //  -- skydiver n  [C] //


Words: Skye
Meaning:
also the Isle of Skye   an island off the northwest coast of Scotland. It is the largest island of the  Inner Hebrides.//


Words: skyrocket
Meaning:
v [I]  informal   if a price or an amount skyrockets, it greatly increases very quickly//  --The trade deficit has skyrocketed.//  --skyrocketing inflation//


Words: Skywalker
Meaning:
Luke   one of the main characters in the  Star Wars films, who leads the fight against the evil  empire and  Darth Vader, who is in fact Luke’s father//


Words: slab
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a thick flat piece of a hard material such as stone:  --a concrete slab//  --paving slabs//  slab of//  --They used a slab of concrete as a lid.//\n  2  slab of cake/chocolate/meat etc:  a large flat piece of cake etc//\n  3  on the slab:   informal lying dead in a hospital or mortuary//


Words: slack
Meaning:
adj   [Language: Old English; Origin: sleac]//\n  1 hanging loosely, or not pulled tight:  → taut//  --Keep the rope slack until I tell you to pull it.//\n  2 with less business activity than usual:  --Business remained slack throughout the day.//\n  3 not taking enough care or making enough effort to do things correctly - used to show disapproval:  --Slack defending by Real Madrid allowed Manchester United to score.//  -- slackly adv //  -- slackness n  [U] //\nslack 2 n \n  1  take up/pick up the slack:  a) to make a system or organization as efficient as possible by making sure that money, space, or people are fully used//  --Without another contract to help pick up the slack, employees may face job losses.//  b) to do something that needs to be done because someone else is no longer doing it//  c) to make a rope tighter//\n  2 [U] part of a rope that is not stretched tight:\n  3 [U] money, space, people, or time that an organization or person has available, but is not using fully:  --There is still some slack in the budget.//\n  4  cut/give sb some slack:   spoken to allow someone to do something without criticizing them or making it more difficult//  --Hey, cut me some slack, man, I’m only a few bucks short.//\n  5  slacks [plural] trousers:  --a pair of slacks //  --dress slacks (=for more formal occasions) //\n  6 [U]  BrE very small pieces of coal:\nslack 3  also slack off  v [I]   to make less effort than usual, or to be lazy in your work//  --He was accused of slacking and taking too many holidays.//


Words: slack-jawed
Meaning:
adj   having your mouth slightly open, especially because you are surprised or stupid//   open-mouthed//  --They looked at him, slack-jawed with disbelief.//


Words: slacken
Meaning:
v [I and T]  written \n  1  also slacken off :  to gradually become slower, weaker, less active etc, or to make something do this//  --The heavy rain showed no signs of slackening off.//  slacken your pace/speed (=go or walk more slowly) //  --Guy slackened his pace as he approached the gate.//\n  2 to make something looser, or to become looser:  → tighten//  --He did not let her go, but his grip on her slackened.//


Words: slacker
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   someone who is lazy and does not do all the work they should - used to show disapproval//


Words: slag
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Middle Low German; Origin: slagge]//\n  1 [C]  BrE  taboo  informal a very offensive word for a woman who has sex with a lot of different people. Do not use this word.:\n  2 [U] a waste material similar to glass, which remains after metal has been obtained from rock:\nslag 2 v   past tense and past participle  slagged present participle  slagging //  slag off [slag sb → off] phr v//  to criticize someone in an unpleasant way, especially when this is unfair//  --He’s always slagging her off behind her back.//


Words: slake
Meaning:
v [T]  literary   [Language: Old English; Origin: slacian  ’to slacken’, from  sleac;   SLACK1]//\n  1  slake your thirst:  to drink so that you are not thirsty any more//\n  2  slake a desire/craving etc:  to satisfy a desire etc//


Words: slalom
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Language: Norwegian; Origin: ’sloping track’]//  a race for people on skis or in canoes down a curving course marked by flags//


Words: slam
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  slammed present participle  slamming //  ----------//\n   1 door etc:\n   2 put something somewhere:\n   3 hit with force:\n   4 criticize:\n   5 slam on the brakes:\n   6 slam the door in somebody’s face:  ----------//  [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 DOOR ETC:   [I and T] if a door, gate etc slams, or if someone slams it, it shuts with a loud noise//   bang//  --We heard a car door slam.//  --He slammed the door shut .//\n  2 PUT SOMETHING SOMEWHERE:   [T always + adverb/preposition] to put something on or against a surface with a fast violent movement//  slam sth down/against/onto//  --Henry slammed the phone down angrily.//\n  3 HIT WITH FORCE:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to hit or attack someone or something with a lot of force//  slam into/against etc//  --All 155 passengers died instantly when the plane slammed into the mountain.//\n  4 CRITICIZE:   [T] to criticize someone or something strongly - used especially in newspapers//   slate//  --Local media slammed plans to build a prison in the area.//  slam sb for sth//  --The council was slammed for its unfair selection procedure.//\n  5  slam on the brakes:  to make a car stop very suddenly by pressing the brakes very hard//\n  6  slam the door in sb’s face:  a) to close a door hard when someone is trying to come in//  b) to rudely refuse to meet someone or talk to them//\nslam 2 n [C usually singular]   the noise or action of a door, window etc slamming//


Words: slam dunk
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 when a basketball player jumps high above the net and throws the ball down through it:\n  2  AmE  informal a very impressive act:  --The biggest legal slam dunk came when a judge sentenced four men to 505 years in prison.//


Words: slam-dunk
Meaning:
v [I and T]   to put a ball through the net in basketball, by jumping very high and throwing the ball down through the net//


Words: slammer
Meaning:
n   the slammer//   informal prison//  in the slammer//  --He had to spend his twentieth birthday in the slammer.//


Words: slander
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: esclandre, from  Late Latin scandalum;   SCANDAL]//\n  1 [U and C] a false spoken statement about someone, intended to damage the good opinion that people have of that person:    libel//\n  2 [U] the crime of making false spoken statements about someone:    libel//  --He is being sued for slander .//\nslander 2 v [T]   to say false things about someone in order to damage other people’s good opinion of them//    libel//


Words: slanderous
Meaning:
adj   a slanderous statement about someone is not true, and is intended to damage other people’s good opinion of them//    libellous//  --slanderous remarks//


Words: slang
Meaning:
n [U]   very informal, sometimes offensive, language that is used especially by people who belong to a particular group, such as young people or criminals//  --schoolboy slang//  slang word/expression/term //  -- slangy adj //


Words: slant
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  From a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 [I and T] to slope or make something slope in a particular direction:  --The sun’s rays slanted through the trees.//  --slanting eyes//\n  2 [T] to provide information in a way that unfairly supports one opinion, gives an advantage to one group etc:  --The researchers were accused of slanting their findings in favour of their own beliefs.//\nslant 2 n [singular] \n  1 a way of writing about or thinking about a subject that is based on a particular opinion or set of ideas:  --The article had an anti-union slant .//  new/different/fresh etc slant //  --Each article has a slightly different slant on the situation.//  --Recent events have put a new slant on the President’s earlier comments.//\n  2 a sloping position or angle:   slope//  at/on a slant//  --The house seems to be built on a steep slant.//


Words: slanted
Meaning:
adj \n  1 providing facts or information in a way that unfairly supports only one side of an argument or one opinion - used to show disapproval:   biased//  slanted towards//  --The report was heavily slanted towards the city council’s version of events.//\n  2 sloping:  --her slightly slanted eyes//


Words: slap
Meaning:
S2   v   past tense and past participle  slapped //  present participle  slapping //\n  1 [T] to hit someone with the flat part of your hand:    punch//  --Sarah slapped Aaron across the face.//\n  2 [T always + adverb/preposition] to put something down on a surface with force, especially when you are angry:  --Giles slapped his cards down on the table.//\n  3  slap sb on the back:  to hit someone on the back in a friendly way, often as a way of praising them//\n  4 [I always + adverb/preposition] to hit a surface with a lot of force, making a loud sharp sound:  slap against//  --Small waves slapped against the side of the boat.//  slap down [slap sb down] phr v//  to rudely tell someone that their suggestions, questions, ideas etc are stupid//  slap on [slap sth → on] phr v//\n  1 to put or spread something quickly or carelessly onto a surface:  --She ran upstairs and slapped on some make-up.//  slap sth on sth//  --We could slap some paint on it.//\n  2 to suddenly announce a new charge, tax etc or say that something is not allowed - used especially when you think this is unfair:  --Many tour operators slap on supplements for single people.//  slap sth on sth//  --In 1977, the president slapped a ban on the commercial reprocessing of nuclear fuel.//\nslap 2 n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Low German; Origin: slapp, from the sound]//\n  1 a quick hit with the flat part of your hand:    punch//  --Julia gave Roy a slap on the cheek.//\n  2  a slap in the face:  an action that seems to be deliberately intended to offend or upset someone, especially someone who has tried very hard to do something//\n  3  a slap on the wrist:  a punishment that you think is not severe enough//\n  4  a slap on the back:  an action of hitting someone on the back in a friendly way, especially as a way of praising them//\n  5  informal  make-up:


Words: slap bang
Meaning:
adv  also slap  informal \n  1 if you run, drive etc slap bang into something, you hit it with a lot of force:  slap bang into//  --I ran slap bang into a lamp-post.//\n  2 exactly in a particular place or at a particular time:  slap bang next to//  --Anne’s house is slap bang next to the station.//


Words: slaphead
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE  informal   an impolite word for someone who is bald (=has little or no hair on their head) //


Words: slapstick
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: slapstick  ’two joined sticks used in the theater for making slapping sounds’ (19-20 centuries)]//  humorous acting in which the performers fall over, throw things at each other etc//  --a slapstick comedy//


Words: slash
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from  Old French eslachier  ’to break’]//\n  1 [I,T always + adverb/preposition] to cut or try to cut something violently with a knife, sword etc:  --Someone had slashed the tires.//  slash at/through//  --The leopard’s claws slashed through soft flesh.//\n  2 [T] to greatly reduce an amount, price etc - used especially in newspapers and advertising:   cut//  --The workforce has been slashed by 50%.//\n  3  slash your wrists:  to cut the veins in your wrists with the intention of killing yourself//\nslash 2 n [C] \n  1 a quick movement that you make with a knife, sword etc in order to cut someone or something:\n  2  also slash mark :  a line (/) used in writing to separate words, numbers, or letters//\n  3 a long narrow cut in something:    gash//  --Cut several slashes across the top of the loaf before baking.//\n  4  have/take a slash:   BrE  spoken  not polite to urinate//


Words: slat
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Old French; Origin: esclat;   SLATE1]//  a thin flat piece of wood, plastic etc, used especially in furniture//  -- slatted adj //


Words: slate
Meaning:
n   ----------//\n   1 rock:\n   2 on a roof:\n   3 slate blue/grey:\n   4 politics:\n   5 for writing on:\n   6 put something on the slate:  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: esclat  ’thin piece split off’, from  esclater  ’to burst, splinter’]//\n  1 ROCK:   [U] a dark grey rock that can easily be split into flat thin pieces//\n  2 ON A ROOF:   [C]  especially BrE a small piece of slate or similar material that is used for covering roofs//   tile//  --There were several slates missing from the roof.//\n  3  slate blue/grey:  a dark blue or grey colour//\n  4 POLITICS:   [C] a list of people that voters can choose in an election, or who are being considered for an important job//\n  5 FOR WRITING ON:   [C] a small black board or a flat piece of slate in a wooden frame used for writing on in the past//\n  6  put sth on the slate:   BrE  old-fashioned to arrange to pay for something later, especially food or drink//    a clean slate at clean1 (9)//\nslate 2 v [T usually passive] \n  1  BrE  informal to criticize a book, film etc severely, especially in a newspaper:   slam//  --Doherty’s most recent novel has been slated by the critics.//\n  2  be slated to do sth/be slated for sth:   especially AmE //  a) if something is slated to happen, it is planned to happen in the future, especially at a particular time//  --He is slated to appear at the Cambridge Jazz Festival next year.//  --Every house on this block is slated for demolition.//


Words: slather
Meaning:
preposition]  AmE   to cover something with a thick layer of a soft substance//  slather sth in/with/on sth//  --a slice of homemade bread, slathered with jam//


Words: slattern
Meaning:
n [C]  old-fashioned   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from  German schlottern  ’to hang loosely’]//  a dirty, untidy woman - used to show disapproval//  -- slatternly adj //


Words: slaughter
Meaning:
v [T] \n  1 to kill an animal, especially for its meat:\n  2 to kill a lot of people in a cruel or violent way:   butcher//  --Hundreds of innocent civilians had been slaughtered by government troops. see usage note  kill1 //\n  3  informal to defeat an opponent in a sport or game by a large number of points:   hammer//  --We got slaughtered, 110 - 54.//\nslaughter 2 n [U]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: slatr  ’meat, killing animals for meat’]//\n  1 when people kill animals, especially for their meat:  --the export of live animals for slaughter//\n  2 when large numbers of people are killed in a cruel or violent way:  --the slaughter of defenceless women and children//


Words: slaughtered
Meaning:
adj [not before noun]  BrE  informal   very drunk//   plastered//  --We all got completely slaughtered last night.//


Words: Slav
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who belongs to any of the races of Eastern and Central Europe who speak Slavic languages such as Russian, Bulgarian, Polish etc//


Words: slave
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: esclave, from  Medieval Latin sclavus, from  Sclavus (  SLAVIC); because in the early Middle Ages many Slavic people in central Europe were slaves]//\n  1 someone who is owned by another person and works for them for no money:  the slave trade (=the buying and selling of slaves, especially Africans who were taken to America) //\n  2  be a slave to/of sth:  to be so strongly influenced by something that you cannot make your own decisions - used to show disapproval//  --a slave to fashion //\nslave 2 v [I always + adverb/preposition]   to work very hard with little time to rest//  slave away (at sth)//  --I’ve been slaving away at this report.//  slave over//  --He’s been slaving over his history essay.//  slave (away) over a hot stove (=cook - used humorously) //


Words: slave labour
Meaning:
BrE  slave labor AmE n [U] \n  1 work done by slaves, or the people who do this work:\n  2  informal work for which you are paid an unfairly small amount of money:


Words: slaver
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  From a  Scandinavian language]//   literary to let saliva (=liquid produced inside your mouth)  come out of your mouth, especially because you are hungry//   drool//\nslaver 2   n [C]  old use   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  SLAVE1]//\n  1 someone who sells slaves:\n  2 a ship for moving slaves from one place to another:


Words: slavery
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the system of having slaves:  --attempts to abolish slavery  (=officially end it) //\n  2 the state of being a slave:  sell sb into slavery (=sell someone as a slave) //


Words: Slavic
Meaning:
adj  also Slavonic   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Slav  ’Slavic person’ (14-21 centuries), from  Medieval Latin Sclavus, from  Late Greek, from  Sklabenoi  ’Slavs’, from a  Slavic language]//  relating to the Slavs or their languages//


Words: slavish
Meaning:
adj   obeying, supporting, or copying someone completely - used to show disapproval//  --a slavish adherence to the rules//  -- slavishly adv //  --not a rule to be slavishly followed in every instance//  -- slavishness n  [U] //


Words: slay
Meaning:
v   past tense  slew /slu[hA359]///  past participle  slain /sle[hA366]n/ [T] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: slean  ’to hit, kill’]//\n  1 to kill someone - used especially in newspapers:\n  2  AmE  spoken  informal to amuse someone a lot:  -- slayer n  [C] //


Words: sleaze
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: sleazy]//\n  1 [U] immoral behaviour, especially involving sex or lies:  --Many people are tired of all the sleaze on TV.//  --sleaze and corruption in politics//\n  2  also sleazebag :  sleazebucket //   [C]  AmE  informal someone who behaves in an immoral or dishonest way//


Words: sleazy
Meaning:
adj   comparative  sleazier //  superlative  sleaziest //  [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: sleazy (of cloth)  ’too thin or light’ (17-20 centuries)]//\n  1 a sleazy place is dirty, cheap, or in bad condition:  --a sleazy bar//\n  2 relating to sex or dishonest behaviour - used to show disapproval:  --a sleazy lawyer//  -- sleaziness n  [U] //


Words: sledge
Meaning:
[C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Dutch dialect; Origin: sleedse]//  a small vehicle used for sliding over snow, often used by children or in some sports//    sleigh//\nsledge 2  BrE sled  AmE v [I]   to travel on a sledge//


Words: sledgehammer
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin: sledge  ’sledgehammer’ (11-21 centuries) (from  Old English slecg) +  hammer]//  a large heavy hammer//


Words: sleek
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  SLICK1]//\n  1 a vehicle or other object that is sleek has a smooth attractive shape:  --the sleek lines of the new Mercedes//\n  2 sleek hair or fur is straight, shiny, and healthy-looking:\n  3 someone who is sleek looks rich and is well dressed:  -- sleekly adv //  -- sleekness n  [U] //\nsleek 2 v [T always + adverb/preposition]  literary   to make hair or fur smooth and shiny by putting water or oil on it//  sleek sth back/down etc//  --His hair was sleeked back with oil.//


Words: sleep
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  slept /slept/ [I] //\n  1 to rest your mind and body, usually at night when you are lying in bed with your eyes closed:    asleep, oversleep//  --I usually sleep on my back.//  --Did you sleep well ?//  --Dee was tired out but couldn’t sleep.//  --We both slept badly that night.//  --The baby slept peacefully in its cradle.//  --She slept fitfully , disturbed by nightmares.//  --I couldn’t sleep because I was so worried.//  --We usually sleep late on Sundays.//  --I slept like a log until morning.//  --He had hardly slept a wink all night.//  --He’s lucky because at least he has somewhere to sleep .//\n  2  sleep rough:   BrE to sleep outdoors in uncomfortable conditions, especially because you have no money//\n  3  sleep on it:   spoken to not make a decision about something important until the next day//\n  4  sleep tight:   spoken said especially to children before they go to bed to say that you hope they sleep well//  --Good night, Jenny. Sleep tight!//\n  5  sleep two/four/six etc:  to have enough beds for a particular number of people//  --The villa sleeps four.//\n  6  let sleeping dogs lie:  to deliberately avoid mentioning a subject, so that you do not cause any trouble or argument//\n  7  literary if a village, house etc sleeps, it is very quiet during the night:  sleep around phr v//  to have sex with a lot of different people without having a serious relationship with any of them - used to show disapproval//  sleep in phr v//  to let yourself sleep later than usual in the morning//  --We usually sleep in on Sunday mornings.//  sleep off [sleep sth → off] phr v//  to sleep until you do not feel ill any more, especially after drinking too much alcohol//  --He went to his room to sleep it off .//  sleep over phr v//  to sleep at someone’s house for a night - used especially by children//  sleep through phr v//\n  1  sleep through sth:  to sleep while something is happening and not be woken by it//  --How did you manage to sleep through that thunderstorm?//\n  2  sleep through (sth):  to sleep continuously for a long time//  --I slept right through till lunchtime.//  --The baby slept peacefully through the night.//  sleep together phr v//  if people sleep together, they have sex with each other//  sleep with [sleep with sb] phr v//  to have sex with someone, especially someone you are not married to//  --Everybody in the office knows he’s been sleeping with Kathy.//  ----------//  COLLOCATES for sense 1 //  sleep well/soundly //  sleep badly //  sleep peacefully //  sleep fitfully literary (=keep moving or waking during a sleep) //  can’t sleep //  sleep late (=not get up until late in the morning) //  sleep like a log informal (=sleep very well) //  not sleep a wink (=not sleep at all) //  somewhere/nowhere to sleep //  WORD CHOICE: sleep, asleep //  You usually use  be asleep rather than ’be sleeping’ : Her parents were already asleep (NOT already slept/were sleeping). //  The verb  sleep is used when you are giving more information, for example about how long someone sleeps or where they sleep : The baby sleeps for 12 hours. |  He slept in the car. //  You usually say  fall asleep , not ’start sleeping’ : Some students fall asleep (NOT start sleeping/start to sleep) at their desks. //  !!  Do not say ’feel asleep’.  //  You can also say someone  goes to sleep , especially when they are in bed and want to sleep : I turned the light out and went to sleep. //  You use  get to sleep when someone has difficulty falling asleep : It took me hours to get to sleep. //  ----------//\nsleep 2 W3S2 n   ----------//\n   1 being asleep:\n   2 period of sleeping:\n   3 go to sleep:\n   4 lose sleep over something:\n   5 put somebody/something to sleep:\n   6 somebody can do something in their sleep:\n   7 sing/rock/lull etc somebody to sleep:\n   8 send somebody to sleep:\n   9 in your eyes:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: sl[zB024]p]//\n  1 BEING ASLEEP:   [U] the natural state of resting your mind and body, usually at night//    beauty sleep//  --I didn’t get much sleep last night.//  --Sometimes Mike has a hard time getting to sleep  (=succeeding in starting to sleep) .//  --I couldn’t get back to sleep  (=sleep again after waking up) after he’d rung.//  drift/nod/go off to sleep (=start sleeping) //  --I’m sorry, I must have dropped off to sleep for a moment.//  in your sleep//   (=while he is sleeping) //  --Ed often talks in his sleep.//  --She died in her sleep later that night.//  --Her eyes were red through lack of sleep .//  a few/a couple of/eight etc hours’ sleep //  --She managed on a few hours’ sleep a night.//\n  2 PERIOD OF SLEEPING:   [singular] a period when you are sleeping//  a light/deep sleep //  --She was woken from a deep sleep by a ring at the door.//  --You just need a good night’s sleep  (=a night when you sleep well) .//  --a dreamless sleep //  have a sleep  BrE //  --Why don’t you go and have a sleep?//\n  3  go to sleep:  a) to start sleeping//  --I went to sleep at 9 o’clock and woke up at 6.//  --It’s nothing, go back to sleep  (=sleep again after waking up) .//  b)  informal if a part of your body goes to sleep, you cannot feel it for a short time because it has not been getting enough blood//\n  4  lose sleep over sth:   spoken to worry about something//  --It’s a practice game - I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.//\n  5  put sb/sth to sleep:  a) to give drugs to a sick animal so that it dies without too much pain - used to avoid saying the word ’kill’//  b)  informal to make someone unconscious before a medical operation by giving them drugs//\n  6  sb can do sth in their sleep:   informal used to say that someone is able to do something very easily, especially because they have done it many times before//  --She knew the music so well she could play it in her sleep.//\n  7  sing/rock/lull etc sb to sleep:  to sing to someone, move them gently etc until they start sleeping//  --The movement of the waves soon lulled us to sleep.//\n  8  send sb to sleep:  a) to make someone go to sleep//  --The combination of warmth and music sent him to sleep.//  b) if something sends someone to sleep, it is extremely boring//\n  9 IN YOUR EYES:   [U]  informal a substance that forms in the corners of your eyes while you are sleeping//  --She rubbed the sleep from her eyes.//


Words: sleeper
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 someone who sleeps in a particular way:  light sleeper (=someone who wakes easily) //  heavy sleeper (=someone who does not wake easily) //\n  2 someone who is asleep:  sleeper//\n  3  BrE a heavy piece of wood or concrete that supports a railway track:  American Equivalent:  tie//\n  4 :  a) a night train with carriages that have beds for passengers to sleep in//  b) a sleeping car//  c)  AmE a bed on a train for a passenger to sleep in//\n  5  especially AmE a film, book etc which is successful, even though people did not expect it to be:\n  6  AmE a piece of clothing for a baby that covers its whole body including its feet:\n  7 a spy who is sent to a particular place and who lives an ordinary life there until a later time, when they begin their spying activities:


Words: Sleeping Beauty
Meaning:
1 the main character in a  fairy tale called  Sleeping Beauty, who is a princess who lives in a castle. An evil  fairy makes the princess and everyone else in the castle fall asleep for ever. After a hundred years, a prince finds Sleeping Beauty and kisses her, and then she and everyone else in the castle wakes up. There is a ballet with music by Tchaikovsky based on this story.:\n  2 someone who seems to be sleeping peacefully:  --Just look at Sleeping Beauty there!//


Words: sleeping partner
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   someone who owns part of a business but is not actively involved in running it//  American Equivalent:  silent partner//


Words: sleeping sickness
Meaning:
n [U]   a serious tropical disease that is carried by the tsetse fly (=a type of insect) . It causes extreme tiredness and fever, and makes you lose weight.//


Words: sleepless
Meaning:
adj \n  1  a sleepless night:  a night when you are unable to sleep//  --Adrian spent a sleepless night wondering what to do.//\n  2 unable to sleep:  --She lay sleepless for hours, worrying.//  -- sleeplessly adv //  -- sleeplessness n  [U] //


Words: sleepwalker
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who walks while they are sleeping//  -- sleepwalk v  [I] //  -- sleepwalking n  [U] //


Words: sleepy
Meaning:
adj   comparative  sleepier superlative  sleepiest //\n  1 tired and ready to sleep:  --The warmth from the fire made her feel sleepy.//\n  2 a sleepy town or area is very quiet, and not much happens there:  → lively//  -- sleepily adv //  -- sleepiness n  [U] //


Words: sleepyhead
Meaning:
n [C]  spoken   someone, especially a child, who looks as if they want to go to sleep//  --It’s time for bed, sleepyhead.//


Words: sleet
Meaning:
n [U]   half-frozen rain that falls when it is very cold//  --scattered sleet and snow showers//  -- sleet v  [I] //  -- It was sleeting so hard we could barely see for 30 yards.//  -- sleety adj //


Words: sleeve
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: sliefe]//\n  1 the part of a piece of clothing that covers all or part of your arm:  --a dress with long sleeves//  long-sleeved/short-sleeved etc //  --a short-sleeved shirt//\n  2  have sth up your sleeve:   informal to have a secret plan or idea that you are going to use later//  --Don’t worry. He still has a few tricks up his sleeve.//\n  3 a stiff paper cover that a record is stored in:   jacket//


Words: sleigh
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Dutch; Origin: slee, from  Middle Dutch sledde;   SLED1]//  a large open vehicle with no wheels that is used for travelling over snow and is pulled along by animals//    sledge//


Words: sleight of hand
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  sleight  ’skill, trick’ (13-20 centuries) from  Old Norse sl[hA276]gth, from  sl[hA276]gr;   SLY]//\n  1 the use of quick and skilful movements with your hands when doing a magic trick, so that people cannot understand how you did the trick:\n  2 the use of skilful tricks and lies in order to deceive someone:


Words: slender
Meaning:
adj \n  1 thin in an attractive or graceful way:   slim//  --She is slender and stylish.//  --Laura’s tall, slender figure //  slender legs/arms/fingers etc  see usage note  thin1 //\n  2 small or very limited in amount or size:   slim//  --The company only has a slender hope of survival.//  --The Republicans won the election by a slender majority.//  --We had to make the most of our rather slender resources.//  -- slenderness n  [U] //


Words: sleuth
Meaning:
n [C]  old-fashioned   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: sleuthhound  ’dog used for tracking people’ (14-20 centuries), from  sleuth  ’track’ (12-15 centuries) (from  Old Norse sloth) +  hound]//  someone who tries to find out information about a crime//   detective//  -- sleuthing n  [U] //


Words: slew
Meaning:
preposition]   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Origin unknown]//  to turn or slide in a different direction suddenly and violently, or to make a vehicle do this//  slew around/sideways//  --I lost control of the car and it slewed sideways into the ditch.//\nslew 2   the past tense of slay//\nslew 3 n   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Irish Gaelic; Origin: sluagh]//  a slew of sth//   informal a large number of things//  --a whole slew of cheap motels//


Words: slice
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: esclice  ’thin piece broken off’, from  esclicier  ’to splinter’]//\n  1 a thin flat piece of food cut from a larger piece:  slice of//  --a slice of bread //  --pizza slices//  thin/thick slice //  --a thin slice of ham//  -- Cut the tomatoes into slices .//\n  2 a part or share of something:  slice of//  --Everybody wants a slice of the profits.//\n  3  fish slice:   BrE a kitchen tool used for lifting and serving pieces of food//  American Equivalent:  spatula//\n  4 a way of hitting the ball in sports such as tennis or golf, that makes the ball go to one side with a spinning movement, rather than straight ahead:\n  5  a slice of life:  a film, play, or book which shows life as it really is//\nslice 2 v \n  1 [T]  also slice up :  to cut meat, bread, vegetables etc into thin flat pieces//    chop//  -- Thinly slice the cucumbers.//  --Slice up the onions and add them to the meat.//  --sliced ham//\n  2 [I always + adverb/preposition] to cut something easily with one movement of a sharp knife or edge:  slice into/through//  --The blade’s so sharp it could slice through your finger.//  slice sth in two/half //  --Slice the eggs in two and arrange them on a serving dish.//\n  3 [I always + adverb/preposition] to move quickly and easily through something such as water or air:  slice through/into//  --The boat was slicing through the sparkling waves.//\n  4 [T] to hit a ball, for example in tennis or golf, so that it spins sideways instead of moving straight forward:  --With an open goal in front of him, Wiltord sliced his shot wide of the left post.//\n  5  any way you slice it:   AmE  spoken whatever way you choose to consider the situation//  --It’s the truth, any way you slice it.//  slice off [slice sth → off] phr v//\n  1 to remove part of something by cutting it with one movement of a sharp knife or edge:   cut off//  --His knife had slipped and sliced off the top of his finger.//\n  2 to reduce a cost or total by a particular amount quickly and easily:  slice sth off sth//  --By using volunteers we were able to slice [hA124]10,000 off the cost of the project.//


Words: sliced bread
Meaning:
n [U]   1 bread that is sold already cut into slices//\n  2  the best/greatest thing since sliced bread:   informal used humorously to say that something new is very helpful, useful etc//  --He reckons his new mobile phone is the best thing since sliced bread.//


Words: slick
Meaning:
adj \n  1 if something is slick, it is done in a skilful and attractive way and seems expensive, but it often contains no important or interesting ideas:  --a slick Hollywood production//  --slick advertising//  --The presentation was very slick.//\n  2 if someone is slick, they are good at persuading people, often in a way that does not seem honest:  --a slick used-car salesman//\n  3 done smoothly and quickly:  --He got round the defender using some slick footwork.//\n  4 smooth and slippery:  slick with//  --Cars were sliding off roads that were slick with rain.//\n  5  AmE  old-fashioned very good or attractive:  -- slickly adv //  -- slickness n  [U] //\nslick 2 n [C] \n  1  also oil slick :  an area of oil on the surface of water or on a road//\n  2  AmE a magazine printed on good quality paper with a shiny surface, usually with a lot of colour pictures:   glossy magazine//\n  3  technical a smooth car tyre used for racing:\nslick 3 v   slick down/back [slick sth → down/back] phr v//  to make hair smooth and shiny by putting oil, water etc on it//  --His hair had been combed back and slicked down with something to make it neat.//


Words: slide
Meaning:
W3   v   past tense and past participle  slid /sl[hA366]d///  [Language: Old English; Origin: slidan]//\n  1 [I and T] to move smoothly over a surface while continuing to touch it, or to make something move in this way:  slide along/across/down etc//  --Francesca slid across the ice.//  slide sth across/along etc//  --He opened the oven door and slid the pan of cookies in.//  --He slid open the door of the glass cabinet.//\n  2 [I,T always + adverb/preposition] to move somewhere quietly and smoothly, or to move something in this way:  slide into/out of etc//  --Daniel slid out of the room when no one was looking.//  --She slid into the driver’s seat.//  slide sth into/out of etc sth//  --He slid the gun into his pocket.//\n  3 [I] if prices, amounts, rates etc slide, they become lower:   drop//  → rise//  --Stocks slid a further 3% on the major markets today.//\n  4 [I] to gradually become worse, or to begin to have a problem:  --Students’ test scores started to slide in the mid-1990s.//  slide into//  --Murphy gradually slid into a pattern of drug abuse.//\n  5  let sth slide:  a) to let a situation get gradually worse//  --Management has let safety standards slide at the factory.//  b)  spoken to ignore a mistake, problem, remark etc, without trying to improve or stop it//  --Well, I guess we can let it slide this time.//  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: slide, slip, skid //  Slide  means to move smoothly across a surface. You can talk about people, objects, or liquids sliding : This floor’s great for sliding on. |  The door slid open (NOT slided open).| A tear slid down her cheek. //  Slip means to accidentally slide a small distance, and usually then fall down : She slipped and hurt her wrist. |  It’s icy - mind you don’t slip. //  Skid means to move across a smooth surface in an uncontrolled way. You usually use it to talk about vehicles : Cars skidded on the snow. | Jason skidded around the corner on his bike. //  ----------//\nslide 2 n [C]   ----------//\n   1 for children:\n   2 decrease:\n   3 picture:\n   4 getting worse:\n   5 science:\n   6 music/machine:\n   7 movement:\n   8 earth/snow:\n   9 for hair:  ----------//\n  1 FOR CHILDREN:  a large structure with steps leading to the top of a long sloping surface which children can slide down//\n  2 DECREASE:   [usually singular] a decrease in prices, amounts etc//  → rise//  slide in//  --the current slide in house prices//  on the slide//  --The company’s shares were on the slide again yesterday, down 7p at 339p.//  3 PICTURE//  a small piece of film in a frame that you shine a light through to show a picture on a screen or wall//  --a slide show //\n  4 GETTING WORSE:   [usually singular] a situation in which something gradually gets worse, or someone develops a problem//  slide in//  --School administrators were unable to explain the slide in student performance.//  slide into//  --a slide into economic chaos//\n  5 SCIENCE:  a small piece of thin glass used for holding something that you want to look at under a microscope//\n  6 MUSIC/MACHINE:  a sliding part of a machine or musical instrument, such as the U-shaped tube of a trombone//\n  7 MOVEMENT:   [usually singular] a sliding movement across a surface//  --The car went into a slide .//\n  8 EARTH/SNOW:  a sudden fall of earth, stones, snow etc down a slope//  --a rock slide//\n  9 FOR HAIR:   BrE a small metal or plastic object that holds your hair in place//


Words: slide projector
Meaning:
n [C]   a piece of equipment that shines a light through slides so that pictures appear on a screen or wall//


Words: slide rule
Meaning:
n [C]   an old-fashioned instrument used for calculating numbers, that looks like a ruler and has a middle part that slides across//


Words: sliding scale
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]   a system for calculating how much you pay for taxes, medical treatment etc, in which the amount that you pay changes according to different conditions//  on a sliding scale//  --Fees are calculated on a sliding scale.//


Words: slight
Meaning:
W3S2   adj   comparative  slighter superlative  slightest //  [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Probably from  Middle Dutch slicht]//\n  1 [usually before noun] small in degree:  → big//  --a slight improvement//  --a slight increase//  --a slight change of plan//  --a slight pause//  --a slight problem//\n  2  not the slightest chance/doubt/difference etc:  no doubt, chance etc at all//  --I didn’t have the slightest idea who that man was.//\n  3 someone who is slight is thin and delicate:  → stocky see usage note  thin1 //\n  4  not in the slightest:   BrE  spoken not at all//  --’Did he mind lending you the car?’ ’Not in the slightest.’//\nslight 2 v [T]   to offend someone by treating them rudely or without respect//  --Derek felt slighted when no one phoned him back.//  -- slight n  [C] //  --She may take it as a slight on her ability as a mother.//  --a slight to his authority//


Words: slightly
Meaning:
adv \n  1 a little:  --a slightly different color//  --a slightly more powerful engine//  slightly higher/lower/better/larger etc //  --January’s sales were slightly better than average.//  --He was someone I already knew slightly.//  --a slightly tart flavor//  --He leaned forward ever so slightly .//\n  2  slightly-built:  having a thin and delicate body//


Words: slim
Meaning:
S3   adj   comparative  slimmer //  superlative  slimmest //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Dutch; Origin: ’bad, of low quality’]//\n  1 someone who is slim is attractively thin:   slender//  --a slim young woman//  --a slim waist see usage note  thin1 //\n  2 very small in amount or number:   slender//  --There’s only a slim chance that anyone survived the crash.//  --The Republicans held a slim majority in the Senate.//\n  3 not wide or thick:  --a slim volume of poetry//\nslim 2 v   past tense and past participle  slimmed present participle  slimming //  [I]  BrE to make yourself thinner by eating less, taking a lot of exercise etc//    diet//  -- slimmer n  [C] //  slim down phr v//\n  1 to reduce the size or number of something, or to become reduced in size or number:  slim sth → down//  --The company is trying to slim down its workforce.//  slim down to//  --The Cabinet has been slimmed down to 16 members.//\n  2 to make your body thinner, or to become thinner, especially in order to be healthier or more attractive:  slim sth → down//  --How can I slim down my hips?//  slim down to//  --She slimmed down to a healthy 61 kilos.//  -- slimmed-down adj //


Words: slime
Meaning:
n [U]   [Language: Old English; Origin: slim]//  an unpleasant thick slippery substance//  --a pond full of green slime//  --the trails of slime left by snails//


Words: slimeball
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   someone who is immoral, extremely unpleasant, and cannot be trusted - used to show disapproval//


Words: slimline
Meaning:
adj  BrE \n  1 a slimline drink has fewer calories than the normal type:    diet//\n  2 a slimline piece of equipment is smaller or thinner than others of the same type:  --a slimline dishwasher//


Words: slimming
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE   the activity of trying to make yourself thinner by eating less, taking exercise etc//\nslimming 2 adj   making you look thinner//  --Solid colors are more slimming than patterns.//


Words: slimy
Meaning:
adj \n  1 covered with slime, or wet and slippery like slime:  --slimy mud//\n  2  informal friendly in an unpleasant way that does not seem sincere - used to show disapproval:  --a slimy politician//  -- sliminess n  [U] //


Words: sling
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  slung /sl[hA356][hA26E]/ [T always + adverb/preposition] //  [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  Probably from  Old Norse slyngva  ’to throw violently’]//\n  1 to throw or put something somewhere with a careless movement and some force:   chuck//  --Lou slung his suitcase onto the bed.//  sling sb sth//  --Sling me the keys.//  --Pete slung his bag over his shoulder .//\n  2  informal to make someone leave or go to a place:  sling sb into/out of sth//  --Sam was slung into jail for punching a cop.//\n  3 [usually passive] to hang something loosely:  --Dave wore a tool belt slung around his waist.//\n  4  sling your hook:   BrE  informal used to tell someone to go away//\nsling 2 n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Perhaps from  Middle Low German slinge]//\n  1 a piece of cloth tied around your neck to support an injured arm or hand:  in a sling//  --She had her arm in a sling.//\n  2 a set of ropes or strong pieces of cloth that are used to lift and carry heavy objects:\n  3 a special type of bag that fastens over your shoulders, in which you can carry a baby close to your body:\n  4 a piece of rope with a piece of leather in the middle, used in past times as a weapon for throwing stones:\n  5  slings and arrows:   written problems or criticisms//  --We’ve all suffered the slings and arrows of day-to-day living.//


Words: slingshot
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a small Y-shaped stick with a thin band of rubber across the top, used to throw stones//  British Equivalent:  catapult//


Words: slink
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  slunk /sl[hA356][hA26E]k/ [I always + adverb/preposition] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: slincan  ’to creep’]//  to move somewhere quietly and secretly, especially because you are afraid or ashamed//   creep//  --Edward was hoping to slink past unnoticed.//


Words: slinky
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a slinky dress, skirt etc is smooth and tight and shows the shape of a woman’s body in a way that looks sexually attractive:  --a slinky black dress//\n  2 slinky movements, music, or voices are slow in a way that is sexually attractive:  --a song with slinky bass lines//


Words: slip
Meaning:
W2S3   v   past tense and past participle  slipped present participle  slipping //  ----------//\n   1 fall or slide:\n   2 go somewhere:\n   3 put something somewhere:\n   4 give something to somebody:\n   5 move:\n   6 knife:\n   7 get worse:\n   8 change condition:\n   9 clothes:\n  10 time:\n  11 slip your mind/memory:\n  12 let something slip:\n  13 get free:\n  14 slip through the net:\n  15 let something slip (through your fingers):\n  16 slip one over on somebody:\n  17 slip a disc/disk:  Phrasal verbs//   slip away//   slip something → in//   slip out//   slip up//  ----------//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: Middle Low German slippen]//\n  1 FALL OR SLIDE:   [I] to slide a short distance accidentally, and fall or lose your balance slightly//  --Wright slipped but managed to keep hold of the ball.//  slip on//  --He slipped on the ice. see usage note  slide1 //\n  2 GO SOMEWHERE:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to go somewhere, without attracting other people’s attention//   slide//  --Ben slipped quietly out of the room.//  --One man managed to slip from the club as police arrived.//\n  3 PUT SOMETHING SOMEWHERE:   [T always + adverb/preposition] to put something somewhere quietly or smoothly//   slide//  --Ann slipped the book into her bag.//  --A letter had been slipped under his door.//  --Carrie slipped her arm through her brother’s.//\n  4 GIVE SOMETHING TO SOMEBODY:   [T] to give someone something secretly or without attracting much attention//  slip sb sth//  --I slipped him a ten-dollar bill to keep quiet.//  slip sth to sb//  --Carr slips the ball to King who scores easily.//\n  5 MOVE:   [I] to move smoothly, especially off or from something//  --As he bent over, the towel round his waist slipped.//  slip off/down/from etc//  --He watched the sun slip down behind the mountains.//  --The ring had slipped off Julia’s finger.//  --Cally slipped from his grasp and fled.//\n  6 KNIFE:   [I] if a knife or other tool slips, it moves so that it accidentally cuts the wrong thing//  --The knife slipped and cut his finger.//\n  7 GET WORSE:   [I] to become worse or lower than before//  --Standards have slipped in many parts of the industry.//  --His popularity slipped further after a series of scandals.//  --You’re slipping, Doyle! You need a holiday.//\n  8 CHANGE CONDITION:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to gradually start being in a particular condition//   fall//  slip into//  --He had begun to slip into debt.//  --She slipped into unconsciousness and died the next day.//  --The project has slipped behind schedule.//\n  9 CLOTHES:   [I,T always + adverb/preposition] to put a piece of clothing on your body or take it off your body quickly and smoothly//  slip sth off/on//  --Peter was already at the door slipping on his shoes.//  slip into/out of//  --She slipped out of her clothes and stepped into the shower.//\n  10 TIME:   [I, always + adverb/preposition] if time slips away, past etc it passes quickly//  slip away/past/by//  --The search for the missing child continued, but time was slipping away.//  --The hours slipped past almost unnoticed.//\n  11  slip your mind/memory:  if something slips your mind, you forget it//  --I meant to buy some milk, but it completely slipped my mind.//\n  12  let sth slip:  to say something without meaning to, when you had wanted it to be a secret//  --He let it slip that they were planning to get married.//\n  13 GET FREE:   [T] to get free from something that was holding you//  --The dog slipped his collar and ran away.//\n  14  slip through the net:   BrE slip through the cracks  AmE if someone or something slips through the net, they are not caught or dealt with by the system that is supposed to catch them or deal with them//  --In a class of 30 children, it is easy for one to slip through the net and learn nothing.//\n  15  let sth slip (through your fingers):  to not take an opportunity, offer etc//  --Don’t let a chance like that slip through your fingers!//\n  16  slip one over on sb:   informal  especially AmE to deceive or play a trick on someone//\n  17  slip a disc/disk:  to suffer an injury when one of the connecting parts between the bones in your back moves out of place//  slip away phr v//\n  1 to leave a place secretly or without anyone noticing:\n  2 if something such as an opportunity slips away, it is no longer available:  --This time, Radford did not let her chance slip away.//  slip in [slip sth → in] phr v//  to use a word or say something without attracting too much attention//  --He had slipped in a few jokes to liven the speech up.//  slip out phr v//  if something slips out, you say it without really intending to//  --I didn’t mean to say it. The words slipped out.//  slip up phr v//  to make a mistake//  --The company apologized for slipping up so badly.//  slip up on//  --Someone had slipped up on the order.//    slip-up//\nslip 2 n   ----------//\n   1 paper:\n   2 mistake:\n   3 slip of the tongue/pen:\n   4 give somebody the slip:\n   5 clothing:\n   6 getting worse:\n   7 slide:\n   8 a slip of a girl/boy etc:\n   9 cricket:\n  10 clay:  ----------//  [Sense: 1,8; Date: 1400-1500; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: Middle Low German slippe  ’split, slit, flap’]//  [Sense: 2-7, 9; Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  SLIP1]//  [Sense: 10; Origin: Old English slypa  ’slime’]//\n  1 PAPER:   [C] a small or narrow piece of paper//  --a slip of paper //  --an order slip//  --a betting slip//    payslip//\n  2 MISTAKE:   [C] a small mistake//  --Molly knew she could not afford to make a single slip .//\n  3  slip of the tongue/pen:  a small mistake you make when you are speaking or writing, especially by using the wrong word//  --It was just a slip of the tongue.//    Freudian slip//\n  4  give sb the slip:   informal to escape from someone who is chasing you//  --Somehow she’d given them the slip.//\n  5 CLOTHING:   [C] a piece of underwear, similar to a thin dress or skirt, that a woman wears under a dress or skirt//  --a white silk slip//\n  6 GETTING WORSE:   [C usually singular] an occasion when something becomes worse or lower//  slip in//  --a slip in house prices//\n  7 SLIDE:   [C] an act of sliding a short distance or of falling by sliding//\n  8  a slip of a girl/boy etc:   old-fashioned a small thin young person - often used humorously//\n  9 CRICKET:   [C usually plural] a part of the field where players stand, trying to catch the ball in cricket//\n  10 CLAY:   [U]  technical a mixture of clay and water that is used for decorating pots//


Words: slippage
Meaning:
n [U and C]  formal \n  1 failure to do something at the planned time, at the planned cost etc:  --Slippage on any job will entail slippage on the overall project.//\n  2 when something becomes worse or lower:  slippage in/of//  --slippage in sales//\n  3 when something slips:  --snow slippage//


Words: slipped disc
Meaning:
slipped disk AmE n [C usually singular]   a painful injury caused when one of the connecting parts between the bones in your back moves out of place//


Words: slippery
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: slipper  ’slippery’ (11-19 centuries), from  Old English slipor]//\n  1 something that is slippery is difficult to hold, walk on etc because it is wet or greasy:  --In places, the path can be wet and slippery.//  --Harry’s palms were slippery with sweat.//\n  2  informal someone who is slippery cannot be trusted:  --Martin is a slippery customer  (=someone you should not trust) so be careful what you say to him.//\n  3 not having one clear meaning and able to be understood in different ways:  --the slippery notion of ’standards’//\n  4  (be on) a/the slippery slope:   BrE  informal used to talk about a process or habit that is difficult to stop and which will develop into something extremely bad//  (be on) a/the slippery slope to/towards//  --He is on the slippery slope to a life in crime.//  -- slipperiness n  [U] //


Words: slipshod
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: slipshod  ’wearing loose shoes’ (16-19 centuries)]//  done too quickly and carelessly - used to show disapproval//   slapdash//  --a slipshod piece of work//


Words: slit
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  slit present participle  slitting  [T] //  to make a straight narrow cut in cloth, paper, skin etc//  --Guy slit open the envelope.//  slit sb’s throat (=kill someone by cutting their throat) //  slit your wrists (=try to kill yourself by cutting your wrists) //\nslit 2 n [C]   a long straight narrow cut or hole//  --light shining through a slit in the door//  --a skirt with a slit up the side//


Words: slither
Meaning:
preposition]   [Language: Old English; Origin: slidrian, from  slidan;   SLIDE1]//  to slide somewhere over a surface, twisting or moving from side to side//  --A snake slithered across the grass.//  --He slithered down the muddy bank.//


Words: sliver
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: slive  ’to cut off thinly’ (11-19 centuries), from  Old English slifan]//  a small pointed or thin piece that has been cut or broken off something//  sliver of//  --a sliver of glass//  --a sliver of cake//


Words: slo-mo
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]  informal   used to describe action that appears to happen more slowly than it really happens, in computer games, on video etc//     slow-motion//  --slo-mo mode//  -- slo-mo n  [U] //


Words: slob
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: Irish Gaelic; Origin: slab  ’mud’]//  someone who is lazy and untidy//  --a lazy slob//\nslob 2 v   past tense and past participle  slobbed present participle  slobbing //  slob around/out phr v//  to spend time doing nothing and being lazy//


Words: slobber
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Perhaps from  Middle Dutch slobberen  ’to eat noisily’]//  to let saliva (=the liquid produced by your mouth)  come out of your mouth and run down//   drool//  --I hate dogs that slobber everywhere.//  slobber over / [slobber over sth/sb] phr v//  to show how much you want, like, or love someone or something, without controlling yourself//  --I caught Rick slobbering over the models in a magazine.//


Words: slog
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  slogged present participle  slogging  [I]  informal //\n  1 to work hard at something without stopping, especially when the work is difficult, tiring, or boring:  --Mother slogged all her life for us.//  slog away//  --After a day slogging away at work, I need to relax.//  slog through//  --You just have to sit down and slog through long lists of new vocabulary.//\n  2 [always + adverb/preposition] to make a long hard journey somewhere, especially on foot:  --He’s been slogging round the streets delivering catalogues.//  slog your way through/round etc sth //  --He started to slog his way up the hill.//\n  3  slog it out:   BrE to fight, compete, or argue about something until one side wins//  --The teams will be slogging it out on Saturday.//\nslog 2 n \n  1 [singular, U]  BrE  informal a piece of work that takes a lot of time and effort and is usually boring:  --It’ll be a slog, but I know we can do it.//  --months of hard slog //\n  2 [singular] a long period of tiring walking:  --a long hard slog uphill//


Words: slogan
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Scottish Gaelic; Origin: sluagh-ghairm  ’army cry’]//  a short phrase that is easy to remember and is used in advertisements, or by politicians, organizations etc//    catchphrase//  --an advertising slogan //  --demonstrators shouting political slogans //  --the Democrats’ campaign slogan //


Words: sloganeering
Meaning:
n [U]   the use of slogans in advertisements or by politicians, organizations etc - used to show disapproval//  --political sloganeering//


Words: sloop
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Dutch; Origin: sloep]//  a small ship with one central mast (=pole for sails) //


Words: slop
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  slopped present participle  slopping //\n  1 [I always + adverb/preposition] if liquid slops somewhere, it moves around or over the edge of a container in an uncontrolled way:   splash//  --Coffee slopped over the rim of her cup.//  --With each wave, more water slopped into the cabin.//\n  2 [T always + adverb/preposition] to put a liquid somewhere in a careless way:  --She put the glass down, slopping beer onto the table.//\n  3 [T]  AmE to feed slop to pigs:  slop around/about phr v//  to relax, wearing clothes that are untidy or old//  --Jan would never slop around in old jeans.//  slop out phr v//  if prisoners slop out, they empty their toilet buckets//  -- slopping-out n  [U] //\nslop 2 n [U]  also slops  plural   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Probably from  Old English sloppe  ’body waste’]//\n  1 waste food that can be used to feed animals:\n  2  BrE dirty water or urine:  --Prisoners had to use slop buckets at night.//\n  3  informal food that is too soft and tastes bad:  --Do you actually expect us to eat this slop?//


Words: slope
Meaning:
W3   n \n  1 [C] a piece of ground or a surface that slopes:  --a steep slope //  --a gentle  (=not steep)  slope //  --She looked back up the grassy slope.//\n  2 an area of steep ground covered with snow that people  ski down:  --We got to Tahoe on Friday, and  hit the slopes   (=skied on them) the next day.//\n  3 [singular] the angle at which something slopes in relation to a flat surface:  --a slope of 30 degrees//\nslope 2 v [I]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from  aslope  ’in a sloping position’ (14-21 centuries), probably from  Old English aslopen, past participle of  aslupan  ’to slip away’]//  if the ground or a surface slopes, it is higher at one end than the other//  slope up/down/away etc//  --a pleasant garden that slopes down to the river//  slope off phr v//  to leave somewhere quietly and secretly, especially when you are avoiding work//  --Mike sloped off early today.//


Words: sloppy
Meaning:
adj \n  1 not done carefully or thoroughly:   careless//  --sloppy work//  --His written reports are incredibly sloppy.//\n  2 sloppy clothes are loose-fitting, untidy, or dirty:  --Ann was dressed in a sloppy brown sweater.//\n  3 expressing feelings of love too strongly and in a silly way:   slushy//  --The film is a sloppy romance.//\n  4 not solid enough:  --sloppy jelly//  -- sloppily adv //  -- sloppiness n  [U] //


Words: slosh
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Probably from  slop +  slush]//\n  1 [I,T always + adverb/preposition] if a liquid sloshes somewhere, or if you slosh it, it moves or is moved about in an uncontrolled way:  slosh around/about//  --Water was sloshing about in the bottom of the boat.//  --He put the glass down hard and beer sloshed over the edge.//\n  2 [T always + adverb/preposition] to put a liquid in a container or on a surface in a careless way:  --Jo sloshed more wine into her glass.//  --Slosh a bit of paint on.//\n  3 [I always + adverb/preposition] to walk through water or mud in a noisy way:  --People were sloshing around in the mud.//


Words: slot
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: esclot  ’hollow place in the bone in the middle of the chest’]//\n  1 a long narrow hole in a surface, that you can put something into:  --Alan dropped another quarter into the slot on the pay phone.//\n  2 a short period of time allowed for one particular event on a programme or timetable:  --a ten-minute slot on the breakfast show//  --landing slots at Heathrow Airport//  --A new comedy is scheduled for the 9 p.m. time slot .//\nslot 2   past tense and past participle  slotted present participle  slotting  v [I,T always + adverb/preposition] //  to go into a slot, or to put something in a slot//  slot sth into sth//  --Mary slotted a cassette into the VCR.//  slot into//  --Each length of board slots easily into the next.//  --All the wood parts come pre-cut so that they can be slotted together  (=put together using slots) .//  slot in phr v//  to fit something or someone into a plan, organization etc, or to fit in//  --Stewart has slotted in well.//  slot sb/sth → in//  --We should be able to slot the meeting in before lunch.//


Words: slot machine
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a machine used for playing a game, that starts when you put money into it:\n  2  BrE a machine that you buy cigarettes, food, or drink from:   vending machine//


Words: sloth
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1100-1200; Origin: slow]//\n  1 [C] an animal in Central and South America that moves very slowly, has grey fur, and lives in trees:\n  2 [U]  formal laziness:


Words: slouch
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//  to stand, sit, or walk with a slouch//  slouch back/against/in etc//  --Jimmy slouched back in his chair.//  --She slouched across the living room.//\nslouch 2 n \n  1  be no slouch (at sth):   informal to be very good at something//  --Horowitz was no slouch at languages.//\n  2 [singular] a way of standing, sitting, or walking with your shoulders bent forward that makes you look tired or lazy:


Words: slough
Meaning:
v   slough off [slough sth → off] phr v//  [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: slough  ’dead skin of an animal’ (14-21 centuries), of unknown origin]//\n  1  technical to get rid of a dead layer of skin:\n  2  literary to get rid of something, especially something that is damaging you:  --The president wanted to slough off the country’s bad image.//\nslough 2   n   [Language: Old English; Origin: sloh]//\n  1 [singular]  literary a bad situation or a state of sadness that you cannot get out of easily:  slough of//  --Harry was in a slough of despondency for weeks.//\n  2 [C] an area of land covered in deep dirty water or mud:


Words: Slough of Despond
Meaning:
the  literary   a situation in which you are very unhappy and there seems to be no hope that things will improve. The expression comes from the name of a place in the book  ThePilgrim’s Progress by John  Bunyan.//


Words: Slovakia
Meaning:
a country in Eastern Europe between the Ukraine and the Czech Republic, that was formed in 1993 when Czechoslovakia was divided. Population: 5,415,000 (2001). Capital: Bratislava.//  -- SlovakianSlovak //   n  adj //


Words: Slovenia
Meaning:
a country in southeast Europe, between Austria and Croatia, that was formerly part of Yugoslavia. Population: 1,930,000 (2001). Capital: Ljubljana.//  -- Slovenian n  adj //


Words: slovenly
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: sloven  ’dirty messy person’ (15-21 centuries), probably from  Flemish sloovin  ’woman of bad character’]//  lazy, untidy, and careless//  --slovenly habits//  --a large slovenly woman//  --a slovenly way of speaking//  -- slovenliness n  [U] //


Words: Slovo
Meaning:
Joe   (1926-95) a white South African lawyer, born in Lithuania, who had an important part in opposing the system of apartheid in South Africa. He was the leader of the South African Communist Party, and a leading member of the ANC. In the last two years of his life he was a minister in Nelson Mandela’s government.//


Words: slow
Meaning:
adj   comparative  slower superlative  slowest //  ----------//\n   1 not quick:\n   2 taking too long:\n   3 with delay:\n   4 longer time:\n   5 business:\n   6 clock:\n   7 not clever:\n   8 slow on the uptake:\n   9 slow off the mark:\n  10 do a slow burn:\n  11 slow handclap:\n  12 a slow oven:\n  13 photography:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: slaw]//\n  1 NOT QUICK:  not moving, being done, or happening quickly//  → quick, fast//    slowly//  --The car was travelling at a very slow speed.//  --a slow walker//  --The economy faces a year of slower growth.//  --Take a few deep, slow breaths.//  --We got on the  slow train  (=one that stops at a lot of places) by mistake.//\n  2 TAKING TOO LONG:  taking too long//  → fast//  --Taylor was concerned at the slow progress of the investigations.//  --The legal system can be  painfully slow  (=much too slow) .//  slow to do sth//  --The wound was slow to heal.//\n  3 WITH DELAY:   [not before noun] if you are slow to do something, you do not do it as soon as you can or should//  slow to do sth//  --Farmers have been slow to exploit this market.//  --Their attitude was slow to change.//  slow in doing sth//  --He has been slow in announcing the name of his successor.//  --New ideas have been slow in coming.//\n  4 LONGER TIME:  taking a longer time than something similar//  → fast//  --the slow train (=one that stops at more stations) //\n  5 BUSINESS:  if business or trade is slow, there are not many customers or not much is sold//  --Business is often slow in the afternoon.//  --The company is experiencing slow sales.//\n  6 CLOCK:   [not before noun] if a clock or watch is slow, it is showing a time earlier than the correct time//  → fast//  ten minutes/five minutes etc slow //  --The clock is about five minutes slow.//\n  7 NOT CLEVER:  not good or quick at understanding things//  --Teaching assistants have time to help the slower pupils.//\n  8  slow on the uptake:  not quick to understand something new//  --Sometime Tim’s a little slow on the uptake.//\n  9  slow off the mark:  not quick enough at reacting to something//\n  10  do a slow burn:   AmE  informal to slowly get angry//  --Tony fumbled the ball and I could see the coach doing a slow burn.//\n  11  slow handclap:   BrE if a group of people give someone a slow handclap, they clap their hands slowly to show their disapproval//\n  12  a slow oven:  an oven that is at a low temperature//\n  13 PHOTOGRAPHY:  a slow film does not react to light very easily//  -- slowness n  [U] //\nslow 2 v    also slow down/up //   [I and T] to become slower or to make something slower//  --Her breathing slowed and she fell asleep.//  --Ian slowed up as he approached the traffic lights.//  slow down phr v//\n  1 to become slower or to make something slower:  --Growth in sales has slowed down.//  slow sth/sb → down//  --The ice on the road slowed us down.//\n  2 to become less active or busy than you usually are:  --It is important to slow down, rest, and eat sensibly.//\nslow 3 adv   comparative  slower superlative  slowest  informal //  slowly//  --If you go slower, you’ll see much more.//    go-slow//


Words: slow lane
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 the part of a large road where vehicles drive more slowly than the other vehicles on the road:    fast lane//\n  2  in the slow lane:  if a company, organization etc is in the slow lane, it is less successful than others//  --The country is expected to remain in the slow lane of economic recovery.//


Words: slow motion
Meaning:
n [U]   movement on film or television shown at a slower speed than it really happened//  in slow motion//  --Let’s see that goal again in slow motion.//


Words: slowdown
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C usually singular] a reduction in activity or speed:  slowdown in//  --a slowdown in the US economy//\n  2 [C]  AmE a period when people deliberately work slowly in order to protest about something:


Words: slowly
Meaning:
adv \n  1 at a slow speed:  → quickly//  --He shook his head slowly.//  --’That’s true,’ said Joe slowly.//\n  2  slowly but surely:  used to emphasize that a change is happening, although it is happening slowly//  --We are slowly but surely gaining the support of the public.//


Words: slowpoke
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE  informal   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: slow +  poke  ’slow or stupid person’ (1800-1900)]//  someone who moves or does things too slowly//


Words: sludge
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from  slush]//\n  1 soft thick mud, especially at the bottom of a liquid:\n  2 the solid substance that is left when industrial waste or sewage (=the liquid waste from toilets)  has been cleaned:\n  3 thick dirty oil in an engine:  -- sludgy adj //


Words: slug
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 a small creature with a soft body, that moves very slowly and eats garden plants:\n  2  AmE  informal a bullet:  --Perez still has a slug lodged in his left shoulder.//\n  3  informal a small amount of a strong alcoholic drink:  slug of//  --a slug of brandy//\n  4  AmE  informal a piece of metal shaped like a coin, used to illegally get a drink, ticket etc from a machine:\nslug 2   past tense and past participle  slugged present participle  slugging  v [T] //  [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Probably from   SLOG1]//\n  1  slug it out:  if two people slug it out, they fight or compete until one of them has won//\n  2  informal to hit someone hard with your closed hand:   punch//\n  3 to hit a ball hard:


Words: slugfest
Meaning:
n [C]  informal  especially AmE   a situation in which people are arguing or fighting in a rude or angry way//


Words: sluggish
Meaning:
adj   moving or reacting more slowly than normal//  --Alex woke late feeling tired and sluggish.//  --Economic recovery has so far been sluggish.//  -- sluggishly adv //  -- sluggishness n  [U] //


Words: sluice
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: escluse, from  Late Latin exclusa, from  Latin excludere;   EXCLUDE]//  a passage for water to flow through, with a special gate which can be opened or closed to control it//\nsluice 2 v \n  1 [T] to wash something with a lot of water:  sluice sth out/down//  --He was sluicing down the table and the floor.//\n  2 [I always + adverb/preposition] if water sluices somewhere, a large amount of it suddenly flows there:


Words: slum
Meaning:
n \n  1 [C] a house or an area of a city that is in very bad condition, where very poor people live:  --a slum area//  --slum housing//  --the slums of London//\n  2 [singular]  BrE  informal a very untidy place:\nslum 2 v   slum it/be slumming//   informal to spend time in conditions that are much worse than you are used to - often used humorously//  --Jeremy doesn’t slum it when he goes away.//


Words: slumber
Meaning:
v [I]  literary   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin: sloom  ’to sleep’ (13-19 centuries), from  Old English sluma  ’sleep’]//  to sleep//\nslumber 2 n [singular, U]  also slumbers  literary   sleep//  --He passed into a deep slumber.//


Words: slumlord
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   someone who owns houses in a very poor area and charges high rents for buildings that are in bad condition//


Words: slump
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 to fall or lean against something because you are not strong enough to stand:  slump against/over/back etc//  --She slumped against the wall.//  --Carol slumped back in her chair, defeated.//  --Ben staggered and slumped onto the floor.//\n  2 to suddenly go down in price, value, or number:  → soar//  --Sales slumped by 20% last year.//  slump to//  --The currency slumped to a record low.//\n  3  also be slumped :  if your shoulders or head slump or are slumped, they bend forward because you are unhappy, tired, or unconscious//  --Her shoulders slumped and her eyes filled with tears.//\nslump 2 n [C, usually singular] \n  1 a sudden decrease in prices, sales, profits etc:  slump in//  --a slump in car sales//\n  2 a period when there is a reduction in business and many people lose their jobs:  → boom//  --The war was followed by an economic slump.//  --a worldwide slump//\n  3  especially AmE a period when a player or team does not play well:  in a slump//  --The Dodgers have been in a slump for the last three weeks.//


Words: slur
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  slurred present participle  slurring //  [Sense: 1,3; Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Probably from  Low German slurrn  ’to shuffle’]//  [Sense: 2; Date: 1600-1700; Origin: slur  ’thin mud’ (15-19 centuries)]//\n  1 [I and T] to speak unclearly without separating your words or sounds correctly:  slur your words/speech //  --She was slurring her words as if she was drunk.//  --His voice sounded slurred.//\n  2 [T] to criticize someone or something unfairly:\n  3 [T] to play a group of musical notes smoothly together:\nslur 2 n [C] \n  1 an unfair criticism that is intended to make people dislike someone or something:  slur on/against//  --Milton regarded her comment as a slur on his country.//  --How dare she cast a slur on  (=criticize) my character?//  --a racist slur//\n  2  technical a curved line written over musical notes to show they must be played together smoothly:


Words: slurp
Meaning:
v [I and T]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Dutch; Origin: slurpen, probably from the sound]//  to drink a liquid while making a noisy sucking sound//  -- slurp n  [C usually singular] //


Words: slurry
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin: slur  ’thin mud’;   SLUR1]//  a mixture of water and mud, coal, or animal waste//


Words: slush
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 [U] partly melted snow:  --Children were sliding around in the snow and slush.//\n  2 [U]  informal feelings or stories that seem silly because they are too romantic:  --sentimental slush//\n  3 [U and C]  especially AmE a drink made with crushed ice and a sweet liquid:  --cherry slush//  -- slushy adj //


Words: slut
Meaning:
n [C]  taboo  informal   a very offensive word for a woman who has sex with a lot of different people. Do not use this word.//  -- slutty adj //  -- sluttish adj //


Words: sly
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: sl[hA276]gr]//\n  1 someone who is sly cleverly deceives people in order to get what they want:   cunning//\n  2  sly smile/glance/wink etc:  a smile, look etc that shows you know something secret//  --He leaned forward with a sly smile.//\n  3  on the sly:   informal secretly, especially when you are doing something that you should not do//  --They’d been seeing each other on the sly for months.//  -- slyly adv //  -- slyness n  [U] //


Words: smack
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1400-1500; Origin:  Perhaps from  Middle Dutch smacken  ’to hit’. smack of  1300-1400 From  smack  ’taste’ (11-21 centuries), from  Old English sm[zB024]c]//\n  1 to hit someone, especially a child, with your open hand in order to punish them:    slap//  --the debate about whether parents should smack their children//\n  2 [always + adverb/preposition] to hit something hard against something else so that it makes a short loud noise:  --He smacked the money down on the table and walked out.//\n  3  smack your lips:  to make a short loud noise with your lips before or after you eat or drink something to show that it is good//  --He drained his glass and smacked his lips appreciatively.//\n  4  BrE  informal to hit someone hard with your closed hand:   punch//  smack of [smack of sth] phr v//  if a situation smacks of something unpleasant, it seems to involve that thing//  --To me, the whole thing smacks of a cover-up.//  smack up [smack sb up] phr v//  to hit someone hard many times with your hand//  --Don’t make me come over there and smack you up.//\nsmack 2 n   [Sense: 1-2, 4; Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  SMACK1]//  [Sense: 3; Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Perhaps from  Yiddish shmek  ’sniff, slight smell, small mount of snuff’]//  [Sense: 5; Date: 1600-1700; Language: Dutch; Origin: smak]//\n  1 [C] :  a) a hit with your open hand, especially to punish a child//    slap//  --You’re going to get a smack in a minute!//  b)  BrE  informal a hard hit with your closed hand//   punch//  smack in the mouth/face/gob //  --Talk like that and I’ll give you a smack in the mouth.//\n  2 [C usually singular] a short loud noise caused when something hits something else:  --The book landed with a smack.//\n  3 [U]  informal  heroin:\n  4  give sb a smack on the lips/cheek:   informal to kiss someone loudly//\n  5 [C] a small fishing boat:\nsmack 3 adv  informal \n  1 exactly or directly in the middle of something, in front of something etc:  smack in the middle/in front of sth etc //  --There was a hole smack in the middle of the floor.//  smack bang  BrE //  /smack dab  AmE //  --It’s smack dab in the middle of an earthquake zone.//\n  2 if something goes smack into something, it hits it with a lot of force:  --The car ran smack into the side of the bus.//


Words: smacker
Meaning:
n [C]  informal \n  1 a pound or a dollar:\n  2  also smackeroo /sm[zB024]k[hA353]ru[hA359]/:  a loud kiss//


Words: small
Meaning:
adj   comparative  smaller superlative  smallest //  ----------//\n   1 size:\n   2 not important:\n   3 no small degree/achievement/task etc:\n   4 young:\n   5 small business/firm/farmer etc:\n   6 letter:\n   7 conservative with a small ’c’/democrat with a small ’d’ etc:\n   8 voice:\n   9 look/feel small:\n  10 (it’s a) small world:\n  11 a small fortune:\n  12 small change:\n  13 be thankful/grateful for small mercies/favours:\n  14 the small hours:\n  15 small arms:\n  16 something is small potatoes:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: sm[zB024]l]//\n  1 SIZE:  not large in size or amount//  --a small piece of paper//  --a small car//  --a small town//  --a small dark woman//  --The T-shirt was too small for him.//  --The sweater comes in three sizes - small, medium and large.//  --Only a relatively small number of people were affected.//  --a small amount of money//  --A much smaller proportion of women are employed in senior positions.//\n  2 NOT IMPORTANT:  a small problem, job, mistake etc is not important or does not have a large effect//   minor//  --We may have to make a few small changes.//  --There’s been a small problem.//  --There’s only a small difference between them.//  --It was good to feel we had helped in some small way.//\n  3  no small degree/achievement/task etc:  a large degree, achievement etc//  --The success of the project is due in no small measure to the work of Dr Peterson.//  --That is no small achievement in the circumstances.//\n  4 YOUNG:  a small child is young//  --She has three small children.//  --I’ve known him since he was a small boy.//\n  5  small business/firm/farmer etc:  a business that does not involve large amounts of money or does not employ a large number of people//  --grants for small businesses//\n  6 LETTER:  small letters are letters in the form a, b, c etc rather than A, B, C etc//   lower case//  → capital//\n  7  conservative with a small ’c’/democrat with a small ’d’ etc:   informal someone who believes in the principles you have mentioned, but does not belong to an organized group or political party//\n  8 VOICE:  a small voice is quiet and soft//  --’What about me?’ she asked in a small voice.//\n  9  look/feel small:  to seem or feel stupid, unimportant, or ashamed//  --She jumped at any opportunity to make me look small .//\n  10  (it’s a) small world:   especially spoken used to express surprise when you unexpectedly meet someone you know or find out that someone has an unexpected connection to you//  --Did you know David went to school with my brother? It’s a small world, isn’t it?//\n  11  a small fortune:  a large amount of money//  cost/spend/pay a small fortune //  --It must have cost him a small fortune.//\n  12  small change:  coins of low value//  --I didn’t have any small change for the parking meter.//\n  13  be thankful/grateful for small mercies/favours:  to be pleased that a bad situation is not even worse//  --She wasn’t too badly hurt, so we should be thankful for small mercies.//\n  14  the small hours:   also the wee small hours  BrE the early morning hours, between about one and four o’clock//  in/into the small hours//  --He finally fell exhausted into bed in the small hours.//  --The party continued into the wee small hours.//\n  15  small arms:  guns that you hold with one or both hands when firing them//\n  16  sth is small potatoes:   also sth is small beer  BrE  informal used to say that someone or something is not important, especially when compared to other people or things//  --Even with [hA124]10,000 to invest, you are still small beer for most investment managers.//  -- small adv //  --He writes so small I can’t read it.//  -- smallness n  [U] //  ----------//  WORD CHOICE: small, little //  Small is a very general word for talking about the size of something : a small village | a small man |  He had small brown eyes. |  The envelope was too small. |  Do you have this shirt in a smaller size? //  Little  is used, especially in spoken English, to show how you feel about someone or something small, for example to show that you like them, dislike them, or feel sorry for them : What lovely little cakes! |  her horrid little dog //  !! You can say ’smaller’ or ’smallest’, but do not say ’littler’ or ’littlest’ : Her feet are even smaller (NOT littler/more little) than mine. //  !!  You can use words like ’quite’, ’very’ and ’too’ in front of  small , but do not use them with  little : a very small car (NOT very little car) //  ----------//\nsmall 2 n \n  1  the small of your back:  the lower part of your back where it curves//\n  2  smalls [plural]  BrE  old-fashioned  informal underwear:


Words: small ad
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   an advertisement put in a newspaper by someone who wants to buy or sell something//  American Equivalent:  want ad//


Words: small fry
Meaning:
n [U]   people or things that are not important when compared to other people or things//  --There’s no point in arresting the small fry.//


Words: small intestine
Meaning:
n [C]   the long tube that food goes through after it has gone through your stomach//    large intestine//


Words: small office/home office
Meaning:
n [C]   SOHO a room in someone’s home with electronic equipment such as a computer and a fax machine that is used as a place in which to work//


Words: small print
Meaning:
n [U]  especially BrE   all the rules and details relating to a contract or agreement//  American Equivalent:  fine print//  read/check the small print //  --Always read the small print before you sign anything.//


Words: small screen
Meaning:
n   the small screen//  television - used especially when comparing television to the cinema//    big screen//  --a film made for the small screen//


Words: small talk
Meaning:
n [U]   polite friendly conversation about unimportant subjects//  --We stood around making small talk .//


Words: small-minded
Meaning:
adj   thinking too much about your own life and problems and not about important things - use this to show disapproval//    narrow-minded//  --People around here are so small-minded.//  -- small-mindedness n  [U] //


Words: small-scale
Meaning:
adj   involving only a small number of things or a small area//  → large-scale//  --a small-scale study//


Words: small-time
Meaning:
adj   small-time crook/gangster etc//  a criminal who is not involved in large or serious crimes//  -- small-timer n  [C] //


Words: small-town
Meaning:
adj [only before noun] \n  1 from, or relating to, a small town:  --a small-town newspaper//\n  2  AmE  also smallville /sm[hA350][hA359]lv[hA366]l $ sm[hA361][hA359]l-/:  relating to ideas, qualities etc that people in small towns are supposed to have, which sometimes includes a lack of interest in anything new or different//  --small-town attitudes//


Words: smarmy
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: smarm  ’(to behave with) insincere politeness’ (19-21 centuries), of unknown origin]//  polite in an insincere way - used to show disapproval//  --smarmy comments//  --a smarmy car salesman//


Words: smart
Meaning:
W2S3   adj   comparative  smarter superlative  smartest //  ----------//\n   1 intelligent:\n   2 disrespectful:\n   3 neat:\n   4 fashionable:\n   5 technology:\n   6 the smart money is on somebody/something:\n   7 quick:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: smeart]//\n  1 INTELLIGENT:   especially AmE intelligent or sensible//   clever//  → stupid//  --The smart kids get good grades and go off to college.//  --I was smart enough to wait for a week.//  --His decision to become a director was a smart move  (=sensible thing to do) .//\n  2 DISRESPECTFUL:  trying to seem clever in a disrespectful way//  --Don’t get smart with me, young man.//  --He made some smart remark.//\n  3 NEAT:   BrE //  a) a smart person is wearing neat attractive clothes and has a generally tidy appearance//  American Equivalent:  sharp//  → scruffy//  --You’re looking very smart .//  b) smart clothes, buildings etc are clean, tidy, and attractive//  American Equivalent:  sharp//  --a smart black suit//  --smart new offices//\n  4 FASHIONABLE:   BrE fashionable or used by fashionable people//  --one of Bonn’s smartest restaurants//\n  5 TECHNOLOGY:  smart machines, weapons, materials etc are controlled by computers and are designed to react in a suitable way depending on the situation//    smart bomb//  --smart weapons//\n  6  the smart money is on sb/sth:  used to say that a particular person or thing is likely to do something or be successful//\n  7 QUICK:   BrE a smart movement is done quickly, especially with force//  --a smart blow on the head//  --She set off at a smart pace  (=fairly fast) .//  -- smartly adv //  --a smartly dressed young man//  --He turned smartly and walked away.//  -- smartness n  [U] //\nsmart 2 v [I] \n  1 to be upset because someone has hurt your feelings or offended you:  smart from//  --She was still smarting from the insult.//\n  2 if a part of your body smarts, it hurts with a stinging pain:  --My eyes were smarting with the smoke.//  smart off phr v//  to make funny rude remarks//


Words: smart alec
Meaning:
smart aleck n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  aleck from  Aleck,  Alec male name, from  Alexander]//   informal someone who always says clever things or always has the right answer, in a way that is annoying//


Words: smart arse
Meaning:
BrE  also  smart ass AmE n [C]  informal  not polite   a smart alec//  -- smart-arse also  smart-ass//   adj //  --smart-arse remarks//


Words: smarten
Meaning:
v   smarten up [smarten sth → up] phr v//\n  1  smarten yourself up:  to make yourself look neat and tidy//  --You’d better smarten yourself up.//\n  2 to make something look neater:  --We need to smarten the place up a bit.//\n  3  smarten up your act/ideas:  to improve the way you behave or do something//  --The company needs to smarten up their act if they are to keep customers.//


Words: Smarties
Meaning:
trademark   a type of small, round chocolate sweet with a hard sugar covering in various colours, sold in Britain//


Words: smartypants
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   someone who always says clever things or always has the right answer, in a slightly annoying way//  British Equivalent:  clever clogs//


Words: smash
Meaning:
v   calculator, hammer//  [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Perhaps from  smack +  mash]//\n  1 [I and T] to break into pieces violently or noisily, or to make something do this by dropping, throwing, or hitting it:  --Vandals had smashed all the windows.//  --Firemen had to smash the lock to get in.//  --Several cups fell to the floor and smashed to pieces .//\n  2 [I,T always + adverb/preposition] to hit an object or surface violently, or to make something do this:  --A stolen car smashed into the bus.//  --He smashed his fist down on the table.//\n  3  smash a record:  to do something much faster, better etc than anyone has done before//  --The film smashed all box office records.//\n  4 [T] to destroy something such as a political system or criminal organization:  --Police say they have smashed a major crime ring.//\n  5 [T] to hit a high ball with a strong downward action, in tennis or similar games:  smash down [smash sth → down] phr v//  to hit a door, wall etc violently so that it falls to the ground//  smash in [smash sth → in] phr v//  to hit something so violently that you break it and make a hole in it//  --The door had been smashed in.//  smash sb’s face/head in (=hit someone hard in the face or head) //  --I’ll smash his head in if he comes here again!//  smash up [smash sth → up] phr v//  to deliberately destroy something by hitting it//  --Hooligans started smashing the place up.//\nsmash 2 n \n  1 [C]  BrE a serious road or railway accident - used especially in newspapers:   crash//  --Young boy hurt in car smash.//\n  2 [C]  also smash hit :  a new film, song etc which is very successful//  --a box-office smash (=a film which many people go to see at the cinema) //\n  3 [C] a hard downward shot in tennis or similar games:\n  4 [singular] the loud sound of something breaking:  smash of//  --He heard the smash of glass.//


Words: smash hit
Meaning:
n [C]   a very successful new play, book, film etc//  --They had a smash hit with their first single.//


Words: Smash Hits
Meaning:
trademark   a British music magazine for young people, with articles on popular music and the singers and bands who produce it//


Words: smash-and-grab
Meaning:
adj  BrE   smash-and-grab raid/attack etc//  a crime in which someone robs a shop by breaking the window and stealing things quickly//  -- smash and grab n  [C] //


Words: smashed
Meaning:
adj [not before noun]    informal very drunk or affected by a drug//    stoned//  --It’s just an excuse to go out and get smashed .//


Words: smasher
Meaning:
n [C]    BrE  old-fashioned someone who you think is very attractive, or something that is very good//


Words: smattering
Meaning:
n [singular]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: smatter  ’to splash, talk with little knowledge’ (15-19 centuries)]//\n  1 a small number or amount of something:  smattering of//  --a smattering of applause//\n  2  have a smattering of sth:  to have a small amount of knowledge about a subject, especially a foreign language//


Words: smear
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: smeoru  ’fatty material’]//\n  1 a dirty mark made by a small amount of something spread across a surface:  smear of//  --a smear of paint//  --It left a black smear on his arm.//\n  2  BrE a smear test:\n  3 an untrue story about a politician or other important person that is told in order to make people lose respect for them - used especially in newspapers:  -- smeary adj //  --a smeary glass//\nsmear 2 v   ----------//\n   1 spread:\n   2 tell lies:\n   3 dirty:\n   4 ink/paint:  ----------//\n  1 SPREAD:   [T always + adverb/preposition] to spread a liquid or soft substance over a surface, especially in a careless or untidy way//  smear sth with sth//  --His face was smeared with mud.//  smear sth on/over etc sth//  --Elaine smeared sun tan lotion on her shoulders.//\n  2 TELL LIES:   [T] to tell an untrue story about someone important in order to make people lose respect for them - used especially in newspapers//  --an attempt to smear the party leadership//\n  3 DIRTY:   [T] to put dirty or oily marks on something//  --smeared windows//\n  4 INK/PAINT:   [I and T] if writing, a picture, or paint smears or is smeared, the ink or paint is accidentally touched and spread across the surface//   smudge//  --Several words were smeared.//


Words: smear campaign
Meaning:
n [C]   a deliberate plan to tell untrue stories about an important person in order to make people lose respect for them - used especially in newspapers//


Words: smear test
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE   a medical test in which some cells are removed from the entrance to a woman’s womb (=the place where a baby grows)  and examined under a microscope//


Words: smell
Meaning:
W3S2   n \n  1 [C] the quality that people and animals recognize by using their nose:  smell of//  --The air was filled with the smell of flowers.//  sweet/delicious smell //  --There’s a delicious smell coming from the kitchen.//  unpleasant/bad/acrid smell //  --the acrid smell of smoke//  strong/pungent smell //  --a pungent smell of garlic//\n  2 [C] an unpleasant smell:  --I think the smell’s getting worse.//\n  3 [U] the ability to notice or recognize smells:  --loss of taste and smell//  --Dogs have a very good sense of smell .//\n  4 [C usually singular] an act of smelling something:  -- Have a smell of this cheese; does it seem all right?//  ----------//  WORD FOCUS: smell //  good smell: aroma,  perfume,  fragrance,  scent //  bad smell: stink,  stench,  odour (BrE) odor (AmE),  whiff,  pong (BrE) //  ----------//\nsmell 2 W3S2 v   past tense and past participle  smelled  especially AmE  or  smelt /smelt/ BrE //  ----------//\n   1 notice a smell:\n   2 have a smell:\n   3 have a bad smell:\n   4 put your nose near something:\n   5 have ability:\n   6 smell trouble/danger etc:\n   7 smell a rat:\n   8 smell wrong/fishy/odd etc:  Phrasal verbs//   smell somebody/something → out//  ----------//\n  1 NOTICE A SMELL:   [T not in progressive] to notice or recognize a particular smell//  --I can smell burning.//  --Can you smell something?//\n  2 HAVE A SMELL:   [linking verb] to have a particular smell//  smell adj//  --The stew  smelled delicious .//  --Mm! Something  smells good !//  smell like//  --It smells like rotten eggs.//  smell of//   BrE //  --My clothes smelt of smoke.//  sweet-smelling/foul-smelling etc //  --sweet-smelling flowers//\n  3 HAVE A BAD SMELL:   [I not in progressive] to have an unpleasant smell//  --Your feet smell!//  --The room  smelled to high heaven  (=had a very bad smell) .//\n  4 PUT YOUR NOSE NEAR SOMETHING:   [T] to put your nose near something in order to discover what kind of smell it has//   sniff//  --She bent down and smelt the flowers.//\n  5 HAVE ABILITY:   [I] to have the ability to notice and recognize smells//  --I’ve got a cold and I can’t smell.//\n  6  smell trouble/danger etc:  to feel that something is going to happen, especially something bad//  --Miller had smelled trouble the moment she said who she was.//\n  7  smell a rat:   informal to guess that something wrong or dishonest is happening//\n  8  smell wrong/fishy/odd etc:   informal to seem dishonest or untrue//  --The whole thing is beginning to smell fishy to me.//    come up/out smelling of roses at rose1 (6)//  smell out [smell sb/sth → out] phr v//\n  1 to find something by smelling:   sniff out//  --They use dogs trained to smell out explosives.//\n  2  informal to find or recognize something because you have a natural ability to do this:   sniff out//  --They’ll be able to smell out any corruption.//  ----------//  GRAMMAR //  You can say that something  smells  good, bad, strange etc. //  !!  Use an adjective, never an adverb : You smell wonderful (NOT wonderfully) - what perfume is that? //  In British English, you can use  smell  with  of to say what something smells like : Her jacket smelled of smoke (NOT smelled smoke). //  If you say that something or someone  smells , you mean they have a bad smell : Your socks smell. //  If you  can smell  something or you  smell something, you notice its smell : I can smell coffee. |  We smelled smoke. //  !!  You do not say ’feel a smell’. //  ----------//


Words: smelling salts
Meaning:
n [plural]   a strong-smelling chemical that you hold under someone’s nose to make them conscious again when they have fainted//


Words: smelly
Meaning:
adj   comparative  smellier superlative  smelliest //  having a strong unpleasant smell//   stinky//  --smelly feet//  -- smelliness n  [U] //


Words: smelt
Meaning:
v  BrE   a past tense and past participle of smell//\nsmelt 2 v [T]   to melt a rock that contains metal in order to remove the metal//


Words: smidgin
Meaning:
smidgen/sm[hA366]d[hA360][hA369]n/ n  also smidge   [singular]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Perhaps from  smitch  ’bit’ (19-21 centuries)]//   informal a very small amount of something//   touch//  smidgin of//  --I added just a smidgin of chilli sauce.//


Words: smile
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1200-1300; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 [I] to make your mouth curve upwards, in order to be friendly or because you are happy or amused:  smile at//  --Susan smiled at him and waved.//  --She had to smile at his enthusiasm (=she was amused by it) .//  --He was smiling broadly now.//  --her smiling face//  smile about//  --I haven’t had much to smile about lately.//  smile to yourself//  --Mark read the message and smiled to himself (=smiled or felt pleased) .//\n  2 [T] to say or express something with a smile:  --’It’s good to have you back,’ she smiled.//\n  3  fortune/the gods etc smile on sb:   especially literary if fortune, the gods etc smile on you, you have good luck//  ----------//  HINT sense 1 //  You smile at someone. Do not say ’smile to someone’. //  ----------//\nsmile 2 n [C]   an expression in which your mouth curves upwards, when you are being friendly or are happy or amused//  with a smile//  --’Oh, I’m fine,’ Anna replied with a smile.//  a broad/big smile //  --A broad smile spread over Lucy’s face.//  a little/faint smile //  --He managed a faint smile.//  --He looked across at Jos with a wry smile  (=one which shows both amusement and sadness) .//  --’Oh, I understand,’ he said with a knowing smile  (=one which shows you know something that is secret) .//  a smile on your face/lips //  --Now he had a great big smile on his face.//  --She gave them a little smile .//  --After that, my mother was all smiles  (=was very happy or friendly) .//    wipe the smile/grin off sb’s face at wipe1 (7)//


Words: smiley
Meaning:
n [C]   a sign that looks like a face when you look at it sideways, for example :-), used in email messages to show that you are happy or pleased about something//


Words: smirk
Meaning:
v [I]   [Language: Old English; Origin: smearcian  ’to smile’]//  to smile in an unpleasant way that shows that you are pleased by someone else’s bad luck or think you are better than other people//  --The boys tried not to smirk.//  smirk at//  --What are you smirking at?//  -- smirk n  [C] //  --He had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.//


Words: smite
Meaning:
v   past tense  smote /sm[hA353][hA35E]t $ smo[hA35E]t/past participle  smitten /sm[hA366]tn/ [T] //  [Language: Old English; Origin: smitan  ’to make dirty, smear’]//\n  1  old use to hit something with a lot of force:\n  2  biblical to destroy, attack, or punish someone:


Words: smith
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin:]//  someone who makes and repairs things made of iron//   blacksmith//


Words: smithereens
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Irish Gaelic; Origin: smidirin, from  smiodar  ’small piece’]//  smash/blow etc sth to smithereens//   informal to destroy something by breaking it into very small pieces, or with an explosion//  --The shop was blown to smithereens by the explosion.//


Words: Smithsonian Institution
Meaning:
the Smithsonian Institution//   also the Smithsonian //  a large group of different  museums and scientific institutions in Washington, D.C., which was established in 1846 using money left by James Smithson, an English scientist//


Words: smithy
Meaning:
n   plural  smithies  [C] //  a place where iron objects such as horseshoes were made and repaired in the past//


Words: smitten
Meaning:
adj [not before noun] \n  1 suddenly feeling that you love someone very much:  --As soon as he saw her, he was smitten.//  smitten by/with//  --She was totally smitten with Steve.//\n  2  smitten with/by sth:  suddenly affected by an illness or a feeling//  --Dan was smitten with remorse.//  --The whole family were smitten with flu.//\nsmitten 2   the past participle of smite//


Words: smock
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: smoc]//\n  1 a long, loose shirt or a loose dress:\n  2 a loose piece of clothing worn by artists or other workers to protect their other clothing:


Words: smocking
Meaning:
n [U]   a type of decoration made on cloth by pulling the cloth into small regular folds held tightly with stitches//


Words: smog
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: smoke +  fog]//  dirty air that looks like a mixture of smoke and fog, caused by smoke from cars and factories in cities//  -- smoggy adj //


Words: smoke
Meaning:
W3S3   n   [Language: Old English; Origin: smoca]//\n  1 [U] white, grey or black gas that is produced by something burning:  -- clouds of black smoke //  --cigarette smoke//  --Smoke from burning fields drifted across nearby roads.//  --the pall of smoke  (=thick cloud of smoke) that hung over the city//  wisp/puff of smoke (=a small amount of smoke) //  --Rangers watched from their fire towers for any wisps of smoke.//\n  2 [C usually singular] an act of smoking a cigarette etc:  --He went outside for a quiet smoke.//\n  3  (go) up in smoke:  a) if something goes up in smoke, it burns so that it is completely destroyed//  --The whole factory went up in smoke.//  b)  informal if a plan or some work goes up in smoke, it fails or you cannot continue with it//  --We haven’t worked this long just to see everything go up in smoke.//\n  4 [C]  spoken a cigarette or drugs that are smoked:  --Where are the smokes, Jeff?//\n  5  there’s no smoke without fire:   also where there’s smoke there’s fire //   spoken used to say that if something bad is being said about someone, it is probably partly true//\n  6  the Smoke:   BrE  old-fashioned  informal London or any large town or city//\nsmoke 2 v \n  1 [I and T] to suck or breathe in smoke from a cigarette, pipe etc or to do this regularly as a habit:  --I don’t smoke and I don’t drink much.//  --Do you mind if I smoke?//  --He sat on the grass smoking a cigarette.//  --He admitted that he had smoked marijuana when he was a student.//\n  2 [I] if something smokes, it has smoke coming from it:  --a smoking chimney//\n  3 [T] to give fish or meat a special taste by hanging it in smoke:  smoke out [smoke sb/sth → out] phr v//\n  1 to fill a place with smoke in order to force someone or something to come out:  --He smoked the bees out of their nest.//\n  2 to discover who is causing a particular problem and force them to make themselves known:  --an operation to smoke out double agents//


Words: smoke alarm
Meaning:
also smoke detector  n [C]   a piece of electronic equipment which warns you when there is smoke or fire in a building//  --The smoke alarm went off.//


Words: smoke bomb
Meaning:
n [C]   something that lets out clouds of smoke when it is thrown, used especially by police to control crowds//


Words: smoke signal
Meaning:
n [C]   a message sent out to people who are far away, using the smoke from a fire, used especially by Native Americans in past times//


Words: smoke-filled room
Meaning:
n [C]   used to talk about a place where plans or decisions are made secretly by a small group of powerful people rather than in an open way - used especially in newspapers//


Words: smoke-free
Meaning:
adj   smoke-free environment/zone etc//  a place where people are not allowed to smoke//   non-smoking//  --new laws to create a smoke-free environment at work//


Words: smoked
Meaning:
adj   smoked salmon/bacon/sausage etc//  fish, meat etc that has been left in smoke to give it a special taste//


Words: smokeless
Meaning:
adj \n  1  smokeless coal/fuel:   fuel that burns without producing smoke//\n  2  smokeless tobacco:  tobacco that you chew rather than smoking//


Words: smoker
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who smokes cigarettes, cigars etc//  → non-smoker//  --My Grandad was a heavy smoker  (=someone who smokes a lot) .//  --He had a smoker’s cough  (=a cough caused by smoking cigarettes regularly) .//


Words: smokescreen
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 something that you do or say to hide your real plans or actions:  --a government that rules behind a smokescreen of democracy//\n  2 a cloud of smoke produced so that it hides soldiers, ships etc during a battle:


Words: Smokey the Bear
Meaning:
a character used by the US  Forest Service to warn people about the need to prevent forest fires. Smokey is a bear shown wearing a hat and saying "Only you can prevent forest fires".//


Words: smoking
Meaning:
S2   n [U]   the activity of breathing in tobacco smoke from a cigarette, pipe etc//  stop/quit/give up smoking //  --I gave up smoking nearly ten years ago.//  --The sign says ’No Smoking’.//  --a no smoking area//  --the risks of passive smoking  (=breathing in smoke from other people’s cigarettes) //


Words: smoking gun
Meaning:
n [C]   something that shows who is responsible for something bad or how something really happened//


Words: smoky
Meaning:
adj \n  1 filled with smoke:  --a smoky room//\n  2 producing too much smoke:  --a smoky engine//\n  3 having the taste, smell, or appearance of smoke:  --smoky green eyes//  --a smoky flavour//  -- smokiness n  [U] //


Words: smolder
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: smolder  ’smoke’ (14-19 centuries)]//  the American spelling of smoulder//


Words: smooch
Meaning:
v [I + with]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: smouch  ’to kiss’ (16-19 centuries)]//   informal if two people smooch, they kiss and hold each other in a romantic way, especially while dancing//


Words: smooth
Meaning:
W3   adj   comparative  smoother superlative  smoothest //  ----------//\n   1 surface:\n   2 happening without problems:\n   3 movement:\n   4 person:\n   5 liquid mixture:\n   6 sound:\n   7 taste:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: smoth]//\n  1 SURFACE:  a smooth surface has no rough parts, lumps, or holes, especially in a way that is pleasant and attractive to touch//  → rough//  --Her skin felt smooth and cool.//  --a smooth pebble//  --The stone steps had been worn smooth .//\n  2 HAPPENING WITHOUT PROBLEMS:  happening or operating successfully, without any problems//  smooth running/operation //  --Sarah is responsible for the smooth running of the sales department.//  --The new government has promised a smooth transition of power.//    go smoothly at smoothly(2)//\n  3 MOVEMENT:   [only before noun] with no sudden movements or changes of direction, especially in a way that is graceful or comfortable//  --Swing the tennis racquet in one smooth motion.//  --The jet made a smooth landing.//  smooth flight/ride (=a comfortable trip in an airplane or car) //  --It wasn’t a very smooth ride.//\n  4 PERSON:  someone who is smooth is polite, confident, and relaxed, but is often not sincere//  --a smooth salesmen//  --He was a smooth talker .//  --George is a smooth operator  (=someone who does things in a smooth way) .//\n  5 LIQUID MIXTURE:  a liquid mixture that is smooth has no big pieces in it//  → lumpy//  --Beat the eggs and flour until they are smooth.//\n  6 SOUND:  a voice or music that is smooth is soft and pleasant to listen to//  --smooth jazz//  --He has one of those silky smooth  (=very smooth) voices.//\n  7 TASTE:  a drink such as wine, coffee, whisky, or beer that is smooth is not bitter but tastes pleasant//  --a smooth full-bodied wine//  -- smoothness n  [U] //  --the smoothness of his skin//    smooth-talking//\nsmooth 2 v [T] \n  1 to make something such as cloth or hair flat by moving your hands across it:  --Liz smoothed her skirt and sat down.//  smooth sth back/down//  --She smoothed back her hair.//\n  2  also smooth down :  to make a rough surface flat and even//  --The wood was smoothed and trimmed to size.//  --Smooth down all the surfaces before you start painting.//\n  3 [always + adverb/preposition] to rub a liquid, cream etc gently over a surface or into a surface:  smooth sth into/over sth//  --She smoothed suntan lotion over her legs.//\n  4  smooth the way/path for sth:  to make it easier for something to happen, by dealing with any problems first//  --Staff helped smooth the way for the new administration.//  smooth away [smooth sth → away] phr v//  to get rid of problems or difficulties//  --A few objections have to be smoothed away before we can start the project.//  smooth out [smooth sth → out] phr v//\n  1 to make something such as paper or cloth flat by moving your hands across it:  --They smoothed out the map on the table.//  --Smooth out all the wrinkles.//\n  2 to make something happen in an even, regular way:  --Sometimes central banks intervene to smooth out price fluctuations.//\n  3 to get rid of problems or difficulties:  smooth over [smooth sth → over] phr v//  if you smooth over problems, difficulties etc, you make them seem less serious and easier to control, especially by talking to the people who are involved in the problem//  --Sally managed to smooth over the bad feelings between them.//


Words: smooth-talking
Meaning:
adj   a smooth-talking person is good at persuading people and saying nice things, but you do not trust them//  --a smooth-talking salesman//


Words: smoothie
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  informal someone who is confident and attractive, but is often not sincere:  --Kyle’s a real smoothie .//\n  2 a thick drink made of fruit and fruit juices mixed together, sometimes with ice, milk, or yoghurt:  --a strawberry-banana smoothie//


Words: smoothly
Meaning:
adv \n  1 in a steady way, without stopping and starting again:  --Traffic flowed smoothly.//\n  2 if a planned event, piece of work etc goes smoothly, there are no problems to spoil it:  --It’ll take about three hours if everything goes smoothly .//  --Donna keeps the office running smoothly .//\n  3 if you say something smoothly, you say it in a calm and confident way:  --’All taken care of,’ he said smoothly.//\n  4 in a way that produces a smooth surface:  --The jacket fit smoothly over her hips.//


Words: smorgasbord
Meaning:
n [U and C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Swedish; Origin: sm[hA177]rg[hA166]sbord, from  sm[hA177]rg[hA166]s  ’open sandwich’ +  bord  ’table’]//\n  1  a smorgasbord of sth:  a large variety of different things//  --a smorgasbord of art from around the world//\n  2 a meal in which people serve themselves from a large number of different dishes:   buffet//


Words: smother
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1100-1200; Origin: smother  ’thick smoke’ (12-19 centuries), from  Old English smorian  ’to suffocate’]//\n  1 to completely cover the whole surface of something with something else, often in a way that seems unnecessary or unpleasant:  smother sth with/in sth//  --noodles smothered in garlic sauce//\n  2 to kill someone by putting something over their face to stop them breathing:    suffocate//  --A teenage mother was accused of smothering her 3-month-old daughter.//\n  3 to stop yourself from showing your feelings or from doing an action:   stifle//  --The girls tried to smother their giggles.//\n  4 to give someone so much love and attention that they feel as if they are not free and become unhappy:  --I don’t want him to feel smothered.//\n  5  smother sb with kisses:  to kiss someone a lot//\n  6 to make a fire stop burning by preventing air from reaching it:  --We used a wet towel to smother the fire.//\n  7 to get rid of anyone who opposes you - used to show disapproval:  --They ruthlessly smother all opposition.//


Words: smoulder
Meaning:
BrE  smolder AmE   v [I] \n  1 if something such as wood smoulders, it burns slowly without a flame:\n  2  literary if someone smoulders or if their feelings smoulder, they have strong feelings that they do not fully express:  --He sensed a smouldering hostility towards him.//  smoulder with//  --She had spent the evening smouldering with resentment.//


Words: SMS
Meaning:
n [U]   short messaging system  or  short message service a feature on a mobile phone that allows a user to send or receive written messages//


Words: smudge
Meaning:
n [C]   a dirty mark//   smear//  smudge of//  --a smudge of lipstick on the cup//  -- smudgy adj //\nsmudge 2 v \n  1 [I and T] if ink, writing etc smudges, or if you smudge it, it becomes dirty and unclear because it has been touched or rubbed:  --Don’t touch it! You’ll smudge the ink.//\n  2 [T] to make a dirty mark on a surface:  --Someone had smudged the paper with their greasy hands.//


Words: smug
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from  Low German smuck  ’pretty’]//  showing too much satisfaction with your own cleverness or success - used to show disapproval//  smug about//  --What are you looking so smug about?//  smug expression/look/face/smile etc //  --’I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile.//  -- smugly adv //  -- smugness n  [U] //


Words: smuggle
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Low German; Origin: smuggeln and  Dutch smokkelen]//\n  1 to take something or someone illegally from one country to another:  smuggle sth across sth//  --The guns were smuggled across the border.//  smuggle sth into/out of/from sth//  --Illegal immigrants are smuggled into the country by boat.//\n  2  informal to take something or someone secretly to a place where they are not allowed to be:  smuggle sth into sth//  --He smuggled his notes into the exam.//


Words: smuggling
Meaning:
n [U]   the crime of taking something illegally from one country to another//  --He was arrested in connection with drug smuggling.//


Words: smut
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Perhaps from  smot  ’dirty mark’ (16-19 centuries)]//\n  1 [U] books, stories, talk etc that offend some people because they are about sex:  --I won’t have smut like that in my house!//\n  2 [U and C] dirt or soot (=black powder produced by burning) , or a piece of dirt or soot:


Words: smutty
Meaning:
adj \n  1 books, stories etc that are smutty offend some people because they are about sex:   dirty//  --smutty jokes//\n  2 marked with small pieces of dirt or soot:


Words: snack
Meaning:
n [C]   a small amount of food that is eaten between main meals or instead of a meal//  --I grabbed a quick snack.//  --Drinks and light snacks are served at the bar.//  -- snack foods like crisps and peanuts//\nsnack 2   v [I]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Probably from  snack  ’to bite’ (14-20 centuries), probably from  Middle Dutch snacken  ’to bite at’]//  to eat small amounts of food between main meals or instead of a meal//  --I’m trying not to snack between meals.//


Words: snaffle
Meaning:
v [T]    BrE  informal to take something quickly, especially before anyone else has had the time or the chance to do this//   grab//  --I managed to snaffle a couple of biscuits.//


Words: snafu
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: situation normal all fucked up]//   AmE  informal a situation in which a plan does not happen in the way it should//  --There were no major snafus.//


Words: snag
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 a problem or disadvantage, especially one that is not very serious, which you had not expected:  --It’s an interesting job. The only snag is that it’s not very well paid.//  hit/run into a snag //  --The grand opening hit a snag when no one could find the key.//\n  2 a part of a dead tree that sticks out, especially one that is under water and can be dangerous:\n  3 a sharp part of something that sticks out and holds or cuts things that touch it:\nsnag 2   past tense and past participle  snagged present participle  snagging  v [T] //\n  1 to damage something by getting it stuck on something sharp:  --Oh no! I’ve snagged my stockings.//\n  2  AmE  informal to succeed in getting something, especially something difficult to get:  --I snagged a parking space in the last row.//


Words: snail
Meaning:
n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: sn[zB024]gl]//\n  1 a small soft creature that moves very slowly and has a hard shell on its back:\n  2  at a snail’s pace:  extremely slowly//  --Traffic was moving at a snail’s pace.//


Words: snake
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Language: Old English; Origin: snaca]//\n  1 an animal with a long thin body and no legs, that often has a poisonous bite:  --A snake slithered across our path.//  a poisonous/venomous snake //\n  2  also snake in the grass :   informal someone who cannot be trusted//\nsnake 2 v [I always + adverb/preposition]   if a river, road, train, or line snakes somewhere, it moves in long, twisting curves//  snake along/past/down etc//  --The road snaked along the valley far below.//  --The train was snaking its way through the mountains.//


Words: snake oil
Meaning:
n [U]  especially AmE  informal \n  1 something that is claimed to be a solution to a problem, but is not effective:\n  2  snake oil salesman/peddler:  someone who deceives people by persuading them to accept false information, solutions that are not effective etc//


Words: snakes and ladders
Meaning:
n [U]    BrE a children’s game played on a board in which you can move forwards and upwards along pictures of ladders or go downwards and backwards along pictures of snakes//  American Equivalent:  chutes and ladders//


Words: snap
Meaning:
W3   v   past tense and past participle  snapped present participle  snapping //  ----------//\n   1 break:\n   2 move into position:\n   3 say something angrily:\n   4 become angry/anxious etc:\n   5 animal:\n   6 photograph:\n   7 snap your fingers:\n   8 snap to it:\n   9 stop:\n  10 snap to attention:  Phrasal verbs//   snap on/off//   snap out of something//   snap somebody/something → up//  ----------//  [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Dutch; Origin: Low German snappen]//\n  1 BREAK:   [I and T] to break with a sudden sharp noise, or to make something break with a sudden sharp noise//  --A twig snapped under my feet.//  --The wind snapped branches and power lines.//  snap (sth) off (sth)//  --I snapped the ends off the beans and dropped them into a bowl.//  snap (sth) in two/in half (=break into two pieces) //  --The teacher snapped the chalk in two and gave me a piece.//\n  2 MOVE INTO POSITION:   [I,T always + adverb/preposition] to move into a particular position suddenly, making a short sharp noise, or to make something move like this//  snap together/back etc//  --The pieces just snap together like this.//  --The policeman snapped the handcuffs around her wrist.//  snap (sth) open/shut //  --She snapped her briefcase shut.//\n  3 SAY SOMETHING ANGRILY:   [I and T] to say something quickly in an angry way//  --’What do you want?’ Mike snapped.//  snap at//  --He snapped at Walter for no reason.//\n  4 BECOME ANGRY/ANXIOUS ETC:   [I] to suddenly stop being able to control your anger, anxiety, or other feelings in a difficult situation//  --The stress began to get to her, and one morning she just snapped.//  -- Something inside him snapped and he hit her.//\n  5 ANIMAL:   [I] if an animal such as a dog snaps, it tries to bite you//  snap at//  --The dog started snapping at my heels.//\n  6 PHOTOGRAPH:   [I and T]  informal to take a photograph//  --Dave snapped a picture of me and Sonia.//\n  7  snap your fingers:  to make a short, sharp noise by moving one of your fingers quickly against your thumb, for example in order to get someone’s attention or to mark the beat of music//\n  8  snap to it:   spoken used to tell someone to hurry and do something immediately//  --Come on, snap to it, get that room cleaned up!//\n  9 STOP:   [T]  AmE to end a series of events - used especially in newspapers//  --The Rockets snapped a seven-game losing streak by beating Portland.//\n  10  snap to attention:  if soldiers snap to attention, they suddenly stand very straight//    snap-on//  snap on/off phr v//  to switch something on or off, or to switch on or off//  snap sth → on/off//  --Kathy snapped off the light.//  --A light snapped on in one of the huts.//  snap out of [snap out of sth] phr v//  to stop being sad or upset and make yourself feel better//  --Chantal’s been depressed for days. I wish she’d snap out of it .//  snap up [snap sb/sth → up] phr v//\n  1 to buy something immediately, especially because it is very cheap:  --People were snapping up bargains.//\n  2 to eagerly take an opportunity to have someone as part of your company, team etc:  --Owen was snapped up by Liverpool before he’d even left school.//\nsnap 2 n   ----------//\n   1 sound:\n   2 photograph:\n   3 be a snap:\n   4 clothing:\n   5 a snap of somebody’s fingers:\n   6 game:  ----------//\n  1 SOUND:   [singular] a sudden loud sound, especially made by something breaking or closing//  --He shut the book with a snap.//\n  2 PHOTOGRAPH:   [C]  informal  especially BrE a photograph taken quickly and often not very skilfully//   snapshot//  --holiday snaps//\n  3  be a snap:   AmE  informal to be very easy to do//  --The test was a snap.//\n  4 CLOTHING:   [C]  AmE a small metal fastener on clothes that works when you press its two parts together//  --baby clothing with snaps//\n  5  a snap of sb’s fingers:  a sudden sound made by quickly moving one of your fingers against your thumb//  --At a snap of his owner’s fingers, the dog came running.//\n  6 GAME:   [U] a card game in which players put down one card after another and try to be the first to shout ’snap’ when there are two cards that are the same//    cold snap//\nsnap 3 adj \n  1  snap judgment/decision:  a judgment or decision made quickly, without careful thought or discussion//\n  2  snap election:   BrE an election that is announced suddenly and unexpectedly//\nsnap 4 interjection \n  1  BrE used when you see two things that are exactly the same:  --Hey, snap! My hat’s the same as yours.//\n  2 said in the game of snap when two cards that are the same are put down:


Words: snapdragon
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Because the flowers are thought to look like a dragon’s mouth]//  a garden plant with white, red, or yellow flowers//


Words: snappy
Meaning:
adj \n  1 a snappy title or phrase is short, clear, and often funny:  --We need a snappy title for the book.//  --Keep your answer short and snappy .//\n  2  especially BrE quick to react in an angry way:   irritable//  --She seemed snappy and impatient.//  snappy with//  --There’s no need to be so snappy with the children.//\n  3  make it snappy:   also look snappy  BrE  informal used to tell someone to hurry//  --Get me a drink and make it snappy.//\n  4  BrE  informal snappy clothes, objects etc are attractive and fashionable:  --a snappy suit//  snappy dresser (=someone who wears fashionable clothes) //  -- snappily adv //


Words: snapshot
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a photograph taken quickly and often not very skilfully:   snap//  snapshot of//  --a snapshot of his girlfriend//\n  2 a piece of information that quickly gives you an idea of what the situation is like at a particular time:  snapshot of//  --The book gives us a snapshot of life in the Middle Ages.//


Words: snare
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1000-1100; Language: Old Norse; Origin: snara]//\n  1 a trap for catching an animal, especially one that uses a wire or rope to catch the animal by its foot:  --A rabbit was caught in the snare.//\n  2  literary something that is intended to trick someone and get them into a difficult situation:   trap//  --I didn’t want to fall into the same snare again.//\nsnare 2 v [T] \n  1 to catch an animal by using a snare:\n  2 to get something or someone you want in a clever way, often by deceiving other people:  --She’s hoping to snare a wealthy husband.//


Words: snarf
Meaning:
v  also snarf down  [T]  AmE  informal   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Probably from the sound]//  to eat something quickly, especially in an untidy or noisy way//  --workers snarfing lunch at their desks//


Words: snarl
Meaning:
v   [Sense: 1-2; Date: 1500-1600; Origin: snar  ’to snarl’ (1500-1600), from the sound.]//  [Sense: 3; Date: 1300-1400; Origin: snarl  ’net for catching things’ (14-19 centuries), from   SNARE1]//\n  1 [I] if an animal snarls, it makes a low angry sound and shows its teeth:    growl//  snarl at//  --The dog growled and snarled at me.//\n  2 [I and T] to speak or say something in a nasty, angry way:  --’Shut up,’ he snarled.//\n  3 [T usually passive]  also snarl up  BrE to prevent traffic from moving:  --Traffic snarled up on both sides of the road.//  -- snarl n  [C] //  --an angry snarl//


Words: snarl-up
Meaning:
n [C]  BrE \n  1 a confused situation that prevents work from continuing:\n  2 a situation in which traffic is prevented from moving:  --There was a big snarl-up on the M1.//


Words: snatch
Meaning:
v [T]   [Date: 1100-1200; Origin:  Perhaps from  Middle Dutch snacken;   SNACK2]//\n  1 to take something away from someone with a quick, often violent, movement:   grab//  --The thief snatched her purse and ran.//  snatch sth away/back from sb//  --Keith snatches toys away from the other children.//\n  2 to take someone away from a person or place, especially by force:  --Vargas was snatched from his home by two armed men.//\n  3 to quickly get something, especially sleep or rest, because you do not have very much time:   grab//  --I managed to snatch an hour’s sleep on the train.//  snatch at [snatch at sth] phr v//  to quickly put out your hand to try to take or hold something//  --Jessie snatched at the bag but I pulled it away.//\nsnatch 2 n [C] \n  1  a snatch of conversation/music/song etc:  a short part of a conversation, song etc that you hear//  --I could hear snatches of the conversation from across the room.//\n  2  in snatches:  for short periods//  --I only slept in snatches during the night.//\n  3 when someone quickly takes or steals something:  --reports of a bag snatch//\n  4  taboo  informal a very offensive word for a woman’s sex organ. Do not use this word.:


Words: snatch squad
Meaning:
n [C]   a group of police officers or soldiers who go quickly into a crowd, in order to catch people who are causing trouble//


Words: snazzy
Meaning:
adj  informal   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Perhaps from  snappy +  jazzy]//  bright, fashionable, and attractive//  --a snazzy red jacket//  -- snazzily adv //  -- snazziness n  [U] //


Words: sneak
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  sneaked  or  snuck /sn[hA356]k/ AmE //  ----------//\n   1 go secretly:\n   2 take/give secretly:\n   3 sneak a look/glance/peek:\n   4 steal:  Phrasal verbs//   sneak on somebody//   sneak up//  ----------//  [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Perhaps from  Old English snican  ’to creep’]//\n  1 GO SECRETLY:   [I always + adverb/preposition] to go somewhere secretly and quietly in order to avoid being seen or heard//   creep//  sneak in/out/away etc//  --They sneaked off without paying!//  --She snuck out of the house once her parents were asleep.//\n  2 TAKE/GIVE SECRETLY:   [T] to hide something and take it somewhere or give it to someone secretly//  --I snuck her a note.//  sneak sth through/past etc sb/sth//  --Douglas had sneaked his camera into the show.//\n  3  sneak a look/glance/peek:  to look at something quickly and secretly, especially something that you are not supposed to see//  --He sneaked a look at her.//\n  4 STEAL:   [T]  informal to quickly and secretly steal something unimportant or of little value//  sneak sth from sb//  --We used to sneak cigarettes from Dad.//  sneak on [sneak on sb] phr v//  to tell someone such as a parent or teacher about something that another person has done wrong, because you want to cause trouble for that person//  --A little brat named Oliver sneaked on me.//  sneak up phr v//  to come near someone very quietly, so that they do not see you until you reach them//  sneak up on/behind etc//  --I wish you wouldn’t sneak up on me like that!//\nsneak 2 n [C] \n  1  BrE  informal a child who other children dislike, because they tell adults about bad things that the other children have done wrong:  --You little sneak!//\n  2  AmE  informal someone who is not liked because they do things secretly and cannot be trusted:\nsneak 3 adj [only before noun]   doing things very secretly and quickly, so that people do not notice you or cannot stop you//  --a sneak attack //  --a sneak thief//


Words: sneak preview
Meaning:
n [C]   an occasion when you can see a film, play, product etc before it is shown to people in general//  --In this week’s show we’ll be giving you a sneak preview of Steven Spielberg’s latest film.//


Words: sneaker
Meaning:
n [C]    especially AmE a type of light soft shoe with a rubber sole (=bottom) , used for sports//  --a pair of white sneakers//


Words: sneaking
Meaning:
adj   have a sneaking feeling/suspicion/admiration//  to have a feeling about something or someone, but to not say anything about it because you are not sure or you might be embarrassed//  --I always had a sneaking admiration for him.//  --She had a sneaking suspicion that he was lying.//


Words: sneaky
Meaning:
adj   doing things in a secret and often dishonest or unfair way//  --a sneaky little trick//  -- sneakily adv //  -- sneakiness n  [U] //


Words: sneer
Meaning:
v [I and T]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Perhaps copying the action]//  to smile or speak in a very unkind way that shows you have no respect for someone or something//  --’Is that your best outfit?’ he sneered.//  sneer at//  --She sneered at Tom’s musical tastes.//  -- sneering adj //  --a sneering tone//  -- sneeringly adv //\nsneer 2 n [C]   an unkind smile or remark that shows you have no respect for something or someone//  --’You probably wouldn’t understand,’ he said with a sneer.//


Words: sneeze
Meaning:
v [I]   [Language: Old English; Origin: fneosan]//\n  1 if you sneeze, air suddenly comes from your nose, making a noise, for example when you have a cold:  --She started coughing and sneezing.//  --The dust was making him sneeze .//\n  2  not to be sneezed at:   BrE nothing to sneeze at  AmE  spoken used about an offer, especially of money, that is very good, and which you should consider carefully//  --In those days [hA124]5 an hour was not to be sneezed at.//\nsneeze 2 n [C]   the act or sound of sneezing//  --There was a loud sneeze from someone in the back of the audience.//


Words: snicker
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  From the sound]//   AmE to laugh quietly and in a way that is not nice at something which is not supposed to be funny//  British Equivalent:  snigger//  snicker at//  --The other students snickered at Steve.//  -- snicker n  [C] //  --a barely hidden snicker//


Words: snide
Meaning:
adj  informal   if you say something snide, you say something unkind, often in a clever, indirect way//  snide remarks/comments //  --a snide remark about her clothes//  -- snidely adv //


Words: sniff
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  From the sound]//\n  1 [I] to breathe air into your nose noisily, for example when you are crying or have a cold:  --Margaret sniffed miserably and nodded.//  --Stop sniffing and blow your nose.//\n  2 [I and T] to breathe air in through your nose in order to smell something:  --He opened the milk and sniffed it.//  sniff at//  --The dog was sniffing at the carpet.//\n  3 [T] to say something in a way that shows you think something is not good enough:  --’Is that all?’ she sniffed.//\n  4 [T] to take a harmful drug by breathing it up your nose:    snort//  --kids who sniff glue//  sniff at [sniff at sth] phr v//\n  1  sth is not to be sniffed at:   spoken  especially BrE used to say that something is good enough to be accepted or considered seriously//  --An 8% salary increase is not to be sniffed at.//\n  2 to refuse something in a proud way, or behave as if something is not good enough for you:  --He sniffed at my choice of restaurants and suggested his own favorite.//  sniff out [sniff sth → out] phr v//\n  1 to discover or find something by its smell:  --A customs officer came round with a dog to sniff out drugs.//\n  2  informal to find out or discover something:  --Vic’s been trying to sniff out where you went last night.//\nsniff 2 n [C] \n  1 when you breathe in air noisily through your nose, for example in order to smell something, because you have a cold, or in order to show your disapproval:  --a sniff of disapproval//  --She gave a loud sniff .//\n  2  BrE  informal a small amount or sign of something:   hint//  sniff of//  --He got us into this mess, and then left at the first sniff of trouble !//\n  3  have a sniff around/round:   BrE  informal to examine a place carefully//\n  4  not get a sniff of sth:   BrE  informal to not have any chance of getting something or being successful//  --He never even got a sniff of the target.//


Words: sniffle
Meaning:
v [I]  spoken   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: sniff]//  to keep sniffing in order to stop liquid from running out of your nose, especially when you are crying or you have a cold//  --For goodness’ sake, stop sniffling!//\nsniffle 2 n   have the sniffles//   spoken if you have the sniffles, you keep sniffing, especially because you have a cold//


Words: sniffy
Meaning:
adj  BrE  informal   having a disapproving attitude towards something or someone, especially because you think they are not good enough for you//  sniffy about//  --Well, don’t get sniffy about it!//


Words: snifter
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: snifter  ’to sniff’ (14-19 centuries), from the sound]//\n  1  AmE a special large glass for drinking brandy:\n  2  BrE  old-fashioned a small amount of an alcoholic drink:


Words: snigger
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: snicker]//   BrE to laugh quietly in a way that is not nice at something which is not supposed to be funny//  American Equivalent:  snicker//  snigger at//  --What are you sniggering at? This is a serious poem.//  -- snigger n  [C] //


Words: snip
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  snipped present participle  snipping  [I and T] //  to cut something by making quick cuts with scissors//  --I snipped the string and untied the parcel.//  snip sth off//   (=remove it by snipping) //  --Snip the ends of the beans off before you cook them.//\nsnip 2 n [C]   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Dutch; Origin:  and  Low German]//\n  1 a quick small cut with scissors:\n  2  be a snip:   BrE  informal to be surprisingly cheap//  --At [hA124]20 for a dozen, they’re a snip.//


Words: snipe
Meaning:
v [I] \n  1 to shoot from a hidden position at people who are not protected:  snipe at//  --soldiers sniping at civilians//\n  2 to criticize someone in a nasty way:  snipe at//  --His former associates have been sniping at him in the press.//  -- sniping n  [U] //\nsnipe 2 n [C]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Probably from  Old Norse snipa]//  a bird with a very long thin beak that lives in wet areas//


Words: snippet
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  SNIP2]//  a small piece of news, information, or conversation//  snippet of//  --snippets of information//


Words: snippy
Meaning:
adj  AmE  informal   quick to show that you are angry or offended, or that you will not obey someone//


Words: snit
Meaning:
n   be in a snit//   AmE  informal to be very annoyed about something, especially in a way that other people think is unreasonable//  --She’s been in a snit ever since the party.//


Words: snitch
Meaning:
v  informal \n  1 [I] to tell someone in authority about something that another person has done wrong, because you want to cause trouble for that person:  snitch on//  --Somebody snitched on me.//\n  2 [T] to quickly steal something unimportant or of little value:   nick//\nsnitch 2 n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Perhaps from  snitch  ’(a blow on) the nose’ (17-21 centuries)]//   informal someone who is not liked because they tell people in authority when other people do things that are wrong or against the rules//   sneak//  --He didn’t want to be a snitch, and besides, Kevin was his friend.//


Words: snivel
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  snivelled present participle  snivelling  BrE //  past tense and past participle  sniveled present participle  sniveling  AmE //  [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  From an unrecorded  Old English snyflan]//  [I usually progressive] to behave or speak in a weak complaining way, especially when you are crying//  --A small boy was sniveling on a chair.//  --a snivelling coward//


Words: snob
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: snob  ’shoemaker, person of low social rank’ (18-19 centuries)]//\n  1 someone who thinks they are better than people from a lower social class - used to show disapproval:  --Stop being such a snob.//  --I don’t want to sound like a snob, but I thought she was vulgar.//\n  2 someone who thinks they are better than other people because they know more about something than other people - used to show disapproval:  --a bunch of intellectual snobs //  music/wine snob //\n  3  snob value/appeal:   BrE something that has snob value is liked by people who think they are better than other people//  --That kind of car has real snob appeal .//


Words: snobbery
Meaning:
n [U]   behaviour or attitudes which show that you think you are better than other people, because you belong to a higher social class or know much more than they do - used to show disapproval//  -- intellectual snobbery //    inverted snobbery//


Words: snobbish
Meaning:
behaving in a way that shows you think you are better than other people because you are from a higher social class or know more than they do//  --Her family seems snobbish.//  -- snobbishly adv //  -- snobbishness n  [U] //


Words: snog
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  snogged present participle  snogging  [I and T] //   BrE  informal if two people snog, they kiss each other, especially for a long time//  --I saw them snogging in the corner.//  -- snog n  [C usually singular] //


Words: snooker
Meaning:
n [U]   a game played especially in Britain on a special table covered in green cloth, in which two people use long sticks to hit coloured balls into holes at the sides and corners of the table//    billiards//  snooker table/room/hall //  --They meet up every Friday to play snooker .//\nsnooker 2 v [T often passive]    BrE  informal to make it impossible for someone to do what they want to do//  --If the council refuses our planning application, we’re snookered.//


Words: snoop
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Dutch; Origin: snoepen  ’to buy or eat secretly’]//  to try to find out about someone’s private affairs by secretly looking in their house, examining their possessions etc//  snoop around/about//  --I caught him snooping around in my office.//  snoop on//  --reporters snooping on celebrities//  -- snoop n  [singular] //  -- snooper n  [C] //


Words: Snoopy
Meaning:
trademark   a dog who is one of the main characters in the popular US  cartoon strip (=a set of drawings that tell a story) Peanuts, which appears in many newspapers//


Words: snooty
Meaning:
adj  informal   rude and unfriendly, because you think you are better than other people//   snotty//  --snooty neighbours//  -- snootily adv //  -- snootiness n  [U] //


Words: snooze
Meaning:
v [I]    informal to sleep lightly for a short time//   doze//  --Dad was snoozing in his armchair.//  -- snooze n  [C] //


Words: snore
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  From the sound]//  to breathe in a noisy way through your mouth and nose while you are asleep//  --He could hear the old man snoring.//  -- snore n  [C] //  --I heard a snore and knew he’d fallen asleep.//


Words: snorkel
Meaning:
n [C]   gauge, mask, snorkel//  [Date: 1900-2000; Language: German; Origin: schnorchel]//  a tube that allows someone who is swimming to breathe air under water//  --This is the best snorkel at that price.//


Words: snorkelling
Meaning:
BrE  snorkeling AmE   n [U]   when you swim under water using a snorkel//  --We went snorkeling in Hawaii.//  -- snorkel v  [I] //


Words: snort
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1300-1400; Origin:  Probably from the sound]//\n  1 [I and T] to breathe air in a noisy way out through your nose, especially to show that you are annoyed or amused:  --’Certainly not,’ he snorted.//  snort with//  --She snorted with laughter .//  --The horse snorted and stamped its hoof impatiently.//\n  2 [T] to take drugs by breathing them in through your nose:    sniff//  --snorting cocaine//\nsnort 2 n [C] \n  1 a loud sound made by breathing out through your nose, especially to show that you are annoyed or amused:  --He gave a loud snort .//  --There were snorts of laughter from the audience.//\n  2 a small amount of a drug that is breathed in through the nose:  --a snort of cocaine//


Words: snot
Meaning:
n  informal   [Language: Old English; Origin: gesnot]//\n  1 [U] an impolite word for the thick mucus (=liquid)  produced in your nose:\n  2 [singular] someone who is snotty:  --the little snot//


Words: snotty
Meaning:
adj  informal \n  1 someone who is snotty is rude and annoying, especially because they think that they are more important than other people - used to show disapproval:   snooty//  --some snotty little clerk//\n  2 wet and dirty with mucus:


Words: snout
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin:  and  Middle Low German snut]//\n  1 [C] the long nose of some kinds of animals, such as pigs:\n  2 [C]  BrE  informal a criminal who gives information about other criminals to the police:


Words: snow
Meaning:
W3S3   n   [Language: Old English; Origin: snaw]//\n  1 [U] soft white pieces of frozen water that fall from the sky in cold weather and cover the ground:    sleet//  -- Snow was falling heavily as we entered the village.//  --I could see footprints in the snow.//  --The town was buried under three feet of snow.//  --roads blocked by deep snow //  -- snow-covered fields//  --Outside the snow was already melting .//  --The day was cold with flurries of snow  (=when a small amount of snow falls) .//  --The first few flakes of snow  (=small pieces of snow) started to fall.//\n  2 [C] a period of time in which snow falls:  --one of the heaviest snows this winter//\n  3  snows [plural] a large amount of snow that has fallen at different times during the winter:  --the melting of the winter snows//\n  4 [U] small white spots on a television picture, caused by bad weather conditions, weak television signals etc:\n  5 [U]  informal  cocaine:\nsnow 2 v \n  1  it snows:  if it snows, snow falls from the sky//  --It snowed all night.//  --It started snowing around five.//\n  2  be snowed in:  to be unable to travel from a place because so much snow has fallen there//  --We were snowed in for three days last winter.//\n  3  be snowed under:  a)  informal to have more work than you can deal with//  be snowed under with//  --I found myself snowed under with work.//  b) if an area is snowed under, a lot of snow has fallen there so that people are not able to travel//\n  4 [T]  AmE  informal to persuade someone to believe or support something, especially by lying to them:  snow sb into doing sth//  --Millions of readers were snowed into believing it was a true story.//


Words: snow blindness
Meaning:
n [U]   eye pain and difficulty in seeing things, caused by looking at snow in bright light from the sun//  -- snow blind adj //


Words: snow chains
Meaning:
n [plural]   a set of chains that are fastened around the wheels of a car so that it can drive over snow without slipping//


Words: snow cone
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   crushed ice with a coloured sweet liquid poured over it, served in a cone -shaped paper cup//


Words: snow day
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a day when schools and businesses are closed because there is too much snow for people to travel//


Words: snow pea
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a type of pea whose outer part is eaten as well as its seeds//  British Equivalent:  mangetout//


Words: snow plough
Meaning:
BrE  snow plow AmE n [C] \n  1 a vehicle or piece of equipment on the front of a vehicle that is used to push snow off roads, railways etc:\n  2  BrE a position in skiing in which you have the fronts of your skis together and the backs of your skis apart. It is used to slow down and to turn:  --a snow plough turn//


Words: snow route
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   an important road in a city that cars must be removed from when it snows, so that the snow can be cleared away from it//


Words: Snow White
Meaning:
the main character in a  fairy tale called  Snow White, who is a beautiful princess who has a jealous  stepmother. The stepmother sends Snow White into the forest to be killed. Snow White does not die, but goes to live with seven  dwarfs (=imaginary creatures like very small men) . Her stepmother then tries to kill her with a poisoned apple, but instead of dying she goes to sleep until a prince kisses her and wakes her. There is a famous Walt Disney  cartoon film based on the story, made in the 1930s.//


Words: Snowball
Meaning:
a main character in Animal Farm, a satire on the Soviet Union by George Orwell. Snowball is a pig who helps the animals to drive out the cruel farmer who owns them. But he is then chased away by another pig, Napoleon. Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, who was forced to leave the Soviet Union by Joseph Stalin.//


Words: snowball
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a ball of snow that children make and throw at each other:  --We had a massive snowball fight .//\n  2  snowball effect:  if something has a snowball effect, it starts a series of events or changes that all happen because of each other//\n  3  not have a snowball’s chance in hell:   informal to have no chance at all//\nsnowball 2 v [I]   if a plan, problem, business etc snowballs, it grows bigger at a faster and faster rate//  --Interest in the sport is snowballing.//


Words: snowbird
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE  informal   someone, especially an old person, who every year leaves their home in a cold part of the US to go and live in a warm part of the US for the winter//


Words: snowboard
Meaning:
n [C]   a long wide board made of plastic, which people stand on to go down snow-covered hills as a sport//


Words: snowboarding
Meaning:
n [U]   the sport of going down snow-covered hills on a snowboard//  -- snowboarder n  [C] //  --a group of skiers and snowboarders//


Words: snowbound
Meaning:
adj   blocked or prevented from leaving a place by large amounts of snow//  --travelers who are snowbound at the airport//


Words: Snowdonia
Meaning:
an area with many mountains in North Wales, which is a  National Park and is a popular place for climbers and tourists//


Words: snowfall
Meaning:
n [U and C]   an occasion when snow falls from the sky, or the amount that falls in a particular period of time//  -- Heavy snowfalls are forecast.//  --an average snowfall of eight inches a year//


Words: snowman
Meaning:
n   plural  snowmen /-men/ [C] //  a simple figure of a person made of snow, made especially by children//


Words: snowmobile
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: snow +  automobile]//  a small vehicle with a motor that moves over snow or ice easily//


Words: snowshoe
Meaning:
n [C]   a special wide flat frame that you attach to your shoe so that you can walk on deep snow without sinking//


Words: snowy
Meaning:
adj \n  1 with a lot of snow:  --the snowy fields//  --one snowy January day//\n  2  literary pure white, like snow:  --snowy hair//


Words: SNP
Meaning:
the   the Scottish National Party a political party in Scotland which wants Scotland to become an independent country in the EU (=European Union) //


Words: snub
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  snubbed present participle  snubbing  [T] //  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old Norse; Origin: snubba  ’to criticize angrily’]//  to treat someone rudely, especially by ignoring them when you meet//  --the boys who had snubbed her in high school//\nsnub 2 n [C]   an act of snubbing someone//  --Eisenhower saw the action as a deliberate snub.//


Words: snub-nosed
Meaning:
adj \n  1 having a snub nose:\n  2  snub-nosed pistol/revolver etc:  a small gun with a very short barrel (=tube where the bullets come out) //


Words: snuff
Meaning:
v   [Sense: 1-2; Date: 1300-1400; Origin: snuff  ’burned part of a used candle’ (14-19 centuries).]//  [Sense: 3; Date: 1500-1600; Language: Dutch; Origin: snuffen  ’to sniff’]//\n  1  also snuff out :   [T] to stop a candle burning by pressing the burning part with your fingers or by covering it//\n  2  snuff it:   BrE  informal to die//\n  3 [I and T] if an animal snuffs, it breathes air into its nose in a noisy way, especially in order to smell something:   sniff//  snuff /sb out [snuff sth/sb→ out] phr v//\n  1 to stop a candle burning by pressing the burning part with your fingers or by covering it:\n  2 to stop or end something in a sudden way:  --a rebellion that will snuff out democracy//\n  3  informal to kill someone:  --a young woman snuffed out by an unknown killer//\nsnuff 2 n [U]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Dutch; Origin: snuf, from  snuftabak, from  snuffen (  SNUFF1) +  tabak  ’tobacco’]//\n  1 a type of tobacco in powder form, which people breathe in through their noses:  --He took a pinch of snuff .//  --a snuff box  (=a small box used to keep snuff in) //\n  2  up to snuff:   AmE  informal good enough for a particular purpose//  --A lot of money was spent to bring the building up to snuff .//


Words: snuffle
Meaning:
v [I]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Perhaps from  Dutch snuffelen]//  to breathe noisily through your nose, sometimes because you are crying//  --The little boys snuffled in their sleep.//


Words: snug
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin:  Perhaps from a  Scandinavian language]//\n  1 a room, building, or space that is snug is small, warm, and comfortable, and makes you feel protected:   cosy//  --She wished she were back in her snug little house.//\n  2 someone who is snug feels comfortable, happy, and warm:  --The kids were warm and snug in their beds.//\n  3 clothes that are snug fit closely:  --snug jeans//  -- snugly adv //  -- snugness n  [U] //\nsnug 2 n [C]    BrE a small comfortable room in a pub//


Words: snuggle
Meaning:
preposition]  informal   [Date: 1600-1700; Origin: snug  ’to snuggle’ (16-20 centuries), probably from  snug (adjective)]//  to settle into a warm comfortable position//  snuggle up/down/against etc//  --She snuggled up in Clarissa’s lap to listen to the story.//


Words: Snyder
Meaning:
Ruth   (1894-1928) a woman famous for being photographed while being killed in the electric chair in Sing Sing prison in the US//


Words: so
Meaning:
adv   [Language: Old English; Origin: swa]//\n  1 :  a)  [+adjective/adverb] used to emphasize how great a feeling or quality is, or how large an amount is//  --It was so embarrassing!//  --Why didn’t you call? We were so worried.//  --I’ve never seen so many people here before!//  ever so  BrE //  --They’re being ever so quiet.//  b)  [+adjective/adverb] used when emphasizing the degree or amount of something by saying what the result is//  so ... (that)//  --He was so weak that he could hardly stand up.//  --There was so much smoke that they couldn’t see across the hallway.//  --Everything happened so quickly I hadn’t time to think.//  so ... as to be//  --The particles are so small as to be almost invisible.//  c)  spoken  old-fashioned used before or after a verb to emphasize that someone does something a lot or to a great degree//  --I wish you wouldn’t fuss so (=as much as you do) . It makes me nervous.//  --He does so enjoy reading your letters.//  d)  spoken  informal used before a noun phrase to emphasize what you are saying - used especially by young people//  --He is just  so not  the right person for her.//\n  2  not so big/good/bad etc:  not very big, good etc//  --I’m afraid the news is not so good.//  --Of course I’d like to help, but things aren’t so simple.//\n  3 [not used with negative verbs] used to add that what has just been said is also true about someone or something else:  so do I/so is he/so would Peter etc //  --Joe was a little upset, and so was I.//  --He’s been ill, and so has his wife.//  --As the demand rises, so do prices.//\n  4 used to refer back to an idea, action, quality, situation etc that has just been mentioned:  hope so/think so/say so etc //  --’Will I need my umbrella?’ ’I don’t think so.’//  --If you want to go home, just say so.//  be more so/less so/too much so //  --The band is popular and likely to become more so.//  --Jerry is very honest, perhaps too much so.//  --The troops will not advance until ordered to do so .//  --Did Luke sell them? And, if so , what happened to the money?//  --’Has he lost a fortune?’ ’ So they say .’//  --’Look - I’ve even cleaned the windows.’ ’ So I see .’//  --Parents can withdraw their child from school if they so wish .//\n  5  be so:  to be true or correct//  --’It belongs to my father.’ ’ Is that so ?’//  --Morton says his parents kicked him out, but his brothers say this isn’t so .//\n  6  ... or so:  used when you cannot be exact about a number, amount, or period of time and you think it may be a little more than the figure you are mentioning//  --We have to leave in five minutes or so.//  --I stopped reading after thirty or so pages.//\n  7  spoken used to get someone’s attention, especially in order to ask them a question:  --So, how was school today?//\n  8  spoken used to check that you have understood something:  --So this is just a copy?//\n  9  spoken used when asking a question about what has just been said:  --’He’s going to Paris on business.’ ’So when is he coming back?’//\n  10  be not so much ... as ...:  used to say that one description of someone or something is less suitable or correct than another//  --The details are not so much wrong as they are incomplete.//\n  11  not/without so much as sth:  used when you are surprised or annoyed that someone did not do something//  --He left without so much as a goodbye.//\n  12  so long!:   AmE  spoken used to say goodbye//\n  13  not so ... as ...:   formal used in comparisons to say that something or someone has less of a particular quality than another person or thing//  --The bed was not so comfortable as his own.//\n  14  so much for sb/sth:   spoken used to say that a particular action, idea, statement etc was not useful or did not produce the result that was hoped for//  --He’s late again. So much for good intentions!//\n  15  only so many/much:  used to say that there is only a limited quantity of something//  --There’s only so much that anybody’s brain can handle at any one time.//  --There are only so many hours in the working day.//\n  16  spoken used with a movement of your hand to show how big, high etc something or someone is:  --Oh, he’s about so tall, with brown hair and eyes.//\n  17  spoken used to show that you have found something out about someone:  --So! You’ve got a new girlfriend?//\n  18  so great a man/so small a part etc:   formal used to emphasize an adjective, especially when what is being mentioned is surprising or unusual//  --He had never spoken to so large a crowd before.//  --It was amazing how much they accomplished in so short a time.//\n  19  like so:   spoken used when you are showing someone how to do something//  --Then turn the paper over and fold it, like so.//\n  20  and so on/forth:  used at the end of a list to show that you could continue it in a similar way//  --You can do things for your health in the way of diet, exercise, good lifestyle, not smoking and so on.//\n  21  literary  or  formal in the way that is described:  --Dorothy and Sarah continued to write to each other, and so began a life-long friendship.//  so ... that//  --The furniture is so arranged that the interviewee and the interviewer are not physically separated by a desk.//\n  22  and so:  and therefore//  --Madeira has an ideal climate, and so it is not surprising that it has become a tourist paradise.//  --This was considered to be a religious issue and so to be a matter for the church courts.//\n  23  so she is/so there are etc:   spoken  especially BrE used to show that you agree with something that has just been mentioned, especially something that you had not noticed or had forgotten//  --’Look, she’s wearing a hat just like yours.’ ’So she is.’//\n  24  be just/exactly so:  to be arranged tidily, with everything in the right place//  --Everything had to be just so, or Edna would make us do it again.//\n  25  so be it:   spoken used to show you do not like or agree with something, but you will accept it//  --If that means delaying the trip, so be it.//\n  26  spoken :  a) used to say that a person’s behaviour or action is typical of that person//  --’He was about half an hour late.’ ’That is just so Chris.’//  b) used to say that something suits someone or is the type of thing they like//  --You must buy that jacket - it’s so you!//\n  27  I do so/it is so etc:   AmE  spoken used especially by children to say that something is true, can be done etc when someone else says that it is not, cannot etc//  --’You can’t swim.’ ’I can so.’//    so-so,  even so at even1 (4),  so far at far1 (7),  so far as I’m concerned at far1 (14),  so far as sth is concerned at far1 (15),  so far as I know/I can remember/I can tell etc at far1 (16),  as/so long as at long2 (5),  so much the better at better3 (4),  so to speak at speak(6)//\nso 2 conj \n  1 used to say that someone does something because of the reason just stated:  --I was feeling hungry, so I made myself a sandwich.//\n  2  so (that):  a) in order to make something happen, make something possible etc//  --He lowered his voice so Doris couldn’t hear.//  --Why don’t you start out early so that you don’t have to hurry?//  b) used to say that something happens or is true as a result of the situation you have just stated//  --There are no buses, so you’ll have to walk.//  --The gravestones were covered with moss so that it was impossible to read the names on them.//\n  3  spoken used to introduce the next part of a story you are telling someone:  --So anyway, he goes in and his boots get stuck in the mud.//\n  4  so?:   also so what? //   spoken  not polite used to tell someone that something does not matter//  --So what if we’re a little late?//  --’She might tell someone.’ ’So? No one will believe her.’//\n  5  so as to do sth:   formal in order to do something//  --I drove at a steady 50 mph so as to save fuel.//  --We went along silently on tiptoe so as not to disturb anyone.//\n  6  (just) as ... so ...:   formal used to compare two people or things, when they are similar//  --Just as the French love their wine, so the English love their beer.//\nso 3 n [singular]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: sol]//  the fifth note in a musical scale according to the sol-fa system//


Words: so-and-so
Meaning:
n   plural  so-and-so’s //\n  1 [U] used to refer to a particular person or thing when you do not give a specific name:    such and such//  --I’d find myself thinking, ’I wonder what so-and-so is doing?’//\n  2 [C] a very unpleasant or unreasonable person - used when you want to avoid using a swear word:  --Peter can be a real so-and-so at times.//


Words: so-called
Meaning:
W3 adj [only before noun] \n  1 used to describe someone or something that has been given a name that you think is wrong:  --The so-called experts couldn’t tell us what was wrong.//\n  2 used to show that something or someone is usually called a particular name:  --the health threats posed by so-called ’mad cow disease’//


Words: So.Ho
Meaning:
n   an area of  Manhattan, New York City, south of  Houston Street, where there are many art galleries, restaurants, and small fashionable shops//


Words: soak
Meaning:
S3   v   [Language: Old English; Origin: socian]//\n  1 [I and T] if you soak something, or if you let it soak, you keep it covered with a liquid for a period of time, especially in order to make it softer or easier to clean:  --Soak the clothes in cold water.//  --Let the pans soak; I’ll wash them later.//  soak sth off/out//   (=remove it by soaking) //  --Put the bottle in soapy water to soak the label off.//\n  2 [I always + adverb/preposition, T] to make something completely wet:  --Police aimed water hoses at the marchers, soaking them.//  soak through/into etc//  --The blood soaked through the bandage.//  soak sth in/with sth//  --a rag soaked with oil//\n  3 [I] to spend a long time taking a bath:  --Soak in a warm bath to relax.//\n  4 [T]  informal to make someone pay too much money in prices or taxes:  --taxes that soak the middle classes//  soak up [soak sth → up] phr v//\n  1 if something soaks up a liquid, it takes the liquid into itself:  --He used a towel to soak up the blood.//\n  2  soak up the sun/rays/sunshine etc:  to sit outside for a long time enjoying the sun//\n  3 to enjoy a place by watching it or becoming involved in it:  --Go to a sidewalk cafe, order coffee, and soak up the atmosphere .//\n  4 to learn something quickly and easily:  --Children soak up language incredibly quickly.//\nsoak 2 n [singular] \n  1 a long and enjoyable time spent sitting in the bath:  --I had a good long soak in the bath.//\n  2  BrE when you soak something:  -- Give the towels a good soak , they’re very dirty.//\n  3  an old soak:  someone who is often drunk - used humorously//


Words: soaked
Meaning:
adj \n  1 very wet or wearing very wet clothes:   drenched//  --I was soaked and very cold.//  --It was raining so hard we were quickly soaked through  (=completely wet) .//  --He came in from the barn, soaked to the skin .//  --Her shoes got soaked as she walked through the wet grass.//  blood-soaked/oil-soaked etc //  --his blood-soaked clothes//\n  2  be soaked in/with sth:  to be full of a particular quality//  --a city soaked in history//


Words: soaking
Meaning:
adj  also soaking wet   very wet//  --a soaking wet towel//\nsoaking 2 n [C]   if someone or something gets a soaking, they get very wet//


Words: soap
Meaning:
S3   n   [Language: Old English; Origin: sape]//\n  1 [U and C] the substance that you use to wash your body:    detergent//  --Wash thoroughly with soap and water .//  --a bar of soap //\n  2 [C]  informal a soap opera:\nsoap 2 v [T]   to rub soap on or over someone or something//


Words: soap opera
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin:  Because they were originally sponsored by soap-making companies]//  a television or radio story about the daily lives and relationships of the same group of people, which is broadcast regularly//


Words: soapbox
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]  informal   if someone is on their soapbox, they are telling people their opinions about something in a loud and forceful way//  on your soapbox//  --Environmental activists have climbed on their soapboxes to protest the president’s action.//


Words: soapsuds
Meaning:
soap suds/s[hA353][hA35E]ps[hA356]dz $ so[hA35E]p-/ n [plural]   the mass of small bubbles that form on top of water with soap in it//


Words: soar
Meaning:
v [I]   ----------//\n   1 amounts/prices etc:\n   2 in the sky:\n   3 spirits/hopes:\n   4 look tall:  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: essorer, from  Vulgar Latin exaurare,  from  Latin aura  ’air’]//\n  1 AMOUNTS/PRICES ETC:  to increase quickly to a high level//  → plummet//  --Her temperature soared.//  --The price of petrol has soared in recent weeks.//  --soaring unemployment//\n  2 IN THE SKY:  a) to fly, especially very high up in the sky, floating on air currents//  --She watched the dove soar above the chestnut trees.//  b) to go quickly upwards to a great height//  --The ball soared to left field.//\n  3 SPIRITS/HOPES:  if your  spirits (=the way you are feeling, for example happy, sad etc)  or hopes soar, you begin to feel very happy or hopeful//  --Adam’s smile sent her spirits soaring .//\n  4 LOOK TALL:   [not in progressive] if buildings, trees, towers etc soar, they look very tall and impressive//  --Here the cliffs soar a hundred feet above the sea.//  --a soaring skyscraper//


Words: SOB
Meaning:
S.O.B./es [hA353][hA35E] bi[hA359] $ -o[hA35E]-/ n [C]  AmE  not polite   the abbreviation of son of a bitch //


Words: sob
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  sobbed present participle  sobbing //  [Date: 1100-1200; Origin:  Perhaps from  Dutch or  Low German]//\n  1 [I] to cry noisily while breathing in short sudden bursts:  --He began sobbing uncontrollably .//\n  2 [T]  also sob out :  to say something while you are sobbing//  --’It’s too late,’ she sobbed.//  -- sob n  [C] //  --loud sobs//


Words: sob story
Meaning:
n [C]  informal   a story, especially one that is not true, that someone tells you in order to make you feel sorry for them//  --a sob story about how she lost all her money//


Words: sober
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: sobre, from  Latin sobrius]//\n  1 not drunk:  --He’s a nice guy when he’s sober.//\n  2 serious, and thinking or making you think carefully about things:  --a sober, hard-working young man//  --a sober reminder of the difficulties we face//\n  3 plain and not at all brightly coloured:  --a sober grey suit//  -- soberly adv //\nsober 2  also sober down  v [I and T]   to become more serious in behaviour or attitude, or to make someone become more serious//  --His expression sobered instantly.//  sober up phr v//  to gradually become less drunk, or to make someone become less drunk//  --I had sobered up by now and felt terrible.//  sober sb→ up//  --Some coffee should sober you up.//


Words: sobering
Meaning:
adj   making you feel very serious//  --It was a sobering thought .//  --The news had a sobering effect.//


Words: sobriety
Meaning:
n [U]  formal   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: sobriete, from  Latin sobrietas, from  sobrius;   SOBER1]//\n  1 when someone is not drunk:  --John had periods of sobriety, but always went back to drinking.//\n  2 behaviour that shows a serious attitude to life:


Words: sobriety checkpoint
Meaning:
n [C]  American English   a place in the road where the police stop vehicles so they can test drivers to see if they have drunk too much alcohol or used illegal drugs//


Words: sobriquet
Meaning:
[C]  formal   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: French; Origin: ’light blow under the chin, nickname’]//  an unofficial title or name//   nickname//


Words: soccer
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin: association (football); because it was originally played under the rules of the English Football Association]//  a sport played by two teams of 11 players, who try to kick a round ball into their opponents’ goal//  British Equivalent:  football//


Words: soccer mom
Meaning:
n [C]  AmE   a mother who spends a lot of time driving her children to sports practice, music lessons etc, considered as a typical example of women from the middle to upper classes in US society//


Words: sociable
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin sociabilis, from  sociare  ’to join together’, from  socius;   SOCIAL1]//  someone who is sociable is friendly and enjoys being with other people//  → unsociable//  --a pleasant, sociable couple//  -- sociably adv //  -- sociability/s[hA353][hA35E][hA35D][hA353]b[hA366]l[hA369]ti $ so[hA35E]-/ n  [U] //


Words: social
Meaning:
W1S2   adj   ----------//\n   1 society:\n   2 rank:\n   3 meeting people:\n   4 :\n   5 animals:  ----------//  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: socialis, from  socius  ’someone you spend time with’]//\n  1 SOCIETY:  relating to human society and its organization, or the quality of people’s lives//  --social issues, such as unemployment and education//  --the country’s serious social problems//  --a challenge to the social order  (=how a particular society is organized) //\n  2 RANK:  relating to your position in society, according to your job, family, wealth etc//  --The students come from a variety of social classes  (=groups of people that have the same social position) .//  --the social status of her family//\n  3 MEETING PEOPLE:  relating to meeting people, forming relationships with them, and spending time with them//  --social interaction//  --a club with lots of social events//  --Exercise classes are a good way to keep fit and improve your social life .//  --Group play helps children develop social skills  (=ability to deal with people easily) .//  --He lacked social graces  (=good and polite behaviour towards other people) .//\n  4 someone who is social enjoys meeting and talking to other people:   sociable//\n  5 ANIMALS:  forming groups or living together in their natural state//  → solitary//  --Elephants are social animals .//  -- socially adv //  --socially acceptable behaviour//  --socially disadvantaged families//    antisocial,  sociable,  unsocial//\nsocial 2 n [C] \n  1 a party for the members of a group, club, or church:\n  2  the social:   BrE  social security//


Words: social audit
Meaning:
also  ethical audit n [C]   an official examination of how well a company behaves, for example how it treats its workers, the environment etc//  --a social audit of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream//


Words: Social Chapter
Meaning:
the  also European Social Chapter   a document produced by the  EU (=European Union)  and agreed upon by all the member countries, which contains details of the most important employment and social rights that should be available in these countries. The document includes rules about working hours, working conditions, payment for work, health and safety, equal treatment between men and women, and the protection of children and young people.//


Words: social climber
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who tries to get accepted into a higher social class by becoming friendly with people who belong to that class - used in order to show disapproval//


Words: social conscience n [singular
Meaning:
U]   if someone has a social conscience, they know about and want to help people who have problems in society, for example people who are poor or have family problems//


Words: social democracy
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] a political and economic system based on some ideas of socialism combined with democratic principles, such as personal freedom and government by elected representatives:\n  2 [C] a country with a government based on social democracy:  -- social democrat n  [C] //


Words: social engineering
Meaning:
n [U]   the practice of making changes to laws in order to change society according to a political idea//


Words: social exclusion
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE   the situation that results when people suffer the effects of a combination of problems such as unemployment, crime, and bad  housing, and have very little chance of being able to improve their lives//  --efforts to combat poverty and social exclusion//


Words: social fund
Meaning:
n [C usually singular]  BrE   money that is used to help people with social problems, such as family problems or money problems//


Words: social housing
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE   houses or apartments that the local government provides, which can be rented for a small amount of money//


Words: social science
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] the study of people in society:\n  2 [C] a particular subject relating to the study of people in society, such as history, politics, sociology, or anthropology:  -- social scientist n  [C]   natural science//


Words: social security
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1  BrE government money that is paid to people who are unemployed, old, ill etc:  American Equivalent:  welfare//  --social security benefits//  be/live on social security (=be receiving money from the government) //\n  2  Social Security:  a US government programme into which workers must make regular payments, and which pays money regularly to old people and people who are unable to work//   National Insurance//


Words: Social Security number
Meaning:
n [C]   a number that is given to each person in the US by the government, and that is used on official forms, in computer records etc//


Words: social service
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1  social services [plural]  BrE the government department that helps people with problems, for example family or money problems, or the services it provides:  --Contact social services for help.//  --social service workers//  --the provision of social services//\n  2 a service that helps society work properly:  --The country railways provided a vital social service.//


Words: social work
Meaning:
n [U]   work done by government or private organizations to improve bad social conditions and help people who are poor, have family problems, are unable to find a job etc//


Words: socialism
Meaning:
n [U]   an economic and political system in which large industries are owned by the government, and taxes are used to take some wealth away from richer citizens and give it to poorer citizens//    capitalism, communism//


Words: socialist
Meaning:
adj \n  1 based on socialism or relating to a political party that supports socialism:  --socialist principles//\n  2 a socialist country or government has a political system based on socialism:\nsocialist 2 n [C]   someone who believes in socialism, or who is a member of a political party that supports socialism//


Words: socialite
Meaning:
n [C]   someone who is well known for going to many fashionable parties, and who is often rich//  --a Washington socialite//


Words: socialization
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the process by which people, especially children, are made to behave in a way that is acceptable in their society:  --Schools play an important part in the socialization of our children.//\n  2 the process of making something work according to socialist ideas:  --the socialization of medicine//


Words: socialize
Meaning:
also  socialise BrE   v \n  1 [I] to spend time with other people in a friendly way:  socialize with//  --People don’t socialize with their neighbours as much as they used to.//\n  2 [T usually passive] to train someone to behave in a way that is acceptable in the society they are living in:  socialize sb into sth//  --Girls are socialized into appropriate ’feminine’ behavior.//


Words: society
Meaning:
n   plural  societies //  ----------//\n   1 people in general:\n   2 a particular group:\n   3 club:\n   4 upper class:\n   5 being with people:\n   6 polite society:  ----------//  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: societe, from  Latin societas, from  socius;   SOCIAL1]//\n  1 PEOPLE IN GENERAL:   [U] people in general, considered in relation to the laws, organizations etc that make it possible for them to live together//  --technology and its effects on modern society//  --Children are the most vulnerable members of society .//\n  2 A PARTICULAR GROUP:   [U and C] a particular large group of people who share laws, organizations, customs etc//  --Britain is now a multi-racial society.//  --the capitalist societies of the West//  --the conservative segment of American society //\n  3 CLUB:   [C] an organization or club with members who share similar interests, aims etc//  --the university film society//  --the American Cancer Society//  society of//  --the Society of Black Lawyers//\n  4 UPPER CLASS:   [U] the fashionable group of people who are rich and powerful//  --a society wedding//  high society (=the richest, most fashionable etc people) //\n  5 BEING WITH PEOPLE:   [U]  formal when you are together with other people//  society of//  --Holidays are a time to enjoy the society of your family.//\n  6  polite society:  middle or upper class people who behave correctly in social situations//  in polite society//   (=among middle or upper class people) //  --The subject was rarely mentioned in polite society.//    building society,  friendly society//


Words: Society of Jesus
Meaning:
the   the formal name of the  Jesuits, a large and respected society of Roman Catholic priests, which was established in the 16th century by St  Ignatius Loyola to do  missionary work (=to spread the Catholic religion) and to set up Catholic universities in many parts of the world//


Words: socio-
Meaning:
prefix  technical   [Language: French; Origin: Latin socius;   SOCIAL1]//\n  1 relating to society:  --sociology (=the study of society) //\n  2 social and something else:  --sociopolitical//  --sociolinguistics//


Words: sociology
Meaning:
n [U]   the scientific study of societies and the behaviour of people in groups//  -- sociologist n  [C] //  -- sociological/s[hA353][hA35E]si[hA353]l[hA361]d[hA360][hA366]k[hA368]l, s[hA353][hA35E][hA35D]i- $ so[hA35E]si[hA353]l[hA35A][hA359]-, so[hA35E][hA35D]i-/ adj //  --a sociological study//  -- sociologically/-kli/ adv   anthropology, ethnology, social science//


Words: sociopath
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1900-2000; Origin: socio- +  -path (as in  psychopath)]//  someone whose behaviour towards other people is considered unacceptable, strange, and possibly dangerous//  -- sociopathic/s[hA353][hA35E]si[hA353]p[zB024][hA35F][hA366]k[hA36B],s[hA353][hA35E][hA35D]i[hA353]- $ so[hA35E]-/ adj   psychopath//


Words: sock
Meaning:
S3   n [C]   [Sense: 1,3-4; Origin: Old English socc, from  Latin soccus  ’light shoe’]//  [Sense: 2,5; Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  SOCK2]//\n  1 a piece of clothing made of soft material that you wear on your foot inside your shoe:  --a pair of socks //  --white ankle socks//\n  2  knock/blow sb’s socks off:   informal to surprise and excite someone very much//  --a new band that will knock your socks off//\n  3  pull your socks up:   informal  especially BrE to make an effort to improve your behaviour or your work//  --If they want promotion, United have got to pull their socks up.//\n  4  put a sock in it:   informal used to tell someone in a joking way to stop talking or making a noise//\n  5  informal a hard hit, especially with your hand closed:  --Larry gave him a sock on the arm.//\nsock 2 v [T]   [Sense: 1-2,4; Date: 1600-1700; Origin:  Probably from a  Scandinavian language.]//  [Sense: 3; Date: 1900-2000; Origin: sock  ’windsock’. sock away  1900-2000 From   SOCK1]//\n  1  informal to hit someone very hard, especially with your hand closed:   thump//  --He socked her in the face.//\n  2 [usually passive]  informal if someone is socked with something bad, they are suddenly affected by it:  sock sb with sth//  --I got socked with a big car repair bill.//\n  3  be socked in:   AmE if an airport, road, or area is socked in, it is very difficult to see far and no one can travel because of bad fog, snow, or rain//\n  4  sock it to sb:   old-fashioned to tell someone to do something in a direct and forceful way//  sock away [sock sth → away] phr v//   AmE to save money by putting it in a safe place//  --Roger socked away more than $1 million a year.//


Words: socket
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: soket, from  Old French soc  ’broad curved blade of a plow’]//\n  1 a place in a wall where you can connect electrical equipment to the supply of electricity:  British Equivalent:  power pointAmerican Equivalent:  outlet//\n  2 the place on a piece of electrical equipment that you put a plug or a light bulb into:  --a headphone socket//\n  3 a hollow part of a structure into which something fits:  --the eye sockets//


Words: Socrates
Meaning:
(?470-399 BC) a Greek  philosopher from Athens, who was the teacher of  Plato and whose ideas are known from Plato’s writings. He encouraged people to think carefully about ideas before accepting them and developed a method of examining ideas according to a system of questions and answers in order to find out the truth. This is known as the Socratic method or  dialectic. The Greek authorities disapproved of his ideas and methods, and said he was a bad influence on young people. They forced him to kill himself by drinking  hemlock, a powerful poison.//  -- Socratic adj //


Words: sod
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Middle Dutch; Origin: Middle Low German  sode]//\n  1 [C]  BrE  informal  not polite a very offensive word for someone, especially a man, who you think is stupid or annoying:  --Get up, you lazy sod!//\n  2  be a sod:   BrE  informal  not polite to be very difficult to do or deal with//  --That door’s a sod to open.//\n  3 [C usually singular]  BrE  informal  not polite used to refer to a person:  --The poor sod ’s wife left him.//  --You lucky sod!//\n  4  not give/care a sod:   BrE  spoken  not polite to not care at all about something//  --I don’t give a sod who it is!//\n  5 [U and C] a piece of earth or the layer of earth with grass and roots growing in it:\nsod 2 v [T only in imperative or infinitive]  BrE  spoken  not polite \n  1  sod it/that:  used to rudely express anger or annoyance at something or someone//  --Sod it, I’ve missed the train.//\n  2 used to say rudely that something is not important:  --Sod the job, I’m going home.//\n  3  sod off:  an offensive way of telling someone to go away//


Words: Sod’s law
Meaning:
n [U]    BrE the natural tendency for things to go wrong whenever possible - used humorously//  American Equivalent:  Murphy’s Law//  --It’s Sod’s law that the car breaks down when you need it most.//


Words: soda
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Italian]//\n  1 [U and C]  also soda water :  water that contains bubbles and is often added to alcoholic drinks//  --a Scotch and soda//\n  2 [U and C]  also soda pop :   AmE a sweet drink containing bubbles, or a can or bottle of this drink//   pop//  --a can of orange soda//  --a cooler full of sodas//\n  3 [C]  AmE an ice-cream soda:  --a strawberry soda//\n  4 [U] a substance in the form of a powder containing sodium, that is used for cooking or cleaning:  --baking soda//


Words: sodden
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1800-1900; Origin:  Old past participle of  seethe]//  very wet and heavy//  --sodden clothes//  --The earth was sodden.//  rain-sodden/water-sodden //  --rain-sodden hair//


Words: sodding
Meaning:
adj  BrE  spoken  not polite   said when someone is angry or annoyed, or to emphasize what they are saying//  --The sodding computer’s crashed!//


Words: sodium
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Modern Latin; Origin: soda]//  a common silver-white metal that usually exists in combination with other substances, for example in salt. It is a chemical element: symbol Na//


Words: sodium bicarbonate
Meaning:
also bicarbonate of soda  n [U]   a white powder used in baking to make cakes,  biscuits etc lighter, or for cleaning things//   baking soda//


Words: Sodom and Gomorrah
Meaning:
two ancient cities in the Middle East which, according to the Old Testament of the Bible, were destroyed by God as a punishment for the immoral sexual behaviour of their people. The cities’ names are sometimes used to describe a place or situation where people’s sexual behaviour is regarded as very shocking.//


Words: sodomy
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: sodomie, from  Late Latin Sodoma  ’Sodom’, (in the Bible) city destroyed by God for the %homosexual practices of its men]//   formal  or  law a sexual act in which a man puts his sex organ into someone’s anus, especially that of another man//   buggery//  -- sodomize v  [T] //


Words: sofa
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Arabic; Origin: suffah  ’long seat’]//  a comfortable seat with raised arms and a back, that is wide enough for two or three people to sit on//   couch//  British Equivalent:  settee//


Words: soft
Meaning:
adj   comparative  softer superlative  softest //  ----------//\n   1 not hard:\n   2 not rough:\n   3 not loud:\n   4 colour/light:\n   5 no hard edges:\n   6 rain/wind:\n   7 not strict:\n   8 sensitive:\n   9 weak character:\n  10 sales/markets:\n  11 soft loan/credit:\n  12 soft money:\n  13 too easy:\n  14 weak body:\n  15 water:\n  16 have a soft spot for somebody:\n  17 a soft touch:\n  18 soft in the head:\n  19 stupid:\n  20 be soft on somebody:\n  21 consonants:  ----------//  [Language: Old English; Origin: softe]//\n  1 NOT HARD:  a) not hard, firm, or stiff, but easy to press//  → hard//  --My feet sank into the soft ground.//  --the softest sofa and pillows//  --Cook the onions until they go soft .//  b) less hard than average//  → hard//  --a soft lead pencil//  --soft cheese//\n  2 NOT ROUGH:  having a surface that is smooth and pleasant to touch//  → rough//  --a baby’s soft skin//  --The fur was soft to the touch.//\n  3 NOT LOUD:  a soft sound, voice, or music is quiet and pleasant to listen to//  → loud, harsh//  --soft music//  --His voice was softer now.//\n  4 COLOUR/LIGHT:   [only before noun] soft colours or lights are pleasant and relaxing because they are not too bright//  → bright//  --All the stores will be re-fitted with softer lighting.//  --a soft shade of peach//\n  5 NO HARD EDGES:  not having any hard edges or sharp angles//  --soft curves//\n  6 RAIN/WIND:  gentle and without much force//  --a soft breeze//  --soft rain//\n  7 NOT STRICT:  someone who is soft seems weak because they are not strict enough with other people//  → strict, tough//  --If you appear to be soft, people take advantage of you.//  soft on//  --No politician wants to seem soft on crime .//  --Courts have been taking a soft line  (=not being strict enough) with young offenders.//\n  8 SENSITIVE:  kind, gentle, and sympathetic to other people//  → hard//  --He has a soft heart beneath that cold exterior.//  --a soft kiss//\n  9 WEAK CHARACTER:  not very brave and not having a strong character//  → hard//  --Don’t be soft - just jump!//\n  10 SALES/MARKETS:  decreasing in price, value, or the amount sold//  --soft oil prices//\n  11  soft loan/credit:  money that is lent at a lower interest rate than usual, because it will be used to help people in some way//\n  12  soft money:  money that people, companies, or organizations give to political parties, rather than to a particular candidate//\n  13 TOO EASY:   informal a soft job, life etc is too easy and does not involve much work or hard physical work//  --Mike’s found himself a soft job in the stores.//  soft option  BrE  (=a choice that allows you to avoid difficulties or hard work) //  -- Taking the soft option won’t help your career to develop.//\n  14 WEAK BODY:   informal having a body that is not in a strong physical condition, because you do not do enough exercise//  --He’d got soft after all those years in a desk job.//\n  15 WATER:  soft water does not contain many minerals, so that it forms bubbles from soap easily//\n  16  have a soft spot for sb:  to continue to like someone even when they do not behave well//  --She’s always had a soft spot for Grant.//\n  17  a soft touch:   informal someone from whom you can easily get what you want, because they are kind or easy to deceive//\n  18  soft in the head:   old-fashioned very stupid or crazy//\n  19 STUPID:   BrE stupid or silly//  --You must be soft if you think I’ll give you fifty quid!//\n  20  be soft on sb:   old-fashioned to be sexually attracted to someone//\n  21 CONSONANTS:   technical not sounding hard//  --a soft g//  -- softly adv //  --She stroked his head softly.//  --Music played softly in the background.//  -- softness n  [U] //  ----------//  WORD FOCUS: soft //  soft and pleasant to touch: velvety,  fluffy,  silky //  soft and easily crushed: squashy,  squishy //  soft and wet: mushy,  squelchy (BrE informal) //  soft and good to eat: tender //  ----------//


Words: soft copy
Meaning:
n [U]    technical information stored in a computer’s memory or shown on a screen rather than printed on paper//    hard copy//


Words: soft currency
Meaning:
n [U and C]   money of a particular country that may fall in value and is difficult to exchange for the money of a country that is economically stronger//    hard currency//


Words: soft focus
Meaning:
n [U]   a way of photographing or filming things so that the edges of the objects in the photograph are not sharp or clear//


Words: soft fruit
Meaning:
n [U and C]    especially BrE small fruits, such as strawberries, that you can eat that do not have a hard skin or large seed//


Words: soft furnishings
Meaning:
n [plural]    BrE things such as curtains, chair covers etc that are made of cloth and are used in decorating a room//


Words: soft landing
Meaning:
n [C] \n  1 a situation in which a spacecraft comes down onto the ground gently and without any damage:  → crash landing//\n  2 if the economy of a country has a soft landing, it does not experience bad effects after an attempt to control increases in the cost of living:  --Hopes for a soft landing have faded.//


Words: soft porn
Meaning:
n [U]   magazines, pictures etc that show people wearing no clothes or sexual activity, but that do not show sexual activity completely clearly or in a violent way//    hard porn//


Words: soft sell
Meaning:
n [singular]   a way of advertising or selling things that involves gently persuading people to buy something//    hard sell//


Words: soft shoulder
Meaning:
n [C]   the edge of a road, when this edge is made of dirt rather than a hard material//    hard shoulder//


Words: soft-boiled
Meaning:
adj   an egg that is soft-boiled is boiled long enough for the white part to become solid, but the yellow part in the centre is still liquid//    hard-boiled//


Words: soft-hearted
Meaning:
adj   easily affected by feelings of pity or sympathy for other people//  → hard-hearted//  --a soft-hearted woman//


Words: soft-pedal past tense and past participle
Meaning:
soft-pedalled present participle  soft-pedalling  BrE   past tense and past participle  soft-pedaled present participle  soft-pedaling  AmE  v [T] //   informal to make something seem less important or less urgent than it really is//


Words: soft-soap
Meaning:
v [T]    BrE  informal to say nice things to someone in order to persuade them to do something//  --Don’t think you can soft-soap me!//  -- soft soap n  [U] //


Words: softball
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] a game similar to baseball but played on a smaller field with a slightly larger and softer ball:\n  2 [C] the special ball used to play this game:


Words: soften
Meaning:
v [I and T] \n  1  also soften up :  to become less hard or rough, or make something less hard or rough//  → harden//  --Use moisturizer to soften your skin.//  --Cook until the onion softens.//\n  2 if your attitude softens, or if something softens it, it becomes less strict and more sympathetic:  → harden//  --The government has softened its stance on public spending.//  soften towards//  --I felt that he was beginning to soften towards me.//\n  3 to make the effect of something seem less unpleasant or severe, or to become less unpleasant or severe:  soften the blow/impact //  --The impact of the tax was softened by large tax-free allowances.//\n  4 if your expression or voice softens, or if something softens it, you look or sound kinder and more gentle:  → harden//  --His voice softened as he spoke to her.//\n  5 to make the shape or colour of something look less severe:  --Climbing plants soften the outline of a fence.//  soften up [soften sb/sth → up] phr v//\n  1  informal to be nice to someone before you ask them to do something, so that they will agree to help you:  --She was just softening me up.//\n  2 to make an enemy weaker so that they are easier to attack:  --Use artillery to soften up the enemy forces.//\n  3 to make something less hard or rough:


Words: softener
Meaning:
n [U and C]   a substance that you add to water to make clothes feel soft after washing//  --fabric softener//    water softener//


Words: softie
Meaning:
softy/s[hA361]fti $ s[hA361][hA359]f-/ n [C]   someone who is easily affected by feelings of pity or sympathy, or who is easily persuaded//  --He’s a real softie.//


Words: softly-softly
Meaning:
adj  BrE   softly-softly approach//  a way of dealing with something or someone which involves being very patient and careful//  --We need to adopt a softly-softly approach with Mike.//


Words: software
Meaning:
W2   n [U]   the sets of programs that tell a computer how to do a particular job//    hardware//  --She loaded the new software .//  design/anti-virus/database etc software //  --word-processing software//  --a software company//


Words: softwood
Meaning:
n [U and C]   wood from trees such as pine and fir that is cheap and easy to cut, or a tree with this type of wood//    hardwood//


Words: soggy
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin: sog  ’area of wet ground’ (16-19 centuries)]//  unpleasantly wet and soft//  --The ground was soggy from the rain.//  --The sandwiches have gone all soggy .//


Words: SOHO
Meaning:
n [C]   small office/home office a room in someone’s house with electronic equipment such as a computer and a fax machine, that is used as a place in which to work//


Words: Soho
Meaning:
an area in central London famous for its  sex shops and  gay bars, and also as a place where there are many shops and restaurants selling foreign food, especially Chinese and Italian food.//


Words: soigne
Meaning:
soignee/sw[hA35A][hA359]nje[hA366] $ sw[hA35A][hA359]nje[hA366]/ adj  formal   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: , past participle of  soigner  ’to take care of’]//  dressed or arranged fashionably and with care//  --a soignee woman politician//


Words: soil
Meaning:
W2   n   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Anglo-French; Origin: ’piece of ground’, from  Latin solium  ’seat’; influenced by  Latin solum  ’ground, soil’]//\n  1 [U and C] the top layer of the earth in which plants grow:   earth//  --The soil here is very poor.//  --The bush grows well in a sandy soil. see usage note  ground1 //\n  2  on British/French/foreign etc soil:   formal in Britain, France etc//  --The crime was committed on American soil.//\n  3 [U] a place or situation where something can develop:  --Eastern Europe provided fertile soil for political activists.//\n  4  sb’s native soil:   literary your own country//\n  5  the soil:   literary farming as a job or way of life//  --They make their living from the soil.//\nsoil 2 v [T]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: soiller, from  soil  ’pigsty’, probably from  Latin suile, from  sus  ’pig’]//\n  1  formal to make something dirty, especially with waste from your body:\n  2  not soil your hands:  to not do something because you consider it too unpleasant or dishonest//  --Keep your money - I wouldn’t soil my hands with it.//  -- soiled adj //  --soiled diapers//


Words: Soil Association
Meaning:
the   an organization in the UK which establishes standards for  organic foods, making sure that they really have been grown in a natural way that does not harm the environment. Foods that are approved of in this way can have a special Soil Association sign on the package.//


Words: soiree
Meaning:
soiree/sw[hA35A][hA359]re[hA366] $ sw[hA35A][hA359]re[hA366]/ n [C]   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: soiree, from  soir  ’evening’]//  a formal or fashionable evening party//


Words: sojourn
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: sojorn, from  sojorner  ’to stay’, from  Vulgar Latin subdiurnare, from  Latin sub  ’during’ +  Late Latin diurnum  ’day’]//   formal a short period of time that you stay in a place that is not your home//  --a brief sojourn in Europe//  -- sojourn v  [I] //


Words: sol-fa
Meaning:
[U]   [Date: 1500-1600; Origin: sol +  fa]//  the system in which the notes of the musical scale are represented by seven short words, do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, which are used especially in singing//


Words: solace
Meaning:
n  formal   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: solas, from  Latin solatio, from  solari  ’to comfort’]//\n  1 [U] a feeling of emotional comfort at a time of great sadness or disappointment:  seek/find solace in sth //  --After the death of her son, Val found solace in the church.//\n  2  be a solace to sb:  to bring a feeling of comfort and calmness to someone, when they are sad or disappointed//  --Mary was a great solace to me after Arthur died.//  -- solace v  [T]  literary //


Words: solar
Meaning:
adj [only before noun]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: solaris, from  sol  ’sun’]//\n  1 relating to the sun:    lunar//  --a solar eclipse//\n  2 using the power of the sun’s light and heat:  --solar energy//


Words: solar panel
Meaning:
n [C]   a piece of equipment, usually kept on a roof, that collects and uses the sun’s energy to heat water or make electricity//


Words: solar plexus
Meaning:
n [singular]   [Date: 1700-1800; Origin:  Because its nerves spread out from the center like the rays of the sun]//  the front part of your body just below your  ribs//  --a blow to the solar plexus//


Words: solar system
Meaning:
n \n  1  the solar system:  the Sun and the planets that go around it//\n  2 [C] this kind of system around another star:


Words: solar year
Meaning:
n [C]   the period of time in which the Earth travels once around the Sun, equal to just over 365 days//


Words: solarium
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Latin; Origin: sol;   SOLAR]//\n  1 a place with sunbeds (=beds with special lamps)  where you can get an artificial suntan:\n  2 a room, usually enclosed by glass, where you can sit in bright sunlight:


Words: sold out
Meaning:
adj  sold-out\n  1 if a concert, performance etc is sold out, all the tickets for that show have been sold:  --The group will play three sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium.//\n  2 if a shop or store is sold out of a particular product, it has sold all of that product:  sold out of//  --The store was completely sold out of tuna fish.//


Words: solder
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: soudure, from  souder  ’to solder’, from  Latin solidare  ’to make solid’, from  solidus;   SOLID1]//  a soft metal, usually a mixture of lead and tin, which can be melted and used to join two metal surfaces, wires etc//\nsolder 2 v [T + onto/together]   to join or repair metal surfaces with solder//


Words: soldering iron
Meaning:
n [C]   a tool which is heated, usually by electricity, and used for melting solder and putting it on surfaces//


Words: soldier
Meaning:
n [C]   map//  [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: soudier, from  soulde  ’pay’, from  Late Latin solidus  ’gold coin’, from  Latin solidus (adjective);   SOLID1]//  a member of the army of a country, especially someone who is not an officer//    troop//  --A British soldier was wounded in the fighting.//  --an enemy soldier//\nsoldier 2 v   soldier on phr v//   especially BrE to continue working in spite of difficulties//  --We’ll just have to soldier on without him.//


Words: soldier of fortune plural
Meaning:
soldiers of fortune  n [C]   someone who works as a soldier for anyone who will pay them//   mercenary//


Words: sole
Meaning:
W3   adj [only before noun]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: soul, from  Latin solus  ’alone’]//\n  1 the sole person, thing etc is the only one:   only//  --the sole American in the room//  --Griffiths is the sole survivor of the crash.//  --The story was published with the sole purpose of selling newspapers.//\n  2 not shared with anyone else:  --Derek has sole responsibility for sales in Dublin.//  --The company has the sole rights to market Elton John’s records.//\nsole 2 n   [Sense: 1-2; Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin solea  ’light shoe’]//  [Sense: 3; Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin solea  ’light shoe, flat fish’]//\n  1 [C] the bottom surface of your foot, especially the part you walk or stand on:  --The soles of his feet were caked in mud.//  heel, upper, toe, lace, lining, sole//\n  2 [C] flat bottom part of a shoe, not including the heel:  --the soles of her shoes //  thick-soled/leather-soled etc (=having soles that are thick, made of leather etc) //\n  3 [U and C] :  plural  sole  or  soles a flat fish that is often used for food//    lemon sole//  --Dover sole//\nsole 3 v [T usually passive]   to put a new sole on a shoe//


Words: solecism
Meaning:
n [C]  formal   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: soloecismus, from  Greek, from  soloikos  ’speaking incorrectly’, from  Soloi ancient city in Turkey where an incorrect form of Greek was spoken]//\n  1 a mistake in the use of written or spoken language:\n  2 something that is not considered polite behaviour:  --a social solecism//


Words: solely
Meaning:
adv   not involving anything or anyone else//   only//  --Scholarships are given solely on the basis of financial need.//  --I shall hold you solely responsible for anything that goes wrong.//


Words: solemn
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: solemne, from  Latin solemnis  ’ceremonial, formal, solemn’]//\n  1 very serious and not happy, for example because something bad has happened or because you are at an important occasion:  --a solemn expression//  --Their faces suddenly grew solemn.//  --a solemn procession of mourners//\n  2 a solemn promise is one that is made very seriously and with no intention of breaking it:  --a solemn vow //  --I’ll never be unfaithful again. I give you my solemn word .//\n  3 performed in a very serious way:  solemn ritual/ceremony //  -- solemnly adv //


Words: solemnity
Meaning:
n \n  1 [U] the quality of being serious in behaviour or manner:  --the solemnity of a great religious occasion//\n  2  solemnities [plural] the ceremonies of an important and serious occasion:


Words: solemnize
Meaning:
also  solemnise BrE   v   solemnize a marriage//   formal to perform a wedding ceremony in a church//


Words: solicit
Meaning:
v   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: solliciter  ’to disturb, take charge of’, from  Latin sollicitare, from  sollicitus;   SOLICITOUS]//\n  1 [I usually progressive] to offer to have sex with someone in exchange for money:  --She was arrested for soliciting.//\n  2 [I and T]  formal to ask someone for money, help, or information:  --Morgan is accused of illegally soliciting campaign contributions.//  solicit sth from sb//  --The governor sent two officials to Mexico City to solicit aid from the President.//\n  3 [I and T]  AmE to try to sell a product or service by taking it to homes or businesses and showing it to the people there:  --No soliciting on company premises is allowed.//


Words: solicitor
Meaning:
W2S3   n [C] \n  1 a type of lawyer in Britain who gives legal advice, prepares the necessary documents when property is bought or sold, and defends people, especially in the lower courts of law:    lawyer, advocate, barrister//  --You need to see a solicitor.//  --a small firm of solicitors see usage note  lawyer//\n  2  AmE someone who goes from place to place trying to sell goods or services:  --A sign on the door read, ’No Solicitors.’//


Words: solicitous
Meaning:
adj  formal   [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: sollicitus  ’anxious’]//  very concerned about someone’s safety, health, or comfort//  -- solicitously adv //  -- solicitousness n  [U] //


Words: solicitude
Meaning:
n [U]    formal care and concern for someone’s health, safety etc//  --She was grateful to him for his solicitude.//


Words: solid
Meaning:
W3S3   adj   ----------//\n   1 firm/hard:\n   2 only one material:\n   3 not hollow:\n   4 without spaces:\n   5 strongly made:\n   6 good and long-lasting:\n   7 dependable:\n   8 continuing without interruption:\n   9 packed solid:\n  10 on solid ground:\n  11 good:\n  12 difficult:\n  13 shape:\n  14 in agreement:  ----------//  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: solide, from  Latin solidus]//\n  1 FIRM/HARD:  hard or firm, with a fixed shape, and not a liquid or gas//  --The lake was frozen solid .//  --It was good to be back on solid ground again.//  --Is the baby eating solid food  (=bread, meat etc) yet?//  --The ship’s sonar can detect the presence of solid objects in the water.//\n  2 ONLY ONE MATERIAL:  consisting completely of one type of material//  solid gold/silver etc //  --a solid gold cup//  solid wood/pine/oak etc //  --a chest made of solid oak//\n  3 NOT HOLLOW:  having no holes or spaces inside//  → hollow//  --a solid rubber ball//  --a shrine carved out of solid rock//\n  4 WITHOUT SPACES:  continuous, without any spaces or breaks//  --It’s not safe to pass when the lines in the middle of the road are solid.//\n  5 STRONGLY MADE:  strong and well made//  → flimsy//  --a solid piece of furniture//  --The frame is as solid as a rock  (=extremely solid) .//\n  6 GOOD AND LONG-LASTING:  a solid achievement or solid work is of real, practical, and continuing value//  --five years of solid achievement//  --The first two years provide a solid foundation in the basics of computing.//\n  7 DEPENDABLE:  someone or something that is solid can be depended on or trusted//  --a solid reputation //  --The prosecution in this case has no solid evidence .//  --You can rely on Wylie for good solid advice.//  --a solid Labour stronghold (=where people always vote for this party) //\n  8 CONTINUING WITHOUT INTERRUPTION:   informal used to emphasize that something continues for a long time without any pauses//  --The lecture lasted two solid hours.//  five hours/two weeks etc solid //  --On Saturday I went to bed and slept fourteen hours solid.//\n  9  packed solid:   informal if shops, trains, buses etc are packed solid, they are full of people//\n  10  on solid ground:  confident because you are dealing with a subject you are sure about, or because you are in a safe situation//  --To make sure that he was on solid ground, he confirmed his findings with others.//\n  11 GOOD:   BrE  informal good//\n  12 DIFFICULT:   BrE  informal very difficult//  --I couldn’t do any of the maths last night - it was solid.//\n  13 SHAPE:   technical having length, width, and height//   three-dimensional//  --A sphere is a solid figure.//\n  14 IN AGREEMENT:   be solid//   BrE to be in complete agreement//  --The workers are 100% solid on this issue.//  -- solidly adv //  --solidly built//  -- solidness n  [U] //\nsolid 2 n \n  1 [C] a firm object or substance that has a fixed shape, not a gas or liquid:  --the properties of liquids and solids//\n  2  solids [plural] foods that are not liquid:  --He’s still too ill to eat solids.//\n  3 [C]  technical the part of a liquid which has the qualities of a solid when it is separated from the solvent (=watery part) :\n  4 [C]  technical a shape which has length, width, and height, such as a sphere or cylinder:


Words: solid-state
Meaning:
adj \n  1 solid-state electrical equipment contains electronic parts, such as silicon chips, rather than moving mechanical parts:\n  2 solid-state physics is concerned with the qualities of solid substances, especially the way in which they conduct electricity:


Words: Solidarity
Meaning:
a  trade union which was started in Poland in 1980 by Lech  Walesa. Solidarity organized  strikes in order to force Poland’s Communist government to make political and economic changes. For a time it was an illegal organization and many of its leaders were put in prison. By the late 1980s it had become very powerful, and in 1989 it became the leading party in the new government. Although it later lost power, Solidarity had an important influence on the ending of Communist power in eastern Europe.//


Words: solidarity
Meaning:
n [U]   loyalty and general agreement between all the people in a group, or between different groups because they all have a shared aim//  --a gesture of solidarity//  --an appeal for worker solidarity//  show/express/demonstrate your solidarity (with sb) //  --I come before you today to express my solidarity with the people of New York.//


Words: solidify
Meaning:
v   past tense and past participle  solidified present participle  solidifying third person singular  solidifies //\n  1 [I and T] to become solid or make something solid:  --The volcanic lava solidifies as it cools.//  --solidified cream//\n  2 [T] to make an agreement, plan, attitude etc more definite and less likely to change:  --The two countries signed a treaty to solidify their alliance.//  -- solidification/s[hA353]l[hA366]d[hA369]f[hA369]ke[hA366][hA35D][hA368]n/ n  [U] //


Words: solidity
Meaning:
n [U] \n  1 the strength or hardness of something:  --the solidity of the stone walls//\n  2 the quality of something that is permanent and can be depended on:  --the solidity of middle-class institutions//


Words: soliloquy
Meaning:
n   plural  soliloquies  [U and C] //  [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Late Latin; Origin: soliloquium, from  Latin solus (  SOLE1) +  loqui  ’to speak’]//  a speech in a play in which a character, usually alone on the stage, talks to himself or herself so that the audience knows their thoughts//    monologue//  -- soliloquize/-kwa[hA366]z/ v  [I] //


Words: solipsism
Meaning:
n [U]  technical   [Date: 1800-1900; Language: Latin; Origin: solus (  SOLE1) +  ipse  ’self’]//  the idea in philosophy that only the self exists or can be known//


Words: solipsistic
Meaning:
adj \n  1 interested only in yourself and the things that affect you:\n  2  technical relating to the view in philosophy that only the self exists or can be known:


Words: solitaire
Meaning:
n   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: Latin solitarius;   SOLITARY1]//\n  1 [U] a game played by one person with small wooden or plastic pieces on a board:\n  2 [C] a single jewel, or a piece of jewellery with a single jewel in it, especially a large diamond:  --a diamond solitaire//\n  3 [U]  AmE a game of cards for one person:  British Equivalent:  patience//


Words: solitary
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: solitarius, from  solitas  ’solitude’, from  solus;   SOLE1]//\n  1 [only before noun] used to emphasize that there is only one of something:   single//  --the solitary goal of the match//  --The benches were empty except for a single solitary figure.//\n  2 doing something without anyone else with you:  --a long, solitary walk//\n  3 spending a lot of time alone, usually because you like being alone:  → sociable//  --a solitary man//  --Pandas are solitary creatures.//  --He led a rather solitary existence.//\n  4  not a solitary word/thing etc:  used to emphasize that there is not even one//  --He followed her round without a solitary word.//  -- solitarily adv //  -- solitariness n  [U] //\nsolitary 2 n   plural  solitaries //\n  1 [U]  informal solitary confinement:  --He spent two weeks in solitary.//\n  2 [C]  BrE  literary someone who lives completely alone:   hermit//


Words: solitary confinement
Meaning:
n [U]   a punishment in which a prisoner is kept alone and is not allowed to see anyone else//  in solitary confinement//  --He spent more than half his time in prison in solitary confinement.//


Words: solitude
Meaning:
n [U]   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin solitudo, from  solus;   SOLE1]//  when you are alone, especially when this is what you enjoy//    loneliness//  in solitude//  --Carl spent the morning in solitude.//  --the solitude of her house on the lake//


Words: solo
Meaning:
adj [only before noun] \n  1 done alone without anyone else helping you:  solo flight/voyage/ascent //  --Ridgeway’s solo voyage across the Atlantic//  --the first solo ascent of Everest//  --a solo effort //\n  2 relating to a record or piece of music that is performed by a single musician, not a group:  --a solo album//  --a solo passage for viola//  -- solo adv //  --When did you first fly solo?//  --Amos quit the company, determined to go solo  (=work for himself) .//\nsolo 2   plural  solos  n [C] //  [Date: 1600-1700; Language: Italian; Origin: solo  ’alone’, from  Latin solus;   SOLE1]//\n  1 a piece of music for one performer:    duet, trio//  --a gorgeous piano solo//\n  2 when someone flies or does an activity alone:  --his first solo//\nsolo 3 v [I] \n  1 to perform a solo in a piece of music:  --Brokaw solos brilliantly on this album.//\n  2 to fly an aircraft alone:


Words: Solomon
Meaning:
1 (10th century BC) a king of Israel, the son of King  David, who built the  temple in Jerusalem. He is famous for being extremely wise.:\n  2  the wisdom of Solomon:  a very special ability to make the right decision in situations where it is extremely difficult to know what to do//  --Whoever is chosen to chair the peace talks is going to need the wisdom of Solomon.//    Song of Solomon, the//


Words: Solomon Islands
Meaning:
the   a country made up of several islands in the southwest Pacific, to the east of Papua New Guinea. Population: 480,442 (2001). Capital: Honiara.//


Words: solstice
Meaning:
n [C]   [Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin solstitium, from  sol  ’sun’ +  status, past participle of  sistere  ’to come to a stop’]//  the time when the sun is furthest north or south of the equator//  the summer/winter solstice (=the longest or shortest day of the year) //   equinox//


Words: Solti
Meaning:
Sir Georg   (1912-97) a British  conductor, born in Hungary, who was the musical director of many important  orchestras and had a very energetic style as a conductor//


Words: soluble
Meaning:
adj   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Late Latin solubilis, from  Latin solvere;   SOLVE]//\n  1 a soluble substance can be dissolved in a liquid:  --soluble aspirin//  water-soluble (=that can be dissolved in water) //\n  2  formal a problem that is soluble can be solved:  → insoluble//  -- solubility/s[hA361]lj[hA36A]b[hA366]l[hA369]ti $ s[hA35A][hA359]-/ n  [U] //


Words: solution
Meaning:
W1S2   n   [Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin solutio, from  solvere;   SOLVE]//\n  1 [C] a way of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation:    solve//  --The best solution would be for them to separate.//  --Both sides are trying to find a peaceful solution .//  solution to/for//  --There are no simple solutions to the problem of overpopulation.//  --the perfect solution to all of our problems//  --a political solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland//\n  2 [C] the correct answer to a problem in an exercise or competition:   answer//    solve//  solution to//  --The solution to last week’s puzzle is on page 12.//\n  3 [U and C] a liquid in which a solid or gas has been mixed:  --a weak sugar solution//  --saline solution//


Words: solve
Meaning:
W3S2   v [T]   [Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: solvere  ’to loosen, solve, dissolve, pay’]//\n  1 to find or provide a way of dealing with a problem:    solution//  --Charlie thinks money will solve all his problems.//  --the best way of solving our dilemma//\n  2 to find the correct answer to a problem or the explanation for something that is difficult to understand:    solution//  solve a crime/mystery/case etc //  --More than 70% of murder cases were solved last year.//  --attempts to solve a mathematical equation //  solve a puzzle/riddle //  -- solvable adj //


Words: solvent
Meaning:
adj [not usually before noun]   having enough money to pay your debts//  → insolvent//  stay/remain/keep solvent //  --I don’t know how we managed to remain solvent.//  -- solvency n  [U] //\nsolvent 2 n [U and C]   a chemical that is used to dissolve another substance//


Words: solvent abuse
Meaning:
n [U]  BrE  formal   when someone breathes in gases from glues or similar substances in order to get a pleasant feeling, especially when they become dependent on doing this//   glue-sniffing//


Words: Solzhenitsyn
Meaning:
Alexander   (1918- ) a Russian writer who spent many years in prison because of his criticism of Stalinism and the system of government in the former Soviet Union. He was forced to leave the Soviet Union in 1974 and went to live in the US. His books include  One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Cancer Ward, and The Gulag Archipelago. He was given the Nobel Prize for literature in 1970.//


Words: Somalia
Meaning:
a country in East Africa between Ethiopa, Kenya, and the Indian Ocean. Population: 7,489,000 (2001). Capital: Mogadishu. //


Words: sombre
Meaning:
BrE  somber AmE   adj   [Date: 1700-1800; Language: French; Origin: sombre, probably from  Latin sub  ’under’ +  umbra  ’shade, shadow’]//\n  1 sad and serious:   grave//  --They sat in sombre silence.//  --We were all in a somber mood that night.//  --a sombre expression//  --on the sombre occasion of his mother’s funeral//\n  2 dark and without any bright colours:  --a sombre grey suit//  -- sombrely adv //  -- sombreness n  [U] //


Words: sombrero
Meaning:
n   plural  sombreros  [C] //  [Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: sombra  ’shade’]//  a Mexican hat for men that is tall with a wide, round brim1 turned up at the edges//


Words: some
Meaning:
determiner   [Language: Old English; Origin: sum]//\n  1 a number of people or things, or an amount of something, when the exact number or amount is not stated:  --I need some apples for this recipe.//  --My mother has inherited some land.//  --They’re looking for someone with some experience.//  --The doctor gave her some medicine for her cough.//\n  2 a number of people or things or an amount of something, but not all:  --Some people believe in life after death.//  --She’s been so depressed that some days she can’t get out of bed.//\n  3  formal a fairly large number of people or things or a fairly large amount of something:  --It was some time before they managed to turn the alarm off.//  --The donation went some way toward paying for the damage.//\nsome 2   pron \n  1 a number of people or things or an amount of something, when the exact number or amount is not stated:  --I’ve just made a pot of coffee. Would you like some?//  --’Do you know where the screws are?’ ’There are some in the garage.’//\n  2 a number of people or things or an amount of something, but not all:  --Many local businesses are having difficulties, and some have even gone bankrupt.//  --Some say it was an accident, but I don’t believe it.//  --Many of the exhibits were damaged in the fire, and some were totally destroyed.//  some of//  --Some of his jokes were very rude.//  --Can I have some of your cake?//\n  3  and then some:   spoken  informal used to say that the actual amount is probably a lot more than what someone has just said//  --’They say he earns $2.5 million a season.’ ’And then some.’//\nsome 3 determiner \n  1 used to mean a person or thing, when you do not know or say exactly which:  --There must be some reason for her behaviour.//  --Can you give me some idea of the cost?//  some kind/type/form/sort of sth //  --We can hopefully reach some kind of agreement.//\n  2  informal used when you are talking about a person or thing that you do not know, remember, or understand, or when you think it does not matter:  --Some guy called for you while you were gone.//  some sth or other/another //  --Just give him some excuse or other.//\n  3 used to say that something was very good or very impressive:  --That was some party last night!//\n  4  some friend you are/some help she was etc:   spoken used, especially when you are annoyed, to mean someone or something has disappointed you by not behaving in the way you think they should//  --You won’t lend me the money? Some friend you are!//\nsome 4   adv \n  1  some more:  an additional number or amount of something//  --Would you like some more cake?//\n  2  AmE  spoken a little:  --’Are you feeling better today?’ ’Some, I guess.’//\n  3  some 500 people/50%/[hA124]100 etc:  an expression meaning about 500 people, 50%, [hA124]100 etc - used especially when this seems a large number or amount//  --She gained some 25 pounds in weight during pregnancy.//\n  4  some little/few sth:   literary a fairly large number or amount of something//  --We travelled some little way before noticing that Bradley wasn’t with us.//


Words: Some Like It Hot
Meaning:
(1959) a humorous US film, directed by Billy  Wilder, which is still very popular. The main actors are Marilyn  Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis. The film tells the story of two men who accidentally see  gangsters (=members of a group of violent criminals)  murder people, and then try to escape from them by dressing as women and joining a band of women musicians.//


