|
| sacrifice |
n. ~ offering of sth valuable, often a slaughtered
animal, to a god |
| sacrificial |
adj. of or like a sacrifice |
| sacrilege |
n. treating a sacred thing or place with disrespect |
| sacrilegious |
desecrating; profane |
| safeguard |
n. ~ thing that serves as a protection from harm, risk
or danger |
| sagacious |
adj. showing wisdom and good judgement |
| salacious |
adj. (of speech, books, pictures, etc) treating sexual
activity, nudity, etc in an obscene way; indecent; lewd
, |
| salience |
The condition of standing out distinctly. |
| salient |
adj. most noticeable or important; main |
| saline |
adj. containing salt; salty |
| salutary |
adj. having a good effect |
| salutation |
n. greeting or respect |
| salutatory |
The opening oration at the commencement in American
colleges. |
| salvage |
n. rescue of a damaged ship or its cargo; rescue of
property from damage caused by fire, floods, etc |
| salvo |
n. firing of several guns at the same time, esp as
a salute |
| sanctimonious |
adj. showing that one feels morally better than other
people |
| sanction |
n. permission or approval for an action, a change,
etc |
| sanctity |
n. holiness; sacredness |
| sanguinary |
adj. with much bloodshed; bloody |
| sanguine |
adj. ~ (about sth/that...) hopeful; optimistic |
| sanguineous |
Consisting of blood. |
| sapid |
Affecting the sense of taste. |
| sapience |
Deep wisdom or knowledge. |
| sapient |
adj. wise |
| saponaceous |
Having the nature or quality of soap. |
| sarcasm |
n. bitter, esp ironic, remarks intended to wound sb's
feelings |
| sarcophagus |
n. stone coffin, esp one with carvings, etc, used in
ancient times |
| sardonic |
adj. expressing scorn, usu in a grimly humorous way;
mocking |
| satiate |
v. provide (sb) with so much of sth that he wants no
more |
| satire |
n. attacking foolish or wicked behaviour by making
fun of it, often by using sarcasm and parody |
| satiric |
Resembling poetry, in which vice, incapacity ,or corruption
is held up to ridicule. |
| satirize |
To treat with sarcasm or derisive wit. |
| satyr |
n. god of the woods, half man and half goat |
| savage |
adj. wild and fierce |
| savor |
enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality |
| scabbard |
n. cover for the blade of a sword, dagger or bayonet;
sheath . |
| scarcity |
n. shortage |
| scholarly |
adj. showing the learning, care and attention typical
of a scholar |
| scholastic |
adj. of schools and education |
| scintilla |
n. not a scintilla of sth (fml ) not the slightest
amount of sth |
| scintillate |
v. give off sparks; sparkle |
| scope |
n. ~ opportunity to do or achieve sth |
| scoundrel |
n. person who has no moral principles and no conscience;
villain ; |
| scribble |
v. write very fast or carelessly |
| scribe |
n. person who made copies of writings before printing
was invented |
| script |
n. text of a play, film, broadcast, talk, etc |
| scriptural |
adj. of or based on the Bible |
| scruple |
n. feeling that prevents one from doing or allowing
sth that one thinks may be wrong |
| scrupulous |
adj. extremely careful and thorough; paying great attention
to details |
| scurrilous |
adj. abusive and insulting, esp in a crude or obscene
way |
| scuttle |
v. run with short quick steps |
| scythe |
n. tool with a slightly curved blade on a long pole,
sometimes with two handles, used for cutting long grass,
corn, etc |
| seance |
n. meeting, esp of spiritualists, at which people try
to talk with the spirits of the dead |
| sear |
v. scorch or burn (a surface) |
| sebaceous |
adj. producing an oily or greasy substance |
| secant |
Cutting, especially into two parts. |
| secede |
v. ~ (fml ) withdraw (from membership of an organization,
state, etc) |
| secession |
n. ~ (fml ) (instance of) seceding |
| seclude |
v. ~ sb/oneself (fml ) keep sb/oneself apart (from
others) |
| seclusion |
n. secluding or being secluded |
| secondary |
adj. ~ coming after sth that is first or primary; of
less importance, value, etc than what is primary |
| second-rate |
adj. of poor quality; not very good |
| secrecy |
n. keeping secrets; ability or tendency to keep secrets;
state of being secret |
| secretary |
n. employee in an office, usu working for another person,
dealing with letters, typing, filing, etc and making appointments
and arrangements |
| secretive |
adj. liking to keep things secret or to hide one's
thoughts, feelings, etc |
| sedate |
adj. calm and dignified; composed |
| sedentary |
adj. done sitting down |
| sediment |
n. matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid |
| sedition |
n. words or actions intended to make people rebel against
the authority of the State |
| seditious |
adj. of, causing or spreading sedition |
| seduce |
v. tempt to have sexual intercourse |
| sedulous |
adj. showing much hard work, steady effort or care |
| seer |
A prophet. |
| seethe |
v. bubble and froth as if boiling |
| seignior |
A title of honor or respectful address, equivalent
to sir. |
| seismograph |
n. instrument for detecting earthquakes and recording
how strong they are and how long they last |
| seize |
v. take hold of (sth), suddenly and violently; grab |
| selective |
adj. using or based on selection |
| self-respect |
n. feeling that one is behaving and thinking in ways
that will not make one ashamed of oneself |
| semblance |
n. ~ of sth appearance of being sth; likeness to sth |
| semiannual |
Recurring at intervals of six months. |
| semicircle |
n. half of a circle or of its circumference; thing
arranged like this |
| semicivilized |
Half-civilized. |
| semiconscious |
Partially conscious. |
| seminar |
n. small group of students at a university, etc meeting
to discuss or study a particular topic with a teacher |
| seminary |
n. college for training priests or rabbis |
| senile |
adj. suffering from bodily or mental weakness because
of old age |
| sensation |
n. feeling in one's body resulting from sth that happens
or is done to it |
| sense |
n. any of the five powers of the body by which a person,
an animal, etc receives knowledge of things in the world
around, ie sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch |
| sensibility |
n. ability to receive and appreciate delicate impressions;
sensitivity |
| sensitive |
adj. easily hurt or damaged |
| sensorium |
The sensory apparatus. |
| sensual |
= adj of, suggesting, enjoying or giving physical (often
sexual) pleasure |
| sensuous |
adj. affecting, noticed by or giving pleasure to the
senses |
| sentence |
n. largest unit of grammar, usu containing a subject,
a verb, an object, etc and expressing a statement, question
or command |
| sentience |
Capacity for sensation or sense-perception. |
| sentient |
adj. capable of perceiving or feeling things |
| sentinel |
n. sentry |
| separable |
adj. ~ that can be separated |
| separate |
adj. ~ forming a unit by itself; existing apart |
| separatist |
A seceder. |
| septennial |
Recurring every seven years. |
| sequacious |
Ready to be led. |
| sequel |
n. ~ thing that happens after or as a result of an
earlier event |
| sequence |
n. set of events, numbers, actions, etc with each following
the one before continuously or in a particular order |
| sequent |
Following in the order of time. |
| sequester |
v. ~ sb/oneself (from sth) keep sb/oneself away or
apart from other people; seclude |
| sequestrate |
v. take temporary possession of (a debtor's property,
funds, etc) until a debt has been paid or other claims
met |
| sergeant |
n. non-commissioned army officer ranking above a corporal
and below a warrant officer . |
| service |
n. ~ performing duties, eg in the armed forces, or
working for a government, company, etc |
| serviceable |
adj. in usable condition |
| servitude |
n. condition of being forced to work for others and
having no freedom |
| severance |
n. cutting or being cut; discontinuation |
| sextet |
n. group of six singers or players |
| sextuple |
Multiplied by six. |
| sheer |
adj. complete; thorough; utter |
| shiftless |
adj. lazy and unambitious; lacking the ability to find
ways of getting things done |
| shrewd |
adj. having or showing good judgement and common sense;
astute |
| shriek |
v. ~ with sth; ~ (out) utter a shrill scream |
| shrinkage |
n. process of shrinking; amount by which sth shrinks |
| shrivel |
v. ~ (sth) (up) (cause sth to) shrink and wrinkle from
heat, cold or dryness |
| shuffle |
v. walk without lifting the feet completely clear of
the ground |
| sibilance |
A hissing sound. |
| sibilant |
adj. like or produced with a hissing sound |
| sibilate |
To give a hissing sound to, as in pronouncing the letter
s. |
| sidelong |
adj. , adv to or from the side; sideways |
| sidereal |
adj. of the stars or measured by them |
| siege |
n. surrounding of a town, fortress, etc by armed forces
in order to capture it or force it to surrender |
| significance |
n. meaning |
| significant |
adj. having a meaning, esp one that is immediately
obvious |
| signification |
n. meaning of a word, etc |
| similar |
adj. ~ resembling sb/sth but not the same; alike |
| simile |
n. comparison of one thing with another, eg `as brave
as a lion', `a face like a mask' |
| similitude |
n. being similar; similarity ; |
| simplify |
v. make (sth) easy to do or understand; make simple(1) |
| simulate |
v. pretend to have or feel |
| simultaneous |
adj. ~ happening or done at the same time (as sth) |
| sinecure |
n. position that requires no work or responsibility,
but gives the holder prestige or money |
| singe |
v. blacken (sth) by burning; scorch |
| sinister |
adj. suggesting evil, or that sth bad may happen |
| sinuosity |
n. quality of being sinuous |
| sinuous |
adj. having many curves and twists; winding |
| sinus |
n. cavity in a bone, esp any of the air-filled spaces
in the skull that are connected to the nostrils , |
| siren |
n. device that makes a long loud sound as a signal
or warning |
| sirocco |
n. hot moist wind reaching Italy from Africa |
| sisterhood |
n. relationship of sisters (1 |
| skeptic |
= sceptic |
| skepticism |
The entertainment of doubt concerning something. |
| skiff |
n. small light boat for rowing or sculling, usu by
one person , |
| skirmish |
n. fight between small groups of soldiers, ships, etc,
esp one that is not planned |
| sleight |
n. ,sleight of `hand great skill in using the hands
in performing conjuring tricks, etc |
| slight |
adj. not serious or important; small |
| slothful |
adj. lazy; idle ; |
| sluggard |
n. lazy slow-moving person |
| sociable |
adj. fond of the company of other people; friendly |
| socialism |
n. political and economic theory advocating that a
country's land, transport, natural resources and chief
industries should be owned and controlled by the whole
community or by the State, and that wealth should be equally
distributed |
| socialist |
supporter of socialism |
| sociology |
n. scientific study of the nature and development of
society andsocial behaviour |
| sol |
The sun. |
| solace |
n. (thing that gives) comfort or relief (from pain,
trouble, distress, etc) |
| solar |
adj. of, concerningor related to the sun |
| solder |
n. soft mixture of metals used, when melted, for joining
harder metals, wires, etc together |
| soldier |
n. member of an army, esp one who is not an officer |
| solecism |
n. mistake in the use of language, esp one that shows
sb to be foreign or of low social class , |
| solicitor |
n. lawyer who prepares legal documents (eg for the
sale of land or buildings), advises clients on legal matters,
and speaks for them in the lower courts |
| solicitude |
n. ~ (fml ) being solicitous; concern or anxiety |
| soliloquy |
n. speaking one's thoughts aloud, esp in a play when
a character does this without another character being
present on stage |
| solstice |
n. either of the two times of the year at which the
sun is furthest North or South of the equator |
| soluble |
adj. ~ that can be dissolved |
| solvent |
adj. having enough money to pay one's debts; not in
debt |
| somber |
of a dismal or depressing character:MELANCHOLY |
| somniferous |
Tending to produce sleep. |
| somnolence |
n. sleepiness; drowsiness ; |
| somnolent |
adj. almost asleep; sleepy; drowsy |
| sonata |
n. piece of music composed for one instrument (eg the
piano), or two (eg piano and violin), usu with three or
four movements |
| sonnet |
n. type of poem containing 14 lines, each of 10 syllables,
and with a formal pattern of rhymes |
| sonorous |
adj. having a full deep sound |
| soothsayer |
n. fortune-teller; prophet |
| sophism |
n. (use of) such arguments |
| sophistic |
of or relating to sophists or sophistry |
| sophisticate |
n. sophisticated person |
| sophistry |
n. use of sophisms |
| soprano |
n. singing voice of the highest range for a woman or
boy |
| sorcery |
n. art, use or practice of magic, esp with evil spirits;
witchcraft ; |
| sordid |
adj. (of conditions, places, etc) dirty and unpleasant;
squalid |
| souvenir |
n. thing taken, bought or received as a gift, and kept
to remind one of a person, a place or an event |
| sparse |
adj. not dense, thick or crowded; thinly scattered |
| Spartan |
adj. (of conditions) simple and harsh; without luxury
or comforts |
| spasmodic |
adj. occurring or done at irregular intervals (usu
for short periods at a time); not continuous or regular |
| specialize |
To pursue a special activity, occupation, or field
of study |
| specialty |
An employment limited to one particular line of work. |
| specie |
n. money in the form of coins (contrasted with paper) |
| specimen |
n. thing or part of a thing taken as an example of
its group or class |
| specious |
adj. seeming rightor true but actually wrong or false |
| spectator |
n. person who watches |
| specter |
Apparition. |
| spectrum |
n. (usu sing ) image of a band of colours as seen in
a rainbow (and usu described as red, orange, yellow, green,
blue, indigo and violet), formed by a ray of light that
has passed through a prism |
| speculate |
v. ~ form opinions without having definite or complete
knowledge or evidence; guess |
| spheroid |
n. solid object that is almost, but not perfectly,
spherical |
| spherometer |
An instrument for measuring curvature or radii of spherical
surfaces. |
| spinous |
Having spines. |
| spinster |
n. (law or fml ) unmarried woman |
| spontaneous |
adj. done,happening, said, etc because of a voluntary
impulse from within, not caused or suggested by sth/sb
outside |
| sprightly |
adj. lively and full of energy |
| spurious |
adj. not genuine or authentic; false or fake |
| squabble |
v. ~ (about/over sth) quarrel noisily (as children
do), esp over unimportant matters |
| squalid |
adj. very dirty and unpleasant (esp because of neglect
or poverty) |
| stagnant |
adj. not flowing and therefore dirty and smelling unpleasant;
still and stale |
| stagnate |
v. be or become stagnant |
| stagnation |
The condition of not flowing or not changing. |
| stagy |
adj. (usu derog ) (too) theatrical in style, manner
or behaviour; exaggerated for effect |
| staid |
adj. (of people, their appearance, behaviour, tastes,
etc) serious, dull and old-fashioned; conservative |
| stallion |
n. fully grown male horse thathas not been castrated,
esp one used for breeding |
| stanchion |
n. upright bar or post forming a support |
| stanza |
n. group of lines forming a unit in some types of poem;
verse of poetry |
| statecraft |
n. skill in managing State affairs; statesmanship ; |
| static |
adj. not moving or changing; stationary |
| staticky |
|
| stationary |
adj. not moving |
| statistician |
n. person who studies or works with statistics |
| statuesque |
adj. like a statue in size, dignity or stillness , |
| statuette |
n. small statue |
| stature |
n. natural height of the body |
| statute |
n. law passed by Parliament or a similar law-making
body and written down formally |
| stealth |
n. acting or behaving in a quiet or secret way |
| stellar |
adj. of a star or stars |
| steppe |
n. flat grassy plain with few trees, esp in SE Europe
and Siberia |
| sterling |
adj. (of coins or precious metal) of standard value
and purity; genuine |
| stifle |
v. feel or make unable to breathe (easily) because
of lack of fresh air; suffocate |
| stigma |
n. mark of shame or disgrace; shameful feeling or reputation |
| stiletto |
n. small dagger or tool with a narrow pointed blade |
| stimulant |
n. drug that increases physical or mental activity
and alertness |
| stimulate |
v. ~ sb/sth make sb/sth more active or alert; arouse
sb/sth |
| stimulus |
n. (to sth/to do sth) thing that produces a reaction
in living things |
| stingy |
adj. spending, using or giving unwillingly; mean |
| stipend |
n. official income (esp of a clergyman); salary ; |
| stoicism |
n. behaving stoically |
| stolid |
adj. (of a person) not easily excited; showing little
or no emotion or interest |
| strait |
n. narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two
large areas of water |
| stratagem |
n. trick, plan or scheme to deceive sb (esp an enemy) |
| stratum |
n. any of a series of horizontal layers, esp of rock
in the earth's crust |
| streamlet |
Rivulet. |
| stringency |
Strictness. |
| stringent |
adj. that must be obeyed; strict or severe |
| stripling |
n. male person between boyhood and manhood; youth or
lad |
| studious |
adj. spending a lot of time studying |
| stultify |
v. (fml ) cause (sth) to be ineffective or seem absurd;
negate |
| stupendous |
adj. amazingly large, impressive, good, etc |
| stupor |
n. condition of being dazed or nearly unconscious caused
by shock, drugs, alcohol, etc |
| suasion |
The act of persuading. |
| suave |
adj. (usu of a man) having self-confidence and smooth
sophisticated manners |
| subacid |
Somewhat sharp or biting. |
| subaquatic |
Being, formed, or operating under water. |
| subconscious |
adj. of or concerning the thoughts, instincts, fears,
etc in the mind, of which one is not fully aware but which
influence one's actions |
| subjacent |
Situated directly underneath. |
| subjection |
n. subjecting or being subjected |
| subjugate |
v. gain controlof (a country, etc); subdue; conquer
; |
| subliminal |
adj. being perceivedor affecting the mind without one
being aware of it |
| sublingual |
Situated beneath the tongue. |
| submarine |
n. naval vessel that can operate underwater as well
as onthe surface |
| submerge |
v. go under the surface of a liquid, the sea, etc |
| submerse |
[ submerge: ] to plunge, sink, or dive or cause to
plunge, sink, or dive below the surface of water, etc. |
| submersible |
n, adj that can be submerged |
| submission |
n. ~ acceptance of another`s power; submitting |
| subordinate |
adj. ~ (to sb) lower in rank or position |
| subsequent |
adj. later; following |
| subservience |
The quality, character, or condition of being servilely
following another's behests. |
| subservient |
adj. ~ (often derog ) giving too much respect, obedience,
etc; submissive |
| subside |
v. sink to a lower or to the normal level |
| subsist |
v. ~ (fml ) (continue to) stay alive, esp with little
food or money; exist |
| subsistence |
n. subsisting |
| substantive |
adj. genuine or actual; real |
| subtend |
v. (of a chord |
| subterfuge |
n. trick or excuse, esp one used to avoid difficulties,
blame, failure, etc |
| subterranean |
adj. underthe earth's surface; underground |
| subtle |
adj. (esp approv ) not easy to detect or describe;
fine; delicate |
| subtrahend |
That which is to be subtracted. |
| subversion |
An overthrow, as from the foundation. |
| subvert |
v. destroy the authority of |
| succeed |
v. ~ do what one is trying to do; achieve thedesired
end |
| success |
n. achievement of a desired end, or of fame, wealth
or social position; succeeding |
| successful |
adj. having success |
| successor |
n. ~ person or thing that comes after and takes the
place of (sb/sth) |
| succinct |
adj. expressedbriefly and clearly; concise |
| succulent |
adj. (of fruit and meat) juicy and delicious |
| succumb |
v. ~ (fml ) stop resisting (temptation, illness, attack,
etc); yield |
| sufferance |
n. on `sufferance tolerated but not actually wanted |
| sufficiency |
n. ~ of sth sufficient quantity of sth |
| suffrage |
n. right to vote in political elections |
| suffuse |
v. ~ sth (esp of colour or moisture) spread all over
sth |
| suggestible |
adj. easily influenced |
| suggestive |
adj. ~ putting particular ideas or associations into
sb's mind |
| summary |
n. brief statement of themain points of sth |
| sumptuous |
adj. looking expensive and splendid |
| superabundant |
very abundant; more than enough |
| superadd |
To add in addition to what has been added. |
| superannuate |
v. send into retirement with a pension |
| superb |
adj. excellent; splendid |
| supercilious |
adj. thinking or showing that one thinks one is better
than other people; arrogant and disdainful |
| superficial |
adj. of or on the surface only |
| superfluity |
n. ~ (fml ) superfluous amount |
| superfluous |
adj. more than is needed or wanted |
| superheat |
To heat to excess. |
| superintend |
v. manage and control (workers, their work, etc); supervise |
| superintendence |
n. superintending |
| superintendent |
n. person who superintends |
| superlative |
adj. of the highest degree or quality |
| supernatural |
adj. that cannot be explained by natural or physical
laws; of the world of spirits, magic, etc |
| supernumerary |
adj. in excess of the normal number; extra |
| supersede |
v. take the place of be introduced so as to be used
instead of (sth/sb) |
| supine |
adj. lying flat on the back,face upwards |
| supplant |
v. take the place of (sb/sth); replace |
| supple |
adj. bent or bending easily; not stiff; flexible |
| supplementary |
~ additional; extra |
| supplicant |
n. person who supplicates; suppliant |
| supplicate |
v. ~ sth (fml ) ask (sb) humbly or pleadingly for sth |
| supposition |
n. supposing |
| suppress |
v. put an end to (sth), esp by force; crush |
| suppression |
n. suppressing or being suppressed |
| surcharge |
n. ~ payment that is demanded in addition to the usual
charge |
| surety |
n. guarantee that sb will pay his debts, perform a
duty, etc |
| surfeit |
n. ~ (of sth) too much of sth, esp of food and drink |
| surmise |
v. suppose (sth) without having evidence that makes
it certain; guess |
| surmount |
v. deal with (a difficulty, etc); overcome |
| surreptitious |
adj. done or acting secretly or stealthily |
| surrogate |
n. ~ (fml ) person or thing that acts or is used instead
of another; substitute |
| surround |
To encircle. |
| surveyor |
n. person who surveys and values buildings, etc |
| susceptibility |
n. ~ state of being susceptible |
| susceptible |
adj. ~ to sth easily influenced or harmed by sth |
| suspense |
n. feeling of tenseness, worry, etc about what may
happen |
| suspension |
n. suspending or being suspended |
| suspicious |
adj. ~ having or showing suspicion |
| sustenance |
n. food and drink; nourishment |
| swarthy |
adj. dark or dark-skinned |
| sybarite |
n. person who is very fond of luxury and comfort |
| sycophant |
n. person who tries to gain people's favour by insincerely
flattering them and always agreeing with them |
| syllabic |
adj. of or in syllables |
| syllabication |
Division of words into that which is uttered in a single
vocal impulse. |
| syllable |
n. any of the units into which a word may be divided,
usu consisting of a vowel-sound with a consonant before
or after |
| syllabus |
n. list of subjects, topics, texts, etc included in
a course of study |
| sylph |
n. one of a type of female nature spirits believed
to inhabit the air |
| symmetrical |
Well-balanced. |
| symmetry |
n. exact match in size and shape between the two halves
of sth |
| sympathetic |
adj. ~ feeling, showing or resulting fromsympathy |
| sympathize |
To share the sentiments or mental states of another. |
| symphonic |
adj. of or like a symphony |
| symphonious |
Marked by a harmonious or agreeable mingling of sounds. |
| symphony |
n. long complex musical composition, usu in three or
four parts for a large orchestra |
| synchronism |
Simultaneousness. |
| syndicate |
n. group of people or business companies combined to
undertake a joint project |
| syneresis |
The coalescence of two vowels or syllables, as e'er
for ever. |
| synod |
n. official assembly of church members to discuss and
decide on matters of religious teaching, church policy
and administration, etc , |
| synonym |
n. word or phrase with the same meaning as another
in the same language, though perhaps with a different
style, grammar or technical use |
| synopsis |
n. summary or outline of a book, play, etc |
| systematic |
adj. done or acting according to a system or plan;
methodical |
