so ['sō, esp before adj or adv followed by “that” sə] -adv
- in a manner or way indicated or suggested often used as a substitute for a preceding clause
- are you ready? I think so
- I didn't like it and I told her so
- in the same manner or way : also
- worked hard and so did she
- thus
- for so the Lord said -- Isa 18:4(AV)
- then, subsequently
- to an indicated or suggested extent or degree
- to a great extent or degree : very, extremely
- to a definite but unspecified extent or degree
- can only do so much in a day
- most certainly : indeed
- most decidedly : surely
- therefore, consequently
- the witness is biased and so unreliable
- with the result that
- the acoustics are good, so every note is clear
- in order that
- provided that
- for that reason : therefore
- don't want to go, so I won't
- used as an introductory particle often to belittle a point under discussion
- used interjectionally to indicate awareness of a discovery or surprised dissent
- conforming with actual facts : true
- said things that were not so
- marked by a desired order
- his books are always just so
- used to replace a preceding adjective
- was witty by adult standards and of course doubly so by mine -- Sally Kempton
- such as has been specified or suggested : the same
- if you have to file a claim, do so as soon as possible
- used in the phrase or so to indicate an estimate, approximation, or conjecture
so ['sōl] -n
(variant of sol)
- the fifth tone of the diatonic scale in solmization
- an old French coin equal to 12 deniers
- a corresponding unit of value
- the basic monetary unit of Peru before 1985 and since 1990
- a fluid colloidal system
- one in which the medium is a liquid
- soluble
SO -abbr
- seller's option
- strikeout
soak ['sōk] -vb, n
- to lie immersed in liquid (as water) : become saturated by or as if by immersion
- to enter or pass through something by or as if by pores or interstices : permeate
- to penetrate or affect the mind or feelings usu. used with in or into
- to drink alcoholic beverages intemperately
- to permeate so as to wet, soften, or fill thoroughly
- to place in a surrounding element (as liquid) to wet or permeate thoroughly
- to extract by or as if by steeping
- to draw or take in by or as if by suction or absorption
- to intoxicate (oneself) by drinking alcoholic beverages
- to cause to pay an exorbitant amount
- the act or process of soaking : the state of being soaked
- that (as liquid) in which something is soaked
- drunkard
- pawn
soandso ['sō-ən-,sō] -n
- an unnamed or unspecified person, thing, or action
- bastard
- to an unspecified amount or degree
- in an unspecified manner or fashion
soap ['sōp] -n
- a cleansing and emulsifying agent made usu. by action of alkali on fat or fatty acids and consisting essentially of sodium or potassium salts of such acids
- a salt of a fatty acid and a metal
- soap opera
- to rub soap over or into
- flatter
soap·bark ['sōp-,bärk] -n
- a Chilean tree ( Quillaja saponaria) of the rose family with glossy leaves and terminal white flowers
- its saponin-rich bark used in cleaning and in emulsifying oils
soap·ber·ry [-,ber-ē] -n
- any of a genus ( Sapindusof the family Sapindaceae, the soapberry family) of chiefly tropical woody plants
- the fruit of a soapberry and esp. of a tree ( S. saponaria) that is saponin-rich and used as a soap substitute
soap·box [-,bäks] -n, adj
- an improvised platform used by a self-appointed, spontaneous, or informal orator
- something that provides an outlet for delivering opinions
soap bubble -n
- a hollow iridescent globe formed by blowing a film of soapsuds (as from a pipe)
soap·er ['sō-pər] -n
- soap opera
soap opera ['sōp-,ä-pə-'ra-tik] -n, adj
- a serial drama performed orig. on a daytime radio or television program and chiefly characterized by tangled interpersonal situations and melodramatic or sentimental treatment
- a series of real-life events resembling a soap opera
- the melodrama and sentimentality characteristic of a soap opera
- even cops need a little soap opera in their lives -- Joseph Wambaugh
- something (as a novel) having such qualities
soap plant -n
- a plant having a part (as a root or fruit) that may be used in place of soap
- a California plant ( Chlorogalum pomeridianum) of the lily family
soap·stone ['sōp-,stōn] -n
- a soft stone having a soapy feel and composed essentially of talc, chlorite, and often some magnetite
soap·suds [-,sədz] -n pl
- suds
soap·wort [-,wərt, -,wȯrt] -n
- bouncing bet
soapy ['sō-pē] -adj, adv, n
- smeared with soap : lathered
- containing or combined with soap or saponin
- resembling or having the qualities of soap
- being smooth and slippery
- unctuous, suave
- of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a soap opera
soar ['sȯr] -vi, n
- to fly aloft or about
- to sail or hover in the air often at a great height : glide
- to fly without engine power and without loss of altitude
- to rise or increase dramatically (as in position, value, or price)
- to ascend to a higher or more exalted level
- to rise to majestic stature
- the range, distance, or height attained in soaring
- the act of soaring : upward flight
soar·ing -n
- the act or process of soaring
- the act or sport of flying a heavier-than-air craft without power by utilizing ascending air currents
Soa·ve ['swä-(,)vā] -n
- a dry white Italian wine
sob ['säb] -vb
- to catch the breath audibly in a spasmodic contraction of the throat
- to cry or weep with convulsive catching of the breath
- to make a sound like that of a sob or sobbing
- to bring (as oneself) to a specified state by sobbing
- to utter with sobs
- an act of sobbing
- a sound like that of a sob
SOB [,es-,ō-'bē] -n
- bastard , son of a bitch
so·ba ['sō-bə] -n
- a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour
so·ber ['sō-bər] -adj, adv, n
- sparing in the use of food and drink : abstemious
- not addicted to intoxicating drink
- not drunk
- marked by sedate or gravely or earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor
- unhurried, calm
- marked by temperance, moderation, or seriousness
- a sober candlelight vigil
- subdued in tone or color
- showing no excessive or extreme qualities of fancy, emotion, or prejudice
sober [-b(ə-)riŋ] -vb
- to make sober
- to become sober usu. used with up
so·ber·ing -adj
- tending to make one thoughtful or sober
so·ber·ize ['sō-bə-,rīz] -vt
- to make sober
so·ber·sid·ed [,sō-bər-'sī-dəd] -adj, n
- solemn or serious in nature or appearance
so·ber·sides ['sō-bər-,sīdz] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- a sobersided person
so·bri·ety [sə-'brī-ə-tē, sō-] -n
- the quality or state of being sober
so·bri·quet ['sō-bri-,kā, -,ket, ,sō-bri-'] -n
- a descriptive name or epithet : nickname
sob sister -n
- a journalist who specializes in writing or editing sob stories or other material of a sentimental type
- a sentimental and often impractical person usu. engaged in good works
sob story -n
- a sentimental story or account intended chiefly to evoke sympathy or sadness
soc -abbr
- social
- society
- sociology
so·ca ['sō-kə, -kä] -n
- a blend of soul and calypso music
so·cage ['sä-kij, 'sō-] -n
- a tenure of land by agricultural service fixed in amount and kind or by payment of money rent only and not burdened with any military service
socalled ['sō-'kȯld] -adj
- commonly named : popularly so termed
- falsely or improperly so named
- deceived by a socalled friend
soc·cer ['sä-kər] -n
- a game played on a field between two teams of 11 players each with the object to propel a round ball into the opponent's goal by kicking or by hitting it with any part of the body except the hands and arms called also association football
soccer mom -n
- a typically suburban mother who accompanies her children to their soccer games and is considered as part of a significant voting bloc or demographic group
so·cia·bil·i·ty [,sō-shə-'bi-lə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being sociable
- the act or an instance of being sociable
so·cia·ble ['sō-shə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- inclined by nature to companionship with others of the same species : social
- inclined to seek or enjoy companionship
- marked by or conducive to friendliness or pleasant social relations
sociable -n
- an informal social gathering frequently involving a special activity or interest
so·cial ['sō-shəl] -adj
- involving allies or confederates
- the Social War between the Athenians and their allies
- marked by or passed in pleasant companionship with one's friends or associates
- leads a very full social life
- sociable
- of, relating to, or designed for sociability
- of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society
- tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with others of one's kind : gregarious
- living and breeding in more or less organized communities
- tending to grow in groups or masses so as to form a pure stand
- of, relating to, or based on rank or status in a particular society
- a member of our social set
- of, relating to, or characteristic of the upper classes
- formal
- being such in social situations
social -n
- sociable
social climber -n
- one who attempts to gain a higher social position or acceptance in fashionable society
social contract -n
- an actual or hypothetical agreement among the members of an organized society or between a community and its ruler that defines and limits the rights and duties of each
social Darwinism -n, n or adj
- an extension of Darwinism to social phenomena
- a sociological theory that sociocultural advance is the product of intergroup conflict and competition and the socially elite classes (as those possessing wealth and power) possess biological superiority in the struggle for existence
social democracy -n, adj
- a political movement advocating a gradual and peaceful transition from capitalism to socialism by democratic means
- a democratic welfare state that incorporates both capitalist and socialist practices
social disease -n
- venereal disease
- a disease (as tuberculosis) whose incidence is directly related to social and economic factors
social engineering -n
- management of human beings in accordance with their place and function in society : applied social science
social gospel -n
- the application of Christian principles to social problems
- a movement in American Protestant Christianity esp. in the first part of the 20th century to bring the social order into conformity with Christian principles
social insurance -n
- protection of the individual against economic hazards (as unemployment, old age, or disability) in which the government participates or enforces the participation of employers and affected individuals
so·cial·ise ['sō-shə-,līz] -vb, n
(variant of socialize)
- to make social
- to fit or train for a social environment
- to constitute on a socialistic basis
- to adapt to social needs or uses
- to organize group participation in
- to participate actively in a social group
so·cial·ism ['sō-shə-,li-zəm] -n
- any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
- a system of society or group living in which there is no private property
- a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
- a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done
so·cial·ist ['sō-sh(ə-)list] -n, adj, adv
- one who advocates or practices socialism
- a member of a party or political group advocating socialism
socialist realism -n, n or adj
- a Marxist aesthetic theory calling for the didactic use of literature, art, and music to develop social consciousness in an evolving socialist state
so·cial·ite ['sō-shə-,līt] -n
- a socially prominent person
so·ci·al·i·ty [,sō-shē-'a-lə-tē] -n
- sociability
- an instance of social intercourse or sociability
- the tendency to associate in or form social groups
so·cial·ize ['sō-shə-,līz] -vb, n
- to make social
- to fit or train for a social environment
- to constitute on a socialistic basis
- to adapt to social needs or uses
- to organize group participation in
- to participate actively in a social group
socialized medicine -n
- medical and hospital services for the members of a class or population administered by an organized group (as a state agency) and paid for from funds obtained usu. by assessments, philanthropy, or taxation
so·cial·ly ['sō-sh(ə-)lē] -adv
- in a social manner
- with respect to society
- by or through society
so·cialmind·ed [,sō-shəl-'mīn-dəd] -adj
- having an interest in society
- actively interested in social welfare or the well-being of society as a whole
social promotion -n
- the practice of promoting a student from one grade level to the next on the basis of age rather than academic achievement
social psychology -n
- the study of the manner in which the personality, attitudes, motivations, and behavior of the individual influence and are influenced by social groups
social science -n
- a branch of science that deals with the institutions and functioning of human society and with the interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society
- a science (as economics or political science) dealing with a particular phase or aspect of human society
social secretary -n
- a personal secretary employed to handle social correspondence and appointments
social security -n
- the principle or practice or a program of public provision (as through social insurance or assistance) for the economic security and social welfare of the individual and his or her family
- a U.S. government program established in 1935 to include old-age and survivors insurance, contributions to state unemployment insurance, and old-age assistance
- money paid out through a social security program
- began collecting social security
social service -n
- an activity designed to promote social well-being
- organized philanthropic assistance (as of the disabled or disadvantaged)
social studies -n pl
- a part of a school or college curriculum concerned with the study of social relationships and the functioning of society and usu. made up of courses in history, government, economics, civics, sociology, geography, and anthropology
social welfare -n
- organized public or private social services for the assistance of disadvantaged groups
- social work
social work -n
- any of various professional activities or methods concretely concerned with providing social services and esp. with the investigation, treatment, and material aid of the economically, physically, mentally, or socially disadvantaged
so·ci·e·tal [sə-'sī-ə-tᵊl] -adj, adv
- of or relating to society : social
so·ci·e·ty [sə-'sī-ə-tē] -n
- companionship or association with one's fellows : friendly or intimate intercourse : company
- a voluntary association of individuals for common ends
- an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs, or profession
- an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another
- a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests
- a part of a community that is a unit distinguishable by particular aims or standards of living or conduct : a social circle or a group of social circles having a clearly marked identity
- a part of the community that sets itself apart as a leisure class and that regards itself as the arbiter of fashion and manners
- a natural group of plants usu. of a single species or habit within an association
- the progeny of a pair of insects when constituting a social unit (as a hive of bees)
- an interdependent system of organisms or biological units
society -adj
- of, relating to, or typical of fashionable society
So·cin·i·an [sə-'si-nē-ən, sō-] -n, adj
- an adherent of a 16th and 17th century theological movement professing belief in God and adherence to the Christian Scriptures but denying the divinity of Christ and consequently denying the Trinity
socio- -comb form
- society : social
- social and
so·cio·bi·ol·o·gy [,sō-sē-ō-bī-'ä-lə-jē, ,sō-shē-] -n, adj
- the comparative study of social organization and behavior in animals including humans esp. with regard to its genetic basis and evolutionary history
so·cio·cul·tur·al [-'kəlch-rəl, -'kəl-chə-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or involving a combination of social and cultural factors
so·cio·eco·nom·ic [-,e-kə-'nä-mik, -,ē-kə-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or involving a combination of social and economic factors
so·cio·gram ['sō-sē-ə-,gram, 'sō-shē-] -n
- a sociometric chart plotting the structure of interpersonal relations in a group situation
so·cio·his·tor·i·cal [,sō-sē-ō-his-'tȯr-i-kəl, ,sō-shē-, -'tär-] -adj
- of, relating to, or involving social history or a combination of social and historical factors
so·cio·lin·guis·tic [-liŋ-'gwis-tik] -adj
- of or relating to the social aspects of language
- of or relating to sociolinguistics
so·cio·lin·guis·tics [-tiks] -n pl but sing in constr, n
- the study of linguistic behavior as determined by sociocultural factors
so·ci·ol·o·gese [,sō-sē-,ä-lə-'jēz, ,sō-shē-, -'jēs] -n
- a style of writing held to be characteristic of sociologists
so·cio·log·i·cal [,sō-sē-ə-'lä-ji-kəl, ,sō-sh(ē-)ə-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to sociology or to the methodological approach of sociology
- oriented or directed toward social needs and problems
so·ci·ol·o·gy [,sō-sē-'ä-lə-jē, ,sō-shē-] -n
- the science of society, social institutions, and social relationships
- the systematic study of the development, structure, interaction, and collective behavior of organized groups of human beings
- the scientific analysis of a social institution as a functioning whole and as it relates to the rest of society
- synecology
so·ci·om·e·try [-'ä-mə-trē] -n, adj
- the study and measurement of interpersonal relationships in a group of people
so·cio·path ['sō-sē-ə-,path, 'sō-sh(ē-)ə-] -n
- a sociopathic individual : psychopath
so·cio·path·ic [,sō-sē-ə-'pa-thik, ,sō-sh(ē-)ə-] -adj
- of, relating to, or characterized by asocial or antisocial behavior or exhibiting antisocial personality disorder
so·cio·po·lit·i·cal [,sō-sē-ō-pə-'li-ti-kəl, ,sō-shē-] -adj
- of, relating to, or involving a combination of social and political factors
so·cio·psy·cho·log·i·cal [-,sī-kə-'lä-ji-kəl] -adj
- of, relating to, or involving a combination of social and psychological factors
- of or relating to social psychology
so·cio·re·li·gious [-ri-'li-jəs] -adj
- involving a combination of social and religious factors
so·cio·sex·u·al [-'sek-sh(ə-)wəl, -'sek-shəl] -adj
- of or relating to the interpersonal aspects of sexuality
sock ['säk] -n, adj
- a low shoe or slipper
- a knitted or woven covering for the foot usu. worn under shoes and extending above the ankle and sometimes to the knee
- a shoe worn by actors in Greek and Roman comedy
- comic drama
- to hit, strike, or apply forcefully
- an area sock ed by a blizzard
- to deliver a blow : hit
- a vigorous or violent blow
- punch
sock away -vt
- to put away (money) as savings or investment
sock·dol·a·ger [säk-'dä-li-jər] -n
- something that settles a matter : a decisive blow or answer : finisher
- something outstanding or exceptional
sock·et ['sä-kət] -n
- an opening or hollow that forms a holder for something
socket -vt
- to provide with or support in or by a socket
socket wrench -n
- a wrench usu. in the form of a bar and removable socket made to fit a bolt or nut
sock·eye salmon ['säk-,ī-] -n
- a commercially important Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka) that is greenish blue above and silvery below when sexually immature and turns red with a greenish head when ascending rivers to spawn which it does chiefly from the Columbia northward called also red salmon sockeye
sock in -vt
- to close to takeoffs or landings by aircraft
- an airport socked in by fog
- to restrict from flying
socko ['sä-(,)kō] -adj
- strikingly impressive, effective, or successful : outstanding
sock puppet -n
- a hand puppet made with a sock
- a false online identity used for deceptive purposes
so·cle ['sō-kəl, 'sä-] -n
- a projecting usu. molded member at the foot of a wall or pier or beneath the base of a column, pedestal, or superstructure
So·crat·ic [sə-'kra-tik, sō-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to Socrates, his followers, or his philosophical method of systematic doubt and questioning of another to elicit a clear expression of a truth supposed to be knowable by all rational beings
Socratic -n
- a follower of Socrates
Socratic irony -n
- irony
sod ['säd] -n
- turf
- the grass- and forb-covered surface of the ground
- one's native land
- to cover with sod or turfs
- bugger
- if I ever find the sod I'll kill him -- John Le Carre
- damn
so·da ['sō-də] -n
- sodium carbonate
- sodium bicarbonate
- sodium often used in combination
- soda water
- soda pop
- a sweet drink consisting of soda water, flavoring, and often ice cream
- the faro card that shows faceup in the dealing box before play begins
soda ash -n
- commercial anhydrous sodium carbonate
soda biscuit -n
- a biscuit leavened with baking soda and sour milk or buttermilk
- soda cracker
soda bread -n
- a quick bread made esp. with buttermilk and leavened with baking soda
soda cracker -n
- a cracker leavened with bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar
soda fountain -n
- an apparatus with delivery tube and faucets for drawing soda water
- the equipment and counter for the preparation and serving of sodas, sundaes, and ice cream
soda jerk [-,jərk] -n
- a person who dispenses carbonated drinks and ice cream at a soda fountain called also soda jerker
soda lime -n
- a mixture of sodium hydroxide and slaked lime used esp. to absorb moisture and gases
so·da·list ['sō-də-list, sō-'da-list] -n
- a member of a sodality
so·da·lite ['sō-də-,līt] -n
- a transparent to translucent mineral that consists of a silicate of sodium and aluminum with some chlorine, has a vitreous or greasy luster, and is found in various igneous rocks
so·dal·i·ty [sō-'da-lə-tē] -n
- brotherhood, community
- an organized society or fellowship
- a devotional or charitable association of Roman Catholic laity
soda pop -n
- a beverage consisting of soda water, flavoring, and a sweet syrup
soda water -n
- a weak solution of sodium bicarbonate with some acid added to cause effervescence
- a beverage consisting of water highly charged with carbon dioxide
- soda pop
sod·bust·er ['säd-,bəs-tər] -n
- one (as a farmer or a plow) that breaks the sod
sod·den ['sä-dᵊn] -adj, adv, n
- dull or expressionless esp. from continued indulgence in alcoholic beverages
- torpid, sluggish
- heavy with or as if with moisture or water
- heavy or doughy because of imperfect cooking
sodden ['säd-niŋ, 'sä-dᵊn-iŋ] -vb
- to make sodden
- to become soaked or saturated
so·dic ['sō-dik] -adj
- of, relating to, or containing sodium
so·di·um ['sō-dē-əm] -n
- a silver-white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group that occurs abundantly in nature in combined form and is very active chemically
sodium azide -n
- a poisonous crystalline salt NaN 3used esp. to make lead azide
sodium benzoate -n
- a crystalline or granular salt C 7H 5O 2Na used chiefly as a food preservative
sodium bicarbonate -n
- a white crystalline weakly alkaline salt NaHCO 3used esp. in baking powders and fire extinguishers and in medicine as an antacid called also baking soda bicarbonate of soda
sodium bo·ro·hy·dride [-,bȯr-ə-'hī-,drīd] -n
- a crystalline compound NaBH 4used in various industrial applications and as a reducing agent in organic chemistry
sodium carbonate -n
- : a sodium salt of carbonic acid used esp. in making soaps and chemicals, in water softening, in cleaning and bleaching, and in photography: as
- a hygroscopic crystalline anhydrous strongly alkaline salt Na 2CO 3
- the transparent crystalline hydrate Na 2CO 310H 2O found in nature as natron
sodium chlorate -n
- a colorless crystalline salt NaClO 3used esp. as an oxidizing agent and weed killer
sodium chloride -n
- an ionic crystalline chemical compound consisting of equal numbers of sodium and chlorine atoms : salt
sodium citrate -n
- a crystalline salt Na 3C 6H 5O 7used chiefly as a buffering agent, as an emulsifier, and in medicine as an expectorant, chelator, alkalinizing agent, and blood anticoagulant
sodium cyanide -n
- a white deliquescent poisonous salt NaCN used esp. in electroplating, in fumigating, and in treating steel
sodium fluoride -n
- a poisonous crystalline salt NaF that is used in trace amounts in the fluoridation of drinking water and toothpastes, in metallurgy, as a flux, and as a pesticide
sodium fluo·ro·ac·e·tate [-,flu̇r-ō-'a-sə-,tāt, -,flȯr-] -n
- a poisonous powdery compound C 2H 2FNaO 2
sodium hydroxide -n
- a white brittle solid NaOH that is a strong caustic base used esp. in making soap, rayon, and paper
sodium hypochlorite -n
- an unstable salt NaOCl produced usu. in aqueous solution and used as a bleaching and disinfecting agent
sodium lau·ryl sulfate [-'lȯr-əl-, -'lär-] -n
- the crystalline sodium salt C 12H 25NaO 4S of sulfated lauryl alcohol
- a mixture of sulfates of sodium consisting principally of this salt and used as a detergent, wetting agent, and emulsifying agent (as in toothpastes, ointments, and shampoos)
sodium meta·sil·i·cate [-,me-tə-'si-lə-,kāt, -'si-li-kət] -n
- a toxic corrosive crystalline salt Na 2SiO 3used esp. as a detergent or as a substitute for phosphates in detergent formulations
sodium nitrate -n
- a deliquescent crystalline salt NaNO 3used as a fertilizer and an oxidizing agent and in curing meat
sodium nitrite -n
- a salt NaNO 2used esp. in dye manufacture and as a meat preservative
sodium pump -n
- a molecular mechanism by which sodium ions are transferred across a cell membrane by active transport
- one that is controlled by a specialized plasma membrane protein by which a high concentration of potassium ions and a low concentration of sodium ions are maintained within a cell
- the specialized plasma membrane protein that controls the sodium pump mechanism
sodium salicylate -n
- a crystalline salt NaC 7H 5O 3that has a sweetish saline taste and is used chiefly as an analgesic, antipyretic, and antirheumatic
sodium sulfate -n
- a bitter salt Na 2SO 4used esp. in detergents, in the manufacture of wood pulp and rayon, in dyeing and finishing textiles, and in its hydrated form as a cathartic
sodium thiosulfate -n
- a hygroscopic crystalline salt Na 2S 2O 3used esp. as a photographic fixing agent and a reducing or bleaching agent called also fixer hypo
sodium tri·poly·phos·phate [-,trī-,pä-li-'fäs-,fāt] -n
- a crystalline salt Na 5P 3O 10that is used as a food additive and as a component in some detergents and is suspected of contributing to water pollution
sodiumvapor lamp -n
- an electric lamp that contains sodium vapor and electrodes between which a luminous discharge takes place and that is used esp. for lighting highways
sod off -vi
- scram usu. used as a command
Sod·om ['sä-dəm] -n
- a place notorious for vice or corruption
sod·om·ist ['sä-də-mist] -n
- sodomite
sod·om·ite [-,mīt] -n
- one who practices sodomy
sod·om·ize [-,mīz] -vt
- to perform sodomy on
sod·omy ['sä-də-mē] -n, adj
- anal or oral copulation with a member of the same or opposite sex
- copulation with an animal
so·ev·er [sō-'e-vər] -adv
- to any possible or known extent used after an adjective preceded by how or a superlative preceded by the
- how fair soever she may be
- the most selfish soever in this world
- of any or every kind that may be specified used after a noun modified esp. by any, no, or what
- gives no information soever
so·fa ['sō-fə] -n
- a long upholstered seat usu. with arms and a back and often convertible into a bed
sofa bed -n
- a sofa that can be made to serve as a bed by lowering its hinged upholstered back to horizontal position or by pulling out a concealed mattress
so·far ['sō-,fär] -n
- a system for locating an underwater explosion at sea by triangulation
so far as -conj
- insofar as
sof·fit ['sä-fət] -n
- the underside of a part or member of a building (as of an overhang or staircase)
- the intrados of an arch
soft ['sȯft] -adj, adv, n
- pleasing or agreeable to the senses : bringing ease, comfort, or quiet
- the soft influences of home
- having a bland or mellow rather than a sharp or acid taste
- not bright or glaring : subdued
- having or producing little contrast or a relatively short range of tones
- a soft photographic print
- quiet in pitch or volume
- having a liquid or gentle appearance
- smooth or delicate in texture, grain, or fiber
- balmy, mild, or clement in weather or temperature
- moving or falling with slight force or impact : not violent
- demanding little work or effort : easy
- sounding as in aceand gemrespectively used of c and g or their sound
- voiced
- constituting a vowel before which there is a y sound or a y-like modification of a consonant or constituting a consonant in whose articulation there is a y-like modification or which is followed by a y sound (as in Russian)
- moving in a leisurely manner
- rising gradually
- having curved or rounded outline : not harsh or jagged
- soft hills against the horizon
- : marked by a gentleness, kindness, or tenderness: as
- not harsh or onerous in character
- a policy of soft competition
- based on negotiation, conciliation, or flexibility rather than on force, threats, or intransigence
- took a soft line during the crisis
- tending to take a soft line usu. used with on
- tending to ingratiate or disarm : engaging, kind
- a soft answer turns away wrath -- Prov 15:1(RSV)
- marked by mildness : unassuming, low-key
- emotionally suggestible or responsive : impressionable
- unduly susceptible to influence : compliant
- lacking firmness or strength of character : feeble, unmanly
- amorously attracted or emotionally involved used with on
- has been soft on her for years
- lacking robust strength, stamina, or endurance esp. because of living in ease or luxury
- weak or deficient mentally
- yielding to physical pressure
- permitting someone or something to sink in used of wet ground
- of a consistency that may be shaped or molded
- capable of being spread
- easily magnetized and demagnetized
- lacking relatively or comparatively in hardness
- deficient in or free from substances (as calcium and magnesium salts) that prevent lathering of soap
- having relatively low energy
- relatively less serious or significant
- occurring at such a speed and under such circumstances as to avoid destructive impact
- soft landing of a spacecraft on the moon
- not protected against enemy attack
- a soft aboveground launching site
- biodegradable
- considered less detrimental than a hard narcotic
- easily polarized used of acids and bases
- not readily convertible
- not secured by collateral
- being low due to sluggish market conditions
- sluggish, slow
- not firmly committed
- soft unreliable political support
- soft-core
- being or based on interpretive or speculative data
- utilizing or based on soft data
- being or using renewable sources of energy (as solar radiation, wind, or tides)
- contributed (as by a corporation) to a political party rather than directly to a particular candidate
- in a soft or gentle manner : softly
- a soft object, material, or part
soft·back ['sȯf(t)-,bak] -adj, n
- softcover
soft·ball [-,bȯl] -n
- a sport similiar to baseball played on a small diamond with a ball that is larger than a baseball and that is pitched underhand
- the ball used in this game
- a question requiring only an easy or simple response
softboiled [-'bȯi(-ə)ld] -adj
- boiled to a soft consistency
- sentimental
soft·bound [-,bau̇nd] -adj
- softcover
soft chancre -n
- chancroid
soft coal -n
- bituminous coal
softcoated wheaten terrier -n
- any of a breed of compact medium-sized terriers developed in Ireland and having a soft abundant light fawn coat
softcore ['sȯf(t)-'kȯr] -adj
- containing descriptions or scenes of sex acts that are less explicit than hard-core material
soft·cov·er [-,kə-vər] -adj, n
- bound in flexible covers : not bound in hard covers
- paperback
soft drink -n
- a usu. carbonated nonalcoholic beverage
- soda pop
soft·en ['sȯ-fən] -vb, n
- to make soft or softer
- to weaken the military resistance or the morale of esp. by harassment (as preliminary bombardment) often used with up
- to impair the strength or resistance of often used with up
- soften up a sales prospect
- to become soft or softer
softfo·cus ['sȯf(t)-'fō-kəs] -adj
- having unsharp outlines
- producing an image having unsharp outlines
soft goods -n pl
- goods that are not durable used esp. of textile products
soft hail -n
- graupel
soft·head ['sȯft-,hed] -n
- a silly or feebleminded person
soft·head·ed [-,he-dəd] -adj, adv, n
- having or indicative of a weak, unrealistic, or uncritical mind
soft·heart·ed [-,här-təd] -adj, adv, n
- emotionally responsive : sympathetic
softland [-'land] -vb, n
- to cause to make a soft landing on a celestial body (as the moon)
- to make a soft landing
softline [-'līn] -adj, n
- advocating or involving a conciliatory or flexible course of action
soft palate -n
- the fold at the back of the hard palate that partially separates the mouth from the pharynx
softpaste porcelain -n
- a translucent ceramic ware fired at a low temperature that was produced in Europe during the 16th through 18th centuries in imitation of hard-paste porcelain
- an article of soft-paste porcelain
softped·al ['sȯf(t)-'pe-dᵊl] -vt
- play down, de-emphasize
- to use the soft pedal in playing
soft pedal -n
- a foot pedal on a piano that reduces the volume of sound
- something that muffles, deadens, or reduces effect
soft rock -n
- rock music that is less driving and gentler sounding than hard rock
soft rot -n
- a mushy, watery, or slimy decay of plants or their parts caused by bacteria or fungi
soft·scape ['sȯft-,skāp] -n
- vegetation (as shrubs and flowers) that is incorporated into a landscape
soft sell -n
- the use of suggestion or gentle persuasion in selling rather than aggressive pressure
softserve ['sȯf(t)-,sərv] -n
- smooth semisolid ice cream made in and dispensed from a freezer in which it is aerated and continuously churned
soft·shell ['sȯf(t)-,shel] -n
- any of a family (Trionychidae) of freshwater carnivorous turtles that have sharp claws and mandibles and a flat round shell covered with soft leathery skin instead of with horny plates called also soft-shelled turtle
softshell ['sȯf(t)-,shel] -adj
- having a soft or fragile shell esp. as a result of recent shedding
softshell clam -n
- an elongated clam ( Mya arenaria) of the east coast of No. America that has a thin friable shell and long siphon and is eaten esp. when steamed called also soft-shelled clam steamer
softshoe ['sȯf(t)-'shü] -adj
- of or relating to tap dancing done in soft-soled shoes without metal taps
softsoap ['sȯf(t)-'sōp] -vt, n
- to soothe or persuade with flattery or blarney
soft soap -n
- a semifluid soap made esp. from potassium hydroxide
- flattery
softspo·ken [-'spō-kən] -adj
- having a mild or gentle voice
- suave
soft spot -n
- a sentimental weakness
- a vulnerable point
- a soft spot in the defense system
soft touch -n
- a person who is easily imposed on or taken advantage of
soft·ware ['sȯft-,wer] -n
- : something used or associated with and usu. contrasted with hardware: as
- the entire set of programs, procedures, and related documentation associated with a system and esp. a computer system
- computer programs
- materials for use with audiovisual equipment
soft wheat -n
- a wheat with soft kernels high in starch but usu. low in gluten
soft·wood ['sȯft-,wu̇d] -n
- the wood of a coniferous tree (as a fir or pine) whether hard or soft as distinguished from that of an angiospermous tree
- a tree that yields softwood
softwood -adj
- having or made of softwood
softwood·ed ['sȯft-,wu̇-dəd] -adj
- having soft wood that is easy to work or finish
- softwood
softy ['sȯf-tē] -n
- a weak or foolish person
- a softhearted or sentimental person
Sog·di·an ['säg-dē-ən] -n, adj
- a native or inhabitant of Sogdiana
- an Iranian language of the Sogdians
sog·gy ['sä-gē, 'sȯ-] -adj, adv, n
- : saturated or heavy with water or moisture: as
- waterlogged, soaked
- heavy or doughy because of imperfect cooking
- heavily dull : spiritless
soidi·sant [,swä-dē-'zäⁿ] -adj
- self-proclaimed, so-called
- threw the soidisant epic novel aside in disgust
soi·gne [swän-'yā] -adj
- well-groomed, sleek
- elegantly maintained or designed
soil ['sȯi(-ə)l] -vb
- to stain or defile morally : corrupt
- to make unclean esp. superficially : dirty
- to blacken or taint (as a person's reputation) by word or deed
- to become soiled or dirty
- soilage, stain
- protect a dress from soil
- moral defilement : corruption
- : something that spoils or pollutes: as
- refuse
- sewage
- dung, excrement
- firm land : earth
- the upper layer of earth that may be dug or plowed and in which plants grow
- the superficial unconsolidated and usu. weathered part of the mantle of a planet and esp. of the earth
- country, land
- the agricultural life or calling
- a medium in which something takes hold and develops
- to feed (livestock) in the barn or an enclosure with fresh grass or green food
- to purge (livestock) by feeding on green food
soil·age ['sȯi-lij] -n
- the act of soiling : the condition of being soiled
soilage -n
- green crops for feeding confined animals
soil·borne ['sȯi(-ə)l-,bȯrn] -adj
- transmitted by or in soil
soil·less ['sȯi(-ə)l-ləs] -adj
- having, containing, or utilizing no soil
- soilless media for starting seeds
soil pipe -n
- a pipe for carrying off wastes from toilets
soil science -n
- a science dealing with soils called also pedology
soil series -n
- a group of soils with similar profiles developed from similar parent materials under comparable climatic and vegetational conditions
soil·ure ['sȯi(-ə)l-yər] -n
- the act of soiling : the condition of being soiled
- stain, smudge
soi·ree [swä-'rā] -n
- a party or reception held in the evening
soi·xanteneuf [,swä-,säⁿt-'nœf] -n
- sixty-nine
so·journ ['sō-,jərn, sō-'] -n
- a temporary stay
sojourn -vi, n
- to stay as a temporary resident : stop
so·ju ['sō-,jü] -n
- Korean vodka distilled usu. from rice or sweet potato
soke ['sōk] -n
- the right in Anglo-Saxon and early English law to hold court and administer justice with the franchise to receive certain fees or fines arising from it : jurisdiction over a territory or over people
- the district included in a soke jurisdiction or franchise
sol ['sōl] -n
- the fifth tone of the diatonic scale in solmization
- an old French coin equal to 12 deniers
- a corresponding unit of value
- the basic monetary unit of Peru before 1985 and since 1990
- a fluid colloidal system
- one in which the medium is a liquid
- soluble
Sol ['säl] -n
- the Roman god of the sun
- sun
sola ['sō-ləm] -n
(variant of solum)
- the altered layer of soil above the parent material that includes the A and B horizons
so·lace ['sä-ləs also 'sō-] -vt, n
- to give solace to : console
- to make cheerful
- amuse
- allay, soothe
solace -n
- alleviation of grief or anxiety
- a source of relief or consolation
so·la·na·ceous [,sō-lə-'nā-shəs] -adj
- of or relating to the nightshade family of plants
so·la·nine ['sō-lə-,nēn, -nən] -n
- a bitter poisonous crystalline alkaloid C 45H 73NO 15found in the parts (as tubers and fruits) of several plants (as potatoes and tomatoes) of the nightshade family
so·la·num [sə-'lā-nəm, -'lä-, -'la-] -n
- nightshade
so·lar ['sō-lər, -,lär] -adj
- of, derived from, relating to, or caused by the sun
- measured by the earth's course in relation to the sun
- relating to or reckoned by solar time
- produced or operated by the action of the sun's light or heat
- utilizing the sun's rays esp. to produce heat or electricity
- of or relating to such utilization
solar battery -n
- an array of solar cells
solar cell -n
- a photovoltaic cell used as a power source
solar collector -n
- any of various devices for the absorption of solar radiation for the heating of water or buildings or the production of electricity
solar constant -n
- the quantity of radiant solar energy received at the outer layer of the earth's atmosphere that has a mean value of 1370 watts per square meter
solar day -n
- the interval between transits of the apparent or mean sun across the meridian at any place
solar eclipse -n
- an eclipse of the sun by the moon
solar flare -n
- a sudden temporary outburst of energy from a small area of the sun's surface called also flare
so·lar·i·um [sō-'ler-ē-əm, sə-] -n
- a glass-enclosed porch or room
- a room (as in a hospital) used esp. for sunbathing or therapeutic exposure to light
so·lar·i·za·tion [,sō-lə-rə-'zā-shən] -n
- a reversal of gradation in a photographic image obtained by intense or continued exposure
- an act or process of solarizing
so·lar·ize ['sō-lə-,rīz] -vt
- to affect by the action of the sun's rays
- to expose to sunlight
- to subject (photographic materials) to solarization
solar mass -n
- the mass of the sun used as a unit for the expression of the masses of other celestial objects and equal to about 2 10 30kilograms
solar panel -n
- a battery of solar cells (as in a spacecraft)
so·lar plexus ['sō-lər-] -n
- a nerve plexus in the abdomen that is situated behind the stomach and in front of the aorta and the crura of the diaphragm and contains several ganglia distributing nerve fibers to the viscera
- the pit of the stomach
solar pond -n
- a pool of salt water heated by the sun and used either as a direct source of heat or to provide power for an electric generator
solar sail -n
- a propulsive device for a spacecraft that consists of a flat material (as aluminized plastic) designed to receive thrust from solar radiation pressure
solar system -n
- the sun together with the group of celestial bodies that are held by its attraction and revolve around it
- a similar system centered on another star
solar wind -n
- plasma continuously ejected from the sun's surface into and through interplanetary space
sol·ation [sä-'lā-shən, sȯ-] -n
- the process of changing to a sol
so·la·ti·um [sō-'lā-shē-əm] -n
- a compensation (as money) given as solace for suffering, loss, or injured feelings
sold ['sel] -vb, adj
(variant of sell)
- to deliver or give up in violation of duty, trust, or loyalty and esp. for personal gain : betray often used with out
- to give up (property) to another for something of value (as money)
- to offer for sale
- to give up in return for something else esp. foolishly or dishonorably
- sold his birthright for a mess of pottage
- to exact a price for
- to deliver into slavery for money
- to give into the power of another
- sold his soul to the devil
- to deliver the personal services of for money
- to dispose of or manage for profit instead of in accordance with conscience, justice, or duty
- to develop a belief in the truth, value, or desirability of : gain acceptance for
- trying to sell a program to the Congress
- to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something
- to impose on : cheat
- to cause or promote the sale of
- using television advertising to sell cereal
- to make or attempt to make sales to
- to influence or induce to make a purchase
- to achieve a sale of
- to dispose of something by sale
- thinks now is a good time to sell
- to achieve a sale
- to achieve satisfactory sales
- hoped that the new line would sell
- to have a specified price
- a deliberate deception : hoax
- the act or an instance of selling
- something to be sold or caused to be accepted
- the new mystery novel was an easy sell
- someone to whom something is sold
- the new purchasing agent was a tough sell
- saddle
sol·dan ['säl-dən, 'sōl-] -n
- sultan
- the sultan of Egypt
sol·der ['sä-dər, 'sȯ-, Brit also 'säl-dər, 'sōl-] -n
- a metal or metallic alloy used when melted to join metallic surfaces
- an alloy of lead and tin so used
- something that unites
solder [-d(ə-)riŋ] -vb, n
- to unite or make whole by solder
- to bring into or restore to firm union
- a friendship solder ed by common interests
- to use solder
- to become united or repaired by or as if by solder
soldering iron -n
- a pointed or wedge-shaped device that is usu. electrically heated and that is used for soldering
sol·dier ['sōl-jər] -n, adj or adv
- one engaged in military service and esp. in the army
- an enlisted man or woman
- a skilled warrior
- a militant leader, follower, or worker
- one of a caste of wingless sterile termites usu. differing from workers in larger size and head and long jaws
- one of a type of worker ants distinguished by exceptionally large head and jaws
- one who shirks work
soldier ['sōl-jə-riŋ, 'sōlj-riŋ] -vi
- to serve as a soldier
- to behave in a soldierly manner
- to push doggedly forward usu. used with on
- to make a pretense of working while really loafing
soldiering -n
- the life, service, or practice of one who soldiers
soldier of fortune
- one who follows a military career wherever there is promise of profit, adventure, or pleasure
soldiers' home -n
- an institution maintained (as by the federal or a state government) for the care and relief of military veterans
soldier's medal -n
- a U.S. military decoration awarded for heroism not involving combat
sol·diery ['sōl-jə-rē, 'sōlj-rē] -n
- a body of soldiers
- soldiers, military
- the profession or technique of soldiering
sol·do ['sȯl-(,)dō] -n
- an old Italian coin worth five centesimi
soldout ['sōld-'au̇t] -adj
- having all available tickets or accommodations sold completely and esp. in advance
- of or relating to a sold-out event
sole ['sōl] -n
- any of various flatfishes (family Soleidae) having a small mouth, small or rudimentary fins, and small eyes placed close together and including important food fishes (as the European Dover sole)
- any of various mostly market flatfishes (as lemon sole) of other families (as Pleuronectidae)
- the undersurface of a foot
- the part of an item of footwear on which the sole rests and upon which the wearer treads
- the usu. flat or flattened bottom or lower part of something or the base on which something rests
- to furnish with a sole
- to place the sole of (a golf club) on the ground
- not married used chiefly of women
- having no companion : solitary
- having no sharer
- being the only one
- she was her mother's sole support
- functioning independently and without assistance or interference
- let conscience be the sole judge
- belonging exclusively or otherwise limited to one usu. specified individual, unit, or group
so·le·cism ['sä-lə-,si-zəm, 'sō-] -n, adj
- an ungrammatical combination of words in a sentence
- a minor blunder in speech
- something deviating from the proper, normal, or accepted order
- a breach of etiquette or decorum
sole·ly ['sō(l)-lē] -adv
- without another : singly
- to the exclusion of all else
sol·emn ['sä-ləm] -adj, adv, n
- marked by the invocation of a religious sanction
- marked by the observance of established form or ceremony
- celebrated with full liturgical ceremony
- awe-inspiring : sublime
- marked by grave sedateness and earnest sobriety
- somber, gloomy
so·lem·ni·fy [sə-'lem-nə-,fī] -vt
- to make solemn
so·lem·ni·ty [sə-'lem-nə-tē] -n
- formal or ceremonious observance of an occasion or event
- a solemn event or occasion
- a solemn condition or quality
- the solemnity of his words
sol·em·nize ['sä-ləm-,nīz] -vb, n
- to observe or honor with solemnity
- to perform with pomp or ceremony
- to celebrate (a marriage) with religious rites
- to make solemn : dignify
- to speak or act with solemnity
solemn mass -n
- a mass marked by the use of incense and by the presence of a deacon and a subdeacon in attendance on the celebrant
solemn vow -n
- an absolute and irrevocable public vow taken by a religious in the Roman Catholic Church under which ownership of property by the individual is prohibited and marriage is invalid under canon law
so·le·noid ['sō-lə-,nȯid, 'sä-] -n, adj
- a coil of wire usu. in cylindrical form that when carrying a current acts like a magnet so that a movable core is drawn into the coil when a current flows and that is used esp. as a switch or control for a mechanical device (as a valve)
sole·plate ['sōl-,plāt] -n
- the lower plate of a studded partition on which the bases of the studs butt
- the undersurface of an iron
soles ['sōl] -n
(variant of sol)
- the fifth tone of the diatonic scale in solmization
- an old French coin equal to 12 deniers
- a corresponding unit of value
- the basic monetary unit of Peru before 1985 and since 1990
- a fluid colloidal system
- one in which the medium is a liquid
- soluble
so·le·us ['sō-lē-əs] -n
- a broad flat muscle of the calf of the leg lying immediately beneath the gastrocnemius
solfa [,sōl-'fä, 'sōl-,] -vi
- to sing the sol-fa syllables
- to sing (as a melody) to sol-fa syllables
- sol-fa syllables
- solmization
- an exercise thus sung
- tonic sol-fa
solfa syllables -n pl
- the syllables do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti,used in singing the tones of the scale
sol·fa·ta·ra [,sōl-fə-'tär-ə] -n
- a volcanic area or vent that yields only hot vapors and sulfurous gases
sol·fege [säl-'fezh] -n
- the application of the sol-fa syllables to a musical scale or to a melody
- a singing exercise esp. using sol-fa syllables
- practice in sight-reading vocal music using the sol-fa syllables
sol·feg·gio [säl-'fe-j(ē-,)ō] -n
- solfege
sol·gel ['säl-,jel, 'sȯl-] -adj
- involving alternation between sol and gel states
soli ['sō-(,)lō] -n
(variant of solo)
- a musical composition for a single voice or instrument with or without accompaniment
- the featured part of a concerto or similar work
- a performance in which the performer has no partner or associate
- something undertaken or done alone
- a student pilot's first solo
- any of several card games in which a player elects to play without a partner against the other players
so·lic·it [sə-'li-sət] -vb
- to make petition to : entreat
- to approach with a request or plea
- solicit ed Congress for funding
- to urge (as one's cause) strongly
- to entice or lure esp. into evil
- to proposition (someone) esp. as or in the character of a prostitute
- to try to obtain by usu. urgent requests or pleas
- to make solicitation : importune
- to offer to have sexual relations with someone for money
so·lic·i·tant [sə-'li-sə-tənt] -n
- one who solicits
so·lic·i·ta·tion [sə-,li-sə-'tā-shən] -n
- the practice or act or an instance of soliciting
- entreaty, importunity
- a moving or drawing force : incitement, allurement
so·lic·i·tor [sə-'li-sə-tər, -'lis-tər] -n
- one that solicits
- an agent that solicits (as contributions to charity)
- a British lawyer who advises clients, represents them in the lower courts, and prepares cases for barristers to try in higher courts
- the chief law officer of a municipality, county, or government department
solicitor general -n
- a law officer appointed primarily to assist an attorney general
so·lic·i·tous [sə-'li-sə-təs, -'lis-təs] -adj, adv, n
- manifesting or expressing solicitude
- a solicitous inquiry about his health
- full of concern or fears : apprehensive
- solicitous about the future
- meticulously careful
- solicitous in matters of dress
- full of desire : eager
so·lic·i·tude [sə-'li-sə-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n
- the state of being concerned and anxious
- attentive care and protectiveness
- an attitude of earnest concern or attention
- expressed solicitude for his health
- a cause of care or concern usu. used in pl.
sol·id ['sä-ləd] -adj, adv, n
- being without an internal cavity
- printed with minimum space between lines
- joined without a hyphen
- not interrupted by a break or opening
- having, involving, or dealing with three dimensions or with solids
- of uniformly close and coherent texture : not loose or spongy : compact
- possessing or characterized by the properties of a solid : neither gaseous nor liquid
- : of good substantial quality or kind: as
- sound
- made firmly and well
- reliable
- having no break or interruption
- unanimous
- had the solid support of the party
- intimately friendly or associated
- prudent
- well established financially
- serious in purpose or character
- : of one substance or character: as
- entirely of one metal or containing the minimum of alloy necessary to impart hardness
- of a single color
solid -n
- a geometrical figure or element (as a cube or sphere) having three dimensions
- a substance that does not flow perceptibly under moderate stress, has a definite capacity for resisting forces (as compression or tension) which tend to deform it, and under ordinary conditions retains a definite size and shape
- the part of a solution or suspension that when freed from solvent or suspending medium has the qualities of a solid usu. used in pl.
- : something that is solid: as
- a solid color
- a compound word whose members are joined together without a hyphen
- in a solid manner
- unanimously
sol·i·da·go [,sä-lə-'dā-(,)gō, -'dä-] -n
- any of a genus ( Solidago) of chiefly No. American composite herbs including the typical goldenrods
solid angle -n
- the three-dimensional angular spread at the vertex of a cone measured by the area intercepted by the cone on a unit sphere whose center is the vertex of the cone
sol·i·da·rism ['sä-lə-də-,ri-zəm] -n, adj
- solidarity
sol·i·dar·i·ty [,sä-lə-'da-rə-tē] -n
- unity (as of a group or class) that produces or is based on community of interests, objectives, and standards
solid geometry -n
- a branch of geometry that deals with figures of three-dimensional space
so·lid·i·fy [sə-'li-də-,fī] -vb, n
- to make solid, compact, or hard
- to make secure, substantial, or firmly fixed
- factors that solidify public opinion
- to become solid, compact, or hard
so·lid·i·ty [sə-'li-də-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being solid
- something solid
sol·idlook·ing [,sä-ləd-'lu̇k-iŋ] -adj
- giving an impression of solid worth or substance
solid of revolution
- a mathematical solid conceived as formed by the revolution of a plane figure about an axis in its plane
solidstate -adj
- relating to the properties, structure, or reactivity of solid material
- relating to the arrangement or behavior of ions, molecules, nucleons, electrons, and holes in the crystals of a substance (as a semiconductor) or to the effect of crystal imperfections on the properties of a solid substance
- utilizing the electric, magnetic, or optical properties of solid materials
- using semiconductor devices rather than electron tubes
sol·i·dus ['sä-lə-dəs] -n
- an ancient Roman gold coin introduced by Constantine and used to the fall of the Byzantine Empire
- slash
so·li·fluc·tion ['sō-lə-,flək-shən] -n
- the slow creeping of saturated fragmental material (as soil) down a slope that usu. occurs in regions of perennial frost
so·lil·o·quise [-,kwīz] -vi, n
(variant of soliloquize)
- to utter a soliloquy : talk to oneself
so·lil·o·quist [sə-'li-lə-kwist] -n
- one who soliloquizes
so·lil·o·quize [-,kwīz] -vi, n
- to utter a soliloquy : talk to oneself
so·lil·o·quy [sə-'li-lə-kwē] -n
- the act of talking to oneself
- a dramatic monologue that represents a series of unspoken reflections
so·lip·sism ['sō-ləp-,si-zəm, 'sä-] -n, adj, adv
- a theory holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing
- extreme egocentrism
sol·i·taire ['sä-lə-,ter] -n
- a single gem (as a diamond) set alone
- any of various card games that can be played by one person
sol·i·tary ['sä-lə-,ter-ē] -adj, adv, n
- being, living, or going alone or without companions
- saddened by isolation
- unfrequented, desolate
- taken, passed, or performed without companions
- keeping a prisoner apart from others
- being at once single and isolated
- occurring singly and not as part of a group or cluster
- flowers terminal and solitary
- not gregarious, colonial, social, or compound
solitary -n
- one who lives or seeks to live a solitary life : recluse
- solitary confinement in prison
sol·i·ton ['sä-lə-,tän] -n
- a solitary wave (as in a gaseous plasma) that propagates with little loss of energy and retains its shape and speed after colliding with another such wave
sol·i·tude ['sä-lə-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n
- the quality or state of being alone or remote from society : seclusion
- a lonely place (as a desert)
sol·i·tu·di·nar·i·an [,sä-lə-,tü-də-'ner-ē-ən, -,tyü-] -n
- recluse
sol·ler·et [,sä-lə-'ret] -n
- a flexible steel shoe forming part of a medieval suit of armor
sol·mi·za·tion [,säl-mə-'zā-shən] -n
- the act, practice, or system of using syllables to denote the tones of a musical scale
soln -abbr
- solution
so·lo ['sō-(,)lō] -n
- a musical composition for a single voice or instrument with or without accompaniment
- the featured part of a concerto or similar work
- a performance in which the performer has no partner or associate
- something undertaken or done alone
- a student pilot's first solo
- any of several card games in which a player elects to play without a partner against the other players
solo -adv
- without a companion : alone
- accommodating one person
- of, relating to, or being a solo
- hit with no runners on base
- : to perform by oneself: as
- to perform a musical solo
- to fly an airplane without one's instructor on board
- to fly (as an airplane) alone
- to climb (as a mountain) alone
so·lo·ist ['sō-lə-wist, -(,)lō-ist] -n
- one who performs a solo
Sol·o·mon ['sä-lə-mən] -n
- a son of David and 10th century b.c.king of Israel proverbial for his wisdom
Sol·o·mon·ic [,sä-lə-'mä-nik] -adj
- marked by notable wisdom, reasonableness, or discretion esp. under trying circumstances
Solomon's seal -n
- any of a genus ( Polygonatum) of perennial herbs of the lily family with tubular flowers and gnarled rhizomes
- an emblem consisting of two interlaced triangles forming a 6-pointed star and formerly used as an amulet esp. against fever
so·lon ['sō-lən, -,län] -n
- a wise and skillful lawgiver
- a member of a legislative body
so long [sō-'lȯŋ, sə-] -interj
- used to express farewell
so long as -conj
- during and up to the end of the time that : while
- so long as you are here, I'm fine
- provided that
- you may go, so long as you return by dinnertime
sol·stice ['säl-stəs, 'sōl-, 'sȯl-] -n
- either of the two points on the ecliptic at which its distance from the celestial equator is greatest and which is reached by the sun each year about June 22 and December 22
- the time of the sun's passing a solstice which occurs about June 22 to begin summer in the northern hemisphere and about December 22 to begin winter in the northern hemisphere
sol·sti·tial [säl-'sti-shəl, sōl-, sȯl-] -adj
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a solstice and esp. the summer solstice
- happening or appearing at or associated with a solstice
sol·u·bi·lise ['säl-yə-bə-,līz] -vt, n
(variant of solubilize)
- to make soluble or more soluble
sol·u·bil·i·ty [,säl-yə-'bi-lə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being soluble
- the amount of a substance that will dissolve in a given amount of another substance
sol·u·bi·lize ['säl-yə-bə-,līz] -vt, n
- to make soluble or more soluble
sol·u·ble ['säl-yə-bəl] -adj
- susceptible of being dissolved in or as if in a liquid and esp. water
- subject to being solved or explained
so·lum ['sō-ləm] -n
- the altered layer of soil above the parent material that includes the A and B horizons
so·lus ['sō-ləs] -adv or adj
- alone often used in stage directions
sol·ute ['säl-,yüt] -n
- a dissolved substance
so·lu·tion [sə-'lü-shən] -n
- an action or process of solving a problem
- an answer to a problem : explanation
- a set of values of the variables that satisfies an equation
- an act or the process by which a solid, liquid, or gaseous substance is homogeneously mixed with a liquid or sometimes a gas or solid
- a homogeneous mixture formed by this process
- a single-phase liquid system
- the condition of being dissolved
- a bringing or coming to an end or into a state of discontinuity
solution set -n
- the set of values that satisfy an equation
- truth set
So·lu·tre·an [sə-'lü-trē-ən] -adj
- of or relating to an Upper Paleolithic culture characterized by leaf-shaped finely flaked stone implements
solv·able ['säl-və-bəl, 'sȯl-] -adj, n
- susceptible of solution or of being solved, resolved, or explained
sol·vate ['säl-,vāt, 'sȯl-] -n
- an aggregate that consists of a solute ion or molecule with one or more solvent molecules
- a substance (as a hydrate) containing such ions
solvate [säl-'vā-shən, sȯl-] -vt, n
- to make part of a solvate
Sol·vay process ['säl-,vā-] -n
- a process for making soda from common salt by passing carbon dioxide into ammoniacal brine resulting in precipitation of sodium bicarbonate which is then calcined to carbonate
solve ['sälv, 'sȯlv] -vb, n
- to find a solution, explanation, or answer for
- to pay (as a debt) in full
- to solve something
- substitute and solve for x
sol·ven·cy ['säl-vən(t)-sē, 'sȯl-] -n
- the quality or state of being solvent
sol·vent [-vənt] -adj, adv
- able to pay all legal debts
- that dissolves or can dissolve
solvent [-ləs] -n, adj
- a usu. liquid substance capable of dissolving or dispersing one or more other substances
- something that provides a solution
- something that eliminates or attenuates something esp. unwanted
sol·vol·y·sis [säl-'vä-lə-səs, sȯl-] -n, adj
- a chemical reaction (as hydrolysis) of a solvent and solute that results in the formation of new compounds
- the sum of Uzbekistan
Som -abbr
- Somersetshire
so·ma ['sō-mə] -n
- an intoxicating juice from a plant of disputed identity that was used in ancient India as an offering to the gods and as a drink of immortality by worshippers in Vedic ritual and worshipped in personified form as a Vedic god
soma ['sō-mə-tə] -n
- the body of an organism
- all of an organism except the germ cells
- cell body
So·ma·li [sō-'mä-lē, sə-] -n, adj
- a member of a people of Somaliland
- the Cushitic language of the Somali
so·man ['sō-mən] -n
- an extremely toxic chemical warfare agent C 7H 16FO 2P similar to sarin in action
so many -adj
- constituting an unspecified number
- can only read so many chapters each night
- constituting a group or pack
- behaved like so many animals
somat- -comb form
- body
so·mat·ic [sō-'ma-tik, sə-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or affecting the body esp. as distinguished from the germplasm or the psyche
- of or relating to the wall of the body : parietal
somatic cell -n
- one of the cells of the body that compose the tissues, organs, and parts of that individual other than the germ cells
so·ma·ti·za·tion [,sō-mə-tə-'zā-shən] -n
- conversion of a mental state (as depression or anxiety) into physical symptoms
- the existence of physical bodily complaints in the absence of a known medical condition
so·ma·tol·o·gy [,sō-mə-'tä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- a branch of anthropology primarily concerned with the comparative study of human evolution, variation, and classification esp. through measurement and observation
so·mato·me·din [,sō-mə-tō-'mē-dᵊn, sō-,ma-tə-] -n
- any of several endogenous peptides produced esp. in the liver that are dependent on and prob. mediate growth hormone activity (as in sulfate uptake by epiphyseal cartilage)
so·mato·pleure [sō-'ma-tə-,plu̇r] -n
- a complex fold of tissue in the embryo of a craniate vertebrate consisting of an outer layer of mesoderm together with the ectoderm that sheathes it and giving rise to the amnion and chorion
so·mato·sen·so·ry [sō-,ma-tə-'sen(t)s-rē, -'sen(t)-sə-rē] -adj
- of, relating to, or being sensory activity having its origin elsewhere than in the special sense organs (as eyes and ears) and conveying information about the state of the body proper and its immediate environment
- relating to or being either of two regions in the parietal lobe that receive and process somatosensory stimuli
so·mato·stat·in [sō-,ma-tə-'sta-tᵊn] -n
- a polypeptide neurohormone that is found esp. in the hypothalamus and inhibits the secretion of several other hormones (as growth hormone, insulin, and gastrin)
so·mato·tro·pic hormone [-'trō-pik-] -n
- growth hormone
so·mato·tro·pin [-'trō-pən] -n
- growth hormone
so·mato·type [sō-'ma-tə-,tīp] -n
- body type : physique
som·ber ['säm-bər] -adj, adv, n
- so shaded as to be dark and gloomy
- of a serious mien : grave
- of a dismal or depressing character : melancholy
- conveying gloomy suggestions or ideas
- of a dull or heavy cast or shade : dark colored
som·bre·ro [səm-'brer-(,)ō, säm-] -n
- an often high-crowned hat of felt or straw with a very wide brim worn esp. in the Southwest and Mexico
som·brous ['säm-brəs] -adj
- somber
some ['səm, for 2 without stress] -adj
- being an unknown, undetermined, or unspecified unit or thing
- being one, a part, or an unspecified number of something (as a class or group) named or implied
- being of an unspecified amount or number
- remarkable, striking
- being at least one used to indicate that a logical proposition is asserted only of a subclass or certain members of the class denoted by the term which it modifies
- one indeterminate quantity, portion, or number as distinguished from the rest
- an indefinite additional amount
- about
- in some degree : somewhat
- to some degree or extent : a little
- I need to work on it some more
- used as a mild intensive
some·body ['səm-(,)bə-dē, -,bä-] -pron
- one or some person of unspecified or indefinite identity
somebody -n
- a person of position or importance
some·day ['səm-,dā] -adv
- at some future time
some·deal ['səm-,dēl] -adv
- somewhat
some·how ['səm-,hau̇] -adv
- in one way or another not known or designated : by some means
some·one [-(,)wən] -pron
- some person : somebody
some·place [-,plās] -adv
- somewhere
som·er·sault ['sə-mər-,sȯlt] -n, vi
- a movement (as in gymnastics) in which a person turns forward or backward in a complete revolution along the ground or in the air bringing the feet over the head
- a falling or tumbling head over heels
som·er·set [-,set] -n or vi
- somersault
some·thing ['səm(p)-thiŋ, esp in rapid speech or for 2 'səm-pᵊm] -pron
- some indeterminate or unspecified thing
- some indeterminate amount more than a specified number used in combination
- twenty -something years old
- a group of fifty -something s
- a person or thing of consequence
- one having more or less the character, qualities, or nature of something different
something -adv
- in some degree : somewhat
- used as an intensive giving adverbial force to an adjective
some·time ['səm-,tīm] -adv
- in the past : formerly
- once in a while : occasionally
- at some time in the future
- at some not specified or definitely known point of time
sometime -adj
- having been formerly : former, late
- being so occasionally or in only some respects
some·times ['səm-,tīmz also (,)səm-'] -adv
- at times : now and then : occasionally
sometimes -adj
- sometime
some·way ['səm-,wā] -adv
- somehow
some·what [-,(h)wät, -,(h)wət, (,)səm-'] -pron
- something
somewhat -adv
- in some degree or measure : slightly
some·when ['səm-,(h)wen] -adv
- sometime
some·where [-,(h)wer, -(,)(h)wər] -adv
- in, at, from, or to a place unknown or unspecified
- to a place symbolizing positive accomplishment or progress
- now we're getting somewhere
- in the vicinity of : approximately
- somewhere about nine o'clock
somewhere -n
- an undetermined or unnamed place
some·wheres [-,(h)werz, -(,)(h)wərz] -adv
- somewhere
some·whith·er [-,(h)wi-thər] -adv
- to some place : somewhere
so·mite ['sō-,mīt] -n
- one of the longitudinal series of segments into which the body of many animals is divided : metamere
som·me·lier [,sə-məl-'yā] -n
- a waiter in a restaurant who has charge of wines and their service : a wine steward
somnambul- -comb form
- somnambulism : somnambulist
som·nam·bu·lant [säm-'nam-byə-lənt] -adj
- walking or having the habit of walking while asleep
- resembling or having the characteristics of a sleepwalker : sluggish
som·nam·bu·late [-,lāt] -vi, n
- to walk when asleep
som·nam·bu·lism [säm-'nam-byə-,li-zəm] -n, adj, adv
- an abnormal condition of sleep in which motor acts (as walking) are performed
- actions characteristic of somnambulism
som·ni·fa·cient [,säm-nə-'fā-shənt] -adj, n
- hypnotic
som·nif·er·ous [säm-'ni-f(ə-)rəs] -adj
- soporific
som·no·lence ['säm-nə-lən(t)s] -n
- the quality or state of being drowsy : sleepiness
som·no·lent [-lənt] -adj, adv
- of a kind likely to induce sleep
- inclined to or heavy with sleep : drowsy
- sleepy
so much -adv
- by the amount indicated or suggested
- if they lose their way, so much the better for us
- something (as an amount or price) unspecified or undetermined
- all that can be or is to be said or done
- so much for the history of the case
- used as an intensive
- the house burned like so much paper
- sounded like so much nonsense
so much as -adv
- even
- scowls if I so much as look at him
son ['sən] -n
- a human male offspring esp. of human beings
- a male adopted child
- a human male descendant
- the second person of the Trinity
- a person closely associated with or deriving from a formative agent (as a nation, school, or race)
son- -comb form
- sound
so·nant ['sō-nənt] -adj, n
- voiced
- syllabic
so·nar ['sō-,när] -n
- a method or device for detecting and locating objects esp. underwater by means of sound waves sent out to be reflected by the objects
- a device for detecting the presence of a vessel (as a submarine) by the sound it emits in water
so·na·ta [sə-'nä-tə] -n
- an instrumental musical composition typically of three or four movements in contrasting forms and keys
sonata form -n
- a musical form that consists basically of an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation and that is used esp. for the first movement of a sonata
son·a·ti·na [,sä-nə-'tē-nə] -n
- a short usu. simplified sonata
sonde ['sänd] -n
- any of various devices for testing physical conditions (as at high altitudes, below the earth's surface, or inside the body)
sone ['sōn] -n
- a subjective unit of loudness for an average listener equal to the loudness of a 1000-hertz sound that has an intensity 40 decibels above the listener's own threshold of hearing
son et lu·miere [,sōⁿ-(n)ā-lüm-'yer] -n
- an outdoor spectacle at a historic site consisting of recorded narration with light and sound effects
song ['sȯŋ] -n, adj
- the act or art of singing
- poetical composition
- a short musical composition of words and music
- a collection of such compositions
- a distinctive or characteristic sound or series of sounds (as of a bird, insect, or whale)
- a melody for a lyric poem or ballad
- a poem easily set to music
- a habitual or characteristic manner
- a violent, abusive, or noisy reaction
- a small amount
song and dance -n
- a theatrical performance (as a vaudeville performance) combining singing and dancing
- a long and often familiar statement or explanation that is usu. not true or pertinent
song·bird ['sȯŋ-,bərd] -n
- a bird that utters a succession of musical tones
- an oscine bird
- a female singer
song·book [-'bu̇k] -n
- a collection of songs
- a book containing vocal music (as hymns)
song cycle -n
- a group of related songs designed to form a musical entity
song·fest ['sȯŋ-'fest] -n
- an informal session of group singing of popular or folk songs
song·ful [-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- given to or suggestive of singing : melodious
song·less [-ləs] -adj, adv
- lacking in, incapable of, or not given to song
Song of Sol·o·mon [-'sä-lə-mən]
- a collection of love poems forming a book in the Protestant canon of the Old Testament
Song of Songs
- a collection of love poems forming a book in the canonical Jewish Scriptures and in the Roman Catholic canon of the Old Testament and corresponding to the Song of Solomon in the Protestant canon of the Old Testament
song·smith ['sȯŋ-,smith] -n
- a composer of songs
song sparrow -n
- a No. American sparrow ( Melospiza melodiaof the family Emberizidae) that is brownish above and white below with brownish streaks on the breast and that has a melodious song
song·ster ['sȯŋ(k)-stər] -n
- one that sings with skill
- songbook
song·stress ['sȯŋ(k)-strəs] -n
- a female singer
song thrush -n
- an Old World thrush ( Turdus philomelosof the family Turdidae) that is largely brown above with brown-spotted white underparts called also mavis throstle
song·writ·er ['sȯŋ-,rī-tər] -n
- a person who composes words or music or both esp. for popular songs
son·ic ['sä-nik] -adj, adv
- utilizing, produced by, or relating to sound waves
- of or involving sound
- having a frequency within the audibility range of the human ear used of waves and vibrations
- of, relating to, or being the speed of sound in air or about 761 miles per hour (1224 kilometers per hour) at sea level at 59F (15C)
son·i·cate ['sä-nə-,kāt] -vt, n
- to disrupt (as bacterial cells) by exposure to high-frequency sound waves
sonic barrier -n
- sound barrier
sonic boom -n
- a sound resembling an explosion produced when a shock wave formed at the nose of an aircraft traveling at supersonic speed reaches the ground called also sonic bang
soninlaw ['sən-ən-,lȯ] -n
- the husband of one's daughter
son·less ['sən-ləs] -adj
- not possessing or never having had a son
son·ly [-lē] -adj
- filial
son·net ['sä-nət] -n
- a fixed verse form of Italian origin consisting of 14 lines that are typically 5-foot iambics rhyming according to a prescribed scheme
- a poem in this pattern
son·ne·teer [,sä-nə-'tir] -n
- a composer of sonnets
- a minor or insignificant poet
sonnet sequence -n
- a series of sonnets often having a unifying theme
son·ny ['sə-nē] -n
- a young boy usu. used in address
so·no·buoy ['sä-nə-,bȯi, -,bü-ē] -n
- a buoy equipped for detecting underwater sounds and transmitting them by radio
son of a bitch ['sən-ə-və-,bich also 'səm-,bich; as an interj ,sən-ə-və-'bich] -n
- bastard sometimes used interjectionally to express surprise or disappointment
son of a gun ['sən-ə-və-,gən; as an interj ,sən-ə-və-'gən] -n
- usu. used as a mild or euphemistic alternative to son of a bitch sometimes used interjectionally to express surprise or disappointment
son of God
- a superhuman or divine being (as an angel)
- messiah
- a person established in the love of God by divine promise
son of man
- a human being
- God's messiah destined to preside over the final judgment of humankind
sono·gram ['sä-nə-,gram] -n
- an image produced by ultrasound
so·nog·ra·phy [sō-'nä-grə-fē] -n, adj
- ultrasound
so·nor·i·ty [sə-'nȯr-ə-tē, -'när-] -n
- the quality or state of being sonorous : resonance
- a sonorous tone or speech
so·no·rous [sə-'nȯr-əs, 'sä-nə-rəs] -adj, adv, n
- producing sound (as when struck)
- full or loud in sound
- imposing or impressive in effect or style
- having a high or an indicated degree of sonority
- sonorous sounds such as a and
son·ship ['sən-,ship] -n
- the relationship of son to father
sonsy ['sän(t)-sē] -adj
- buxom, comely
soon ['sün, esp NewEng 'su̇n] -adv
- at once : immediately
- without undue time lapse : before long
- in a prompt manner : speedily
- no soon er said than done
- before the usual time
- in agreement with one's choice or preference : willingly
- I'd just as soon walk as drive
soon·er ['sü-nər] -n
- a person settling on land in the early West before its official opening to settlement in order to gain the prior claim allowed by law to the first settler after official opening
- a native or resident of Oklahoma used as a nickname
sooner or later -adv
- at some uncertain future time : sometime
soot ['su̇t, 'sət, 'süt] -n
- a black substance formed by combustion or separated from fuel during combustion, rising in fine particles, and adhering to the sides of the chimney or pipe conveying the smoke
- the fine powder consisting chiefly of carbon that colors smoke
- to coat or cover with soot
sooth ['süth] -adj
- true
- soft, sweet
- truth, reality
- blandishment
soothe ['süth] -vb, n
- to please by or as if by attention or concern : placate
- relieve, alleviate
- to bring comfort, solace, or reassurance to
- to bring peace, composure, or quietude
sooth·fast ['süth-,fast] -adj
- true
- truthful
soothing -adj, adv, n
- tending to soothe
- having a sedative effect
sooth·ly ['süth-lē] -adv
- in truth : truly
sooth·say·er [-,sā-ər, -,ser] -n
- a person who predicts the future by magical, intuitive, or more rational means : prognosticator
sooth·say·ing [-,sā-iŋ] -n, vi
- the act of foretelling events
- prediction, prophecy
sooty ['su̇-tē, 'sə-, 'sü-] -adj, adv, n
- of, relating to, or producing soot
- soiled with soot
- of the color of soot
sooty mold -n
- a dark growth of fungus mycelium growing in insect honeydew on plants
- any of various ascomycetous fungi (order Dothideales) producing such growth
sooty tern -n
- a widely distributed tern ( Sterna fuscata) of tropical oceans that is blackish above and white below called also wideawake
sop ['säp] -n
- a piece of food dipped or steeped in a liquid
- a conciliatory or propitiatory bribe, gift, or gesture
- to steep or dip in or as if in liquid
- to wet thoroughly : soak
- mop
SOP -abbr
- standard operating procedure; standing operating procedure
so·pai·pil·la [,sō-pī-'pē-yə, -'pēl-yə] -n
- a usu. puffy piece of deep-fried dough often sweetened with honey
soph -abbr
- sophomore
soph·ism ['sä-,fi-zəm] -n
- an argument apparently correct in form but actually invalid
- such an argument used to deceive
- sophistry
soph·ist ['sä-fist] -n
- philosopher
- any of a class of ancient Greek teachers of rhetoric, philosophy, and the art of successful living prominent about the middle of the fifth century b.c.for their adroit subtle and allegedly often specious reasoning
- a captious or fallacious reasoner
so·phis·tic [sä-'fis-tik, sə-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to sophists, sophistry, or the ancient Sophists
- plausible but fallacious
so·phis·ti·cate [sə-'fis-tə-,kāt] -vt
- to alter deceptively
- adulterate
- to deprive of genuineness, naturalness, or simplicity
- to deprive of naivete and make worldly-wise : disillusion
- to make complicated or complex
- a sophisticated person
so·phis·ti·cat·ed [-tə-,kā-təd] -adj, adv
- : deprived of native or original simplicity: as
- highly complicated or developed : complex
- sophisticated electronic devices
- having a refined knowledge of the ways of the world cultivated esp. through wide experience
- : devoid of grossness: as
- finely experienced and aware
- a sophisticated columnist
- intellectually appealing
so·phis·ti·ca·tion [sə-,fis-tə-'kā-shən] -n
- the use of sophistry : sophistic reasoning
- sophism, quibble
- the process or result of becoming cultured, knowledgeable, or disillusioned
- cultivation, urbanity
- the process or result of becoming more complex, developed, or subtle
soph·ist·ry ['sä-fə-strē] -n
- subtly deceptive reasoning or argumentation
- sophism
soph·o·more ['säf-,mȯr also 'sȯf- or 'sä-fə- or 'sȯ-fə-] -n
- a student in the second year at college or a 4-year secondary school
sophomore -adj
- being or associated with the second in a series
soph·o·mor·ic [,säf-'mȯr-ik, -'mär- also ,sȯf- or ,sä-fə- or ,sȯ-fə-] -adj
- conceited and overconfident of knowledge but poorly informed and immature
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a sophomore
So·pho·ni·as [,sä-fə-'nī-əs, ,sō-] -n
- zephaniah
so·phy ['sō-fē] -n
- a sovereign of Persia
sop·o·rif·ic [-'ri-fik] -adj
- causing or tending to cause sleep
- tending to dull awareness or alertness
- of, relating to, or marked by sleepiness or lethargy
soporific -n
- a soporific agent
- hypnotic
sopping -adj
- wet through : soaking
sop·py ['sä-pē] -adj, n
- sentimental, mawkish
- soaked through : saturated
- very wet
so·pra·ni·no [,sō-prə-'nē-(,)nō, ,sä-] -n
- a musical instrument (as a recorder or saxophone) higher in pitch than the soprano
so·pra·no [sə-'pra-(,)nō, -'prä-] -adj
- relating to or having the range or part of a soprano
soprano -n
- the highest singing voice of women or boys and formerly of castrati
- a person having this voice
- the highest voice part in a 4-part chorus
- a member of a family of instruments having the highest range
so·ra ['sȯr-ə] -n
- a small short-billed No. American rail ( Porzana carolina) common in marshes
sorb ['sȯrb] -vt, n, adj
- to take up and hold by either adsorption or absorption
Sorb ['sȯrb] -n, adj or n
- wend
- wendish
sor·bate ['sȯr-,bāt, 'sȯr-bət] -n
- a salt or ester of sorbic acid
sor·bent ['sȯr-bənt] -n
- a substance that sorbs
sor·bet [sȯr-'bā also 'sȯr-bət] -n
- a usu. fruit-flavored ice served as a dessert or between courses as a palate refresher
sor·bic acid ['sȯr-bik-] -n
- a crystalline acid C 6H 8O 2obtained from the unripe fruits of the mountain ash or synthesized and used esp. as a fungicide and food preservative
sor·bi·tol ['sȯr-bə-,tȯl, -,tōl] -n
- a faintly sweet alcohol C 6H 14O 6that occurs in some fruits, is made synthetically, and is used esp. as a humectant and softener and in making ascorbic acid
sor·cer·er ['sȯr-sə-rər, 'sȯrs-rər] -n
- a person who practices sorcery : wizard
sor·cer·ess [-rəs] -n
- a woman who is a sorcerer
sor·cer·ous [-rəs] -adj
- of or relating to sorcery : magical
sor·cery [-rē] -n
- the use of power gained from the assistance or control of evil spirits esp. for divining : necromancy
- magic
sor·did ['sȯr-dəd] -adj, adv, n
- marked by baseness or grossness : vile
- dirty, filthy
- wretched, squalid
- meanly avaricious : covetous
- of a dull or muddy color
sor·di·no [sȯr-'dē-(,)nō] -n
- mute
sore ['sȯr] -adj, n
- causing pain or distress
- painfully sensitive : tender
- hurt or inflamed so as to be or seem painful
- a dog limping on a sore leg
- attended by difficulties, hardship, or exertion
- angry, irked
- a localized sore spot on the body
- one (as an ulcer) with the tissues ruptured or abraded and usu. with infection
- a source of pain or vexation : affliction
- sorely
sore·head ['sȯr-,hed] -n, adj
- a person easily angered or disgruntled
sore·ly ['sȯr-lē] -adv
- in a sore manner : painfully
- very, extremely
sore throat -n
- pain in the throat due to inflammation of the fauces and pharynx
sor·ghum ['sȯr-gəm] -n
- any of an economically important genus ( Sorghum) of Old World tropical grasses similar to Indian corn in habit but with the spikelets in pairs on a hairy rachis
- any of various cultivars (as grain sorghum or sorgo) derived from a wild form ( S. bicolorsyn. S. vulgare)
- syrup from the juice of a sorgo that resembles cane syrup
- something cloyingly sentimental
sor·go ['sȯr-(,)gō] -n
- a sorghum cultivated primarily for the sweet juice in its stems from which sugar and syrup are made but also used for fodder and silage called also sweet sorghum
so·ri·tes [sə-'rī-(,)tēz] -n
- an argument consisting of propositions so arranged that the predicate of any one forms the subject of the next and the conclusion unites the subject of the first proposition with the predicate of the last
So·rop·ti·mist [sə-'räp-tə-mist, sȯ-] -n
- a member of a service club composed of professional women and businesswomen
so·ro·ral [sə-'rȯr-əl] -adj
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a sister : sisterly
so·ro·rate [sə-'rȯr-ət] -n
- the marriage of one man to two or more sisters usu. successively and after the first wife has been found to be barren or after her death
so·ror·i·ty [sə-'rȯr-ə-tē, -'rär-] -n
- a club of women
- a women's student organization formed chiefly for social purposes and having a name consisting of Greek letters
sorp·tion ['sȯrp-shən] -n, adj
- the process of sorbing : the state of being sorbed
sor·rel ['sȯr-əl, 'sär-] -n
- a sorrel-colored animal
- a light bright chestnut horse often with white mane and tail
- a brownish orange to light brown
sorrel -n
- : any of various plants or plant parts with sour juice: as
- any of various docks (as Rumex acetosaand R. acetosella)
- the leaves used as a potherb
- wood sorrel
sorrel tree -n
- sourwood
sor·row ['sär-(,)ō, 'sȯr-] -n
- deep distress, sadness, or regret esp. for the loss of someone or something loved
- resultant unhappy or unpleasant state
- to their great sorrow they could not marry
- a cause of grief or sadness
- a display of grief or sadness
sorrow ['sär-ə-wər, 'sȯr-] -vi, n
- to feel or express sorrow
sor·row·ful [-ō-fəl, -ə-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- full of or marked by sorrow
- expressive of or inducing sorrow
sor·ry ['sär-ē, 'sȯr-] -adj, adv, n
- feeling sorrow, regret, or penitence
- mournful, sad
- inspiring sorrow, pity, scorn, or ridicule
- pitiful
- their affairs were in a sorry state
sort ['sȯrt] -n
- a group set up on the basis of any characteristic in common : class, kind
- one approximating the character or qualities of another
- a sort of latter-day Abe Lincoln
- person, individual
- group, company
- method or manner of acting : way, manner
- character, nature
- a letter or character that is one element of a font
- a character or piece of type that is not part of a regular font
- an instance of sorting
- a numeric sort of a data file
- to put in a certain place or rank according to kind, class, or nature
- to arrange according to characteristics : classify usu. used with out
- to put to rights : put in order
- to examine in order to clarify used with out
- sort ing out his problems
- to free of confusion : clarify used with out
- waited until things sort ed themselves out
- to join or associate with others esp. of the same kind
- agree, harmonize
- his benign view sort s badly with reality -- Henry Trewhitt
- search
- sort through some old papers
sor·tie ['sȯr-tē, sȯr-'tē] -n, vi
- a sudden issuing of troops from a defensive position against the enemy
- one mission or attack by a single plane
- foray, raid
- excursion, expedition
sor·ti·lege ['sȯr-tə-lij, -,lej] -n
- divination by lots
- sorcery
sor·ti·tion [sȯr-'ti-shən] -n
- the act or an instance of casting lots
sort of -adv
- to a moderate degree : somewhat
so·rus ['sȯr-əs] -n
- : a cluster of plant reproductive bodies: as
- a cluster of sporangia on the underside of a fertile fern frond
- a mass of spores bursting through the epidermis of the host plant of a parasitic fungus
- a cluster of gemmae on the thallus of a lichen
SOS [,es-(,)ō-'es] -n
- an internationally recognized signal of distress in radio code --- used esp. by ships calling for help
- a call or request for help or rescue
soso ['sō-'sō] -adv
- moderately well : tolerably
- neither very good nor very bad : middling
so·ste·nu·to [,sōs-tə-'nü-(,)tō, ,sȯs-] -adj or adv
- sustained to or beyond the note's full value used as a direction in music
sostenuto -n
- a movement or passage whose notes are markedly prolonged
sot ['sät] -n
- a habitual drunkard
so·te·ri·ol·o·gy [sō-,tir-ē-'ä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- theology dealing with salvation esp. as effected by Jesus Christ
so that -conj
- that
So·tho ['sō-(,)tō] -n
- any one of the Sotho languages and esp. Sesotho
- a group of closely related Bantu languages of Lesotho, Botswana, and northern So. Africa
- a member of a group of southern African peoples whose language is Sotho
so·tol ['sō-,tōl] -n
- any of several plants (genus Dasylirion) of the agave family of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that resemble a yucca
sot·tish ['sä-tish] -adj, adv, n
- resembling a sot : drunken
- doltish, stupid
sot·to vo·ce [,sä-tō-'vō-chē] -adv or adj
- under the breath : in an undertone
- in a private manner
- very softly used as a direction in music
sou ['sü] -n
- sol
- a 5-centime piece
sou·bise [sü-'bēz] -n
- a garnish or white sauce containing onions or onion puree
sou·brette [sü-'bret] -n
- a coquettish maid or frivolous young woman in comedies
- an actress who plays such a part
- a soprano who sings supporting roles in comic opera
soubriquet ['sō-bri-,kā, -,ket, ,sō-bri-'] -n
(variant of sobriquet)
- a descriptive name or epithet : nickname
sou·chong ['sü-,chȯŋ, -,shȯŋ] -n
- a tea made from the larger older leaves of the shoot
souf·fle [sü-'flā, 'sü-,] -n
- a dish that is made from a sauce, egg yolks, beaten egg whites, and a flavoring or puree (as of seafood, fruit, or vegetables) and baked until puffed up
souffle [-'flād, -,flād] -adj
- puffed up by or in cooking
sough ['sau̇, 'səf] -vi, n
- to make a moaning or sighing sound
sought ['sēk] -vb, n
(variant of seek)
- to resort to : go to
- to go in search of : look for
- to try to discover
- to ask for : request
- to try to acquire or gain : aim at
- to make an attempt : try used with to and an infinitive
- governments...seek to keep the bulk of their people contented -- D. M. Potter
- to make a search or inquiry
- to be sought
- to be lacking
- in critical judgment...they were sadly to seek -- Times Lit. Supp.
souk ['sük] -n
- a marketplace in northern Africa or the Middle East
- a stall in such a marketplace
sou·kous ['sü-,küs] -n
- popular guitar-driven dance music created in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the influence of Cuban rumba
soul ['sōl] -n
- the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life
- the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe
- god
- a person's total self
- an active or essential part
- a moving spirit : leader
- the moral and emotional nature of human beings
- the quality that arouses emotion and sentiment
- spiritual or moral force : fervor
- person
- personification
- she is the soul of integrity
- a strong positive feeling (as of intense sensitivity and emotional fervor) conveyed esp. by black American performers
- negritude
- soul music
- soul food
- soul brother
- of, relating to, or characteristic of black Americans or their culture
- designed for or controlled by blacks
soul brother -n
- a black male
souled ['sōld] -adj
- having a soul : possessing soul and feeling usu. used in combination
soul food -n
- food (as chitterlings, ham hocks, and collard greens) traditionally eaten by southern black Americans
soul·ful ['sōl-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- full of or expressing feeling or emotion
soul kiss -n
- french kiss
soul·less ['sōl-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- having no soul or no greatness or warmth of mind or feeling
soul mate -n
- a person who is perfectly suited to another in temperament
- a person who strongly resembles another in attitudes or beliefs
soul music -n
- music that originated in black American gospel singing, is closely related to rhythm and blues, and is characterized by intensity of feeling and earthiness
soul patch -n
- a small growth of beard under a man's lower lip
soulsearch·ing ['sōl-,sər-chiŋ] -n
- examination of one's conscience esp. with regard to motives and values
sound ['sau̇nd] -adj, adv, n
- free from injury or disease
- free from flaw, defect, or decay
- solid, firm
- stable
- free from error, fallacy, or misapprehension
- exhibiting or based on thorough knowledge and experience
- legally valid
- logically valid and having true premises
- agreeing with accepted views : orthodox
- thorough
- deep and undisturbed
- hard, severe
- showing good judgment or sense
- to the full extent : thoroughly
- a particular auditory impression : tone
- the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing
- mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (as air) and is the objective cause of hearing
- a speech sound
- value in terms of speech sounds
- -cher of teacher and -ture of creature have the same sound
- rumor, fame
- meaningless noise
- meaning
- the impression conveyed : import
- hearing distance : earshot
- within sound of your voice
- recorded auditory material
- a particular musical style characteristic of an individual, a group, or an area
- to cause to sound
- pronounce
- to put into words : voice
- to make known : proclaim
- to order, signal, or indicate by a sound
- to examine by causing to emit sounds
- to convey the impression of : sound like
- that sound s a logical use of resources -- Economist
- to make a sound
- resound
- to give a summons by sound
- the bugle sound s to battle
- to make or convey an impression esp. when heard
- you sound just like your mother
- a long broad inlet of the ocean generally parallel to the coast
- a long passage of water connecting two larger bodies (as a sea with the ocean) or separating a mainland and an island
- the air bladder of a fish
- to measure the depth of : fathom
- to try to find out the views or intentions of : probe often used with out
- to explore or examine (a body cavity) with a sound
- to ascertain the depth of water esp. with a sounding line
- to look into or investigate the possibility
- sent commissioners...to sound for peace -- Thomas Jefferson
- to dive down suddenly used of a fish or whale
- an elongated instrument for exploring or sounding body cavities
sound·alike ['sau̇n-də-,līk] -n, adj
- one that sounds like another
soundandlight show -n
- son et lumiere
sound barrier -n
- a sudden large increase in aerodynamic drag that occurs as the speed of an aircraft approaches the speed of sound
soundbite -adj
- containing or characterized by sound bites
sound bite -n
- a brief recorded statement (as by a public figure) broadcast esp. on a television news program
- a brief catchy comment or saying
sound·board ['sau̇n(d)-,bȯrd] -n
- a thin resonant board (as the belly of a violin) so placed in an instrument as to reinforce its tones by sympathetic vibration
- sounding board
- sound card
sound bow -n
- the thick part of a bell against which the clapper strikes
sound box -n
- a hollow chamber in a musical instrument for increasing its sonority
- a device in an early phonograph for producing sound from a record by using the vibration of a needle to move a diaphragm
sound card -n
- a circuit board in a computer system designed to produce or reproduce sound
sound effects -n pl
- effects that are imitative of sounds called for in the script of a dramatic production (as a radio show) and that enhance the production's illusion of reality
sound·er ['sau̇n-dər] -n
- one that sounds
- a device for making soundings
sound hole -n
- an opening in the top surface of a stringed instrument (as a violin) to enhance vibration and resonance
sound·ing ['sau̇n-diŋ] -adj, adv
- resonant, sonorous
- pompous
- imposing
sounding -n
- measurement of depth esp. with a sounding line
- the depth so ascertained
- a place or part of a body of water where a hand sounding line will reach bottom
- measurement of atmospheric conditions at various heights
- a probe, test, or sampling of opinion or intention
sounding board -n
- a structure behind or over a pulpit, rostrum, or platform to give distinctness and sonority to sound
- a device or agency that helps propagate opinions or utterances
- a person or group on whom one tries out an idea or opinion as a means of evaluating it
- soundboard
sounding line -n
- a line or wire weighted at one end for sounding
sounding rocket -n
- a rocket used esp. to obtain information concerning atmospheric conditions at various altitudes
sound·less ['sau̇n(d)-ləs] -adj
- incapable of being sounded : unfathomable
soundless -adj, adv
- making no sound : silent
sound·man ['sau̇n(d)-,man] -n
- a person who controls the volume and tone of sound picked up by a microphone (as in a recording studio or on a motion-picture set) for recording
sound off -vi
- to play three chords before and after marching up and down a line of troops during a ceremonial parade or formal guard mount
- to count cadence while marching
- to speak up in a loud voice
- to voice one's opinions freely and vigorously
sound pressure -n
- the difference between the actual pressure at any point in the field of a sound wave at any instant and the average pressure at that point
sound·proof ['sau̇n(d)-,prüf] -adj
- impervious to sound
soundproof -vt
- to insulate so as to obstruct the passage of sound
sound·scape ['sau̇n(d)-,skāp] -n
- a melange of musical and sometimes nonmusical sounds
sound·stage ['sau̇n(d)-,stāj] -n
- the part of a motion-picture studio in which a production is filmed
sound track -n
- a track (as on a motion-picture film or television videotape) that carries the sound record
- the sound recorded on a sound track
- the music on a sound track
sound truck -n
- a truck equipped with a loudspeaker
sound wave -n
- sound
- longitudinal pressure waves in any material medium regardless of whether they constitute audible sound
- earthquake waves and ultrasonic waves are sometimes called sound waves
soup ['süp] -n
- a liquid food esp. with a meat, fish, or vegetable stock as a base and often containing pieces of solid food
- something (as a heavy fog or nitroglycerine) having or suggesting the consistency or nutrient qualities of soup
- an unfortunate predicament
- that stunt landed her in the soup
soup·on [süp-'sōⁿ, 'süp-,sän] -n
- a little bit : trace
soup du jour [,süp-də-'zhu̇r] -n
- a soup that is offered by a restaurant on a particular day
soupedup ['süpt-'əp] -adj
- enhanced or increased in appeal, power, performance, or intensity
- elaborate, embellished
soup kitchen -n
- an establishment dispensing minimum dietary essentials (as soup and bread) to the needy
soup·spoon ['süp-,spün] -n
- a spoon with a large or rounded bowl for eating soup
soup up -vt
- to increase the power or efficiency of
soupy ['sü-pē] -adj
- having the consistency of soup
- densely foggy or cloudy
- overly sentimental
sour ['sau̇(-ə)r] -adj, adv, n
- causing or characterized by the one of the four basic taste sensations that is produced chiefly by acids
- having the acid taste or smell of or as if of fermentation : turned
- of or relating to fermentation
- smelling or tasting of decay : rancid, rotten
- bad, wrong
- hostile, disenchanted
- unpleasant, distasteful
- cross, sullen
- not up to the usual, expected, or standard quality or pitch
- acid in reaction used esp. of soil
- containing malodorous sulfur compounds used esp. of petroleum products
- something sour
- the primary taste sensation produced by acid stimuli
- a cocktail consisting of a liquor (as whiskey), lemon or lime juice, sugar, and sometimes ice
- to become sour
- to make sour
sour ball -n
- a spherical hard candy having a tart flavor
source ['sȯrs] -n, adj
- a generative force : cause
- a point of origin or procurement : beginning
- one that initiates : author
- prototype, model
- one that supplies information
- the point of origin of a stream of water : fountainhead
- spring, fount
- a firsthand document or primary reference work
- an electrode in a field-effect transistor that supplies the charge carriers for current flow
- to specify the source of (as quoted material)
- to obtain from a source
- metals sourced from abroad
- of, relating to, or being source code
source·book [-,bu̇k] -n
- a fundamental document or record (as of history, literature, art, or religion) on which subsequent writings, compositions, opinions, beliefs, or practices are based
- a collection of such documents
source code -n
- a computer program in its original programming language (as FORTRAN or C) before translation into object code usu. by a compiler
source language -n
- a language which is to be translated into another language
sour cherry -n
- a widely cultivated cherry ( Prunus cerasus) that has a round crown and bright red to almost black soft-fleshed acid fruits
- the fruit
sour cream -n
- a soured cream product produced by the action of lactobacilli
sour·dough ['sau̇(-ə)r-,dō, 1 is also -'dō] -n
- a leaven consisting of dough in which fermentation is active
- a veteran inhabitant and esp. an old-time prospector of Alaska or northwestern Canada
sour grapes -n pl
- disparagement of something that has proven unattainable
- his criticisms are just sour grapes
sour grass -n
- sorrel
sour gum -n
- black gum
sour mash -n
- grain mash for brewing or distilling whose initial acidity has been adjusted to optimum condition for yeast fermentation by mash from a previous run
sour orange -n
- a citrus tree ( Citrus aurantium) that is used esp. as a stock in grafting citrus
- its bitter fruit
sour·puss ['sau̇(-ə)r-,pu̇s] -n
- grouch, killjoy
sour·sop ['sau̇(-ə)r-,säp] -n
- a small tropical American tree ( Annona muricata) of the custard-apple family that has spicy odoriferous leaves
- its large edible fruit that has fleshy spines and a slightly acid fibrous pulp
sour·wood [-,wu̇d] -n
- a small U.S. tree ( Oxydendrum arboreum) of the heath family with white flowers and sour-tasting leaves
sous ['sü] -adj
- being an assistant used chiefly in titles
sou·sa·phone ['sü-zə-,fōn, -sə-] -n
- a large circular tuba that has a flared adjustable bell
souse ['sau̇s] -vb
- pickle
- to plunge in liquid : immerse
- drench, saturate
- to make drunk : inebriate
- to become immersed or drenched
- something pickled
- seasoned and chopped pork trimmings, fish, or shellfish
- an act of sousing : wetting
- a habitual drunkard
- a drinking spree : binge
- to swoop down : plunge
- to swoop down on
sou·tache [sü-'tash] -n
- a narrow braid with herringbone pattern used as trimming
sou·tane [sü-'tän, -'tan] -n
- cassock
sou·ter ['sü-tər] -n
- shoemaker
south ['sau̇th] -adv
- to, toward, or in the south
- into a state of decline or ruin
- causes the sluggish economy to go south -- G. F. Will
- situated toward or at the south
- coming from the south
- the direction of the south terrestrial pole : the direction to the right of one facing east
- the compass point directly opposite to north
- regions or countries lying to the south of a specified or implied point of orientation
- the southeastern part of the U.S.
- the right side of a church looking toward the altar from the nave
- the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the south or at the bottom of a diagram
- a person (as a bridge player) occupying this position in the course of a specified activity
- the declarer in bridge
- the developing nations of the world : third world
South African -n, adj
- a native or inhabitant of the Republic of South Africa
- afrikaner
south·bound ['sau̇th-,bau̇nd] -adj
- traveling or heading south
south by east
- a compass point that is one point east of due south : S1115E
south by west
- a compass point that is one point west of due south : S1115W
South Dev·on [-'de-vən] -n
- any of a breed of large red cattle of English origin formerly bred for both milk and meat but now increasingly specialized for beef production
South·down ['sau̇th-,dau̇n] -n
- any of a breed of small medium-wooled hornless sheep of English origin
south·east [sau̇th-'ēst, naut sau̇-'ēst] -adv
- to, toward, or in the southeast
southeast -n
- the general direction between south and east
- the point midway between the south and east compass points
- regions or countries lying to the southeast of a specified or implied point of orientation
- coming from the southeast
- situated toward or at the southeast
southeast by east
- a compass point that is one point east of due southeast : S5615E
southeast by south
- a compass point that is one point south of due southeast : S3345E
south·east·er [sau̇th-'ē-stər, sau̇-'ē-] -n
- a strong southeast wind
- a storm with southeast winds
south·east·er·ly [-stər-lē] -adv or adj
- from the southeast
- toward the southeast
south·east·ern [-stərn] -adj
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated southeast
- lying toward or coming from the southeast
South·east·ern·er [-stə(r)-nər] -n
- a native or inhabitant of the Southeast
- a native or resident of the southeastern part of the U.S.
south·east·ward [sau̇th-'ēs-twərd, sau̇-'ēs-] -adv or adj, adv
- toward the southeast
southeastward -n
- southeast
south·er·ly ['sə-thər-lē] -adj or adv
- situated toward or belonging to the south
- the southerly shore of the lake
- coming from the south
southerly -n
- a wind from the south
south·ern ['sə-thərn] -adj, n
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated South
- lying toward the south
- coming from the south
Southern -n
- the dialect of English spoken in most of the Chesapeake Bay area, the coastal plain and the greater part of the upland plateau in Virginia, No. Carolina, So. Carolina, and Georgia, and the Gulf states at least as far west as the valley of the Brazos in Texas and sometimes taken to include the south Midland area
Southern blot -n
- a blot consisting of a nitrocellulose or nylon sheet containing spots of DNA for identification by a suitable molecular probe
southern corn rootworm -n
- spotted cucumber beetle
Southern Cross -n
- four bright stars in the southern hemisphere that are situated as if at the extremities of a Latin cross
- the constellation of which these four stars are the brightest
Southern English -n
- the English spoken esp. by cultivated people native to or educated in the South of England
- southern
South·ern·er ['sə-thə(r)-nər] -n
- a native or inhabitant of the South
- a native or resident of the southern part of the U.S.
southern hemisphere -n
- the part of the earth that lies south of the equator
South·ern·ism ['sə-thər-,ni-zəm] -n
- an attitude or trait characteristic of the South or Southerners esp. in the U.S.
- a locution or pronunciation characteristic of the southern U.S.
southern lights -n pl
- aurora australis
south·ern·wood ['sə-thərn-,wu̇d] -n
- a shrubby fragrant European wormwood ( Artemisia abrotanum) with bitter foliage
south·ing ['sau̇-thiŋ, -thiŋ] -n
- difference in latitude to the south from the last preceding point of reckoning
- southerly progress
south·land ['sau̇th-,land, -lənd] -n
- land in the south : the south of a country
south·paw [-,pȯ] -n, adj
- left-hander
- a left-handed baseball pitcher
south pole -n
- the southernmost point of the earth
- the zenith of the heavens as viewed from the south terrestrial pole
- the pole that points toward the south
South·ron ['səth-rən] -adj
- southern
- english
Southron -n
- : southerner: as
- englishman
- a native or inhabitant of the southern U.S.
southseeking pole -n
- south pole
southsoutheast -n
- a compass point that is two points east of due south : S2230E
southsouthwest -n
- a compass point that is two points west of due south : S2230W
south·ward ['sau̇th-wərd] -adv or adj, adv
- toward the south
southward -n
- southward direction or part
south·west [sau̇th-'west, naut sau̇-'west] -adv
- to, toward, or in the southwest
southwest -n
- the general direction between south and west
- the point midway between the south and west compass points
- regions or countries lying to the southwest of a specified or implied point of orientation
- coming from the southwest
- situated toward or at the southwest
southwest by south
- a compass point that is one point south of due southwest : S3345W
southwest by west
- a compass point that is one point west of due southwest : S5615W
south·west·er [sau̇(th)-'wes-tər] -n
- a strong southwest wind
- a storm with southwest winds
south·west·er·ly [-tər-lē] -adv or adj
- from the southwest
- toward the southwest
south·west·ern [-tərn] -adj
- lying toward or coming from the southwest
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated Southwest
southwestern corn borer -n
- a pyralid moth ( Diatraea grandiosella) whose larva causes serious damage esp. to corn crops by boring in the stalks
South·west·ern·er [sau̇(th)-'wes-tə(r)-nər] -n
- a native or inhabitant of the Southwest
- a native or resident of the southwestern U.S.
south·west·ward [sau̇(th)-'wes-twərd] -adv or adj, adv
- toward the southwest
southwestward -n
- southwest
sou·ve·nir ['sü-və-,nir, ,sü-və-'] -n
- something that serves as a reminder
souvenir sheet -n
- a block or set of postage stamps or a single stamp printed on a single sheet of paper often without gum or perforations and with margins containing lettering or design that identifies some notable event being commemorated
sou·vla·ki [süv-'lä-kē] -n
- shish kebab
sou'·west·er [sau̇-'wes-tər] -n
- a long oilskin coat worn esp. at sea during stormy weather
- a waterproof hat with wide slanting brim longer in back than in front
sov·er·eign ['sä-v(ə-)rən, -vərn also 'sə-] -n
- one possessing or held to possess sovereignty
- one that exercises supreme authority within a limited sphere
- an acknowledged leader : arbiter
- any of various gold coins of the United Kingdom
sovereign -adj, adv
- superlative in quality : excellent
- of the most exalted kind : supreme
- having generalized curative powers
- of an unqualified nature : unmitigated
- having undisputed ascendancy : paramount
- possessed of supreme power
- unlimited in extent : absolute
- enjoying autonomy : independent
- relating to, characteristic of, or befitting a sovereign
sov·er·eign·ty [-tē] -n
- supreme excellence or an example of it
- supreme power esp. over a body politic
- freedom from external control : autonomy
- controlling influence
- one that is sovereign
- an autonomous state
so·vi·et ['sō-vē-,et, 'sä-, -vē-ət] -n, adj
- an elected governmental council in a Communist country
- bolsheviks
- the people and esp. the political and military leaders of the U.S.S.R.
so·vi·et·ize ['sō-vē-,e-,tīz, 'sä-, -vē-ə-] -vt, n
- to bring under Soviet control
- to force into conformity with Soviet cultural patterns or governmental policies
So·vi·et·ol·o·gist [,sō-vē-,e-'tä-lə-jist, ,sä-, -vē-ə-] -n
- a specialist in the policies and practices of the Soviet government : kremlinologist
sov·khoz [säf-'kȯz, -'kȯs] -n
- a state-owned farm of the U.S.S.R. paying wages to the workers
sow ['sau̇] -n
- an adult female swine
- the adult female of various other animals (as a bear)
- a channel that conducts molten metal to molds
- a mass of metal solidified in such a mold : ingot
- to plant seed for growth esp. by scattering
- to set something in motion : begin an enterprise
- to scatter (as seed) upon the earth for growth
- plant
- to strew with or as if with seed
- to introduce into a selected environment : implant
- to set in motion : foment
- to spread abroad : disperse
sow·bel·ly ['sau̇-,be-lē] -n
- fat salt pork or bacon
sow bug ['sau̇-] -n
- wood louse
- a wood louse capable of curling itself into a ball
sow·ens ['sü-ənz, 'sō-] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- porridge from oat husks and siftings
sow thistle ['sau̇-] -n
- any of a genus ( Sonchus) of spiny weedy Eurasian and African composite herbs including some (as S. arvensisand S. oleraceus) widely naturalized in No. America
sox ['säk] -n, adj
(variant of sock)
- a low shoe or slipper
- a knitted or woven covering for the foot usu. worn under shoes and extending above the ankle and sometimes to the knee
- a shoe worn by actors in Greek and Roman comedy
- comic drama
- to hit, strike, or apply forcefully
- an area sock ed by a blizzard
- to deliver a blow : hit
- a vigorous or violent blow
- punch
SOx -symbol
- sulfur oxide
soy ['sȯi] -n
- a brown liquid sauce made by subjecting beans (as soybeans) to long fermentation and to digestion in brine
- soybean
soy·bean ['sȯi-,bēn] -n
- a hairy annual Asian legume ( Glycine max) widely grown for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds and for forage and soil improvement
- its seed
soybean oil -n
- a pale yellow drying or semidrying oil that is obtained from soybeans and is used chiefly as a food, in paints, varnishes, linoleum, printing ink, and soap, and as a source of phospholipids, fatty acids, and sterols called also soya oil
soz·zled ['sä-zəld] -adj
- drunk, intoxicated