Se -symbol

  1. selenium

SE -abbr

  1. self-explanatory
  2. southeast
  3. special edition
  4. Standard English
  5. stock exchange
  6. straight edge

sea ['sē] -n, adj

  1. a great body of salt water that covers much of the earth
  2. the waters of the earth as distinguished from the land and air
  3. a body of salt water of second rank more or less landlocked
    • the Mediterranean sea
  4. ocean
  5. an inland body of water used esp. for names of such bodies
    • the Caspian Sea
  6. surface motion on a large body of water or its direction
  7. a large swell or wave often used in pl.
    • heavy sea s
  8. the disturbance of the ocean or other body of water due to the wind
  9. something likened to the sea esp. in vastness
    • a sea of faces
  10. the seafaring life
  11. mare

sea anchor -n

  1. a drag typically of canvas thrown overboard to retard the drifting of a ship or seaplane and to keep its head to the wind

sea anemone -n

  1. any of numerous usu. solitary anthozoan polyps (order Actiniaria) whose form, bright and varied colors, and cluster of tentacles superficially resemble a flower

sea·bag ['sē-,bag] -n

  1. a cylindrical canvas bag used esp. by a sailor for clothes and other gear

sea bass -n

  1. any of numerous marine bony fishes (family Serranidae) that are usu. smaller and more active than the groupers
  2. a food and sport fish ( Centropristis striata) of the Atlantic coast of the U.S.
  3. any of numerous croakers or drums including noted sport and food fishes

sea·bed [-,bed] -n

  1. the floor of a sea or ocean

Sea·bee ['sē-(,)bē] -n

  1. a member of one of the U.S. Navy construction battalions for building naval shore facilities in combat zones

sea·bird ['sē-,bərd] -n

  1. a bird (as a gull or an albatross) frequenting the open ocean

sea biscuit -n

  1. hardtack

sea·board ['sē-,bȯrd] -n, adj

  1. seacoast
  2. the country bordering a seacoast

sea·boot [-,büt] -n

  1. a very high waterproof boot used esp. by sailors and fishermen

sea·borg·i·um [sē-'bȯr-gē-əm] -n

  1. a short-lived radioactive element that is produced artificially

sea·borne [-,bȯrn] -adj

  1. borne over or on the sea
    • a seaborne invasion
  2. carried on by oversea shipping
    • seaborne trade

sea bream -n

  1. bream

sea breeze -n

  1. a cooling breeze blowing generally in the daytime inland from the sea

sea captain -n

  1. the master esp. of a merchant vessel

sea change -n

  1. a change brought about by the sea
  2. a marked change : transformation
    • a sea change in public policy

sea chest -n

  1. a sailor's storage chest for personal property

sea·coast ['sē-,kōst] -n

  1. the shore or border of the land adjacent to the sea

sea cow -n

  1. sirenian

sea·craft ['sē-,kraft] -n

  1. seagoing ships
  2. skill in navigation

sea crayfish -n

  1. spiny lobster

sea cucumber -n

  1. any of a class (Holothurioidea) of echinoderms having a tough muscular elongate body with tentacles surrounding the mouth called also holothurian

sea devil -n

  1. manta ray

sea dog -n

  1. a veteran sailor

sea duck -n

  1. a diving duck (as a scoter, merganser, or eider) that frequents the sea

sea duty -n

  1. duty in the U.S. Navy performed with a deployable unit (as a ship or aircraft squadron)

sea eagle -n

  1. any of various fish-eating eagles (esp. genus Haliaeetus)

Sea Explorer -n

  1. an Explorer in a scouting program that teaches seamanship

sea fan -n

  1. any of various gorgonians (esp. genus Gorgonia) with a fan-shaped skeleton
  2. either of two ( Gorgonia ventalinaand G. flabellum) of Florida and the West Indies

sea·far·er ['sē-,fer-ər] -n

  1. mariner

sea·far·ing [-,fer-iŋ] -n, adj

  1. the use of the sea for travel or transportation

sea fire -n

  1. marine bioluminescence

sea·floor ['sē-,flȯr] -n

  1. seabed

seafloor spreading -n

  1. the divergence at mid-ocean ridges of the tectonic plates underlying the oceans that is due to upwelling from the earth's interior of magma which solidifies and adds to the spreading plates

sea·food [-,füd] -n

  1. edible marine fish and shellfish

sea·fowl [-,fau̇(-ə)l] -n

  1. seabird

sea·front [-,frənt] -n

  1. the waterfront of a seaside place

sea·girt ['sē-,gərt] -adj

  1. surrounded by the sea

sea·go·ing [-,gō-iŋ, -,gȯ(-)iŋ] -adj

  1. oceangoing

sea grape -n

  1. a tree ( Coccoloba uvifera) of the buckwheat family that inhabits sandy shores from Florida to So. America, has rounded leaves, and bears clusters of purple to whitish edible berries

sea grass -n

  1. any of various grasslike plants that inhabit coastal areas
  2. eelgrass

sea green -n

  1. a moderate green or bluish green
  2. a moderate yellow green

sea·gull ['sē-,gəl] -n

  1. a gull frequenting the sea
  2. gull

sea hare -n

  1. any of various large opisthobranch mollusks (esp. genus Aplysia) that have an arched back and two anterior tentacles and have the shell much reduced or missing

sea holly -n

  1. a European coastal herb ( Eryngium maritimum) of the carrot family with spiny leaves and pale blue flowers

sea horse -n

  1. walrus
  2. a mythical creature half horse and half fish
  3. any of a genus ( Hippocampusof the family Syngnathidae) of small bony fishes that have the head angled downward toward the body which is carried vertically and are equipped with a prehensile tail

sea island cotton -n

  1. a cotton ( Gossypium barbadense) with esp. long silky fiber called also sea island

sea kale -n

  1. a succulent Eurasian perennial herb ( Crambe maritima) of the mustard family used as a potherb

sea king -n

  1. a Norse pirate chief

seal ['sēl] -n

  1. any of numerous carnivorous marine mammals (families Phocidae and Otariidae) that live chiefly in cold regions and have limbs modified into webbed flippers adapted primarily to swimming
  2. a fur seal or hair seal as opposed to a sea lion
  3. the pelt of a fur seal
  4. leather made from the skin of a seal
  5. a dark brown
  6. to hunt seals
  7. something that confirms, ratifies, or makes secure : guarantee, assurance
  8. a device with a cut or raised emblem, symbol, or word used esp. to certify a signature or authenticate a document
  9. a medallion or ring face bearing such a device incised so that it can be impressed on wax or moist clay
  10. a piece of wax or a wafer bearing such an impression
  11. an impression, device, or mark given the effect of a common-law seal by statute law or by American local custom recognized by judicial decision
  12. a usu. ornamental adhesive stamp that may be used to close a letter or package
  13. one given in a fund-raising campaign
  14. something that secures (as a wax seal on a document)
  15. a closure that must be broken to be opened and that thus reveals tampering
  16. a tight and perfect closure (as against the passage of gas or water)
  17. a device to prevent the passage or return of gas or air into a pipe or container
  18. a seal that is a symbol or mark of office
  19. to confirm or make secure by or as if by a seal
    • seal the deal
  20. to solemnize for eternity (as a marriage) by a Mormon rite
  21. to set or affix an authenticating seal to
  22. authenticate, ratify
  23. to mark with a stamp or seal usu. as an evidence of standard exactness, legal size, weight, or capacity, or merchantable quality
  24. to fasten with or as if with a seal to prevent tampering
  25. to close or make secure against access, leakage, or passage by a fastening or coating
  26. to fix in position or close breaks in with a filling (as of plaster)
  27. to determine irrevocably or indisputably
    • that answer seal ed our fate

SEAL -abbr

  1. sea, air, land (team)

sea lamprey -n

  1. a large anadromous lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus) that has a mottled upper surface, is an ectoparasite of fish, and is sometimes used as food

sealane ['sē-,lān] -n

  1. an established sea route

seal·ant ['sē-lənt] -n

  1. a sealing agent
    • a radiator sealant
  2. a plastic material applied to parts of teeth with imperfections (as pits and fissures) to prevent dental decay

sea lavender -n

  1. any of a genus ( Limonium) of chiefly perennial herbs of the plumbago family with small flowers and basal leaves

sea lawyer -n

  1. an argumentative captious sailor

sealedbeam ['sēl(d)-'bēm] -adj

  1. being an electric lamp with a prefocused reflector and lens sealed in the lamp vacuum

sea legs -n pl

  1. bodily adjustment to the motion of a ship indicated esp. by ability to walk steadily and by freedom from seasickness

seal·er ['sē-lər] -n

  1. an official who attests or certifies conformity to a standard of correctness
  2. a coat (as of size) applied to prevent subsequent coats of paint or varnish from sinking in

sealer -n

  1. a person or a ship engaged in hunting seals

sea lettuce -n

  1. any of a genus ( Ulva) of marine green algae with broad fronds sometimes eaten as salad or used in soups

sea level -n

  1. the level of the surface of the sea esp. at its mean position midway between mean high and low water

sea·lift ['sē-,lift] -n, vt

  1. transport of military personnel and esp. equipment by ship

sea lily -n

  1. crinoid
  2. a stalked crinoid

sealing wax -n

  1. a resinous composition that is plastic when warm and is used for sealing (as letters, dry cells, or cans)

sea lion -n

  1. any of several Pacific eared seals (as genera Eumetopiasand Zalophus) that are usu. larger than the related fur seals and lack a thick underfur

seal off -vt

  1. to close tightly

seal point -n

  1. a coat color of cats characterized by a cream or fawn body with dark brown points
  2. a Siamese cat with such coloring

seal ring -n

  1. a finger ring engraved with a seal : signet ring

seal·skin ['sēl-,skin] -n, adj

  1. the fur or pelt of a fur seal
  2. a garment (as a jacket, coat, or cape) of sealskin

Sea·ly·ham terrier ['sē-lē-,ham-, esp Brit -lē-əm-] -n

  1. any of a breed of short-legged long-headed terriers developed in Wales with a usu. white wiry outer coat and soft dense undercoat

seam ['sēm] -n, adj

  1. the joining of two pieces (as of cloth or leather) by sewing usu. near the edge
  2. the stitching used in such a joining
  3. the space between adjacent planks or strakes of a ship
  4. a line, groove, or ridge formed by the abutment of edges
  5. a thin layer or stratum (as of rock) between distinctive layers
  6. a bed of valuable mineral and esp. coal irrespective of thickness
  7. a line left by a cut or wound
  8. wrinkle
  9. a weak or vulnerable area or gap
    • found a seam in the zone defense
  10. to join by sewing
  11. to join as if by sewing (as by welding, riveting, or heat-sealing)
  12. to mark with lines suggesting seams
  13. to become fissured or ridgy

seamaid ['sē-,mād] -n

  1. mermaid
  2. a goddess or nymph of the sea

sea·man ['sē-mən] -n

  1. sailor, mariner
  2. any of the three ranks below petty officer in the navy or coast guard
  3. an enlisted man in the navy or coast guard ranking above a seaman apprentice and below a petty officer

seaman apprentice -n

  1. an enlisted man in the navy or coast guard ranking above a seaman recruit and below a seaman

sea·man·like ['sē-mən-,līk] -adj

  1. characteristic of or befitting a competent seaman

sea·man·ly [-lē] -adj

  1. seamanlike

seaman recruit -n

  1. an enlisted man of the lowest rank in the navy or coast guard

sea·man·ship ['sē-mən-,ship] -n

  1. the art or skill of handling, working, and navigating a ship

sea·mark [-,märk] -n

  1. a line on a coast marking the tidal limit
  2. an elevated object serving as a beacon to mariners

sea mew -n

  1. seagull
  2. a common gull ( Larus canus) of Eurasia and northwestern No. America

sea mile -n

  1. nautical mile

seam·less ['sēm-ləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. having no seams
  2. having no awkward transitions, interruptions, or indications of disparity
    • a seamless fusion of beauty and intelligence -- Jack Kroll et al.
  3. perfect, flawless
    • a seamless performance

sea monkey -n

  1. a brine shrimp ( Artemia salina) that hatches from dormant encysted eggs and is sometimes raised in aquariums

sea·mount ['sē-,mau̇nt] -n

  1. a submarine mountain rising above the deep-sea floor

sea mouse -n

  1. any of various large broad marine polychaete worms (esp. genus Aphrodite) covered with hairlike setae

seam·ster ['sēm(p)-stər also 'sem(p)-] -n

  1. a person employed at sewing
  2. tailor

seam·stress [-strəs] -n

  1. a woman whose occupation is sewing

seamy ['sē-mē] -adj, n

  1. having the rough side of the seam showing
  2. unpleasant
  3. degraded, sordid
    • the seamy side of urban life

se·ance ['sā-,än(t)s, -,äⁿs, sā-'] -n

  1. session, sitting
  2. a spiritualist meeting to receive spirit communications

sea nettle -n

  1. a stinging jellyfish
  2. one ( Chrysaora quinquecirrha) occurring esp. in Atlantic estuaries from Cape Cod to the West Indies

sea oats -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. a tall grass ( Uniola paniculata) that has panicles resembling those of the oat, grows chiefly on the coast of the southern U.S., and is useful as a sand binder
  2. a related plant ( Chasmanthium latifoliumsyn. U. latifolia) chiefly of the eastern U.S.

sea onion -n

  1. squill

sea otter -n

  1. a rare marine otter ( Enhydra lutris) of the northern Pacific coasts that may attain a length of six feet (two meters), is chiefly brown but with lighter coloration on the back of the head and neck, and feeds largely on shellfish

sea pen -n

  1. any of numerous anthozoans (order Pennatulacea) growing in colonies with a feathery form

sea·piece ['sē-,pēs] -n

  1. seascape

sea pink -n

  1. thrift
  2. any of several No. American herbs (genus Sabatia,esp. S. stellaris) of the gentian family with usu. pink or white flowers

sea·plane [-,plān] -n

  1. an airplane designed to take off from and land on the water

sea·port ['sē-,pȯrt] -n

  1. a port, harbor, or town accessible to seagoing ships

sea power -n

  1. a nation having formidable naval strength
  2. naval strength

sea puss [-,pu̇s] -n

  1. a swirling or along shore undertow

sea·quake ['sē-,kwāk] -n

  1. a submarine earthquake

sear ['sir] -adj

(variant of sere)

  1. being dried and withered
  2. threadbare
  3. a series of ecological communities formed in ecological succession

search ['sərch] -vb, adj, n, adv

  1. : to look into or over carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something: as
  2. to examine in seeking something
    • search ed the north field
  3. to look through or explore by inspecting possible places of concealment or investigating suspicious circumstances
  4. to read thoroughly : check
  5. to examine a public record or register for information about
    • search land titles
  6. to examine for articles concealed on the person
  7. to look at as if to discover or penetrate intention or nature
  8. to uncover, find, or come to know by inquiry or scrutiny usu. used with out
  9. to look or inquire carefully
    • search ed for the papers
  10. to make painstaking investigation or examination
  11. an act of searching
    • a search for food
    • go in search of help
  12. an act of boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas in exercise of right of search
  13. a party that searches
  14. power or range of penetrating
  15. a penetrating effect

search engine -n

  1. computer software used to search data (as text or a database) for specified information
  2. a site on the World Wide Web that uses such software to locate key words in other sites

search·light [-,līt] -n

  1. an apparatus for projecting a powerful beam of light
  2. a beam of light projected by it

search warrant -n

  1. a warrant authorizing a search (as of a house) for stolen goods or unlawful possessions

sear·ing ['sir-iŋ] -adj, adv

  1. very hot
  2. marked by extreme intensity, harshness, or emotional power
    • searing pain
    • a searing review
    • a searing portrayal

sea robin -n

  1. any of a family (Triglidae) of marine bony fishes typically having a spiny armored head and the bottom three rays of the pectoral fin on each side free of membrane and elongated for use as feelers or in crawling called also gurnard

sea room -n

  1. room for maneuver at sea

sea rover -n

  1. one that roves the sea
  2. pirate

searun ['sē-'rən] -adj

  1. anadromous
    • a searun salmon

sea scallop -n

  1. a large deep-water scallop ( Placopecten magellanicus) of the Atlantic coast of No. America that is harvested commercially for food

sea·scape ['sē-,skāp] -n

  1. a view of the sea
  2. a picture representing a scene at sea

sea scorpion -n

  1. sculpin
  2. eurypterid

Sea Scout -n

  1. sea explorer

sea serpent -n

  1. a large marine animal resembling a serpent often reported to have been seen but never proved to exist

sea·shell ['sē-,shel] -n

  1. the shell of a marine animal and esp. a mollusk

sea·shore [-,shȯr] -n

  1. land adjacent to the sea : seacoast
  2. national seashore
  3. all the ground between the ordinary high-water and low-water marks : foreshore

sea·sick [-,sik] -adj

  1. affected with or suggestive of seasickness

sea·sick·ness [-nəs] -n

  1. motion sickness experienced on the water

sea·side ['sē-,sīd] -n, adj

  1. the district or land bordering the sea : country adjacent to the sea : seashore

sea slug -n

  1. sea cucumber
  2. a naked marine gastropod
  3. nudibranch

sea snake -n

  1. sea serpent
  2. any of numerous venomous aquatic chiefly viviparous elapid snakes of warm seas

sea·son ['sē-zᵊn] -n

  1. a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature
    • in a season of religious awakening -- F. A. Christie
  2. a suitable or natural time or occasion
    • when my season comes to sit on David's throne -- John Milton
  3. an indefinite period of time : while
    • sent home again to her father for a season -- Francis Hackett
  4. : a period of the year characterized by or associated with a particular activity or phenomenon
    • hay fever season
    : as
  5. a period associated with some phase or activity of agriculture (as growth or harvesting)
  6. a period in which an animal engages in some activity (as migrating or mating)
  7. estrus, heat
  8. the period normally characterized by a particular kind of weather
    • a long rainy season
  9. a period marked by special activity esp. in some field
    • tourist season
    • hunting season
  10. a period in which a place is most frequented
  11. one of the four quarters into which the year is commonly divided
  12. the time of a major holiday
  13. year
    • a boy of seven season s
  14. seasoning
  15. the schedule of official games played or to be played by a sports team during a playing season
    • got through the season undefeated
  16. off-season
    • closed for the season

season ['sēz-niŋ, 'sē-zᵊn-iŋ] -vb

  1. to give (food) more flavor or zest by adding seasoning or savory ingredients
  2. to give a distinctive quality to as if by seasoning
  3. to make more agreeable
    • advice season ed with wit
  4. to qualify by admixture : temper
  5. to treat (as wood or a skillet) so as to prepare for use
  6. to make fit by experience
    • a season ed veteran
  7. to become seasoned

sea·son·able ['sēz-nə-bəl, 'sē-zᵊn-ə-bəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. suitable to the season or circumstances : timely
    • a seasonable frost
  2. occurring in good or proper time : opportune
    • a seasonable time for discussion

sea·son·al ['sēz-nəl, 'sē-zᵊn-əl] -adj, n, adv

  1. of, relating to, or varying in occurrence according to the season
    • seasonal storms
  2. affected or caused by seasonal need or availability
    • seasonal industries

seasonal affective disorder -n

  1. depression that tends to recur as the days grow shorter during the fall and winter abbr. SAD

sea·son·er ['sēz-nər, 'sē-zᵊn-ər] -n

  1. : one that seasons: as
  2. a user of seasonings
    • a heavy seasoner
  3. seasoning

seasoning -n

  1. something that serves to season
  2. an ingredient (as a condiment, spice, or herb) added to food primarily for the savor that it imparts

sea·son·less ['sē-zᵊn-ləs] -adj

  1. exhibiting no seasonal changes
  2. not restricted to a particular season
  3. suitable for wearing in any season
    • seasonless fabrics

season ticket -n

  1. a ticket (as to all of a club's home games or for specified daily transportation) valid during a specified time

sea spider -n

  1. any of various small long-legged marine arthropods (class Pycnogonida) that superficially resemble spiders

sea squirt -n

  1. ascidian

sea star -n

  1. starfish

sea stores -n pl

  1. supplies (as of foodstuffs) laid in before starting on a sea voyage

sea·strand ['sē-,strand] -n

  1. seashore

seat ['sēt] -n

  1. a special chair of one in eminence
  2. the status represented by it
  3. a chair, stool, or bench intended to be sat in or on
  4. the particular part of something on which one rests in sitting
    • the seat of a chair
    • trouser seat
  5. buttocks
  6. a seating accommodation
    • a seat for the game
    • a 200- seat restaurant
  7. a right of sitting
    • lost his seat in Congress
  8. membership on an exchange
  9. a place where something specified is prevalent : center
    • a seat of learning
  10. a place from which authority is exercised
    • the county seat
  11. a bodily part in which some function or condition is centered
    • the brain as the seat of the mind
  12. posture in or way of sitting on horseback
  13. a part at or forming the base of something
  14. a part (as a socket) or surface on or in which another part or surface rests
  15. to install in a seat of dignity or office
  16. to cause to sit or assist in finding a seat
  17. to provide seats for
    • a theater seat ing 1000 persons
  18. to put in a sitting position
  19. to repair the seat of or provide a new seat for
  20. to fit to or with a seat
    • seat a valve
  21. to take one's seat or place
  22. to fit correctly on a seat

seat belt -n

  1. an arrangement of straps designed to hold a person steady in a seat (as in an airplane or automobile)

seat·er ['sē-tər] -n

  1. one that seats
  2. one that has a specified number of seats used in combination
    • a 2- seater jet

seat·ing ['sē-tiŋ] -n

  1. material for covering or upholstering seats
  2. a seat on or in which something rests
    • a valve seating
  3. the act of providing with seats

seat·mate ['sēt-,māt] -n

  1. one with whom one shares a seat (as in a vehicle with double or paired seats)

SEATO -abbr

  1. Southeast Asia Treaty Organization

seatofthepants -adj

  1. employing or based on personal experience, judgment, and effort rather than technological aids or formal theory
    • seatofthepants navigation
    • a seatofthepants decision

sea·train ['sē-,trān] -n

  1. a seagoing ship equipped for carrying a train of railroad cars

sea trout -n

  1. any of various trouts or chars that as adults inhabit the sea but ascend rivers to spawn
  2. : any of various marine fishes resembling trouts: as
  3. weakfish
  4. spotted sea trout

sea turtle -n

  1. any of two families (Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae) of widely distributed marine turtles that have the feet modified into paddles and that include the green turtle, leatherback, hawksbill, loggerhead, and ridley

sea urchin -n

  1. any of numerous echinoderms (class Echinoidea) that are usu. enclosed in thin brittle globular tests covered with movable spines

sea·wall ['sē-,wȯl] -n

  1. a wall or embankment to protect the shore from erosion or to act as a breakwater

sea·ward ['sē-wərd] -n

  1. the direction or side away from land and toward the open sea

seaward [-wərdz] -adv

  1. toward the sea
  2. directed or situated toward the sea
  3. coming from the sea
    • a seaward wind

sea wasp -n

  1. any of various cube-shaped scyphozoan jellyfishes (order or suborder Cubomedusae) that sting virulently and sometimes fatally called also box jellyfish

sea·wa·ter ['sē-,wȯ-tər, -,wä-] -n

  1. water in or from the sea

sea·way [-,wā] -n

  1. the sea as a route for travel
  2. an ocean traffic lane
  3. a moderate or rough sea
  4. a deep inland waterway that admits ocean shipping

sea·weed [-,wēd] -n

  1. a mass or growth of marine plants
  2. a plant growing in the sea
  3. a marine alga (as a kelp)

sea whip -n

  1. any of various gorgonian corals with elongated flexible unbranched or little-branched whiplike colonies

sea·wor·thy ['sē-,wər-thē] -adj, n

  1. fit or safe for a sea voyage
    • a seaworthy ship

sea wrack -n

  1. seaweed
  2. seaweed cast ashore in masses

se·ba·ceous [si-'bā-shəs] -adj

  1. secreting sebum
    • sebaceous glands
  2. of, relating to, or being fatty material : fatty
    • a sebaceous exudate

se·ba·cic acid [si-'ba-sik-, ,sē-, -'bā-] -n

  1. a crystalline dicarboxylic acid C 10H 18O 4used esp. in the manufacture of synthetic resins

seb·or·rhea [,se-bə-'rē-ə] -n, adj

  1. abnormally increased secretion and discharge of sebum

se·bum ['sē-bəm] -n

  1. fatty lubricant matter secreted by sebaceous glands of the skin

sec ['sek] -adj

  1. moderately dry
  2. secant
  3. second; secondary
  4. secretary
  5. section

SEC -abbr

  1. Securities and Exchange Commission

se·cant ['sē-,kant, -kənt] -n

  1. a straight line cutting a curve at two or more points
  2. a straight line drawn from the center of a circle through one end of a circular arc to a tangent drawn from the other end of the arc
  3. a trigonometric function that for an acute angle is the ratio of the hypotenuse of a right triangle of which the angle is considered part and the leg adjacent to the angle
  4. a trigonometric function sec that is the reciprocal of the cosine for all real numbers for which the cosine is not zero and that is exactly equal to the secant of an angle of measure in radians

sec·a·teur [,se-kə-'tər, 'se-kə-,] -n

  1. pruning shears usu. used in pl.

sec·co ['se-(,)kō] -n

  1. the art of painting on dry plaster

secco -adj or adv

  1. short and very staccato used as a direction in music
  2. accompanied only by the instruments playing the continuo

se·cede [si-'sēd] -vi, n

  1. to withdraw from an organization (as a religious communion or political party or federation)

se·cern [si-'sərn] -vt

  1. to discriminate in thought : distinguish

se·ces·sion [si-'se-shən] -n

  1. withdrawal into privacy or solitude : retirement
  2. formal withdrawal from an organization

se·ces·sion·ist [-'se-sh(ə-)nist] -n, adj

  1. one who joins in a secession or maintains that secession is a right

Seck·el ['se-kəl, 'si-] -n

  1. a small pear with sweet very flavorful firm flesh and yellowish-green skin with a red blush

se·clude [si-'klüd] -vt

  1. to exclude from a privilege, rank, or dignity : debar
  2. to remove or separate from intercourse or outside influence : isolate
  3. shut off, screen

secluded -adj, adv, n

  1. screened or hidden from view : sequestered
    • a secluded valley
  2. living in seclusion : solitary
    • secluded monks

se·clu·sion [si-'klü-zhən] -n, adj, adv

  1. the act of secluding : the condition of being secluded
  2. a secluded or isolated place

seco·bar·bi·tal [,se-kō-'bär-bə-,tȯl] -n

  1. a barbiturate C 12H 18N 2O 3that is used chiefly in the form of its bitter hygroscopic sodium salt as a hypnotic and sedative

Sec·o·nal ['se-kə-,nȯl, -,nal, -nᵊl] -trademark

  1. used for a preparation of secobarbital

sec·ond ['se-kənd also -kənt, esp before a consonant -kən, -kᵊŋ] -adj, adv

  1. next to the first in place or time
    • was second in line
  2. next to the first in value, excellence, or degree
    • his second choice of schools
  3. inferior, subordinate
    • was second to none
  4. ranking next below the top of a grade or degree in authority or precedence
    • second mate
  5. alternate, other
    • elects a mayor every second year
  6. resembling or suggesting a prototype : another
    • a second Thoreau
  7. being the forward gear or speed next higher than first in a motor vehicle
  8. relating to or having a part typically subordinate to and lower in pitch than the first part in concerted or ensemble music

second -n

  1. one that is next after the first in rank, position, authority, or precedence
    • the second in line
  2. one that assists or supports another
  3. the assistant of a duelist or boxer
  4. the musical interval embracing two diatonic degrees
  5. a tone at this interval
  6. supertonic
  7. the harmonic combination of two tones a second apart
  8. merchandise that is usu. slightly flawed and does not meet the manufacturer's standard for firsts or irregulars
  9. an article of such merchandise
  10. the act or declaration by which a parliamentary motion is seconded
  11. a place next below the first in a competition, examination, or contest
  12. second base
  13. the second forward gear or speed of a motor vehicle
  14. a second helping of food
  15. the 60th part of a minute of angular measure
  16. the 60th part of a minute of time : 1/86,400 part of the mean solar day
  17. the base unit of time in the International System of Units that is equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium-133 atom
  18. an instant of time : moment
  19. to give support or encouragement to : assist
  20. to support (a fighting person or group) in combat : bring up reinforcements for
  21. to support or assist in contention or debate
  22. to endorse (a motion or a nomination) so that debate or voting may begin
  23. to release (as a military officer) from a regularly assigned position for temporary duty with another unit or organization

sec·ond·ary ['se-kən-,der-ē] -adj, adv, n

  1. of second rank, importance, or value
  2. of, relating to, or constituting the second strongest of the three or four degrees of stress recognized by most linguists
    • the fourth syllable of basketball team carries secondary stress
  3. expressive of past time
  4. immediately derived from something original, primary, or basic
  5. of, relating to, or being the induced current or its circuit in an induction coil or transformer
    • secondary voltage
  6. characterized by or resulting from the substitution of two atoms or groups in a molecule
    • a secondary salt
  7. being, characterized by, or attached to a carbon atom having bonds to two other carbon atoms
  8. not first in order of occurrence or development
  9. dependent or consequent on another disease or condition
    • secondary hypertension
  10. produced by activity of formative tissue and esp. cambium other than that at a growing point
    • secondary growth
    • secondary phloem
  11. of, relating to, or being the second order or stage in a series
  12. of, relating to, or being the second segment of the wing of a bird or the quills of this segment
  13. of or relating to a secondary school
    • secondary education

secondary -n

  1. one occupying a subordinate or auxiliary position rather than that of a principal
  2. a defensive football backfield
  3. the coil through which the secondary current passes in an induction coil or transformer called also secondary coil
  4. any of the quill feathers of the forearm of a bird

secondary care -n

  1. medical care provided by a specialist or facility upon referral by a primary care physician

secondary cell -n

  1. storage battery

secondary color -n

  1. a color formed by mixing two primary colors in equal or equivalent quantities

secondary emission -n

  1. the emission of electrons from a surface that is bombarded by particles (as electrons or ions) from a primary source

secondary radiation -n

  1. radiation emitted by molecules or atoms after bombardment by a primary radiation

secondary road -n

  1. a road not of primary importance
  2. a feeder road

secondary root -n

  1. one of the branches of a primary root

secondary school -n

  1. a school intermediate between elementary school and college and usu. offering general, technical, vocational, or college-preparatory courses

secondary sex characteristic -n

  1. a physical characteristic (as the breasts of a female mammal or the breeding plumage of a male bird) that appears in members of one sex at puberty or in seasonal breeders at the breeding season and is not directly concerned with reproduction called also secondary sexual characteristic

secondary syphilis -n

  1. the second stage of syphilis that appears from 2 to 6 months after primary infection, that is marked by lesions esp. in the skin but also in organs and tissues, and that lasts from 3 to 12 weeks

second banana -n

  1. a comedian who plays a supporting role to a top banana
  2. a person in a subservient position

second base -n

  1. the base that must be touched second by a base runner in baseball
  2. the player position for defending the area on the first-base side of second base

sec·ondbest [,se-kən(d)-'best, -kᵊŋ-] -adj

  1. next to the best

second best -n

  1. one that is below or after the best
  2. in second place

second blessing -n

  1. sanctification as a second gift of the Holy Spirit that follows an initial experience of conversion

second childhood -n

  1. dotage

secondclass -adj

  1. of or relating to a second class
  2. mediocre
  3. socially, politically, or economically deprived

second class -n

  1. the second and usu. next to highest group in a classification
  2. cabin class
  3. a class of U.S. or Canadian mail comprising periodicals sent to regular subscribers

Second Coming -n

  1. the coming of Christ as judge on the last day

second cousin -n

  1. the child of one's parent's first cousin

seconddegree burn -n

  1. a burn marked by pain, blistering, and superficial destruction of dermis with edema and hyperemia of the tissues beneath the burn

Second Empire -adj

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a style (as of furniture) developed in France under Napoleon III and marked by heavy ornate modification of Empire styles

second estate -n

  1. the second of the traditional political classes
  2. nobility

second fiddle -n

  1. one that plays a supporting or subservient role

second growth -n

  1. forest trees that come up naturally after removal of the first growth by cutting or by fire

sec·ondguess [,se-kᵊŋ-'ges, -kən(d)-] -vt, n

  1. to criticize or question actions or decisions of (someone) often after the results of those actions or decisions are known
    • meet almost every morning and, over coffee, secondguess the local coach -- Bruce Newman
  2. to engage in such criticism of (an action or decision)
    • secondguess the general's strategy
  3. to seek to anticipate or predict
    • lived royally by his ability to secondguess the stock market -- Time

sec·ond·hand ['se-kən(d)-'hand] -adj

  1. received from or through an intermediary : borrowed
  2. derivative
    • secondhand ideas
  3. acquired after being used by another : not new
    • secondhand books
  4. dealing in secondhand merchandise
    • a secondhand bookstore

secondhand -adv

  1. at second hand : indirectly
    • heard about it secondhand
  2. as a secondhand item
    • bought the couch secondhand

second hand [,se-kən(d)-'hand] -n

  1. an intermediate person or means : intermediary usu. used in the phrase at second hand
  2. the hand marking seconds on a timepiece

secondhand smoke -n

  1. tobacco smoke that is exhaled by smokers or is given off by burning tobacco and is inhaled by persons nearby

second lieutenant -n

  1. a commissioned officer of the lowest rank in the army, air force, or marine corps

sec·ondline ['se-kᵊn(d)-'līn] -adj

  1. not being the usual or preferred choice
    • secondline drugs to treat tuberculosis

second mortgage -n

  1. a mortgage the lien of which is subordinate to that of a first mortgage

second nature -n

  1. an acquired deeply ingrained habit or skill
    • after a while, using the gearshift becomes second nature

se·con·do [si-'kōn-(,)dō, -'kän-] -n

  1. the second part in a concerted piece
  2. the lower part (as in a piano duet)

second person -n

  1. a set of linguistic forms (as verb forms, pronouns, and inflectional affixes) referring to the person or thing addressed in the utterance in which they occur
  2. a linguistic form belonging to such a set
  3. reference of a linguistic form to the person or thing addressed in the utterance in which it occurs

sec·ondrate [,se-kən(d)-'rāt] -adj, n

  1. of second or inferior quality or value : mediocre
    • a secondrate restaurant

Second Reader -n

  1. a member of a Christian Science church or society chosen for a term of office to assist the First Reader in conducting services by reading aloud selections from the Bible

second reading -n

  1. the stage in the British legislative process following the first reading and usu. providing for debate on the principal features of a bill before its submission to a committee for consideration of details
  2. the stage in the U.S. legislative process that occurs when a bill has been reported back from committee and that provides an opportunity for full debate and amendment before a vote is taken on the question of a third reading

second sight -n

  1. the capacity to see remote or future objects or events : clairvoyance, precognition

secondstory man -n

  1. a burglar who enters a house by an upstairs window

sec·ondstring [,se-kən(d)-'striŋ, ,se-kᵊŋ-] -adj

  1. being a substitute as distinguished from a regular (as on a ball team)

second thought -n

  1. reconsideration or a revised opinion of a previous often hurried decision
    • began to have second thoughts

second wind -n

  1. renewed energy or endurance

second world -n

  1. Communist nations regarded in the latter part of the 20th century as a political and economic bloc

se·cre·cy ['sē-krə-sē] -n

  1. the condition of being hidden or concealed
  2. the habit or practice of keeping secrets or maintaining privacy or concealment

se·cret ['sē-krət] -adj, adv

  1. kept from knowledge or view : hidden
  2. marked by the habit of discretion : closemouthed
  3. working with hidden aims or methods : undercover
    • a secret agent
  4. not acknowledged : unavowed
    • a secret bride
  5. conducted in secret
    • a secret trial
  6. remote from human frequentation or notice : secluded
  7. revealed only to the initiated : esoteric
  8. designed to elude observation or detection
    • a secret panel
  9. containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could endanger national security

secret -n

  1. something kept hidden or unexplained : mystery
  2. something kept from the knowledge of others or shared only confidentially with a few
  3. a method, formula, or process used in an art or operation and divulged only to those of one's own company or craft : trade secret
  4. the practices or knowledge making up the shared discipline or culture of an esoteric society
  5. a prayer traditionally said inaudibly by the celebrant just before the preface of the mass
  6. something taken to be a specific or key to a desired end
    • the secret of longevity

se·cre·ta·gogue [si-'krē-tə-,gäg] -n

  1. a substance stimulating secretion (as by the stomach or pancreas)

sec·re·tar·i·at [,se-krə-'ter-ē-ət, -ē-,at] -n

  1. the office of secretary
  2. a secretarial corps
  3. the clerical staff of an organization
  4. the administrative department of a governmental organization

sec·re·tary ['se-krə-,ter-ē, 'se-kə-,ter-, in rapid speech also 'sek-,ter-, esp Brit 'se-k(r)ə-trē] -n, adj

  1. one employed to handle correspondence and manage routine and detail work for a superior
  2. an officer of a business concern who may keep records of directors' and stockholders' meetings and of stock ownership and transfer and help supervise the company's legal interests
  3. an officer of an organization or society responsible for its records and correspondence
  4. an officer of state who superintends a government administrative department
    • the secretary of labor
  5. writing desk, escritoire
  6. a writing desk with a top section for books

secretary bird -n

  1. a large long-legged bird of prey ( Sagittarius serpentariusof the family Sagittariidae) of sub-Saharan Africa that feeds largely on reptiles

secretarygeneral -n

  1. a principal administrative officer
    • secretarygeneral of the United Nations

secret ballot -n

  1. australian ballot

se·crete [si-'krēt] -vt

  1. to form and give off (a secretion)
  2. to deposit or conceal in a hiding place
  3. to appropriate secretly : abstract

se·cre·tin [si-'krē-tᵊn] -n

  1. an intestinal proteinaceous hormone capable of stimulating secretion by the pancreas and liver

se·cre·tion [si-'krē-shən] -n, adj

  1. the process of segregating, elaborating, and releasing some material either functionally specialized (as saliva) or isolated for excretion (as urine)
  2. a product of secretion formed by an animal or plant
  3. one performing a specific useful function in the organism
  4. the act of hiding something : concealment

se·cre·tive ['sē-krə-tiv, si-'krē-] -adj, adv, n

  1. disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes

se·cre·tor [si-'krē-tər] -n

  1. an individual of blood group A, B, or AB who secretes the antigens characteristic of these blood groups in bodily fluids (as saliva)

se·cre·to·ry ['sē-krə-,tȯr-ē, esp Brit si-'krē-t(ə-)rē] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or promoting secretion
  2. produced by secretion

secret partner -n

  1. a partner whose membership in a partnership is kept secret from the public

secret police -n

  1. a police organization operating for the most part in secrecy and esp. for the political purposes of its government often with terroristic methods

secret service -n

  1. a governmental service of a secret nature
  2. a division of the U.S. Treasury Department charged chiefly with the suppression of counterfeiting and the protection of the president

secret society -n

  1. any of various oath-bound societies often devoted to brotherhood, moral discipline, and mutual assistance

sect ['sekt] -n

  1. a dissenting or schismatic religious body
  2. one regarded as extreme or heretical
  3. a religious denomination
  4. sex
    • so is all her sect -- Shak.
  5. a group adhering to a distinctive doctrine or to a leader
  6. party
  7. faction
  8. section; sectional

sec·tar·i·an [sek-'ter-ē-ən] -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a sect or sectarian
  2. limited in character or scope : parochial

sectarian -n

  1. an adherent of a sect
  2. a narrow or bigoted person

sec·tar·i·an·ize [sek-'ter-ē-ə-,nīz] -vb

  1. to act as sectarians
  2. to make sectarian

sec·ta·ry ['sek-tə-rē] -n

  1. a member of a sect

sec·tile ['sek-tᵊl, -,tī(-ə)l] -adj, n

  1. capable of being severed by a knife with a smooth cut
    • amber is a sectile resin

sec·tion ['sek-shən] -n

  1. the action or an instance of cutting or separating by cutting
  2. a part set off by or as if by cutting
  3. a distinct part or portion of something written (as a chapter, law, or newspaper)
  4. the profile of something as it would appear if cut through by an intersecting plane
  5. the plane figure resulting from the cutting of a solid by a plane
  6. a natural subdivision of a taxonomic group
  7. a character used as a mark for the beginning of a section and as a reference mark
  8. a piece of land one square mile in area forming esp. one of the 36 subdivisions of a township
  9. a distinct part of a territorial or political area, community, or group of people
    • the historic section of the city
  10. a part that may be, is, or is viewed as separated
    • a board cut into section s
    • the northern section of the route
  11. one segment of a fruit : carpel
  12. a basic military unit usu. having a special function
  13. a very thin slice (as of tissue) suitable for microscopic examination
  14. one of the classes formed by dividing the students taking a course
  15. one of the discussion groups into which a conference or organization is divided
  16. a part of a permanent railroad way under the care of a particular crew
  17. one of two or more vehicles or trains which run on the same schedule
  18. one of several component parts that may be assembled or reassembled
    • a bookcase in section s
  19. a division of an orchestra composed of one class of instruments
    • the string section
  20. signature

section [-sh(ə-)niŋ] -vb

  1. to cut or separate into sections
    • section an orange
  2. to represent in sections
  3. to become cut or separated into parts

sec·tion·al ['sek-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of or relating to a section
  2. local or regional rather than general in character
    • sectional interests
  3. consisting of or divided into sections
    • sectional furniture

sectional -n

  1. a piece of furniture made up of modular units capable of use separately or in various combinations

sec·tion·al·ism ['sek-shnə-,li-zəm, -shə-nə-,li-] -n

  1. an exaggerated devotion to the interests of a region

Section Eight -n

  1. a discharge from the U.S. Army for military inaptitude or undesirable habits or traits of character
  2. a soldier receiving such a discharge

section gang -n

  1. a crew of track workers employed to maintain a railroad section

section hand -n

  1. a laborer belonging to a section gang

sec·tor ['sek-tər, -,tȯr] -n, adj

  1. a geometric figure bounded by two radii and the included arc of a circle
  2. a subdivision of a defensive military position
  3. a portion of a military front or area of operation
  4. an area or portion resembling a sector
    • bilingual sector of town -- David Kleinberg
  5. a sociological, economic, or political subdivision of society
    • cooperation between the public and private sector s -- Peter Chapman
  6. a mathematical instrument consisting of two rulers connected at one end by a joint and marked with several scales
  7. a subdivision of a track on a computer disk
  8. to divide into or furnish with sectors

sec·to·ri·al [sek-'tȯr-ē-əl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or having the shape of a sector of a circle

sec·u·lar ['se-kyə-lər] -adj, n, adv

  1. of or relating to the worldly or temporal
    • secular concerns
  2. not overtly or specif. religious
    • secular music
  3. not ecclesiastical or clerical
    • secular courts
    • secular landowners
  4. not bound by monastic vows or rules
  5. of, relating to, or forming clergy not belonging to a religious order or congregation
    • a secular priest
  6. occurring once in an age or a century
  7. existing or continuing through ages or centuries
  8. of or relating to a long term of indefinite duration
    • secular inflation

secular -n

  1. a secular ecclesiastic (as a diocesan priest)
  2. layman

secular humanism -n, n or adj

  1. humanism
  2. humanistic philosophy viewed as a nontheistic religion antagonistic to traditional religion

sec·u·lar·ise ['se-kyə-lə-,rīz] -vt, n

(variant of secularize)

  1. to make secular
  2. to transfer from ecclesiastical to civil or lay use, possession, or control
  3. to convert to or imbue with secularism

sec·u·lar·ism ['se-kyə-lə-,ri-zəm] -n, adj

  1. indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations

sec·u·lar·ize ['se-kyə-lə-,rīz] -vt, n

  1. to make secular
  2. to transfer from ecclesiastical to civil or lay use, possession, or control
  3. to convert to or imbue with secularism

se·cure [si-'kyu̇r] -adj, adv, n

  1. unwisely free from fear or distrust : overconfident
  2. easy in mind : confident
  3. assured in opinion or expectation : having no doubt
  4. free from danger
  5. free from risk of loss
  6. affording safety
    • a secure hideaway
  7. trustworthy, dependable
    • a secure foundation
  8. assured
    • a secure victory

secure -vb, n

  1. to relieve from exposure to danger : act to make safe against adverse contingencies
    • secure a supply line from enemy raids
  2. to put beyond hazard of losing or of not receiving : guarantee
    • secure the blessings of liberty -- U.S. Constitution
  3. to give pledge of payment to (a creditor) or of (an obligation)
    • secure a note by a pledge of collateral
  4. to take (a person) into custody : hold fast : pinion
  5. to make fast
    • secure a door
    • secure a bike to a tree
  6. to get secure usu. lasting possession or control of
    • secure a job
  7. bring about, effect
  8. to release (naval personnel) from work or duty
  9. to stop work : go off duty
  10. to tie up : berth

se·cure·ment [si-'kyu̇r-mənt] -n

  1. protection
  2. the act or process of securing

se·cu·ri·tize [si-'kyu̇r-ə-,tīz] -vt, n

  1. to consolidate (as mortgage loans) and sell to other investors for resale to the public in the form of securities

se·cu·ri·ty [si-'kyu̇r-ə-tē] -n

  1. : the quality or state of being secure: as
  2. freedom from danger : safety
  3. freedom from fear or anxiety
  4. freedom from the prospect of being laid off
    • job security
  5. something given, deposited, or pledged to make certain the fulfillment of an obligation
  6. surety
  7. an instrument of investment in the form of a document (as a stock certificate or bond) providing evidence of its ownership
  8. something that secures : protection
  9. measures taken to guard against espionage or sabotage, crime, attack, or escape
  10. an organization or department whose task is security

security blanket -n

  1. a blanket carried by a child as a protection against anxiety
  2. a usu. familiar object whose presence dispels anxiety

Security Council -n

  1. a permanent council of the United Nations with primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security

security interest -n

  1. the rights that a creditor has in the personal property of a debtor that secures an obligation : lien

security police -n

  1. police engaged in counterespionage
  2. air police

secy -abbr

  1. secretary

sed -abbr

  1. sedimentation

se·dan [si-'dan] -n

  1. a portable often covered chair that is designed to carry one person and that is borne on poles by two people
  2. a 2- or 4-door automobile seating four or more persons and usu. having a permanent top
  3. a motorboat having one passenger compartment

se·date [si-'dāt] -adj, adv, n

  1. keeping a quiet steady attitude or pace : unruffled

sedate -vt

  1. to dose with sedatives

se·da·tion [si-'dā-shən] -n

  1. the inducing of a relaxed easy state esp. by the use of sedatives
  2. a state resulting from or as if from sedation

sed·a·tive ['se-də-tiv] -adj

  1. tending to calm, moderate, or tranquilize nervousness or excitement

sedative -n

  1. a sedative agent or drug

sed·en·tary ['se-dᵊn-,ter-ē] -adj

  1. not migratory : settled
    • sedentary birds
    • sedentary civilizations
  2. doing or requiring much sitting
    • a sedentary job
  3. not physically active
    • a sedentary lifestyle
  4. permanently attached
    • sedentary barnacles

se·der ['sā-dər] -n

  1. a Jewish home or community service including a ceremonial dinner held on the first or first and second evenings of the Passover in commemoration of the exodus from Egypt

se·de·runt [sə-'dir-ənt, -'der-] -n

  1. a prolonged sitting (as for discussion)

sedge ['sej] -n, adj

  1. any of a family (Cyperaceae, the sedge family) of usu. tufted monocotyledonous marsh plants differing from the related grasses in having achenes and solid stems
  2. any of a cosmopolitan genus ( Carex)

se·di·lia [sə-'dēl-yə, -'dil-, esp Brit -'dī(-ə)l-] -n pl

  1. seats on the south side of the chancel for the celebrant and his assistants

sed·i·ment ['se-də-mənt] -n

  1. the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid
  2. material deposited by water, wind, or glaciers
  3. to deposit as sediment
  4. to settle to the bottom in a liquid
  5. to deposit sediment

sed·i·ment·able [,se-də-'men-tə-bəl] -adj

  1. capable of being sedimented by centrifugation
    • sedimentable ribosomal particles

sed·i·men·ta·ry [,se-də-'men-tə-rē, -'men-trē] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or containing sediment
    • sedimentary deposits
  2. formed by or from deposits of sediment
    • sedimentary rock

sed·i·men·ta·tion [,se-də-mən-'tā-shən, -,men-] -n

  1. the action or process of forming or depositing sediment : settling

sed·i·men·tol·o·gy [,se-də-mən-'tä-lə-jē, -,men-] -n, adj, adv

  1. a branch of science that deals with sedimentary rocks and their inclusions

se·di·tion [si-'di-shən] -n

  1. incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority

se·di·tious [si-'di-shəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. disposed to arouse or take part in or guilty of sedition
  2. of, relating to, or tending toward sedition

se·duce [si-'düs, -'dyüs] -vt, n

  1. to persuade to disobedience or disloyalty
  2. to lead astray usu. by persuasion or false promises
  3. to carry out the physical seduction of : entice to sexual intercourse
  4. attract

se·duce·ment [-mənt] -n

  1. seduction
  2. something that serves to seduce

se·duc·tion [si-'dək-shən] -n

  1. the act of seducing
  2. the enticement of a person to sexual intercourse
  3. something that seduces : temptation
  4. something that attracts or charms

se·duc·tive [-'dək-tiv] -adj, adv, n

  1. tending to seduce : having alluring or tempting qualities
    • a seductive, sometimes disingenuous man -- Thatcher Freund
    • a seductive aroma

se·duc·tress [-'dək-trəs] -n

  1. a woman who seduces

se·du·li·ty [si-'dü-lə-tē, -'dyü-] -n

  1. sedulous activity : diligence

sed·u·lous ['se-jə-ləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. involving or accomplished with careful perseverance
    • sedulous craftsmanship
  2. diligent in application or pursuit
    • a sedulous student

se·dum ['sē-dəm] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Sedum) of widely distributed fleshy herbs of the orpine family

see ['sē] -vb, adj

  1. to perceive by the eye
  2. to perceive or detect as if by sight
  3. to have experience of : undergo
    • see army service
  4. to come to know : discover
  5. to be the setting or time of
    • the last fifty years have seen a sweeping revolution in science -- Barry Commoner
  6. to form a mental picture of : visualize
    • can still see her as she was years ago
  7. to perceive the meaning or importance of : understand
  8. to be aware of : recognize
    • see s only our faults
  9. to imagine as a possibility : suppose
    • couldn't see him as a crook
  10. examine, watch
    • want to see how she handles the problem
  11. read
  12. to read of
  13. to attend as a spectator
    • see a play
  14. to take care of : provide for
    • had enough money to see us through
  15. to make sure
    • see that order is kept
  16. to regard as : judge
  17. to prefer to have
    • I'll see him hanged first
    • I'll see you dead before I accept your terms
  18. to find acceptable or attractive
    • can't understand what he see s in her
  19. to call on : visit
  20. to keep company with esp. in courtship or dating
    • had been see ing each other for a year
  21. to grant an interview to : receive
    • the president will see you now
  22. accompany, escort
    • see the guests to the door
  23. to meet (a bet) in poker or to equal the bet of (a player) : call
  24. to give or pay attention
  25. to look about
  26. to have the power of sight
  27. to apprehend objects by sight
  28. to perceive objects as if by sight
  29. to grasp something mentally
  30. to acknowledge or consider something being pointed out
    • see, I told you it would rain
  31. to make investigation or inquiry
  32. cathedra
  33. a cathedral town
  34. a seat of a bishop's office, power, or authority
  35. the authority or jurisdiction of a bishop

seed ['sēd] -n, adj

  1. the grains or ripened ovules of plants used for sowing
  2. the fertilized ripened ovule of a flowering plant containing an embryo and capable normally of germination to produce a new plant
  3. a propagative plant structure (as a spore or small dry fruit)
  4. : a propagative animal structure:
  5. milt, semen
  6. a small egg (as of an insect)
  7. a developmental form of a lower animal suitable for transplanting
  8. spat
  9. the condition or stage of bearing seed
    • in seed
  10. progeny
  11. a source of development or growth : germ
    • sowed the seed s of discord
  12. something (as a tiny particle or a bubble in glass) that resembles a seed in shape or size
  13. a competitor who has been seeded in a tournament
    • the top seed
  14. to bear or shed seed
  15. to sow seed : plant
  16. to plant seeds in : sow
    • seed a lawn with grass
  17. to furnish with something that causes or stimulates growth or development
  18. inoculate
  19. to supply with nuclei (as of crystallization or condensation)
  20. to treat (a cloud) with solid particles to convert water droplets into ice crystals in an attempt to produce precipitation
  21. to cover or permeate by or as if by scattering something
    • seed ed the sea-lanes with thousands of magnetic mines -- Otto Friedrich
  22. plant
  23. to extract the seeds from (as raisins)
  24. to schedule (tournament players or teams) so that superior ones will not meet in early rounds
  25. to rank (a contestant) relative to others in a tournament on the basis of previous record
    • the top- seeded tennis star

seed·bed ['sēd-,bed] -n

  1. soil or a bed of soil prepared for planting seed
  2. a place or source of growth or development

seed·cake [-,kāk] -n

  1. a cake or cookie containing aromatic seeds (as sesame or caraway)
  2. oil cake

seed coat -n

  1. an outer protective covering of a seed

seed·eat·er ['sēd-,ē-tər] -n

  1. a bird (as a finch) whose diet consists basically of seeds

seed·er ['sē-dər] -n

  1. an implement for planting or sowing seeds
  2. a device for seeding fruit
  3. one that seeds clouds

seed fern -n

  1. any of an order (Pteridospermales) of extinct cycadophytes with foliage like that of ferns and with naked seeds

seed leaf -n

  1. cotyledon

seed·ling ['sēd-liŋ] -n, adj

  1. a young plant grown from seed
  2. a young tree before it becomes a sapling
  3. a nursery plant not yet transplanted

seed money -n

  1. money used for setting up a new enterprise

seed oyster -n

  1. a young oyster esp. of a size for transplantation

seed pearl -n

  1. a very small and often irregular pearl
  2. minute pearls imbedded in some binding material

seed plant -n

  1. a plant that bears seeds
  2. spermatophyte

seed·pod ['sēd-,päd] -n

  1. pod

seed potato -n

  1. a potato tuber grown for its buds which are used to start new plants
  2. a section of such a tuber with one or more buds

seeds·man ['sēdz-mən] -n

  1. a person who sows seeds
  2. a dealer in seeds

seed stock -n

  1. a supply (as of seed) for planting
  2. a source of new individuals
    • seed stock for hardy dairy cattle

seed tick -n

  1. the 6-legged larva of a tick

seed·time ['sēd-,tīm] -n

  1. the season of sowing
  2. a period of original development

seedy ['sē-dē] -adj, adv, n

  1. containing or full of seeds
    • a seedy fruit
  2. : inferior in condition or quality: as
  3. shabby, run-down
    • seedy clothes
  4. somewhat disreputable
    • a seedy district
    • a seedy lawyer
  5. slightly unwell : debilitated
    • felt seedy and went home early

seeing -conj

  1. inasmuch as often used with as or that
  2. the quality of the images of celestial bodies observed telescopically

Seeing Eye -trademark

  1. used for a guide dog trained to lead the blind

seek ['sēk] -vb, n

  1. to resort to : go to
  2. to go in search of : look for
  3. to try to discover
  4. to ask for : request
    • seek s advice
  5. to try to acquire or gain : aim at
    • seek fame
  6. to make an attempt : try used with to and an infinitive
    • governments...seek to keep the bulk of their people contented -- D. M. Potter
  7. to make a search or inquiry
  8. to be sought
  9. to be lacking
    • in critical judgment...they were sadly to seek -- Times Lit. Supp.

seel ['sēl] -vt

  1. to close the eyes of (as a hawk) by drawing threads through the eyelids
  2. to close up (one's eyes)

see·ly ['sē-lē] -adj

  1. pitiable esp. because of weak physical or mental condition : frail

seem ['sēm] -vi

  1. to appear to the observation or understanding
  2. to give the impression of being

seem·ing ['sē-miŋ] -n

  1. external appearance as distinguished from true character : look

seeming -adj, adv

  1. outwardly or superficially evident but not true or real
    • the seeming immortality of our heroes

seem·ly ['sēm-lē] -adj, n, adv

  1. good-looking, handsome
  2. agreeably fashioned : attractive
  3. conventionally proper : decorous
    • not seemly to brag about oneself
  4. suited to the occasion, purpose, or person : fit

seen ['sē] -vb, adj

(variant of see)

  1. to perceive by the eye
  2. to perceive or detect as if by sight
  3. to have experience of : undergo
    • see army service
  4. to come to know : discover
  5. to be the setting or time of
    • the last fifty years have seen a sweeping revolution in science -- Barry Commoner
  6. to form a mental picture of : visualize
    • can still see her as she was years ago
  7. to perceive the meaning or importance of : understand
  8. to be aware of : recognize
    • see s only our faults
  9. to imagine as a possibility : suppose
    • couldn't see him as a crook
  10. examine, watch
    • want to see how she handles the problem
  11. read
  12. to read of
  13. to attend as a spectator
    • see a play
  14. to take care of : provide for
    • had enough money to see us through
  15. to make sure
    • see that order is kept
  16. to regard as : judge
  17. to prefer to have
    • I'll see him hanged first
    • I'll see you dead before I accept your terms
  18. to find acceptable or attractive
    • can't understand what he see s in her
  19. to call on : visit
  20. to keep company with esp. in courtship or dating
    • had been see ing each other for a year
  21. to grant an interview to : receive
    • the president will see you now
  22. accompany, escort
    • see the guests to the door
  23. to meet (a bet) in poker or to equal the bet of (a player) : call
  24. to give or pay attention
  25. to look about
  26. to have the power of sight
  27. to apprehend objects by sight
  28. to perceive objects as if by sight
  29. to grasp something mentally
  30. to acknowledge or consider something being pointed out
    • see, I told you it would rain
  31. to make investigation or inquiry
  32. cathedra
  33. a cathedral town
  34. a seat of a bishop's office, power, or authority
  35. the authority or jurisdiction of a bishop

seep ['sēp] -vi

  1. to flow or pass slowly through fine pores or small openings : ooze
    • water seep ed in through a crack
  2. to enter or penetrate slowly
    • fear of nuclear war had seep ed into the national consciousness -- Tip O'Neill
  3. to become diffused or spread
    • a sadness seep ed through his being -- Agnes S. Turnbull
  4. a spot where a fluid (as water, oil, or gas) contained in the ground oozes slowly to the surface and often forms a pool
  5. a small spring
  6. seepage

seep·age ['sē-pij] -n

  1. the process of seeping : oozing
  2. a quantity of fluid that has seeped (as through porous material)

seer ['sir, 'sē-ər] -n

  1. one that sees
  2. one that predicts events or developments
  3. a person credited with extraordinary moral and spiritual insight
  4. one that practices divination esp. by concentrating on a glass or crystal globe

seer·ess ['sir-əs, 'sē-ər-əs] -n

  1. a woman who predicts events or developments : prophetess

seer·suck·er ['sir-,sə-kər] -n

  1. a light fabric of linen, cotton, or rayon usu. striped and slightly puckered

see·saw ['sē-,sȯ] -n, adj

  1. an alternating up-and-down or backward-and-forward motion or movement
  2. a contest or struggle in which now one side now the other has the lead
  3. a pastime in which two children or groups of children ride on opposite ends of a plank balanced in the middle so that one end goes up as the other goes down
  4. the plank or apparatus so used

seesaw -vi

  1. to move backward and forward or up and down
  2. to play at seesaw
  3. alternate
    • seesaw between two activities
  4. to cause to move in seesaw fashion

seethe ['sēth] -vb

  1. boil, stew
  2. to soak or saturate in a liquid
  3. boil
  4. to be in a state of rapid agitated movement
  5. to churn or foam as if boiling
  6. to suffer violent internal excitement
    • seethe with jealousy
  7. a state of seething : ebullition

seething -adj

  1. intensely hot : boiling
    • a seething inferno
  2. constantly moving or active : agitated

seethrough ['sē-,thrü] -adj

  1. transparent

seg·ment ['seg-mənt] -n, adj

  1. : a portion cut off from a geometric figure by one or more points, lines, or planes: as
  2. the area of a circle bounded by a chord and an arc of that circle
  3. the part of a sphere cut off by a plane or included between two parallel planes
  4. the finite part of a line between two points in the line
  5. a separate piece of something : bit, fragment
    • chop the stalks into short segment s
  6. one of the constituent parts into which a body, entity, or quantity is divided or marked off by or as if by natural boundaries
    • all segment s of the population agree
  7. to separate into segments : give off as segments

seg·men·tal [seg-'men-tᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or having the form of a segment and esp. the sector of a circle
    • segmental fanlight
  2. of, relating to, or composed of somites or metameres : metameric
  3. divided into segments
    • segmental knowledge
  4. partial, incomplete
  5. resulting from segmentation

seg·men·ta·tion [,seg-mən-'tā-shən, -,men-] -n

  1. the process of dividing into segments
  2. the formation of many cells from a single cell (as in a developing egg)

segmentation cavity -n

  1. blastocoel

seg·ment·ed ['seg-,men-təd, seg-'] -adj

  1. divided into or composed of segments or sections
    • segmented worms

se·gno ['sān-(,)yō] -n

  1. a notational sign
  2. the sign that marks the beginning or end of a musical repeat

se·go lily ['sē-(,)gō-] -n

  1. a mariposa lily ( Calochortus nuttallii) of western No. America having mostly white or in some areas mostly yellow flowers mottled with a darker color

seg·re·gant ['se-gri-gənt] -n

  1. a genetic segregate

seg·re·gate ['se-gri-,gāt] -vb, adj

  1. to separate or set apart from others or from the general mass : isolate
  2. to cause or force the separation of (as from the rest of society)
  3. separate, withdraw
  4. to practice or enforce a policy of segregation
  5. to undergo genetic segregation
  6. one that is in some respect segregated
  7. one that differs genetically from the parental line because of genetic segregation

segregated -adj

  1. set apart or separated from others of the same kind or group
    • a segregated account in a bank
  2. divided in facilities or administered separately for members of different groups or races
    • segregated education
  3. restricted to members of one group or one race by a policy of segregation
    • segregated schools
  4. practicing or maintaining segregation esp. of races
    • segregated states

seg·re·ga·tion [,se-gri-'gā-shən] -n

  1. the act or process of segregating : the state of being segregated
  2. the separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group by enforced or voluntary residence in a restricted area, by barriers to social intercourse, by separate educational facilities, or by other discriminatory means
  3. the separation for special treatment or observation of individuals or items from a larger group
    • segregation of gifted children into accelerated classes
  4. the separation of allelic genes that occurs typically during meiosis

seg·re·ga·tion·ist [-sh(ə-)nist] -n, adj

  1. a person who believes in or practices segregation esp. of races

se·gue ['se-(,)gwā, 'sā-] -vb imper

  1. proceed to what follows without pause used as a direction in music
  2. perform the music that follows like that which has preceded used as a direction in music

segue -vi

  1. to proceed without pause from one musical number or theme to another
  2. to make a transition without interruption from one activity, topic, scene, or part to another
    • segued smoothly into the next story
  3. the act or an instance of segueing

se·gui·di·lla [,se-gə-'dē-yə, -'dēl-yə] -n

  1. a Spanish dance with many regional variations
  2. the music for such a dance
  3. a Spanish stanza of four or seven short partly assonant verses

sei·cen·to [sā-'chen-(,)tō] -n

  1. the 17th century
  2. the 17th century period in Italian literature and art

seiche ['sāsh, 'sēch] -n

  1. an oscillation of the surface of a landlocked body of water (as a lake) that varies in period from a few minutes to several hours

sei·del ['sī-dᵊl, 'zī-] -n

  1. a large glass for beer

Seid·litz powders ['sed-ləts-] -n pl

  1. effervescing salts consisting of one powder of sodium bicarbonate and Rochelle salt and another of tartaric acid that are mixed in water and drunk as a mild cathartic

sei·gneur [sān-'yər] -n

  1. a man of rank or authority
  2. the feudal lord of a manor
  3. a member of the landed gentry of Canada

sei·gneur·ial [-'yu̇r-ē-əl, -'yər-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or befitting a seigneur

sei·gneury ['sān-yə-rē] -n

  1. the territory under the government of a feudal lord
  2. a landed estate held in Canada by feudal tenure until 1854
  3. the manor house of a Canadian seigneur

sei·gnior [sān-'yȯr, 'sān-,] -n

  1. seigneur

sei·gnior·age ['sān-yə-rij] -n

  1. a government revenue from the manufacture of coins calculated as the difference between the face value and the metal value of the coins

sei·gniory ['sān-yə-rē] -n

  1. lordship, dominion
  2. the power or authority of a feudal lord
  3. the territory over which a lord holds jurisdiction

sei·gno·ri·al [sān-'yȯr-ē-əl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or befitting a seignior : manorial

seine ['sān] -n

  1. a large net with sinkers on one edge and floats on the other that hangs vertically in the water and is used to enclose and catch fish when its ends are pulled together or are drawn ashore
  2. to fish with or catch fish with a seine
  3. to fish for or in with a seine

sein·er ['sā-nər] -n

  1. one who fishes with a seine
  2. a boat used for seining

sei·sin ['sē-zᵊn] -n

  1. the possession of land or chattels
  2. the possession of a freehold estate in land by one having title thereto

seis·mic ['sīz-mik, 'sīs-] -adj, adv

  1. of, subject to, or caused by an earthquake
  2. of or relating to an earth vibration caused by something else (as an explosion or the impact of a meteorite)
  3. of or relating to a vibration on a celestial body (as the moon) comparable to a seismic event on earth
  4. having a strong or widespread impact : earthshaking
    • seismic social changes

seis·mic·i·ty [sīz-'mi-sə-tē, sīs-] -n

  1. the relative frequency and distribution of earthquakes

seismo- -comb form

  1. earthquake : vibration
    • seismo meter

seis·mo·gram ['sīz-mə-,gram, 'sīs-] -n

  1. the record of an earth tremor by a seismograph

seis·mo·graph [-,graf] -n, adj

  1. an apparatus to measure and record vibrations within the earth and of the ground

seis·mol·o·gy [sīz-'mä-lə-jē, sīs-] -n, adj

  1. a science that deals with earthquakes and with artificially produced vibrations of the earth

seis·mom·e·ter [sīz-'mä-mə-tər, sīs-] -n, adj

  1. a seismograph measuring the actual movements of the ground (as on the earth or the moon)

seis·mom·e·try [sīz-'mä-mə-trē, sīs-] -n

  1. the scientific study of earthquakes

sei·tan ['sā-,tan, -,tän] -n

  1. flavored wheat gluten often used as a meat analogue

sei whale ['sā-, 'sī-] -n

  1. a widely distributed dark gray baleen whale ( Balaenoptera borealis) that has a ridge on the top of the head and may reach a length of nearly 60 feet (18 meters) called also sei

seize ['sēz] -vb, n

  1. to vest ownership of a freehold estate in
  2. to put in possession of something
    • the biographer will be seized of all pertinent papers
  3. to take possession of : confiscate
  4. to take possession of by legal process
  5. to possess or take by force : capture
  6. to take prisoner : arrest
  7. to take hold of : clutch
  8. to possess oneself of : grasp
  9. to understand fully and distinctly : apprehend
  10. to attack or overwhelm physically : afflict
    • seized with chest pains
  11. to possess (as one's mind) completely or overwhelmingly
    • seized the popular imagination -- Basil Davenport
  12. to bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff (as yarn, marline, or fine wire)
  13. to take or lay hold suddenly or forcibly
  14. to cohere to a relatively moving part through excessive pressure, temperature, or friction used esp. of machine parts (as bearings, brakes, or pistons)
  15. to fail to operate due to the seizing of a part used of an engine

seizing -n

  1. the cord or lashing used in binding or fastening
  2. the fastening so made
  3. the operation of fastening together or lashing with tarred small stuff

sei·zure ['sē-zhər] -n

  1. the act, action, or process of seizing : the state of being seized
  2. the taking possession of person or property by legal process
  3. a sudden attack (as of disease)
  4. the physical manifestations (as convulsions, sensory disturbances, or loss of consciousness) resulting from abnormal electrical discharges in the brain (as in epilepsy)
  5. an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain

se·jant ['sē-jənt] -adj

  1. sitting used of a heraldic animal

sel ['self, Southern also 'sef] -pron

(variant of self)

  1. myself, himself, herself
    • a check payable to self
  2. identical, same
  3. belonging to oneself : own
  4. having a single character or quality throughout
  5. having one color only
    • a self flower
  6. of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used
    • self trimming
  7. the entire person of an individual
  8. the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
  9. an individual's typical character or behavior
    • her true self was revealed
  10. an individual's temporary behavior or character
    • his better self
  11. a person in prime condition
    • feel like my old self today
  12. the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
  13. personal interest or advantage
  14. material that is part of an individual organism
    • ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself
  15. inbreed
  16. to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
  17. to undergo self-pollination

se·la·chi·an [sə-'lā-kē-ən] -n, adj

  1. any of a variously classified group (Selachii) of cartilaginous fishes that includes the existing sharks and typically most related elasmobranchs (as rays)

se·lag·i·nel·la [sə-,la-jə-'ne-lə] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Selaginella) of mosslike lower tracheophytes that are related to or grouped with the club mosses and have scalelike leaves and produce one-celled sporangia containing both megaspores and microspores

se·lah ['sē-lə, -,lä] -interj

  1. a term of uncertain meaning found in the Hebrew text of the Psalms and Habakkuk carried over untranslated into some English versions

sel·couth ['sel-,küth] -adj

  1. unusual, strange

sel·dom ['sel-dəm] -adv

  1. in few instances : rarely, infrequently

seldom -adj

  1. rare, infrequent

se·lect [sə-'lekt] -adj, n

  1. chosen from a number or group by fitness or preference
  2. of special value or excellence : superior, choice
  3. exclusively or fastidiously chosen often with regard to social, economic, or cultural characteristics
  4. judicious or restrictive in choice : discriminating
    • pleased with the select appreciation of his books -- Osbert Sitwell

select -vt

  1. to choose (as by fitness or excellence) from a number or group : pick out
  2. to make a choice
  3. one that is select often used in pl.

se·lect·ed [sə-'lek-təd] -adj

  1. select
  2. of a higher grade or quality than the ordinary

se·lect·ee [sə-,lek-'tē] -n

  1. a person inducted into military service under selective service
  2. a person who is chosen from a group by fitness or preference

se·lec·tion [sə-'lek-shən] -n

  1. the act or process of selecting : the state of being selected
  2. one that is selected : choice
  3. a collection of selected things
  4. a natural or artificial process that results or tends to result in the survival and propagation of some individuals or organisms but not of others with the result that the inherited traits of the survivors are perpetuated

se·lec·tion·ist [-sh(ə-)nist] -n, adj

  1. one who considers natural selection a fundamental factor in evolution

se·lec·tive [sə-'lek-tiv] -adj, adv, n

  1. of, relating to, or characterized by selection : selecting or tending to select
  2. highly specific in activity or effect
    • selective pesticides
    • selective absorption

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor -n

  1. ssri

selective service -n

  1. a system under which men are called up for military service : draft

se·lect·man [si-'lek(t)-,man, -,lek(t)-'man, -'lek(t)-mən; 'sē-,lek(t)-,man] -n

  1. one of a board of officials elected in towns of all New England states except Rhode Island to serve as the chief administrative authority of the town

selen- -comb form

  1. moon
    • selen ium
    • seleno logy
  2. selenium
    • seleni ferous

sel·e·nate ['se-lə-,nāt] -n

  1. a salt containing the anion SeO 4 2

Se·le·ne [sə-'lē-nē] -n

  1. the Greek goddess of the moon

sel·e·nide ['se-lə-,nīd] -n

  1. a binary compound of selenium with a more electropositive element or group

sel·e·nif·er·ous [,se-lə-'ni-f(ə-)rəs] -adj

  1. containing or yielding selenium
    • seleniferous vegetation
    • seleniferous soils

sel·e·nite ['se-lə-,nīt] -n

  1. a variety of gypsum occurring in transparent crystals or crystalline masses

se·le·ni·um [sə-'lē-nē-əm] -n

  1. a photosensitive element that occurs in both crystalline and amorphous forms, is obtained chiefly as a by-product in copper refining, and is used esp. in glass, semiconductor devices, and alloys

selenium cell -n

  1. an insulated strip of selenium mounted with electrodes and used as a photoconductive element

se·le·no·cen·tric [sə-,lē-nə-'sen-trik] -adj

  1. of or relating to the center of the moon
  2. referred to or involving the moon as a center

sel·e·nol·o·gy [,se-lə-'nä-lə-jē] -n, adj

  1. a branch of astronomy that deals with the moon

Se·leu·cid [sə-'lü-səd, səl-'yü-] -n, adj

  1. a member of a Greek dynasty ruling Syria and at various times other Asian territories from 312 b.c.to 64 b.c.

self ['self, Southern also 'sef] -pron

  1. myself, himself, herself
    • a check payable to self
  2. identical, same
  3. belonging to oneself : own
  4. having a single character or quality throughout
  5. having one color only
    • a self flower
  6. of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used
    • self trimming
  7. the entire person of an individual
  8. the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
  9. an individual's typical character or behavior
    • her true self was revealed
  10. an individual's temporary behavior or character
    • his better self
  11. a person in prime condition
    • feel like my old self today
  12. the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
  13. personal interest or advantage
  14. material that is part of an individual organism
    • ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself
  15. inbreed
  16. to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
  17. to undergo self-pollination

self- -comb form

  1. oneself or itself
    • self- supporting
  2. of oneself or itself
    • self- abasement
  3. by oneself or itself
    • self- propelled
    • self- acting
  4. to, with, for, or toward oneself or itself
    • self- consistent
    • self- addressed
    • self- love
  5. of or in oneself or itself inherently
    • self- evident
  6. from or by means of oneself or itself
    • self- fertile

selfaban·doned [,self-ə-'ban-dənd] -adj

  1. abandoned by oneself
  2. given up to one's impulses

selfaban·don·ment [-dən-mənt] -n

  1. a lack of self-restraint
  2. a surrender of one's selfish interests or desires

selfab·sorbed [-əb-'sȯrbd, -'zȯrbd] -adj

  1. absorbed in one's own thoughts, activities, or interests

selfab·sorp·tion [-'sȯrp-shən, -'zȯrp-] -n

  1. preoccupation with oneself

selfabuse [-ə-'byüs] -n

  1. reproach of oneself
  2. masturbation
  3. abuse of one's body or health

selfact·ing [-'ak-tiŋ] -adj

  1. acting or capable of acting of or by itself : automatic

selfac·tiv·i·ty [-,ak-'ti-və-tē] -n

  1. independent and esp. self-determined activity

selfac·tu·al·ize [-'ak-ch(ə-w)ə-,līz, -sh(ə-w)ə-,līz] -vi, n

  1. to realize fully one's potential

selfad·dressed [-ə-'drest, -'a-,drest] -adj

  1. addressed for return to the sender
    • a selfaddressed envelope

selfad·he·sive [-əd-'hē-siv, -ziv] -adj

  1. having a side coated with an adhesive that sticks without wetting
    • selfadhesive labels

selfad·just·ment [-ə-'jəs(t)-mənt] -n

  1. adjustment to oneself or one's environment

selfad·mi·ra·tion [-,ad-mə-'rā-shən] -n

  1. self-conceit

selfaf·fect·ed [-ə-'fek-təd] -adj

  1. conceited, self-loving

selfanal·y·sis [-ə-'na-lə-səs] -n

  1. a systematic attempt by an individual to understand his or her own personality without the aid of another person

selfan·a·lyt·i·cal [-,a-nə-'li-ti-kəl] -adj

  1. relating to or using self-analysis

selfan·ni·hi·la·tion [-ə-,nī-ə-'lā-shən] -n

  1. annihilation of the self (as in mystical contemplation of God)

selfap·plaud·ing [-ə-'plȯ-diŋ] -adj

  1. marked by self-applause

selfap·plause [-'plȯz] -n

  1. an expression or feeling of approval of oneself

selfap·point·ed [-ə-'pȯin-təd] -adj

  1. appointed by oneself : self-proclaimed

selfas·sem·bly [-ə-'sem-blē] -n, vi

  1. the process by which a complex macromolecule (as collagen) or a supramolecular system (as a virus) spontaneously assembles itself from its components

selfas·sert·ing [-ə-'sər-tiŋ] -adj, adv

  1. asserting oneself or one's own rights, claims, or opinions
  2. self-assured, confident
  3. arrogant

selfas·ser·tion [-ə-'sər-shən] -n

  1. the act of asserting oneself or one's own rights, claims, or opinions
  2. the act of asserting one's superiority over others

selfas·ser·tive [-'sər-tiv] -adj, adv, n

  1. given to or characterized by self-assertion

selfas·sump·tion [-ə-'səm(p)-shən] -n

  1. self-conceit

selfas·sur·ance [-ə-'shu̇r-ən(t)s] -n

  1. self-confidence

selfas·sured [-'shu̇rd] -adj, adv, n

  1. sure of oneself : self-confident

selfaware [-ə-'wer] -adj

  1. characterized by self-awareness

selfaware·ness -n

  1. an awareness of one's own personality or individuality

selfbelt ['self-'belt] -n, adj

  1. a belt made of the same material as the garment with which it is worn

selfbe·tray·al [,self-bi-'trā(-ə)l] -n

  1. self-revelation

selfborn [-'bȯrn] -adj

  1. arising within the self
    • selfborn sorrows
  2. springing from a prior self
    • phoenix rising selfborn from the fire

selfca·ter·ing [-'kā-tər-iŋ] -adj

  1. provided with lodging and cooking facilities but not meals
    • selfcatering holiday cottages

selfcen·tered [-'sen-tərd] -adj, adv, n

  1. independent of outside force or influence : self-sufficient
  2. concerned solely with one's own desires, needs, or interests

selfclos·ing [-'klō-ziŋ] -adj

  1. closing or shutting automatically after being opened

selfcock·ing [-'kä-kiŋ] -adj

  1. cocked by the operation of some part of the action
    • selfcocking on pushing the bolt forward

selfcol·lect·ed [-kə-'lek-təd] -adj

  1. self-possessed

selfcol·ored [-'kə-lərd] -adj

  1. of a single color
    • a selfcolored flower

selfcom·pat·i·ble [-kəm-'pa-tə-bəl] -adj, n

  1. capable of effective self-pollination that results in the production of seeds and fruits

selfcom·posed [-kəm-'pōzd] -adj, adv, n

  1. having control over one's emotions : calm

selfcon·ceit [-kən-'sēt] -n, adj

  1. an exaggerated opinion of one's own qualities or abilities : vanity

selfcon·cept ['self-'kän-,sept] -n

  1. the mental image one has of oneself

selfcon·cep·tion [,self-kən-'sep-shən] -n

  1. self-concept

selfcon·cern [-'sərn] -n, adj

  1. a selfish or morbid concern for oneself

selfcon·fessed [-'fest] -adj, adv

  1. openly acknowledged by oneself : avowed

selfcon·fes·sion [-'fe-shən] -n

  1. open acknowledgment : avowal

selfcon·fi·dence [-'kän-fə-dən(t)s, -,den(t)s] -n, adj, adv

  1. confidence in oneself and in one's powers and abilities

selfcon·fron·ta·tion [-,kän-(,)frən-'tā-shən] -n

  1. self-analysis

selfcon·grat·u·la·tion [-kən-,gra-chə-'lā-shən, -,gra-jə-] -n

  1. congratulation of oneself
  2. a complacent acknowledgment of one's own superiority or good fortune

selfcon·grat·u·la·to·ry [-'gra-chə-lə-,tȯr-ē, -,gra-jə-] -adj

  1. expressive of self-congratulation
    • selfcongratulatory memoirs

selfcon·scious [-'kän(t)-shəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. conscious of one's own acts or states as belonging to or originating in oneself : aware of oneself as an individual
  2. intensely aware of oneself : conscious
    • a rising and selfconscious social class
  3. produced or done with such awareness
    • selfconscious art
  4. uncomfortably conscious of oneself as an object of the observation of others : ill at ease

selfcon·se·quence [-'kän(t)-sə-,kwen(t)s, -si-kwən(t)s] -n

  1. self-importance

selfcon·sis·ten·cy [-kən-'sis-tən(t)-sē] -n

  1. the quality or state of being self-consistent

selfcon·sis·tent [-tənt] -adj

  1. having each part logically consistent with the rest

selfcon·tained [-kən-'tānd] -adj, adv, n

  1. complete in itself : independent
    • a selfcontained machine
    • a selfcontained program of study
  2. built-in
    • a lectern with a selfcontained light fixture
  3. showing self-control
  4. formal and reserved in manner

selfcon·tam·i·na·tion [-kən-,ta-mə-'nā-shən] -n

  1. contamination by oneself
  2. contamination from within

selfcon·tent [-kən-'tent] -n

  1. self-satisfaction

selfcon·tent·ed [-'ten-təd] -adj, adv, n

  1. self-satisfied

selfcon·tent·ment [-'tent-mənt] -n

  1. self-satisfaction

selfcon·tra·dic·tion [-,kän-trə-'dik-shən] -n

  1. contradiction of oneself
  2. a self-contradictory statement or proposition

selfcon·tra·dic·to·ry [-'dik-t(ə-)rē] -adj

  1. consisting of two contradictory members or parts

selfcon·trol [-kən-'trōl] -n, adj

  1. restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, or desires

selfcor·rect·ing [-kə-'rek-tiŋ] -adj

  1. correcting or compensating for one's own errors or weaknesses

selfcor·rec·tive [-'rek-tiv] -adj

  1. self-correcting

selfdeal·ing ['self-'dē-liŋ] -n

  1. financial dealing that is not at arm's length
  2. borrowing from or lending to a company by a controlling individual primarily to the individual's own advantage

selfde·fense [,self-di-'fen(t)s] -n

  1. a plea of justification for the use of force or for homicide
  2. the act of defending oneself, one's property, or a close relative

selfde·fen·sive [-'fen(t)-siv] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or given to self-defense
    • a selfdefensive person
    • a selfdefensive attitude

selfdef·i·ni·tion [-,de-fə-'ni-shən] -n

  1. the evaluation by oneself of one's worth as an individual in distinction from one's interpersonal or social roles

selfde·ni·al [-di-'nī(-ə)l] -n

  1. a restraint or limitation of one's own desires or interests

selfde·ny·ing [-'nī-iŋ] -adj, adv

  1. showing self-denial

selfde·spair [-di-'sper] -n

  1. despair of oneself : hopelessness

selfdes·ig·na·tion [-,de-zig-'nā-shən] -n

  1. a name or title that an animate entity (as a person or body of people) uses usu. by choice to refer to itself

selfde·stroy·ing [-'strȯi-iŋ] -adj

  1. self-destructive

selfde·struct [-di-'strəkt] -vi, adj

  1. to destroy oneself or itself

selfde·struc·tion [-'strək-shən] -n

  1. destruction of oneself
  2. suicide

selfde·struc·tive [-'strək-tiv] -adj, n

  1. acting or tending to harm or destroy oneself
    • selfdestructive behavior
  2. suicidal
    • a selfdestructive impulse

selfde·ter·mi·na·tion [-di-,tər-mə-'nā-shən] -n

  1. free choice of one's own acts or states without external compulsion
  2. determination by the people of a territorial unit of their own future political status

selfde·ter·mined [-'tər-mənd] -adj

  1. determined by oneself

selfde·ter·min·ing [-'tər-mə-niŋ, -'tərm-niŋ] -adj

  1. capable of determining one's or its own acts

selfde·ter·min·ism [-'tər-mə-,ni-zəm] -n

  1. a doctrine that the actions of a self are determined by itself

selfde·vot·ed [-di-'vō-təd] -adj, n

  1. characterized by total devotion of oneself (as to a cause)

selfdis·ci·pline [-'di-sə-plən] -n

  1. correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement

selfdis·ci·plined [-plənd] -adj

  1. capable of or subject to self-discipline

selfdis·cov·ery [-dis-'kə-v(ə-)rē] -n

  1. the act or process of achieving self-knowledge

selfdis·trust [-'trəst] -n, adj

  1. a lack of confidence in oneself : diffidence

selfdra·ma·ti·za·tion [,self-,dra-mə-tə-'zā-shən, -,drä-] -n

  1. the act or an instance of dramatizing oneself

selfdra·ma·tiz·ing [-'dra-mə-,tī-ziŋ, -'drä-] -adj

  1. seeing and presenting oneself as an important or dramatic figure

selfdrive ['self-'drīv] -adj

  1. being a rental car

selfelect·ed [,self-ə-'lek-təd] -adj

  1. self-appointed

selfem·ployed [-im-'plȯid] -adj, n

  1. earning income directly from one's own business, trade, or profession rather than as a specified salary or wages from an employer

selfem·ploy·ment [-'plȯi-mənt] -n

  1. the state of being self-employed

selfen·er·giz·ing [-'e-nər-,jī-ziŋ] -adj

  1. containing means for augmentation of power within itself
    • a selfenergizing brake

selfen·forc·ing [-in-'fȯr-siŋ] -adj

  1. containing in itself the authority or means that provide for its enforcement

selfen·rich·ment [-in-'rich-mənt] -n

  1. the act or process of increasing one's intellectual or spiritual resources

selfes·teem [-ə-'stēm] -n

  1. a confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect
  2. self-conceit

selfev·i·dence [-'e-və-dən(t)s, -,den(t)s] -n

  1. the quality or state of being self-evident

selfev·i·dent [-dənt, -,dent] -adj, adv

  1. evident without proof or reasoning

selfex·am [-ig-'zam] -n

  1. self-examination

selfex·am·i·na·tion [-ig-,za-mə-'nā-shən] -n

  1. a reflective examination (as of one's beliefs or motives) : introspection
  2. examination of one's body esp. for evidence of disease

selfex·cit·ed [-ik-'sī-təd] -adj

  1. excited by a current produced by the generator itself
    • selfexcited generators

selfex·e·cut·ing [-'ek-sə-,kyü-tiŋ] -adj

  1. taking effect immediately without implementing legislation
    • a selfexecuting treaty

selfex·iled [-'eg-,zī(-ə)ld, -'ek-,sī(-ə)ld] -adj

  1. exiled by one's own wish or decision

selfex·plan·a·to·ry [ik-'spla-nə-,tȯr-ē] -adj

  1. explaining itself : capable of being understood without explanation

selfex·plo·ra·tion [-,ek-splə-'rā-shən, -,splȯ-] -n

  1. the examination and analysis of one's own unrealized spiritual or intellectual capacities

selfex·pres·sion [-ik-'spre-shən] -n, adj

  1. the expression of one's own personality : assertion of one's individual traits

selffeed ['self-'fēd] -vt

  1. to provide rations to (animals) in bulk so as to permit feeding as wanted

selffeed·er [-'fē-dər] -n

  1. a device for providing feed to livestock that is equipped with a feed hopper that automatically supplies a trough below

selffeel·ing ['self-'fē-liŋ] -n

  1. self-centered emotion

selffer·tile [,self-'fər-tᵊl] -adj, n

  1. fertile by means of its own pollen or sperm

selffer·til·i·za·tion [-,fər-tə-lə-'zā-shən] -n, vb

  1. fertilization effected by union of ova with pollen or sperm from the same individual

selfflag·el·la·tion [-,fla-jə-'lā-shən] -n, vb

  1. extreme criticism of oneself

selfflat·ter·ing [-'fla-tə-riŋ] -adj

  1. given to self-flattery

selfflat·tery [-tə-rē] -n

  1. the glossing over of one's own weaknesses or mistakes and the exaggeration of one's own good qualities and achievements

selffor·get·ful [-fər-'get-fəl] -adj, adv, n

  1. having or showing no thought of self or selfish interests

selffor·get·ting [-'ge-tiŋ] -adj, adv

  1. self-forgetful

selffruit·ful ['self-'früt-fəl] -adj, n

  1. capable of setting a crop of self-pollinated fruit

selfful·fill·ing [,self-fül-'fi-liŋ] -adj

  1. becoming real or true by virtue of having been predicted or expected
    • a selffulfilling prophecy
  2. marked by or achieving self-fulfillment

selfful·fill·ment [-'fil-mənt] -n

  1. fulfillment of oneself

selfgiv·en [-'gi-vən] -adj

  1. given by oneself
    • selfgiven authority
  2. derived from itself
    • a selfgiven entity

selfglo·ri·fi·ca·tion [-,glȯr-ə-fə-'kā-shən] -n

  1. a feeling or expression of one's own superiority

selfglo·ri·fy·ing [-'glȯr-ə-,fī-iŋ] -adj

  1. given to or marked by boasting : boastful

selfglo·ry [-'glȯr-ē] -n

  1. personal vanity : pride

selfgov·er·nance [-'gə-vər-nən(t)s] -n

  1. self-government

selfgov·erned [-'gə-vərnd] -adj

  1. not influenced or controlled by others
  2. exercising self-control

selfgov·ern·ing [-'gə-vər-niŋ] -adj

  1. having control or rule over oneself
  2. having self-government : autonomous

selfgov·ern·ment [-'gə-vər(n)-mənt, -'gə-vᵊm-ənt] -n

  1. self-control, self-command
  2. government under the control and direction of the inhabitants of a political unit rather than by an outside authority
  3. control of one's own affairs

selfgrat·i·fi·ca·tion [-,gra-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n

  1. the act of pleasing oneself or of satisfying one's desires
  2. the satisfying of one's own sexual urges

selfgrat·u·la·tion [-,gra-chə-'lā-shən] -n

  1. self-congratulation

selfgrat·u·la·to·ry [-'gra-chə-lə-,tȯr-ē] -adj

  1. self-congratulatory

selfheal ['self-,hēl] -n

  1. a blue-flowered Eurasian mint ( Prunella vulgaris) that is naturalized throughout No. America and is held to have medicinal properties useful in herbal medicine

selfhelp ['self-'help; Southern also 'hep] -n, adj

  1. the action or process of bettering oneself or overcoming one's problems without the aid of others
  2. the coping with one's personal or emotional problems without professional help

self·hood [-,hu̇d] -n

  1. individuality
  2. the quality or state of being selfish

selfiden·ti·cal [,self-ī-'den-ti-kəl, -ə-'den-] -adj

  1. having self-identity

selfiden·ti·fi·ca·tion [-,den-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n

  1. identification with someone or something outside oneself

selfiden·ti·ty [-'den-tə-tē, -'de-nə-tē] -n

  1. sameness of a thing with itself
  2. individuality
    • self-understanding is the necessary condition of a sense of selfidentity -- J. C. Murray

selfig·nite [-ig-'nīt] -vi, n

  1. to become ignited without flame or spark (as under high compression)

selfim·age ['self-'i-mij] -n

  1. one's conception of oneself or of one's role

selfim·mo·la·tion [,self-,i-mə-'lā-shən] -n, vb

  1. a deliberate and willing sacrifice of oneself often by fire

selfim·por·tance [-im-'pȯr-tᵊn(t)s, -tən(t)s] -n

  1. an exaggerated estimate of one's own importance : self-conceit
  2. arrogant or pompous behavior

selfimportant [-tᵊnt, -tənt] -adj, adv

  1. having or showing self-importance

selfin·clu·sive [-in-'klü-siv, -ziv] -adj

  1. enclosing itself
  2. complete in itself

selfin·com·pat·i·ble [-,in-kəm-'pa-tə-bəl] -adj, n

  1. incapable of effective self-pollination

selfin·crim·i·nat·ing [-in-'kri-mə-,nā-tiŋ] -adj

  1. serving or tending to incriminate oneself

selfin·crim·i·na·tion [-,kri-mə-'nā-shən] -n

  1. incrimination of oneself
  2. the giving of testimony which will likely subject one to criminal prosecution

selfin·duc·tance [-'dək-tən(t)s] -n

  1. inductance in which an electromotive force is produced by self-induction

selfin·duc·tion [-'dək-shən] -n

  1. induction of an electromotive force in a circuit by a varying current in the same circuit

selfin·dul·gence [-'dəl-jən(t)s] -n, adj, adv

  1. excessive or unrestrained gratification of one's own appetites, desires, or whims

selfin·sur·ance [in-'shu̇r-ən(t)s, -'in-,] -n

  1. insurance of oneself or of one's own interests by the setting aside of money at regular intervals to provide a fund to cover possible losses

selfinsure [-in-'shu̇r] -vb, n

  1. to insure oneself
  2. to practice self-insurance

selfin·ter·est [-'in-t(ə-)rəst; -'in-tə-,rest, -,trest; -'in-tərst] -n, adj, adv

  1. a concern for one's own advantage and well-being
    • acted out of selfinterest and fear
  2. one's own interest or advantage
    • selfinterest requires that we be generous in foreign aid

selfin·volved [-in-'välvd, -'vȯlvd also -'vävd or 'vȯvd] -adj

  1. self-absorbed

selfinvolvement [-'välv-mənt, -'vȯlv-] -n

  1. self-absorption

self·ish ['sel-fish] -adj, adv, n

  1. concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
  2. arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others
    • a selfish act
  3. being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function
    • selfish DNA
  4. being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication
    • selfish genes

selfjus·ti·fi·ca·tion [,self-,jəs-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n

  1. the act or an instance of making excuses for oneself

selfjus·ti·fy·ing [-'jəs-tə-,fī-iŋ] -adj

  1. seeking to justify oneself

selfknow·ing [-'nō-iŋ] -adj

  1. having self-knowledge

selfknowl·edge [-'nä-lij] -n

  1. knowledge or understanding of one's own capabilities, character, feelings, or motivations

self·less ['sel-fləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. having no concern for self : unselfish

selflim·it·ed [,self-'li-mə-təd] -adj

  1. limited by one's or its own nature
  2. running a definite and limited course
    • a selflimited disease

selflim·it·ing [-tiŋ] -adj

  1. limiting oneself or itself
  2. self-limited

selfliq·ui·dat·ing [-'li-kwə-,dā-tiŋ] -adj

  1. of or relating to a commercial transaction in which goods are converted into cash in a short time
  2. generating funds from its own operations to repay the investment made to create it
    • a selfliquidating housing project

selfload·er [-'lō-dər] -n

  1. a semiautomatic firearm

selfload·ing [-diŋ] -adj

  1. semiautomatic

selflove ['self-'ləv] -n, adj

  1. : love of self:
  2. conceit
  3. regard for one's own happiness or advantage

selfmade ['self-'mād] -adj

  1. made such by one's own actions
  2. having achieved success or prominence by one's own efforts
    • a selfmade man

selfmail·er [-'mā-lər] -n

  1. a folder that can be sent by mail without enclosure in an envelope by use of a gummed sticker or a precanceled stamp to hold the leaves together

selfmail·ing [-liŋ] -adj

  1. capable of being mailed without being enclosed in an envelope

selfmoved ['self-'müvd] -adj

  1. moved by inherent power

selfmur·der [-'mər-dər] -n

  1. self-destruction, suicide

self·ness ['self-nəs] -n

  1. egoism, selfishness
  2. personality, selfhood

selfob·ser·va·tion [,self-,äb-sər-'vā-shən, -zər-] -n

  1. introspection
  2. observation of one's own appearance

selfopin·ion [-ə-'pin-yən] -n

  1. high or exaggerated opinion of oneself : self-conceit

selfopin·ion·at·ed [-yə-,nā-təd] -adj, n

  1. conceited
  2. stubbornly holding to one's own opinion : opinionated

selfor·ga·ni·za·tion [-,ȯr-gə-nə-'zā-shən, -,ȯrg-nə-] -n

  1. organization of oneself or itself
  2. the act or process of forming or joining an organization (as a labor union)

selfpaced ['self-'pāst] -adj

  1. designed to permit learning at the student's own pace
    • selfpaced math course

selfpar·tial·i·ty [,self-,pär-shē-'a-lə-tē, -,pär-'sha-] -n

  1. an excessive estimate of oneself as compared with others
  2. a prejudice in favor of one's own claims or interests

selfper·cep·tion [-pər-'sep-shən] -n

  1. perception of oneself
  2. self-concept

selfpity ['self-'pi-tē] -n, adj, adv

  1. pity for oneself
  2. a self-indulgent dwelling on one's own sorrows or misfortunes

selfpleased [-'plēzd] -adj

  1. self-satisfied

selfpoise [-'pȯiz] -n

  1. the quality or state of being self-poised

selfpoised [-'pȯizd] -adj

  1. having poise through self-command

selfpol·li·nate ['self-'pä-lə-,nāt] -vt

  1. self
  2. to undergo self-pollination

selfpol·li·na·tion [,self-,pä-lə-'nā-shən] -n

  1. the transfer of pollen from the anther of a flower to the stigma of the same flower or sometimes to that of a genetically identical flower (as of the same plant or clone)

selfpor·trait [-'pȯr-trət, -,trāt] -n

  1. a portrait of oneself done by oneself

selfpos·sessed [-pə-'zest also -'sest] -adj, adv

  1. having or showing self-possession : composed in mind or manner : calm

selfpos·ses·sion [-pə-'ze-shən also -'se-] -n

  1. control of one's emotions or reactions esp. when under stress : presence of mind, composure

selfpres·er·va·tion [-,pre-zər-'vā-shən] -n

  1. preservation of oneself from destruction or harm
  2. a natural or instinctive tendency to act so as to preserve one's own existence

selfpride ['self-'prīd] -n

  1. pride in oneself or in that which relates to oneself

selfpro·claimed [-prō-'klāmd, -prə-] -adj

  1. based on one's own assertion
    • a selfproclaimed genius

selfpro·fessed [-prə-'fest, -prō-] -adj

  1. self-proclaimed

selfpro·pelled [,self-prə-'peld] -adj

  1. containing within itself the means for its own propulsion
    • a selfpropelled vehicle
  2. mounted on or fired from a moving vehicle
    • a selfpropelled gun

selfpro·pel·ling [-'pe-liŋ] -adj

  1. self-propelled

selfpro·pul·sion [-'pəl-shən] -n

  1. propulsion by one's own power

selfpub·lish [-'pə-blish] -vt

  1. to publish (a book) using the author's own resources

selfpu·ri·fi·ca·tion [-,pyu̇r-ə-fə-'kā-shən] -n

  1. purification by natural process
    • selfpurification of water
  2. purification of oneself

selfques·tion ['self-'kwes-chən, -'kwesh-] -n

  1. a question asked of oneself by oneself

selfques·tion·ing [-chə-niŋ] -n

  1. examination of one's own actions and motives

selfrat·ing [-'rā-tiŋ] -n

  1. determination of one's own rating with reference to a standard scale

selfre·al·i·za·tion [,self-,rē-ə-lə-'zā-shən] -n

  1. fulfillment by oneself of the possibilities of one's character or personality

selfrec·og·ni·tion [-,re-kig-'ni-shən, -kəg-] -n

  1. recognition of one's own self
  2. the process by which the immune system of an organism distinguishes between the body's own chemicals, cells, and tissues and those of foreign organisms and agents

selfre·cord·ing [-ri-'kȯr-diŋ] -adj

  1. making an automatic record
    • selfrecording instruments

selfre·flec·tion [-ri-'flek-shən] -n

  1. self-examination

selfre·flec·tive [-ri-'flek-tiv] -adj

  1. marked by or engaging in self-reflection

selfre·flex·ive [-ri-'flek-siv] -adj, adv, n

  1. marked by or making reference to its own artificiality or contrivance
    • selfreflexive fiction

selfre·gard [-ri-'gärd] -n

  1. regard for or consideration of oneself or one's own interests

selfre·gard·ing [-ri-'gär-diŋ] -adj

  1. concerned with oneself or one's own interests

selfreg·u·lat·ing [-'re-gyə-,lā-tiŋ] -adj

  1. regulating oneself or itself
  2. automatic
    • a selfregulating mechanism

selfre·li·ance [-ri-'lī-ənts] -n

  1. reliance on one's own efforts and abilities

selfre·li·ant [-ənt] -adj

  1. having confidence in and exercising one's own powers or judgment

selfrep·li·cat·ing [-'re-plə-,kā-tiŋ] -adj, n

  1. reproducing itself autonomously
    • DNA is a selfreplicating molecule

selfre·port [-ri-'pȯrt] -n, adj

  1. a report about one's behavior provided esp. by one who is a subject of research

selfre·spect [-ri-'spekt] -n

  1. a proper respect for oneself as a human being
  2. regard for one's own standing or position

selfre·spect·ing [-ri-'spek-tiŋ] -adj

  1. having or characterized by self-respect

selfre·veal·ing [-ri-'vē-liŋ] -adj

  1. marked by self-revelation

selfrev·e·la·tion [-,re-və-'lā-shən] -n

  1. revelation of one's own thoughts, feelings, and attitudes esp. without deliberate intent

selfre·ward·ing [-ri-'wȯr-diŋ] -adj

  1. containing or producing its own reward
    • virtue is selfrewarding

selfrigh·teous [-'rī-chəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. convinced of one's own righteousness esp. in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others : narrow-mindedly moralistic

selfris·ing flour ['self-'rī-ziŋ-] -n

  1. a commercially prepared mixture of flour, salt, and a leavening agent called also self-raising flour

selfrule ['self-'rül] -n

  1. self-government

selfrul·ing [-'rü-liŋ] -adj

  1. self-governing

selfsac·ri·fice ['self-'sa-krə-,fīs also -fəs or -,fīz] -n

  1. sacrifice of oneself or one's interest for others or for a cause or ideal

selfsa·cri·fic·ing [-,fī-siŋ also -fə- or -,fī-] -adj, adv

  1. sacrificing oneself for others

self·same ['self-,sām] -adj, n

  1. being the one mentioned or in question : identical
    • left the selfsame day

selfsat·is·fac·tion [,self-,sa-təs-'fak-shən] -n

  1. a usu. smug satisfaction with oneself or one's position or achievements

selfsat·is·fied ['self-'sa-təs-,fīd] -adj

  1. feeling or showing self-satisfaction

selfscru·ti·ny ['self-'skrü-tə-nē, -'skrüt-nē] -n

  1. self-examination

selfseal·ing ['self-'sē-liŋ] -adj

  1. capable of being sealed by pressure without the addition of moisture
    • selfsealing envelopes
  2. capable of sealing itself (as after puncture)
    • a selfsealing tire

selfsearch·ing [-'sər-chiŋ] -n

  1. self-questioning

selfseek·er [-'sē-kər] -n

  1. a self-seeking person

selfseek·ing [-kiŋ] -n

  1. the act or practice of selfishly advancing one's own ends

selfseeking -adj

  1. seeking only to further one's own interests

selfserve ['self-'sərv] -adj

  1. permitting self-service

selfser·vice ['self-'sər-vəs] -n, adj

  1. the serving of oneself (as in a restaurant or gas station) with goods or services to be paid for at a cashier's desk or by means of a coin-operated mechanism

selfserv·ing [-'sər-viŋ] -adj, adv

  1. serving one's own interests often in disregard of the truth or the interests of others

selfsim·i·lar·i·ty [-,si-mə-'la-rə-tē] -n, adj

  1. the quality or state of having an appearance that is invariant upon being scaled larger or smaller
    • magnify the fractal and you can see the selfsimilarity of its edge

selfslaugh·ter [-'slȯ-tər] -n

  1. suicide

selfslaugh·tered [-tərd] -adj

  1. killed by oneself

selfsow ['self-'sō] -vi

  1. to sow itself by dropping seeds or by natural action (as of wind or water)

selfstart·er [,self-'stär-tər] -n

  1. starter
  2. a person who has initiative

selfstart·ing [-'stär-tiŋ] -adj

  1. capable of starting by oneself or itself

selfster·ile [-'ster-əl] -adj, n

  1. sterile to its own pollen or sperm

selfstick ['self-'stik] -adj

  1. capable of adhering to a surface by application of pressure without the addition of moisture

selfstim·u·la·tion [,self-,stim-yə-'lā-shən] -n, adj

  1. stimulation of oneself as a result of one's own activity or behavior
    • electrical selfstimulation of the brain
  2. masturbation

selfstudy ['self-'stə-dē] -n

  1. study of oneself
  2. a record of observations from such study

selfstyled [-'stī(-ə)ld] -adj

  1. self-proclaimed
    • selfstyled experts

selfsub·sis·tent [,self-səb-'sis-tənt] -adj, n

  1. subsisting independently of anything external to itself

selfsub·sist·ing [-'sis-tiŋ] -adj

  1. self-subsistent

selfsuf·fi·cien·cy [-sə-'fi-shən(t)-sē] -n

  1. the quality or state of being self-sufficient

selfsuf·fi·cient [-'fi-shənt] -adj

  1. able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid : capable of providing for one's own needs
    • a selfsufficient farm
  2. having an extreme confidence in one's own ability or worth : haughty, overbearing

selfsuf·fic·ing [-'fī-siŋ also -ziŋ] -adj, adv, n

  1. self-sufficient

selfsug·ges·tion [-səg-'jes-chən, -sə-', -'jesh-] -n

  1. autosuggestion

selfsup·port [,self-sə-'pȯrt] -n, adj

  1. independent support of oneself or itself

selfsup·port·ing [-'pȯr-tiŋ] -adj

  1. : characterized by self-support: as
  2. meeting one's needs by one's own efforts or output
  3. supporting itself or its own weight
    • a selfsupporting wall

selfsus·tain·ing [-sə-'stā-niŋ] -adj

  1. maintaining or able to maintain oneself or itself by independent effort
    • a selfsustaining community
  2. maintaining or able to maintain itself once commenced
    • a selfsustaining nuclear reaction

selftan·ner ['self-'ta-nər] -n

  1. a product (as one containing dihydroxyacetone) that when applied to the skin reacts chemically with its surface layer to give the appearance of a suntan

selftaught ['self-'tȯt] -adj

  1. having knowledge or skills acquired by one's own efforts without formal instruction
    • a selftaught musician
  2. learned by oneself
    • selftaught knowledge

selftol·er·ance [-'tä-lə-rən(t)s, -'täl-rən(t)s] -n

  1. the physiological state that exists in an organism when its immune system has proceeded far enough in the process of self-recognition to lose the capacity to attack and destroy its own bodily constituents

selftreat·ment [-'trēt-mənt] -n

  1. medication of oneself or treatment of one's own disease or condition without medical supervision or prescription

selftrust [-'trəst] -n

  1. self-confidence

selfwill [-'wil] -n

  1. stubborn or willful adherence to one's own desires or ideas : obstinacy

selfwilled [-'wild] -adj, adv, n

  1. governed by one's own will : not yielding to the wishes of others : obstinate

selfwind·ing [-'wīn-diŋ] -adj

  1. not needing to be wound by hand
    • a selfwinding watch

selfworth [-'wərth] -n

  1. self-esteem

Sel·juk ['sel-,jük, sel-'] -adj, n

  1. of or relating to any of several Turkish dynasties ruling over a great part of western Asia in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries
  2. of, relating to, or characteristic of a Turkish people ruled over by a Seljuk dynasty

sell ['sel] -vb, adj

  1. to deliver or give up in violation of duty, trust, or loyalty and esp. for personal gain : betray often used with out
    • sell out their country
  2. to give up (property) to another for something of value (as money)
  3. to offer for sale
  4. to give up in return for something else esp. foolishly or dishonorably
    • sold his birthright for a mess of pottage
  5. to exact a price for
    • sold their lives dearly
  6. to deliver into slavery for money
  7. to give into the power of another
    • sold his soul to the devil
  8. to deliver the personal services of for money
  9. to dispose of or manage for profit instead of in accordance with conscience, justice, or duty
    • sold their votes
  10. to develop a belief in the truth, value, or desirability of : gain acceptance for
    • trying to sell a program to the Congress
  11. to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something
    • sell children on reading
  12. to impose on : cheat
  13. to cause or promote the sale of
    • using television advertising to sell cereal
  14. to make or attempt to make sales to
  15. to influence or induce to make a purchase
  16. to achieve a sale of
    • sold a million copies
  17. to dispose of something by sale
    • thinks now is a good time to sell
  18. to achieve a sale
  19. to achieve satisfactory sales
    • hoped that the new line would sell
  20. to have a specified price
  21. a deliberate deception : hoax
  22. the act or an instance of selling
  23. something to be sold or caused to be accepted
    • the new mystery novel was an easy sell
  24. someone to whom something is sold
    • the new purchasing agent was a tough sell
  25. saddle

sell ['self, Southern also 'sef] -pron

(variant of self)

  1. myself, himself, herself
    • a check payable to self
  2. identical, same
  3. belonging to oneself : own
  4. having a single character or quality throughout
  5. having one color only
    • a self flower
  6. of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used
    • self trimming
  7. the entire person of an individual
  8. the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
  9. an individual's typical character or behavior
    • her true self was revealed
  10. an individual's temporary behavior or character
    • his better self
  11. a person in prime condition
    • feel like my old self today
  12. the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
  13. personal interest or advantage
  14. material that is part of an individual organism
    • ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself
  15. inbreed
  16. to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
  17. to undergo self-pollination

sell·er ['se-lər] -n

  1. one that offers for sale
  2. a marketed product that sells well, to a specified extent, or in a specified manner
    • a million-copy seller
    • a poor seller

seller's market -n

  1. a market in which goods are scarce, buyers have a limited range of choice, and prices are high

selling climax -n

  1. a sharp decline in stock prices for a short time on very heavy trading volume followed by a rally

sell·ingplat·er ['se-liŋ-,plā-tər] -n

  1. a horse that runs in selling races

selling point -n

  1. an aspect or detail of something that is emphasized (as in selling or promoting)

selling race -n

  1. a claiming race in which the winning horse is put up for auction

selloff ['sel-,ȯf] -n

  1. a usu. sudden sharp decline in security prices accompanied by increased volume of trading

sell off -vi

  1. to suffer a drop in prices

sell·out ['sel-,au̇t] -n

  1. the act or an instance of selling out
  2. something sold out
  3. something (as a concert or contest) for which all tickets are sold
  4. one who sells out

sell out -vt

  1. to sell the goods of (a debtor) in order to satisfy creditors
  2. to sell security or commodity holdings of usu. to satisfy an uncovered margin
  3. to sell all the available tickets for
    • sold out the concert
  4. to sell all of
    • the merchandise was quickly sold out
  5. to dispose of one's goods by sale
  6. to sell one's business
  7. to betray one's cause or associates esp. for personal gain
  8. to be or achieve a sellout

selt·zer ['selt-sər] -n

  1. artificially carbonated water

sel·vage ['sel-vij] -n, adj

  1. the edge on either side of a woven or flat-knitted fabric so finished as to prevent raveling
  2. a narrow border often of different or heavier threads than the fabric and sometimes in a different weave
  3. an edge (as of fabric or paper) meant to be cut off and discarded
  4. an outer or peripheral part : border, edge

selves ['self, Southern also 'sef] -pron

(variant of self)

  1. myself, himself, herself
    • a check payable to self
  2. identical, same
  3. belonging to oneself : own
  4. having a single character or quality throughout
  5. having one color only
    • a self flower
  6. of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used
    • self trimming
  7. the entire person of an individual
  8. the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
  9. an individual's typical character or behavior
    • her true self was revealed
  10. an individual's temporary behavior or character
    • his better self
  11. a person in prime condition
    • feel like my old self today
  12. the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
  13. personal interest or advantage
  14. material that is part of an individual organism
    • ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself
  15. inbreed
  16. to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
  17. to undergo self-pollination

sem -abbr

  1. seminar

SEM -abbr

  1. scanning electron microscope; scanning electron microscopy

se·man·tic [si-'man-tik] -adj, adv

  1. of or relating to meaning in language
  2. of or relating to semantics

se·man·ti·cist [-'man-tə-sist] -n

  1. a specialist in semantics

se·man·tics [si-'man-tiks] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. : the study of meanings:
  2. the historical and psychological study and the classification of changes in the signification of words or forms viewed as factors in linguistic development
  3. semiotic
  4. a branch of semiotic dealing with the relations between signs and what they refer to and including theories of denotation, extension, naming, and truth
  5. general semantics
  6. the meaning or relationship of meanings of a sign or set of signs
  7. connotative meaning
  8. the language used (as in advertising or political propaganda) to achieve a desired effect on an audience esp. through the use of words with novel or dual meanings

sem·a·phore ['se-mə-,fȯr] -n

  1. an apparatus for visual signaling (as by the position of one or more movable arms)
  2. a system of visual signaling by two flags held one in each hand

semaphore -vb

  1. to convey (information) by or as if by semaphore
  2. to send signals by or as if by semaphore

se·ma·si·ol·o·gy [si-,mā-sē-'ä-lə-jē, -,mā-zē-] -n, adj

  1. semantics

sem·bla·ble ['sem-blə-bəl] -adj, adv

  1. similar
  2. suitable
  3. apparent, seeming

semblable -n

  1. something similar : like
  2. one that is like oneself : one's fellow

sem·blance ['sem-blən(t)s] -n

  1. outward and often specious appearance or show : form
    • wrapped in a semblance of composure -- Harry Hervey
  2. modicum
    • has been struggling to get some semblance of justice for his people -- Bayard Rustin
  3. aspect, countenance
  4. a phantasmal form : apparition
  5. image, likeness
  6. actual or apparent resemblance
    • her story bears some semblance to the truth

seme ['sēm] -n

  1. a linguistic sign
  2. any of the basic components of the meaning of a morpheme

Sem·e·le ['se-mə-,lē] -n

  1. a daughter of Cadmus consumed by flames when visited by Zeus in his divine splendor

sem·el·pa·rous [,se-'mel-pə-rəs] -adj

  1. reproducing or breeding only once in a lifetime
    • semelparous salmon

sem·eme ['se-,mēm] -n, adj

  1. the meaning of a morpheme
  2. seme
  3. a class of related semes

se·men ['sē-mən] -n

  1. a viscid whitish fluid of the male reproductive tract consisting of spermatozoa suspended in secretions of accessory glands (as of the prostate and Cowper's glands)

se·mes·ter [sə-'mes-tər] -n, adj

  1. either of the two usu. 18-week periods of instruction into which an academic year is often divided
  2. a period of six months

semester hour -n

  1. a unit of academic credit representing an hour of class (as lecture class) or three hours of laboratory work each week for an academic semester

semi ['se-mē also -,mī] -n

  1. a semidetached house
  2. semitrailer
  3. semifinal often used in pl.

semi- [,se-mē, -,mī, -mi] -prefix

  1. : precisely half of:
  2. forming a bisection of
    • semi diameter
  3. being a usu. vertically bisected form of (a specified architectural feature)
    • semi dome
  4. half in quantity or value : half of or occurring halfway through a specified period of time
    • semi annual
    • semi monthly
  5. to some extent : partly : incompletely
    • semi civilized
    • semi- independent
    • semi dry
  6. partial : incomplete
    • semi consciousness
    • semi darkness
  7. having some of the characteristics of
    • semi porcelain
  8. quasi-
    • semi governmental
    • semi monastic

semi·ab·stract [-ab-'strakt, -'ab-,] -adj, n

  1. having subject matter that is easily recognizable although the form is stylized
    • semiabstract art

semi·an·nu·al [-'an-yə(-wə)l] -adj, adv

  1. occurring every six months or twice a year

semian·tique [-an-'tēk] -adj, n

  1. being approximately 50 to 100 years old
    • a semiantique carpet

semi·aquat·ic [-ə-'kwä-tik, -'kwa-] -adj

  1. growing equally well in or adjacent to water
  2. frequenting but not living wholly in water

semi·ar·bo·re·al [-är-'bȯr-ē-əl] -adj

  1. often inhabiting and frequenting trees but not completely arboreal
    • semiarboreal snakes

semi·ar·id [-'a-rəd] -adj, n

  1. characterized by light rainfall
  2. having from about 10 to 20 inches (25 to 51 centimeters) of annual precipitation

semi·au·to·bio·graph·i·cal [-,ȯ-tə-,bī-ə-'gra-fi-kəl] -adj

  1. partly autobiographical
    • a semiautobiographical comedy

semi·au·to·mat·ic [-,ȯ-tə-'ma-tik] -adj, n, adv

  1. : not fully automatic: as
  2. operated partly automatically and partly by hand
  3. able to fire repeatedly but requiring release and another pressure of the trigger for each successive shot

semi·au·ton·o·mous [-ȯ-'tä-nə-məs] -adj

  1. largely self-governing within a larger political or organizational entity

semi·breve ['se-mē-,brēv, 'se-,mī-, -mi-, -,brev] -n

  1. whole note

semi·cen·ten·ni·al [-sen-'te-nē-əl] -n, adj

  1. a 50th anniversary or its celebration

semi·cir·cle ['se-mē-,sər-kəl, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n, adj

  1. a half of a circle
  2. an object or arrangement of objects in the form of a half circle

semicircular canal -n

  1. any of the loop-shaped tubular parts of the labyrinth of the ear that together constitute a sensory organ associated with the maintenance of bodily equilibrium

semi·civ·i·lized [,se-mē-'si-və-,līzd, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj

  1. partly civilized

semi·clas·sic [-'kla-sik] -n

  1. a semiclassical work

semi·clas·si·cal [-si-kəl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or being a musical composition that is intermediate in style between classical and popular music

semi·co·lon ['se-mē-,kō-lən, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n

  1. a punctuation mark ; used chiefly in a coordinating function between major sentence elements (as independent clauses of a compound sentence)

semi·co·lo·nial [,se-mē-kə-'lō-nyəl, ,se-,mī-, -mi-, -nē-əl] -adj, n

  1. nominally independent but actually under foreign domination
  2. dependent on foreign nations as suppliers of manufactured goods and as purchasers of raw materials

semi·col·o·ny [-'kä-lə-nē] -n

  1. a semicolonial state

semi·com·mer·cial [-kə-'mər-shəl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, adapted to, or characterized by limited marketing of an experimental product

semi·con·duct·ing [,se-mē-kən-'dək-tiŋ, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a semiconductor

semi·con·duc·tor [-'dək-tər] -n

  1. any of a class of solids (as germanium or silicon) whose electrical conductivity is between that of a conductor and that of an insulator in being nearly as great as that of a metal at high temperatures and nearly absent at low temperatures

semi·con·scious [-'kän(t)-shəs] -adj, n

  1. incompletely conscious : imperfectly aware or responsive

semi·con·ser·va·tive [-kən-'sər-və-tiv] -adj, adv

  1. relating to or being genetic replication in which a double-stranded molecule of nucleic acid separates into two single strands each of which serves as a template for the formation of a complementary strand that together with the template forms a complete molecule

semi·crys·tal·line [-'kris-tə-lən] -adj

  1. incompletely or imperfectly crystalline

semi·cy·lin·dri·cal [-sə-'lin-dri-kəl] -adj

  1. having the shape of a longitudinal half of a cylinder

semi·dark·ness [-'därk-nəs] -n

  1. partial darkness

semi·de·ify [-'dē-ə-,fī, -'dā-] -vt

  1. to regard as somewhat godlike

semi·des·ert [-'de-zərt] -n

  1. an arid area that has some of the characteristics of a desert but has greater annual precipitation

semi·de·tached [-di-'tacht] -adj

  1. forming one of a pair of residences joined into one building by a common sidewall

semi·di·am·e·ter [-dī-'a-mə-tər] -n

  1. radius
  2. the apparent radius of a generally spherical celestial body

semi·di·ur·nal [-dī-'ər-nᵊl] -adj

  1. relating to or accomplished in half a day
  2. occurring twice a day
  3. occurring approximately every half day
    • the semidiurnal tides

semi·di·vine [-də-'vīn] -adj

  1. more than mortal but not fully divine

semi·doc·u·men·ta·ry [-,dä-kyə-'men-tə-rē, -'men-trē] -n, adj

  1. a motion picture that uses many details taken from actual events or situations in presenting a fictional story

semi·dome ['se-mē-,dōm, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n, adj

  1. a roof or ceiling covering a semicircular or nearly semicircular room or recess

semi·do·mes·ti·ca·tion [,se-mē-də-,mes-ti-'kā-shən, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -n, adj

  1. a captive state of a wild animal in which its living conditions and often its breeding are controlled by humans

semi·dom·i·nant [-'dä-mə-nənt, -'däm-nənt] -adj

  1. producing an intermediate phenotype in the heterozygous condition
    • a semidominant gene

semi·dry [-'drī] -adj

  1. moderately dry
    • a semidry wine

semi·dry·ing [-'drī-iŋ] -adj

  1. that dries imperfectly or slowly used of some oils (as cottonseed oil)

semi·dwarf [-'dwȯrf] -adj, n

  1. of or being a plant of a variety that is undersized but larger than a dwarf
    • semidwarf wheats

semi·em·pir·i·cal [-im-'pir-ə-kəl, -em-] -adj

  1. partly empirical
  2. involving assumptions, approximations, or generalizations designed to simplify calculation or to yield a result in accord with observation

semi·erect [-ə-'rekt] -adj

  1. incompletely upright in bodily posture
    • semierect primates
  2. erect for half the length
    • semierect stems

semi·ev·er·green [-'e-vər-,grēn] -adj

  1. having functional and persistent foliage during part of the winter or dry season
  2. tending to be evergreen in a mild climate but deciduous in a rigorous climate

semi·feu·dal [-'fyü-dᵊl] -adj

  1. having some characteristics of feudalism

semi·fi·nal [-'fī-nᵊl] -adj

  1. being next to the last in an elimination tournament
  2. of or participating in a semifinal
  3. a semifinal match
  4. a semifinal round

semi·fin·ished [,se-mē-'fi-nisht, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj

  1. partially finished or processed
  2. rolled from raw ingots into shapes (as bars, billets, or plates) suitable for further processing

semi·fit·ted [-'fi-təd] -adj

  1. conforming somewhat to the lines of the body

semi·flex·i·ble [-'flek-sə-bəl] -adj

  1. somewhat flexible
  2. having a thin board stiffener under the covering material

semi·flu·id [-'flü-əd] -adj, n

  1. having the qualities of both a fluid and a solid : viscous
    • fluid and semifluid lubricants

semi·for·mal [-'fȯr-məl] -adj

  1. being or suitable for an occasion of moderate formality
    • a semiformal dinner
    • semiformal gowns

semi·gloss ['se-mē-,gläs, 'se-,mī-, -mi-, -,glȯs] -adj

  1. having a low luster
  2. producing a finish midway between glossy and flat

semi·gov·ern·men·tal [,se-mē-,gəv-ər(n)-'men-tᵊl, ,se-,mī-, -mi-, -,gə-vᵊm-'en-] -adj

  1. having some governmental functions and powers

semi·group ['se-mē-,grüp, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n

  1. a mathematical set that is closed under an associative binary operation

semiin·de·pen·dent [-,in-də-'pen-dənt] -adj

  1. partially independent
  2. semiautonomous

semi·leg·end·ary [-'le-jən-,der-ē] -adj

  1. having historical foundation but elaborated in legend

semi·le·thal [-'lē-thəl] -n, adj

  1. a mutation that in the homozygous condition produces more than 50 percent mortality but not complete mortality

semi·liq·uid [-'li-kwəd] -adj, n

  1. having the qualities of both a liquid and a solid : semifluid
    • semiliquid manure

semi·lit·er·ate [-'li-tə-rət also -'li-trət] -adj, n

  1. able to read and write on an elementary level
  2. able to read but unable to write
  3. having limited knowledge or understanding

semi·log [-'lȯg, -'läg] -adj

  1. semilogarithmic

semi·log·a·rith·mic [-,lȯ-gə-'rith-mik, -,lä-] -adj

  1. having one scale logarithmic and the other arithmetic used of graph paper or of a graph on such paper

semi·lu·nar [-'lü-nər] -adj

  1. lunate

semilunar valve -n

  1. any of the crescent-shaped cusps that occur as a set of three between the heart and the aorta and another of three between the heart and the pulmonary artery, are forced apart by pressure in the ventricles during systole and pushed together by pressure in the arteries during diastole, and prevent regurgitation of blood into the ventricles
  2. either set of three cusps

semi·lus·trous [-'ləs-trəs] -adj

  1. slightly lustrous

semi·ma·jor axis [-'mā-jər-] -n

  1. one half of the major axis of an ellipse (as that formed by the orbit of a planet)

semi·matte [-'mat] -adj

  1. having a slight luster

semi·met·al [-'me-tᵊl] -n, adj

  1. an element (as arsenic) possessing metallic properties in an inferior degree and not malleable

semi·mi·cro [-'mī-(,)krō] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or dealing with quantities intermediate between those treated as micro and macro
    • semimicro analysis for chlorine
    • a semimicro balance

semi·mi·nor axis [-'mī-nər-] -n

  1. one half of the minor axis of an ellipse (as that formed by the orbit of a planet)

semi·moist [-'mȯist] -adj

  1. slightly moist

semi·mo·nas·tic [-mə-'nas-tik] -adj

  1. having some features characteristic of a monastic order

semimonthly -adv

  1. twice a month
  2. occurring twice a month

semi·month·ly [-'mən(t)th-lē] -n

  1. a semimonthly publication

semi·mys·ti·cal [-'mis-ti-kəl] -adj

  1. having some of the qualities of mysticism

sem·i·nal ['se-mə-nᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or consisting of seed or semen
  2. containing or contributing the seeds of later development : creative, original
    • a seminal book

seminal duct -n

  1. a tube or passage serving esp. or exclusively as an efferent duct of the testis and in the human male being made up of the epididymis, the vas deferens, and the ejaculatory duct

seminal fluid -n

  1. semen
  2. the part of the semen that is produced by various accessory glands (as the prostate gland and seminal vesicles) : semen excepting the spermatozoa

seminal vesicle -n

  1. either of a pair of glandular pouches that lie one on either side of the male reproductive tract and in the human male secrete a sugar- and protein-containing fluid into the ejaculatory duct

sem·i·nar ['se-mə-,när] -n

  1. a group of advanced students studying under a professor with each doing original research and all exchanging results through reports and discussions
  2. a course of study pursued by a seminar
  3. an advanced or graduate course often featuring informality and discussion
  4. a scheduled meeting of a seminar or a room for such meetings
  5. a meeting for giving and discussing information

sem·i·nar·i·an [,se-mə-'ner-ē-ən] -n

  1. a student in a seminary esp. of the Roman Catholic Church

sem·i·na·rist ['se-mə-nə-rist] -n

  1. seminarian

sem·i·nary ['se-mə-,ner-ē] -n

  1. an environment in which something originates and from which it is propagated
    • a seminary of vice and crime
  2. an institution of secondary or higher education
  3. an institution for the training of candidates for the priesthood, ministry, or rabbinate

semi·nat·u·ral [,se-mē-'na-chə-rəl, ,se-,mī-, -mi-, -'nach-rəl] -adj

  1. modified by human influence but retaining many natural features
    • a seminatural park

sem·i·nif·er·ous [,se-mə-'ni-f(ə-)rəs] -adj

  1. producing or bearing seed or semen

seminiferous tubule -n

  1. any of the coiled threadlike tubules that make up the bulk of the testis and are lined with a layer of epithelial cells from which the spermatozoa are produced

Sem·i·nole ['se-mə-,nōl] -n

  1. a member of any of the groups of American Indians that emigrated to Florida from Georgia and Alabama in the 18th and 19th centuries and that are now located in southern Florida and Oklahoma

semi·no·mad [,se-mē-'nō-,mad, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -n, adj

  1. a member of a people living usu. in portable or temporary dwellings and practicing seasonal migration but having a base camp at which some crops are cultivated

semi·nude [-'nüd, -'nyüd] -adj, n

  1. partially nude

semi·of·fi·cial [-ə-'fi-shəl] -adj, adv

  1. having some official authority or standing

se·mi·ol·o·gy [,sē-mē-'ä-lə-jē, ,se-mē-, ,sē-,mī-] -n, adj, adv

  1. the study of signs
  2. semiotic

semi·opaque [,se-mē-ō-'pāk, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj

  1. nearly opaque

se·mi·o·sis [,sē-mē-'ō-səs, ,se-mē-, ,sē-,mī-] -n

  1. a process in which something functions as a sign to an organism

se·mi·ot·ics [-'ä-tiks] -n, adj

  1. a general philosophical theory of signs and symbols that deals esp. with their function in both artificially constructed and natural languages and comprises syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics

semi·pal·mat·ed [,se-mē-'pal-,mā-təd, ,se-,mī-, -mi-, -'päl-, -'pä-] -adj

  1. having the toes joined only part way down with a web
    • a plover with semipalmated feet

semi·par·a·sit·ic [-,pa-rə-'si-tik] -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or being a parasitic plant that contains some chlorophyll and is capable of photosynthesis

semi·per·ma·nent [-'pər-mə-nənt, -'pərm-nənt] -adj

  1. lasting or intended to last for a long time but not permanent

semi·per·me·able [-'pər-mē-ə-bəl] -adj, n

  1. partially but not freely or wholly permeable
  2. permeable to some usu. small molecules but not to other usu. larger particles
    • a semipermeable membrane

semi·po·lit·i·cal [-pə-'li-ti-kəl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or involving some political features or activity

semi·pop·u·lar [-'pä-pyə-lər] -adj

  1. somewhat popular

semi·por·ce·lain [-'pȯr-s(ə-)lən] -n

  1. any of several ceramic wares resembling or imitative of porcelain
  2. a relatively hard-glazed white earthenware widely used for tableware

semi·por·no·graph·ic [-,pȯr-nə-'gra-fik] -adj, n

  1. somewhat pornographic

semi·post·al [-'pōs-tᵊl] -n

  1. a postage stamp sold at a premium over its postal value esp. for a humanitarian purpose

semi·pre·cious [-'pre-shəs] -adj

  1. of less commercial value than a precious stone

semi·pri·vate [-'prī-vət] -adj

  1. of, receiving, or associated with hospital service giving a patient more privileges than a ward patient but fewer than a private patient

semi·pro ['se-mē-,prō, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj or n

  1. semiprofessional

semi·pro·fes·sion·al [,se-mē-prə-'fesh-nəl, ,se-,mī-, -mi-, -'fe-shə-nᵊl] -n

  1. one who engages in an activity (as a sport) semiprofessionally

semiprofessional -adj, adv

  1. engaging in an activity for pay or gain but not as a full-time occupation
  2. engaged in by semiprofessional players
    • semiprofessional baseball

semi·pub·lic [-'pə-blik] -adj

  1. open to some persons outside the regular constituency
  2. having some features of a public institution
  3. maintained as a public service by a private nonprofit organization

semi·quan·ti·ta·tive [-'kwän-tə-,tā-tiv] -adj, adv

  1. constituting or involving less than quantitative precision

semi·qua·ver ['se-mē-,kwā-vər, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n

  1. sixteenth note

semi·re·li·gious [,se-mē-ri-'li-jəs, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj

  1. somewhat religious

semi·re·tired [-ri-'tī(-ə)rd] -adj

  1. working only part-time esp. because of age or ill health

semi·re·tire·ment [-'tī(-ə)r-mənt] -n

  1. the state or condition of being semiretired

semi·rig·id [-'ri-jəd] -adj

  1. rigid to some degree or in some parts
  2. having a flexible cylindrical gas container with an attached stiffening keel that carries the load

semi·rur·al [-'ru̇r-əl] -adj

  1. somewhat rural

semi·sa·cred [-'sā-krəd] -adj

  1. semireligious

semi·se·cret [-'sē-krət] -adj

  1. not publicly announced but widely known nevertheless

semi·sed·en·tary [-'se-dᵊn-,ter-ē] -adj

  1. sedentary during part of the year and nomadic otherwise
    • semisedentary tribes

semi·shrub·by ['se-mē-,shrə-bē, 'se-,mī-, -mi-, esp Southern -,srə-] -adj

  1. resembling or being a subshrub

semi·skilled [,se-mē-'skild, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj

  1. having or requiring less training than skilled labor and more than unskilled labor

semi·soft [-'sȯft] -adj

  1. moderately soft
  2. firm but easily cut
    • semisoft cheese

semi·sol·id [-'sä-ləd] -adj, n

  1. having the qualities of both a solid and a liquid : highly viscous

semi·sub·mers·ible [-səb-'mər-sə-bəl] -adj, n

  1. being a floating deepwater drilling platform that is towed to a desired location and then partially flooded for stabilization and usu. anchored

semi·sweet [-'swēt] -adj

  1. slightly sweetened
    • semisweet chocolate

semi·syn·thet·ic [-sin-'the-tik] -adj

  1. produced by chemical alteration of a natural starting material
    • semisynthetic penicillins
  2. containing both chemically identified and complex natural ingredients
    • a semisynthetic diet

Sem·ite ['se-,mīt, esp Brit 'sē-,mīt] -n

  1. a member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs
  2. a descendant of these peoples
  3. a member of a modern people speaking a Semitic language

semi·ter·res·tri·al [,se-mē-tə-'res-trē-əl, ,se-,mī-, -mi-, -'res-chəl, -'resh-] -adj

  1. growing on boggy ground
  2. frequenting but not living wholly on land

Se·mit·ic [sə-'mi-tik also -'me-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or constituting a subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic language family that includes Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Amharic
  2. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Semites
  3. jewish

Semitic -n

  1. any or all of the Semitic languages

Se·mit·i·cist [sə-'mi-tə-sist] -n

  1. semitist

Se·mit·ics [-'mi-tiks] -n pl but sing in constr

  1. the study of the language, literature, and history of Semitic peoples
  2. Semitic philology

Sem·i·tism ['se-mə-,ti-zəm] -n

  1. Semitic character or qualities
  2. a characteristic feature of a Semitic language occurring in another language
  3. policy or predisposition favorable to Jews

Sem·i·tist [-tist] -n

  1. a scholar of the Semitic languages, cultures, or histories
  2. a person favoring or disposed to favor the Jews

semi·ton·al [,se-mē-'tō-nᵊl, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj, adv

  1. chromatic , semitonic

semi·tone ['se-mē-,tōn, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n, adj, adv

  1. the tone at a half step
  2. half step

semi·trail·er ['se-,mī-,trā-lər, 'se-mē-, -mi-] -n

  1. a freight trailer that when attached is supported at its forward end by the fifth wheel device of the truck tractor
  2. a trucking rig made up of a tractor and a semitrailer

semi·trans·lu·cent [,se-mē-,tran(t)s-'lü-sᵊnt, ,se-,mī-, -mi-, -,tranz-] -adj

  1. somewhat translucent

semi·trans·par·ent [-,tran(t)s-'per-ənt] -adj

  1. imperfectly transparent

semi·trop·i·cal [-'trä-pi-kəl] -adj

  1. subtropical

semi·trop·ics [-piks] -n pl

  1. subtropics

semi·truck ['se-,mī-,trək] -n

  1. semitrailer

semi·vow·el ['se-mē-,vau̇(-ə)l, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n

  1. a speech sound (as y, w, or r) that has the articulation of a vowel but that is shorter in duration and is treated as a consonant in syllabication
  2. a letter representing a semivowel

semi·week·ly [,se-mē-'wē-klē, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj, adv

  1. occurring twice a week

semiweekly -n

  1. a semiweekly publication

semi·works ['se-mē-,wərks, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n pl

  1. a manufacturing plant operating on a limited commercial scale to provide final tests of a new product or process

semi·year·ly [,se-mē-'yir-lē, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj

  1. occurring twice a year

sem·o·li·na [,se-mə-'lē-nə] -n

  1. the purified middlings of hard wheat (as durum) used esp. for pasta (as macaroni or spaghetti)

sem·per·vi·vum [,sem-pər-'vī-vəm] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Sempervivum) of Old World fleshy perennial herbs of the orpine family often grown as ornamentals

sem·pi·ter·nal [,sem-pi-'tər-nᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of never-ending duration : eternal

sem·pi·ter·ni·ty [-'tər-nə-tē] -n

  1. eternity

sem·ple ['sem-pəl] -adj

  1. of humble birth

sem·pli·ce ['sem-pli-,chā] -adj or adv

  1. simple used as a direction in music

sem·pre ['sem-(,)prā] -adv

  1. always used in music directions
    • sempre legato

sen ['sen] -n

  1. see yen at
  2. see dollar, ringgit, rupiah at
  3. see riel at
  4. senate; senator
  5. senior

se·nar·i·us [si-'ner-ē-əs] -n

  1. a verse consisting of six feet esp. in Latin prosody

se·na·ry ['se-nə-rē, 'sē-] -adj

  1. of, based on, or characterized by six : compounded of six things or six parts
    • a senary scale
    • senary division

sen·ate ['se-nət] -n

  1. : an assembly or council usu. possessing high deliberative and legislative functions: as
  2. the supreme council of the ancient Roman republic and empire
  3. the second chamber in the bicameral legislature of a major political unit (as a nation, state, or province)
  4. the hall or chamber in which a senate meets
  5. a governing body of some universities charged with maintaining academic standards and regulations and usu. composed of the principal or representative members of the faculty

sen·a·tor ['se-nə-tər] -n

  1. a member of a senate

sen·a·to·ri·al [,se-nə-'tȯr-ē-əl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or befitting a senator or a senate
    • senatorial office
    • senatorial rank

senatorial courtesy -n

  1. a custom of the U.S. Senate of refusing to confirm a presidential appointment of an official in or from a state when the appointment is opposed by the senators or senior senator of the president's party from that state

senatorial district -n

  1. a territorial division from which a senator is elected

sen·a·to·ri·an [,se-nə-'tȯr-ē-ən] -adj

  1. senatorial
  2. of or relating to the ancient Roman senate

se·na·tus con·sul·tum [sə-,nä-təs-kən-'səl-təm, -'su̇l-] -n

  1. a decree of the ancient Roman senate

send ['send] -vb, n

  1. : to cause to go: as
  2. to propel or throw in a particular direction
  3. deliver
    • sent a blow to the chin
  4. drive
    • sent the ball between the goalposts
  5. to cause to happen
    • whatever fate may send
  6. to dispatch by a means of communication
  7. to direct, order, or request to go
  8. to permit or enable to attend a term or session
    • send a daughter to college
  9. to direct by advice or reference
  10. to cause or order to depart : dismiss
  11. to force to go : drive away
  12. to cause to assume a specified state
    • sent them into a rage
  13. : to cause to issue: as
  14. to pour out : discharge
    • clouds send ing forth rain
  15. utter
    • send forth a cry
  16. emit
    • sent out waves of perfume
  17. to grow out (parts) in the course of development
    • a plant send ing forth shoots
  18. to cause to be carried to a destination
  19. to consign to death or a place of punishment
  20. to convey or cause to be conveyed or transmitted by an agent
    • sent out invitations
  21. to strike or thrust so as to impel violently
    • sent him sprawling
  22. delight, thrill
  23. to dispatch someone to convey a message or do an errand often used with out
    • send out for pizza
  24. to dispatch a request or order often used with away
  25. transmit
  26. the lift of a wave : scend

send down -vt

  1. to suspend or expel from a university

send in -vt

  1. to cause to be delivered
    • send in a letter of complaint
  2. to give (one's name or card) to a servant when making a call
  3. to send (a player) into an athletic contest

sendoff ['send-,ȯf] -n

  1. a demonstration of goodwill and enthusiasm for the beginning of a new venture (as a trip)

sendup [-,əp] -n

  1. parody, takeoff

send up -vt

  1. to send to jail
  2. to make fun of : parody

se·ne ['sā-(,)nā] -n

  1. see tala at

Sen·e·ca ['se-ni-kə] -n

  1. a member of an American Indian people of what is now western New York
  2. the Iroquoian language of the Seneca people

seneca snakeroot -n

  1. a milkwort ( Polygala senega) of eastern No. America having racemes of small white flowers called also rattlesnake root senega root

se·ne·cio [si-'nē-sh(ē-,)ō] -n

  1. any of a large genus ( Senecio) of widely distributed composite plants that have alternate or basal leaves and flower heads usu. with yellow ray flowers

se·nec·ti·tude [si-'nek-tə-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n

  1. the final stage of the normal life span

sen·e·ga ['se-ni-gə] -n

  1. the dried root of seneca snakeroot that contains an irritating saponin and is used as an expectorant

senega root -n

  1. seneca snakeroot
  2. senega

se·nes·cence [si-'ne-sᵊn(t)s] -n, adj

  1. the state of being old : the process of becoming old
  2. the growth phase in a plant or plant part (as a leaf) from full maturity to death

sen·e·schal ['se-nə-shəl] -n

  1. an agent or steward in charge of a lord's estate in feudal times

se·nhor [si-'nyȯr] -n

  1. a Portuguese or Brazilian man used as a title equivalent to Mr.

se·nho·ra [-'nyȯr-ə] -n

  1. a married Portuguese or Brazilian woman used as a title equivalent to Mrs.

se·nho·ri·ta [,sē-nyə-'rē-tə] -n

  1. an unmarried Portuguese or Brazilian girl or woman used as a title equivalent to Miss

se·nile ['sē-,nī(-ə)l also 'se-] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, exhibiting, or characteristic of old age
    • senile weakness
  2. exhibiting a loss of cognitive abilities (as memory) associated with old age
  3. approaching the end of a geological cycle of erosion

senile dementia -n

  1. dementia of old age esp. of the degenerative type associated with Alzheimer's disease

se·nil·i·ty [si-'ni-lə-tē also se-] -n

  1. the quality or state of being senile
  2. the physical and mental infirmity of old age

se·nior ['sē-nyər] -n

  1. a person older than another
    • five years my senior
  2. a person with higher standing or rank
  3. a senior fellow of a college at an English university
  4. a student in the year preceding graduation from a school of secondary or higher level
  5. a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in the 9th through 12th grades in school
  6. senior citizen

senior -adj

  1. of prior birth, establishment, or enrollment often used to distinguish a father with the same given name as his son
  2. higher ranking : superior
    • senior officers
  3. of, relating to, or intended for seniors
    • a senior center
  4. having a claim on corporate assets and income prior to other securities

senior airman -n

  1. an enlisted man in the air force who ranks above an airman first class but who has not been made staff sergeant

senior chief petty officer -n

  1. an enlisted man in the navy or coast guard ranking above a chief petty officer and below a master chief petty officer

senior citizen -n

  1. an elderly person
  2. one who has retired

senior high school -n

  1. a school usu. including grades 10 to 12

se·nior·i·tis [,sē-nyər-'ī-təs] -n

  1. an ebbing of motivation and effort by school seniors as evidenced by tardiness, absences, and lower grades

se·nior·i·ty [sēn-'yȯr-ə-tē, -'yär-] -n

  1. the quality or state of being senior : priority
  2. a privileged status attained by length of continuous service (as in a company)

senior master sergeant -n

  1. a noncommissioned officer in the air force ranking above a master sergeant and below a chief master sergeant

senior moment -n

  1. an instance of momentary forgetfulness or confusion that is attributed to the aging process

sen·i·ti ['se-nə-tē] -n

  1. see pa'anga at

sen·na ['se-nə] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Cassiasyn. Senna) of leguminous herbs, shrubs, and trees native to warm regions
  2. one used medicinally
  3. the dried leaflets or pods of various sennas (esp. C. angustifoliasyn. Senna alexandrina) used as a purgative

sen·net ['se-nət] -n

  1. a signal call on a trumpet or cornet for entrance or exit on the stage

sen·night ['se-,nīt] -n

  1. the space of seven nights and days : week

sen·nit ['se-nət] -n

  1. a braided cord or fabric (as of plaited rope yarns)
  2. a straw or grass braid for hats

se·nor [sān-'yȯr] -n

  1. a Spanish or Spanish-speaking man used as a title equivalent to Mr.

se·no·ra [sān-'yȯr-ə] -n

  1. a married Spanish or Spanish-speaking woman used as a title equivalent to Mrs.

se·no·ri·ta [,sān-yə-'rē-tə] -n

  1. an unmarried Spanish or Spanish-speaking girl or woman used as a title equivalent to Miss

sen·ryu ['sen-rē-(,)ü] -n

  1. a 3-line unrhymed Japanese poem structurally similar to haiku but treating human nature usu. in an ironic or satiric vein

sensa ['sen(t)-səm] -n

(variant of sensum)

  1. sense-datum

sen·sate ['sen-,sāt] -adj, adv

  1. relating to or apprehending or apprehended through the senses
  2. preoccupied with things that can be experienced through a sense modality

sen·sa·tion [sen-'sā-shən, sən-] -n

  1. a mental process (as seeing, hearing, or smelling) resulting from the immediate external stimulation of a sense organ often as distinguished from a conscious awareness of the sensory process
  2. awareness (as of heat or pain) due to stimulation of a sense organ
  3. a state of consciousness due to internal bodily changes
    • a sensation of hunger
  4. an indefinite bodily feeling
    • a sensation of buoyancy
  5. something (as a physical stimulus, sense-datum, or afterimage) that causes or is the object of sensation
  6. a state of excited interest or feeling
    • their elopement caused a sensation
  7. a cause of such excitement
    • the show was the musical sensation of the season
  8. one (as a person) in some respect exceptional or outstanding
    • the rookie hitting sensation of the American League

sen·sa·tion·al [-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of or relating to sensation or the senses
  2. arousing or tending to arouse (as by lurid details) a quick, intense, and usu. superficial interest, curiosity, or emotional reaction
    • sensational tabloid news
  3. exceedingly or unexpectedly excellent or great
    • a sensational talent

sen·sa·tion·al·ise [-,līz] -vt

(variant of sensationalize)

  1. to present in a sensational manner

sen·sa·tion·al·ism [-shnə-,li-zəm, -shə-nə-,li-zəm] -n, adj or n, adj

  1. empiricism that limits experience as a source of knowledge to sensation or sense perceptions
  2. the use or effect of sensational subject matter or treatment

sen·sa·tion·al·ize [-,līz] -vt

  1. to present in a sensational manner

sense ['sen(t)s] -n

  1. a meaning conveyed or intended : import, signification
  2. one of a set of meanings a word or phrase may bear esp. as segregated in a dictionary entry
  3. the faculty of perceiving by means of sense organs
  4. a specialized function or mechanism (as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch) by which an animal receives and responds to external or internal stimuli
  5. the sensory mechanisms constituting a unit distinct from other functions (as movement or thought)
  6. conscious awareness or rationality usu. used in pl.
    • finally came to his sense s
  7. a particular sensation or kind or quality of sensation
    • a good sense of balance
  8. a definite but often vague awareness or impression
    • felt a sense of insecurity
    • a sense of danger
  9. a motivating awareness
    • a sense of shame
  10. a discerning awareness and appreciation
    • her sense of humor
  11. consensus
    • the sense of the meeting
  12. capacity for effective application of the powers of the mind as a basis for action or response : intelligence
  13. sound mental capacity and understanding typically marked by shrewdness and practicality
  14. agreement with or satisfaction of such power
    • this decision makes sense
  15. one of two opposite directions esp. of motion (as of a point, line, or surface)
  16. to perceive by the senses
  17. to be or become conscious of
    • sense danger
  18. grasp, comprehend
  19. to detect automatically esp. in response to a physical stimulus (as light or movement)

sensedatum -n

  1. an immediate unanalyzable private object of sensation

sense·ful ['sen(t)s-fəl] -adj

  1. reasonable, judicious

sen·sei ['sen-,sā] -n

  1. a teacher or instructor usu. of Japanese martial arts (as karate or judo)

sense·less ['sen(t)s-ləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. : destitute of, deficient in, or contrary to sense: as
  2. unconscious
    • knocked senseless
  3. foolish, stupid
    • it was some senseless practical joke -- A. Conan Doyle
  4. meaningless
    • a senseless murder

sense organ -n

  1. a bodily structure that receives a stimulus and is affected in such a manner as to initiate excitation of associated sensory nerve fibers which convey specific impulses to the central nervous system where they are interpreted as corresponding sensations : receptor

sen·si·bil·ia [,sen(t)-sə-'bi-lē-ə, -'bil-yə] -n pl

  1. what may be sensed

sen·si·bil·i·ty [,sen(t)-sə-'bi-lə-tē] -n

  1. ability to receive sensations : sensitiveness
    • tactile sensibility
  2. peculiar susceptibility to a pleasurable or painful impression (as from praise or a slight) often used in pl.
  3. awareness of and responsiveness toward something (as emotion in another)
  4. refined or excessive sensitiveness in emotion and taste with especial responsiveness to the pathetic

sen·si·ble ['sen(t)-sə-bəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. : of a kind to be felt or perceived: as
  2. perceptible to the senses or to reason or understanding
    • felt a sensible chill
    • her distress was sensible from her manner
  3. perceptibly large : considerable
  4. perceptible as real or material : substantial
    • the sensible world in which we live
  5. capable of receiving sensory impressions
    • sensible to pain
  6. receptive to external influences : sensitive
    • the most sensible reaches of the spirit
  7. perceiving through the senses or mind : cognizant
    • sensible of the increasing heat
  8. convinced by perceived evidence : satisfied
    • sensible of my error
  9. emotionally aware and responsive
    • we are sensible of your problems
  10. conscious
  11. having, containing, or indicative of good sense or reason : rational, reasonable
    • sensible people
    • made a sensible answer
  12. designed for practical ends (as comfort) rather than for appearance
    • sensible shoes

sensible -n

  1. something that can be sensed

sensible heat -n

  1. thermal energy whose transfer to or from a substance results in a change of temperature

sen·sil·lum [sen-'si-ləm] -n

  1. a simple epithelial sense organ of an invertebrate (as an insect) usu. in the form of a spine, plate, rod, cone, or peg that is composed of one or a few cells with a nerve connection

sen·si·ti·sa·tion [,sen(t)-sə-tə-'zā-shən, ,sen(t)s-tə-'zā-] -n

(variant of sensitization)

  1. the action or process of sensitizing
  2. the quality or state of being sensitized (as to an antigen)

sen·si·tive ['sen(t)-sə-tiv, 'sen(t)s-təv] -adj, adv, n

  1. sensory
  2. receptive to sense impressions
  3. capable of being stimulated or excited by external agents (as light, gravity, or contact)
    • sensitive cells
  4. : highly responsive or susceptible: as
  5. easily hurt or damaged
  6. easily hurt emotionally
  7. delicately aware of the attitudes and feelings of others
  8. excessively or abnormally susceptible : hypersensitive
    • sensitive to egg protein
  9. readily fluctuating in price or demand
    • sensitive commodities
  10. capable of indicating minute differences : delicate
    • sensitive scales
  11. readily affected or changed by various agents (as light or mechanical shock)
    • a photographic emulsion sensitive to red light
  12. highly radiosensitive
  13. concerned with highly classified government information or involving discretionary authority over important policy matters
    • sensitive documents
  14. calling for tact, care, or caution in treatment : touchy
    • a sensitive issue like race relations
  15. having or showing concern for a specified matter usu. used in combination
    • a price -sensitive customer
    • environmentally sensitive policies

sensitive -n

  1. a person having occult or psychical abilities
  2. a sensitive person

sensitive plant -n

  1. any of several mimosas (esp. Mimosa pudica) with leaves that fold or droop when touched
  2. a plant responding to touch with movement

sen·si·tiv·i·ty [,sen(t)-sə-'ti-və-tē] -n

  1. : the quality or state of being sensitive: as
  2. the capacity of an organism or sense organ to respond to stimulation : irritability
  3. the quality or state of being hypersensitive
  4. the degree to which a radio receiving set responds to incoming waves
  5. the capacity of being easily hurt
  6. awareness of the needs and emotions of others
    • a book written with just the right mix of empathy and sensitivity -- L. C. Brown

sen·si·ti·za·tion [,sen(t)-sə-tə-'zā-shən, ,sen(t)s-tə-'zā-] -n

  1. the action or process of sensitizing
  2. the quality or state of being sensitized (as to an antigen)

sen·si·tize ['sen(t)-sə-,tīz] -vb, n

  1. to make sensitive or hypersensitive
  2. to become sensitive

sen·si·tom·e·ter [,sen(t)-sə-'tä-mə-tər] -n, adj

  1. an instrument for measuring sensitivity of photographic material

sen·sor ['sen-,sȯr, 'sen(t)-sər] -n

  1. a device that responds to a physical stimulus (as heat, light, sound, pressure, magnetism, or a particular motion) and transmits a resulting impulse (as for measurement or operating a control)
  2. sense organ

sen·so·ri·al [sen-'sȯr-ē-əl] -adj, adv

  1. sensory

sen·so·ri·mo·tor [,sen(t)s-rē-'mō-tər, ,sen(t)-sə-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or functioning in both sensory and motor aspects of bodily activity
    • sensorimotor skills

sen·so·ri·neu·ral [-'nu̇r-əl, -'nyu̇r-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or involving the aspects of sense perception mediated by nerves
    • sensorineural hearing loss

sen·so·ri·um [sen-'sȯr-ē-əm] -n

  1. the parts of the brain or the mind concerned with the reception and interpretation of sensory stimuli
  2. the entire sensory apparatus

sen·so·ry ['sen(t)s-rē, 'sen(t)-sə-rē] -adj

  1. of or relating to sensation or to the senses
    • sensory stimulation
  2. conveying nerve impulses from the sense organs to the nerve centers : afferent
    • sensory neurons

sensory area -n

  1. an area of the cerebral cortex that receives afferent nerve fibers from lower sensory or motor areas

sen·su·al ['sen(t)-sh(ə-)wəl, -shəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. relating to or consisting in the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of appetite : fleshly
  2. sensory
  3. devoted to or preoccupied with the senses or appetites
  4. voluptuous
  5. deficient in moral, spiritual, or intellectual interests : worldly
  6. irreligious

sen·su·al·ism ['sen(t)-sh(ə-)wə-,li-zəm, 'sen-shə-,li-] -n, adj

  1. persistent or excessive pursuit of sensual pleasures and interests

sen·su·al·ize ['sen(t)-sh(ə-)wə-,līz, 'sen-shə-,līz] -vt, n

  1. to make sensual

sen·sum ['sen(t)-səm] -n

  1. sense-datum

sen·su·ous ['sen(t)-sh(ə-)wəs] -adj, n, adv

  1. of or relating to the senses or sensible objects
  2. producing or characterized by gratification of the senses : having strong sensory appeal
    • sensuous pleasure
  3. characterized by sense impressions or imagery aimed at the senses
    • sensuous verse
  4. highly susceptible to influence through the senses

sen·su stric·to ['sen-(,)sü-'strik-(,)tō] -adv

  1. in a narrow or strict sense

sent ['send] -vb, n

(variant of send)

  1. : to cause to go: as
  2. to propel or throw in a particular direction
  3. deliver
    • sent a blow to the chin
  4. drive
    • sent the ball between the goalposts
  5. to cause to happen
    • whatever fate may send
  6. to dispatch by a means of communication
  7. to direct, order, or request to go
  8. to permit or enable to attend a term or session
    • send a daughter to college
  9. to direct by advice or reference
  10. to cause or order to depart : dismiss
  11. to force to go : drive away
  12. to cause to assume a specified state
    • sent them into a rage
  13. : to cause to issue: as
  14. to pour out : discharge
    • clouds send ing forth rain
  15. utter
    • send forth a cry
  16. emit
    • sent out waves of perfume
  17. to grow out (parts) in the course of development
    • a plant send ing forth shoots
  18. to cause to be carried to a destination
  19. to consign to death or a place of punishment
  20. to convey or cause to be conveyed or transmitted by an agent
    • sent out invitations
  21. to strike or thrust so as to impel violently
    • sent him sprawling
  22. delight, thrill
  23. to dispatch someone to convey a message or do an errand often used with out
    • send out for pizza
  24. to dispatch a request or order often used with away
  25. transmit
  26. the lift of a wave : scend

sen·te ['sen-tē] -n

  1. see loti at

sen·tence ['sen-tᵊn(t)s, -tᵊnz] -n

  1. opinion
  2. a conclusion given on request or reached after deliberation
  3. judgment
  4. one formally pronounced by a court or judge in a criminal proceeding and specifying the punishment to be inflicted upon the convict
  5. the punishment so imposed
    • serve out a sentence
  6. maxim, saw
  7. a word, clause, or phrase or a group of clauses or phrases forming a syntactic unit which expresses an assertion, a question, a command, a wish, an exclamation, or the performance of an action, that in writing usu. begins with a capital letter and concludes with appropriate end punctuation, and that in speaking is distinguished by characteristic patterns of stress, pitch, and pauses
  8. a mathematical or logical statement (as an equation or a proposition) in words or symbols
  9. period

sentence -vt

  1. to impose a sentence on
  2. to cause to suffer something
    • sentenced these most primitive cultures to extinction -- E. W. Count

sentence fragment -n

  1. a word, phrase, or clause that usu. has in speech the intonation of a sentence but lacks the grammatical structure usu. found in the sentences of formal and esp. written composition

sentence stress -n

  1. the manner in which stresses are distributed on the syllables of words assembled into sentences called also sentence accent

sen·ten·tia [sen-'ten(t)-sh(ē-)ə] -n

  1. aphorism usu. used in pl.

sen·ten·tial [sen-'ten(t)-shəl] -adj

  1. of or relating to a sentence
    • a relative clause with a sentential antecedent
  2. of, relating to, or involving a proposition in logic
    • sentential connective

sentential calculus -n

  1. propositional calculus

sentential function -n

  1. an expression that contains one or more variables and becomes a declarative sentence when constants are substituted for the variables

sen·ten·tious [sen-'ten(t)-shəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. given to or abounding in aphoristic expression
  2. given to or abounding in excessive moralizing
  3. terse, aphoristic, or moralistic in expression : pithy, epigrammatic

sen·tience ['sen(t)-sh(ē-)ən(t)s, 'sen-tē-ən(t)s] -n

  1. a sentient quality or state
  2. feeling or sensation as distinguished from perception and thought

sen·tient ['sen(t)-sh(ē-)ənt, 'sen-tē-ənt] -adj, adv

  1. responsive to or conscious of sense impressions
    • sentient beings
  2. aware
  3. finely sensitive in perception or feeling

sen·ti·ment ['sen-tə-mənt] -n

  1. an attitude, thought, or judgment prompted by feeling : predilection
  2. a specific view or notion : opinion
  3. emotion
  4. refined feeling : delicate sensibility esp. as expressed in a work of art
  5. emotional idealism
  6. a romantic or nostalgic feeling verging on sentimentality
  7. an idea colored by emotion
  8. the emotional significance of a passage or expression as distinguished from its verbal context

sen·ti·men·tal [,sen-tə-'men-tᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. marked or governed by feeling, sensibility, or emotional idealism
  2. resulting from feeling rather than reason or thought
    • a sentimental attachment
    • a sentimental favorite
  3. having an excess of sentiment or sensibility

sen·ti·men·tal·ise [-'men-tə-,līz] -vb, n

(variant of sentimentalize)

  1. to indulge in sentiment
  2. to look upon or imbue with sentiment

sen·ti·men·tal·ism [,sen-tə-'men-tə-,li-zəm] -n

  1. the disposition to favor or indulge in sentimentality
  2. an excessively sentimental conception or statement

sen·ti·men·tal·i·ty [,sen-tə-,men-'ta-lə-tē, -mən-] -n

  1. the quality or state of being sentimental esp. to excess or in affectation
  2. a sentimental idea or its expression

sen·ti·men·tal·ize [-'men-tə-,līz] -vb, n

  1. to indulge in sentiment
  2. to look upon or imbue with sentiment

sen·ti·mo [sen-'tē-(,)mō] -n

  1. see peso at

sen·ti·nel ['sent-nəl, 'sen-tə-nəl] -n

  1. sentry

sentinel -vt

  1. to watch over as a sentinel
  2. to furnish with a sentinel
  3. to post as sentinel

sen·try ['sen-trē] -n

  1. guard, watch
  2. a soldier standing guard at a point of passage (as a gate)

sentry box -n

  1. a shelter for a sentry on his post

sep -abbr

  1. separate; separated

Sep -abbr

  1. September

SEP -abbr

  1. simplified employee pension

se·pal ['sē-pəl, 'se-] -n

  1. one of the modified leaves comprising a calyx

se·pal·oid [-pə-,lȯid] -adj

  1. resembling or functioning as a sepal

sep·a·ra·ble ['se-p(ə-)rə-bəl] -adj, n

  1. capable of being separated or dissociated
    • separable parts
  2. causing separation

sep·a·rate ['se-p(ə-),rāt] -vb

  1. to set or keep apart : disconnect, sever
  2. to make a distinction between : discriminate, distinguish
    • separate religion from magic
  3. sort
    • separate mail
  4. to disperse in space or time : scatter
    • widely separated homesteads
  5. to set aside for a special purpose : choose, dedicate
  6. : to part by a legal separation:
  7. to sever conjugal ties with
  8. to sever contractual relations with : discharge
    • was separated from the army
  9. to block off : segregate
  10. to isolate from a mixture : extract
    • separate cream from milk
  11. to divide into constituent parts
  12. to dislocate (as a shoulder) esp. in sports
  13. to become divided or detached
  14. to sever an association : withdraw
  15. to cease to live together as a married couple
  16. to go in different directions
  17. to become isolated from a mixture
    • the crystals separated out
  18. set or kept apart : detached
  19. solitary, secluded
  20. immaterial, disembodied
  21. not shared with another : individual
    • separate rooms
  22. estranged from a parent body
    • separate churches
  23. existing by itself : autonomous
    • a separate country
  24. dissimilar in nature or identity
    • consulted five separate authorities
  25. offprint
  26. an article of dress designed to be worn interchangeably with others to form various costume combinations usu. used in pl.

sep·a·ra·tion [,se-pə-'rā-shən] -n

  1. the act or process of separating : the state of being separated
  2. a point, line, or means of division
  3. an intervening space : gap
    • the separation between wheel spokes
  4. cessation of cohabitation between a married couple by mutual agreement or judicial decree
  5. termination of a contractual relationship (as employment or military service)

separation anxiety -n

  1. a form of anxiety experienced by a young child and caused by separation from a significant nurturant figure and typically a parent or from familiar surroundings

sep·a·ra·tion·ist [-sh(ə-)nist] -n

  1. separatist

sep·a·rat·ism ['se-p(ə-)rə-,ti-zəm] -n

  1. a belief in, movement for, or state of separation (as schism, secession, or segregation)

sep·a·rat·ist ['se-p(ə-)rə-tist, 'se-pə-,rā-] -n, adj

  1. : one that favors separatism: as
  2. one of a group of 16th and 17th century English Protestants preferring to separate from rather than to reform the Church of England
  3. an advocate of independence or autonomy for a part of a political unit (as a nation)
  4. an advocate of racial or cultural separation

sep·a·ra·tive ['se-pə-,rā-tiv, 'se-p(ə-)rə-] -adj

  1. tending toward, causing, or expressing separation

sep·a·ra·tor ['se-p(ə-),rā-tər] -n

  1. one that separates
  2. a device for separating liquids of different specific gravities (as cream from milk) or liquids from solids

Se·phar·di [sə-'fär-dē] -n, adj

  1. a member of the occidental branch of European Jews settling in Spain and Portugal and later in the Balkans, the Levant, England, the Netherlands, and the Americas
  2. one of their descendants

se·pia ['sē-pē-ə] -n

  1. a brown melanin-containing pigment from the ink of cuttlefishes
  2. the inky secretion of a cuttlefish
  3. a print or photograph of a brown color resembling sepia
  4. a brownish-gray to dark olive-brown color

sepia -adj

  1. made of or done in sepia
  2. of the color sepia

se·pi·o·lite ['sē-pē-ə-,līt] -n

  1. meerschaum

se·poy ['sē-,pȯi] -n

  1. a native of India employed as a soldier by a European power

sep·pu·ku [se-'pü-(,)kü, 'se-pə-,kü] -n

  1. hara-kiri

sep·sis ['sep-səs] -n

  1. a toxic condition resulting from the spread of bacteria or their toxic products from a focus of infection
  2. septicemia

sept ['sept] -n

  1. a branch of a family
  2. clan

Sept -abbr

  1. September

sep·tal ['sep-tᵊl] -adj

  1. of or relating to a septum

sep·tate ['sep-,tāt] -adj

  1. divided by or having a septum

Sep·tem·ber [sep-'tem-bər, səp-] -n

  1. the ninth month of the Gregorian calendar

sep·te·nar·i·us [,sep-tə-'ner-ē-əs] -n

  1. a verse consisting of seven feet esp. in Latin prosody

sep·ten·ni·al [sep-'te-nē-əl] -adj, adv

  1. occurring or being done every seven years
  2. consisting of or lasting for seven years

sep·ten·tri·on [sep-'ten-trē-,än, -trē-ən] -n

  1. the northern regions : north

sep·ten·tri·o·nal [-trē-ə-nᵊl] -adj

  1. northern

sep·tet [sep-'tet] -n

  1. a musical composition for seven instruments or voices
  2. a group or set of seven
  3. the performers of a septet

sep·tic ['sep-tik] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or causing putrefaction
  2. relating to, involving, caused by, or affected with sepsis
    • septic patients
  3. used for sewage treatment and disposal
    • a septic system
  4. of or relating to a septic system
    • septic effluents

sep·ti·ce·mia [,sep-tə-'sē-mē-ə] -n, adj

  1. invasion of the bloodstream by virulent microorganisms and esp. bacteria along with their toxins from a local seat of infection accompanied esp. by chills, fever, and prostration called also blood poisoning

sep·ti·ci·dal [,sep-tə-'sī-dᵊl] -adj

  1. dehiscent longitudinally at or along a septum
    • a septicidal fruit

septic shock -n

  1. a life-threatening form of sepsis that usu. results from the presence of gram-negative bacteria and their toxins in the bloodstream and that is characterized esp. by decreased blood flow to organs and tissues, hypotension, organ dysfunction (as of the heart, kidneys, or lungs), impaired mental state, and often multiple organ failure

septic sore throat -n

  1. strep throat

septic tank -n

  1. a tank in which the solid matter of continuously flowing sewage is disintegrated by bacteria

sep·tu·a·ge·nar·i·an [(,)sep-,tü-ə-jə-'ner-ē-ən, -,tyü-, -,chü-] -n, adj

  1. a person whose age is in the seventies

Sep·tu·a·ge·si·ma [,sep-tə-wə-'je-sə-mə, -'jā-zə-] -n

  1. the third Sunday before Lent

Sep·tu·a·gint [sep-'tü-ə-jənt, -'tyü-; 'sep-tə-wə-,jint] -n, adj

  1. a Greek version of the Jewish Scriptures redacted in the third and second centuries b.c.by Jewish scholars and adopted by Greek-speaking Christians

sep·tum ['sep-təm] -n

  1. a dividing wall or membrane esp. between bodily spaces or masses of soft tissue

se·pul·chral [sə-'pəl-krəl also -'pu̇l-] -adj, adv

  1. of or relating to a sepulchre
    • sepulchral inscriptions
  2. suited to or suggestive of a sepulchre : funereal
    • spoke in sepulchral whispers

sep·ul·chre ['se-pəl-kər] -n

  1. a place of burial : tomb
  2. a receptacle for religious relics esp. in an altar

sepulchre [-k(ə-)riŋ] -vt

  1. to place in or as if in a sepulchre : bury
  2. to serve as a sepulchre for

sep·ul·ture ['se-pəl-,chu̇r] -n

  1. burial
  2. sepulchre

se·qua·cious [si-'kwā-shəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. subservient, tractable
  2. intellectually servile

se·quel ['sē-kwəl also -,kwel] -n

  1. consequence, result
  2. subsequent development
  3. the next installment (as of a speech or story)
  4. a literary, cinematic, or televised work continuing the course of a story begun in a preceding one

se·quela [si-'kwe-lə] -n

  1. an aftereffect of disease, condition, or injury
  2. a secondary result

se·quence ['sē-kwən(t)s, -,kwen(t)s] -n

  1. a hymn in irregular meter between the gradual and Gospel in masses for special occasions (as Easter)
  2. : a continuous or connected series: as
  3. an extended series of poems united by a single theme
    • a sonnet sequence
  4. three or more playing cards usu. of the same suit in consecutive order of rank
  5. a succession of repetitions of a melodic phrase or harmonic pattern each in a new position
  6. a set of elements ordered so that they can be labeled with the positive integers
  7. the exact order of bases in a nucleic acid or of amino acids in a protein
  8. a succession of related shots or scenes developing a single subject or phase of a film story
  9. episode
  10. order of succession
  11. an arrangement of the tenses of successive verbs in a sentence designed to express a coherent relationship esp. between main and subordinate parts
  12. consequence, result
  13. a subsequent development
  14. continuity of progression
    • the narrative sequence

sequence -vt

  1. to arrange in a sequence
  2. to determine the sequence of chemical constituents (as amino-acid residues or nucleic-acid bases) in

se·quenc·er ['sē-kwən(t)-sər, -,kwen(t)-] -n

  1. : one that sequences: as
  2. a device for arranging things (as events in the ignition of a rocket) in a sequence
  3. a device for determining the order of occurrence of amino acids in a protein or of bases in a nucleic acid

se·quen·cy ['sē-kwən(t)-sē] -n

  1. sequence

se·quent ['sē-kwənt] -adj

  1. consecutive, succeeding
  2. consequent, resultant

se·quen·tial [si-'kwen(t)-shəl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or arranged in a sequence : serial
    • sequential file systems
  2. following in sequence
  3. relating to or based on a method of testing a statistical hypothesis that involves examination of a sequence of samples for each of which the decision is made to accept or reject the hypothesis or to continue sampling

se·ques·ter [si-'kwes-tər] -vt

  1. to set apart : segregate
    • sequester a jury
  2. seclude, withdraw
    • widely spaced homes are forbiddingly grand and sequester ed -- Don Asher
  3. to seize esp. by a writ of sequestration
  4. to place (property) in custody esp. in sequestration
  5. to hold (as a metallic ion) in solution usu. by inclusion in an appropriate coordination complex

sequester -n

  1. separation, isolation

se·ques·trate ['sē-kwəs-,trāt, 'se-; si-'kwes-] -vt, n

  1. sequester
  2. sequester

se·ques·tra·tion [,sē-kwəs-'trā-shən, ,se-; (,)sē-,kwes-] -n

  1. the act of sequestering : the state of being sequestered
    • a jury in sequestration
  2. a legal writ authorizing a sheriff or commissioner to take into custody the property of a defendant who is in contempt until the orders of a court are complied with
  3. a deposit whereby a neutral depositary agrees to hold property in litigation and to restore it to the party to whom it is adjudged to belong

se·ques·trum [si-'kwes-trəm] -n

  1. a fragment of dead bone detached from adjoining sound bone

se·quin ['sē-kwən] -n

  1. an old gold coin of Italy and Turkey
  2. a small plate of shining metal or plastic used for ornamentation esp. on clothing

se·quined [-kwənd] -adj

  1. ornamented with or as if with sequins

se·qui·tur ['se-kwə-tər, -,tu̇r] -n

  1. the conclusion of an inference : consequence

se·quoia [si-'kwȯi-ə] -n

  1. : either of two huge coniferous California trees of the bald cypress family that may reach a height of over 300 feet (90 meters):
  2. giant sequoia
  3. redwood

ser -abbr

  1. serial
  2. series
  3. service

sera ['sir-əm] -n

(variant of serum)

  1. : the watery portion of an animal fluid remaining after coagulation:
  2. blood serum
  3. antiserum
  4. whey
  5. a normal or pathological serous fluid (as in a blister)
  6. the watery part of a plant fluid

se·rac [sə-'rak, sā-] -n

  1. a pinnacle, sharp ridge, or block of ice among the crevasses of a glacier

se·ra·glio [sə-'ral-(,)yō, -'räl-] -n

  1. harem
  2. a palace of a sultan

se·rai [sə-'rī] -n

  1. caravansary
  2. seraglio

ser·al ['sir-əl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or constituting an ecological sere

se·ra·pe [sə-'rä-pē, -'ra-] -n

  1. a colorful woolen shawl worn over the shoulders esp. by Mexican men

ser·aph ['ser-əf] -n

  1. seraphim

ser·a·phim ['ser-ə-,fim, -,fēm] -n pl, adj, adv

  1. an order of angels
  2. one of the 6-winged angels standing in the presence of God

Se·ra·pis [sə-'rā-pəs] -n

  1. an Egyptian god combining attributes of Osiris and Apis and having a widespread cult in Ptolemaic Egypt and ancient Greece

Serb ['sərb] -n, adj

  1. a native or inhabitant of Serbia
  2. serbian

Ser·bi·an ['sər-bē-ən] -n, adj

  1. serb
  2. a south Slavic language spoken by the Serbian people

Ser·boCro·a·tian [,sər-(,)bō-krō-'ā-shən] -n, adj

  1. the Serbian and Croatian languages together with the Slavic speech of Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Montenegro taken as a single language with regional variants
  2. a person whose native language is Serbo-Croatian

sere ['sir] -adj

  1. being dried and withered
  2. threadbare
  3. a series of ecological communities formed in ecological succession

ser·e·nade [,ser-ə-'nād] -n

  1. a complimentary vocal or instrumental performance
  2. one given outdoors at night for a woman being courted
  3. a work so performed
  4. an instrumental composition in several movements, written for a small ensemble, and midway between the suite and the symphony in style

serenade -vb, n

  1. to play a serenade
  2. to perform a serenade in honor of

ser·e·na·ta [,ser-ə-'nä-tə] -n

  1. an 18th century secular cantata of a dramatic character usu. composed in honor of an individual or event

ser·en·dip·i·tous [,ser-ən-'di-pə-təs] -adj, adv

  1. obtained or characterized by serendipity
    • serendipitous discoveries

ser·en·dip·i·ty [-'di-pə-tē] -n

  1. the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for
  2. an instance of this

se·rene [sə-'rēn] -adj, adv, n

  1. clear and free of storms or unpleasant change
    • serene skies
  2. shining bright and steady
    • the moon, serene in glory -- Alexander Pope
  3. august used as part of a title
    • His Serene Highness
  4. marked by or suggestive of utter calm and unruffled repose or quietude
    • a serene smile

serene -n

  1. a serene condition or expanse (as of sky, sea, or light)
  2. serenity, tranquility

se·ren·i·ty [sə-'re-nə-tē] -n

  1. the quality or state of being serene

serf ['sərf] -n

  1. a member of a servile feudal class bound to the land and subject to the will of its owner

serge ['sərj] -n

  1. a durable twilled fabric having a smooth clear face and a pronounced diagonal rib on the front and the back

ser·gean·cy ['sär-jən(t)-sē] -n

  1. the function, office, or rank of a sergeant

ser·geant ['sär-jənt] -n

  1. sergeant at arms
  2. an officer who enforces the judgments of a court or the commands of one in authority
  3. a noncommissioned officer ranking in the army and marine corps above a corporal and below a staff sergeant
  4. noncommissioned officer
  5. an officer in a police force ranking in the U.S. just below captain or sometimes lieutenant and in England just below inspector

sergeant at arms

  1. an officer of an organization (as a legislative body or court of law) who preserves order and executes commands

sergeant first class -n

  1. a noncommissioned officer in the army ranking above a staff sergeant and below a master sergeant

sergeant fish -n

  1. cobia
  2. snook

sergeant major -n

  1. a noncommissioned officer in the army or marine corps serving as chief administrative assistant in a headquarters
  2. a noncommissioned officer in the marine corps ranking above a first sergeant
  3. a bluish-green to yellow bony fish ( Abudefduf saxatilisof the family Pomacentridae) with black vertical stripes on the sides that is widely distributed in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean

sergeant major of the army

  1. the ranking noncommissioned officer of the army serving as adviser to the chief of staff

sergeant major of the marine corps

  1. the ranking noncommissioned officer of the marine corps serving as adviser to the commandant

ser·geanty ['sär-jən-tē] -n

  1. any of numerous feudal services of a personal nature by which an estate is held of the king or other lord distinct from military tenure and from socage tenure

serg·ing ['sər-jiŋ] -n

  1. the process of overcasting the raw edges of a piece of fabric (as a carpet) to prevent raveling

sergt -abbr

  1. sergeant

se·ri·al ['sir-ē-əl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, consisting of, or arranged in a series, rank, or row
    • serial order
  2. appearing in successive parts or numbers
    • a serial story
  3. belonging to a series maturing periodically rather than on a single date
    • serial bonds
  4. of, relating to, or being music based on a series of tones in a chosen pattern without regard for traditional tonality
  5. performing a series of similar acts over a period of time
    • a serial killer
  6. occurring in or involving such a series
    • a serial murder
  7. relating to or being a connection in a computer system in which the bits of a byte are transmitted sequentially over a single wire

serial -n

  1. a work appearing (as in a magazine or on television) in parts at intervals
  2. one part of a serial work : installment
  3. a publication (as a newspaper or journal) issued as one of a consecutively numbered and indefinitely continued series

se·ri·al·ise [-,līz] -vt, n

(variant of serialize)

  1. to arrange or publish in serial form
    • serialize a novel

se·ri·al·ism ['sir-ē-ə-,li-zəm] -n

  1. serial music
  2. the theory or practice of composing serial music

se·ri·al·ist [-list] -n

  1. a writer of serials
  2. a composer of serial music

se·ri·al·ize [-,līz] -vt, n

  1. to arrange or publish in serial form
    • serialize a novel

serial number -n

  1. a number indicating place in a series and used as a means of identification

se·ri·ate ['sir-ē-,āt] -vt

  1. to arrange in a series
  2. arranged in a series or succession

se·ri·a·tim [,sir-ē-'ā-təm, -'a-] -adv

  1. in a series

seriatim -adj

  1. following seriatim

se·ri·ceous [sə-'ri-shəs] -adj

  1. covered with fine silky hair
    • sericeous leaf

ser·i·cin ['ser-ə-sən] -n

  1. a gelatinous protein that cements the two fibroin filaments in a silk fiber

seri·cul·ture ['ser-ə-,kəl-chər] -n, adj

  1. the production of raw silk by raising silkworms

se·ries ['sir-(,)ēz] -n

  1. a number of things or events of the same class coming one after another in spatial or temporal succession
    • a concert series
    • the hall opened into a series of small rooms
  2. a set of regularly presented television programs each of which is complete in itself
  3. the indicated sum of a usu. infinite sequence of numbers
  4. the coins or currency of a particular country and period
  5. a group of postage stamps in different denominations
  6. a succession of volumes or issues published with related subjects or authors, similar format and price, or continuous numbering
  7. a division of rock formations that is smaller than a system and comprises rocks deposited during an epoch
  8. a group of chemical compounds related in composition and structure
  9. an arrangement of the parts of or elements in an electric circuit whereby the whole current passes through each part or element without branching
  10. a set of vowels connected by ablaut (as i, a, uin ring, rang, rung)
  11. a number of games (as of baseball) played usu. on consecutive days between two teams
    • in town for a 3-game series
  12. a group of successive coordinate sentence elements joined together
  13. soil series
  14. three consecutive games in bowling

ser·if ['ser-əf] -n, adj

  1. any of the short lines stemming from and at an angle to the upper and lower ends of the strokes of a letter

seri·graph ['ser-ə-,graf] -n

  1. an original silk-screen color print

se·rin [sə-'raⁿ] -n

  1. a small yellow and grayish Old World finch ( Serinus serinusof the family Fringillidae) that is related to the canary

ser·ine ['ser-,ēn] -n

  1. a crystalline nonessential amino acid C 3H 7NO 3that occurs as a residue in many proteins

se·rio·com·ic [,sir-ē-ō-'kä-mik] -adj, adv

  1. having a mixture of the serious and the comic
    • a seriocomic novel

se·ri·ous ['sir-ē-əs] -adj, n

  1. thoughtful or subdued in appearance or manner : sober
    • a quiet, serious girl
  2. requiring much thought or work
    • serious study
  3. of or relating to a matter of importance
    • a serious play
  4. not joking or trifling : being in earnest
    • a serious question
  5. pious
  6. deeply interested : devoted
    • a serious musician
  7. not easily answered or solved
    • serious objections
  8. having important or dangerous possible consequences
    • a serious injury
  9. excessive or impressive in quality, quantity, extent, or degree
    • serious stereo equipment
    • making serious money
    • serious drinking

se·ri·ous·ly -adv

  1. in a sincere manner : earnestly
    • speaking seriously
  2. to a serious extent : severely, extremely
    • seriously injured

se·ri·ousmind·ed [,sir-ē-əs-'mīn-dəd] -adj, adv, n

  1. having a serious disposition or trend of thought

ser·jeant ['sär-jənt] -n

(variant of sergeant)

  1. sergeant at arms
  2. an officer who enforces the judgments of a court or the commands of one in authority
  3. a noncommissioned officer ranking in the army and marine corps above a corporal and below a staff sergeant
  4. noncommissioned officer
  5. an officer in a police force ranking in the U.S. just below captain or sometimes lieutenant and in England just below inspector

ser·jeantatlaw [,sär-jənt-ət-'lȯ] -n

  1. a member of a former class of barristers of the highest rank

ser·mon ['sər-mən] -n, adj

  1. a religious discourse delivered in public usu. by a clergyman as a part of a worship service
  2. a speech on conduct or duty

ser·mon·ette [,sər-mə-'net] -n

  1. a short sermon

ser·mon·ize ['sər-mə-,nīz] -vb, n

  1. to compose or deliver a sermon
  2. to speak didactically or dogmatically
  3. to preach to or on at length

Sermon on the Mount

  1. an ethical discourse delivered by Jesus and recorded in Matthew 57 and paralleled briefly in Luke 6:2049

sero- -comb form

  1. serum
    • sero logy

se·ro·con·ver·sion [,sir-ō-kən-'vər-zhən, -shən] -n, vi

  1. the production of antibodies in response to an antigen

se·rol·o·gy [sə-'rä-lə-jē, si-] -n, adj, adv

  1. a medical science dealing with blood serum esp. in regard to its reactions and properties

se·ro·neg·a·tive [,sir-ō-'ne-gə-tiv] -adj, n

  1. having or being a negative serum reaction esp. in a test for the presence of an antibody

se·ro·pos·i·tive [-'pä-zə-tiv, -'päz-tiv] -adj, n

  1. having or being a positive serum reaction esp. in a test for the presence of an antibody

se·ro·prev·a·lence [-'pre-və-lən(t)s, -'prev-lən(t)s] -n

  1. the frequency of individuals in a population that have a particular element (as antibodies to HIV) in their blood serum

se·ro·pu·ru·lent [-'pyu̇r-ə-lənt, ,ser-, -'pyu̇r-yə-] -adj

  1. consisting of a mixture of serum and pus
    • a seropurulent exudate

se·ro·sa [sə-'rō-zə] -n, adj

  1. a usu. enclosing serous membrane

se·ro·ti·nal [sə-'rät-nəl, -'rä-tə-; ,ser-ə-'tī-nᵊl] -adj

  1. of or relating to the latter and usu. drier part of summer

se·rot·i·nous [sə-'rät-nəs, -'rä-tə-; ,ser-ə-'tī-nəs] -adj, n

  1. remaining closed on the tree with seed dissemination delayed or occurring gradually
    • serotinous cones

se·ro·to·ner·gic [,sir-ə-tə-'nər-jik] -adj

  1. liberating, activated by, or involving serotonin in the transmission of nerve impulses
    • a serotonergic neuron
    • serotonergic pathways

se·ro·to·nin [,sir-ə-'tō-nən, ,ser-] -n

  1. a phenolic amine neurotransmitter C 10H 12N 2O that is a powerful vasoconstrictor and is found esp. in the brain, blood serum, and gastric mucous membrane of mammals

se·ro·type ['sir-ə-,tīp, 'ser-] -n

  1. a group of intimately related microorganisms distinguished by a common set of antigens
  2. the set of antigens characteristic of such a group

se·rous ['sir-əs] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or resembling serum
  2. of thin watery constitution
    • a serous exudate

serous membrane -n

  1. a thin membrane (as the peritoneum) with cells that secrete a serous fluid
  2. serosa

se·row [sə-'rō] -n

  1. any of several goatlike artiodactyl mammals (genus Capricornis) of eastern Asia that are usu. rather dark and heavily built and some of which have distinct manes

ser·pent ['sər-pənt] -n

  1. a noxious creature that creeps, hisses, or stings
  2. snake
  3. devil
  4. a treacherous person

ser·pen·tine ['sər-pən-,tēn, -,tīn] -adj, adv

  1. of or resembling a serpent (as in form or movement)
  2. subtly wily or tempting
  3. winding or turning one way and another
    • a serpentine road
  4. having a compound curve whose central curve is convex

serpentine -n

  1. something that winds sinuously

ser·pen·tine [-,tēn] -n

  1. a mineral or rock consisting essentially of a hydrous magnesium silicate usu. having a dull green color and often a mottled appearance

ser·pig·i·nous [(,)sər-'pi-jə-nəs] -adj, adv

  1. creeping, spreading
  2. healing over in one portion while continuing to advance in another
    • serpiginous ulcers

ser·ra·nid [sə-'ra-nəd, 'ser-ə-nəd] -n, adj

  1. any of a large family (Serranidae) of carnivorous marine bony fishes which have an oblong compressed body covered with usu. ctenoid scales and many of which are important food and sport fishes (as the sea basses) esp. of warm seas

ser·ra·no [sə-'rä-(,)nō, si-] -n

  1. a small very hot chili pepper that is red when mature

ser·rate ['ser-,āt, sə-'rāt] -adj

  1. notched or toothed on the edge
  2. having marginal teeth pointing forward or toward the apex
    • a serrate leaf
  3. to mark or make with serrations
    • a serrated knife

ser·ra·tion [sə-'rā-shən, se-] -n

  1. the condition of being serrate
  2. a formation resembling the toothed edge of a saw
  3. one of the teeth in a serrate margin

ser·ried ['ser-ēd] -adj, adv, n

  1. crowded or pressed together : compact
    • the crowd collected in a serried mass -- W. S. Maugham
  2. marked by ridges : serrate
    • the serried contours of the...mountains -- Amer. Guide Series: Oregon

ser·ry ['ser-ē] -vb

  1. to press together esp. in ranks
  2. to crowd together

Ser·to·li cell [,sər-'tō-lē-] -n

  1. one of the elongated striated cells lining the seminiferous tubules that support and apparently nourish the spermatids

Ser·to·man [(,)sər-'tō-mən] -n

  1. a member of a major international service club

ser·tra·line ['sər-trə-,lēn] -n

  1. an antidepressant drug C 17H 17NCl 2administered in the form of its hydrochloride and acting to enhance serotonin activity

se·rum ['sir-əm] -n

  1. : the watery portion of an animal fluid remaining after coagulation:
  2. blood serum
  3. antiserum
  4. whey
  5. a normal or pathological serous fluid (as in a blister)
  6. the watery part of a plant fluid

serum -adj

  1. occurring or found in the blood serum
    • serum cholesterol
    • serum antibodies

serum albumin -n

  1. a crystallizable albumin or mixture of albumins that normally constitutes more than half of the protein in blood serum and serves to maintain the osmotic pressure of the blood

serum globulin -n

  1. a globulin or mixture of globulins occurring in blood serum and containing most of the antibodies of the blood

serum hepatitis -n

  1. hepatitis b

serum sickness -n

  1. an allergic reaction to the injection of foreign serum manifested by hives, swelling, eruption, arthritis, and fever

serv -abbr

  1. service

ser·val ['sər-vəl, (,)sər-'val] -n

  1. a long-legged African wildcat ( Felis serval) having large ears and a tawny black-spotted coat

ser·vant ['sər-vənt] -n, adj

  1. one that serves others
    • a public servant
  2. one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer

serve ['sərv] -vb

  1. to be a servant
  2. to do military or naval service
  3. to assist a celebrant as server at mass
  4. to be of use
    • in a day when few people could write, seals served as signatures -- Elizabeth W. King
  5. to be favorable, opportune, or convenient
  6. to be worthy of reliance or trust
    • if memory serve s
  7. to hold an office : discharge a duty or function
    • serve on a jury
  8. to prove adequate or satisfactory : suffice
    • it will serve for this task
  9. : to help persons to food: as
  10. to wait at table
  11. to set out portions of food or drink
  12. to wait on customers
  13. to put the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games (as tennis, volleyball, or badminton)
  14. to be a servant to : attend
  15. to give the service and respect due to (a superior)
  16. to comply with the commands or demands of : gratify
  17. to give military or naval service to
  18. to perform the duties of (an office or post)
  19. to act as server at (mass)
  20. to pay a lover's or suitor's court to (a lady)
    • that gentle lady, whom I love and serve -- Edmund Spenser
  21. to work through (a term of service)
  22. to put in (a term of imprisonment)
  23. to wait on at table
  24. to bring (food) to a diner
  25. present, provide usu. used with up
    • the novel served up many laughs
  26. to furnish or supply with something needed or desired
  27. to wait on (a customer) in a store
  28. to furnish professional service to
  29. to answer the needs of
  30. to be enough for : suffice
  31. to contribute or conduce to : promote
  32. to treat or act toward in a specified way
    • he served me ill
  33. to bring to notice, deliver, or execute as required by law
  34. to make legal service upon (a person named in a process)
  35. to copulate with
  36. to wind yarn or wire tightly around (a rope or stay) for protection
  37. to provide services that benefit or help
  38. to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play (as in tennis or badminton)
  39. the act or action of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games (as volleyball, badminton, or tennis)
  40. a turn to serve
    • it's your serve

serv·er ['sər-vər] -n

  1. one that serves food or drink
  2. the player who serves (as in tennis)
  3. something used in serving food or drink
  4. one that serves legal processes upon another
  5. the celebrant's assistant at mass
  6. a computer in a network that is used to provide services (as access to files or shared peripherals or the routing of e-mail) to other computers in the network

ser·vice ['sər-vəs] -n

  1. the occupation or function of serving
    • in active service
  2. employment as a servant
    • entered his service
  3. the work performed by one that serves
    • good service
  4. help, use, benefit
    • glad to be of service
  5. contribution to the welfare of others
  6. disposal for use
    • I'm entirely at your service
  7. a form followed in worship or in a religious ceremony
    • the burial service
  8. a meeting for worship often used in pl.
    • held evening service s
  9. : the act of serving: as
  10. a helpful act
    • did him a service
  11. useful labor that does not produce a tangible commodity usu. used in pl.
    • charge for professional service s
  12. serve
  13. a set of articles for a particular use
    • a silver tea service
  14. an administrative division (as of a government or business)
    • the consular service
  15. one of a nation's military forces (as the army or navy)
  16. a facility supplying some public demand
    • telephone service
    • bus service
  17. a facility providing maintenance and repair
    • television service
  18. the materials (as spun yarn, small lines, or canvas) used for serving a rope
  19. the act of bringing a legal writ, process, or summons to notice as prescribed by law
  20. the act of a male animal copulating with a female animal
  21. a branch of a hospital medical staff devoted to a particular specialty
    • obstetrical service

service -vt, n

  1. : to perform services for: as
  2. to repair or provide maintenance for
    • serviced the furnace
  3. to meet interest and sinking fund payments on (as government debt)
  4. to perform any of the business functions auxiliary to production or distribution of
  5. serve
  6. of or relating to the armed services
  7. used in serving or supplying
    • delivery men use the service entrance
  8. intended for hard or everyday use
  9. providing services
    • the service trades-from filling stations to universities -- John Fischer
  10. offering repair, maintenance, or incidental services

ser·vice ['sər-vəs] -n

  1. an Old World tree ( Sorbus domestica) resembling the related mountain ashes but having larger flowers and larger edible fruit
  2. a related Old World tree ( S. torminalis) with bitter fruits

ser·vice·able ['sər-və-sə-bəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. helpful, useful
  2. fit for use
    • a serviceable design
  3. of adequate quality
    • her serviceable but not exceptional voice -- Irving Kolodin

ser·vice·ber·ry ['sər-vəs-,ber-ē also 'sär-] -n

  1. the edible purple or red fruit of any of various No. American trees or shrubs (genus Amelanchier) of the rose family
  2. a tree or shrub that produces serviceberries and has showy white flowers in the spring called also Juneberry shadblow shadbush

service book -n

  1. a book setting forth forms of worship used in religious services

service box -n

  1. the area in which a player stands while serving in various court games (as squash or handball)

service cap -n

  1. a flat-topped visor cap worn as part of a military uniform

service ceiling -n

  1. the altitude at which under standard air conditions a particular airplane can no longer rise at a rate greater than a small designated rate (as 100 feet per minute)

service charge -n

  1. a fee charged for a particular service often in addition to a standard or basic fee called also service fee

service club -n

  1. a club of business or professional men or women organized for their common benefit and active in community service
  2. a recreation center for enlisted personnel provided by one of the armed services

service court -n

  1. a part of the court into which the ball or shuttlecock must be served

service line -n

  1. a line marked on a court in various games (as handball or tennis) parallel to the front wall or to the net to mark a boundary of the service area or service court

ser·vice·man ['sər-vəs-,man, -mən] -n

  1. a male member of the armed forces
  2. a man employed to repair or maintain equipment
  3. a gas station attendant

service mark -n

  1. a mark or device used to identify a service (as transportation or insurance) offered to customers

service medal -n

  1. a medal awarded to an individual for military service in a specified war or campaign

service module -n

  1. a space vehicle module that contains oxygen, water, fuel cells, propellant tanks, and the main rocket engine

service road -n

  1. frontage road

service station -n

  1. gas station
  2. a place at which some service is offered

service stripe -n

  1. a stripe worn on an enlisted man's left sleeve to indicate three years of service in the army or four years in the navy

service tree -n

  1. service

ser·vice·wom·an ['sər-vəs-,wu̇-mən] -n

  1. a woman who is a member of the armed forces

ser·vi·ette [,sər-vē-'et] -n

  1. a table napkin

ser·vile ['sər-vəl, -,vī(-ə)l] -adj, adv, n

  1. of or befitting a slave or a menial position
  2. meanly or cravenly submissive : abject

serving -n

  1. a helping of food or drink

Ser·vite ['sər-,vīt] -n, adj

  1. a member of the mendicant Order of Servants of Mary founded in Florence, Italy, in 1233

ser·vi·tor ['sər-və-tər, -,tȯr] -n

  1. a male servant

ser·vi·tude ['sər-və-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n

  1. a condition in which one lacks liberty esp. to determine one's course of action or way of life
  2. a right by which something (as a piece of land) owned by one person is subject to a specified use or enjoyment by another

ser·vo ['sər-(,)vō] -n

  1. servomotor
  2. servomechanism

ser·vo·mech·a·nism ['sər-vō-,me-kə-,ni-zəm] -n

  1. an automatic device for controlling large amounts of power by means of very small amounts of power and automatically correcting the performance of a mechanism

ser·vo·mo·tor ['sər-vō-,mō-tər] -n

  1. a power-driven mechanism that supplements a primary control operated by a comparatively feeble force (as in a servomechanism)

SES -abbr

  1. socioeconomic status

ses·a·me ['se-sə-mē also 'se-zə-] -n

  1. a widely cultivated chiefly tropical or subtropical annual erect herb ( Sesamum indicumof the family Pedaliaceae)
  2. its small seeds used esp. as a source of oil and a flavoring agent
  3. open sesame

sesame oil -n

  1. a pale yellow bland semidrying fatty oil obtained from sesame seeds and used chiefly as an edible oil, as a vehicle for various pharmaceuticals, and in cosmetics and soaps

ses·a·moid ['se-sə-,mȯid] -n, adj

  1. a nodular mass of bone (as the patella) or cartilage in a tendon esp. at a joint or bony prominence

Se·so·tho [se-'sō-(,)thō, -(,)tō] -n

  1. the Bantu language of the Basotho people

sesqui- -comb form

  1. one and a half times
    • sesqui centennial
  2. containing half again as many atoms
    • sesqui terpene
  3. intermediate : combination
    • sesqui carbonate

ses·qui·car·bon·ate [,ses-kwi-'kär-bə-,nāt, -nət] -n

  1. a salt (as Na 2CO 3NaHCO 32H 2O) that is neither a simple normal carbonate nor a simple bicarbonate but often a combination of the two

ses·qui·cen·te·na·ry [-kwi-sen-'te-nə-rē, -'sen-tə-,ner-ē, -sen-'tē-nə-rē] -n

  1. sesquicentennial

ses·qui·cen·ten·ni·al [-sen-'te-nē-əl] -n, adj

  1. a 150th anniversary or its celebration

ses·qui·pe·da·lian [,ses-kwə-pə-'dāl-yən] -adj

  1. having many syllables : long
    • sesquipedalian terms
  2. given to or characterized by the use of long words
    • a sesquipedalian television commentator

ses·qui·ter·pene [,ses-kwə-'tər-,pēn] -n

  1. any of a class of terpenes C 15H 24
  2. a derivative of such a terpene

sess -abbr

  1. session

ses·sile ['se-,sī(-ə)l, -səl] -adj

  1. attached directly by the base : not raised upon a stalk or peduncle
    • a sessile leaf
    • sessile bubbles
  2. permanently attached or established : not free to move about
    • sessile sponges and coral polyps

ses·sion ['se-shən] -n, adj

  1. a meeting or series of meetings of a body (as a court or legislature) for the transaction of business
    • morning session
  2. a sitting of English justices of peace in execution of the powers conferred by their commissions
  3. an English court holding such sessions
  4. any of various courts similar to the English sessions
  5. the period between the first meeting of a legislative or judicial body and the prorogation or final adjournment
  6. the ruling body of a Presbyterian congregation consisting of the elders in active service
  7. the period during the year or day in which a school conducts classes
  8. a meeting or period devoted to a particular activity
    • a recording session

session -adj

  1. employed to perform at recording sessions
    • a session drummer

ses·terce ['ses-,tərs] -n

  1. an ancient Roman coin equal to denarius

ses·ter·tium [se-'stər-sh(ē-)əm] -n

  1. a unit of value in ancient Rome equal to 1000 sesterces

ses·tet [ses-'tet] -n

  1. a stanza or a poem of six lines
  2. the last six lines of an Italian sonnet

ses·ti·na [se-'stē-nə] -n

  1. a lyrical fixed form consisting of six 6-line usu. unrhymed stanzas in which the end words of the first stanza recur as end words of the following five stanzas in a successively rotating order and as the middle and end words of the three verses of the concluding tercet

set ['set] -vb

  1. to cause to sit : place in or on a seat
  2. to put (a fowl) on eggs to hatch them
  3. to put (eggs) for hatching under a fowl or into an incubator
  4. to place (oneself) in position to start running in a race
  5. to place with care or deliberate purpose and with relative stability
    • set a ladder against the wall
    • set a stone on the grave
  6. transplant
    • set seedlings
  7. to make (as a trap) ready to catch prey
  8. to fix (a hook) firmly into the jaw of a fish
  9. to put aside (as dough containing yeast) for fermenting
  10. to direct with fixed attention
    • set your mind to it
  11. to cause to assume a specified condition, relation, or occupation
    • slaves were set free
    • set the house on fire
  12. to cause the start of
    • set a fire
  13. to appoint or assign to an office or duty
  14. post, station
  15. to cause to assume a specified posture or position
    • set the door ajar
  16. to fix as a distinguishing imprint, sign, or appearance
    • the years have set their mark on him
  17. affix
  18. apply
    • set a match to kindling
  19. to fix or decide on as a time, limit, or regulation : prescribe
    • set a wedding day
    • set the rules for the game
  20. to establish as the highest level or best performance
    • set a record for the half mile
  21. to furnish as a pattern or model
    • set an example of generosity
  22. to allot as a task
    • setting lessons for the children to work upon at home -- Manchester Examiner
  23. to adjust (a device and esp. a measuring device) to a desired position
    • set the alarm for 7:00
    • set a thermostat at 68
  24. to adjust (as a clock) in conformity with a standard
  25. to restore to normal position or connection when dislocated or fractured
    • set a broken bone
  26. to spread to the wind
    • set the sails
  27. to put in order for use
    • set a place for a guest
  28. to make scenically ready for a performance
    • set the stage
  29. to arrange (type) for printing
    • set type by hand
  30. to put into type or its equivalent (as on film)
    • set the first word in italic
  31. to put a fine edge on by grinding or honing
    • set a razor
  32. to bend slightly the tooth points of (a saw) alternately in opposite directions
  33. to sink (the head of a nail) below the surface
  34. to fix in a desired position (as by heating or stretching)
  35. to arrange (hair) in a desired style by using implements (as curlers, rollers, or clips) and gels or lotions
  36. to adorn with something affixed or infixed : stud, dot
    • clear sky set with stars
  37. to fix (as a precious stone) in a border of metal : place in a setting
  38. to place in a specified literary or dramatic setting
    • a story set in Paris
  39. to hold something in regard or esteem at the rate of
    • set s a great deal by daily exercise
  40. to place in a relative rank or category
    • set duty before pleasure
  41. to fix at a certain amount
    • set bail at 500
  42. value, rate
    • their promises were set at naught
  43. to place as an estimate of worth
    • set a high value on life
  44. to place in relation for comparison or balance
    • theory set against practice
  45. to direct to action
  46. to incite to attack or antagonism
    • war set s brother against brother
  47. to place by transporting
    • was set ashore on the island
  48. to put in motion
  49. to put and fix in a direction
    • set our faces toward home once more
  50. to point out the position of (game) by holding a fixed attitude
  51. to defeat (an opponent or a contract) in bridge
  52. to fix firmly : make immobile : give rigid form or condition to
    • set her jaw in determination
  53. to make unyielding or obstinate
  54. to cause to become firm or solid
    • set milk for cheese
  55. to cause (as fruit or seed) to develop
  56. sit
  57. to be becoming : be suitable : fit
    • the coat set s well
  58. to cover and warm eggs to hatch them
  59. to affect one with or as if with weight
    • the pudding set s heavily on my stomach
  60. to place oneself in position in preparation for an action (as running)
  61. to undergo development usu. as a result of pollination
  62. to pass below the horizon : go down
    • the sun set s
  63. to come to an end
    • this century set s with little mirth -- Thomas Fuller
  64. to apply oneself to some activity
    • set to work
  65. to have a specified direction in motion : flow, tend
    • the wind was setting from Pine Hill to the farm -- Esther Forbes
  66. to indicate the position of game by crouching or pointing
  67. to dance face to face with another in a square dance
    • set to your partner and turn
  68. to become solid or thickened by chemical or physical alteration
    • the cement set s rapidly
  69. to become permanent
  70. to become whole by growing together
  71. the act or action of setting
  72. the condition of being set
  73. a number of things of the same kind that belong or are used together
    • an electric train set
  74. mental inclination, tendency, or habit : bent
    • a set toward mathematics
  75. a state of psychological preparedness to perceive or respond to an anticipated stimulus or situation
  76. direction of flow
    • the set of the wind
  77. form or carriage of the body or of its parts
    • her face took on a cynical set -- Raymond Kennedy
  78. the manner of fitting or of being placed or suspended
    • in order to give the skirt a pretty set -- Mary J. Howell
  79. amount of deflection from a straight line
    • set of a saw's teeth
  80. permanent change of form (as of metal) due to repeated or excessive stress
  81. the act or result of arranging hair by curling or waving
  82. a young plant or rooted cutting ready for transplanting
  83. a small bulb, corm, or tuber or a piece of tuber used for propagation
    • onion set s
  84. the blossoms of a plant that have set fruit as a result of fertilization
  85. the burrow of a badger
  86. the width of the body of a piece of type
  87. an artificial setting for a scene of a theatrical or film production
  88. a rectangular paving stone of sandstone or granite
  89. a division of a tennis match won by the side that wins at least six games beating the opponent by two games or by winning a tiebreaker
  90. a collection of books or periodicals forming a unit
  91. a clutch of eggs
  92. the basic formation in a country-dance or square dance
  93. a session of music (as jazz or dance music) usu. followed by an intermission
  94. the music played at one session
  95. a group of persons associated by common interests
  96. a collection of elements and esp. mathematical ones (as numbers or points) called also class
  97. an apparatus of electronic components assembled so as to function as a unit
    • a television set
  98. a usu. offensive formation in football or basketball
  99. a group of a specific number of repetitions of a particular exercise
  100. intent, determined
    • set upon going
  101. intentional, premeditated
    • did it of set purpose
  102. fixed by authority or appointment : prescribed, specified
    • set hours of study
  103. reluctant to change
    • set in their ways
  104. immovable, rigid
    • set frown
  105. built-in
    • a set tub
  106. settled, persistent
    • set defiance
  107. being in readiness : prepared
    • set for an early morning start

se·ta ['sē-tə] -n, adj

  1. a slender usu. rigid or bristly and springy organ or part of an animal or plant

se·ta·ceous [si-'tā-shəs] -adj

  1. set with or consisting of bristles
  2. resembling a bristle in form or texture

setaside ['set-ə-,sīd] -n

  1. something (as a portion of receipts or production) that is set aside for a specified purpose
  2. a program requiring a percentage of opportunities (as for jobs or funding) to be reserved for an underrepresented group

set·back ['set-,bak] -n

  1. a checking of progress
  2. defeat, reverse
  3. pitch
  4. a placing of a face of a building on a line some distance to the rear of the building line or of the wall below
  5. the area produced by a setback
  6. automatic scheduled adjustment to a lower temperature setting of a thermostat
  7. the distance of a structure or other feature (as a well or septic system) from the property line or other feature

set back -vt

  1. to slow the progress of : hinder, delay
  2. cost
    • a new suit will set you back 200

set by -vt

  1. to set apart for future use

set down -vt

  1. to cause to sit down : seat
  2. to place at rest on a surface or on the ground
  3. to suspend (a jockey) from racing
  4. to cause or allow to get off a vehicle : deliver
  5. to land (an airplane) on the ground or water
  6. ordain, establish
  7. to put in writing
  8. regard, consider
    • set him down as a liar
  9. attribute

se te·nant [sə-'te-nənt, sē-; ,se-tə-'näⁿ] -adj

  1. joined together as in the original sheet but differing in design, overprint, color, or perforation

Seth ['seth] -n

  1. a son of Adam and Eve

setin ['set-'in] -adj

  1. placed, located, or built as a part of some other construction
    • a setin bookcase
    • a setin washbasin
  2. cut separately and stitched in
    • setin sleeves
  3. insert

set in -vt

  1. insert
  2. to stitch (a small part) within a large article
    • set in a sleeve of a dress
  3. to become established

set·line ['set-,līn] -n

  1. a long heavy fishing line to which several hooks are attached in series

set·off ['set-,ȯf] -n

  1. : something that is set off against another thing:
  2. decoration, ornament
  3. compensation, counterbalance
  4. the reduction or discharge of a debt or claim by setting against it a distinct claim in favor of the debtor or party who is the object of the first claim (as in a lawsuit)
  5. the offsetting claim itself
  6. offset

set off -vt

  1. to put in relief : show up by contrast
  2. adorn, embellish
  3. to set apart : make distinct or outstanding
  4. offset, compensate
    • more variety in the Lancashire weather to set off its most disagreeable phases -- Geog. Jour.
  5. to make a setoff of
    • the respective totals shall be set off against one another -- O. R. Hobson
  6. to set in motion : cause to begin
  7. to cause to explode
  8. to measure off on a surface
  9. to start out on a course or a journey
    • set off for home

set on -vt

  1. attack
  2. promote
  3. to urge (as a dog) to attack or pursue
  4. to incite to action : instigate
  5. to set to work
  6. go on, advance

se·tose ['sē-,tōs] -adj

  1. setaceous, bristly

set·out ['set-,au̇t] -n

  1. array, display
  2. arrangement, layout
  3. buffet, spread
  4. turnout
  5. party, entertainment
  6. beginning, outset

set out -vt

  1. to arrange and present graphically or systematically
  2. to mark out (as a design) : lay out the plan of
  3. to state, describe, or recite at length
    • distributed copies of a pamphlet setting out his ideas in full -- S. F. Mason
  4. to begin with a definite purpose : intend, undertake
  5. to start out on a course, a journey, or a career
    • set out across the country

set piece -n, adj

  1. a composition (as in literature, art, or music) executed in a fixed or ideal form often with studied artistry and brilliant effect
  2. a scene, depiction, speech, or event that is obviously designed to have an imposing effect
  3. a realistic piece of stage scenery standing by itself
  4. a precisely planned and conducted military operation
    • an offensive set piece that caught the enemy off guard

set point -n

  1. a situation (as in tennis) in which one player will win the set by winning the next point
  2. the point won
  3. the level or point at which a variable physiological state (as body temperature or weight) tends to stabilize

set·screw ['set-,skrü] -n

  1. a screw screwed through one part tightly upon or into another part to prevent relative movement
  2. a screw for regulating a valve opening or a spring tension

set shot -n

  1. a two-handed shot in basketball taken from a stationary position

sett ['set] -vb

(variant of set)

  1. to cause to sit : place in or on a seat
  2. to put (a fowl) on eggs to hatch them
  3. to put (eggs) for hatching under a fowl or into an incubator
  4. to place (oneself) in position to start running in a race
  5. to place with care or deliberate purpose and with relative stability
    • set a ladder against the wall
    • set a stone on the grave
  6. transplant
    • set seedlings
  7. to make (as a trap) ready to catch prey
  8. to fix (a hook) firmly into the jaw of a fish
  9. to put aside (as dough containing yeast) for fermenting
  10. to direct with fixed attention
    • set your mind to it
  11. to cause to assume a specified condition, relation, or occupation
    • slaves were set free
    • set the house on fire
  12. to cause the start of
    • set a fire
  13. to appoint or assign to an office or duty
  14. post, station
  15. to cause to assume a specified posture or position
    • set the door ajar
  16. to fix as a distinguishing imprint, sign, or appearance
    • the years have set their mark on him
  17. affix
  18. apply
    • set a match to kindling
  19. to fix or decide on as a time, limit, or regulation : prescribe
    • set a wedding day
    • set the rules for the game
  20. to establish as the highest level or best performance
    • set a record for the half mile
  21. to furnish as a pattern or model
    • set an example of generosity
  22. to allot as a task
    • setting lessons for the children to work upon at home -- Manchester Examiner
  23. to adjust (a device and esp. a measuring device) to a desired position
    • set the alarm for 7:00
    • set a thermostat at 68
  24. to adjust (as a clock) in conformity with a standard
  25. to restore to normal position or connection when dislocated or fractured
    • set a broken bone
  26. to spread to the wind
    • set the sails
  27. to put in order for use
    • set a place for a guest
  28. to make scenically ready for a performance
    • set the stage
  29. to arrange (type) for printing
    • set type by hand
  30. to put into type or its equivalent (as on film)
    • set the first word in italic
  31. to put a fine edge on by grinding or honing
    • set a razor
  32. to bend slightly the tooth points of (a saw) alternately in opposite directions
  33. to sink (the head of a nail) below the surface
  34. to fix in a desired position (as by heating or stretching)
  35. to arrange (hair) in a desired style by using implements (as curlers, rollers, or clips) and gels or lotions
  36. to adorn with something affixed or infixed : stud, dot
    • clear sky set with stars
  37. to fix (as a precious stone) in a border of metal : place in a setting
  38. to place in a specified literary or dramatic setting
    • a story set in Paris
  39. to hold something in regard or esteem at the rate of
    • set s a great deal by daily exercise
  40. to place in a relative rank or category
    • set duty before pleasure
  41. to fix at a certain amount
    • set bail at 500
  42. value, rate
    • their promises were set at naught
  43. to place as an estimate of worth
    • set a high value on life
  44. to place in relation for comparison or balance
    • theory set against practice
  45. to direct to action
  46. to incite to attack or antagonism
    • war set s brother against brother
  47. to place by transporting
    • was set ashore on the island
  48. to put in motion
  49. to put and fix in a direction
    • set our faces toward home once more
  50. to point out the position of (game) by holding a fixed attitude
  51. to defeat (an opponent or a contract) in bridge
  52. to fix firmly : make immobile : give rigid form or condition to
    • set her jaw in determination
  53. to make unyielding or obstinate
  54. to cause to become firm or solid
    • set milk for cheese
  55. to cause (as fruit or seed) to develop
  56. sit
  57. to be becoming : be suitable : fit
    • the coat set s well
  58. to cover and warm eggs to hatch them
  59. to affect one with or as if with weight
    • the pudding set s heavily on my stomach
  60. to place oneself in position in preparation for an action (as running)
  61. to undergo development usu. as a result of pollination
  62. to pass below the horizon : go down
    • the sun set s
  63. to come to an end
    • this century set s with little mirth -- Thomas Fuller
  64. to apply oneself to some activity
    • set to work
  65. to have a specified direction in motion : flow, tend
    • the wind was setting from Pine Hill to the farm -- Esther Forbes
  66. to indicate the position of game by crouching or pointing
  67. to dance face to face with another in a square dance
    • set to your partner and turn
  68. to become solid or thickened by chemical or physical alteration
    • the cement set s rapidly
  69. to become permanent
  70. to become whole by growing together
  71. the act or action of setting
  72. the condition of being set
  73. a number of things of the same kind that belong or are used together
    • an electric train set
  74. mental inclination, tendency, or habit : bent
    • a set toward mathematics
  75. a state of psychological preparedness to perceive or respond to an anticipated stimulus or situation
  76. direction of flow
    • the set of the wind
  77. form or carriage of the body or of its parts
    • her face took on a cynical set -- Raymond Kennedy
  78. the manner of fitting or of being placed or suspended
    • in order to give the skirt a pretty set -- Mary J. Howell
  79. amount of deflection from a straight line
    • set of a saw's teeth
  80. permanent change of form (as of metal) due to repeated or excessive stress
  81. the act or result of arranging hair by curling or waving
  82. a young plant or rooted cutting ready for transplanting
  83. a small bulb, corm, or tuber or a piece of tuber used for propagation
    • onion set s
  84. the blossoms of a plant that have set fruit as a result of fertilization
  85. the burrow of a badger
  86. the width of the body of a piece of type
  87. an artificial setting for a scene of a theatrical or film production
  88. a rectangular paving stone of sandstone or granite
  89. a division of a tennis match won by the side that wins at least six games beating the opponent by two games or by winning a tiebreaker
  90. a collection of books or periodicals forming a unit
  91. a clutch of eggs
  92. the basic formation in a country-dance or square dance
  93. a session of music (as jazz or dance music) usu. followed by an intermission
  94. the music played at one session
  95. a group of persons associated by common interests
  96. a collection of elements and esp. mathematical ones (as numbers or points) called also class
  97. an apparatus of electronic components assembled so as to function as a unit
    • a television set
  98. a usu. offensive formation in football or basketball
  99. a group of a specific number of repetitions of a particular exercise
  100. intent, determined
    • set upon going
  101. intentional, premeditated
    • did it of set purpose
  102. fixed by authority or appointment : prescribed, specified
    • set hours of study
  103. reluctant to change
    • set in their ways
  104. immovable, rigid
    • set frown
  105. built-in
    • a set tub
  106. settled, persistent
    • set defiance
  107. being in readiness : prepared
    • set for an early morning start

set·tee [se-'tē] -n

  1. a long seat with a back
  2. a medium-sized sofa with arms and a back

set·ter ['se-tər] -n

  1. one that sets
  2. a large bird dog (as an Irish setter) of a type trained to point on finding game

set theory -n, adj

  1. a branch of mathematics or of symbolic logic that deals with the nature and relations of sets

setting -n

  1. the manner, position, or direction in which something is set
  2. the frame or bed in which a gem is set
  3. style of mounting
  4. the time, place, and circumstances in which something occurs or develops
  5. the time and place of the action of a literary, dramatic, or cinematic work
  6. the scenery used in a theatrical or film production
  7. the music composed for a text (as a poem)
  8. the articles of tableware for setting a place at table
    • two setting s of sterling silver
  9. a batch of eggs for incubation

setting circle -n

  1. a graduated scale or wheel on the mounting of an equatorial telescope for indicating right ascension or declination

settingup exercise -n

  1. any of a series of gymnastic exercises used to give an erect carriage, supple muscles, and easy control of the limbs

set·tle ['se-tᵊl] -vb, adj

  1. to place so as to stay
  2. to establish in residence
  3. to furnish with inhabitants : colonize
  4. to cause to pack down
  5. to clarify by causing dregs or impurities to sink
  6. to make quiet or orderly
  7. to fix or resolve conclusively
    • settle the question
  8. to establish or secure permanently
    • settle the order of royal succession
  9. to conclude (a lawsuit) by agreement between parties usu. out of court
  10. to close (as an account) by payment often of less than is due
  11. to arrange in a desired position
  12. to make or arrange for final disposition of
    • settled his affairs
  13. impregnate
  14. to come to rest
  15. to sink gradually or to the bottom
  16. to become clear by the deposit of sediment or scum
  17. to become compact by sinking
  18. to become fixed, resolved, or established
    • a cold settled in his chest
  19. to establish a residence or colony
    • settled in Wisconsin
    often used with down
  20. to become quiet or orderly
  21. to take up an ordered or stable life often used with down
    • marry and settle down
  22. to adjust differences or accounts
  23. to come to a decision used with on or upon
    • settled on a new plan
  24. to conclude a lawsuit by agreement out of court
  25. conceive

settle -n

  1. a wooden bench with arms, a high solid back, and an enclosed foundation which can be used as a chest

set·tle·ment ['se-tᵊl-mənt] -n

  1. the act or process of settling
  2. an act of bestowing or giving possession under legal sanction
  3. the sum, estate, or income secured to one by such a settlement
  4. occupation by settlers
  5. a place or region newly settled
  6. a small village
  7. settlement house
  8. an agreement composing differences
  9. payment or adjustment of an account

settlement house -n

  1. an institution providing various community services esp. to large city populations

set·tler ['set-lər, 'se-tᵊl-ər] -n

  1. one that settles (as a new region)

settling -n

  1. sediment, dregs usu. used in pl.

set·tlor ['set-,lȯr, 'se-tᵊl-,ȯr] -n

  1. one that makes a settlement or creates a trust of property

setto ['set-,tü] -n

  1. a usu. brief and vigorous fight or debate

set to -vi

  1. to begin actively and earnestly
  2. to begin fighting

set·up ['set-,əp] -n

  1. carriage of the body
  2. erect and soldierly bearing
  3. constitution, makeup
  4. the assembly and arrangement of the tools and apparatus required for the performance of an operation
  5. the preparation and adjustment of machines for an assigned task
  6. a table setting
  7. glass, ice, and mixer served to patrons who supply their own liquor
  8. a camera position from which a scene is filmed
  9. the footage taken from one camera position
  10. the final arrangement of the scenery and properties for a scene of a theatrical or cinematic production
  11. a position of the balls in billiards or pool from which it is easy to score
  12. a task or contest purposely made easy
  13. something easy to get or accomplish
  14. something (as a plot) that has been constructed or contrived
  15. the execution of a planned scoring play in sports
  16. the manner in which the elements or components of a machine, apparatus, or mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system are arranged, designed, or assembled
  17. the patterns within which political, social, or administrative forces operate : customary or established practice
  18. project, plan
  19. something done by deceit or trickery in order to compromise or frame someone

set up -vt

  1. to raise to and place in a high position
  2. to place in view : post
  3. to put forward (as a plan) for acceptance
  4. to place upright : erect
    • set up a statue
  5. to assemble the parts of and erect in position
  6. to put (a machine) in readiness or adjustment for an operation
  7. cause, create
    • set up a clamor
  8. bring about
  9. to place in power or in office
    • set up the general as dictator
  10. to raise from depression : elate, gratify
  11. to make proud or vain
  12. to put forward or extol as a model
  13. to claim oneself to be
    • sets himself up as an authority
  14. found, inaugurate
  15. to provide with means of making a living
    • set him up in business
  16. to bring or restore to normal health
  17. to cause (one) to take on a soldierly or athletic appearance esp. through drill
  18. to erect (a perpendicular or a figure) on a base in a drawing
  19. to make taut (a stay or hawser)
  20. to tighten firmly
  21. to make carefully worked out plans for
    • set up a bank robbery
  22. to pay for (drinks)
  23. to treat (someone) to something
  24. to put in a compromising or dangerous position usu. by trickery or deceit
  25. frame
  26. to execute one or more plays in preparation for scoring
  27. to come into active operation or use
  28. to begin business
  29. to make pretensions
    • has never set up to be a wise man -- Thomas Rogers
  30. to become firm or consolidated

sev·en ['se-vən, 'se-bᵊm] -n, adj, pron, pl in constr

  1. the seventh in a set or series
    • the seven of clubs
  2. something having seven units or members

sev·en·fold [-,fōld] -adj, adv

  1. having seven units or members
  2. being seven times as great or as many

seven seas -n pl

  1. all the waters or oceans of the world

seventeenyear locust -n

  1. a cicada ( Magicicada septendecim) of the U.S. that has in the North a life of seventeen years and in the South of thirteen years of which most is spent underground as a nymph and only a few weeks as a winged adult

sev·enth ['se-vən(t)th, 'se-bᵊm(t)th] -n, adj or adv

  1. a musical interval embracing seven diatonic degrees
  2. a tone at this interval
  3. leading tone
  4. the harmonic combination of two tones a seventh apart

seventh chord -n

  1. a chord comprising a fundamental tone with its third, fifth, and seventh

SeventhDay -adj

  1. advocating or practicing observance of Saturday as the Sabbath

seventh heaven -n

  1. a state of extreme joy

sev·en·ty ['se-vən-tē, 'se-bᵊm-, -dē] -n, adj or n, adj, pron, pl in constr

  1. the numbers 70 to 79
  2. the years 70 to 79 in a lifetime or century
  3. a Mormon elder ordained for missionary work under the apostles

sev·en·tyeight [,se-vən-tē-'āt, ,se-bᵊm-, -dē-'āt] -n, adj, pron, pl in constr

  1. a phonograph record designed to be played at 78 revolutions per minute usu. written 78

sev·enup [,se-və-'nəp, ,se-bᵊm-'əp] -n

  1. an American variety of all fours in which a total of seven points constitutes game

sev·er ['se-vər] -vb

  1. to put or keep apart : divide
  2. to remove (as a part) by or as if by cutting
  3. to become separated

sev·er·able ['sev-rə-bəl, 'se-və-] -adj, n

  1. capable of being severed
  2. capable of being divided into legally independent rights or obligations

sev·er·al ['sev-rəl, 'se-və-] -adj

  1. separate or distinct from one another
    • federal union of the several states
  2. individually owned or controlled : exclusive
    • a several fishery
  3. of or relating separately to each individual involved
    • a several judgment
  4. being separate and distinctive : respective
    • specialists in their several fields
  5. more than one
    • several pleas
  6. more than two but fewer than many
    • moved several inches
  7. being a great many

several -pron, pl in constr

  1. an indefinite number more than two and fewer than many
    • several of the guests

sev·er·al·fold [,sev-rəl-'fōld, ,se-və-] -adj, adv

  1. having several parts or aspects
  2. being several times as large, as great, or as many as some understood size, degree, or amount

sev·er·al·ly ['sev-rə-lē, 'se-və-] -adv

  1. one at a time : each by itself : separately
  2. apart from others : independently

sev·er·al·ty ['sev-rəl-tē, 'se-və-] -n

  1. the quality or state of being several : distinctness, separateness
  2. a sole, separate, and exclusive possession, dominion, or ownership : one's own right without a joint interest in any other person
    • tenants in severalty
  3. the quality or state of being individual or particular
  4. land owned in severalty
  5. the quality or state of being held in severalty

sev·er·ance ['sev-rən(t)s, 'se-və-] -n

  1. the act or process of severing : the state of being severed

severance pay -n

  1. an allowance usu. based on length of service that is payable to an employee on termination of employment

severance tax -n

  1. a tax levied by a state on the extractor of oil, gas, or minerals intended for consumption in other states

se·vere [sə-'vir] -adj, adv, n

  1. strict in judgment, discipline, or government
  2. of a strict or stern bearing or manner : austere
  3. rigorous in restraint, punishment, or requirement : stringent, restrictive
  4. strongly critical or condemnatory : censorious
    • a severe critic
  5. maintaining a scrupulously exacting standard of behavior or self-discipline
  6. establishing exacting standards of accuracy and integrity in intellectual processes
    • a severe logician
  7. sober or restrained in decoration or manner : plain
    • a severe dress
  8. inflicting physical discomfort or hardship : harsh
    • severe winters
  9. inflicting pain or distress : grievous
    • a severe wound
  10. requiring great effort : arduous
    • a severe test
  11. of a great degree : serious
    • severe depression

severe acute respiratory syndrome -n

  1. sars

severe combined immunodeficiency -n

  1. a rare congenital disorder of the immune system that is characterized by inability to produce a normal complement of antibodies and T cells and that usu. results in early death called also severe combined immune deficiency

se·vi·che [sə-'vē-(,)chā, -chē] -n

  1. a dish of raw fish marinated in lime or lemon juice often with oil, onions, peppers, and seasonings and served esp. as an appetizer

Sevres ['sev-rə, 'sev(rᵊ)] -n

  1. an often elaborately decorated French porcelain

sev·ru·ga [sə-'vrü-gə, se-] -n

  1. a light to dark gray caviar from a sturgeon ( Acipenser sevru) of the Caspian Sea with roe that is smaller than that of osetra
  2. the fish

sew ['sō] -vb, n, adj

  1. to unite or fasten by stitches
  2. to close or enclose by sewing
    • sew the money in a bag
  3. to practice or engage in sewing

sew·age ['sü-ij] -n

  1. refuse liquids or waste matter usu. carried off by sewers

sew·er ['sü-ər, 'su̇r] -n

  1. a medieval household officer often of high rank in charge of serving the dishes at table and sometimes of seating and tasting
  2. one that sews
  3. an artificial usu. subterranean conduit to carry off sewage and sometimes surface water (as from rainfall)

sew·er·age ['sü-ə-rij, 'su̇r-ij] -n

  1. the removal and disposal of sewage and surface water by sewers
  2. a system of sewers
  3. sewage

sewing -n

  1. the act, method, or occupation of one that sews
  2. material that has been or is to be sewed

sew up -vt

  1. to mend completely by sewing
  2. to get exclusive use or control of
  3. to make certain of : be assured of
    • the team sewed up the division title

sex ['seks] -n

  1. either of the two major forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguished respectively as female or male esp. on the basis of their reproductive organs and structures
  2. the sum of the structural, functional, and behavioral characteristics of organisms that are involved in reproduction marked by the union of gametes and that distinguish males and females
  3. sexually motivated phenomena or behavior
  4. sexual intercourse
  5. genitalia
  6. to identify the sex of
    • sex newborn chicks
  7. to increase the sexual appeal of often used with up
  8. to arouse the sexual desires of

sex act -n

  1. coitus used with the
  2. an act performed with another for sexual gratification

sex·a·ge·nar·i·an [,sek-sə-jə-'ner-ē-ən] -n, adj

  1. a person whose age is in the sixties

sex·a·ges·i·mal [-'je-sə-məl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or based on the number 60

sexagesimal -n

  1. a sexagesimal fraction

sex appeal -n

  1. personal appeal or physical attractiveness esp. for members of the opposite sex
  2. stimulating attractiveness

sex cell -n

  1. gamete
  2. its cellular precursor

sex chromatin -n

  1. barr body

sex chromosome -n

  1. a chromosome that is inherited differently in the two sexes, that is concerned directly with the inheritance of sex, and that is the seat of factors governing the inheritance of various sex-linked and sex-limited characters

sexed ['sekst] -adj

  1. having sex or sexual instincts
  2. having sex appeal

sex gland -n

  1. gonad

sex hormone -n

  1. a steroid hormone (as estrogen or testosterone) that is produced esp. by the ovaries, testes, or adrenal cortex and affects the growth or function of the reproductive organs or the development of secondary sex characteristics

sex·ism ['sek-,si-zəm] -n, adj or n

  1. prejudice or discrimination based on sex
  2. discrimination against women
  3. behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex

sex kitten -n

  1. a young woman with conspicuous sex appeal

sex·less ['seks-ləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. lacking sex : neuter
  2. devoid of sexual interest or activity
    • a sexless relationship

sexlim·it·ed ['seks-'li-mə-təd] -adj

  1. expressed in the phenotype of only one sex

sexlink·age [-,liŋ-kij] -n

  1. the quality or state of being sex-linked

sexlinked [-,liŋ(k)t] -adj

  1. located on a sex chromosome
    • a sexlinked gene
  2. mediated by a sex-linked gene
    • a sexlinked character

sex object -n

  1. a person regarded esp. exclusively as an object of sexual interest

sex·ol·o·gy [sek-'sä-lə-jē] -n

  1. the study of sex or of the interaction of the sexes esp. among human beings

sex·ploi·ta·tion [,seks-,plȯi-'tā-shən] -n

  1. the exploitation of sex in the media and esp. in film

sex·pot ['seks-,pät] -n

  1. a conspicuously sexy woman

sex symbol -n

  1. a usu. renowned person (as an entertainer) noted and admired for conspicuous sex appeal

sext ['sekst] -n

  1. the fourth of the canonical hours

Sex·tans ['seks-,tanz] -n

  1. a constellation on the equator south of Leo

sex·tant ['seks-tənt] -n

  1. an instrument for measuring angular distances used esp. in navigation to observe altitudes of celestial bodies (as in ascertaining latitude and longitude)

sex·tet [seks-'tet] -n

  1. a musical composition for six instruments or voices
  2. : a group or set of six: as
  3. the performers of a sextet
  4. a hockey team

sex·to ['seks-(,)tō] -n

  1. sixmo

sex·to·dec·i·mo [,seks-tə-'de-sə-,mō] -n

  1. sixteenmo

sex·ton ['seks-tən] -n

  1. a church officer or employee who takes care of the church property and performs related minor duties (as ringing the bell for services and digging graves)

sex·tu·ple [seks-'tü-pəl, -'tyü-, -'tə-; 'seks-tə-] -adj, n

  1. having six units or members
  2. being six times as great or as many
  3. marked by six beats per measure of music
    • sextuple time

sextuple [-p(ə-)liŋ] -vb

  1. to make six times as much or as many
  2. to become six times as much or as numerous

sex·tu·plet [seks-'tə-plət, -'tü-; -'tyü-; 'seks-t(y)ə-] -n

  1. a combination of six of a kind
  2. one of six offspring born at one birth
  3. a group of six equal musical notes performed in the time ordinarily given to four of the same value

sex·tu·pli·cate [seks-'tü-pli-kət, -'tyü-] -adj, n

  1. repeated six times
  2. sixth
    • file the sextuplicate copy
  3. sextuple
  4. to provide in sextuplicate

sex·u·al ['sek-sh(ə-)wəl, 'sek-shəl] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or associated with sex or the sexes
    • sexual differentiation
    • sexual conflict
  2. having or involving sex
    • sexual reproduction

sexual assault -n

  1. illegal sexual contact that usu. involves force upon a person without consent or is inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent (as because of age or physical or mental incapacity) or who places the assailant (as a doctor) in a position of trust or authority

sexual generation -n

  1. the generation of an organism with alternation of generations that reproduces sexually

sexual harassment -n

  1. uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature esp. by a person in authority toward a subordinate (as an employee or student)

sexual intercourse -n

  1. heterosexual intercourse involving penetration of the vagina by the penis : coitus
  2. intercourse (as anal or oral intercourse) that does not involve penetration of the vagina by the penis

sex·u·al·i·ty [,sek-shə-'wa-lə-tē] -n

  1. : the quality or state of being sexual:
  2. the condition of having sex
  3. sexual activity
  4. expression of sexual receptivity or interest esp. when excessive

sex·u·al·ize ['sek-sh(ə-)wə-,līz, 'sek-shə-,līz] -vt

  1. to make sexual : endow with a sexual character or cast

sexual relations -n pl

  1. sexual intercourse

sexual selection -n

  1. natural selection for characters that confer success in competition for a mate as distinguished from competition with other species
  2. the choice of a mate based on a preference for certain characteristics (as color or bird song)

sex worker -n

  1. a person whose work involves sexually explicit behavior
  2. prostitute

sexy ['sek-sē] -adj, adv, n

  1. sexually suggestive or stimulating : erotic
  2. generally attractive or interesting : appealing
    • a sexy stock

Sey·fert galaxy ['sē-fərt- also 'sī-] -n

  1. any of a class of spiral galaxies that have small compact bright nuclei characterized by variability in light intensity, emission of radio waves, and spectra called also Seyfert