Se -symbol
- selenium
SE -abbr
- self-explanatory
- southeast
- special edition
- Standard English
- stock exchange
- straight edge
sea ['sē] -n, adj
- a great body of salt water that covers much of the earth
- the waters of the earth as distinguished from the land and air
- a body of salt water of second rank more or less landlocked
- ocean
- an inland body of water used esp. for names of such bodies
- surface motion on a large body of water or its direction
- a large swell or wave often used in pl.
- the disturbance of the ocean or other body of water due to the wind
- something likened to the sea esp. in vastness
- the seafaring life
- mare
sea anchor -n
- 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
- 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
- a cylindrical canvas bag used esp. by a sailor for clothes and other gear
sea bass -n
- any of numerous marine bony fishes (family Serranidae) that are usu. smaller and more active than the groupers
- a food and sport fish ( Centropristis striata) of the Atlantic coast of the U.S.
- any of numerous croakers or drums including noted sport and food fishes
sea·bed [-,bed] -n
- the floor of a sea or ocean
Sea·bee ['sē-(,)bē] -n
- a member of one of the U.S. Navy construction battalions for building naval shore facilities in combat zones
sea·bird ['sē-,bərd] -n
- a bird (as a gull or an albatross) frequenting the open ocean
sea biscuit -n
- hardtack
sea·board ['sē-,bȯrd] -n, adj
- seacoast
- the country bordering a seacoast
sea·boot [-,büt] -n
- a very high waterproof boot used esp. by sailors and fishermen
sea·borg·i·um [sē-'bȯr-gē-əm] -n
- a short-lived radioactive element that is produced artificially
sea·borne [-,bȯrn] -adj
- borne over or on the sea
- carried on by oversea shipping
sea bream -n
- bream
sea breeze -n
- a cooling breeze blowing generally in the daytime inland from the sea
sea captain -n
- the master esp. of a merchant vessel
sea change -n
- a change brought about by the sea
- a marked change : transformation
- a sea change in public policy
sea chest -n
- a sailor's storage chest for personal property
sea·coast ['sē-,kōst] -n
- the shore or border of the land adjacent to the sea
sea cow -n
- sirenian
sea·craft ['sē-,kraft] -n
- seagoing ships
- skill in navigation
sea crayfish -n
- spiny lobster
sea cucumber -n
- any of a class (Holothurioidea) of echinoderms having a tough muscular elongate body with tentacles surrounding the mouth called also holothurian
sea devil -n
- manta ray
sea dog -n
- a veteran sailor
sea duck -n
- a diving duck (as a scoter, merganser, or eider) that frequents the sea
sea duty -n
- duty in the U.S. Navy performed with a deployable unit (as a ship or aircraft squadron)
sea eagle -n
- any of various fish-eating eagles (esp. genus Haliaeetus)
Sea Explorer -n
- an Explorer in a scouting program that teaches seamanship
sea fan -n
- any of various gorgonians (esp. genus Gorgonia) with a fan-shaped skeleton
- either of two ( Gorgonia ventalinaand G. flabellum) of Florida and the West Indies
sea·far·er ['sē-,fer-ər] -n
- mariner
sea·far·ing [-,fer-iŋ] -n, adj
- the use of the sea for travel or transportation
sea fire -n
- marine bioluminescence
sea·floor ['sē-,flȯr] -n
- seabed
seafloor spreading -n
- 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
- edible marine fish and shellfish
sea·fowl [-,fau̇(-ə)l] -n
- seabird
sea·front [-,frənt] -n
- the waterfront of a seaside place
sea·girt ['sē-,gərt] -adj
- surrounded by the sea
sea·go·ing [-,gō-iŋ, -,gȯ(-)iŋ] -adj
- oceangoing
sea grape -n
- 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
- any of various grasslike plants that inhabit coastal areas
- eelgrass
sea green -n
- a moderate green or bluish green
- a moderate yellow green
sea·gull ['sē-,gəl] -n
- a gull frequenting the sea
- gull
sea hare -n
- 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
- a European coastal herb ( Eryngium maritimum) of the carrot family with spiny leaves and pale blue flowers
sea horse -n
- walrus
- a mythical creature half horse and half fish
- 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
- a cotton ( Gossypium barbadense) with esp. long silky fiber called also sea island
sea kale -n
- a succulent Eurasian perennial herb ( Crambe maritima) of the mustard family used as a potherb
sea king -n
- a Norse pirate chief
seal ['sēl] -n
- 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
- a fur seal or hair seal as opposed to a sea lion
- the pelt of a fur seal
- leather made from the skin of a seal
- a dark brown
- to hunt seals
- something that confirms, ratifies, or makes secure : guarantee, assurance
- a device with a cut or raised emblem, symbol, or word used esp. to certify a signature or authenticate a document
- a medallion or ring face bearing such a device incised so that it can be impressed on wax or moist clay
- a piece of wax or a wafer bearing such an impression
- 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
- a usu. ornamental adhesive stamp that may be used to close a letter or package
- one given in a fund-raising campaign
- something that secures (as a wax seal on a document)
- a closure that must be broken to be opened and that thus reveals tampering
- a tight and perfect closure (as against the passage of gas or water)
- a device to prevent the passage or return of gas or air into a pipe or container
- a seal that is a symbol or mark of office
- to confirm or make secure by or as if by a seal
- to solemnize for eternity (as a marriage) by a Mormon rite
- to set or affix an authenticating seal to
- authenticate, ratify
- to mark with a stamp or seal usu. as an evidence of standard exactness, legal size, weight, or capacity, or merchantable quality
- to fasten with or as if with a seal to prevent tampering
- to close or make secure against access, leakage, or passage by a fastening or coating
- to fix in position or close breaks in with a filling (as of plaster)
- to determine irrevocably or indisputably
- that answer seal ed our fate
SEAL -abbr
- sea, air, land (team)
sea lamprey -n
- 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
- an established sea route
seal·ant ['sē-lənt] -n
- a sealing agent
- a plastic material applied to parts of teeth with imperfections (as pits and fissures) to prevent dental decay
sea lavender -n
- any of a genus ( Limonium) of chiefly perennial herbs of the plumbago family with small flowers and basal leaves
sea lawyer -n
- an argumentative captious sailor
sealedbeam ['sēl(d)-'bēm] -adj
- being an electric lamp with a prefocused reflector and lens sealed in the lamp vacuum
sea legs -n pl
- 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
- an official who attests or certifies conformity to a standard of correctness
- a coat (as of size) applied to prevent subsequent coats of paint or varnish from sinking in
sealer -n
- a person or a ship engaged in hunting seals
sea lettuce -n
- any of a genus ( Ulva) of marine green algae with broad fronds sometimes eaten as salad or used in soups
sea level -n
- 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
- transport of military personnel and esp. equipment by ship
sea lily -n
- crinoid
- a stalked crinoid
sealing wax -n
- a resinous composition that is plastic when warm and is used for sealing (as letters, dry cells, or cans)
sea lion -n
- 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
- to close tightly
seal point -n
- a coat color of cats characterized by a cream or fawn body with dark brown points
- a Siamese cat with such coloring
seal ring -n
- a finger ring engraved with a seal : signet ring
seal·skin ['sēl-,skin] -n, adj
- the fur or pelt of a fur seal
- a garment (as a jacket, coat, or cape) of sealskin
Sea·ly·ham terrier ['sē-lē-,ham-, esp Brit -lē-əm-] -n
- 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
- the joining of two pieces (as of cloth or leather) by sewing usu. near the edge
- the stitching used in such a joining
- the space between adjacent planks or strakes of a ship
- a line, groove, or ridge formed by the abutment of edges
- a thin layer or stratum (as of rock) between distinctive layers
- a bed of valuable mineral and esp. coal irrespective of thickness
- a line left by a cut or wound
- wrinkle
- a weak or vulnerable area or gap
- found a seam in the zone defense
- to join by sewing
- to join as if by sewing (as by welding, riveting, or heat-sealing)
- to mark with lines suggesting seams
- to become fissured or ridgy
seamaid ['sē-,mād] -n
- mermaid
- a goddess or nymph of the sea
sea·man ['sē-mən] -n
- sailor, mariner
- any of the three ranks below petty officer in the navy or coast guard
- an enlisted man in the navy or coast guard ranking above a seaman apprentice and below a petty officer
seaman apprentice -n
- 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
- characteristic of or befitting a competent seaman
sea·man·ly [-lē] -adj
- seamanlike
seaman recruit -n
- an enlisted man of the lowest rank in the navy or coast guard
sea·man·ship ['sē-mən-,ship] -n
- the art or skill of handling, working, and navigating a ship
sea·mark [-,märk] -n
- a line on a coast marking the tidal limit
- an elevated object serving as a beacon to mariners
sea mew -n
- seagull
- a common gull ( Larus canus) of Eurasia and northwestern No. America
sea mile -n
- nautical mile
seam·less ['sēm-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- having no seams
- having no awkward transitions, interruptions, or indications of disparity
- a seamless fusion of beauty and intelligence -- Jack Kroll et al.
- perfect, flawless
sea monkey -n
- a brine shrimp ( Artemia salina) that hatches from dormant encysted eggs and is sometimes raised in aquariums
sea·mount ['sē-,mau̇nt] -n
- a submarine mountain rising above the deep-sea floor
sea mouse -n
- any of various large broad marine polychaete worms (esp. genus Aphrodite) covered with hairlike setae
seam·ster ['sēm(p)-stər also 'sem(p)-] -n
- a person employed at sewing
- tailor
seam·stress [-strəs] -n
- a woman whose occupation is sewing
seamy ['sē-mē] -adj, n
- having the rough side of the seam showing
- unpleasant
- degraded, sordid
- the seamy side of urban life
se·ance ['sā-,än(t)s, -,äⁿs, sā-'] -n
- session, sitting
- a spiritualist meeting to receive spirit communications
sea nettle -n
- a stinging jellyfish
- 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
- 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
- a related plant ( Chasmanthium latifoliumsyn. U. latifolia) chiefly of the eastern U.S.
sea onion -n
- squill
sea otter -n
- 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
- any of numerous anthozoans (order Pennatulacea) growing in colonies with a feathery form
sea·piece ['sē-,pēs] -n
- seascape
sea pink -n
- thrift
- 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
- an airplane designed to take off from and land on the water
sea·port ['sē-,pȯrt] -n
- a port, harbor, or town accessible to seagoing ships
sea power -n
- a nation having formidable naval strength
- naval strength
sea puss [-,pu̇s] -n
- a swirling or along shore undertow
sea·quake ['sē-,kwāk] -n
- a submarine earthquake
sear ['sir] -adj
(variant of sere)
- being dried and withered
- threadbare
- a series of ecological communities formed in ecological succession
search ['sərch] -vb, adj, n, adv
- : to look into or over carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something: as
- to examine in seeking something
- search ed the north field
- to look through or explore by inspecting possible places of concealment or investigating suspicious circumstances
- to read thoroughly : check
- to examine a public record or register for information about
- to examine for articles concealed on the person
- to look at as if to discover or penetrate intention or nature
- to uncover, find, or come to know by inquiry or scrutiny usu. used with out
- to look or inquire carefully
- to make painstaking investigation or examination
- an act of searching
- an act of boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas in exercise of right of search
- a party that searches
- power or range of penetrating
- a penetrating effect
search engine -n
- computer software used to search data (as text or a database) for specified information
- a site on the World Wide Web that uses such software to locate key words in other sites
search·light [-,līt] -n
- an apparatus for projecting a powerful beam of light
- a beam of light projected by it
search warrant -n
- a warrant authorizing a search (as of a house) for stolen goods or unlawful possessions
sear·ing ['sir-iŋ] -adj, adv
- very hot
- marked by extreme intensity, harshness, or emotional power
sea robin -n
- 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
- room for maneuver at sea
sea rover -n
- one that roves the sea
- pirate
searun ['sē-'rən] -adj
- anadromous
sea scallop -n
- 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
- a view of the sea
- a picture representing a scene at sea
sea scorpion -n
- sculpin
- eurypterid
Sea Scout -n
- sea explorer
sea serpent -n
- a large marine animal resembling a serpent often reported to have been seen but never proved to exist
sea·shell ['sē-,shel] -n
- the shell of a marine animal and esp. a mollusk
sea·shore [-,shȯr] -n
- land adjacent to the sea : seacoast
- national seashore
- all the ground between the ordinary high-water and low-water marks : foreshore
sea·sick [-,sik] -adj
- affected with or suggestive of seasickness
sea·sick·ness [-nəs] -n
- motion sickness experienced on the water
sea·side ['sē-,sīd] -n, adj
- the district or land bordering the sea : country adjacent to the sea : seashore
sea slug -n
- sea cucumber
- a naked marine gastropod
- nudibranch
sea snake -n
- sea serpent
- any of numerous venomous aquatic chiefly viviparous elapid snakes of warm seas
sea·son ['sē-zᵊn] -n
- a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature
- in a season of religious awakening -- F. A. Christie
- a suitable or natural time or occasion
- when my season comes to sit on David's throne -- John Milton
- an indefinite period of time : while
- sent home again to her father for a season -- Francis Hackett
- : a period of the year characterized by or associated with a particular activity or phenomenon: as
- a period associated with some phase or activity of agriculture (as growth or harvesting)
- a period in which an animal engages in some activity (as migrating or mating)
- estrus, heat
- the period normally characterized by a particular kind of weather
- a period marked by special activity esp. in some field
- a period in which a place is most frequented
- one of the four quarters into which the year is commonly divided
- the time of a major holiday
- year
- seasoning
- the schedule of official games played or to be played by a sports team during a playing season
- got through the season undefeated
- off-season
season ['sēz-niŋ, 'sē-zᵊn-iŋ] -vb
- to give (food) more flavor or zest by adding seasoning or savory ingredients
- to give a distinctive quality to as if by seasoning
- to make more agreeable
- advice season ed with wit
- to qualify by admixture : temper
- to treat (as wood or a skillet) so as to prepare for use
- to make fit by experience
- to become seasoned
sea·son·able ['sēz-nə-bəl, 'sē-zᵊn-ə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- suitable to the season or circumstances : timely
- occurring in good or proper time : opportune
- a seasonable time for discussion
sea·son·al ['sēz-nəl, 'sē-zᵊn-əl] -adj, n, adv
- of, relating to, or varying in occurrence according to the season
- affected or caused by seasonal need or availability
seasonal affective disorder -n
- 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
- : one that seasons: as
- a user of seasonings
- seasoning
seasoning -n
- something that serves to season
- 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
- exhibiting no seasonal changes
- not restricted to a particular season
- suitable for wearing in any season
season ticket -n
- a ticket (as to all of a club's home games or for specified daily transportation) valid during a specified time
sea spider -n
- any of various small long-legged marine arthropods (class Pycnogonida) that superficially resemble spiders
sea squirt -n
- ascidian
sea star -n
- starfish
sea stores -n pl
- supplies (as of foodstuffs) laid in before starting on a sea voyage
sea·strand ['sē-,strand] -n
- seashore
seat ['sēt] -n
- a special chair of one in eminence
- the status represented by it
- a chair, stool, or bench intended to be sat in or on
- the particular part of something on which one rests in sitting
- buttocks
- a seating accommodation
- a right of sitting
- lost his seat in Congress
- membership on an exchange
- a place where something specified is prevalent : center
- a place from which authority is exercised
- a bodily part in which some function or condition is centered
- the brain as the seat of the mind
- posture in or way of sitting on horseback
- a part at or forming the base of something
- a part (as a socket) or surface on or in which another part or surface rests
- to install in a seat of dignity or office
- to cause to sit or assist in finding a seat
- to provide seats for
- a theater seat ing 1000 persons
- to put in a sitting position
- to repair the seat of or provide a new seat for
- to fit to or with a seat
- to take one's seat or place
- to fit correctly on a seat
seat belt -n
- an arrangement of straps designed to hold a person steady in a seat (as in an airplane or automobile)
seat·er ['sē-tər] -n
- one that seats
- one that has a specified number of seats used in combination
seat·ing ['sē-tiŋ] -n
- material for covering or upholstering seats
- a seat on or in which something rests
- the act of providing with seats
seat·mate ['sēt-,māt] -n
- one with whom one shares a seat (as in a vehicle with double or paired seats)
SEATO -abbr
- Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
seatofthepants -adj
- 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
- a seagoing ship equipped for carrying a train of railroad cars
sea trout -n
- any of various trouts or chars that as adults inhabit the sea but ascend rivers to spawn
- : any of various marine fishes resembling trouts: as
- weakfish
- spotted sea trout
sea turtle -n
- 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
- any of numerous echinoderms (class Echinoidea) that are usu. enclosed in thin brittle globular tests covered with movable spines
sea·wall ['sē-,wȯl] -n
- a wall or embankment to protect the shore from erosion or to act as a breakwater
sea·ward ['sē-wərd] -n
- the direction or side away from land and toward the open sea
seaward [-wərdz] -adv
- toward the sea
- directed or situated toward the sea
- coming from the sea
sea wasp -n
- 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
- water in or from the sea
sea·way [-,wā] -n
- the sea as a route for travel
- an ocean traffic lane
- a moderate or rough sea
- a deep inland waterway that admits ocean shipping
sea·weed [-,wēd] -n
- a mass or growth of marine plants
- a plant growing in the sea
- a marine alga (as a kelp)
sea whip -n
- any of various gorgonian corals with elongated flexible unbranched or little-branched whiplike colonies
sea·wor·thy ['sē-,wər-thē] -adj, n
- fit or safe for a sea voyage
sea wrack -n
- seaweed
- seaweed cast ashore in masses
se·ba·ceous [si-'bā-shəs] -adj
- secreting sebum
- of, relating to, or being fatty material : fatty
se·ba·cic acid [si-'ba-sik-, ,sē-, -'bā-] -n
- a crystalline dicarboxylic acid C 10H 18O 4used esp. in the manufacture of synthetic resins
seb·or·rhea [,se-bə-'rē-ə] -n, adj
- abnormally increased secretion and discharge of sebum
se·bum ['sē-bəm] -n
- fatty lubricant matter secreted by sebaceous glands of the skin
sec ['sek] -adj
- moderately dry
- secant
- second; secondary
- secretary
- section
SEC -abbr
- Securities and Exchange Commission
se·cant ['sē-,kant, -kənt] -n
- a straight line cutting a curve at two or more points
- 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
- 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
- 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
- pruning shears usu. used in pl.
sec·co ['se-(,)kō] -n
- the art of painting on dry plaster
secco -adj or adv
- short and very staccato used as a direction in music
- accompanied only by the instruments playing the continuo
se·cede [si-'sēd] -vi, n
- to withdraw from an organization (as a religious communion or political party or federation)
se·cern [si-'sərn] -vt
- to discriminate in thought : distinguish
se·ces·sion [si-'se-shən] -n
- withdrawal into privacy or solitude : retirement
- formal withdrawal from an organization
se·ces·sion·ist [-'se-sh(ə-)nist] -n, adj
- one who joins in a secession or maintains that secession is a right
Seck·el ['se-kəl, 'si-] -n
- a small pear with sweet very flavorful firm flesh and yellowish-green skin with a red blush
se·clude [si-'klüd] -vt
- to exclude from a privilege, rank, or dignity : debar
- to remove or separate from intercourse or outside influence : isolate
- shut off, screen
secluded -adj, adv, n
- screened or hidden from view : sequestered
- living in seclusion : solitary
se·clu·sion [si-'klü-zhən] -n, adj, adv
- the act of secluding : the condition of being secluded
- a secluded or isolated place
seco·bar·bi·tal [,se-kō-'bär-bə-,tȯl] -n
- 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
- used for a preparation of secobarbital
sec·ond ['se-kənd also -kənt, esp before a consonant -kən, -kᵊŋ] -adj, adv
- next to the first in place or time
- next to the first in value, excellence, or degree
- his second choice of schools
- inferior, subordinate
- ranking next below the top of a grade or degree in authority or precedence
- alternate, other
- elects a mayor every second year
- resembling or suggesting a prototype : another
- being the forward gear or speed next higher than first in a motor vehicle
- relating to or having a part typically subordinate to and lower in pitch than the first part in concerted or ensemble music
second -n
- one that is next after the first in rank, position, authority, or precedence
- one that assists or supports another
- the assistant of a duelist or boxer
- the musical interval embracing two diatonic degrees
- a tone at this interval
- supertonic
- the harmonic combination of two tones a second apart
- merchandise that is usu. slightly flawed and does not meet the manufacturer's standard for firsts or irregulars
- an article of such merchandise
- the act or declaration by which a parliamentary motion is seconded
- a place next below the first in a competition, examination, or contest
- second base
- the second forward gear or speed of a motor vehicle
- a second helping of food
- the 60th part of a minute of angular measure
- the 60th part of a minute of time : 1/86,400 part of the mean solar day
- 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
- an instant of time : moment
- to give support or encouragement to : assist
- to support (a fighting person or group) in combat : bring up reinforcements for
- to support or assist in contention or debate
- to endorse (a motion or a nomination) so that debate or voting may begin
- 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
- of second rank, importance, or value
- 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
- expressive of past time
- immediately derived from something original, primary, or basic
- of, relating to, or being the induced current or its circuit in an induction coil or transformer
- characterized by or resulting from the substitution of two atoms or groups in a molecule
- being, characterized by, or attached to a carbon atom having bonds to two other carbon atoms
- not first in order of occurrence or development
- dependent or consequent on another disease or condition
- produced by activity of formative tissue and esp. cambium other than that at a growing point
- of, relating to, or being the second order or stage in a series
- of, relating to, or being the second segment of the wing of a bird or the quills of this segment
- of or relating to a secondary school
secondary -n
- one occupying a subordinate or auxiliary position rather than that of a principal
- a defensive football backfield
- the coil through which the secondary current passes in an induction coil or transformer called also secondary coil
- any of the quill feathers of the forearm of a bird
secondary care -n
- medical care provided by a specialist or facility upon referral by a primary care physician
secondary cell -n
- storage battery
secondary color -n
- a color formed by mixing two primary colors in equal or equivalent quantities
secondary emission -n
- the emission of electrons from a surface that is bombarded by particles (as electrons or ions) from a primary source
secondary radiation -n
- radiation emitted by molecules or atoms after bombardment by a primary radiation
secondary road -n
- a road not of primary importance
- a feeder road
secondary root -n
- one of the branches of a primary root
secondary school -n
- a school intermediate between elementary school and college and usu. offering general, technical, vocational, or college-preparatory courses
secondary sex characteristic -n
- 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
- 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
- a comedian who plays a supporting role to a top banana
- a person in a subservient position
second base -n
- the base that must be touched second by a base runner in baseball
- the player position for defending the area on the first-base side of second base
sec·ondbest [,se-kən(d)-'best, -kᵊŋ-] -adj
- next to the best
second best -n
- one that is below or after the best
- in second place
second blessing -n
- sanctification as a second gift of the Holy Spirit that follows an initial experience of conversion
second childhood -n
- dotage
secondclass -adj
- of or relating to a second class
- mediocre
- socially, politically, or economically deprived
second class -n
- the second and usu. next to highest group in a classification
- cabin class
- a class of U.S. or Canadian mail comprising periodicals sent to regular subscribers
Second Coming -n
- the coming of Christ as judge on the last day
second cousin -n
- the child of one's parent's first cousin
seconddegree burn -n
- a burn marked by pain, blistering, and superficial destruction of dermis with edema and hyperemia of the tissues beneath the burn
Second Empire -adj
- 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
- the second of the traditional political classes
- nobility
second fiddle -n
- one that plays a supporting or subservient role
second growth -n
- 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
- 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
- to engage in such criticism of (an action or decision)
- secondguess the general's strategy
- 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
- received from or through an intermediary : borrowed
- derivative
- acquired after being used by another : not new
- dealing in secondhand merchandise
secondhand -adv
- at second hand : indirectly
- heard about it secondhand
- as a secondhand item
- bought the couch secondhand
second hand [,se-kən(d)-'hand] -n
- an intermediate person or means : intermediary usu. used in the phrase at second hand
- the hand marking seconds on a timepiece
secondhand smoke -n
- tobacco smoke that is exhaled by smokers or is given off by burning tobacco and is inhaled by persons nearby
second lieutenant -n
- a commissioned officer of the lowest rank in the army, air force, or marine corps
sec·ondline ['se-kᵊn(d)-'līn] -adj
- not being the usual or preferred choice
- secondline drugs to treat tuberculosis
second mortgage -n
- a mortgage the lien of which is subordinate to that of a first mortgage
second nature -n
- an acquired deeply ingrained habit or skill
- after a while, using the gearshift becomes second nature
se·con·do [si-'kōn-(,)dō, -'kän-] -n
- the second part in a concerted piece
- the lower part (as in a piano duet)
second person -n
- 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
- a linguistic form belonging to such a set
- 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
- of second or inferior quality or value : mediocre
Second Reader -n
- 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
- 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
- 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
- the capacity to see remote or future objects or events : clairvoyance, precognition
secondstory man -n
- a burglar who enters a house by an upstairs window
sec·ondstring [,se-kən(d)-'striŋ, ,se-kᵊŋ-] -adj
- being a substitute as distinguished from a regular (as on a ball team)
second thought -n
- reconsideration or a revised opinion of a previous often hurried decision
- began to have second thoughts
second wind -n
- renewed energy or endurance
second world -n
- Communist nations regarded in the latter part of the 20th century as a political and economic bloc
se·cre·cy ['sē-krə-sē] -n
- the condition of being hidden or concealed
- the habit or practice of keeping secrets or maintaining privacy or concealment
se·cret ['sē-krət] -adj, adv
- kept from knowledge or view : hidden
- marked by the habit of discretion : closemouthed
- working with hidden aims or methods : undercover
- not acknowledged : unavowed
- conducted in secret
- remote from human frequentation or notice : secluded
- revealed only to the initiated : esoteric
- designed to elude observation or detection
- containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could endanger national security
secret -n
- something kept hidden or unexplained : mystery
- something kept from the knowledge of others or shared only confidentially with a few
- 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
- the practices or knowledge making up the shared discipline or culture of an esoteric society
- a prayer traditionally said inaudibly by the celebrant just before the preface of the mass
- something taken to be a specific or key to a desired end
se·cre·ta·gogue [si-'krē-tə-,gäg] -n
- a substance stimulating secretion (as by the stomach or pancreas)
sec·re·tar·i·at [,se-krə-'ter-ē-ət, -ē-,at] -n
- the office of secretary
- a secretarial corps
- the clerical staff of an organization
- 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
- one employed to handle correspondence and manage routine and detail work for a superior
- 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
- an officer of an organization or society responsible for its records and correspondence
- an officer of state who superintends a government administrative department
- writing desk, escritoire
- a writing desk with a top section for books
secretary bird -n
- a large long-legged bird of prey ( Sagittarius serpentariusof the family Sagittariidae) of sub-Saharan Africa that feeds largely on reptiles
secretarygeneral -n
- a principal administrative officer
- secretarygeneral of the United Nations
secret ballot -n
- australian ballot
se·crete [si-'krēt] -vt
- to form and give off (a secretion)
- to deposit or conceal in a hiding place
- to appropriate secretly : abstract
se·cre·tin [si-'krē-tᵊn] -n
- an intestinal proteinaceous hormone capable of stimulating secretion by the pancreas and liver
se·cre·tion [si-'krē-shən] -n, adj
- the process of segregating, elaborating, and releasing some material either functionally specialized (as saliva) or isolated for excretion (as urine)
- a product of secretion formed by an animal or plant
- one performing a specific useful function in the organism
- the act of hiding something : concealment
se·cre·tive ['sē-krə-tiv, si-'krē-] -adj, adv, n
- disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes
se·cre·tor [si-'krē-tər] -n
- 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
- of, relating to, or promoting secretion
- produced by secretion
secret partner -n
- a partner whose membership in a partnership is kept secret from the public
secret police -n
- 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
- a governmental service of a secret nature
- a division of the U.S. Treasury Department charged chiefly with the suppression of counterfeiting and the protection of the president
secret society -n
- any of various oath-bound societies often devoted to brotherhood, moral discipline, and mutual assistance
sect ['sekt] -n
- a dissenting or schismatic religious body
- one regarded as extreme or heretical
- a religious denomination
- sex
- so is all her sect -- Shak.
- a group adhering to a distinctive doctrine or to a leader
- party
- faction
- section; sectional
sec·tar·i·an [sek-'ter-ē-ən] -adj, n
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a sect or sectarian
- limited in character or scope : parochial
sectarian -n
- an adherent of a sect
- a narrow or bigoted person
sec·tar·i·an·ize [sek-'ter-ē-ə-,nīz] -vb
- to act as sectarians
- to make sectarian
sec·ta·ry ['sek-tə-rē] -n
- a member of a sect
sec·tile ['sek-tᵊl, -,tī(-ə)l] -adj, n
- capable of being severed by a knife with a smooth cut
sec·tion ['sek-shən] -n
- the action or an instance of cutting or separating by cutting
- a part set off by or as if by cutting
- a distinct part or portion of something written (as a chapter, law, or newspaper)
- the profile of something as it would appear if cut through by an intersecting plane
- the plane figure resulting from the cutting of a solid by a plane
- a natural subdivision of a taxonomic group
- a character used as a mark for the beginning of a section and as a reference mark
- a piece of land one square mile in area forming esp. one of the 36 subdivisions of a township
- a distinct part of a territorial or political area, community, or group of people
- the historic section of the city
- a part that may be, is, or is viewed as separated
- a board cut into section s
- the northern section of the route
- one segment of a fruit : carpel
- a basic military unit usu. having a special function
- a very thin slice (as of tissue) suitable for microscopic examination
- one of the classes formed by dividing the students taking a course
- one of the discussion groups into which a conference or organization is divided
- a part of a permanent railroad way under the care of a particular crew
- one of two or more vehicles or trains which run on the same schedule
- one of several component parts that may be assembled or reassembled
- a division of an orchestra composed of one class of instruments
- signature
section [-sh(ə-)niŋ] -vb
- to cut or separate into sections
- to represent in sections
- to become cut or separated into parts
sec·tion·al ['sek-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl] -adj, adv
- of or relating to a section
- local or regional rather than general in character
- consisting of or divided into sections
sectional -n
- 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
- an exaggerated devotion to the interests of a region
Section Eight -n
- a discharge from the U.S. Army for military inaptitude or undesirable habits or traits of character
- a soldier receiving such a discharge
section gang -n
- a crew of track workers employed to maintain a railroad section
section hand -n
- a laborer belonging to a section gang
sec·tor ['sek-tər, -,tȯr] -n, adj
- a geometric figure bounded by two radii and the included arc of a circle
- a subdivision of a defensive military position
- a portion of a military front or area of operation
- an area or portion resembling a sector
- bilingual sector of town -- David Kleinberg
- a sociological, economic, or political subdivision of society
- cooperation between the public and private sector s -- Peter Chapman
- a mathematical instrument consisting of two rulers connected at one end by a joint and marked with several scales
- a subdivision of a track on a computer disk
- to divide into or furnish with sectors
sec·to·ri·al [sek-'tȯr-ē-əl] -adj
- of, relating to, or having the shape of a sector of a circle
sec·u·lar ['se-kyə-lər] -adj, n, adv
- of or relating to the worldly or temporal
- not overtly or specif. religious
- not ecclesiastical or clerical
- not bound by monastic vows or rules
- of, relating to, or forming clergy not belonging to a religious order or congregation
- occurring once in an age or a century
- existing or continuing through ages or centuries
- of or relating to a long term of indefinite duration
secular -n
- a secular ecclesiastic (as a diocesan priest)
- layman
secular humanism -n, n or adj
- humanism
- humanistic philosophy viewed as a nontheistic religion antagonistic to traditional religion
sec·u·lar·ise ['se-kyə-lə-,rīz] -vt, n
(variant of secularize)
- to make secular
- to transfer from ecclesiastical to civil or lay use, possession, or control
- to convert to or imbue with secularism
sec·u·lar·ism ['se-kyə-lə-,ri-zəm] -n, adj
- indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations
sec·u·lar·ize ['se-kyə-lə-,rīz] -vt, n
- to make secular
- to transfer from ecclesiastical to civil or lay use, possession, or control
- to convert to or imbue with secularism
se·cure [si-'kyu̇r] -adj, adv, n
- unwisely free from fear or distrust : overconfident
- easy in mind : confident
- assured in opinion or expectation : having no doubt
- free from danger
- free from risk of loss
- affording safety
- trustworthy, dependable
- assured
secure -vb, n
- to relieve from exposure to danger : act to make safe against adverse contingencies
- secure a supply line from enemy raids
- to put beyond hazard of losing or of not receiving : guarantee
- secure the blessings of liberty -- U.S. Constitution
- to give pledge of payment to (a creditor) or of (an obligation)
- secure a note by a pledge of collateral
- to take (a person) into custody : hold fast : pinion
- to make fast
- to get secure usu. lasting possession or control of
- bring about, effect
- to release (naval personnel) from work or duty
- to stop work : go off duty
- to tie up : berth
se·cure·ment [si-'kyu̇r-mənt] -n
- protection
- the act or process of securing
se·cu·ri·tize [si-'kyu̇r-ə-,tīz] -vt, n
- 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
- : the quality or state of being secure: as
- freedom from danger : safety
- freedom from fear or anxiety
- freedom from the prospect of being laid off
- something given, deposited, or pledged to make certain the fulfillment of an obligation
- surety
- an instrument of investment in the form of a document (as a stock certificate or bond) providing evidence of its ownership
- something that secures : protection
- measures taken to guard against espionage or sabotage, crime, attack, or escape
- an organization or department whose task is security
security blanket -n
- a blanket carried by a child as a protection against anxiety
- a usu. familiar object whose presence dispels anxiety
Security Council -n
- a permanent council of the United Nations with primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security
security interest -n
- the rights that a creditor has in the personal property of a debtor that secures an obligation : lien
security police -n
- police engaged in counterespionage
- air police
secy -abbr
- secretary
sed -abbr
- sedimentation
se·dan [si-'dan] -n
- a portable often covered chair that is designed to carry one person and that is borne on poles by two people
- a 2- or 4-door automobile seating four or more persons and usu. having a permanent top
- a motorboat having one passenger compartment
se·date [si-'dāt] -adj, adv, n
- keeping a quiet steady attitude or pace : unruffled
sedate -vt
- to dose with sedatives
se·da·tion [si-'dā-shən] -n
- the inducing of a relaxed easy state esp. by the use of sedatives
- a state resulting from or as if from sedation
sed·a·tive ['se-də-tiv] -adj
- tending to calm, moderate, or tranquilize nervousness or excitement
sedative -n
- a sedative agent or drug
sed·en·tary ['se-dᵊn-,ter-ē] -adj
- not migratory : settled
- doing or requiring much sitting
- not physically active
- permanently attached
se·der ['sā-dər] -n
- 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
- a prolonged sitting (as for discussion)
sedge ['sej] -n, adj
- 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
- any of a cosmopolitan genus ( Carex)
se·di·lia [sə-'dēl-yə, -'dil-, esp Brit -'dī(-ə)l-] -n pl
- seats on the south side of the chancel for the celebrant and his assistants
sed·i·ment ['se-də-mənt] -n
- the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid
- material deposited by water, wind, or glaciers
- to deposit as sediment
- to settle to the bottom in a liquid
- to deposit sediment
sed·i·ment·able [,se-də-'men-tə-bəl] -adj
- capable of being sedimented by centrifugation
- sedimentable ribosomal particles
sed·i·men·ta·ry [,se-də-'men-tə-rē, -'men-trē] -adj
- of, relating to, or containing sediment
- formed by or from deposits of sediment
sed·i·men·ta·tion [,se-də-mən-'tā-shən, -,men-] -n
- 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
- a branch of science that deals with sedimentary rocks and their inclusions
se·di·tion [si-'di-shən] -n
- incitement of resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority
se·di·tious [si-'di-shəs] -adj, adv, n
- disposed to arouse or take part in or guilty of sedition
- of, relating to, or tending toward sedition
se·duce [si-'düs, -'dyüs] -vt, n
- to persuade to disobedience or disloyalty
- to lead astray usu. by persuasion or false promises
- to carry out the physical seduction of : entice to sexual intercourse
- attract
se·duce·ment [-mənt] -n
- seduction
- something that serves to seduce
se·duc·tion [si-'dək-shən] -n
- the act of seducing
- the enticement of a person to sexual intercourse
- something that seduces : temptation
- something that attracts or charms
se·duc·tive [-'dək-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- tending to seduce : having alluring or tempting qualities
- a seductive, sometimes disingenuous man -- Thatcher Freund
se·duc·tress [-'dək-trəs] -n
- a woman who seduces
se·du·li·ty [si-'dü-lə-tē, -'dyü-] -n
- sedulous activity : diligence
sed·u·lous ['se-jə-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- involving or accomplished with careful perseverance
- diligent in application or pursuit
se·dum ['sē-dəm] -n
- any of a genus ( Sedum) of widely distributed fleshy herbs of the orpine family
see ['sē] -vb, adj
- to perceive by the eye
- to perceive or detect as if by sight
- to have experience of : undergo
- to come to know : discover
- to be the setting or time of
- the last fifty years have seen a sweeping revolution in science -- Barry Commoner
- to form a mental picture of : visualize
- can still see her as she was years ago
- to perceive the meaning or importance of : understand
- to be aware of : recognize
- to imagine as a possibility : suppose
- couldn't see him as a crook
- examine, watch
- want to see how she handles the problem
- read
- to read of
- to attend as a spectator
- to take care of : provide for
- had enough money to see us through
- to make sure
- to regard as : judge
- to prefer to have
- I'll see him hanged first
- I'll see you dead before I accept your terms
- to find acceptable or attractive
- can't understand what he see s in her
- to call on : visit
- to keep company with esp. in courtship or dating
- had been see ing each other for a year
- to grant an interview to : receive
- the president will see you now
- accompany, escort
- see the guests to the door
- to meet (a bet) in poker or to equal the bet of (a player) : call
- to give or pay attention
- to look about
- to have the power of sight
- to apprehend objects by sight
- to perceive objects as if by sight
- to grasp something mentally
- to acknowledge or consider something being pointed out
- see, I told you it would rain
- to make investigation or inquiry
- cathedra
- a cathedral town
- a seat of a bishop's office, power, or authority
- the authority or jurisdiction of a bishop
seed ['sēd] -n, adj
- the grains or ripened ovules of plants used for sowing
- the fertilized ripened ovule of a flowering plant containing an embryo and capable normally of germination to produce a new plant
- a propagative plant structure (as a spore or small dry fruit)
- : a propagative animal structure:
- milt, semen
- a small egg (as of an insect)
- a developmental form of a lower animal suitable for transplanting
- spat
- the condition or stage of bearing seed
- progeny
- a source of development or growth : germ
- sowed the seed s of discord
- something (as a tiny particle or a bubble in glass) that resembles a seed in shape or size
- a competitor who has been seeded in a tournament
- to bear or shed seed
- to sow seed : plant
- to plant seeds in : sow
- to furnish with something that causes or stimulates growth or development
- inoculate
- to supply with nuclei (as of crystallization or condensation)
- to treat (a cloud) with solid particles to convert water droplets into ice crystals in an attempt to produce precipitation
- to cover or permeate by or as if by scattering something
- seed ed the sea-lanes with thousands of magnetic mines -- Otto Friedrich
- plant
- to extract the seeds from (as raisins)
- to schedule (tournament players or teams) so that superior ones will not meet in early rounds
- 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
- soil or a bed of soil prepared for planting seed
- a place or source of growth or development
seed·cake [-,kāk] -n
- a cake or cookie containing aromatic seeds (as sesame or caraway)
- oil cake
seed coat -n
- an outer protective covering of a seed
seed·eat·er ['sēd-,ē-tər] -n
- a bird (as a finch) whose diet consists basically of seeds
seed·er ['sē-dər] -n
- an implement for planting or sowing seeds
- a device for seeding fruit
- one that seeds clouds
seed fern -n
- any of an order (Pteridospermales) of extinct cycadophytes with foliage like that of ferns and with naked seeds
seed leaf -n
- cotyledon
seed·ling ['sēd-liŋ] -n, adj
- a young plant grown from seed
- a young tree before it becomes a sapling
- a nursery plant not yet transplanted
seed money -n
- money used for setting up a new enterprise
seed oyster -n
- a young oyster esp. of a size for transplantation
seed pearl -n
- a very small and often irregular pearl
- minute pearls imbedded in some binding material
seed plant -n
- a plant that bears seeds
- spermatophyte
seed·pod ['sēd-,päd] -n
- pod
seed potato -n
- a potato tuber grown for its buds which are used to start new plants
- a section of such a tuber with one or more buds
seeds·man ['sēdz-mən] -n
- a person who sows seeds
- a dealer in seeds
seed stock -n
- a supply (as of seed) for planting
- a source of new individuals
- seed stock for hardy dairy cattle
seed tick -n
- the 6-legged larva of a tick
seed·time ['sēd-,tīm] -n
- the season of sowing
- a period of original development
seedy ['sē-dē] -adj, adv, n
- containing or full of seeds
- : inferior in condition or quality: as
- shabby, run-down
- somewhat disreputable
- slightly unwell : debilitated
- felt seedy and went home early
seeing -conj
- inasmuch as often used with as or that
- the quality of the images of celestial bodies observed telescopically
Seeing Eye -trademark
- used for a guide dog trained to lead the blind
seek ['sēk] -vb, n
- to resort to : go to
- to go in search of : look for
- to try to discover
- to ask for : request
- to try to acquire or gain : aim at
- to make an attempt : try used with to and an infinitive
- governments...seek to keep the bulk of their people contented -- D. M. Potter
- to make a search or inquiry
- to be sought
- to be lacking
- in critical judgment...they were sadly to seek -- Times Lit. Supp.
seel ['sēl] -vt
- to close the eyes of (as a hawk) by drawing threads through the eyelids
- to close up (one's eyes)
see·ly ['sē-lē] -adj
- pitiable esp. because of weak physical or mental condition : frail
seem ['sēm] -vi
- to appear to the observation or understanding
- to give the impression of being
seem·ing ['sē-miŋ] -n
- external appearance as distinguished from true character : look
seeming -adj, adv
- outwardly or superficially evident but not true or real
- the seeming immortality of our heroes
seem·ly ['sēm-lē] -adj, n, adv
- good-looking, handsome
- agreeably fashioned : attractive
- conventionally proper : decorous
- not seemly to brag about oneself
- suited to the occasion, purpose, or person : fit
seen ['sē] -vb, adj
(variant of see)
- to perceive by the eye
- to perceive or detect as if by sight
- to have experience of : undergo
- to come to know : discover
- to be the setting or time of
- the last fifty years have seen a sweeping revolution in science -- Barry Commoner
- to form a mental picture of : visualize
- can still see her as she was years ago
- to perceive the meaning or importance of : understand
- to be aware of : recognize
- to imagine as a possibility : suppose
- couldn't see him as a crook
- examine, watch
- want to see how she handles the problem
- read
- to read of
- to attend as a spectator
- to take care of : provide for
- had enough money to see us through
- to make sure
- to regard as : judge
- to prefer to have
- I'll see him hanged first
- I'll see you dead before I accept your terms
- to find acceptable or attractive
- can't understand what he see s in her
- to call on : visit
- to keep company with esp. in courtship or dating
- had been see ing each other for a year
- to grant an interview to : receive
- the president will see you now
- accompany, escort
- see the guests to the door
- to meet (a bet) in poker or to equal the bet of (a player) : call
- to give or pay attention
- to look about
- to have the power of sight
- to apprehend objects by sight
- to perceive objects as if by sight
- to grasp something mentally
- to acknowledge or consider something being pointed out
- see, I told you it would rain
- to make investigation or inquiry
- cathedra
- a cathedral town
- a seat of a bishop's office, power, or authority
- the authority or jurisdiction of a bishop
seep ['sēp] -vi
- to flow or pass slowly through fine pores or small openings : ooze
- water seep ed in through a crack
- to enter or penetrate slowly
- fear of nuclear war had seep ed into the national consciousness -- Tip O'Neill
- to become diffused or spread
- a sadness seep ed through his being -- Agnes S. Turnbull
- a spot where a fluid (as water, oil, or gas) contained in the ground oozes slowly to the surface and often forms a pool
- a small spring
- seepage
seep·age ['sē-pij] -n
- the process of seeping : oozing
- a quantity of fluid that has seeped (as through porous material)
seer ['sir, 'sē-ər] -n
- one that sees
- one that predicts events or developments
- a person credited with extraordinary moral and spiritual insight
- one that practices divination esp. by concentrating on a glass or crystal globe
seer·ess ['sir-əs, 'sē-ər-əs] -n
- a woman who predicts events or developments : prophetess
seer·suck·er ['sir-,sə-kər] -n
- a light fabric of linen, cotton, or rayon usu. striped and slightly puckered
see·saw ['sē-,sȯ] -n, adj
- an alternating up-and-down or backward-and-forward motion or movement
- a contest or struggle in which now one side now the other has the lead
- 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
- the plank or apparatus so used
seesaw -vi
- to move backward and forward or up and down
- to play at seesaw
- alternate
- seesaw between two activities
- to cause to move in seesaw fashion
seethe ['sēth] -vb
- boil, stew
- to soak or saturate in a liquid
- boil
- to be in a state of rapid agitated movement
- to churn or foam as if boiling
- to suffer violent internal excitement
- a state of seething : ebullition
seething -adj
- intensely hot : boiling
- constantly moving or active : agitated
seethrough ['sē-,thrü] -adj
- transparent
seg·ment ['seg-mənt] -n, adj
- : a portion cut off from a geometric figure by one or more points, lines, or planes: as
- the area of a circle bounded by a chord and an arc of that circle
- the part of a sphere cut off by a plane or included between two parallel planes
- the finite part of a line between two points in the line
- a separate piece of something : bit, fragment
- chop the stalks into short segment s
- 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
- to separate into segments : give off as segments
seg·men·tal [seg-'men-tᵊl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or having the form of a segment and esp. the sector of a circle
- of, relating to, or composed of somites or metameres : metameric
- divided into segments
- partial, incomplete
- resulting from segmentation
seg·men·ta·tion [,seg-mən-'tā-shən, -,men-] -n
- the process of dividing into segments
- the formation of many cells from a single cell (as in a developing egg)
segmentation cavity -n
- blastocoel
seg·ment·ed ['seg-,men-təd, seg-'] -adj
- divided into or composed of segments or sections
se·gno ['sān-(,)yō] -n
- a notational sign
- the sign that marks the beginning or end of a musical repeat
se·go lily ['sē-(,)gō-] -n
- 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
- a genetic segregate
seg·re·gate ['se-gri-,gāt] -vb, adj
- to separate or set apart from others or from the general mass : isolate
- to cause or force the separation of (as from the rest of society)
- separate, withdraw
- to practice or enforce a policy of segregation
- to undergo genetic segregation
- one that is in some respect segregated
- one that differs genetically from the parental line because of genetic segregation
segregated -adj
- set apart or separated from others of the same kind or group
- a segregated account in a bank
- divided in facilities or administered separately for members of different groups or races
- restricted to members of one group or one race by a policy of segregation
- practicing or maintaining segregation esp. of races
seg·re·ga·tion [,se-gri-'gā-shən] -n
- the act or process of segregating : the state of being segregated
- 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
- the separation for special treatment or observation of individuals or items from a larger group
- segregation of gifted children into accelerated classes
- the separation of allelic genes that occurs typically during meiosis
seg·re·ga·tion·ist [-sh(ə-)nist] -n, adj
- a person who believes in or practices segregation esp. of races
se·gue ['se-(,)gwā, 'sā-] -vb imper
- proceed to what follows without pause used as a direction in music
- perform the music that follows like that which has preceded used as a direction in music
segue -vi
- to proceed without pause from one musical number or theme to another
- to make a transition without interruption from one activity, topic, scene, or part to another
- segued smoothly into the next story
- the act or an instance of segueing
se·gui·di·lla [,se-gə-'dē-yə, -'dēl-yə] -n
- a Spanish dance with many regional variations
- the music for such a dance
- a Spanish stanza of four or seven short partly assonant verses
sei·cen·to [sā-'chen-(,)tō] -n
- the 17th century
- the 17th century period in Italian literature and art
seiche ['sāsh, 'sēch] -n
- 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
- a large glass for beer
Seid·litz powders ['sed-ləts-] -n pl
- 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
- a man of rank or authority
- the feudal lord of a manor
- a member of the landed gentry of Canada
sei·gneur·ial [-'yu̇r-ē-əl, -'yər-] -adj
- of, relating to, or befitting a seigneur
sei·gneury ['sān-yə-rē] -n
- the territory under the government of a feudal lord
- a landed estate held in Canada by feudal tenure until 1854
- the manor house of a Canadian seigneur
sei·gnior [sān-'yȯr, 'sān-,] -n
- seigneur
sei·gnior·age ['sān-yə-rij] -n
- 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
- lordship, dominion
- the power or authority of a feudal lord
- the territory over which a lord holds jurisdiction
sei·gno·ri·al [sān-'yȯr-ē-əl] -adj
- of, relating to, or befitting a seignior : manorial
seine ['sān] -n
- 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
- to fish with or catch fish with a seine
- to fish for or in with a seine
sein·er ['sā-nər] -n
- one who fishes with a seine
- a boat used for seining
sei·sin ['sē-zᵊn] -n
- the possession of land or chattels
- the possession of a freehold estate in land by one having title thereto
seis·mic ['sīz-mik, 'sīs-] -adj, adv
- of, subject to, or caused by an earthquake
- of or relating to an earth vibration caused by something else (as an explosion or the impact of a meteorite)
- of or relating to a vibration on a celestial body (as the moon) comparable to a seismic event on earth
- having a strong or widespread impact : earthshaking
seis·mic·i·ty [sīz-'mi-sə-tē, sīs-] -n
- the relative frequency and distribution of earthquakes
seismo- -comb form
- earthquake : vibration
seis·mo·gram ['sīz-mə-,gram, 'sīs-] -n
- the record of an earth tremor by a seismograph
seis·mo·graph [-,graf] -n, adj
- 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
- 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
- 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
- the scientific study of earthquakes
sei·tan ['sā-,tan, -,tän] -n
- flavored wheat gluten often used as a meat analogue
sei whale ['sā-, 'sī-] -n
- 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
- to vest ownership of a freehold estate in
- to put in possession of something
- the biographer will be seized of all pertinent papers
- to take possession of : confiscate
- to take possession of by legal process
- to possess or take by force : capture
- to take prisoner : arrest
- to take hold of : clutch
- to possess oneself of : grasp
- to understand fully and distinctly : apprehend
- to attack or overwhelm physically : afflict
- to possess (as one's mind) completely or overwhelmingly
- seized the popular imagination -- Basil Davenport
- to bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff (as yarn, marline, or fine wire)
- to take or lay hold suddenly or forcibly
- to cohere to a relatively moving part through excessive pressure, temperature, or friction used esp. of machine parts (as bearings, brakes, or pistons)
- to fail to operate due to the seizing of a part used of an engine
seizing -n
- the cord or lashing used in binding or fastening
- the fastening so made
- the operation of fastening together or lashing with tarred small stuff
sei·zure ['sē-zhər] -n
- the act, action, or process of seizing : the state of being seized
- the taking possession of person or property by legal process
- a sudden attack (as of disease)
- the physical manifestations (as convulsions, sensory disturbances, or loss of consciousness) resulting from abnormal electrical discharges in the brain (as in epilepsy)
- an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain
se·jant ['sē-jənt] -adj
- sitting used of a heraldic animal
sel ['self, Southern also 'sef] -pron
(variant of self)
- myself, himself, herself
- identical, same
- belonging to oneself : own
- having a single character or quality throughout
- having one color only
- of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used
- the entire person of an individual
- the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
- an individual's typical character or behavior
- her true self was revealed
- an individual's temporary behavior or character
- a person in prime condition
- feel like my old self today
- the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
- personal interest or advantage
- material that is part of an individual organism
- ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself
- inbreed
- to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
- to undergo self-pollination
se·la·chi·an [sə-'lā-kē-ən] -n, adj
- 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
- 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
- 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
- unusual, strange
sel·dom ['sel-dəm] -adv
- in few instances : rarely, infrequently
seldom -adj
- rare, infrequent
se·lect [sə-'lekt] -adj, n
- chosen from a number or group by fitness or preference
- of special value or excellence : superior, choice
- exclusively or fastidiously chosen often with regard to social, economic, or cultural characteristics
- judicious or restrictive in choice : discriminating
- pleased with the select appreciation of his books -- Osbert Sitwell
select -vt
- to choose (as by fitness or excellence) from a number or group : pick out
- to make a choice
- one that is select often used in pl.
se·lect·ed [sə-'lek-təd] -adj
- select
- of a higher grade or quality than the ordinary
se·lect·ee [sə-,lek-'tē] -n
- a person inducted into military service under selective service
- a person who is chosen from a group by fitness or preference
se·lec·tion [sə-'lek-shən] -n
- the act or process of selecting : the state of being selected
- one that is selected : choice
- a collection of selected things
- 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
- one who considers natural selection a fundamental factor in evolution
se·lec·tive [sə-'lek-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- of, relating to, or characterized by selection : selecting or tending to select
- highly specific in activity or effect
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor -n
- ssri
selective service -n
- 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
- 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
- moon
- selenium
sel·e·nate ['se-lə-,nāt] -n
- a salt containing the anion SeO 4 2
Se·le·ne [sə-'lē-nē] -n
- the Greek goddess of the moon
sel·e·nide ['se-lə-,nīd] -n
- a binary compound of selenium with a more electropositive element or group
sel·e·nif·er·ous [,se-lə-'ni-f(ə-)rəs] -adj
- containing or yielding selenium
sel·e·nite ['se-lə-,nīt] -n
- a variety of gypsum occurring in transparent crystals or crystalline masses
se·le·ni·um [sə-'lē-nē-əm] -n
- 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
- 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
- of or relating to the center of the moon
- referred to or involving the moon as a center
sel·e·nol·o·gy [,se-lə-'nä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- a branch of astronomy that deals with the moon
Se·leu·cid [sə-'lü-səd, səl-'yü-] -n, adj
- 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
- myself, himself, herself
- identical, same
- belonging to oneself : own
- having a single character or quality throughout
- having one color only
- of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used
- the entire person of an individual
- the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
- an individual's typical character or behavior
- her true self was revealed
- an individual's temporary behavior or character
- a person in prime condition
- feel like my old self today
- the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
- personal interest or advantage
- material that is part of an individual organism
- ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself
- inbreed
- to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
- to undergo self-pollination
self- -comb form
- oneself or itself
- of oneself or itself
- by oneself or itself
- to, with, for, or toward oneself or itself
- of or in oneself or itself inherently
- from or by means of oneself or itself
selfaban·doned [,self-ə-'ban-dənd] -adj
- abandoned by oneself
- given up to one's impulses
selfaban·don·ment [-dən-mənt] -n
- a lack of self-restraint
- a surrender of one's selfish interests or desires
selfab·sorbed [-əb-'sȯrbd, -'zȯrbd] -adj
- absorbed in one's own thoughts, activities, or interests
selfab·sorp·tion [-'sȯrp-shən, -'zȯrp-] -n
- preoccupation with oneself
selfabuse [-ə-'byüs] -n
- reproach of oneself
- masturbation
- abuse of one's body or health
selfact·ing [-'ak-tiŋ] -adj
- acting or capable of acting of or by itself : automatic
selfac·tiv·i·ty [-,ak-'ti-və-tē] -n
- independent and esp. self-determined activity
selfac·tu·al·ize [-'ak-ch(ə-w)ə-,līz, -sh(ə-w)ə-,līz] -vi, n
- to realize fully one's potential
selfad·dressed [-ə-'drest, -'a-,drest] -adj
- addressed for return to the sender
selfad·he·sive [-əd-'hē-siv, -ziv] -adj
- having a side coated with an adhesive that sticks without wetting
selfad·just·ment [-ə-'jəs(t)-mənt] -n
- adjustment to oneself or one's environment
selfad·mi·ra·tion [-,ad-mə-'rā-shən] -n
- self-conceit
selfaf·fect·ed [-ə-'fek-təd] -adj
- conceited, self-loving
selfanal·y·sis [-ə-'na-lə-səs] -n
- 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
- relating to or using self-analysis
selfan·ni·hi·la·tion [-ə-,nī-ə-'lā-shən] -n
- annihilation of the self (as in mystical contemplation of God)
selfap·plaud·ing [-ə-'plȯ-diŋ] -adj
- marked by self-applause
selfap·plause [-'plȯz] -n
- an expression or feeling of approval of oneself
selfap·point·ed [-ə-'pȯin-təd] -adj
- appointed by oneself : self-proclaimed
selfas·sem·bly [-ə-'sem-blē] -n, vi
- 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
- asserting oneself or one's own rights, claims, or opinions
- self-assured, confident
- arrogant
selfas·ser·tion [-ə-'sər-shən] -n
- the act of asserting oneself or one's own rights, claims, or opinions
- the act of asserting one's superiority over others
selfas·ser·tive [-'sər-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- given to or characterized by self-assertion
selfas·sump·tion [-ə-'səm(p)-shən] -n
- self-conceit
selfas·sur·ance [-ə-'shu̇r-ən(t)s] -n
- self-confidence
selfas·sured [-'shu̇rd] -adj, adv, n
- sure of oneself : self-confident
selfaware [-ə-'wer] -adj
- characterized by self-awareness
selfaware·ness -n
- an awareness of one's own personality or individuality
selfbelt ['self-'belt] -n, adj
- a belt made of the same material as the garment with which it is worn
selfbe·tray·al [,self-bi-'trā(-ə)l] -n
- self-revelation
selfborn [-'bȯrn] -adj
- arising within the self
- springing from a prior self
- phoenix rising selfborn from the fire
selfca·ter·ing [-'kā-tər-iŋ] -adj
- provided with lodging and cooking facilities but not meals
- selfcatering holiday cottages
selfcen·tered [-'sen-tərd] -adj, adv, n
- independent of outside force or influence : self-sufficient
- concerned solely with one's own desires, needs, or interests
selfclos·ing [-'klō-ziŋ] -adj
- closing or shutting automatically after being opened
selfcock·ing [-'kä-kiŋ] -adj
- cocked by the operation of some part of the action
- selfcocking on pushing the bolt forward
selfcol·lect·ed [-kə-'lek-təd] -adj
- self-possessed
selfcol·ored [-'kə-lərd] -adj
- of a single color
selfcom·pat·i·ble [-kəm-'pa-tə-bəl] -adj, n
- capable of effective self-pollination that results in the production of seeds and fruits
selfcom·posed [-kəm-'pōzd] -adj, adv, n
- having control over one's emotions : calm
selfcon·ceit [-kən-'sēt] -n, adj
- an exaggerated opinion of one's own qualities or abilities : vanity
selfcon·cept ['self-'kän-,sept] -n
- the mental image one has of oneself
selfcon·cep·tion [,self-kən-'sep-shən] -n
- self-concept
selfcon·cern [-'sərn] -n, adj
- a selfish or morbid concern for oneself
selfcon·fessed [-'fest] -adj, adv
- openly acknowledged by oneself : avowed
selfcon·fes·sion [-'fe-shən] -n
- open acknowledgment : avowal
selfcon·fi·dence [-'kän-fə-dən(t)s, -,den(t)s] -n, adj, adv
- confidence in oneself and in one's powers and abilities
selfcon·fron·ta·tion [-,kän-(,)frən-'tā-shən] -n
- self-analysis
selfcon·grat·u·la·tion [-kən-,gra-chə-'lā-shən, -,gra-jə-] -n
- congratulation of oneself
- 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
- expressive of self-congratulation
- selfcongratulatory memoirs
selfcon·scious [-'kän(t)-shəs] -adj, adv, n
- conscious of one's own acts or states as belonging to or originating in oneself : aware of oneself as an individual
- intensely aware of oneself : conscious
- a rising and selfconscious social class
- produced or done with such awareness
- 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
- self-importance
selfcon·sis·ten·cy [-kən-'sis-tən(t)-sē] -n
- the quality or state of being self-consistent
selfcon·sis·tent [-tənt] -adj
- having each part logically consistent with the rest
selfcon·tained [-kən-'tānd] -adj, adv, n
- complete in itself : independent
- a selfcontained program of study
- built-in
- a lectern with a selfcontained light fixture
- showing self-control
- formal and reserved in manner
selfcon·tam·i·na·tion [-kən-,ta-mə-'nā-shən] -n
- contamination by oneself
- contamination from within
selfcon·tent [-kən-'tent] -n
- self-satisfaction
selfcon·tent·ed [-'ten-təd] -adj, adv, n
- self-satisfied
selfcon·tent·ment [-'tent-mənt] -n
- self-satisfaction
selfcon·tra·dic·tion [-,kän-trə-'dik-shən] -n
- contradiction of oneself
- a self-contradictory statement or proposition
selfcon·tra·dic·to·ry [-'dik-t(ə-)rē] -adj
- consisting of two contradictory members or parts
selfcon·trol [-kən-'trōl] -n, adj
- restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, or desires
selfcor·rect·ing [-kə-'rek-tiŋ] -adj
- correcting or compensating for one's own errors or weaknesses
selfcor·rec·tive [-'rek-tiv] -adj
- self-correcting
selfdeal·ing ['self-'dē-liŋ] -n
- financial dealing that is not at arm's length
- 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
- a plea of justification for the use of force or for homicide
- the act of defending oneself, one's property, or a close relative
selfde·fen·sive [-'fen(t)-siv] -adj
- of, relating to, or given to self-defense
selfdef·i·ni·tion [-,de-fə-'ni-shən] -n
- 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
- a restraint or limitation of one's own desires or interests
selfde·ny·ing [-'nī-iŋ] -adj, adv
- showing self-denial
selfde·spair [-di-'sper] -n
- despair of oneself : hopelessness
selfdes·ig·na·tion [-,de-zig-'nā-shən] -n
- 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
- self-destructive
selfde·struct [-di-'strəkt] -vi, adj
- to destroy oneself or itself
selfde·struc·tion [-'strək-shən] -n
- destruction of oneself
- suicide
selfde·struc·tive [-'strək-tiv] -adj, n
- acting or tending to harm or destroy oneself
- suicidal
- a selfdestructive impulse
selfde·ter·mi·na·tion [-di-,tər-mə-'nā-shən] -n
- free choice of one's own acts or states without external compulsion
- determination by the people of a territorial unit of their own future political status
selfde·ter·mined [-'tər-mənd] -adj
- determined by oneself
selfde·ter·min·ing [-'tər-mə-niŋ, -'tərm-niŋ] -adj
- capable of determining one's or its own acts
selfde·ter·min·ism [-'tər-mə-,ni-zəm] -n
- a doctrine that the actions of a self are determined by itself
selfde·vot·ed [-di-'vō-təd] -adj, n
- characterized by total devotion of oneself (as to a cause)
selfdis·ci·pline [-'di-sə-plən] -n
- correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement
selfdis·ci·plined [-plənd] -adj
- capable of or subject to self-discipline
selfdis·cov·ery [-dis-'kə-v(ə-)rē] -n
- the act or process of achieving self-knowledge
selfdis·trust [-'trəst] -n, adj
- a lack of confidence in oneself : diffidence
selfdra·ma·ti·za·tion [,self-,dra-mə-tə-'zā-shən, -,drä-] -n
- the act or an instance of dramatizing oneself
selfdra·ma·tiz·ing [-'dra-mə-,tī-ziŋ, -'drä-] -adj
- seeing and presenting oneself as an important or dramatic figure
selfdrive ['self-'drīv] -adj
- being a rental car
selfelect·ed [,self-ə-'lek-təd] -adj
- self-appointed
selfem·ployed [-im-'plȯid] -adj, n
- 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
- the state of being self-employed
selfen·er·giz·ing [-'e-nər-,jī-ziŋ] -adj
- containing means for augmentation of power within itself
selfen·forc·ing [-in-'fȯr-siŋ] -adj
- containing in itself the authority or means that provide for its enforcement
selfen·rich·ment [-in-'rich-mənt] -n
- the act or process of increasing one's intellectual or spiritual resources
selfes·teem [-ə-'stēm] -n
- a confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect
- self-conceit
selfev·i·dence [-'e-və-dən(t)s, -,den(t)s] -n
- the quality or state of being self-evident
selfev·i·dent [-dənt, -,dent] -adj, adv
- evident without proof or reasoning
selfex·am [-ig-'zam] -n
- self-examination
selfex·am·i·na·tion [-ig-,za-mə-'nā-shən] -n
- a reflective examination (as of one's beliefs or motives) : introspection
- examination of one's body esp. for evidence of disease
selfex·cit·ed [-ik-'sī-təd] -adj
- excited by a current produced by the generator itself
selfex·e·cut·ing [-'ek-sə-,kyü-tiŋ] -adj
- taking effect immediately without implementing legislation
selfex·iled [-'eg-,zī(-ə)ld, -'ek-,sī(-ə)ld] -adj
- exiled by one's own wish or decision
selfex·plan·a·to·ry [ik-'spla-nə-,tȯr-ē] -adj
- explaining itself : capable of being understood without explanation
selfex·plo·ra·tion [-,ek-splə-'rā-shən, -,splȯ-] -n
- the examination and analysis of one's own unrealized spiritual or intellectual capacities
selfex·pres·sion [-ik-'spre-shən] -n, adj
- the expression of one's own personality : assertion of one's individual traits
selffeed ['self-'fēd] -vt
- to provide rations to (animals) in bulk so as to permit feeding as wanted
selffeed·er [-'fē-dər] -n
- 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
- self-centered emotion
selffer·tile [,self-'fər-tᵊl] -adj, n
- fertile by means of its own pollen or sperm
selffer·til·i·za·tion [-,fər-tə-lə-'zā-shən] -n, vb
- fertilization effected by union of ova with pollen or sperm from the same individual
selfflag·el·la·tion [-,fla-jə-'lā-shən] -n, vb
- extreme criticism of oneself
selfflat·ter·ing [-'fla-tə-riŋ] -adj
- given to self-flattery
selfflat·tery [-tə-rē] -n
- 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
- having or showing no thought of self or selfish interests
selffor·get·ting [-'ge-tiŋ] -adj, adv
- self-forgetful
selffruit·ful ['self-'früt-fəl] -adj, n
- capable of setting a crop of self-pollinated fruit
selfful·fill·ing [,self-fül-'fi-liŋ] -adj
- becoming real or true by virtue of having been predicted or expected
- a selffulfilling prophecy
- marked by or achieving self-fulfillment
selfful·fill·ment [-'fil-mənt] -n
- fulfillment of oneself
selfgiv·en [-'gi-vən] -adj
- given by oneself
- derived from itself
selfglo·ri·fi·ca·tion [-,glȯr-ə-fə-'kā-shən] -n
- a feeling or expression of one's own superiority
selfglo·ri·fy·ing [-'glȯr-ə-,fī-iŋ] -adj
- given to or marked by boasting : boastful
selfglo·ry [-'glȯr-ē] -n
- personal vanity : pride
selfgov·er·nance [-'gə-vər-nən(t)s] -n
- self-government
selfgov·erned [-'gə-vərnd] -adj
- not influenced or controlled by others
- exercising self-control
selfgov·ern·ing [-'gə-vər-niŋ] -adj
- having control or rule over oneself
- having self-government : autonomous
selfgov·ern·ment [-'gə-vər(n)-mənt, -'gə-vᵊm-ənt] -n
- self-control, self-command
- government under the control and direction of the inhabitants of a political unit rather than by an outside authority
- control of one's own affairs
selfgrat·i·fi·ca·tion [-,gra-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n
- the act of pleasing oneself or of satisfying one's desires
- the satisfying of one's own sexual urges
selfgrat·u·la·tion [-,gra-chə-'lā-shən] -n
- self-congratulation
selfgrat·u·la·to·ry [-'gra-chə-lə-,tȯr-ē] -adj
- self-congratulatory
selfheal ['self-,hēl] -n
- 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
- the action or process of bettering oneself or overcoming one's problems without the aid of others
- the coping with one's personal or emotional problems without professional help
self·hood [-,hu̇d] -n
- individuality
- the quality or state of being selfish
selfiden·ti·cal [,self-ī-'den-ti-kəl, -ə-'den-] -adj
- having self-identity
selfiden·ti·fi·ca·tion [-,den-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n
- identification with someone or something outside oneself
selfiden·ti·ty [-'den-tə-tē, -'de-nə-tē] -n
- sameness of a thing with itself
- individuality
- self-understanding is the necessary condition of a sense of selfidentity -- J. C. Murray
selfig·nite [-ig-'nīt] -vi, n
- to become ignited without flame or spark (as under high compression)
selfim·age ['self-'i-mij] -n
- one's conception of oneself or of one's role
selfim·mo·la·tion [,self-,i-mə-'lā-shən] -n, vb
- a deliberate and willing sacrifice of oneself often by fire
selfim·por·tance [-im-'pȯr-tᵊn(t)s, -tən(t)s] -n
- an exaggerated estimate of one's own importance : self-conceit
- arrogant or pompous behavior
selfimportant [-tᵊnt, -tənt] -adj, adv
- having or showing self-importance
selfin·clu·sive [-in-'klü-siv, -ziv] -adj
- enclosing itself
- complete in itself
selfin·com·pat·i·ble [-,in-kəm-'pa-tə-bəl] -adj, n
- incapable of effective self-pollination
selfin·crim·i·nat·ing [-in-'kri-mə-,nā-tiŋ] -adj
- serving or tending to incriminate oneself
selfin·crim·i·na·tion [-,kri-mə-'nā-shən] -n
- incrimination of oneself
- the giving of testimony which will likely subject one to criminal prosecution
selfin·duc·tance [-'dək-tən(t)s] -n
- inductance in which an electromotive force is produced by self-induction
selfin·duc·tion [-'dək-shən] -n
- 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
- excessive or unrestrained gratification of one's own appetites, desires, or whims
selfin·sur·ance [in-'shu̇r-ən(t)s, -'in-,] -n
- 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
- to insure oneself
- to practice self-insurance
selfin·ter·est [-'in-t(ə-)rəst; -'in-tə-,rest, -,trest; -'in-tərst] -n, adj, adv
- a concern for one's own advantage and well-being
- acted out of selfinterest and fear
- 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
- self-absorbed
selfinvolvement [-'välv-mənt, -'vȯlv-] -n
- self-absorption
self·ish ['sel-fish] -adj, adv, n
- concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
- arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others
- being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function
- being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication
selfjus·ti·fi·ca·tion [,self-,jəs-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n
- the act or an instance of making excuses for oneself
selfjus·ti·fy·ing [-'jəs-tə-,fī-iŋ] -adj
- seeking to justify oneself
selfknow·ing [-'nō-iŋ] -adj
- having self-knowledge
selfknowl·edge [-'nä-lij] -n
- knowledge or understanding of one's own capabilities, character, feelings, or motivations
self·less ['sel-fləs] -adj, adv, n
- having no concern for self : unselfish
selflim·it·ed [,self-'li-mə-təd] -adj
- limited by one's or its own nature
- running a definite and limited course
selflim·it·ing [-tiŋ] -adj
- limiting oneself or itself
- self-limited
selfliq·ui·dat·ing [-'li-kwə-,dā-tiŋ] -adj
- of or relating to a commercial transaction in which goods are converted into cash in a short time
- generating funds from its own operations to repay the investment made to create it
- a selfliquidating housing project
selfload·er [-'lō-dər] -n
- a semiautomatic firearm
selfload·ing [-diŋ] -adj
- semiautomatic
selflove ['self-'ləv] -n, adj
- : love of self:
- conceit
- regard for one's own happiness or advantage
selfmade ['self-'mād] -adj
- made such by one's own actions
- having achieved success or prominence by one's own efforts
selfmail·er [-'mā-lər] -n
- 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
- capable of being mailed without being enclosed in an envelope
selfmoved ['self-'müvd] -adj
- moved by inherent power
selfmur·der [-'mər-dər] -n
- self-destruction, suicide
self·ness ['self-nəs] -n
- egoism, selfishness
- personality, selfhood
selfob·ser·va·tion [,self-,äb-sər-'vā-shən, -zər-] -n
- introspection
- observation of one's own appearance
selfopin·ion [-ə-'pin-yən] -n
- high or exaggerated opinion of oneself : self-conceit
selfopin·ion·at·ed [-yə-,nā-təd] -adj, n
- conceited
- stubbornly holding to one's own opinion : opinionated
selfor·ga·ni·za·tion [-,ȯr-gə-nə-'zā-shən, -,ȯrg-nə-] -n
- organization of oneself or itself
- the act or process of forming or joining an organization (as a labor union)
selfpaced ['self-'pāst] -adj
- designed to permit learning at the student's own pace
selfpar·tial·i·ty [,self-,pär-shē-'a-lə-tē, -,pär-'sha-] -n
- an excessive estimate of oneself as compared with others
- a prejudice in favor of one's own claims or interests
selfper·cep·tion [-pər-'sep-shən] -n
- perception of oneself
- self-concept
selfpity ['self-'pi-tē] -n, adj, adv
- pity for oneself
- a self-indulgent dwelling on one's own sorrows or misfortunes
selfpleased [-'plēzd] -adj
- self-satisfied
selfpoise [-'pȯiz] -n
- the quality or state of being self-poised
selfpoised [-'pȯizd] -adj
- having poise through self-command
selfpol·li·nate ['self-'pä-lə-,nāt] -vt
- self
- to undergo self-pollination
selfpol·li·na·tion [,self-,pä-lə-'nā-shən] -n
- 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
- a portrait of oneself done by oneself
selfpos·sessed [-pə-'zest also -'sest] -adj, adv
- having or showing self-possession : composed in mind or manner : calm
selfpos·ses·sion [-pə-'ze-shən also -'se-] -n
- control of one's emotions or reactions esp. when under stress : presence of mind, composure
selfpres·er·va·tion [-,pre-zər-'vā-shən] -n
- preservation of oneself from destruction or harm
- a natural or instinctive tendency to act so as to preserve one's own existence
selfpride ['self-'prīd] -n
- pride in oneself or in that which relates to oneself
selfpro·claimed [-prō-'klāmd, -prə-] -adj
- based on one's own assertion
selfpro·fessed [-prə-'fest, -prō-] -adj
- self-proclaimed
selfpro·pelled [,self-prə-'peld] -adj
- containing within itself the means for its own propulsion
- mounted on or fired from a moving vehicle
selfpro·pel·ling [-'pe-liŋ] -adj
- self-propelled
selfpro·pul·sion [-'pəl-shən] -n
- propulsion by one's own power
selfpub·lish [-'pə-blish] -vt
- to publish (a book) using the author's own resources
selfpu·ri·fi·ca·tion [-,pyu̇r-ə-fə-'kā-shən] -n
- purification by natural process
- selfpurification of water
- purification of oneself
selfques·tion ['self-'kwes-chən, -'kwesh-] -n
- a question asked of oneself by oneself
selfques·tion·ing [-chə-niŋ] -n
- examination of one's own actions and motives
selfrat·ing [-'rā-tiŋ] -n
- determination of one's own rating with reference to a standard scale
selfre·al·i·za·tion [,self-,rē-ə-lə-'zā-shən] -n
- fulfillment by oneself of the possibilities of one's character or personality
selfrec·og·ni·tion [-,re-kig-'ni-shən, -kəg-] -n
- recognition of one's own self
- 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
- making an automatic record
- selfrecording instruments
selfre·flec·tion [-ri-'flek-shən] -n
- self-examination
selfre·flec·tive [-ri-'flek-tiv] -adj
- marked by or engaging in self-reflection
selfre·flex·ive [-ri-'flek-siv] -adj, adv, n
- marked by or making reference to its own artificiality or contrivance
selfre·gard [-ri-'gärd] -n
- regard for or consideration of oneself or one's own interests
selfre·gard·ing [-ri-'gär-diŋ] -adj
- concerned with oneself or one's own interests
selfreg·u·lat·ing [-'re-gyə-,lā-tiŋ] -adj
- regulating oneself or itself
- automatic
- a selfregulating mechanism
selfre·li·ance [-ri-'lī-ənts] -n
- reliance on one's own efforts and abilities
selfre·li·ant [-ənt] -adj
- having confidence in and exercising one's own powers or judgment
selfrep·li·cat·ing [-'re-plə-,kā-tiŋ] -adj, n
- reproducing itself autonomously
- DNA is a selfreplicating molecule
selfre·port [-ri-'pȯrt] -n, adj
- a report about one's behavior provided esp. by one who is a subject of research
selfre·spect [-ri-'spekt] -n
- a proper respect for oneself as a human being
- regard for one's own standing or position
selfre·spect·ing [-ri-'spek-tiŋ] -adj
- having or characterized by self-respect
selfre·veal·ing [-ri-'vē-liŋ] -adj
- marked by self-revelation
selfrev·e·la·tion [-,re-və-'lā-shən] -n
- revelation of one's own thoughts, feelings, and attitudes esp. without deliberate intent
selfre·ward·ing [-ri-'wȯr-diŋ] -adj
- containing or producing its own reward
selfrigh·teous [-'rī-chəs] -adj, adv, n
- 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
- a commercially prepared mixture of flour, salt, and a leavening agent called also self-raising flour
selfrule ['self-'rül] -n
- self-government
selfrul·ing [-'rü-liŋ] -adj
- self-governing
selfsac·ri·fice ['self-'sa-krə-,fīs also -fəs or -,fīz] -n
- 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
- sacrificing oneself for others
self·same ['self-,sām] -adj, n
- being the one mentioned or in question : identical
selfsat·is·fac·tion [,self-,sa-təs-'fak-shən] -n
- a usu. smug satisfaction with oneself or one's position or achievements
selfsat·is·fied ['self-'sa-təs-,fīd] -adj
- feeling or showing self-satisfaction
selfscru·ti·ny ['self-'skrü-tə-nē, -'skrüt-nē] -n
- self-examination
selfseal·ing ['self-'sē-liŋ] -adj
- capable of being sealed by pressure without the addition of moisture
- capable of sealing itself (as after puncture)
selfsearch·ing [-'sər-chiŋ] -n
- self-questioning
selfseek·er [-'sē-kər] -n
- a self-seeking person
selfseek·ing [-kiŋ] -n
- the act or practice of selfishly advancing one's own ends
selfseeking -adj
- seeking only to further one's own interests
selfserve ['self-'sərv] -adj
- permitting self-service
selfser·vice ['self-'sər-vəs] -n, adj
- 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
- 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
- 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
- suicide
selfslaugh·tered [-tərd] -adj
- killed by oneself
selfsow ['self-'sō] -vi
- to sow itself by dropping seeds or by natural action (as of wind or water)
selfstart·er [,self-'stär-tər] -n
- starter
- a person who has initiative
selfstart·ing [-'stär-tiŋ] -adj
- capable of starting by oneself or itself
selfster·ile [-'ster-əl] -adj, n
- sterile to its own pollen or sperm
selfstick ['self-'stik] -adj
- 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
- stimulation of oneself as a result of one's own activity or behavior
- electrical selfstimulation of the brain
- masturbation
selfstudy ['self-'stə-dē] -n
- study of oneself
- a record of observations from such study
selfstyled [-'stī(-ə)ld] -adj
- self-proclaimed
selfsub·sis·tent [,self-səb-'sis-tənt] -adj, n
- subsisting independently of anything external to itself
selfsub·sist·ing [-'sis-tiŋ] -adj
- self-subsistent
selfsuf·fi·cien·cy [-sə-'fi-shən(t)-sē] -n
- the quality or state of being self-sufficient
selfsuf·fi·cient [-'fi-shənt] -adj
- able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid : capable of providing for one's own needs
- having an extreme confidence in one's own ability or worth : haughty, overbearing
selfsuf·fic·ing [-'fī-siŋ also -ziŋ] -adj, adv, n
- self-sufficient
selfsug·ges·tion [-səg-'jes-chən, -sə-', -'jesh-] -n
- autosuggestion
selfsup·port [,self-sə-'pȯrt] -n, adj
- independent support of oneself or itself
selfsup·port·ing [-'pȯr-tiŋ] -adj
- : characterized by self-support: as
- meeting one's needs by one's own efforts or output
- supporting itself or its own weight
selfsus·tain·ing [-sə-'stā-niŋ] -adj
- maintaining or able to maintain oneself or itself by independent effort
- a selfsustaining community
- maintaining or able to maintain itself once commenced
- a selfsustaining nuclear reaction
selftan·ner ['self-'ta-nər] -n
- 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
- having knowledge or skills acquired by one's own efforts without formal instruction
- learned by oneself
selftol·er·ance [-'tä-lə-rən(t)s, -'täl-rən(t)s] -n
- 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
- medication of oneself or treatment of one's own disease or condition without medical supervision or prescription
selftrust [-'trəst] -n
- self-confidence
selfwill [-'wil] -n
- stubborn or willful adherence to one's own desires or ideas : obstinacy
selfwilled [-'wild] -adj, adv, n
- governed by one's own will : not yielding to the wishes of others : obstinate
selfwind·ing [-'wīn-diŋ] -adj
- not needing to be wound by hand
selfworth [-'wərth] -n
- self-esteem
Sel·juk ['sel-,jük, sel-'] -adj, n
- of or relating to any of several Turkish dynasties ruling over a great part of western Asia in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a Turkish people ruled over by a Seljuk dynasty
sell ['sel] -vb, adj
- to deliver or give up in violation of duty, trust, or loyalty and esp. for personal gain : betray often used with out
- to give up (property) to another for something of value (as money)
- to offer for sale
- to give up in return for something else esp. foolishly or dishonorably
- sold his birthright for a mess of pottage
- to exact a price for
- to deliver into slavery for money
- to give into the power of another
- sold his soul to the devil
- to deliver the personal services of for money
- to dispose of or manage for profit instead of in accordance with conscience, justice, or duty
- to develop a belief in the truth, value, or desirability of : gain acceptance for
- trying to sell a program to the Congress
- to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something
- to impose on : cheat
- to cause or promote the sale of
- using television advertising to sell cereal
- to make or attempt to make sales to
- to influence or induce to make a purchase
- to achieve a sale of
- to dispose of something by sale
- thinks now is a good time to sell
- to achieve a sale
- to achieve satisfactory sales
- hoped that the new line would sell
- to have a specified price
- a deliberate deception : hoax
- the act or an instance of selling
- something to be sold or caused to be accepted
- the new mystery novel was an easy sell
- someone to whom something is sold
- the new purchasing agent was a tough sell
- saddle
sell ['self, Southern also 'sef] -pron
(variant of self)
- myself, himself, herself
- identical, same
- belonging to oneself : own
- having a single character or quality throughout
- having one color only
- of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used
- the entire person of an individual
- the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
- an individual's typical character or behavior
- her true self was revealed
- an individual's temporary behavior or character
- a person in prime condition
- feel like my old self today
- the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
- personal interest or advantage
- material that is part of an individual organism
- ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself
- inbreed
- to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
- to undergo self-pollination
sell·er ['se-lər] -n
- one that offers for sale
- a marketed product that sells well, to a specified extent, or in a specified manner
seller's market -n
- a market in which goods are scarce, buyers have a limited range of choice, and prices are high
selling climax -n
- 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
- a horse that runs in selling races
selling point -n
- an aspect or detail of something that is emphasized (as in selling or promoting)
selling race -n
- a claiming race in which the winning horse is put up for auction
selloff ['sel-,ȯf] -n
- a usu. sudden sharp decline in security prices accompanied by increased volume of trading
sell off -vi
- to suffer a drop in prices
sell·out ['sel-,au̇t] -n
- the act or an instance of selling out
- something sold out
- something (as a concert or contest) for which all tickets are sold
- one who sells out
sell out -vt
- to sell the goods of (a debtor) in order to satisfy creditors
- to sell security or commodity holdings of usu. to satisfy an uncovered margin
- to sell all the available tickets for
- to sell all of
- the merchandise was quickly sold out
- to dispose of one's goods by sale
- to sell one's business
- to betray one's cause or associates esp. for personal gain
- to be or achieve a sellout
selt·zer ['selt-sər] -n
- artificially carbonated water
sel·vage ['sel-vij] -n, adj
- the edge on either side of a woven or flat-knitted fabric so finished as to prevent raveling
- a narrow border often of different or heavier threads than the fabric and sometimes in a different weave
- an edge (as of fabric or paper) meant to be cut off and discarded
- an outer or peripheral part : border, edge
selves ['self, Southern also 'sef] -pron
(variant of self)
- myself, himself, herself
- identical, same
- belonging to oneself : own
- having a single character or quality throughout
- having one color only
- of the same kind (as in color, material, or pattern) as something with which it is used
- the entire person of an individual
- the realization or embodiment of an abstraction
- an individual's typical character or behavior
- her true self was revealed
- an individual's temporary behavior or character
- a person in prime condition
- feel like my old self today
- the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person
- personal interest or advantage
- material that is part of an individual organism
- ability of the immune system to distinguish self from nonself
- inbreed
- to pollinate with pollen from the same flower or plant
- to undergo self-pollination
sem -abbr
- seminar
SEM -abbr
- scanning electron microscope; scanning electron microscopy
se·man·tic [si-'man-tik] -adj, adv
- of or relating to meaning in language
- of or relating to semantics
se·man·ti·cist [-'man-tə-sist] -n
- a specialist in semantics
se·man·tics [si-'man-tiks] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- : the study of meanings:
- the historical and psychological study and the classification of changes in the signification of words or forms viewed as factors in linguistic development
- semiotic
- a branch of semiotic dealing with the relations between signs and what they refer to and including theories of denotation, extension, naming, and truth
- general semantics
- the meaning or relationship of meanings of a sign or set of signs
- connotative meaning
- 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
- an apparatus for visual signaling (as by the position of one or more movable arms)
- a system of visual signaling by two flags held one in each hand
semaphore -vb
- to convey (information) by or as if by semaphore
- 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
- semantics
sem·bla·ble ['sem-blə-bəl] -adj, adv
- similar
- suitable
- apparent, seeming
semblable -n
- something similar : like
- one that is like oneself : one's fellow
sem·blance ['sem-blən(t)s] -n
- outward and often specious appearance or show : form
- wrapped in a semblance of composure -- Harry Hervey
- modicum
- has been struggling to get some semblance of justice for his people -- Bayard Rustin
- aspect, countenance
- a phantasmal form : apparition
- image, likeness
- actual or apparent resemblance
- her story bears some semblance to the truth
seme ['sēm] -n
- a linguistic sign
- any of the basic components of the meaning of a morpheme
Sem·e·le ['se-mə-,lē] -n
- a daughter of Cadmus consumed by flames when visited by Zeus in his divine splendor
sem·el·pa·rous [,se-'mel-pə-rəs] -adj
- reproducing or breeding only once in a lifetime
sem·eme ['se-,mēm] -n, adj
- the meaning of a morpheme
- seme
- a class of related semes
se·men ['sē-mən] -n
- 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
- either of the two usu. 18-week periods of instruction into which an academic year is often divided
- a period of six months
semester hour -n
- 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
- a semidetached house
- semitrailer
- semifinal often used in pl.
semi- [,se-mē, -,mī, -mi] -prefix
- : precisely half of:
- forming a bisection of
- being a usu. vertically bisected form of (a specified architectural feature)
- half in quantity or value : half of or occurring halfway through a specified period of time
- to some extent : partly : incompletely
- partial : incomplete
- having some of the characteristics of
- quasi-
semi·ab·stract [-ab-'strakt, -'ab-,] -adj, n
- having subject matter that is easily recognizable although the form is stylized
semi·an·nu·al [-'an-yə(-wə)l] -adj, adv
- occurring every six months or twice a year
semian·tique [-an-'tēk] -adj, n
- being approximately 50 to 100 years old
semi·aquat·ic [-ə-'kwä-tik, -'kwa-] -adj
- growing equally well in or adjacent to water
- frequenting but not living wholly in water
semi·ar·bo·re·al [-är-'bȯr-ē-əl] -adj
- often inhabiting and frequenting trees but not completely arboreal
semi·ar·id [-'a-rəd] -adj, n
- characterized by light rainfall
- 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
- partly autobiographical
- a semiautobiographical comedy
semi·au·to·mat·ic [-,ȯ-tə-'ma-tik] -adj, n, adv
- : not fully automatic: as
- operated partly automatically and partly by hand
- 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
- largely self-governing within a larger political or organizational entity
semi·breve ['se-mē-,brēv, 'se-,mī-, -mi-, -,brev] -n
- whole note
semi·cen·ten·ni·al [-sen-'te-nē-əl] -n, adj
- a 50th anniversary or its celebration
semi·cir·cle ['se-mē-,sər-kəl, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n, adj
- a half of a circle
- an object or arrangement of objects in the form of a half circle
semicircular canal -n
- 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
- partly civilized
semi·clas·sic [-'kla-sik] -n
- a semiclassical work
semi·clas·si·cal [-si-kəl] -adj
- 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
- 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
- nominally independent but actually under foreign domination
- dependent on foreign nations as suppliers of manufactured goods and as purchasers of raw materials
semi·col·o·ny [-'kä-lə-nē] -n
- a semicolonial state
semi·com·mer·cial [-kə-'mər-shəl] -adj
- 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
- of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a semiconductor
semi·con·duc·tor [-'dək-tər] -n
- 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
- incompletely conscious : imperfectly aware or responsive
semi·con·ser·va·tive [-kən-'sər-və-tiv] -adj, adv
- 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
- incompletely or imperfectly crystalline
semi·cy·lin·dri·cal [-sə-'lin-dri-kəl] -adj
- having the shape of a longitudinal half of a cylinder
semi·dark·ness [-'därk-nəs] -n
- partial darkness
semi·de·ify [-'dē-ə-,fī, -'dā-] -vt
- to regard as somewhat godlike
semi·des·ert [-'de-zərt] -n
- an arid area that has some of the characteristics of a desert but has greater annual precipitation
semi·de·tached [-di-'tacht] -adj
- 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
- radius
- the apparent radius of a generally spherical celestial body
semi·di·ur·nal [-dī-'ər-nᵊl] -adj
- relating to or accomplished in half a day
- occurring twice a day
- occurring approximately every half day
semi·di·vine [-də-'vīn] -adj
- more than mortal but not fully divine
semi·doc·u·men·ta·ry [-,dä-kyə-'men-tə-rē, -'men-trē] -n, adj
- 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
- 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
- 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
- producing an intermediate phenotype in the heterozygous condition
semi·dry [-'drī] -adj
- moderately dry
semi·dry·ing [-'drī-iŋ] -adj
- that dries imperfectly or slowly used of some oils (as cottonseed oil)
semi·dwarf [-'dwȯrf] -adj, n
- of or being a plant of a variety that is undersized but larger than a dwarf
semi·em·pir·i·cal [-im-'pir-ə-kəl, -em-] -adj
- partly empirical
- involving assumptions, approximations, or generalizations designed to simplify calculation or to yield a result in accord with observation
semi·erect [-ə-'rekt] -adj
- incompletely upright in bodily posture
- erect for half the length
semi·ev·er·green [-'e-vər-,grēn] -adj
- having functional and persistent foliage during part of the winter or dry season
- tending to be evergreen in a mild climate but deciduous in a rigorous climate
semi·feu·dal [-'fyü-dᵊl] -adj
- having some characteristics of feudalism
semi·fi·nal [-'fī-nᵊl] -adj
- being next to the last in an elimination tournament
- of or participating in a semifinal
- a semifinal match
- a semifinal round
semi·fin·ished [,se-mē-'fi-nisht, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj
- partially finished or processed
- rolled from raw ingots into shapes (as bars, billets, or plates) suitable for further processing
semi·fit·ted [-'fi-təd] -adj
- conforming somewhat to the lines of the body
semi·flex·i·ble [-'flek-sə-bəl] -adj
- somewhat flexible
- having a thin board stiffener under the covering material
semi·flu·id [-'flü-əd] -adj, n
- having the qualities of both a fluid and a solid : viscous
- fluid and semifluid lubricants
semi·for·mal [-'fȯr-məl] -adj
- being or suitable for an occasion of moderate formality
semi·gloss ['se-mē-,gläs, 'se-,mī-, -mi-, -,glȯs] -adj
- having a low luster
- 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
- having some governmental functions and powers
semi·group ['se-mē-,grüp, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n
- a mathematical set that is closed under an associative binary operation
semiin·de·pen·dent [-,in-də-'pen-dənt] -adj
- partially independent
- semiautonomous
semi·leg·end·ary [-'le-jən-,der-ē] -adj
- having historical foundation but elaborated in legend
semi·le·thal [-'lē-thəl] -n, adj
- a mutation that in the homozygous condition produces more than 50 percent mortality but not complete mortality
semi·liq·uid [-'li-kwəd] -adj, n
- having the qualities of both a liquid and a solid : semifluid
semi·lit·er·ate [-'li-tə-rət also -'li-trət] -adj, n
- able to read and write on an elementary level
- able to read but unable to write
- having limited knowledge or understanding
semi·log [-'lȯg, -'läg] -adj
- semilogarithmic
semi·log·a·rith·mic [-,lȯ-gə-'rith-mik, -,lä-] -adj
- 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
- lunate
semilunar valve -n
- 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
- either set of three cusps
semi·lus·trous [-'ləs-trəs] -adj
- slightly lustrous
semi·ma·jor axis [-'mā-jər-] -n
- one half of the major axis of an ellipse (as that formed by the orbit of a planet)
semi·matte [-'mat] -adj
- having a slight luster
semi·met·al [-'me-tᵊl] -n, adj
- an element (as arsenic) possessing metallic properties in an inferior degree and not malleable
semi·mi·cro [-'mī-(,)krō] -adj
- of, relating to, or dealing with quantities intermediate between those treated as micro and macro
- semimicro analysis for chlorine
semi·mi·nor axis [-'mī-nər-] -n
- one half of the minor axis of an ellipse (as that formed by the orbit of a planet)
semi·moist [-'mȯist] -adj
- slightly moist
semi·mo·nas·tic [-mə-'nas-tik] -adj
- having some features characteristic of a monastic order
semimonthly -adv
- twice a month
- occurring twice a month
semi·month·ly [-'mən(t)th-lē] -n
- a semimonthly publication
semi·mys·ti·cal [-'mis-ti-kəl] -adj
- having some of the qualities of mysticism
sem·i·nal ['se-mə-nᵊl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or consisting of seed or semen
- containing or contributing the seeds of later development : creative, original
seminal duct -n
- 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
- semen
- 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
- 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
- a group of advanced students studying under a professor with each doing original research and all exchanging results through reports and discussions
- a course of study pursued by a seminar
- an advanced or graduate course often featuring informality and discussion
- a scheduled meeting of a seminar or a room for such meetings
- a meeting for giving and discussing information
sem·i·nar·i·an [,se-mə-'ner-ē-ən] -n
- a student in a seminary esp. of the Roman Catholic Church
sem·i·na·rist ['se-mə-nə-rist] -n
- seminarian
sem·i·nary ['se-mə-,ner-ē] -n
- an environment in which something originates and from which it is propagated
- a seminary of vice and crime
- an institution of secondary or higher education
- 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
- modified by human influence but retaining many natural features
sem·i·nif·er·ous [,se-mə-'ni-f(ə-)rəs] -adj
- producing or bearing seed or semen
seminiferous tubule -n
- 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
- 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
- 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
- partially nude
semi·of·fi·cial [-ə-'fi-shəl] -adj, adv
- having some official authority or standing
se·mi·ol·o·gy [,sē-mē-'ä-lə-jē, ,se-mē-, ,sē-,mī-] -n, adj, adv
- the study of signs
- semiotic
semi·opaque [,se-mē-ō-'pāk, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj
- nearly opaque
se·mi·o·sis [,sē-mē-'ō-səs, ,se-mē-, ,sē-,mī-] -n
- a process in which something functions as a sign to an organism
se·mi·ot·ics [-'ä-tiks] -n, adj
- 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
- 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
- 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
- lasting or intended to last for a long time but not permanent
semi·per·me·able [-'pər-mē-ə-bəl] -adj, n
- partially but not freely or wholly permeable
- permeable to some usu. small molecules but not to other usu. larger particles
semi·po·lit·i·cal [-pə-'li-ti-kəl] -adj
- of, relating to, or involving some political features or activity
semi·pop·u·lar [-'pä-pyə-lər] -adj
- somewhat popular
semi·por·ce·lain [-'pȯr-s(ə-)lən] -n
- any of several ceramic wares resembling or imitative of porcelain
- a relatively hard-glazed white earthenware widely used for tableware
semi·por·no·graph·ic [-,pȯr-nə-'gra-fik] -adj, n
- somewhat pornographic
semi·post·al [-'pōs-tᵊl] -n
- a postage stamp sold at a premium over its postal value esp. for a humanitarian purpose
semi·pre·cious [-'pre-shəs] -adj
- of less commercial value than a precious stone
semi·pri·vate [-'prī-vət] -adj
- 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
- semiprofessional
semi·pro·fes·sion·al [,se-mē-prə-'fesh-nəl, ,se-,mī-, -mi-, -'fe-shə-nᵊl] -n
- one who engages in an activity (as a sport) semiprofessionally
semiprofessional -adj, adv
- engaging in an activity for pay or gain but not as a full-time occupation
- engaged in by semiprofessional players
- semiprofessional baseball
semi·pub·lic [-'pə-blik] -adj
- open to some persons outside the regular constituency
- having some features of a public institution
- maintained as a public service by a private nonprofit organization
semi·quan·ti·ta·tive [-'kwän-tə-,tā-tiv] -adj, adv
- constituting or involving less than quantitative precision
semi·qua·ver ['se-mē-,kwā-vər, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n
- sixteenth note
semi·re·li·gious [,se-mē-ri-'li-jəs, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj
- somewhat religious
semi·re·tired [-ri-'tī(-ə)rd] -adj
- working only part-time esp. because of age or ill health
semi·re·tire·ment [-'tī(-ə)r-mənt] -n
- the state or condition of being semiretired
semi·rig·id [-'ri-jəd] -adj
- rigid to some degree or in some parts
- having a flexible cylindrical gas container with an attached stiffening keel that carries the load
semi·rur·al [-'ru̇r-əl] -adj
- somewhat rural
semi·sa·cred [-'sā-krəd] -adj
- semireligious
semi·se·cret [-'sē-krət] -adj
- not publicly announced but widely known nevertheless
semi·sed·en·tary [-'se-dᵊn-,ter-ē] -adj
- sedentary during part of the year and nomadic otherwise
semi·shrub·by ['se-mē-,shrə-bē, 'se-,mī-, -mi-, esp Southern -,srə-] -adj
- resembling or being a subshrub
semi·skilled [,se-mē-'skild, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj
- having or requiring less training than skilled labor and more than unskilled labor
semi·soft [-'sȯft] -adj
- moderately soft
- firm but easily cut
semi·sol·id [-'sä-ləd] -adj, n
- having the qualities of both a solid and a liquid : highly viscous
semi·sub·mers·ible [-səb-'mər-sə-bəl] -adj, n
- 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
- slightly sweetened
semi·syn·thet·ic [-sin-'the-tik] -adj
- produced by chemical alteration of a natural starting material
- semisynthetic penicillins
- containing both chemically identified and complex natural ingredients
Sem·ite ['se-,mīt, esp Brit 'sē-,mīt] -n
- a member of any of a number of peoples of ancient southwestern Asia including the Akkadians, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs
- a descendant of these peoples
- 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
- growing on boggy ground
- frequenting but not living wholly on land
Se·mit·ic [sə-'mi-tik also -'me-] -adj
- of, relating to, or constituting a subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic language family that includes Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Amharic
- of, relating to, or characteristic of the Semites
- jewish
Semitic -n
- any or all of the Semitic languages
Se·mit·i·cist [sə-'mi-tə-sist] -n
- semitist
Se·mit·ics [-'mi-tiks] -n pl but sing in constr
- the study of the language, literature, and history of Semitic peoples
- Semitic philology
Sem·i·tism ['se-mə-,ti-zəm] -n
- Semitic character or qualities
- a characteristic feature of a Semitic language occurring in another language
- policy or predisposition favorable to Jews
Sem·i·tist [-tist] -n
- a scholar of the Semitic languages, cultures, or histories
- a person favoring or disposed to favor the Jews
semi·ton·al [,se-mē-'tō-nᵊl, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj, adv
- chromatic , semitonic
semi·tone ['se-mē-,tōn, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n, adj, adv
- the tone at a half step
- half step
semi·trail·er ['se-,mī-,trā-lər, 'se-mē-, -mi-] -n
- a freight trailer that when attached is supported at its forward end by the fifth wheel device of the truck tractor
- 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
- somewhat translucent
semi·trans·par·ent [-,tran(t)s-'per-ənt] -adj
- imperfectly transparent
semi·trop·i·cal [-'trä-pi-kəl] -adj
- subtropical
semi·trop·ics [-piks] -n pl
- subtropics
semi·truck ['se-,mī-,trək] -n
- semitrailer
semi·vow·el ['se-mē-,vau̇(-ə)l, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n
- 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
- a letter representing a semivowel
semi·week·ly [,se-mē-'wē-klē, ,se-,mī-, -mi-] -adj, adv
- occurring twice a week
semiweekly -n
- a semiweekly publication
semi·works ['se-mē-,wərks, 'se-,mī-, -mi-] -n pl
- 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
- occurring twice a year
sem·o·li·na [,se-mə-'lē-nə] -n
- 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
- 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
- of never-ending duration : eternal
sem·pi·ter·ni·ty [-'tər-nə-tē] -n
- eternity
sem·ple ['sem-pəl] -adj
- of humble birth
sem·pli·ce ['sem-pli-,chā] -adj or adv
- simple used as a direction in music
sem·pre ['sem-(,)prā] -adv
- always used in music directions
sen ['sen] -n
- see yen at
- see dollar, ringgit, rupiah at
- see riel at
- senate; senator
- senior
se·nar·i·us [si-'ner-ē-əs] -n
- a verse consisting of six feet esp. in Latin prosody
se·na·ry ['se-nə-rē, 'sē-] -adj
- of, based on, or characterized by six : compounded of six things or six parts
sen·ate ['se-nət] -n
- : an assembly or council usu. possessing high deliberative and legislative functions: as
- the supreme council of the ancient Roman republic and empire
- the second chamber in the bicameral legislature of a major political unit (as a nation, state, or province)
- the hall or chamber in which a senate meets
- 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
- a member of a senate
sen·a·to·ri·al [,se-nə-'tȯr-ē-əl] -adj
- of, relating to, or befitting a senator or a senate
senatorial courtesy -n
- 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
- a territorial division from which a senator is elected
sen·a·to·ri·an [,se-nə-'tȯr-ē-ən] -adj
- senatorial
- of or relating to the ancient Roman senate
se·na·tus con·sul·tum [sə-,nä-təs-kən-'səl-təm, -'su̇l-] -n
- a decree of the ancient Roman senate
send ['send] -vb, n
- : to cause to go: as
- to propel or throw in a particular direction
- deliver
- drive
- sent the ball between the goalposts
- to cause to happen
- to dispatch by a means of communication
- to direct, order, or request to go
- to permit or enable to attend a term or session
- send a daughter to college
- to direct by advice or reference
- to cause or order to depart : dismiss
- to force to go : drive away
- to cause to assume a specified state
- : to cause to issue: as
- to pour out : discharge
- clouds send ing forth rain
- utter
- emit
- sent out waves of perfume
- to grow out (parts) in the course of development
- a plant send ing forth shoots
- to cause to be carried to a destination
- to consign to death or a place of punishment
- to convey or cause to be conveyed or transmitted by an agent
- to strike or thrust so as to impel violently
- delight, thrill
- to dispatch someone to convey a message or do an errand often used with out
- to dispatch a request or order often used with away
- transmit
- the lift of a wave : scend
send down -vt
- to suspend or expel from a university
send in -vt
- to cause to be delivered
- send in a letter of complaint
- to give (one's name or card) to a servant when making a call
- to send (a player) into an athletic contest
sendoff ['send-,ȯf] -n
- a demonstration of goodwill and enthusiasm for the beginning of a new venture (as a trip)
sendup [-,əp] -n
- parody, takeoff
send up -vt
- to send to jail
- to make fun of : parody
se·ne ['sā-(,)nā] -n
- see tala at
Sen·e·ca ['se-ni-kə] -n
- a member of an American Indian people of what is now western New York
- the Iroquoian language of the Seneca people
seneca snakeroot -n
- 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
- 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
- the final stage of the normal life span
sen·e·ga ['se-ni-gə] -n
- the dried root of seneca snakeroot that contains an irritating saponin and is used as an expectorant
senega root -n
- seneca snakeroot
- senega
se·nes·cence [si-'ne-sᵊn(t)s] -n, adj
- the state of being old : the process of becoming old
- the growth phase in a plant or plant part (as a leaf) from full maturity to death
sen·e·schal ['se-nə-shəl] -n
- an agent or steward in charge of a lord's estate in feudal times
se·nhor [si-'nyȯr] -n
- a Portuguese or Brazilian man used as a title equivalent to Mr.
se·nho·ra [-'nyȯr-ə] -n
- a married Portuguese or Brazilian woman used as a title equivalent to Mrs.
se·nho·ri·ta [,sē-nyə-'rē-tə] -n
- 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
- of, relating to, exhibiting, or characteristic of old age
- exhibiting a loss of cognitive abilities (as memory) associated with old age
- approaching the end of a geological cycle of erosion
senile dementia -n
- 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
- the quality or state of being senile
- the physical and mental infirmity of old age
se·nior ['sē-nyər] -n
- a person older than another
- a person with higher standing or rank
- a senior fellow of a college at an English university
- a student in the year preceding graduation from a school of secondary or higher level
- a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in the 9th through 12th grades in school
- senior citizen
senior -adj
- of prior birth, establishment, or enrollment often used to distinguish a father with the same given name as his son
- higher ranking : superior
- of, relating to, or intended for seniors
- having a claim on corporate assets and income prior to other securities
senior airman -n
- 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
- 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
- an elderly person
- one who has retired
senior high school -n
- a school usu. including grades 10 to 12
se·nior·i·tis [,sē-nyər-'ī-təs] -n
- 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
- the quality or state of being senior : priority
- a privileged status attained by length of continuous service (as in a company)
senior master sergeant -n
- a noncommissioned officer in the air force ranking above a master sergeant and below a chief master sergeant
senior moment -n
- an instance of momentary forgetfulness or confusion that is attributed to the aging process
sen·i·ti ['se-nə-tē] -n
- see pa'anga at
sen·na ['se-nə] -n
- any of a genus ( Cassiasyn. Senna) of leguminous herbs, shrubs, and trees native to warm regions
- one used medicinally
- the dried leaflets or pods of various sennas (esp. C. angustifoliasyn. Senna alexandrina) used as a purgative
sen·net ['se-nət] -n
- a signal call on a trumpet or cornet for entrance or exit on the stage
sen·night ['se-,nīt] -n
- the space of seven nights and days : week
sen·nit ['se-nət] -n
- a braided cord or fabric (as of plaited rope yarns)
- a straw or grass braid for hats
se·nor [sān-'yȯr] -n
- a Spanish or Spanish-speaking man used as a title equivalent to Mr.
se·no·ra [sān-'yȯr-ə] -n
- a married Spanish or Spanish-speaking woman used as a title equivalent to Mrs.
se·no·ri·ta [,sān-yə-'rē-tə] -n
- an unmarried Spanish or Spanish-speaking girl or woman used as a title equivalent to Miss
sen·ryu ['sen-rē-(,)ü] -n
- 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)
- sense-datum
sen·sate ['sen-,sāt] -adj, adv
- relating to or apprehending or apprehended through the senses
- preoccupied with things that can be experienced through a sense modality
sen·sa·tion [sen-'sā-shən, sən-] -n
- 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
- awareness (as of heat or pain) due to stimulation of a sense organ
- a state of consciousness due to internal bodily changes
- an indefinite bodily feeling
- something (as a physical stimulus, sense-datum, or afterimage) that causes or is the object of sensation
- a state of excited interest or feeling
- their elopement caused a sensation
- a cause of such excitement
- the show was the musical sensation of the season
- 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
- of or relating to sensation or the senses
- arousing or tending to arouse (as by lurid details) a quick, intense, and usu. superficial interest, curiosity, or emotional reaction
- exceedingly or unexpectedly excellent or great
sen·sa·tion·al·ise [-,līz] -vt
(variant of sensationalize)
- to present in a sensational manner
sen·sa·tion·al·ism [-shnə-,li-zəm, -shə-nə-,li-zəm] -n, adj or n, adj
- empiricism that limits experience as a source of knowledge to sensation or sense perceptions
- the use or effect of sensational subject matter or treatment
sen·sa·tion·al·ize [-,līz] -vt
- to present in a sensational manner
sense ['sen(t)s] -n
- a meaning conveyed or intended : import, signification
- one of a set of meanings a word or phrase may bear esp. as segregated in a dictionary entry
- the faculty of perceiving by means of sense organs
- a specialized function or mechanism (as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch) by which an animal receives and responds to external or internal stimuli
- the sensory mechanisms constituting a unit distinct from other functions (as movement or thought)
- conscious awareness or rationality usu. used in pl.
- finally came to his sense s
- a particular sensation or kind or quality of sensation
- a definite but often vague awareness or impression
- felt a sense of insecurity
- a motivating awareness
- a discerning awareness and appreciation
- consensus
- capacity for effective application of the powers of the mind as a basis for action or response : intelligence
- sound mental capacity and understanding typically marked by shrewdness and practicality
- agreement with or satisfaction of such power
- this decision makes sense
- one of two opposite directions esp. of motion (as of a point, line, or surface)
- to perceive by the senses
- to be or become conscious of
- grasp, comprehend
- to detect automatically esp. in response to a physical stimulus (as light or movement)
sensedatum -n
- an immediate unanalyzable private object of sensation
sense·ful ['sen(t)s-fəl] -adj
- reasonable, judicious
sen·sei ['sen-,sā] -n
- a teacher or instructor usu. of Japanese martial arts (as karate or judo)
sense·less ['sen(t)s-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- : destitute of, deficient in, or contrary to sense: as
- unconscious
- foolish, stupid
- it was some senseless practical joke -- A. Conan Doyle
- meaningless
sense organ -n
- 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
- what may be sensed
sen·si·bil·i·ty [,sen(t)-sə-'bi-lə-tē] -n
- ability to receive sensations : sensitiveness
- peculiar susceptibility to a pleasurable or painful impression (as from praise or a slight) often used in pl.
- awareness of and responsiveness toward something (as emotion in another)
- refined or excessive sensitiveness in emotion and taste with especial responsiveness to the pathetic
sen·si·ble ['sen(t)-sə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- : of a kind to be felt or perceived: as
- perceptible to the senses or to reason or understanding
- her distress was sensible from her manner
- perceptibly large : considerable
- perceptible as real or material : substantial
- the sensible world in which we live
- capable of receiving sensory impressions
- receptive to external influences : sensitive
- the most sensible reaches of the spirit
- perceiving through the senses or mind : cognizant
- sensible of the increasing heat
- convinced by perceived evidence : satisfied
- emotionally aware and responsive
- we are sensible of your problems
- conscious
- having, containing, or indicative of good sense or reason : rational, reasonable
- designed for practical ends (as comfort) rather than for appearance
sensible -n
- something that can be sensed
sensible heat -n
- thermal energy whose transfer to or from a substance results in a change of temperature
sen·sil·lum [sen-'si-ləm] -n
- 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)
- the action or process of sensitizing
- 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
- sensory
- receptive to sense impressions
- capable of being stimulated or excited by external agents (as light, gravity, or contact)
- : highly responsive or susceptible: as
- easily hurt or damaged
- easily hurt emotionally
- delicately aware of the attitudes and feelings of others
- excessively or abnormally susceptible : hypersensitive
- readily fluctuating in price or demand
- capable of indicating minute differences : delicate
- readily affected or changed by various agents (as light or mechanical shock)
- a photographic emulsion sensitive to red light
- highly radiosensitive
- concerned with highly classified government information or involving discretionary authority over important policy matters
- calling for tact, care, or caution in treatment : touchy
- a sensitive issue like race relations
- having or showing concern for a specified matter usu. used in combination
- a price -sensitive customer
- environmentally sensitive policies
sensitive -n
- a person having occult or psychical abilities
- a sensitive person
sensitive plant -n
- any of several mimosas (esp. Mimosa pudica) with leaves that fold or droop when touched
- a plant responding to touch with movement
sen·si·tiv·i·ty [,sen(t)-sə-'ti-və-tē] -n
- : the quality or state of being sensitive: as
- the capacity of an organism or sense organ to respond to stimulation : irritability
- the quality or state of being hypersensitive
- the degree to which a radio receiving set responds to incoming waves
- the capacity of being easily hurt
- 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
- the action or process of sensitizing
- the quality or state of being sensitized (as to an antigen)
sen·si·tize ['sen(t)-sə-,tīz] -vb, n
- to make sensitive or hypersensitive
- to become sensitive
sen·si·tom·e·ter [,sen(t)-sə-'tä-mə-tər] -n, adj
- an instrument for measuring sensitivity of photographic material
sen·sor ['sen-,sȯr, 'sen(t)-sər] -n
- 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)
- sense organ
sen·so·ri·al [sen-'sȯr-ē-əl] -adj, adv
- sensory
sen·so·ri·mo·tor [,sen(t)s-rē-'mō-tər, ,sen(t)-sə-] -adj
- of, relating to, or functioning in both sensory and motor aspects of bodily activity
sen·so·ri·neu·ral [-'nu̇r-əl, -'nyu̇r-] -adj
- 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
- the parts of the brain or the mind concerned with the reception and interpretation of sensory stimuli
- the entire sensory apparatus
sen·so·ry ['sen(t)s-rē, 'sen(t)-sə-rē] -adj
- of or relating to sensation or to the senses
- conveying nerve impulses from the sense organs to the nerve centers : afferent
sensory area -n
- 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
- relating to or consisting in the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of appetite : fleshly
- sensory
- devoted to or preoccupied with the senses or appetites
- voluptuous
- deficient in moral, spiritual, or intellectual interests : worldly
- irreligious
sen·su·al·ism ['sen(t)-sh(ə-)wə-,li-zəm, 'sen-shə-,li-] -n, adj
- persistent or excessive pursuit of sensual pleasures and interests
sen·su·al·ize ['sen(t)-sh(ə-)wə-,līz, 'sen-shə-,līz] -vt, n
- to make sensual
sen·sum ['sen(t)-səm] -n
- sense-datum
sen·su·ous ['sen(t)-sh(ə-)wəs] -adj, n, adv
- of or relating to the senses or sensible objects
- producing or characterized by gratification of the senses : having strong sensory appeal
- characterized by sense impressions or imagery aimed at the senses
- highly susceptible to influence through the senses
sen·su stric·to ['sen-(,)sü-'strik-(,)tō] -adv
- in a narrow or strict sense
sent ['send] -vb, n
(variant of send)
- : to cause to go: as
- to propel or throw in a particular direction
- deliver
- drive
- sent the ball between the goalposts
- to cause to happen
- to dispatch by a means of communication
- to direct, order, or request to go
- to permit or enable to attend a term or session
- send a daughter to college
- to direct by advice or reference
- to cause or order to depart : dismiss
- to force to go : drive away
- to cause to assume a specified state
- : to cause to issue: as
- to pour out : discharge
- clouds send ing forth rain
- utter
- emit
- sent out waves of perfume
- to grow out (parts) in the course of development
- a plant send ing forth shoots
- to cause to be carried to a destination
- to consign to death or a place of punishment
- to convey or cause to be conveyed or transmitted by an agent
- to strike or thrust so as to impel violently
- delight, thrill
- to dispatch someone to convey a message or do an errand often used with out
- to dispatch a request or order often used with away
- transmit
- the lift of a wave : scend
sen·te ['sen-tē] -n
- see loti at
sen·tence ['sen-tᵊn(t)s, -tᵊnz] -n
- opinion
- a conclusion given on request or reached after deliberation
- judgment
- one formally pronounced by a court or judge in a criminal proceeding and specifying the punishment to be inflicted upon the convict
- the punishment so imposed
- maxim, saw
- 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
- a mathematical or logical statement (as an equation or a proposition) in words or symbols
- period
sentence -vt
- to impose a sentence on
- to cause to suffer something
- sentenced these most primitive cultures to extinction -- E. W. Count
sentence fragment -n
- 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
- 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
- aphorism usu. used in pl.
sen·ten·tial [sen-'ten(t)-shəl] -adj
- of or relating to a sentence
- a relative clause with a sentential antecedent
- of, relating to, or involving a proposition in logic
sentential calculus -n
- propositional calculus
sentential function -n
- 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
- given to or abounding in aphoristic expression
- given to or abounding in excessive moralizing
- terse, aphoristic, or moralistic in expression : pithy, epigrammatic
sen·tience ['sen(t)-sh(ē-)ən(t)s, 'sen-tē-ən(t)s] -n
- a sentient quality or state
- feeling or sensation as distinguished from perception and thought
sen·tient ['sen(t)-sh(ē-)ənt, 'sen-tē-ənt] -adj, adv
- responsive to or conscious of sense impressions
- aware
- finely sensitive in perception or feeling
sen·ti·ment ['sen-tə-mənt] -n
- an attitude, thought, or judgment prompted by feeling : predilection
- a specific view or notion : opinion
- emotion
- refined feeling : delicate sensibility esp. as expressed in a work of art
- emotional idealism
- a romantic or nostalgic feeling verging on sentimentality
- an idea colored by emotion
- the emotional significance of a passage or expression as distinguished from its verbal context
sen·ti·men·tal [,sen-tə-'men-tᵊl] -adj, adv
- marked or governed by feeling, sensibility, or emotional idealism
- resulting from feeling rather than reason or thought
- having an excess of sentiment or sensibility
sen·ti·men·tal·ise [-'men-tə-,līz] -vb, n
(variant of sentimentalize)
- to indulge in sentiment
- to look upon or imbue with sentiment
sen·ti·men·tal·ism [,sen-tə-'men-tə-,li-zəm] -n
- the disposition to favor or indulge in sentimentality
- an excessively sentimental conception or statement
sen·ti·men·tal·i·ty [,sen-tə-,men-'ta-lə-tē, -mən-] -n
- the quality or state of being sentimental esp. to excess or in affectation
- a sentimental idea or its expression
sen·ti·men·tal·ize [-'men-tə-,līz] -vb, n
- to indulge in sentiment
- to look upon or imbue with sentiment
sen·ti·mo [sen-'tē-(,)mō] -n
- see peso at
sen·ti·nel ['sent-nəl, 'sen-tə-nəl] -n
- sentry
sentinel -vt
- to watch over as a sentinel
- to furnish with a sentinel
- to post as sentinel
sen·try ['sen-trē] -n
- guard, watch
- a soldier standing guard at a point of passage (as a gate)
sentry box -n
- a shelter for a sentry on his post
sep -abbr
- separate; separated
Sep -abbr
- September
SEP -abbr
- simplified employee pension
se·pal ['sē-pəl, 'se-] -n
- one of the modified leaves comprising a calyx
se·pal·oid [-pə-,lȯid] -adj
- resembling or functioning as a sepal
sep·a·ra·ble ['se-p(ə-)rə-bəl] -adj, n
- capable of being separated or dissociated
- causing separation
sep·a·rate ['se-p(ə-),rāt] -vb
- to set or keep apart : disconnect, sever
- to make a distinction between : discriminate, distinguish
- separate religion from magic
- sort
- to disperse in space or time : scatter
- widely separated homesteads
- to set aside for a special purpose : choose, dedicate
- : to part by a legal separation:
- to sever conjugal ties with
- to sever contractual relations with : discharge
- was separated from the army
- to block off : segregate
- to isolate from a mixture : extract
- to divide into constituent parts
- to dislocate (as a shoulder) esp. in sports
- to become divided or detached
- to sever an association : withdraw
- to cease to live together as a married couple
- to go in different directions
- to become isolated from a mixture
- the crystals separated out
- set or kept apart : detached
- solitary, secluded
- immaterial, disembodied
- not shared with another : individual
- estranged from a parent body
- existing by itself : autonomous
- dissimilar in nature or identity
- consulted five separate authorities
- offprint
- 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
- the act or process of separating : the state of being separated
- a point, line, or means of division
- an intervening space : gap
- the separation between wheel spokes
- cessation of cohabitation between a married couple by mutual agreement or judicial decree
- termination of a contractual relationship (as employment or military service)
separation anxiety -n
- 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
- separatist
sep·a·rat·ism ['se-p(ə-)rə-,ti-zəm] -n
- 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
- : one that favors separatism: as
- one of a group of 16th and 17th century English Protestants preferring to separate from rather than to reform the Church of England
- an advocate of independence or autonomy for a part of a political unit (as a nation)
- an advocate of racial or cultural separation
sep·a·ra·tive ['se-pə-,rā-tiv, 'se-p(ə-)rə-] -adj
- tending toward, causing, or expressing separation
sep·a·ra·tor ['se-p(ə-),rā-tər] -n
- one that separates
- 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
- 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
- one of their descendants
se·pia ['sē-pē-ə] -n
- a brown melanin-containing pigment from the ink of cuttlefishes
- the inky secretion of a cuttlefish
- a print or photograph of a brown color resembling sepia
- a brownish-gray to dark olive-brown color
sepia -adj
- made of or done in sepia
- of the color sepia
se·pi·o·lite ['sē-pē-ə-,līt] -n
- meerschaum
se·poy ['sē-,pȯi] -n
- a native of India employed as a soldier by a European power
sep·pu·ku [se-'pü-(,)kü, 'se-pə-,kü] -n
- hara-kiri
sep·sis ['sep-səs] -n
- a toxic condition resulting from the spread of bacteria or their toxic products from a focus of infection
- septicemia
sept ['sept] -n
- a branch of a family
- clan
Sept -abbr
- September
sep·tal ['sep-tᵊl] -adj
- of or relating to a septum
sep·tate ['sep-,tāt] -adj
- divided by or having a septum
Sep·tem·ber [sep-'tem-bər, səp-] -n
- the ninth month of the Gregorian calendar
sep·te·nar·i·us [,sep-tə-'ner-ē-əs] -n
- a verse consisting of seven feet esp. in Latin prosody
sep·ten·ni·al [sep-'te-nē-əl] -adj, adv
- occurring or being done every seven years
- consisting of or lasting for seven years
sep·ten·tri·on [sep-'ten-trē-,än, -trē-ən] -n
- the northern regions : north
sep·ten·tri·o·nal [-trē-ə-nᵊl] -adj
- northern
sep·tet [sep-'tet] -n
- a musical composition for seven instruments or voices
- a group or set of seven
- the performers of a septet
sep·tic ['sep-tik] -adj
- of, relating to, or causing putrefaction
- relating to, involving, caused by, or affected with sepsis
- used for sewage treatment and disposal
- of or relating to a septic system
sep·ti·ce·mia [,sep-tə-'sē-mē-ə] -n, adj
- 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
- dehiscent longitudinally at or along a septum
septic shock -n
- 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
- strep throat
septic tank -n
- 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
- a person whose age is in the seventies
Sep·tu·a·ge·si·ma [,sep-tə-wə-'je-sə-mə, -'jā-zə-] -n
- the third Sunday before Lent
Sep·tu·a·gint [sep-'tü-ə-jənt, -'tyü-; 'sep-tə-wə-,jint] -n, adj
- 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
- a dividing wall or membrane esp. between bodily spaces or masses of soft tissue
se·pul·chral [sə-'pəl-krəl also -'pu̇l-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to a sepulchre
- suited to or suggestive of a sepulchre : funereal
- spoke in sepulchral whispers
sep·ul·chre ['se-pəl-kər] -n
- a place of burial : tomb
- a receptacle for religious relics esp. in an altar
sepulchre [-k(ə-)riŋ] -vt
- to place in or as if in a sepulchre : bury
- to serve as a sepulchre for
sep·ul·ture ['se-pəl-,chu̇r] -n
- burial
- sepulchre
se·qua·cious [si-'kwā-shəs] -adj, adv, n
- subservient, tractable
- intellectually servile
se·quel ['sē-kwəl also -,kwel] -n
- consequence, result
- subsequent development
- the next installment (as of a speech or story)
- a literary, cinematic, or televised work continuing the course of a story begun in a preceding one
se·quela [si-'kwe-lə] -n
- an aftereffect of disease, condition, or injury
- a secondary result
se·quence ['sē-kwən(t)s, -,kwen(t)s] -n
- a hymn in irregular meter between the gradual and Gospel in masses for special occasions (as Easter)
- : a continuous or connected series: as
- an extended series of poems united by a single theme
- three or more playing cards usu. of the same suit in consecutive order of rank
- a succession of repetitions of a melodic phrase or harmonic pattern each in a new position
- a set of elements ordered so that they can be labeled with the positive integers
- the exact order of bases in a nucleic acid or of amino acids in a protein
- a succession of related shots or scenes developing a single subject or phase of a film story
- episode
- order of succession
- an arrangement of the tenses of successive verbs in a sentence designed to express a coherent relationship esp. between main and subordinate parts
- consequence, result
- a subsequent development
- continuity of progression
sequence -vt
- to arrange in a sequence
- 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
- : one that sequences: as
- a device for arranging things (as events in the ignition of a rocket) in a sequence
- 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
- sequence
se·quent ['sē-kwənt] -adj
- consecutive, succeeding
- consequent, resultant
se·quen·tial [si-'kwen(t)-shəl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or arranged in a sequence : serial
- following in sequence
- 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
- to set apart : segregate
- seclude, withdraw
- widely spaced homes are forbiddingly grand and sequester ed -- Don Asher
- to seize esp. by a writ of sequestration
- to place (property) in custody esp. in sequestration
- to hold (as a metallic ion) in solution usu. by inclusion in an appropriate coordination complex
sequester -n
- separation, isolation
se·ques·trate ['sē-kwəs-,trāt, 'se-; si-'kwes-] -vt, n
- sequester
- sequester
se·ques·tra·tion [,sē-kwəs-'trā-shən, ,se-; (,)sē-,kwes-] -n
- the act of sequestering : the state of being sequestered
- 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
- 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
- a fragment of dead bone detached from adjoining sound bone
se·quin ['sē-kwən] -n
- an old gold coin of Italy and Turkey
- a small plate of shining metal or plastic used for ornamentation esp. on clothing
se·quined [-kwənd] -adj
- ornamented with or as if with sequins
se·qui·tur ['se-kwə-tər, -,tu̇r] -n
- the conclusion of an inference : consequence
se·quoia [si-'kwȯi-ə] -n
- : either of two huge coniferous California trees of the bald cypress family that may reach a height of over 300 feet (90 meters):
- giant sequoia
- redwood
ser -abbr
- serial
- series
- service
sera ['sir-əm] -n
(variant of serum)
- : the watery portion of an animal fluid remaining after coagulation:
- blood serum
- antiserum
- whey
- a normal or pathological serous fluid (as in a blister)
- the watery part of a plant fluid
se·rac [sə-'rak, sā-] -n
- a pinnacle, sharp ridge, or block of ice among the crevasses of a glacier
se·ra·glio [sə-'ral-(,)yō, -'räl-] -n
- harem
- a palace of a sultan
se·rai [sə-'rī] -n
- caravansary
- seraglio
ser·al ['sir-əl] -adj
- of, relating to, or constituting an ecological sere
se·ra·pe [sə-'rä-pē, -'ra-] -n
- a colorful woolen shawl worn over the shoulders esp. by Mexican men
ser·aph ['ser-əf] -n
- seraphim
ser·a·phim ['ser-ə-,fim, -,fēm] -n pl, adj, adv
- an order of angels
- one of the 6-winged angels standing in the presence of God
Se·ra·pis [sə-'rā-pəs] -n
- an Egyptian god combining attributes of Osiris and Apis and having a widespread cult in Ptolemaic Egypt and ancient Greece
Serb ['sərb] -n, adj
- a native or inhabitant of Serbia
- serbian
Ser·bi·an ['sər-bē-ən] -n, adj
- serb
- a south Slavic language spoken by the Serbian people
Ser·boCro·a·tian [,sər-(,)bō-krō-'ā-shən] -n, adj
- the Serbian and Croatian languages together with the Slavic speech of Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Montenegro taken as a single language with regional variants
- a person whose native language is Serbo-Croatian
sere ['sir] -adj
- being dried and withered
- threadbare
- a series of ecological communities formed in ecological succession
ser·e·nade [,ser-ə-'nād] -n
- a complimentary vocal or instrumental performance
- one given outdoors at night for a woman being courted
- a work so performed
- an instrumental composition in several movements, written for a small ensemble, and midway between the suite and the symphony in style
serenade -vb, n
- to play a serenade
- to perform a serenade in honor of
ser·e·na·ta [,ser-ə-'nä-tə] -n
- 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
- obtained or characterized by serendipity
- serendipitous discoveries
ser·en·dip·i·ty [-'di-pə-tē] -n
- the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for
- an instance of this
se·rene [sə-'rēn] -adj, adv, n
- clear and free of storms or unpleasant change
- shining bright and steady
- the moon, serene in glory -- Alexander Pope
- august used as part of a title
- marked by or suggestive of utter calm and unruffled repose or quietude
serene -n
- a serene condition or expanse (as of sky, sea, or light)
- serenity, tranquility
se·ren·i·ty [sə-'re-nə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being serene
serf ['sərf] -n
- a member of a servile feudal class bound to the land and subject to the will of its owner
serge ['sərj] -n
- 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
- the function, office, or rank of a sergeant
ser·geant ['sär-jənt] -n
- sergeant at arms
- an officer who enforces the judgments of a court or the commands of one in authority
- a noncommissioned officer ranking in the army and marine corps above a corporal and below a staff sergeant
- noncommissioned officer
- 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
- an officer of an organization (as a legislative body or court of law) who preserves order and executes commands
sergeant first class -n
- a noncommissioned officer in the army ranking above a staff sergeant and below a master sergeant
sergeant fish -n
- cobia
- snook
sergeant major -n
- a noncommissioned officer in the army or marine corps serving as chief administrative assistant in a headquarters
- a noncommissioned officer in the marine corps ranking above a first sergeant
- 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
- the ranking noncommissioned officer of the army serving as adviser to the chief of staff
sergeant major of the marine corps
- the ranking noncommissioned officer of the marine corps serving as adviser to the commandant
ser·geanty ['sär-jən-tē] -n
- 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
- the process of overcasting the raw edges of a piece of fabric (as a carpet) to prevent raveling
sergt -abbr
- sergeant
se·ri·al ['sir-ē-əl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, consisting of, or arranged in a series, rank, or row
- appearing in successive parts or numbers
- belonging to a series maturing periodically rather than on a single date
- of, relating to, or being music based on a series of tones in a chosen pattern without regard for traditional tonality
- performing a series of similar acts over a period of time
- occurring in or involving such a series
- 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
- a work appearing (as in a magazine or on television) in parts at intervals
- one part of a serial work : installment
- 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)
- to arrange or publish in serial form
se·ri·al·ism ['sir-ē-ə-,li-zəm] -n
- serial music
- the theory or practice of composing serial music
se·ri·al·ist [-list] -n
- a writer of serials
- a composer of serial music
se·ri·al·ize [-,līz] -vt, n
- to arrange or publish in serial form
serial number -n
- a number indicating place in a series and used as a means of identification
se·ri·ate ['sir-ē-,āt] -vt
- to arrange in a series
- arranged in a series or succession
se·ri·a·tim [,sir-ē-'ā-təm, -'a-] -adv
- in a series
seriatim -adj
- following seriatim
se·ri·ceous [sə-'ri-shəs] -adj
- covered with fine silky hair
ser·i·cin ['ser-ə-sən] -n
- a gelatinous protein that cements the two fibroin filaments in a silk fiber
seri·cul·ture ['ser-ə-,kəl-chər] -n, adj
- the production of raw silk by raising silkworms
se·ries ['sir-(,)ēz] -n
- a number of things or events of the same class coming one after another in spatial or temporal succession
- the hall opened into a series of small rooms
- a set of regularly presented television programs each of which is complete in itself
- the indicated sum of a usu. infinite sequence of numbers
- the coins or currency of a particular country and period
- a group of postage stamps in different denominations
- a succession of volumes or issues published with related subjects or authors, similar format and price, or continuous numbering
- a division of rock formations that is smaller than a system and comprises rocks deposited during an epoch
- a group of chemical compounds related in composition and structure
- an arrangement of the parts of or elements in an electric circuit whereby the whole current passes through each part or element without branching
- a set of vowels connected by ablaut (as i, a, uin ring, rang, rung)
- a number of games (as of baseball) played usu. on consecutive days between two teams
- in town for a 3-game series
- a group of successive coordinate sentence elements joined together
- soil series
- three consecutive games in bowling
ser·if ['ser-əf] -n, adj
- 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
- an original silk-screen color print
se·rin [sə-'raⁿ] -n
- a small yellow and grayish Old World finch ( Serinus serinusof the family Fringillidae) that is related to the canary
ser·ine ['ser-,ēn] -n
- 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
- having a mixture of the serious and the comic
se·ri·ous ['sir-ē-əs] -adj, n
- thoughtful or subdued in appearance or manner : sober
- requiring much thought or work
- of or relating to a matter of importance
- not joking or trifling : being in earnest
- pious
- deeply interested : devoted
- not easily answered or solved
- having important or dangerous possible consequences
- excessive or impressive in quality, quantity, extent, or degree
se·ri·ous·ly -adv
- in a sincere manner : earnestly
- to a serious extent : severely, extremely
se·ri·ousmind·ed [,sir-ē-əs-'mīn-dəd] -adj, adv, n
- having a serious disposition or trend of thought
ser·jeant ['sär-jənt] -n
(variant of sergeant)
- sergeant at arms
- an officer who enforces the judgments of a court or the commands of one in authority
- a noncommissioned officer ranking in the army and marine corps above a corporal and below a staff sergeant
- noncommissioned officer
- 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
- a member of a former class of barristers of the highest rank
ser·mon ['sər-mən] -n, adj
- a religious discourse delivered in public usu. by a clergyman as a part of a worship service
- a speech on conduct or duty
ser·mon·ette [,sər-mə-'net] -n
- a short sermon
ser·mon·ize ['sər-mə-,nīz] -vb, n
- to compose or deliver a sermon
- to speak didactically or dogmatically
- to preach to or on at length
Sermon on the Mount
- an ethical discourse delivered by Jesus and recorded in Matthew 57 and paralleled briefly in Luke 6:2049
sero- -comb form
- serum
se·ro·con·ver·sion [,sir-ō-kən-'vər-zhən, -shən] -n, vi
- the production of antibodies in response to an antigen
se·rol·o·gy [sə-'rä-lə-jē, si-] -n, adj, adv
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- consisting of a mixture of serum and pus
se·ro·sa [sə-'rō-zə] -n, adj
- a usu. enclosing serous membrane
se·ro·ti·nal [sə-'rät-nəl, -'rä-tə-; ,ser-ə-'tī-nᵊl] -adj
- 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
- remaining closed on the tree with seed dissemination delayed or occurring gradually
se·ro·to·ner·gic [,sir-ə-tə-'nər-jik] -adj
- liberating, activated by, or involving serotonin in the transmission of nerve impulses
se·ro·to·nin [,sir-ə-'tō-nən, ,ser-] -n
- 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
- a group of intimately related microorganisms distinguished by a common set of antigens
- the set of antigens characteristic of such a group
se·rous ['sir-əs] -adj
- of, relating to, or resembling serum
- of thin watery constitution
serous membrane -n
- a thin membrane (as the peritoneum) with cells that secrete a serous fluid
- serosa
se·row [sə-'rō] -n
- 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
- a noxious creature that creeps, hisses, or stings
- snake
- devil
- a treacherous person
ser·pen·tine ['sər-pən-,tēn, -,tīn] -adj, adv
- of or resembling a serpent (as in form or movement)
- subtly wily or tempting
- winding or turning one way and another
- having a compound curve whose central curve is convex
serpentine -n
- something that winds sinuously
ser·pen·tine [-,tēn] -n
- 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
- creeping, spreading
- healing over in one portion while continuing to advance in another
ser·ra·nid [sə-'ra-nəd, 'ser-ə-nəd] -n, adj
- 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
- a small very hot chili pepper that is red when mature
ser·rate ['ser-,āt, sə-'rāt] -adj
- notched or toothed on the edge
- having marginal teeth pointing forward or toward the apex
- to mark or make with serrations
ser·ra·tion [sə-'rā-shən, se-] -n
- the condition of being serrate
- a formation resembling the toothed edge of a saw
- one of the teeth in a serrate margin
ser·ried ['ser-ēd] -adj, adv, n
- crowded or pressed together : compact
- the crowd collected in a serried mass -- W. S. Maugham
- marked by ridges : serrate
- the serried contours of the...mountains -- Amer. Guide Series: Oregon
ser·ry ['ser-ē] -vb
- to press together esp. in ranks
- to crowd together
Ser·to·li cell [,sər-'tō-lē-] -n
- one of the elongated striated cells lining the seminiferous tubules that support and apparently nourish the spermatids
Ser·to·man [(,)sər-'tō-mən] -n
- a member of a major international service club
ser·tra·line ['sər-trə-,lēn] -n
- an antidepressant drug C 17H 17NCl 2administered in the form of its hydrochloride and acting to enhance serotonin activity
se·rum ['sir-əm] -n
- : the watery portion of an animal fluid remaining after coagulation:
- blood serum
- antiserum
- whey
- a normal or pathological serous fluid (as in a blister)
- the watery part of a plant fluid
serum -adj
- occurring or found in the blood serum
serum albumin -n
- 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
- a globulin or mixture of globulins occurring in blood serum and containing most of the antibodies of the blood
serum hepatitis -n
- hepatitis b
serum sickness -n
- an allergic reaction to the injection of foreign serum manifested by hives, swelling, eruption, arthritis, and fever
serv -abbr
- service
ser·val ['sər-vəl, (,)sər-'val] -n
- a long-legged African wildcat ( Felis serval) having large ears and a tawny black-spotted coat
ser·vant ['sər-vənt] -n, adj
- one that serves others
- one that performs duties about the person or home of a master or personal employer
serve ['sərv] -vb
- to be a servant
- to do military or naval service
- to assist a celebrant as server at mass
- to be of use
- in a day when few people could write, seals served as signatures -- Elizabeth W. King
- to be favorable, opportune, or convenient
- to be worthy of reliance or trust
- to hold an office : discharge a duty or function
- to prove adequate or satisfactory : suffice
- it will serve for this task
- : to help persons to food: as
- to wait at table
- to set out portions of food or drink
- to wait on customers
- to put the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games (as tennis, volleyball, or badminton)
- to be a servant to : attend
- to give the service and respect due to (a superior)
- to comply with the commands or demands of : gratify
- to give military or naval service to
- to perform the duties of (an office or post)
- to act as server at (mass)
- to pay a lover's or suitor's court to (a lady)
- that gentle lady, whom I love and serve -- Edmund Spenser
- to work through (a term of service)
- to put in (a term of imprisonment)
- to wait on at table
- to bring (food) to a diner
- present, provide usu. used with up
- the novel served up many laughs
- to furnish or supply with something needed or desired
- to wait on (a customer) in a store
- to furnish professional service to
- to answer the needs of
- to be enough for : suffice
- to contribute or conduce to : promote
- to treat or act toward in a specified way
- to bring to notice, deliver, or execute as required by law
- to make legal service upon (a person named in a process)
- to copulate with
- to wind yarn or wire tightly around (a rope or stay) for protection
- to provide services that benefit or help
- to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play (as in tennis or badminton)
- the act or action of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games (as volleyball, badminton, or tennis)
- a turn to serve
serv·er ['sər-vər] -n
- one that serves food or drink
- the player who serves (as in tennis)
- something used in serving food or drink
- one that serves legal processes upon another
- the celebrant's assistant at mass
- 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
- the occupation or function of serving
- employment as a servant
- the work performed by one that serves
- help, use, benefit
- contribution to the welfare of others
- disposal for use
- I'm entirely at your service
- a form followed in worship or in a religious ceremony
- a meeting for worship often used in pl.
- : the act of serving: as
- a helpful act
- useful labor that does not produce a tangible commodity usu. used in pl.
- charge for professional service s
- serve
- a set of articles for a particular use
- an administrative division (as of a government or business)
- one of a nation's military forces (as the army or navy)
- a facility supplying some public demand
- a facility providing maintenance and repair
- the materials (as spun yarn, small lines, or canvas) used for serving a rope
- the act of bringing a legal writ, process, or summons to notice as prescribed by law
- the act of a male animal copulating with a female animal
- a branch of a hospital medical staff devoted to a particular specialty
service -vt, n
- : to perform services for: as
- to repair or provide maintenance for
- to meet interest and sinking fund payments on (as government debt)
- to perform any of the business functions auxiliary to production or distribution of
- serve
- of or relating to the armed services
- used in serving or supplying
- delivery men use the service entrance
- intended for hard or everyday use
- providing services
- the service trades-from filling stations to universities -- John Fischer
- offering repair, maintenance, or incidental services
ser·vice ['sər-vəs] -n
- an Old World tree ( Sorbus domestica) resembling the related mountain ashes but having larger flowers and larger edible fruit
- a related Old World tree ( S. torminalis) with bitter fruits
ser·vice·able ['sər-və-sə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- helpful, useful
- fit for use
- of adequate quality
- her serviceable but not exceptional voice -- Irving Kolodin
ser·vice·ber·ry ['sər-vəs-,ber-ē also 'sär-] -n
- the edible purple or red fruit of any of various No. American trees or shrubs (genus Amelanchier) of the rose family
- a tree or shrub that produces serviceberries and has showy white flowers in the spring called also Juneberry shadblow shadbush
service book -n
- a book setting forth forms of worship used in religious services
service box -n
- the area in which a player stands while serving in various court games (as squash or handball)
service cap -n
- a flat-topped visor cap worn as part of a military uniform
service ceiling -n
- 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
- a fee charged for a particular service often in addition to a standard or basic fee called also service fee
service club -n
- a club of business or professional men or women organized for their common benefit and active in community service
- a recreation center for enlisted personnel provided by one of the armed services
service court -n
- a part of the court into which the ball or shuttlecock must be served
service line -n
- 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
- a male member of the armed forces
- a man employed to repair or maintain equipment
- a gas station attendant
service mark -n
- a mark or device used to identify a service (as transportation or insurance) offered to customers
service medal -n
- a medal awarded to an individual for military service in a specified war or campaign
service module -n
- a space vehicle module that contains oxygen, water, fuel cells, propellant tanks, and the main rocket engine
service road -n
- frontage road
service station -n
- gas station
- a place at which some service is offered
service stripe -n
- 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
- service
ser·vice·wom·an ['sər-vəs-,wu̇-mən] -n
- a woman who is a member of the armed forces
ser·vi·ette [,sər-vē-'et] -n
- a table napkin
ser·vile ['sər-vəl, -,vī(-ə)l] -adj, adv, n
- of or befitting a slave or a menial position
- meanly or cravenly submissive : abject
serving -n
- a helping of food or drink
Ser·vite ['sər-,vīt] -n, adj
- a member of the mendicant Order of Servants of Mary founded in Florence, Italy, in 1233
ser·vi·tor ['sər-və-tər, -,tȯr] -n
- a male servant
ser·vi·tude ['sər-və-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n
- a condition in which one lacks liberty esp. to determine one's course of action or way of life
- 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
- servomotor
- servomechanism
ser·vo·mech·a·nism ['sər-vō-,me-kə-,ni-zəm] -n
- 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
- a power-driven mechanism that supplements a primary control operated by a comparatively feeble force (as in a servomechanism)
SES -abbr
- socioeconomic status
ses·a·me ['se-sə-mē also 'se-zə-] -n
- a widely cultivated chiefly tropical or subtropical annual erect herb ( Sesamum indicumof the family Pedaliaceae)
- its small seeds used esp. as a source of oil and a flavoring agent
- open sesame
sesame oil -n
- 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
- 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
- the Bantu language of the Basotho people
sesqui- -comb form
- one and a half times
- containing half again as many atoms
- intermediate : combination
ses·qui·car·bon·ate [,ses-kwi-'kär-bə-,nāt, -nət] -n
- 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
- sesquicentennial
ses·qui·cen·ten·ni·al [-sen-'te-nē-əl] -n, adj
- a 150th anniversary or its celebration
ses·qui·pe·da·lian [,ses-kwə-pə-'dāl-yən] -adj
- having many syllables : long
- given to or characterized by the use of long words
- a sesquipedalian television commentator
ses·qui·ter·pene [,ses-kwə-'tər-,pēn] -n
- any of a class of terpenes C 15H 24
- a derivative of such a terpene
sess -abbr
- session
ses·sile ['se-,sī(-ə)l, -səl] -adj
- attached directly by the base : not raised upon a stalk or peduncle
- permanently attached or established : not free to move about
- sessile sponges and coral polyps
ses·sion ['se-shən] -n, adj
- a meeting or series of meetings of a body (as a court or legislature) for the transaction of business
- a sitting of English justices of peace in execution of the powers conferred by their commissions
- an English court holding such sessions
- any of various courts similar to the English sessions
- the period between the first meeting of a legislative or judicial body and the prorogation or final adjournment
- the ruling body of a Presbyterian congregation consisting of the elders in active service
- the period during the year or day in which a school conducts classes
- a meeting or period devoted to a particular activity
session -adj
- employed to perform at recording sessions
ses·terce ['ses-,tərs] -n
- an ancient Roman coin equal to denarius
ses·ter·tium [se-'stər-sh(ē-)əm] -n
- a unit of value in ancient Rome equal to 1000 sesterces
ses·tet [ses-'tet] -n
- a stanza or a poem of six lines
- the last six lines of an Italian sonnet
ses·ti·na [se-'stē-nə] -n
- 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
- to cause to sit : place in or on a seat
- to put (a fowl) on eggs to hatch them
- to put (eggs) for hatching under a fowl or into an incubator
- to place (oneself) in position to start running in a race
- to place with care or deliberate purpose and with relative stability
- set a ladder against the wall
- transplant
- to make (as a trap) ready to catch prey
- to fix (a hook) firmly into the jaw of a fish
- to put aside (as dough containing yeast) for fermenting
- to direct with fixed attention
- to cause to assume a specified condition, relation, or occupation
- to cause the start of
- to appoint or assign to an office or duty
- post, station
- to cause to assume a specified posture or position
- to fix as a distinguishing imprint, sign, or appearance
- the years have set their mark on him
- affix
- apply
- to fix or decide on as a time, limit, or regulation : prescribe
- set the rules for the game
- to establish as the highest level or best performance
- set a record for the half mile
- to furnish as a pattern or model
- set an example of generosity
- to allot as a task
- setting lessons for the children to work upon at home -- Manchester Examiner
- to adjust (a device and esp. a measuring device) to a desired position
- to adjust (as a clock) in conformity with a standard
- to restore to normal position or connection when dislocated or fractured
- to spread to the wind
- to put in order for use
- to make scenically ready for a performance
- to arrange (type) for printing
- to put into type or its equivalent (as on film)
- set the first word in italic
- to put a fine edge on by grinding or honing
- to bend slightly the tooth points of (a saw) alternately in opposite directions
- to sink (the head of a nail) below the surface
- to fix in a desired position (as by heating or stretching)
- to arrange (hair) in a desired style by using implements (as curlers, rollers, or clips) and gels or lotions
- to adorn with something affixed or infixed : stud, dot
- to fix (as a precious stone) in a border of metal : place in a setting
- to place in a specified literary or dramatic setting
- to hold something in regard or esteem at the rate of
- set s a great deal by daily exercise
- to place in a relative rank or category
- to fix at a certain amount
- value, rate
- their promises were set at naught
- to place as an estimate of worth
- to place in relation for comparison or balance
- theory set against practice
- to direct to action
- to incite to attack or antagonism
- war set s brother against brother
- to place by transporting
- was set ashore on the island
- to put in motion
- to put and fix in a direction
- set our faces toward home once more
- to point out the position of (game) by holding a fixed attitude
- to defeat (an opponent or a contract) in bridge
- to fix firmly : make immobile : give rigid form or condition to
- set her jaw in determination
- to make unyielding or obstinate
- to cause to become firm or solid
- to cause (as fruit or seed) to develop
- sit
- to be becoming : be suitable : fit
- to cover and warm eggs to hatch them
- to affect one with or as if with weight
- the pudding set s heavily on my stomach
- to place oneself in position in preparation for an action (as running)
- to undergo development usu. as a result of pollination
- to pass below the horizon : go down
- to come to an end
- this century set s with little mirth -- Thomas Fuller
- to apply oneself to some activity
- to have a specified direction in motion : flow, tend
- the wind was setting from Pine Hill to the farm -- Esther Forbes
- to indicate the position of game by crouching or pointing
- to dance face to face with another in a square dance
- set to your partner and turn
- to become solid or thickened by chemical or physical alteration
- to become permanent
- to become whole by growing together
- the act or action of setting
- the condition of being set
- a number of things of the same kind that belong or are used together
- mental inclination, tendency, or habit : bent
- a state of psychological preparedness to perceive or respond to an anticipated stimulus or situation
- direction of flow
- form or carriage of the body or of its parts
- her face took on a cynical set -- Raymond Kennedy
- the manner of fitting or of being placed or suspended
- in order to give the skirt a pretty set -- Mary J. Howell
- amount of deflection from a straight line
- permanent change of form (as of metal) due to repeated or excessive stress
- the act or result of arranging hair by curling or waving
- a young plant or rooted cutting ready for transplanting
- a small bulb, corm, or tuber or a piece of tuber used for propagation
- the blossoms of a plant that have set fruit as a result of fertilization
- the burrow of a badger
- the width of the body of a piece of type
- an artificial setting for a scene of a theatrical or film production
- a rectangular paving stone of sandstone or granite
- 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
- a collection of books or periodicals forming a unit
- a clutch of eggs
- the basic formation in a country-dance or square dance
- a session of music (as jazz or dance music) usu. followed by an intermission
- the music played at one session
- a group of persons associated by common interests
- a collection of elements and esp. mathematical ones (as numbers or points) called also class
- an apparatus of electronic components assembled so as to function as a unit
- a usu. offensive formation in football or basketball
- a group of a specific number of repetitions of a particular exercise
- intent, determined
- intentional, premeditated
- fixed by authority or appointment : prescribed, specified
- reluctant to change
- immovable, rigid
- built-in
- settled, persistent
- being in readiness : prepared
- set for an early morning start
se·ta ['sē-tə] -n, adj
- a slender usu. rigid or bristly and springy organ or part of an animal or plant
se·ta·ceous [si-'tā-shəs] -adj
- set with or consisting of bristles
- resembling a bristle in form or texture
setaside ['set-ə-,sīd] -n
- something (as a portion of receipts or production) that is set aside for a specified purpose
- a program requiring a percentage of opportunities (as for jobs or funding) to be reserved for an underrepresented group
set·back ['set-,bak] -n
- a checking of progress
- defeat, reverse
- pitch
- 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
- the area produced by a setback
- automatic scheduled adjustment to a lower temperature setting of a thermostat
- the distance of a structure or other feature (as a well or septic system) from the property line or other feature
set back -vt
- to slow the progress of : hinder, delay
- cost
- a new suit will set you back 200
set by -vt
- to set apart for future use
set down -vt
- to cause to sit down : seat
- to place at rest on a surface or on the ground
- to suspend (a jockey) from racing
- to cause or allow to get off a vehicle : deliver
- to land (an airplane) on the ground or water
- ordain, establish
- to put in writing
- regard, consider
- attribute
se te·nant [sə-'te-nənt, sē-; ,se-tə-'näⁿ] -adj
- joined together as in the original sheet but differing in design, overprint, color, or perforation
Seth ['seth] -n
- a son of Adam and Eve
setin ['set-'in] -adj
- placed, located, or built as a part of some other construction
- cut separately and stitched in
- insert
set in -vt
- insert
- to stitch (a small part) within a large article
- set in a sleeve of a dress
- to become established
set·line ['set-,līn] -n
- a long heavy fishing line to which several hooks are attached in series
set·off ['set-,ȯf] -n
- : something that is set off against another thing:
- decoration, ornament
- compensation, counterbalance
- 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)
- the offsetting claim itself
- offset
set off -vt
- to put in relief : show up by contrast
- adorn, embellish
- to set apart : make distinct or outstanding
- offset, compensate
- more variety in the Lancashire weather to set off its most disagreeable phases -- Geog. Jour.
- to make a setoff of
- the respective totals shall be set off against one another -- O. R. Hobson
- to set in motion : cause to begin
- to cause to explode
- to measure off on a surface
- to start out on a course or a journey
set on -vt
- attack
- promote
- to urge (as a dog) to attack or pursue
- to incite to action : instigate
- to set to work
- go on, advance
se·tose ['sē-,tōs] -adj
- setaceous, bristly
set·out ['set-,au̇t] -n
- array, display
- arrangement, layout
- buffet, spread
- turnout
- party, entertainment
- beginning, outset
set out -vt
- to arrange and present graphically or systematically
- to mark out (as a design) : lay out the plan of
- to state, describe, or recite at length
- distributed copies of a pamphlet setting out his ideas in full -- S. F. Mason
- to begin with a definite purpose : intend, undertake
- to start out on a course, a journey, or a career
- set out across the country
set piece -n, adj
- a composition (as in literature, art, or music) executed in a fixed or ideal form often with studied artistry and brilliant effect
- a scene, depiction, speech, or event that is obviously designed to have an imposing effect
- a realistic piece of stage scenery standing by itself
- a precisely planned and conducted military operation
- an offensive set piece that caught the enemy off guard
set point -n
- a situation (as in tennis) in which one player will win the set by winning the next point
- the point won
- the level or point at which a variable physiological state (as body temperature or weight) tends to stabilize
set·screw ['set-,skrü] -n
- a screw screwed through one part tightly upon or into another part to prevent relative movement
- a screw for regulating a valve opening or a spring tension
set shot -n
- a two-handed shot in basketball taken from a stationary position
sett ['set] -vb
(variant of set)
- to cause to sit : place in or on a seat
- to put (a fowl) on eggs to hatch them
- to put (eggs) for hatching under a fowl or into an incubator
- to place (oneself) in position to start running in a race
- to place with care or deliberate purpose and with relative stability
- set a ladder against the wall
- transplant
- to make (as a trap) ready to catch prey
- to fix (a hook) firmly into the jaw of a fish
- to put aside (as dough containing yeast) for fermenting
- to direct with fixed attention
- to cause to assume a specified condition, relation, or occupation
- to cause the start of
- to appoint or assign to an office or duty
- post, station
- to cause to assume a specified posture or position
- to fix as a distinguishing imprint, sign, or appearance
- the years have set their mark on him
- affix
- apply
- to fix or decide on as a time, limit, or regulation : prescribe
- set the rules for the game
- to establish as the highest level or best performance
- set a record for the half mile
- to furnish as a pattern or model
- set an example of generosity
- to allot as a task
- setting lessons for the children to work upon at home -- Manchester Examiner
- to adjust (a device and esp. a measuring device) to a desired position
- to adjust (as a clock) in conformity with a standard
- to restore to normal position or connection when dislocated or fractured
- to spread to the wind
- to put in order for use
- to make scenically ready for a performance
- to arrange (type) for printing
- to put into type or its equivalent (as on film)
- set the first word in italic
- to put a fine edge on by grinding or honing
- to bend slightly the tooth points of (a saw) alternately in opposite directions
- to sink (the head of a nail) below the surface
- to fix in a desired position (as by heating or stretching)
- to arrange (hair) in a desired style by using implements (as curlers, rollers, or clips) and gels or lotions
- to adorn with something affixed or infixed : stud, dot
- to fix (as a precious stone) in a border of metal : place in a setting
- to place in a specified literary or dramatic setting
- to hold something in regard or esteem at the rate of
- set s a great deal by daily exercise
- to place in a relative rank or category
- to fix at a certain amount
- value, rate
- their promises were set at naught
- to place as an estimate of worth
- to place in relation for comparison or balance
- theory set against practice
- to direct to action
- to incite to attack or antagonism
- war set s brother against brother
- to place by transporting
- was set ashore on the island
- to put in motion
- to put and fix in a direction
- set our faces toward home once more
- to point out the position of (game) by holding a fixed attitude
- to defeat (an opponent or a contract) in bridge
- to fix firmly : make immobile : give rigid form or condition to
- set her jaw in determination
- to make unyielding or obstinate
- to cause to become firm or solid
- to cause (as fruit or seed) to develop
- sit
- to be becoming : be suitable : fit
- to cover and warm eggs to hatch them
- to affect one with or as if with weight
- the pudding set s heavily on my stomach
- to place oneself in position in preparation for an action (as running)
- to undergo development usu. as a result of pollination
- to pass below the horizon : go down
- to come to an end
- this century set s with little mirth -- Thomas Fuller
- to apply oneself to some activity
- to have a specified direction in motion : flow, tend
- the wind was setting from Pine Hill to the farm -- Esther Forbes
- to indicate the position of game by crouching or pointing
- to dance face to face with another in a square dance
- set to your partner and turn
- to become solid or thickened by chemical or physical alteration
- to become permanent
- to become whole by growing together
- the act or action of setting
- the condition of being set
- a number of things of the same kind that belong or are used together
- mental inclination, tendency, or habit : bent
- a state of psychological preparedness to perceive or respond to an anticipated stimulus or situation
- direction of flow
- form or carriage of the body or of its parts
- her face took on a cynical set -- Raymond Kennedy
- the manner of fitting or of being placed or suspended
- in order to give the skirt a pretty set -- Mary J. Howell
- amount of deflection from a straight line
- permanent change of form (as of metal) due to repeated or excessive stress
- the act or result of arranging hair by curling or waving
- a young plant or rooted cutting ready for transplanting
- a small bulb, corm, or tuber or a piece of tuber used for propagation
- the blossoms of a plant that have set fruit as a result of fertilization
- the burrow of a badger
- the width of the body of a piece of type
- an artificial setting for a scene of a theatrical or film production
- a rectangular paving stone of sandstone or granite
- 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
- a collection of books or periodicals forming a unit
- a clutch of eggs
- the basic formation in a country-dance or square dance
- a session of music (as jazz or dance music) usu. followed by an intermission
- the music played at one session
- a group of persons associated by common interests
- a collection of elements and esp. mathematical ones (as numbers or points) called also class
- an apparatus of electronic components assembled so as to function as a unit
- a usu. offensive formation in football or basketball
- a group of a specific number of repetitions of a particular exercise
- intent, determined
- intentional, premeditated
- fixed by authority or appointment : prescribed, specified
- reluctant to change
- immovable, rigid
- built-in
- settled, persistent
- being in readiness : prepared
- set for an early morning start
set·tee [se-'tē] -n
- a long seat with a back
- a medium-sized sofa with arms and a back
set·ter ['se-tər] -n
- one that sets
- a large bird dog (as an Irish setter) of a type trained to point on finding game
set theory -n, adj
- a branch of mathematics or of symbolic logic that deals with the nature and relations of sets
setting -n
- the manner, position, or direction in which something is set
- the frame or bed in which a gem is set
- style of mounting
- the time, place, and circumstances in which something occurs or develops
- the time and place of the action of a literary, dramatic, or cinematic work
- the scenery used in a theatrical or film production
- the music composed for a text (as a poem)
- the articles of tableware for setting a place at table
- two setting s of sterling silver
- a batch of eggs for incubation
setting circle -n
- a graduated scale or wheel on the mounting of an equatorial telescope for indicating right ascension or declination
settingup exercise -n
- 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
- to place so as to stay
- to establish in residence
- to furnish with inhabitants : colonize
- to cause to pack down
- to clarify by causing dregs or impurities to sink
- to make quiet or orderly
- to fix or resolve conclusively
- to establish or secure permanently
- settle the order of royal succession
- to conclude (a lawsuit) by agreement between parties usu. out of court
- to close (as an account) by payment often of less than is due
- to arrange in a desired position
- to make or arrange for final disposition of
- impregnate
- to come to rest
- to sink gradually or to the bottom
- to become clear by the deposit of sediment or scum
- to become compact by sinking
- to become fixed, resolved, or established
- a cold settled in his chest
- to establish a residence or colony often used with down
- to become quiet or orderly
- to take up an ordered or stable life often used with down
- to adjust differences or accounts
- to come to a decision used with on or upon
- to conclude a lawsuit by agreement out of court
- conceive
settle -n
- 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
- the act or process of settling
- an act of bestowing or giving possession under legal sanction
- the sum, estate, or income secured to one by such a settlement
- occupation by settlers
- a place or region newly settled
- a small village
- settlement house
- an agreement composing differences
- payment or adjustment of an account
settlement house -n
- an institution providing various community services esp. to large city populations
set·tler ['set-lər, 'se-tᵊl-ər] -n
- one that settles (as a new region)
settling -n
- sediment, dregs usu. used in pl.
set·tlor ['set-,lȯr, 'se-tᵊl-,ȯr] -n
- one that makes a settlement or creates a trust of property
setto ['set-,tü] -n
- a usu. brief and vigorous fight or debate
set to -vi
- to begin actively and earnestly
- to begin fighting
set·up ['set-,əp] -n
- carriage of the body
- erect and soldierly bearing
- constitution, makeup
- the assembly and arrangement of the tools and apparatus required for the performance of an operation
- the preparation and adjustment of machines for an assigned task
- a table setting
- glass, ice, and mixer served to patrons who supply their own liquor
- a camera position from which a scene is filmed
- the footage taken from one camera position
- the final arrangement of the scenery and properties for a scene of a theatrical or cinematic production
- a position of the balls in billiards or pool from which it is easy to score
- a task or contest purposely made easy
- something easy to get or accomplish
- something (as a plot) that has been constructed or contrived
- the execution of a planned scoring play in sports
- the manner in which the elements or components of a machine, apparatus, or mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system are arranged, designed, or assembled
- the patterns within which political, social, or administrative forces operate : customary or established practice
- project, plan
- something done by deceit or trickery in order to compromise or frame someone
set up -vt
- to raise to and place in a high position
- to place in view : post
- to put forward (as a plan) for acceptance
- to place upright : erect
- to assemble the parts of and erect in position
- to put (a machine) in readiness or adjustment for an operation
- cause, create
- bring about
- to place in power or in office
- set up the general as dictator
- to raise from depression : elate, gratify
- to make proud or vain
- to put forward or extol as a model
- to claim oneself to be
- sets himself up as an authority
- found, inaugurate
- to provide with means of making a living
- to bring or restore to normal health
- to cause (one) to take on a soldierly or athletic appearance esp. through drill
- to erect (a perpendicular or a figure) on a base in a drawing
- to make taut (a stay or hawser)
- to tighten firmly
- to make carefully worked out plans for
- to pay for (drinks)
- to treat (someone) to something
- to put in a compromising or dangerous position usu. by trickery or deceit
- frame
- to execute one or more plays in preparation for scoring
- to come into active operation or use
- to begin business
- to make pretensions
- has never set up to be a wise man -- Thomas Rogers
- to become firm or consolidated
sev·en ['se-vən, 'se-bᵊm] -n, adj, pron, pl in constr
- the seventh in a set or series
- something having seven units or members
sev·en·fold [-,fōld] -adj, adv
- having seven units or members
- being seven times as great or as many
seven seas -n pl
- all the waters or oceans of the world
seventeenyear locust -n
- 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
- a musical interval embracing seven diatonic degrees
- a tone at this interval
- leading tone
- the harmonic combination of two tones a seventh apart
seventh chord -n
- a chord comprising a fundamental tone with its third, fifth, and seventh
SeventhDay -adj
- advocating or practicing observance of Saturday as the Sabbath
seventh heaven -n
- a state of extreme joy
sev·en·ty ['se-vən-tē, 'se-bᵊm-, -dē] -n, adj or n, adj, pron, pl in constr
- the numbers 70 to 79
- the years 70 to 79 in a lifetime or century
- 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
- a phonograph record designed to be played at 78 revolutions per minute usu. written 78
sev·enup [,se-və-'nəp, ,se-bᵊm-'əp] -n
- an American variety of all fours in which a total of seven points constitutes game
sev·er ['se-vər] -vb
- to put or keep apart : divide
- to remove (as a part) by or as if by cutting
- to become separated
sev·er·able ['sev-rə-bəl, 'se-və-] -adj, n
- capable of being severed
- capable of being divided into legally independent rights or obligations
sev·er·al ['sev-rəl, 'se-və-] -adj
- separate or distinct from one another
- federal union of the several states
- individually owned or controlled : exclusive
- of or relating separately to each individual involved
- being separate and distinctive : respective
- specialists in their several fields
- more than one
- more than two but fewer than many
- being a great many
several -pron, pl in constr
- an indefinite number more than two and fewer than many
sev·er·al·fold [,sev-rəl-'fōld, ,se-və-] -adj, adv
- having several parts or aspects
- 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
- one at a time : each by itself : separately
- apart from others : independently
sev·er·al·ty ['sev-rəl-tē, 'se-və-] -n
- the quality or state of being several : distinctness, separateness
- a sole, separate, and exclusive possession, dominion, or ownership : one's own right without a joint interest in any other person
- the quality or state of being individual or particular
- land owned in severalty
- the quality or state of being held in severalty
sev·er·ance ['sev-rən(t)s, 'se-və-] -n
- the act or process of severing : the state of being severed
severance pay -n
- an allowance usu. based on length of service that is payable to an employee on termination of employment
severance tax -n
- 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
- strict in judgment, discipline, or government
- of a strict or stern bearing or manner : austere
- rigorous in restraint, punishment, or requirement : stringent, restrictive
- strongly critical or condemnatory : censorious
- maintaining a scrupulously exacting standard of behavior or self-discipline
- establishing exacting standards of accuracy and integrity in intellectual processes
- sober or restrained in decoration or manner : plain
- inflicting physical discomfort or hardship : harsh
- inflicting pain or distress : grievous
- requiring great effort : arduous
- of a great degree : serious
severe acute respiratory syndrome -n
- sars
severe combined immunodeficiency -n
- 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
- 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
- an often elaborately decorated French porcelain
sev·ru·ga [sə-'vrü-gə, se-] -n
- a light to dark gray caviar from a sturgeon ( Acipenser sevru) of the Caspian Sea with roe that is smaller than that of osetra
- the fish
sew ['sō] -vb, n, adj
- to unite or fasten by stitches
- to close or enclose by sewing
- to practice or engage in sewing
sew·age ['sü-ij] -n
- refuse liquids or waste matter usu. carried off by sewers
sew·er ['sü-ər, 'su̇r] -n
- a medieval household officer often of high rank in charge of serving the dishes at table and sometimes of seating and tasting
- one that sews
- 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
- the removal and disposal of sewage and surface water by sewers
- a system of sewers
- sewage
sewing -n
- the act, method, or occupation of one that sews
- material that has been or is to be sewed
sew up -vt
- to mend completely by sewing
- to get exclusive use or control of
- to make certain of : be assured of
- the team sewed up the division title
sex ['seks] -n
- 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
- 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
- sexually motivated phenomena or behavior
- sexual intercourse
- genitalia
- to identify the sex of
- to increase the sexual appeal of often used with up
- to arouse the sexual desires of
sex act -n
- coitus used with the
- an act performed with another for sexual gratification
sex·a·ge·nar·i·an [,sek-sə-jə-'ner-ē-ən] -n, adj
- a person whose age is in the sixties
sex·a·ges·i·mal [-'je-sə-məl] -adj
- of, relating to, or based on the number 60
sexagesimal -n
- a sexagesimal fraction
sex appeal -n
- personal appeal or physical attractiveness esp. for members of the opposite sex
- stimulating attractiveness
sex cell -n
- gamete
- its cellular precursor
sex chromatin -n
- barr body
sex chromosome -n
- 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
- having sex or sexual instincts
- having sex appeal
sex gland -n
- gonad
sex hormone -n
- 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
- prejudice or discrimination based on sex
- discrimination against women
- behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex
sex kitten -n
- a young woman with conspicuous sex appeal
sex·less ['seks-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- lacking sex : neuter
- devoid of sexual interest or activity
sexlim·it·ed ['seks-'li-mə-təd] -adj
- expressed in the phenotype of only one sex
sexlink·age [-,liŋ-kij] -n
- the quality or state of being sex-linked
sexlinked [-,liŋ(k)t] -adj
- located on a sex chromosome
- mediated by a sex-linked gene
sex object -n
- a person regarded esp. exclusively as an object of sexual interest
sex·ol·o·gy [sek-'sä-lə-jē] -n
- the study of sex or of the interaction of the sexes esp. among human beings
sex·ploi·ta·tion [,seks-,plȯi-'tā-shən] -n
- the exploitation of sex in the media and esp. in film
sex·pot ['seks-,pät] -n
- a conspicuously sexy woman
sex symbol -n
- a usu. renowned person (as an entertainer) noted and admired for conspicuous sex appeal
sext ['sekst] -n
- the fourth of the canonical hours
Sex·tans ['seks-,tanz] -n
- a constellation on the equator south of Leo
sex·tant ['seks-tənt] -n
- 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
- a musical composition for six instruments or voices
- : a group or set of six: as
- the performers of a sextet
- a hockey team
sex·to ['seks-(,)tō] -n
- sixmo
sex·to·dec·i·mo [,seks-tə-'de-sə-,mō] -n
- sixteenmo
sex·ton ['seks-tən] -n
- 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
- having six units or members
- being six times as great or as many
- marked by six beats per measure of music
sextuple [-p(ə-)liŋ] -vb
- to make six times as much or as many
- to become six times as much or as numerous
sex·tu·plet [seks-'tə-plət, -'tü-; -'tyü-; 'seks-t(y)ə-] -n
- a combination of six of a kind
- one of six offspring born at one birth
- 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
- repeated six times
- sixth
- file the sextuplicate copy
- sextuple
- to provide in sextuplicate
sex·u·al ['sek-sh(ə-)wəl, 'sek-shəl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or associated with sex or the sexes
- having or involving sex
sexual assault -n
- 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
- the generation of an organism with alternation of generations that reproduces sexually
sexual harassment -n
- 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
- heterosexual intercourse involving penetration of the vagina by the penis : coitus
- 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
- : the quality or state of being sexual:
- the condition of having sex
- sexual activity
- expression of sexual receptivity or interest esp. when excessive
sex·u·al·ize ['sek-sh(ə-)wə-,līz, 'sek-shə-,līz] -vt
- to make sexual : endow with a sexual character or cast
sexual relations -n pl
- sexual intercourse
sexual selection -n
- natural selection for characters that confer success in competition for a mate as distinguished from competition with other species
- the choice of a mate based on a preference for certain characteristics (as color or bird song)
sex worker -n
- a person whose work involves sexually explicit behavior
- prostitute
sexy ['sek-sē] -adj, adv, n
- sexually suggestive or stimulating : erotic
- generally attractive or interesting : appealing
Sey·fert galaxy ['sē-fərt- also 'sī-] -n
- 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