S

(213 words)

sack

noun

[ C ] a large bag made of strong cloth, paper, or plastic, used to store large amounts of something:

sacred

considered to be holy and deserving respect, especially because of a connection with a god:

connected with religion:

sacrifice

GIVE UP

verb

[ T ] to give up something that is valuable to you in order to help another person:

GIVING UP

noun [ C or U ]

the act of giving up something that is valuable to you in order to help someone else:

safe

adjective

PLACE

(of a place) where something is not likely to be lost or stolen:

NO RISK

used to refer to things that do not involve any risk:

in safe hands

being cared for or dealt with by someone skilled:

satisfactorily

satisfied

adjective

[ after verb, + , that ] If you are satisfied that something is true, you believe it:

satisfy conditions/needs/requirements

to have or provide something that is needed or wanted:

saving

noun

[ C ] an amount of money that you do not need to spend:

easier said than done

informal

said when something seems like a good idea but would be difficult to do:

to say the least

used to show that what you are describing is in fact much more serious or important than you have suggested:

needless to say

as you would expect; added to, or used to introduce, a remark giving information that is expected and not surprising:

it’s safe to say (that)

used to say that you are confident about what you are going to say:

saying

noun [ C ]

a well-known wise statement that often has a meaning that is different from the simple meanings of the words it contains:

scan

LOOK

verb

[ I + adv/prep, T ] to look through a text quickly in order to find a piece of information that you want or to get a general idea of what the text contains:

MAKE PICTURE

[ I or T ] to use a machine to put a picture of a document into a computer, or to take a picture of the inside of something:

scar

noun [ C ]

a sign of damage to a person’s mental state:

scarce

adjective

not easy to find or get:

scare

verb [ I or T ]

to (make a person or animal) feel frightened:

scare sb/sth away/off

to make a person or an animal so frightened that he, she, or it goes away:

scenic

adjective

having or allowing you to see beautiful natural features:

scholar

noun [ C ]

a person who studies a subject in great detail, especially at a university:

scholarship

noun

[ C ] an amount of money given by a school, college, university, or other organization to pay for the studies of a person with great ability but little money:

scope

noun [ U ]

the range of a subject covered by a book, programme, discussion, class, etc.:

from scratch

from the beginning, without using anything that already exists:

search

verb

[ I ] to try to find the answer to a problem:

out of season

If fruit and vegetables are out of season, they do not grow in the area during that time:

secretary

noun [ C ]

the member of a committee of an organization, club, etc. who keeps records of meetings, sends letters, emails, etc.:

sector

noun [ C ]

one of the areas into which the economic activity of a country is divided:

security

noun

[ U ] the fact that something is not likely to fail or be lost:

see

verb

[ T often passive ] to be the time or place when something happens:

you see

used when you hope someone else will understand what you are saying or asking:

wait and see

to wait to discover what will happen:

seemingly

adverb

appearing to be something, especially when this is not true:

selective

adjective

intentionally choosing some things and not others:

self

noun

the set of someone’s characteristics, such as personality and ability, that are not physical and make that person different from other people:

self-catering

adjective

(of a holiday) having cooking facilities available so that you can cook meals for yourself rather than having them provided for you:

self-conscious

adjective

nervous or uncomfortable because you are worried about what people think about you or your actions:

self-esteem

noun [ U ]

belief and confidence in your own ability and value:

selfishness

noun [ U ] disapproving

the quality of thinking only of your own advantage:

semi-detached

adjective

A house that is semi-detached is one that is joined to another similar house on only one side:

sensational

adjective

disapproving Sensational news reports and articles are intended to be shocking and exciting rather than serious:

in a sense/in one sense

thinking about something in one way, but not in every way:

sensibly

adverb

in a sensible or practical way:

sensitivity

noun

KINDNESS

[ C or U ] an ability to understand what other people need, and be helpful and kind to them:

UPSETTING

[ U or C usually pl ] the quality of being easily upset by the things people say or do, or causing people to be upset, embarrassed, or angry:

serial

adjective [ before noun ]

used to describe a person who repeatedly commits a similar crime or carries out a similar bad act, or the crime or act itself:

noun [ C ]

a story on television or radio or in a newspaper, etc. that is broadcast or printed in separate parts:

serve

WORK

verb

[ I or T ] to work for; to do your duty to:

HELP ACHIEVE

[ I or T ] to help achieve something or to be useful as something:

service

noun

[ C or U ] work that someone does or time that someone spends working for an organization:

set

adjective

[ after verb ] ready and prepared:

setback

noun [ C ]

something that happens that delays or prevents a process from developing:

settle

verb

[ I ] to move to a lower level and stay there; to drop:

settle down

to start living in a place where you intend to stay for a long time, usually with your partner:

settle in

to become familiar with somewhere new, such as a new house, job, or school, and to feel comfortable and happy there:

settlement

noun

[ C or U ] an official agreement that finishes an argument:

sewing

noun [ U ]

the skill or activity of making or repairing clothes or other things made from cloth:

sexual

adjective

relating to being male or female:

shabby

adjective

looking old and in bad condition because of being used for a long time or not being cared for:

shake sth up

to cause large changes in something such as an organization, usually in order to make improvements:

shame

noun

[ U ] an uncomfortable feeling of guilt or of being ashamed because of your own or someone else’s bad behaviour:

shameful

adjective disapproving

deserving blame, or being a reason for feeling ashamed:

sharp

CLEAR

adjective

clear; easy to see or understand:

SUDDENLY

adverb

suddenly or immediately:

EXACTLY

exactly at the stated time:

shed tears, blood, light, etc.

to produce tears, light, blood, etc.:

sheer

adjective

[ before noun ] used to emphasize how very great, important, or powerful a quality or feeling is; nothing except:

shield

verb [ T ]

to protect someone or something:

shift

MOVE/CHANGE

verb

[ I or T ] to (cause something or someone to) move or change from one position or direction to another, especially slightly:

[ I ] (of an idea, opinion, etc.) to change:

CHANGE

noun

[ C ] a change in position or direction:

shine with sth

If a person’s eyes or face shine with a quality, you can see that quality in them very strongly:

shoot

verb

[ I or T ] to use a camera to record a video or take a photograph:

at short notice

uk us on short notice

only a short time before something happens:

in short

used before describing something or someone in as few words and as directly as possible:

shorten

verb [ I or T ]

to become shorter or to make something shorter:

show

verb

[ I ] to be easy to see or notice:

on show

Something that is on show has been made available for the public to look at:

shuttle

noun [ C ]

a vehicle or aircraft that travels regularly between two places:

shyness

noun [ U ]

the condition of being shy:

look on the bright side

to find good things in a bad situation:

side effect

noun [ C ]

an unpleasant effect of a drug that happens in addition to the main effect:

significance

noun [ U ]

importance:

similarly

adverb

in a similar way:

simplicity

noun [ U ]

the fact that something is easy to understand or do:

simplify

verb [ T ]

to make something less complicated and therefore easier to do or understand:

simulation

noun

[ C or U ] a model of a set of problems or events that can be used to teach someone how to do something, or the process of making such a model:

simultaneous

adjective

happening or being done at exactly the same time:

sincere

adjective

(of a person, feelings, or behaviour) not pretending or lying; honest:

sip

verb [ I or T ]

to drink, taking only a very small amount at a time:

on site

inside a factory, office building, etc.:

sketch

noun [ C ]

SIMPLE SHAPE/FORM

a simple, quickly-made drawing that does not have many details:

HUMOROUS PERFORMANCE

a short, humorous part of a longer show on stage, television, or radio:

skilful

adjective

done or made very well:

skip

verb

[ I or T ] to leave one thing or place, especially quickly, in order to go to another:

slang

noun [ U ]

very informal language that is usually spoken rather than written, used especially by particular groups of people:

slavery

noun [ U ]

the activity of having slaves or the condition of being a slave:

sleepless

adjective [ before noun ]

without any sleep:

sleepy

adjective

A sleepy place is quiet and without much activity or excitement:

slippery

adjective

If something is slippery, it is wet or smooth so that it slides easily or causes something to slide:

slogan

noun [ C ]

a short easily remembered phrase, especially one used to advertise an idea or a product:

slot

noun [ C ]

LONG HOLE

a long, narrow hole, especially one for putting coins into or for fitting a separate piece into:

AMOUNT OF TIME

an amount of time that is officially allowed for a single event in a planned order of activities or events:

smart

adjective

A smart machine, weapon, etc. uses computers to make it work so that it is able to act in an independent way:

smog

noun [ S or U ]

a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals, especially in cities, that makes the atmosphere difficult to breathe and harmful for health:

to do so

to act in the way mentioned:

so as not to

in order not to:

soak

verb

[ I + adv/prep, T ] to make something very wet, or (of liquid) to be absorbed in large amounts:

soaring

adjective

rising very quickly to a high level:

sole

adjective [ before noun ]

being one only; single:

not shared with anyone else:

solely

adverb

only and not involving anyone or anything else:

solicitor

noun [ C ]

a type of lawyer in Britain and Australia who is trained to prepare cases and give advice on legal subjects and can represent people in lower courts:

solid

adjective

HARD

A solid metal or colour is pure and does not have anything else mixed together with it:

NOT LIQUID/GAS

not liquid or gas:

solidarity

noun [ U ]

agreement between and support for the members of a group, especially a political group:

solitude

noun [ U ]

the situation of being alone without other people:

somewhat

adverb formal

to some degree:

no sooner … than

used to show that one thing happens immediately after another thing:

source

noun [ C ]

someone or something that supplies information:

sow

verb

[ I or T ] to put seeds in or on the ground so that plants will grow:

soya

noun [ U ]

soya beans as a crop

approving

adjective formal

large and with a lot of space:

spam

noun [ U ]

unwanted email, usually advertisements:

spare

verb

[ T ] to give time, money, or space to someone, especially when it is difficult for you:

to spare

left over or more than you need:

sparkling

adjective

energetic and interesting:

speciality

PRODUCT

noun [ C ]

us specialty a product that is extremely good in a particular place:

SUBJECT

us specialty a subject that someone knows a lot about

BEHAVIOUR

humorous a particular thing that you regularly do or make:

specific

adjective

clear and exact:

specifically

adverb

FOR ONE PURPOSE

for a particular reason, purpose, etc.:

EXACTLY

clearly, exactly, or in detail:

specification

noun [ C or U ]

a detailed description of how something should be done, made, etc.:

spectrum

noun [ C ]

a range of different positions, opinions, etc. between two extreme points:

speculation

noun [ C or U ]

the activity of guessing possible answers to a question without having enough information to be certain:

speechless

adjective

unable to speak because you are so angry, shocked, surprised, etc.:

up to speed

If you are up to speed with a subject or activity, you have all the latest information about it and are able to do it well:

sphere

noun [ C ]

a subject or area of knowledge, work, etc.:

spin

verb

[ I or T ] to (cause to) turn around and around, especially fast:

spine

noun [ C ]

the line of bones down the centre of the back that provides support for the body and protects the spinal cord:

spirit

noun

NOT BODY

[ U ] the characteristics of a person that are considered as being separate from the body, and that many religions believe continue to exist after the body dies:

ALCOHOL

[ C or U ] a strong alcoholic drink:

splendid

adjective formal

excellent, or beautiful and impressive:

spoil

verb

[ T ] disapproving to allow a child to do or have everything that it wants to, usually so that it expects to get everything it wants and does not show respect to other people:

spokesman

noun [ C ]

someone who is chosen by a group or organization to speak officially to the public for them:

spokesperson

noun [ C ]

a person who is chosen to speak officially for a group or organization:

sponsorship

noun [ C or U ]

money that is given, usually by a company, to support a person, organization or activity:

sporty

adjective

A sporty person enjoys sport and is good at it:

spring

noun

[ C ] also springs a place where water naturally flows out from the ground:

spy

verb

[ I ] to secretly collect and report information about the activities of another country or organization:

stability

noun [ U ]

a situation in which something is not likely to move or change:

stable

adjective

firmly fixed or not likely to move or change:

A stable person is mentally healthy:

staggering

adjective

very shocking and surprising:

staircase

noun [ C ]

a set of stairs inside a building, usually with a bar fixed on the wall or onto vertical poles at the side for you to hold on to:

stale

adjective

no longer new or fresh, usually as a result of being kept for too long:

stamina

noun [ U ]

the physical and/or mental strength to do something that might be difficult and will take a long time:

stand

STATE

verb

[ I, L only + adj ] to be in, cause to be in, or get into a particular state or situation:

SHOP

[ C ] a small shop or stall or an area where products can be shown, usually outside or in a large public building, at which people can buy things or get information:

stand up to sb/sth

to defend yourself against a powerful person or organization when they treat you unfairly:

star

adjective [ before noun ] informal

best or most important:

two-star/three-star, etc.

used to show how good a restaurant, hotel, etc. is:

start out

to begin your life, or the part of your life when you work, in a particular way:

from start to finish

including all of something, from the beginning to the end:

for a start

first, or as the first in a set of things:

starve

verb

[ I or T ] to (cause someone to) become very weak or die because there is not enough food to eat:

state

noun

[ C or U ] a country or its government:

state-of-the-art

adjective

very modern and using the most recent ideas and methods:

statistic

noun

[ C ] a fact in the form of a number that shows information about something:

statistical

adjective

relating to statistics:

status

noun

[ C or U ] an accepted or official position, especially in a social group:

stay away from sth

to not go near or become involved with someone; to avoid something that will have a bad effect on you:

stay on

to continue to be in a place, job, or school after the other people who were with you have left:

steep

adjective

A steep rise or fall is one that goes very quickly from low to high or from high to low:

stem from sth

to start or develop as the result of something:

stereotype

noun [ C ] disapproving

a set idea that people have about what someone or something is like, especially an idea that is wrong:

stock

noun

[ C or U ] a supply of something for use or sale:

verb [ T ]

If a shop or factory stocks something, it keeps a supply of it:

stocking

noun [ C ]

one of a pair of tight-fitting coverings for the feet and legs made of light material and worn by women:

stock market

noun [ C ]

a stock exchange

stop at nothing

If you stop at nothing to achieve something, you are willing to do anything in order to achieve it, even if it involves danger, great effort, or harming other people:

put a stop to sth

to stop an unpleasant, unwanted activity or habit from continuing:

in store

going to happen soon:

store sth up

to remember things, usually so that you can tell people about them later:

stormy

adjective

involving a lot of strong argument and shouting:

straight

adverb

clearly:

adjective

[ before noun ] clear or not complicated:

strategic

adjective

helping to achieve a plan, for example in business or politics:

straw

noun

[ U ] the dried, yellow stems of crops such as wheat, used as food for animals or as a layer on the ground for animals to lie on, and for making traditional objects:

the final/last straw

also the straw that breaks the camel’s back

压垮骆驼的最后一根稻草

the last in a series of unpleasant events that finally makes you feel that you cannot continue to accept a bad situation:

strength

noun

[ C ] a good characteristic:

go from strength to strength

mainly uk

to gradually become more successful:

stress

noun

[ U ] emphasis:

stretch

noun

[ C usually singular ] a continuous area of land or water:

strike a balance

If you strike a balance between two things, you accept parts of both things in order to satisfy some of the demands of both sides in an argument, rather than all the demands of just one side: