saboteur n.#one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property. Members of the Resistance acted as saboteurs, blowing up train lines to prevent supplies from reaching the Nazi army.#saccharine adj.#cloyingly sweet. She tried to ingratiate herself, speaking sweetly and smiling a saccharine smile.#sacrilegious adj.#desecrating; profane. His stealing of the altar cloth was a very sacrilegious act.#sacrosanct adj.#most sacred; inviolable. The brash insurance salesman invaded the sacrosanct privacy of the office of the president of the company.#sadistic adj.#inclined to cruelty. If we are to improve conditions in this prison, we must first get rid of the sadistic warden.#saga n.#Scandinavian myth; any legend. This is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it.#sagacious adj.#perceptive; shrewd; having insight. My father was a sagacious judge of character: he could spot a phony a mile away. sagacity, n.#sage n.# person celebrated for wisdom. Hearing tales of a mysterious Master of All Knowledge who lived in the hills of Tibet, Sandy was possessed with a burning desire to consult the legendary sage. also adj. #salacious adj.#lascivious; lustful. Chaucer's monk is not pious but salacious, a teller of lewd tales and ribald jests. #salient adj.#protruding; strikingly conspicuous; jumping. Good readers quickly grasp the salient and significant points of a passage; indeed, the ideas almost leap out at them, demanding their attention. #salubrious adj.#promoting good health; healthful. The health resort advertised the salubrious properties of the waters of its famous hot springs.#salutary adj.#tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome. The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy, as he became a model student.#salvage v.#rescue from loss. All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed. also n.#salvo n.#discharge of firearms; military salute. The boom of the enemy's opening salvo made the petrified private jump.#sanctimonious adj.#falsely holy; feigning piety. Mark Twain mocked pious hypocrites, calling one a sanctimonious old iceberg who looked like he was waiting for a vacancy in the Trinity.#sanction v.# approve; ratify. Nothing will convince me to sanction the engagement of my daughter to such a worthless young man.#sanctuary n.#refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place. The tiny attic was Helen's sanctuary to which she fled when she had to get away from the rest of her family.#sanguine adj.#cheerful; hopeful. Let's not be too sanguine about the outcome of the election; we may still lose.#sap v.#diminish; undermine. The element kryptonite has an unhealthy effect on Superman: it saps his strength.#sarcasm n.#scornful remarks; stinging rebuke. Though Ralph pretended to ignore the mocking comments of his supposed friends, their sarcasm wounded him deeply.#sardonic adj.#cynically mocking; sarcastic. Dorothy Parker's wry couplet, "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses," epitomizes her sardonic wit.#sartorial adj.#pertaining to tailors. GQ Magazine provides sartorial advice for the not-so-well-dressed man.#sate v.#satisfy to the full; cloy. Its hunger sated, the lion dozed.#satellite n.#small body revolving around a larger one. During the first few years of the Space Age, hundreds of satellites were launched by Russia and the United States.#satiate v.#satisfy fully. Having stuffed themselves until they were satiated, the guests were so full they were ready for a nap. #satire n.#form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack vice and folly. Gulliver's Travels, which is regarded by many as a tale for children, is actually a bitter satire attacking man's folly.#satirical adj.# mocking. The humor of cartoonist Gary Trudeau often is satirical; through the comments of the Doonesbury characters, Trudeau ridicules political corruption and folly.#saturate v.# soak thoroughly. Saturate your sponge with water until it can't hold any more.#saturnine adj.#gloomy. Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance; he is not as gloomy as he looks.#saunter v.#stroll slowly. As we sauntered through the park, we stopped frequently to admire the spring flowers.#savant n.#learned scholar. Despite all her academic honors, Dr. Diamond disliked being classed as a savant: considering herself a simple researcher, she refused to describe herself in such grandiose terms.#savor v.#enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality. Relishing his triumph, the actor especially savored the chagrin of the critics who had predicted his failure.#savory adj.# tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable. Julia Child's recipes enable amateur chefs to create savory delicacies for their guests.#scabbard n.#case for a sword blade; sheath. The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword before slipping it back into the scabbard.#scad n.#a great quantity. Refusing Dave's offer to lend him a shirt, Phil replied, "No, thanks, I've got scads of clothes."#scaffold n.#temporary platform for workers; bracing framework; platform for execution. Before painting the house, the workers put up a scaffold to allow them to work on the second story.#scale v.#climb up; ascend. In order to locate a book on the top shelf of the stacks, Lee had to scale an exceptionally rickety ladder.#scamp n.#rascal. Despite his mischievous behavior, Malcolm was such an engaging scamp that his mother almost lacked the heart to punish him.#scanty adj.# meager; insufficient. Thinking his helping of food was scanty, Oliver Twist asked for more.#scapegoat n.#someone who bears the blame for others. After the Challenger disaster, NASA searched for scapegoats on whom they could cast the blame.#scavenge v.#hunt through discarded materials for usable items; search, especially for food. If you need car parts that the dealers no longer stock, try scavenging for odd bits and pieces at the auto wreckers' yards. scavenger, n.#scenario n.#plot outline; screenplay; opera libretto. Scaramouche startled the other actors in the commedia troupe when he suddenly departed from their customary scenario and began to improvise.#schematic adj.#relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols. In working out the solution to this logic puzzle, you may find it helpful to construct a simple schematic diagram outlining the order of events.#schism n.#division; split. His reforms led to a schism in the church and the establishment of a new sect opposing the old order.#scintillate v.#sparkle; flash. I enjoy her dinner parties because the food is excellent and the conversation scintillates.#scoff v.#mock; ridicule. He scoffed at dentists until he had his first toothache.#scourge n.#cause of widespread devastation; severe punishment; whip. Abraham Lincoln wrote, "Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war speedily may pass away." also v.#scruple v.#fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons. Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she did not scruple to read his diary. also n.#scrupulous adj.# conscientious; extremely thorough. Though Alfred is scrupulous in fulfilling his duties at work, he is less conscientious about his obligations to his family and friends.#scrutinize v.# examine closely and critically. Searching for flaws, the sergeant scrutinized every detail of the private's uniform.#scuffle v.#struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry. The twins briefly scuffled, wrestling to see which of them would get the toy. When their big brother yelled, "Let go of my Gameboy!" they scuffled off down the hall.#scurrilous adj.#vulgar; coarse; foul-mouthed; obscene. Politicians often face scurrilous attacks from angry constituents.#scurry v.#move briskly. The White Rabbit had to scurry to get to his appointment on time.#scurvy adj.#despicable; contemptible. Peter Pan sneered at Captain Hook and his scurvy crew.#scuttle v.#scurry; run with short, rapid steps. The bug scuttled rapidly across the floor.#scuttle v.#sink. The sailors decided to scuttle their vessel rather than surrender it to the enemy.#seamy adj.#sordid; unwholesome. In The Godfather, Michael Corleone is unwilling to expose his wife and children to the seamy side of his life as the son of a Mafia don.#sear v.#char or burn; brand. Accidentally brushing against the hot grill, she seared her hand badly.#seasoned adj.#experienced. Though pleased with her new batch of rookies, the basketball coach wished she had a few more seasoned players on the team.#secession n.#withdrawal. The secession of the Southern states provided Lincoln with his first major problem after his inauguration. secede, v.#seclusion n.# isolation; solitude. One moment she loved crowds; the next, she sought seclusion. seclude, v.#secrete v.#hide away; produce and release a substance into an organism. The pack rat secretes odds and ends in its nest; the pancreas secretes insulin in the islets of Langerhans.#sect n.#separate religious body; faction. As university chaplain, she sought to address universal religious issues and not limit herself to concerns of any one sect.#sectarian adj.#relating to a religious faction or subgroup; narrow-minded; limited. Far from being broad-minded, the religious leader was intolerant of new ideas, paying attention only to purely sectarian interests. sect, n.#secular adj.#worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal. The church leaders decided not to interfere in secular matters.#sedate adj.#calm and composed; dignified. To calm the agitated pony, we teamed him with a sedate mare who easily accepted the harness.#sedentary adj.# requiring sitting. Sitting all day at the computer, Sharon grew to resent the sedentary nature of her job.#sedition n.#resistance to authority; insubordination. His words, though not treasonous in themselves, were calculated to arouse thoughts of sedition.#sedulous adj.#diligent; hardworking. After weeks of patient and sedulous labor, we completed our detailed analysis of every published SAT examination.#seedy adj.#run-down; decrepit; disreputable. I would rather stay in dormitory lodgings in a decent youth hostel than have a room of my own in a seedy downtown hotel.#seemly adj.#proper; appropriate. Lady Bracknell did not think it was seemly for Ernest to lack a proper family: no baby abandoned on a doorstep could grow up to be a fit match for her daughter.#seep v.#ooze; trickle. During the rainstorm, water seeped through the crack in the basement wall and damaged the floor boards. seepage, n.#seethe v.#be disturbed; boil. The nation was seething with discontent as the noblemen continued their arrogant ways.#seismic adj.#pertaining to earthquakes. The Richter scale is a measurement of seismic disturbances.#seminary n.#school for training future ministers; academy for young women. Sure of his priestly vocation, Terrence planned to pursue his theological training at the local Roman Catholic seminary.#sensual adj.#devoted to the pleasures of the senses; carnal; voluptuous. Giving in to his sensual appetites, he sampled the carnal delights of the fleshpots.#sententious adj.#terse; concise; aphoristic. After reading so many redundant speeches, I find his sententious style particularly pleasing.#sentinel n.#sentry; lookout. Though camped in enemy territory, Bledsoe ignored the elementary precaution of posting sentinels around the encampment.#sequester v.#isolate; retire from public life; segregate; seclude. Banished from his kingdom, the wizard Prospero sequestered himself on a desert island. To prevent the jurors from hearing news broadcasts about the case, the judge decided to sequester the jury.#serendipity n.#gift for finding valuable or desirable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck. Many scientific discoveries are a matter of serendipity: Newton was not sitting under a tree thinking about gravity when the apple dropped on his head.#serenity n.#calmness; placidity. The sound of air raid sirens pierced the serenity of the quiet village of Pearl Harbor.#serpentine adj.#winding; twisting. The car swerved at every curve in the serpentine road.#serrated adj.#having a sawtoothed edge. I cut my finger on the serrated edge of the bread knife.#servile adj.# slavish; cringing. Constantly fawning on his employer, humble Uriah Heap was a servile creature.#servitude n.#slavery; compulsory labor. Born a slave, Frederick Douglass resented his life of servitude and plotted to escape to the North.#sever v.#cut; separate. The released prisoner wanted to begin a new life and sever all connections with his criminal past. Dr. Guillotin invented a machine that could neatly sever an aristocratic head from its equally aristocratic body. Unfortunately, he couldn't collect any severance pay. severance, n.#severity n.#harshness; intensity; sternness; austerity. The severity of Jane's migraine attack was so great that she took to her bed for a week.#shackle v.#chain; fetter. In a chain gang, convicts are shackled together to prevent their escape. also n.#sham v.#pretend. He shammed sickness to get out of going to school. also n.#shambles n.#wreck; mess. After the hurricane, the Carolina coast was a shambles. After the New Year's Eve party, the apartment was a shambles.#shard n.#fragment, generally of pottery. The archaeologist assigned several students the task of reassembling earthenware vessels from the shards he had brought back from the expedition.#sheaf n.#bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together. The lawyer picked up a sheaf of papers as he rose to question the witness.#shear v.#cut or clip (hair, fleece); strip of something. You may not care to cut a sheep's hair, but Sarah shears sheep for Little Bo Peep.#sheathe v.#place into a case. As soon as he recognized the approaching men, he sheathed his dagger and hailed them as friends.#sheer adj.#very thin or transparent; very steep; absolute. Wearing nothing but an almost sheer robe, Delilah draped herself against the sheer temple wall. Beholding her, Samson was overcome by her sheer beauty. Then she sheared his hair.#shimmer v.#glimmer intermittently. The moonlight shimmered on the water as the moon broke through the clouds for a moment. also n.#shirk v.#avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger. Brian has a strong sense of duty; he would never shirk any responsibility.#shoddy adj.#inferior; trashy; cheap. Grumbling, "They don't make things the way they used to," Grandpa complained about the shoddy workmanship nowadays.#shrewd adj.#clever; astute. A shrewd investor, he took clever advantage of the fluctuations of the stock market.#shroud v.#hide from view; wrap for burial. Fog shrouded Dracula's castle, hiding the ruined tower beneath sheets of mist.#shun v.#keep away from. Cherishing his solitude, the recluse shunned the company of other human beings.#shyster n.#lawyer using questionable methods. On L.A. Law, Brackman was horrified to learn that his newly-discovered half brother was nothing but a cheap shyster.#sibling n.#brother or sister. We may not enjoy being siblings, but we cannot forget that we still belong to the same family.#simian adj.#monkeylike. Lemurs are nocturnal mammals and have many simian characteristics, although they are less intelligent than monkeys.#simile n.#comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as. "My love is like a red, red rose" is a simile.#simper v.#smirk; smile affectedly. Complimented on her appearance, Stella self-consciously simpered.#simplistic adj.#oversimplified. Though Jack's solution dealt adequately with one aspect of the problem, it was simplistic in failing to consider various complications that might arise.#simulate v.#feign. He simulated insanity in order to avoid punishment for his crime.#sinecure n.#well-paid position with little responsibility. My job is no sinecure; I work long hours and have much responsibility.#sinewy adj.#tough; strong and firm. The steak was too sinewy to chew.#singular adj.#unique; extraordinary; odd. Though the young man tried to understand Father William's singular behavior, he still found it odd that the old man incessantly stood on his head. singularity, n.#sinister adj.#evil; conveying a sense of ill omen. Aware of the Penguin's sinister purpose, Batman wondered how he could save Gotham City from the ravages of his evil enemy.#sinuous adj.#winding; bending in and out; not morally honest. The snake moved in a sinuous manner.#skeptic n.# doubter; person who suspends judgment until the evidence supporting a point of view has been examined. I am a skeptic about the new health plan; I want some proof that it can work. skepticism, n.#skiff n.#small, light sailboat or rowboat. Tom dreamed of owning an ocean-going yacht but had to settle for a skiff he could sail in the bay.#skimp v.#provide scantily; live very economically. They were forced to skimp on necessities in order to make their limited supplies last the winter. #skinflint n.#stingy person; miser. Scrooge was an ungenerous old skinflint until he reformed his ways and became a notable philanthropist.#skirmish n.#minor fight. Custer's troops expected they might run into a skirmish or two on maneuvers; they did not expect to face a major battle. also v.#skulk v.#move furtively and secretly. He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city in order to avoid meeting any of his former friends.#slacken v.#slow up; loosen. As they passed the finish line, the runners slackened their pace.#slag n.#residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter. The blast furnace had a special opening at the bottom to allow the workers to remove the worthless slag.#slake v.#quench; sate. When we reached the oasis, we were able to slake our thirst.#slander n.#defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements. Considering the negative comments politicians make about each other, it's a wonder that more of them aren't sued for slander. also v.#slapdash adj.#haphazard; careless; sloppy. From the number of typos and misspellings I've found in it, it's clear that Mario proofread the report in a remarkably slapdash fashion.#sleeper n.#something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable. Unnoticed by the critics at its publication, the eventual Pulitzer Prize winner was a classic sleeper.#sleight n.#dexterity. The magician amazed the audience with his sleight of hand.#slight n.#insult to one's dignity; snub. Hypersensitive and ready to take offense at any discourtesy, Bertha was always on the lookout for real or imaginary slights. also v.#slipshod adj.#untidy or slovenly; shabby. As a master craftsman, the carpenter prided himself on not doing slipshod work.#slither v.#slip or slide. During the recent ice storm, many people slithered down this hill as they walked to the station.#slothful adj.#lazy. Lying idly on the sofa while others worked, Reggie denied he was slothful: "I just supervise better lying down."#slough v.#cast off. Each spring, the snake sloughs off its skin.#slovenly adj.#untidy; careless in work habits. Unshaven, sitting around in his bathrobe all afternoon, Gus didn't seem to care about the slovenly appearance he presented. The dark ring around the bathtub and the spider webs hanging from the beams proved what a slovenly housekeeper she was.#sluggard n.#lazy person. Someone who leaps happily out of bed first thing in the morning and cheerfully sets off to work is no sluggard.#sluggish adj.# slow; lazy; lethargic. After two nights without sleep, she felt sluggish and incapable of exertion.#slur v.#speak indistinctly; mumble. When Sol has too much to drink, he starts to slur his words: "Washamatter? Cansh you undershtand what I shay?"#slur n.#insult to one's character or reputation; slander. Polls revealed that the front-runner's standing had been badly damaged by the slurs and innuendoes circulated by his opponent's staff. also v. (secondary meaning)#smelt v.#melt or blend ores, changing their chemical composition. The furnaceman smelts tin with copper to create a special alloy used in making bells.#smirk n.#conceited smile. Wipe that smirk off your face! also v.#smolder v.#burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment. The rags smoldered for hours before they burst into flame.#snicker n.#half-stifled laugh. The boy could not suppress a snicker when the teacher sat on the tack. also v. #snivel v.#run at the nose; snuffle; whine. Don't you come sniveling to me complaining about your big brother.#sobriety n.#moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness. Neither falling-down drunks nor stand-up comics are noted for sobriety. sober, adj. #sodden adj.#soaked; dull, as if from drink. He set his sodden overcoat near the radiator to dry.#sojourn n.#temporary stay. After his sojourn in Florida, he began to long for the colder climate of his native New England home.#solace n.#comfort in trouble. I hope you will find solace in the thought that all of us share your loss.#solder v.#repair or make whole by using a metal alloy. The plumber fixed the leak in the pipes by soldering a couple of joints from which water had been oozing.#solecism n.#construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically. I must give this paper a failing mark because it contains many solecisms.#solemnity n.#seriousness; gravity. The minister was concerned that nothing should disturb the solemnity of the marriage service. solemn, adj. #solicit v.#request earnestly; seek. Knowing she needed to have a solid majority for the budget to pass, the mayor telephoned all the members of the city council to solicit their votes.#solicitous adj.#worried; concerned. Dora was delicate, David knew, and he was very solicitous about her health during her pregnancy.#soliloquy n.#talking to oneself. Dramatists use the soliloquy as a device to reveal a character's innermost thoughts and emotions.#solitude n.#state of being alone; seclusion. Much depends on how much you like your own company. What to one person seems fearful isolation to another is blessed solitude.#soluble adj.#able to be dissolved; able to be explained. Sugar is soluble in water; put a sugar cube in water and it will quickly dissolve.#solvent adj.#able to pay all debts. By dint of very frugal living, he was finally able to become solvent and avoid bankruptcy proceedings.#solvent n.#substance that dissolves another. Dip a cube of sugar into a cup of water; note how the water acts as a solvent, causing the cube to break down.#somber adj.# gloomy; depressing; dark; drab. From the doctor's grim expression, I could tell he had somber news. Dull brown and charcoal gray are pretty somber colors; can't you wear something bright?#somnambulist n.#sleepwalker. The most famous somnambulist in literature is Lady Macbeth; her monologue in the sleepwalking scene is one of the highlights of Shakespeare's play.#somnolent adj.#half asleep. The heavy meal and the overheated room made us all somnolent and indifferent to the speaker.#sonorous adj.#resonant. His sonorous voice resounded through the hall.#sophisticated adj.#worldly-wise and urbane; complex. When Sophie makes wisecracks, she thinks she sounds sophisticated, but instead she sounds sophomoric. A few years ago the new IBM laptop with the butterfly keyboard and the built-in quadspeed fax modem seemed the height of computer sophistication.#sophistry n.#seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning. Instead of advancing valid arguments, he tried to overwhelm his audience with a flood of sophistries.#sophomoric adj.#immature; half-baked, like a sophomore. Even if you're only a freshman, it's no compliment to be told your humor is sophomoric. The humor in Dumb and Dumber is sophomoric at best.#soporific adj.# sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness. Professor Pringle's lectures were so soporific that even he fell asleep in class. also n.#sordid adj.#vile; filthy; wretched; mean. Talk show hosts seem willing to discuss any topic, no matter how sordid and disgusting it may be. #sovereign adj.#efficacious; supreme or paramount; self-governing. Professor Pennywhistle claimed his panacea was a sovereign cure for all chronic complaints. In medicine the sovereign task of the doctor is to do no harm. Rebelling against the mother country, the onetime colony now proclaimed itself a sovereign state. also n.#spangle n.#small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation. The thousands of spangles on her dress sparkled in the glare of the stage lights.#sparse adj.#not thick; thinly scattered; scanty. No matter how carefully Albert combed his hair to make it look as full as possible, it still looked sparse.#spartan adj.#avoiding luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined. Looking over the bare, unheated room, with its hard cot, he wondered what he was doing in such spartan quarters. Only his spartan sense of duty kept him at his post.#spasmodic adj.#fitful; periodic. The spasmodic coughing in the auditorium annoyed the performers.#spat n.#squabble; minor dispute. What had started out as a mere spat escalated into a full-blown argument.#spate n.#sudden flood or strong outburst; a large number or amount. After the spate of angry words that came pouring out of him, Mary was sure they would never be reconciled.#spatial adj.#relating to space. NASA is engaged in an ongoing program of spatial exploration. Certain exercises test your sense of spatial relations by asking you to identify two views of an object seen from different points in space.#spatula n.#broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing. The manufacturers of this frying pan recommend the use of a rubber spatula to avoid scratching the specially treated surface.#spawn v.#lay eggs. Fish ladders had to be built in the dams to assist the salmon returning to spawn in their native streams. also n.#specious adj.#seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally). To claim that, because houses and birds both have wings, both can fly, is extremely specious reasoning. #spectrum n.#colored band produced when beam of light passes through a prism. The visible portion of the spectrum includes red at one end and violet at the other.#spendthrift n.#someone who wastes money. Easy access to credit encourages people to turn into spendthrifts who shop till they drop.#sphinx-like adj.#enigmatic; mysterious. The Mona Lisa's sphinx-like expression has intrigued and mystified art lovers for centuries.#splice v.#fasten together; unite. Before you splice two strips of tape together, be sure to line them up evenly. also n.#spontaneity n.#lack of premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint. When Anne and Amy met, Amy impulsively hugged her new colleague, but Anne drew back, unprepared for such spontaneity. The cast over-rehearsed the play so much that the eventual performance lacked any spontaneity. spontaneous, adj. #sporadic adj.# occurring irregularly. Although you can still hear sporadic outbursts of laughter and singing outside, the big Halloween parade has passed; the party's over till next year.#sportive adj.#playful. Half man, half goat, the mischievous, sportive fauns gamboled on the green.#spry adj.#vigorously active; nimble. She was eighty years old, yet still spry and alert.#spurious adj.# false; counterfeit; forged; illogical. The antique dealer hero of Jonathan Gash's mystery novels gives the reader tips on how to tell spurious antiques from the real thing. Natasha's claim to be the lost heir of the Romanoffs was spurious: the only thing Russian about her was the vodka she drank!#spurn v.# reject; scorn. The heroine spurned the villain's advances.#squabble n.#minor quarrel; bickering. Children invariably get involved in petty squabbles; wise parents know when to interfere and when to let the children work things out on their own.#squalor n.#filth; degradation; dirty, neglected state. Rusted, broken-down cars in its yard, trash piled up on the porch, tar paper peeling from the roof, the shack was the picture of squalor. squalid, adj. #squander v.# waste. If you squander your allowance on candy and comic books, you won't have any money left to buy the new box of crayons you want.#squat adj.#stocky; short and thick. Tolkien's hobbits are somewhat squat, sturdy little creatures, fond of good ale, good music, and good mushrooms.#staccato adj.#played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound. His staccato speech reminded one of the sound of a machine gun.#stagnant adj.# motionless; stale; dull. Mosquitoes commonly breed in ponds of stagnant water. Mike's career was stagnant; it wasn't going anywhere, and neither was he! stagnate, v.#staid adj.#sober; sedate. The wild parties at the fraternity house appealed to the jocks and slackers, but appalled the more staid and serious students on campus.#stalemate n.#deadlock. Negotiations between the union and the employers have reached a stalemate; neither side is willing to budge from previously stated positions.#stalwart adj.#strong and vigorous; unwaveringly dependable. We thought the congressman was a stalwart Republican until he voted against President Bush's Medicare reform bill. also n.#stamina n.#strength; staying power. I doubt that she has the stamina to run the full distance of the marathon race.#stanch v.#check flow of blood. It is imperative that we stanch the gushing wound before we attend to the other injuries.#stanza n.#division of a poem. Do you know the last stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner"?#static adj.# unchanging; lacking development. Why watch chess on TV? I like watching a game with action, not something static where nothing seems to be going on.#statute n.#law enacted by the legislature. The statute of limitations sets the limits on how long you have to take legal action in specific cases.#steadfast adj.# loyal; unswerving. Penelope was steadfast in her affections, faithfully waiting for Ulysses to return from his wanderings.#stealth n.#slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness. Fearing detection by the sentries on duty, the scout inched his way toward the enemy camp with great stealth.#steep v.#soak; saturate. Be sure to steep the fabric in the dyebath for the full time prescribed.#stellar adj.#pertaining to the stars. He was the stellar attraction of the entire performance.#stem v.#check the flow. The paramedic used a tourniquet to stem the bleeding from the slashed artery.#stem from v.#arise from. Milton's problems in school stemmed from his poor study habits.#stereotype n.#fixed and unvarying representation; standardized mental picture, often reflecting prejudice. Critics object to the character of Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because he seems to reflect the stereotype of the happy, ignorant slave.#stifle v.#suppress; extinguish; inhibit. Halfway through the boring lecture, Laura gave up trying to stifle her yawns.#stigma n.#token of disgrace; brand. I do not attach any stigma to the fact that you were accused of this crime; the fact that you were acquitted clears you completely.#stigmatize v.#brand; mark as wicked. I do not want to stigmatize this young offender for life by sending her to prison.#stilted adj.#bombastic; inflated. His stilted rhetoric did not impress the college audience; they were immune to bombastic utterances.#stint n.#supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of work. He performed his daily stint cheerfully and willingly. also v.#stint v.#be thrifty; set limits. "Spare no expense," the bride's father said, refusing to stint on the wedding arrangements.#stipend n.#pay for services. There is a nominal stipend for this position.#stipulate v.#make express conditions; specify. Before agreeing to reduce American military forces in Europe, the president stipulated that NATO inspection teams be allowed to inspect Soviet bases.#stodgy adj.#stuffy; boringly conservative. For a young person, Winston seems remarkably stodgy: you'd expect someone his age to show a little more life.#stoic adj.#impassive; unmoved by joy or grief. I wasn't particularly stoic when I had my flu shot; I squealed like a stuck pig. also n.#stoke v.#stir up a fire; feed plentifully. As a Scout Marisa learned how to light a fire, how to stoke it if it started to die down, and how to extinguish it completely.#stolid adj.# unruffled; impassive; dull. Marianne wanted a romantic, passionate suitor like Willoughby, not a stolid, unimaginative one like Colonel Brandon.#stratagem n.#deceptive scheme. Though Wellington's forces seemed in full retreat, in reality their withdrawal was a stratagem intended to lure the enemy away from its sheltered position.#stratify v.#divide into classes; be arranged into strata. As the economic gap between the rich and the poor increased, Roman society grew increasingly stratified.#stratum n.#layer of earth's surface; layer of society. Neither an elitist nor a reverse snob, Mitch had friends from every social stratum.#strew v.#spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter. Preceding the bride to the altar, the flower girl will strew rose petals along the aisle.#striated adj.#marked with parallel bands; grooved. The glacier left many striated rocks. striate, v.#stricture n.#restriction; adverse criticism. Huck regularly disobeyed Miss Watson's rules and strictures upon his behavior: he wouldn't wear shoes, no matter what she said.#strident adj.# loud and harsh; insistent. Whenever Sue became angry, she tried not to raise her voice; she had no desire to appear strident.#stringent adj.#severe; rigid; constricted. Fearing the rapid spread of the SARS virus, the Canadian government imposed stringent quarantine measures.#strut n.#pompous walk; swagger. Looking at his self- important strut as he swaggered about the parade ground, I could tell Colonel Blimp thought highly of himself. also v.#strut n.#supporting bar. The engineer calculated that the strut supporting the rafter needed to be reinforced. (secondary meaning)#studied adj.#not spontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful. Given Jill's previous slights, Jack felt that the omission of his name from the guest list was a studied insult.#stultify v.#cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; frustrate or hinder. His long hours in the blacking factory left young Dickens numb and incurious, as if the menial labor had stultified his brain.#stupefy v.# make numb; stun; amaze. Disapproving of drugs in general, Laura refused to take sleeping pills or any other medicine that might stupefy her. stupefaction, n.#stupor n.#state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness. The paramedics shook the unconscious man but could not rouse him from his stupor.#stymie v.#present an obstacle; stump. The detective was stymied by the contradictory evidence in the robbery investigation. also n.#suavity n.#urbanity; polish. The elegant actor is particularly good in roles that require suavity and sophistication.#subdued adj.#less intense; quieter. Bob liked the subdued lighting at the restaurant because he thought it was romantic. I just thought it was dimly lit.#subjective adj.#occurring or taking place within the subject; unreal. Your analysis is highly subjective; you have permitted your emotions and your opinions to color your thinking.#subjugate v.#conquer; bring under control. Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world of his time, first subjugating the Persians under Darius, then defeating the armies of India's King Porus.#sublime adj.#exalted or noble and uplifting; utter. Lucy was in awe of Desi's sublime musicianship, while he was in awe of her sublime naivete.#subliminal adj.#below conscious awareness. The pulse of the music began to work on the crowd in a subliminal way: they rocked to the rhythm unconsciously.#submissive adj.# yielding; timid. When he refused to permit Elizabeth to marry her poet, Mr. Barrett expected her to be properly submissive; instead, she eloped!#subordinate adj.# occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive. Bishop Proudie's wife expected all the subordinate clergy to behave with great deference to the wife of their superior.#suborn v.#persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury). In The Godfather, the mobsters used bribery and threats to suborn the witnesses against Don Michael Corleone.#subpoena n.#writ summoning a witness to appear. The prosecutor's office was ready to serve a subpoena on the reluctant witness. also v.#subsequent adj.#following; later. In subsequent lessons, we shall take up more difficult problems.#subservient adj.#behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious. He was proud and dignified; he refused to be subservient to anyone.#subside v.# settle down; descend; grow quiet. The doctor assured us that the fever would eventually subside.#subsidiary n.#something secondary in importance or subordinate; auxiliary. The Turner Broadcasting System is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Time Warner. First deal with the critical issues, then with the subsidiary ones. also adj. #subsidy n.#direct financial aid by government, etc. Without this subsidy, American ship operators would not be able to compete in world markets.#subsistence n.#means needed to support life; existence. Farming those barren, depleted fields, he raised barely enough food for his family's subsistence.#substantial adj.#ample; solid; in essentials. The generous scholarship represented a substantial sum of money.#substantiate v.# establish by evidence; verify; support. These endorsements from satisfied customers substantiate our claim that Barron's How to Prepare for the SAT is the best SAT-prep book on the market.#substantive adj.#real, as opposed to imaginary; essential; solidly based; substantial. Bishop Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his substantive contributions to the peace movement in South Africa.#subterfuge n.#deceitful stratagem; trick; pretense. Hiding from his pursuers, the fugitive used every subterfuge he could think of to get them off his track.#subtlety n.#perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy. Never obvious, she expressed herself with such subtlety that her remarks went right over the heads of most of her audience. subtle, adj. #subversive adj.#tending to overthrow; destructive. At first glance, the notion that styrofoam cups may actually be more ecologically sound than paper cups strikes most environmentalists as subversive.#succinct adj.# brief; terse; compact. Don't bore your audience with excess verbiage: be succinct.#succor v.#aid; assist; comfort. If you believe that con man has come here to succor you in your hour of need, you're an even bigger sucker than I thought. also n.#succulent adj.#juicy; full of richness. To some people, Florida citrus fruits are more succulent than those from California. also n.#succumb v.#yield; give in; die. I succumb to temptation whenever I see chocolate.#suffragist n.#advocate of voting rights (for women). In recognition of her efforts to win the vote for women, Congress authorized coining a silver dollar honoring the suffragist Susan B. Anthony#sully v.#tarnish; soil. He felt that it was beneath his dignity to sully his hands in such menial labor.#sultry adj.#sweltering. He could not adjust himself to the sultry climate of the tropics.#summation n.#act of finding the total; summary. In his summation, the lawyer emphasized the testimony given by the two witnesses.#summit n.#utmost height or pinnacle; highest point (of a mountain, etc.) The summit of the amateur mountain climber's aspirations was someday to reach the summit of Mount Everest.#sumptuous adj.#lavish; rich. I cannot recall when I have had such a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast.#sunder v.#separate; part. Northern and southern Ireland are politically and religiously sundered.#supercilious adj.#arrogant; condescending; patronizing. The supercilious headwaiter sneered at customers whom he thought did not fit in at a restaurant catering to an ultra- fashionable crowd.#superficial adj.# trivial; shallow. Since your report gave only a superficial analysis of the problem, I cannot give you more than a passing grade.#superfluous adj.# unnecessary; excessive; overabundant. Betsy lacked the heart to tell June that the wedding present she brought was superfluous; she and Bob had already received five toasters. Please try not to include so many superfluous details in your report; just give me the facts. superfluity, n.#superimpose v.#place over something else. The filmmakers superimposed the credits over the movie's opening scene.#supersede v.#cause to be set aside; replace; make obsolete. The new bulk mailing postal regulation supersedes the old one. If you continue to follow the old regulation, your bulk mailing will be returned to you.#supplant v.# replace; usurp. Bolingbroke, later to be known as King Henry IV, fought to supplant his cousin, Richard III, as King of England.#supple adj.#flexible; pliant. Years of yoga exercises made Grace's body supple.#supplicate v.#petition humbly; pray to grant a favor. We supplicate Your Majesty to grant him amnesty.#supposition n.#hypothesis; the act of supposing. I based my decision to confide in him on the supposition that he would be discreet. suppose, v.#suppress v.#stifle; overwhelm; subdue; inhibit. Too polite to laugh in anyone's face, Roy did his best to suppress his amusement at Ed's inane remark.#surfeit v.# satiate; stuff; indulge to excess in anything. Every Thanksgiving we are surfeited with an overabundance of holiday treats. also n.#surly adj.#rude; cross. Because of his surly attitude, many people avoided his company.#surmise v.#suspect; guess; imagine. I surmise that Suzanne will be late for this meeting; I've never known her to be on time. also n.#surmount v.#overcome. Could Helen Keller, blind and deaf since childhood, surmount her physical disabilities and lead a productive life?#surpass v.# exceed. Her SAT scores surpassed our expectations.#surreptitious adj.# secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden. Hoping to discover where his mom had hidden the Christmas presents, Timmy took a surreptitious peek into the master bedroom closet.#surrogate n.#substitute. For a fatherless child, a male teacher may become a father surrogate.#surveillance n.#watching; guarding. The FBI kept the house under constant surveillance in the hope of capturing all the criminals at one time.#susceptible adj.# impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance, as to a disease; receptive to. Said the patent medicine man to his very susceptible customer: "Buy this new miracle drug, and you will no longer be susceptible to the common cold."#sustain v.# experience; support; nourish. He sustained such a severe injury that the doctors feared he would be unable to work to sustain his growing family.#sustenance n.#means of support, food, nourishment. In the tropics, the natives find sustenance easy to obtain, due to all the fruit trees.#suture n.#stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing. We will remove the sutures as soon as the wound heals. also v.#swagger v.#behave arrogantly or pompously; strut or walk proudly. The conquering hero didn't simply stride down the street; he swaggered. also n.#swarm n.#dense moving crowd; large group of honeybees. At the height of the city hall scandals, a constant swarm of reporters followed the mayor everywhere. also v.#swarthy adj.#dark; dusky. Despite the stereotypes, not all Italians are swarthy; many are fair and blond.#swathe v.#wrap around; bandage. When I visited him in the hospital, I found him swathed in bandages.#swelter v.#be oppressed by heat. I am going to buy an air conditioning unit for my apartment as I do not intend to swelter through another hot and humid summer.#swerve v.#deviate; turn aside sharply. The car swerved wildly as the driver struggled to regain control of the wheel.#swill v.#drink greedily. Singing "Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum," Long John Silver and his fellow pirates swilled their grog.#swindler n.#cheat. She was gullible and trusting, an easy victim for the first swindler who came along.#sybarite n.#lover of luxury. Rich people are not always sybarites; some of them have little taste for a life of luxury.#sycophant n.# servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man. Fed up with the toadies and flunkies who made up his entourage, the star cried, "Get out, all of you! I'm sick of sycophants!" sycophancy, n.#symbiosis n.#interdependent relationship (between groups, species), often mutually beneficial. Both the crocodile bird and the crocodile derive benefit from their symbiosis: pecking away at food particles embedded in the crocodile's teeth, the bird receives nourishment; the crocodile, meanwhile, receives proper dental hygiene. symbiotic, adj. #symmetry n.#arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity. Something lopsided by definition lacks symmetry.#synoptic adj.#providing a general overview; summary. The professor turned to the latest issue of Dissertation Abstracts for a synoptic account of what was new in the field. synopsis, n.#synthesis n.#combining parts into a whole. Now that we have succeeded in isolating this drug, our next problem is to plan its synthesis in the laboratory. synthesize, v.#