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soprano
song-book /'sɒŋbʊk||'sɔŋ-/ n a book of songs with music for singing
Song of 'Solomon, the a book of the Old Testament of the Bible, also known as The Song of Songs or The Canticles, which is thought to have been written by King SOLOMON. It contains love poems which are considered to represent God's love for his people.
Songs of 'Praise a British television programme broadcast on Sunday evenings, in which people sing HYMNS (=religious songs). Each week the programme comes from a different church.
song-ster /'sɒŋstə||'sɔː-/ n lit 1 also song-stress /-strɪs/ fem. a skilled singer 2 a songbird
song-writ-er /'sɒŋˌraɪtə ||'sɔːŋ-/ n someone who writes the words and usually the music of songs
son-ic /'sɒnɪk||'sɑː-/ adj tech 1 of or at the speed of sound in air, about 340 metres per second (741 miles per hour) ➔ see also SUBSONIC, SUPERSONIC 2 [A] of sound waves
sonic 'boom also ,sonic 'bang BrE — n an explosive sound produced by the shock wave from an aircraft travelling faster than the speed of sound
Sonic the 'Hedgehog trademark a character who appears in a series of COMPUTER GAMES produced by SEGA. Sonic is a bright blue creature who is supposed to be a HEDGEHOG.
'son-in-law n pl. sons-in-law, son-in-laws the husband of one's daughter ➔ compare DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
son-net /'sɒnət||'sɑː-/ n a 14-line poem with any of several fixed formal RHYME patterns. The most famous sonnets in the English language are those written by SHAKESPEARE.
son-ny /'sʌni/ n old-fash (used in speaking to a young boy): Better go home to your mother, sonny.
Sonny Jim /ˌsni 'dʒm/ n BrE old-fash used when speaking to a man or boy, especially when you are telling him that he has done something wrong
son-of-a-'bitch n pl. sons-of-bitches, son-of-a-bitches taboo someone one strongly dislikes; BASTARD: That son-of-a-bitch stole my car!
son-of-a-'gun n pl. sons-of-guns infml apprec (used especially by a man to a close male friend) a man who wins the social approval of his group by having the qualities typical of a man and being daring, humorous etc
Son of 'God, son of god also ,Son of 'Man [the] the MESSIAH in the Christian and Jewish religions
son-o-gram /'sɒnəgræm||'sɑː-/ n AmE tech an image, for example of an unborn baby inside its mother's body, that is produced by a special machine ➔ BrE ULTRASOUND
so-nor-ous /'sɒnərəs, sə'nɔːrəs||sə'nɔːrəs, 'sɑːnərəs/ adj having a pleasantly full loud sound: a sonorous bell/voice —ly adv —ness, -ity /sə'nɒrətɪsə'nɒt-/ n [U]
Sons and 'Lovers (1913) a novel by D.H. LAWRENCE about a character called Paul Morel, the son of an English MINER (=a person who works in a coal mine), and his relationships with his mother and two other women. The story is partly based on Lawrence's own life.
Sons of 'Liberty, the secret groups formed in the US before the American Revolution which wanted the American colonies (COLONY) to be independent of Britain
Son-tag, Su-san /'sɒntæg||'sɑːn-, 'suːzæn/ (1933-2004) a US writer and CRITIC known for her intelligent writings about modern society and CULTURE. Her works include Against Interpretation (1966) and Illness as Metaphor (1978). She has also written NOVELS and stories.
So-ny /'səʊni/ trademark a BRAND (=type) of electronic equipment such as televisions, CD PLAYERS, and VIDEO equipment, made by the large Japanese company Sony. Sony also invented the WALKMAN.
soon /suːn/ adv 1 before long; within a short time: I must be going soon. | We soon saw that we'd made a mistake. | [+adv/prep] It happened soon after breakfast. (used in making threats) I'll soon show her who's the boss here! 2 quickly; early: Please get that report done as soon as possible - the sooner the better. | I can't come until tomorrow, at the soonest. | He got married as soon as (=at once after) he left university. | I'd confidently predicted they'd win, but I spoke too soon - they were beaten in the final race. | The fire brigade arrived at last, not a moment too soon. (=they almost arrived too late) 3 (in phrases expressing comparisons) readily; willingly: I'd sooner die than marry you. | 'Would you like to dance?' 'I'd just as soon not (=no) if you don't mind.' 4 no sooner ... than when ... at once: No sooner had we sat down than we found it was time to go. | No sooner said than done! (=it will be/has been done very fast) ➔ see HARDLY (USAGE) 5 sooner or later certainly, although one cannot be sure when: If you cheat, you'll be found out sooner or later.
soot /sʊt/ n [U] black powder produced by burning: The inside of a chimney soon gets covered in soot. ➔ see also SOOTY
soothe /suːð/ v [T] 1 [(DOWN)] to make less angry, excited, or anxious; comfort or calm: He'd got very annoyed about it, and it took all her tact to soothe him down. | to make soothing noises 2 to make less painful: This medicine should soothe your sore throat. | soothing lotions —soothingly adv
sooth-say-er /'suːθˌseɪə/ n old use a person who was believed to be able to tell the future. Soothsayers were usually very old and very wise.
sooty /'suːti/ adj covered in, or consisting of, soot: sooty paws/pawprints
Sooty and 'Sweep two GLOVE PUPPETS who have appeared on British children's television for over 40 years. Sooty is an orange bear who behaves badly and WHISPERS (=speaks very quietly) into the PUPPETEER's ear, and Sweep is a black and grey dog who makes SQUEAKY noises instead of speaking.
sop1 /sɒpsɔːp/ n [(to)] derog something (usually of little real value) that is offered to gain someone's favour or stop them complaining: The company agreed to make regular inspections of the river, as a sop to the environmental lobby.
sop2 v -pp-
sop sthg. ⇔ up phr v [T] to take (a liquid) into a solid so as to leave a dry surface: He sopped up all the spilt milk with a sponge. ➔ see also SOPPING
soph-is-m /'sɒfɪzəm||'sɑː-/ n fml derog 1 [C] an argument which looks correct but is false, especially one intended to deceive 2 [U] SOPHISTRY —ist n
so-phis-ti-cate /sə'fɪstɪkeɪt/ n fml a sophisticated person
so-phis-ti-cat-ed /sə'fɪstɪkeɪtɪd/ adj 1 experienced in and understanding the ways of society, especially showing signs of this by good taste, clever conversation, wearing fashionable clothes etc: a sophisticated audience who appreciated the subtlety of the play | a sophisticated writer | The fashion magazines show what the sophisticated woman is wearing this year. | He thinks it's sophisticated to smoke with a cigarette holder. 2 produced or developed with a high level of skill and knowledge: sophisticated machinery/arguments | highly sophisticated filming techniques —ion /səˌfɪstɪ'keɪʃən/ n [U] Your son's essays show great maturity and sophistication.
soph-is-try /'sɒfɪstri||'sɑː-/ n fml derog 1 [U] the use of false arguments that deceive 2 [C usually pl.] a SOPHISM
Soph-o-cles /'sɒfəkliːz||'sɑːf-/ (7496-406 BC) an ancient Greek writer of plays, who developed Greek TRAGEDY as a style of theatre. His tragedies include ANTIGONE, Electra, and Oedipus Rex. ➔ see also OEDIPUS, OEDIPUS COMPLEX, ELECTRA COMPLEX
soph-o-more /'sɒfəmɔː||'sɑː-/ n AmE a student in the second year of study in a college or HIGH SCHOOL ➔ compare FRESHMAN, JUNIOR, SENIOR; see Feature on page A12
soph-o-mor-ic /ˌsɒfə'mɒrɪk||ˌsɑːfə'mɔː-/ adj AmE infml childish and not very sensible
sop-o-rif-ic /ˌsɒpə'rɪfɪk||ˌsɑː-/ adj causing one to fall asleep: a soporific drug/speech -----ally /kli/ adv
sop-ping /'sɒpɪŋ||'sɑː-/ adv, adj infml very wet: Her clothes were sopping (wet).
sop-py /'sɒpi||'sɑːpi/ adj BrE infml 1 too full of expressions of tender feelings like sorrow, love etc: a soppy love story 2 [F+about] having a very great fondness (for): She's just soppy about animals. 3 foolish
so-pra-no /sə'prɑːnəʊ||-'præ-/ n pl. -nos 1 (a woman or child with, or a musical part for) a high singing voice, above ALTO 2 a musical instrument which plays notes in this highest range —soprano adj, adv: a soprano voice | to sing soprano