1393
suits
suit
track suit BrE/
sweatsuit AmE
space suit
Cultural Note at CARDS 3 a LAWSUIT 4 old use the act of asking a woman to marry (especially in the phrases plead/ press one's suit) 5 (not) one's strong(est) suit (not) one's best quality or what one is good at: Politeness is not his strong suit. → see also LONG SUIT, in one's birthday suit (BIRTHDAY), follow suit (FOLLOW)
suit² v [T] 1 to satisfy or please; be acceptable or convenient for: 'Will it suit you if I come around at three?' 'Yes, that'll suit me fine.' | He can be very charming when it suits him. (=when it is to his advantage) 2 [no pass.] to match or look good on (someone): That colour doesn't suit her. 3 to have the right qualities or be of the right kind for; be APPROPRIATE for: That song doesn't suit her voice. | These clothes aren't really suited to a tropical climate. | Jane and Steve are ideally suited (to each other). 4 suit oneself infml to do what one likes, especially when that is different from what other people are doing: 'I don't really feel like going out tonight.' 'Suit your-self.' 5 suit someone down to the ground to be very pleasing or very suitable for someone: Mary's new job suits her down to the ground. 6 suit someone's book BrE infml to suit someone's plans
suit sthg. to sthg. phr v [T] fml to make something suitable for; ADAPT to: to suit the punishment to the crime
sui-ta-bil-i-ty /ˌsuːtəˈbɪləti, ˌsju-||ˌsuː-/ n [U(for)] the fact or degree of being suitable: There's no doubt about her suitability for the job.
sui-ta-ble /ˈsuːtəbəl, ˈsju-||ˈsuː-/ adj [(for, to)] of the right type or quality for (a particular person, purpose etc): Is she suitable for the job? | a suitable school for the children | (fml) a residence suitable to his important position | [+to-v] Is this a suitable moment to break for a cup of coffee? → opposite UNSUITABLE —ness n [U] —bly adv: I pointed it out to her, and she looked suitably ashamed of herself.
suit-case /ˈsuːtkeɪs, ˈsjuːt-||ˈsuːt-/ also case n a large container for carrying clothes and possessions when travelling, often in the form of a flat box: Remember to label your suitcase before you go to the airport.
suite /swiːt/ n 1 a set of matching furniture for a room: a three-piece suite (=a SETTEE and two chairs) | a suite of dining-room furniture | a pink bathroom suite (=a bath, TOILET, and WASHBASIN) 2 [(of)] a set of expensive rooms in a hotel: She always has a suite at the Ritz when she comes to town. 3 a piece of music with several loosely connected parts 4 [+sing./pl. v] the people who work for, advise, or help an important person: the President and his suite → see also RETINUE 5 [(of)] a group of related computer PROGRAMS which make up a set: a full suite of business software including a word processing program and a spreadsheet
suit-ing /ˈsuːtɪŋ, ˈsjuː-||ˈsuː-/ n [U] tech material, especially woven wool, for (men's) clothing
sui-tor /ˈsuːtər, ˈsjuː-||ˈsuː-/ n especially old use a man wishing to marry a particular woman
Su-kar-no, Ach-mad /suːˈkɑnəʊ-ˈkɑːr-, ˈɑːkmɑːd/ (1902-70) the first President of Indonesia (1945-67)
su-ki-ya-ki /ˌsuːkiˈjɑːki/ n [U] a Japanese dish consisting of thin slices (SLICE) of meat, vegetables etc cooked in SOY SAUCE with sugar and Japanese rice wine (SAKE)
Suk-kot, succot /ˈskəʊt, -kəʊθ/ also Feast of Tabernacles a Jewish FESTIVAL which celebrates the gathering of the crops, and remembers the time in Jewish history when small shelters (sukkahs) were made by the Jews when they were in the WILDERNESS
Sul-ei-man I /ˌsʊlɪˈmɑn ðə ˈfɜːstɪl-ˈfɜːrst/ (?1494-1566) a Turkish ruler, also known as Suleiman the Magnificent, who greatly improved the Ottoman Empire in its government and CULTURE
sul-fa drug /ˈsʌlfə dræɡ/ AmE for SULPHA DRUG
sul-fate /ˈsʌlfeɪt/ AmE for SULPHATE
sul-fide /ˈsʌlfaɪd/ AmE for SULPHIDE
sul-fur /ˈsʌlfər/ AmE for SULPHUR
sulk /sʌlk/ v [I] (especially of children) to be silently bad-tempered, especially for an unimportant reason: The little boy sulked because he couldn't go to the circus.
sulks, the /sʌlks/ n [P] BrE a state of silent bad temper (especially in the phrases have/be in a fit of the sulks)
sulk-y /ˈsʌlki/ adj 1 showing that one is sulking: a sulky frown 2 tending to sulk: a sulky child —ily adv —iness n [U]
sul-len /ˈsʌlən/ adj 1 silently showing dislike or bad temper: a look of sullen resentment | She's rather sullen. 2 especially lit (of the sky or weather) dark and unpleasant; GLOOMY —ly adv —ness n [U]
Sul-li-van, Ed /ˈsʌlɪvən, ed/ (1902-74) a US entertainer who had his own television programme called The Ed Sullivan Show, which started in 1948 and continued until 1971. He invited many unknown musicians and COMEDIANS on his show, which helped many of them to become famous, and the BEATLES and the ROLLING STONES first appeared in the US on his show.
Sullivan, John L (1858-1918) a US BOXER who was the last bare-knuckle world HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION although he wore boxing GLOVES when he lost his title to James J Corbett in 1892. He was known as the Boston Strong Boy, and often said, 'I can lick any man in the house', which meant he thought he could beat anyone who wanted to fight him.
Sullivan, Louis Henry (1856-1924) a US ARCHITECT who worked in Chicago and built some of the first SKYSCRAPERS (=very tall buildings), such as the Wainwright Building in St Louis
Sullivan, Sir Arthur (1842-1900) a British COMPOSER known especially for working with W.S. Gilbert to write humorous OPERETTAS (=plays with songs) → see also GILBERT AND SULLIVAN
sul-ly /ˈsʌli/ v [T] fml or lit to spoil or reduce the (high) value or perfection of: a scandal that sullied his reputation
sul-pha drug BrE || -fa- AmE /ˈsʌlfə dræɡ/ also
sul-phon-a-mide BrE || -fon- AmE /ˌsʌlˈfəʊnəmaɪd||-ˈfɑ-/ n any of a group of drugs used against diseases caused by bacteria
sul-phate BrE || -fate AmE /ˈsʌlfet/ n [C;U] a SALT formed from sulphuric acid: copper sulphate
sul-phide BrE || -fide AmE /ˈsʌlfaɪd/ n [C;U] a mixture of sulphur with another substance: sulphide of arsenic
sul-phur BrE || -fur AmE /ˈsʌlfər/ n [U] a simple substance (ELEMENT) that is found in different forms, especially as a light yellow powder
sulphur diˈoxide n [U] a heavy poisonous gas that is a cause of air POLLUTION in industrial areas
sul-phu-ric ac-id BrE || -fu- AmE /ˌsʌlˈfjʊərɪk ˈæsɪd/ n [U] a powerful acid → see also VITRIOL
sul-phu-rous BrE || -fu- AmE /ˈsʌlfərəs/ adj of, like, or with sulphur
sul-tan /ˈsʌltæn/ n (often cap.) a ruler in some Muslim countries, especially in former times
sul-ta-na /sʌlˈtɑːnə||-ˈtænə/ n 1 a small seedless kind of RAISIN (=dried fruit) used in cakes etc 2 (often cap.) the wife, mother, or daughter of a sultan
sul-tan-ate /ˈsʌltənɪt, -nət/ n 1 a country ruled by a sultan: the sultanate of Oman 2 the position of a sultan or the period of a sultan's rule
Sultan of Bruˈnei, the → see BRUNEI
sul-try /ˈsʌltri/ adj 1 (of weather) hot, airless, and uncomfortable 2 (especially of a woman or her appearance) causing or showing strong sexual attraction or desire: a sultry look/smile —triness n [U]
sum¹ /sʌm/ n 1 [C(of)] an amount (of money): I had to spend a large sum/large sums of money to get it back. | The company