look in two different directions: He's got a bad squint. 2 [(at)] an act of looking hard through nearly closed eyes 3 [(at)] AmE infml a quick look; GLANCE: Take a squint at these figures.
squire¹ /skwair/ n 1 (in former times) the main landowner in an English village or country place → compare LAIRD 2 (in former times) a KNIGHT's armour-carrier 3 BrE infml (used especially by a man as a friendly way of speaking to another man whose name is not known, and who may be of a higher social class)
squire² v [T] AmE to travel with (someone) as their companion to various social events: He squired her around town.
squire·ar·chy, squirarchy /'skwaɪərɑːkɪl-ɑːr-/ n [C+sing./pl. v] the class of country landowners holding political power, especially in England until 1832
squirm /skwɜːmˈskwɜːrm/ v [l] to twist the body about, especially from discomfort, shame, or nervousness: The eels squirmed in the fisherman's net. | She was squirming with embarrassment. | (fig.) The film was so sentimental that it made me squirm. —squirm n
squirt¹ /skwɜːrtˈskwɜːrt/ v 1 [ɑːt] to force or be forced out in a thin fast stream: Water squirted from the punctured hose. | Squirt oil into the lock. 2 [T(with)] to hit or cover with such a stream of liquid: The children squirted their father with water from a plastic bottle. ︷er n
squirrel /'skwɪrəl/ skwɜːrəl/ n a small animal with a long furry tail that climbs trees and eats nuts which it also stores for the winter: a red/grey squirrel
squirt² n 1 [(of)] a quick thin stream of liquid: Give the lock a couple of squirts of oil. 2 old-fashion derog a young or small person, especially a male, who is rude or acts too importantly
squirt gun n AmE for WATER PISTOL
squish /skwɪʃ/ v infml 1 [l+adv/prep] to press down gently on a substance, such as mud, which is soft and wet, so that one makes a soft noise 2 [T] infml to SQUASH or SQUEEZE: Careful, don't squish the tomatoes. —squish n [C usually sing.] —y adj: squishy mud
Sr BrE || Sr. AmE — written abbrev. for 1 AmE Senior; used after a man's name to show that he is the father of another man with the same name: Douglas Fairbanks Sr. → compare JR 2 SENOR: Sr López 3 SISTER; used before the name of a nun: Sr Bernadette 4 BrE SISTER; used before the name of a nurse who is a Sister: Sr Taylor is in charge of this ward.
GRA /,es a:r 'ei/ abbrev. for STRATEGIC RAIL AUTHORITY
Srebreni-ca /srebrni:tsə/ a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina where a large number of Muslim men were killed in 1995 during the Balkan War. Some people believe that as many as 7000 were killed.
Sri Lan-ka /sri: 'laŋkə/ a country in southern Asia, which is an island in the Indian Ocean, southeast of India. Population: 19,742,439 (2003). Capital: Colombo. Sri Lanka was formerly called Ceylon, and it was ruled by Britain from 1798 to 1948. About 70% of the population are Sinhalese, who are mostly Buddhists. The other main group is the Tamils, who are mostly Hindus, and many of them want to become independent from Sri Lanka. A group called the Tamil Tigers sometimes uses violent methods to support its demands for independence. → see also TAMIL —Sri Lankan n, adj
RN /,es a:r 'en/ n abbrev. for STATE REGISTERED NURSE
S /'es es/ n abbrev. for STANDING ROOM ONLY
S, the /,es 'es/ the special soldiers of the NAZIs in Germany who protected Adolf Hitler and, from 1929, were commanded by Heinrich Himmler. They controlled the secret police, the GESTAPO, and the CONCENTRATION CAMPS where millions of people died in the 1930s and 1940s. They were also known as the Blackshirts.
(sh, shh /f/ intej (used for asking for silence or less noise)
SI /,es es 'at/ abbrev. for Supplemental Security Income for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled; a system of monthly payments made by the US government to adults over 65 who do not have much money, or to people of any age who are blind or DISABLED
SN /,es es 'en/ abbrev. for Social Security Number
St BrE || St. AmE written abbrev. for 1 SAINT: St Luke's Gospel 2 Street: Oxford St. | Main St. | Church St
St written abbrev. for stone or stones: She weighs 9 st 8 lb.
stab¹ /stəb/ v -bb- [ˈl(at);T ʃ(in)] 1 to strike forcefully (into) with the point of something sharp, especially a knife, rather than with its edge: Caesar was stabbed to death. | She stabbed him in the leg with a knife. 2 to make forceful pushing movements with (something pointed); JAB: He stabbed his finger at her/at the page angrily. 3 stab someone in the back to do harm to someone by whom one is liked or trusted; BETRAY someone —-ber n
$ stab^{2}n\ 1[(at)] $ an act of stabbing or trying to stab someone: He made a vicious stab at me with a broken bottle. | She was taken to hospital with severe stab wounds. 2 [(of)] a sudden sharp painful feeling: I felt a stab of pain/fear/remorse. 3 [(at)] infml a try: I don't think I'd be much good, but I'm willing to have/make a stab at it. 4 stab in the back an attack from someone supposed to be a friend; BETRAYAL
stab·bing¹ /'stæbɪŋ/ adj (especially of pain) as if made by a knife; sharp and sudden: a stabbing sensation/pain in his foot
stabbing $ ^{2} $ n a crime in which a person is stabbed: There was a stabbing near the university last night.
sta·bil·i·ty /ste'bil'ti/ n [U] the quality or state of being stable: His constant absences threaten the stability of his marriage. | the stability of the pound | a long period of political stability → opposite INSTABILITY
sta·bil·ize also -ise BrE /'steibʒlaɪz/ v [l;T] to (cause to) become firm, steady, or unchanging: The price of coffee has been rising and falling sharply, but has now (been) stabilized.
—ization /ˌsteɪbʒlaɪˈzeɪʃnˈlɒl-ə-/ n [U]
sta·bil·iz·er also -iser BrE /'steibʃlaɪzər/ n an apparatus or chemical that stabilizes something: The ship's stabilizers keep it steady in bad weather. → see picture at AIRCRAFT
sta·ble¹ /'steɪbəl/ adj 1 not easily moved, upset, or changed; firm; steady: The ladder isn't very stable. | a stable marriage/government/rate of exchange | a politically stable country 2 unlikely to behave unreasonably; dependable: He's a bit neurotic, but his wife's a very stable person. 3 tech (of a substance) tending to keep the same chemical or atomic state; not breaking down naturally → opposite UNSTABLE —bly adv
stable² n 1 also stables pl. BrE a (part of a) building for keeping and feeding horses in: a stable door 2 AmE a (part of a) building for keeping and feeding horses, cattle etc, in 3 [(of)] a group of racing horses with one owner or trainer: She's built up an impressive stable of steeplechasers over the years. | (fig.) The new British boxing champion is from Terry Dixon's stable of fighters.
stable $ ^{3} $ v [T] to put or keep (a horse) in a stable
'stable boy also 'stable lad BrE || sta·ble·boy
/'steɪbəlbɔɪ/ sta·ble·man /-mən, -mən/ AmE — n a man
or boy who works in a stable and looks after horses
'stable girl n a girl or woman who works in a stable
sta·bling /'steɪblɪŋ/ n [U] space in STABLEs: There's stabling here for five horses.
stac·cat·o /stə'kɑːtəʊ/ adj. adv (of music) (having notes) cut short in playing; disconnected(ly): (fig.) He spoke in a high-pitched, staccato manner. → compare LEGATO
stack¹ /stæk/ n 1 [(of)] an orderly pile of things one above another: a stack of papers/dishes/coins → see PILE (USAGE) 2 a large pile of grain, grass etc, stored outdoors → see also HAYSTACK 3 [(of)] also stacks pl.— especially BrE infml a large amount or number: I've got stacks of work/a stack of work to do. 4 also stacks pl. a part of a library where books are stored close together → see also CHIMNEYSTACK, SMOKE-STACK, blow one's stack (BLOW)
stack² v 1 [;(T(UP)] to form or make into a neat pile: They are specially packaged so that they stack easily. | Stack the books up against the wall. 2 [T(with) usually pass.] to put piles of things on or in (a place): The floor was stacked with boxes. 3 [T(against)] infml to arrange (especially playing cards) dishonestly so as to give oneself an unfair advantage: He accused his opponent of stacking the cards. | (fig.) I don't think