shutter
1286
shut·ter¹ /'ʃʌtər/ n 1 a part of a camera which opens for an exact usually very short time to let light fall on the film: Press the shutter. | a shutter speed of 1/250 second → see picture at CAMERA 2 either of a pair of wood or metal covers that can be unfolded in front of the outside of a window to block the view or keep out the light 3 put up the shutters infml to close a business at the end of the day or for ever
shutter² v [T usually pass.] to close (as if) with SHUTTERS¹: The deserted town was a sad sight, with all the shops shuttered and the people gone.
shut·tle¹ /'ʃʌtl/ n 1 {a vehicle used for} a regular journey from one place to another and back by air, railway, bus etc, usually over a short distance: the London to Paris air shuttle 2 a spacecraft that can be used more than once 3 a pointed instrument used in weaving to pass the thread across and between the threads that form the length of the cloth 4 infml a shuttlecock
shuttle² v [T+obj+adv/prep] to move by a SHUTTLE: We shuttled the passengers to the city centre by helicopter.
shut·tle·cock /'ʃʌtlkɒk|| -kɑːk/ especially BrE || usually birdie AmE —n a small light feathered object with a round base, for hitting across the net in the game of BADMINTON
shuttlecock
'shuttle di,plomacy n [U] international talks, e.g. to try to make peace, carried out by someone who travels between the countries concerned taking messages and suggesting answers to problems
'shuttle ,service n a frequent air, bus, or train service between two places fairly near to each other: There's a shuttle service between the town centre and the station.
shy¹ /ʃaɪ/ adj 1 [(of)] nervous in the company of others; lacking self-confidence: When the children met the queen, they were too shy to speak. | He's shy of women. | a shy smile 2 [(of an animal)] unwilling to come near people; TIMID 3 [(of)] especially AmE lacking; short: [after n] We're still three votes shy (of the number we need to win). 4 Once bitten, twice shy saying a person who has had a bad experience will be more careful in the future 5 -shy afraid of; not liking: She's camera-shy and hates being photographed. → see also GUN-SHY, WORKSHY, fight shy of (FIGHT) —ly adv —ness n [U]
shy² v [(at)] (especially of a horse) to make a sudden sideways or backward movement, especially from fear: The horse shied at the loud noise and threw its rider.
shy away from sthg. phr v [T+obj/v-ing] to avoid because of fear, dislike, or lack of self-confidence: She tends to shy away from (accepting) responsibility.
shy³ v [T] old-fash infml to throw with a quick movement
shy⁴ n BrE infml 1 a throw 2 [(at)] an attack in words: He took a few shies at his opponents. → see also COCONUT SHY
Shy·lock /'ʃaɪlɒk||-lɑːk/ n a character in the play The MERCHANT of VENICE by William SHAKESPEARE. He is a Jewish money-lender who lends money to Antonio, and when Antonio is unable to pay the money back, Shylock says he has the right to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio's body. In some ways Shylock is shown in a negative way as someone who is only interested in money, but he also makes a humorous speech in which he states that he is like any other human being ('If you prick me, do I not bleed...') and describes how he and other Jewish people are unfairly treated.
shys·ter /'ʃaɪstər/ n AmE infml a dishonest person, especially a lawyer or politician
Si·am /saɪ'æm/ a former name for THAILAND
Si·a·mese cat /ˌsaɪəmiːz 'kæt/ n a type of blue-eyed short-haired cat with pale grey or light brown fur and darker ears, feet, tail, and face
,Siamese 'twin n one of two people who are born joined to each other at one part of their body. Siamese twins are extremely rare, and medical operations to separate them are often very dangerous. They are called this because of a famous pair of twins in the 19th century who were born in Siam (Thailand).
SIB, the /ˌes aɪ 'biː/ abbrev. for the SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS BOARD
Si·be·li·us, Jean /sɪ'bɛliəs, ʒæn/ (1865-1957) a Finnish COMPOSER whose music is about nature and old Finnish stories and literature. He is best-known works are Finlandia, the Karelia Suite, and his symphonies (SYMPHONY).
Si·be·ri·a /saɪ'bɪəriə/ a very large area in Russia, between the Ural Mountains and the Pacific Ocean where there are many minerals but very few people. It is known for being extremely cold, and for being the place where Russian criminals were sent, and during the communist years where SOVIET governments had prisons to which they used to send anyone who disagreed with them. → see also TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY
—Siberian adj
sib·i·lant¹ /'sɪbɪlənt/ adj fml making or being a sound like that of s or sh: a sibilant whistling sound
sibilant² n tech a sibilant sound, such as /s, z, ʃ, ʒ/ in English
sib·ling /'sɪblɪŋ/ also sib /sɪb/ infml —n fml a brother or sister: sibling rivalry
sib·yl /'sɪbl, -bəl/ n any of several women in the ancient world who were thought to know the future
sic¹ /sɪk/ adv Lat (used after a word in writing to show that it has been printed or quoted (QUOTE) intentionally, even though it is a mistake): The foreign student wrote about 'many informations' (sic) in his English essay.
sic² also sick v sicced or siccing [T] AmE 1 (of dogs or animals) to cause to attack; set on: He sicced his dog on me. 2 Sic 'em! (said to a dog) Attack them!
Si·ci·ly /'sɪsɪli/ an island in the Mediterranean Sea, which is part of Italy and is close to the country's southwest coast. It is known especially as the home of the MAFIA. Capital: Palermo.
—Sicillian /sɪ'sɪliən/ n, adj
sick¹ /sɪk/ adj 1 not well; ill; having a disease: The President is a very sick man. | She's visiting her sick uncle in hospital. | The cow looks pretty sick; you should call in the vet. | Jim's not at work - he's off sick today. | Many of the soldiers reported sick with food poisoning. | Did Mary call in sick today? I haven't seen her. → see ILL (USAGE) 2 [F] BrE || sick to one's stomach AmE — upset in the stomach so that one wants to throw up what is in it; feeling NAUSEA; QUEASY: We began to feel sick as soon as the ship started to move. → see also be sick (SICK¹) 3 [A] causing or typical of this feeling: a sick smell/feeling 4 [F] so influenced by unpleasant feelings that one (almost) feels ill: He was sick with fear. | Why didn't you say you were going to be late? I've been worried sick. (=extremely worried) | (lit) feeling sick at heart (=very unhappy) 5 [F+of] also sick and tired infml — feeling annoyance, dislike, and impatience from too much of something: I'm sick of (listening to) your complaints; be quiet! 6 unnaturally or unhealthily cruel; MORBID: a sick joke/mind 7 be sick especially BrE to throw up what is in the stomach; VOMIT: He suddenly felt sick, and was sick twice before he could even get to the bathroom. | The cat's been sick on the carpet. 8 look sick infml especially AmE to look worthless by comparison: She's such a good swimmer she makes me look sick. 9 make someone sick infml to be strongly displeasing to someone: It makes me sick, the way they exploit their workers! 10 on the sick list infml (absent because of being) ill 11 sick as a parrot BrE extremely disappointed; a phrase often thought of in connection with football players describing how they feel when they have lost a match 12 take sick old-fash to become ill: He took sick and died a week later. → see also AIRSICK, CARSICK, HOMESICK, SEASICK, TRAVELSICK
sick sthg. ⇔ up phr v [T] BrE infml for VOMIT
USAGE 1 In British English to be/feel sick is to VOMIT or feel that one is going to VOMIT. It is therefore confusing to say I was sick yesterday meaning 'I was ill', but it is all right to use sick in this meaning before a noun: a sick child. 2 A sick person has a disease, not for example a wound or a broken leg, although one may be on sick leave or receive sick pay for these reasons. → see also ILL (USAGE)
sick² n 1 [the P] people who are ill: The sick and wounded were allowed to go free. 2 [U] BrE infml for VOMIT
sick³ v AmE SIC