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south-west¹ /ˌsaʊθˈwest/ written abbrev. SW n (often cap.) 1 [the S;U] the direction which is half-way between South and West: The wind's in (=is coming from) the south-west. 2 [the S] the southwestern part of a country 3 the Southwest the southwestern part of the US, including Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of Texas, Utah, and Colorado.
**CULTURAL NOTE** The Southwest is known for its style of buildings, decorations, and cooking, which are all influenced by Native American and Mexican styles. Typical examples of these styles are ADOBE buildings, and patterns done in brown, dark orange, and TURQUOISE (=green mixed with blue), which are based on traditional Native American and Mexican designs. The Southwest is also known for the desert and for its large cacti (CACTUS).
southwest² adj [A] (of a wind) coming from the southwest —southwest adv: to sail southwest | southwest of France
south·west·er /ˌsaʊθˈwestər/ also sou'wester n a strong wind or storm from the southwest
south·west·er·ly /ˌsaʊθˈwestəli-ərli/ adj 1 towards or in the southwest 2 (of a wind) coming from the southwest
south·west·ern /ˌsaʊθˈwestərn-il-ərn/ adj (often cap.) of the southwest part, especially of a country
south·west·ward /ˌsaʊθˈwestwərd/ adj going towards the southwest: *in a southwestward direction* —southwestwards, southwestward adv: *sailing southwestwards*
South Yorkshire a COUNTY in the north of England, whose largest city is Sheffield
sou·ve·nir /ˌsuːvəˈnɪər, ˈsuːvənər/ n [(of)] an object (to be) kept as a reminder of an event, trip, place etc: *He bought a little model of the Eiffel Tower as a souvenir of his holiday in Paris.*
sou'west·er /saʊˈwestər/ n 1 a hat of shiny material worn to keep off the rain with a wide band coming far down over the neck, typically worn by fishermen 2 a SOUTHWESTER
sov·er·eign¹ /ˈsɒvrɪnˈsɑv-/ n 1 fml a king or queen; the person with the highest power in a country: *loyal subjects of our sovereign* 2 a former British gold coin worth £1
sovereign² adj 1 in control of a country; ruling: *Sovereign power must lie with the people.* 2 a sovereign country or state is independent and governs itself: *an association of sovereign states*
So·vi·et /ˈsəʊviət, ˈsɒ-||ˈsəʊ-ˈsa-/ adj from or connected with the former USSR (Soviet Union) or its people
Soviet bloc, the a name for the former SOVIET UNION, together with the countries of Eastern Europe which it partly controlled, and other Communist countries that supported it, such as North Korea, Vietnam, and Cuba
Soviet Union, the between 1917 and 1991, a country in Europe and Asia, whose full name was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the USSR). The Soviet Union was the largest country in the world and was made up of 15 REPUBLICS (=separate nations), the most important of which was Russia. It was formed after the RUSSIAN REVOLUTION in 1917 as a Communist state, led by LENIN. For a long time it was one of the most powerful countries in the world, with a large army and many modern weapons, and it was regarded as the enemy of the US and western Europe during the COLD WAR. Its political system was controlled by the Communist Party. Ordinary people had little power and were not allowed to leave the Soviet Union, although a small number of people defected (DEFECT) to the west (=escaped to live in other countries). Mikhail GORBACHEV, who was leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991, introduced many political and economic changes and, partly as a result of this, the Soviet Union began to break up as many of the republics got rid of their Communist governments and made themselves independent. ➔ see also GLASNOST, GORBACHEV, MIKHAIL, PERESTROIKA, STALIN
sow¹ /səʊ/ v sowed, sown /səʊn/ or sowed [I;T(with)] to plant or scatter (seeds) on (a piece of ground): *These seeds should be sown in April.* | *Sow your carrots early.* | *We're sowing the field with grass.* | (fig.) *His words had sowed the seeds of suspicion in their minds.* —er n
sow² /saʊ/ n a fully grown female pig ➔ compare BOAR, HOG
So·wet·o /səˈwetəʊ/ a large TOWNSHIP that was established near Johannesburg in South Africa for black people to live in, because they were not allowed to live in Johannesburg under the old system of APARTHEID although they were allowed to work there. In 1976 a student protest against the use of the Afrikaans language instead of English in schools became a RIOT and almost 200 people, including many children, were killed by the South African police and army. As a result, Soweto became an important centre for opposition to the white government.
sox /sɒks|sɑːks/ n [P] infml especially AmE socks
soy /sɔɪ/ also soy·a /ˈsɔɪə/ n [U] soya beans: *soya flour*
'soya bean also soy·bean /ˈsɔɪbiːn/ n (the bean of) an Asian plant grown for its seeds which produce oil and are rich in PROTEIN
So·yin·ka, Wo·le /sɔɪˈjɪŋkə, ˈwəle/ (1934-) a Nigerian writer of plays, poems, and NOVELS. His plays include *Kongi's Harvest, Death and the King's Horseman*, and *A Play of Giants*. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.
,soy 'sauce /||. ./ n [U] dark brown liquid made from soya beans used especially in Chinese and Japanese cooking
soz·zled /ˈsɒzəld||ˈsɑː-/ adj [F] BrE humor drunk
spa /spɑː/ also watering place n 1 a place with a spring of mineral water where people come for cures of various diseases.
**CULTURAL NOTE** Spas became very fashionable places in the UK and Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. People still visit some spas, but to look at the old buildings rather than to go in the water. The most famous English spa is in Bath, in the west of England.
2 AmE JACUZZI 3 also health spa AmE — a GYMNASIUM which people usually pay to use in order to keep fit, and which may include a swimming pool, exercise machines etc: *I've just joined the spa.*
space¹ /speɪs/ n 1 [U] something measurable in length, width, or depth; distance, area, or VOLUME that can be used or filled by a physical object; room: *There's not enough space in the cupboard for all my clothes.* | *We'll have to clear some space to make room for the new sofa.* | *Keep some space between you and the car ahead.* | *In the space of ten miles the road rises 1000 feet.* 2 [C;U] a quantity or bit of this for an often stated purpose: *I couldn't find a parking space.* | *You need permission to fly in that country's air space.* | *Where the book had been there was just an empty space.* | *Please save a space (=an empty place) for me in the queue.* 3 [U] that which surrounds all objects and continues outwards in all directions: *I don't think he saw me; he was just staring into space.* 4 [U] what is outside the Earth's air; where the stars and PLANETS are: *The satellite has been in (outer) space for a year.* | *space travel* 5 [C;U] also spaces pl. — (an area of) land not built on: *the vast empty spaces of the prairies* | *This new town was planned to have some open space near the centre.* | *They hiked for miles across wide open spaces.* 6 [S] a period of time: *There's been a 100% increase in sales within/in/during the space of only two years.* 7 [C] a) an area or distance left between written or printed words, lines etc: *Write your answers in the blank spaces/in the spaces provided.* b) the width of a typed (TYPE) letter: *The word 'the' takes three spaces.* ➔ see also BREATHING SPACE
space² v [T+obj+adv/prep; usually pass.] to place apart; arrange with spaces between: *The pictures in the gallery were well spaced out.* | *Space the desks two metres apart so that the pupils can't cheat.* | *We spaced our family out over five years.* (=left even periods of time between having babies during those years)
'space-age adj infml, usually apprec very modern
'space bar n the part of a TYPEWRITER below the lowest row of keys that is pressed to make a space
'space capsule n a vehicle which may carry people or animals, and travels into space to obtain information and then comes back to Earth
space·craft /ˈspeɪsˌkrɑːft||-kræft/ n pl. spacecraft a vehicle able to travel in SPACE: *a manned spacecraft*
,spaced 'out adj infml not fully conscious of what is happening around one, e.g. because of the effect of drugs