sepulchre
1260
sepul·chre BrE || –cher AmE /'sepəlkər/ n old use or bibl a small building or room in which dead people are placed; TOMB. This word is known to most people only as used for the place where Christ was buried. → see also WHITED SEPULCHRE
sequel /'si:kwəl/ n [(to)] 1 a book, film etc, which continues the course of action of, or has the same characters as, an earlier one 2 something that follows something else, especially as a result: In/As an unexpected sequel to the leaders' meeting, new trade agreements between the two countries have been announced.
sequence /'si:kwəns/ n 1 [C;of] a group of things that are arranged in or happen in an order, especially following one another in time: a sequence of historical plays by Shakespeare | A sequence of bad accidents has prompted the council to put up warning signs. 2 [U] the order in which things or events follow one another; SUCCESSION: Please keep the numbered cards in sequence; don't mix them up. | The sequence of events on the night of the murder still isn't known. 3 [C] a part of a story, especially in a film, dealing with a single subject or action; scene: In the next sequence we see the hero rescuing the girl.
se·quenc·ing /'si:kwənsɪŋ/ n [U;of] fml arrangement in an order, especially in time: In a busy railway station the sequencing of trains is a difficult job.
se·quen·tial /sɪ'kwenʃəl/ adj fml of, forming, or following in (a) sequence →→ly adv: They are numbered sequentially, from 1 to 10.
se·ques·tered /sɪ'kwestədl-ərd/ adj lit quiet and hidden away from other people: a sequestered spot by the river bank
se·ques·trate /sɪ'kwestreɪt, 'si:kwəs-/ also se·ques·ter /sɪ'kwestər/ v [T usually pass.] law to take control of (the property of a debtor, of someone who has disobeyed a court etc) by legal order until the debts are paid or the court's order is obeyed →tration /ˌsi:kwə'streɪʃən/ n [C;U] The judge ordered the sequestration of the union's funds.
se·quin /'si:kwɪn/ n a very small flat round shiny piece of metal or plastic sewn onto a garment for decoration: Her ballgown is decorated with thousands of sequins. →quined adj
se·quoi·a /sɪ'kwɪə/ n 1 REDWOOD 2 tech the group (GENUS) of trees which include REDWOOD trees
Se,quoia ,National 'Park a US NATIONAL PARK (=an area of countryside protected by the government for people to visit) in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, known for its extremely large trees, especially the General Sherman Tree, which is the largest living thing in the world
Se·quoy·ah /sɪ'kwɔɪə/ (1760?-1843) a Native American of the CHEROKEE tribe, who invented a way of writing the Cherokee language, so that he could record his people's way of life
se·ra·glio /sə'rɑ:ljəʊ/ n pl. -glios a HAREM
ser·aph /'serəf/ n pl. -aphs and -aphim /-əfɪm/ any of the six-winged ANGELS of the highest rank guarding the seat of God according to the Bible → compare CHERUB
se·raph·ic /sə'ræfɪk/ adj lit like or typical of a seraph, especially in beauty or purity; SUBLIME: a seraphic smile/child
Serb /sɜ:b||sɜ:rb/ n a member of a people from Serbia and the nearby areas: the Bosnian Serbs (=Serbs from Bosnia) →Serb adj
Serb·i·a /'sɜ:bɪə||'sɜ:r-/ a country of Eastern Europe, which became part of Yugoslavia at the end of World War II. In 1992 when the old Yugoslavia broke up, it remained with Montenegro to form the Federal Republic of YUGOSLAVIA. → see also MILOSEVIC, SLOBODAN
,Serbia and ,Monte'negro a country in E Europe, between Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Population:
10,406,750 (1991). Capital: Belgrade. It was involved in the Bosnian War in the 1980s and was part of the former country of Yugoslavia until 1992. From 1992 to 2003 it was called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Serbia and Montenegro has been the official name since 2003.
Serb·i·an /'sɜ:bɪən||'sɜ:r-/ n 1 [U] a DIALECT of the Serbo-Croatian language, spoken in Serbia, which in Serbia is written in the CYRILLIC alphabet 2 [C] a person from Serbia; a Serb →Serbian adj
Serb·o·Cro·a·tian /ˌsɜ:bə krəʊ'eɪʃən||ˌsɜ:r-/ also ,Serbo-'Croat n [U] the language of the Serbs and the CROATS. The Serbian form is written in the CYRILLIC alphabet and the CROATIAN form in the Roman alphabet. Since 1992, the Croatian language has changed a lot to make it different from Serbian. →Serbo-Croatian adj
sere, sear /sɪər/ adj lit dried up: the sere and withered leaves of autumn
ser·e·nade¹ /ˌserə'neɪd/ n 1 a song or other piece of music sung or played in the open air at night, especially to a woman by a lover 2 a piece of gentle tuneful music, usually in several parts, played by a small group of instruments
serenade² v [T] to sing or play a SERENADE¹ to
ser·en·dip·i·ty /ˌserən'dɪpɪti/ n [U] lit or humor the natural ability to make interesting or valuable discoveries by accident
se·rene /sə'ri:n/ adj 1 completely calm and peaceful; free from trouble, anxiety, or sudden activity: a serene summer night | a serene smile | She just says what she thinks, with serene indifference to whether it may offend people. 2 [A] (part of a royal title in some countries): His Serene Highness →ly adv →renity /sə'renɪti/ n [U]
serf /sɜ:f||sɜ:rf/ n a farm worker, especially in former times in a FEUDAL system, who had to work for a particular master → compare SLAVE
serf·dom /'sɜ:fdəm||'sɜ:rf-/ n [U] the state or fact of being a serf
serge /sɜ:dʒ||sɜ:rdʒ/ n [U] a strong usually woollen cloth used especially for suits
ser·geant /'sɑ:dʒənt||'sɑ:r-/ n 1 a military rank. British sergeants usually have three V-shaped marks on the upper arm of the uniform. → see TABLE 3 2 a police officer of next to the lowest rank, typically also having such uniform marks → see also FLIGHT SERGEANT; see FATHER (USAGE)
,sergeant-at-'arms n a SERJEANT-AT-ARMS
,sergeant 'major n a military rank → see TABLE 3
se·ri·al¹ /'sɪəriəl/ n a written or broadcast story appearing in parts at fixed times: 'The Archers' is a British radio serial that has been heard every day for many years. | Several magazines have bid for the serial rights of my novel.
serial² adj of, happening in, or arranged in a SERIES or row of things one after the other in their right order: placed in serial order | serial processing on a computer → compare PARALLEL →ly adv
se·ri·al·ize also -ise BrE /'sɪəriəlaɪz/ v [T often pass.] to print or broadcast (a story already written) as a serial: 'Oliver Twist' was serialized on television. →ization /ˌsɪəriəlaɪ'zeɪʃən||-ə-/ n [C;U]
'serial ,killer n one who MURDERS a number of people at different times and in different places
'serial ,number n a number given to and usually printed on each of a large number of similar things in order to be able to tell them apart: The police know the serial numbers of the stolen banknotes.
se·ries /'sɪəri:z/ n pl. series 1 [(of)] a group of things of the same kind or related in some way, coming one after another or in order: The Philharmonic Society is putting on a series of twelve concerts this winter. | This is the latest in a series of proposals on arms limitation. | They carried out a series of experiments to test the new drug. 2 a group of books with related subjects, in a similar style etc, printed by one company and often under a single name: We're publishing a new series on ethnic music next year. 3 (in cricket and BASEBALL) a group of specially important games played one after another: a Test series between England and Australia 4 one of a group of programmes on television or radio which are shown regularly over a period of weeks 5 in series tech (of a