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synthesize
sym·pa·thies /'sɪmpəθiz/ n [P] 1 feelings of support or loyalty: Although I pity him, my sympathies lie/are with his family. | No one's quite certain where her political sympathies lie. 2 a message of comfort in grief: She sent her sympathies on the death of her friend's husband.
sym·pa·thize also -thise BrE /'sɪmpəθaɪz/ v [I(with)] to feel or show sympathy or approval: I know you feel angry, and I sympathize. | It's hard to sympathize with her political opinions.
sym·pa·thiz·er /'sɪmpəθaɪzər/ n often derog someone who shows sympathy with a person or a cause, especially a political point of view: He was suspected of being a Communist Party sympathizer | a sympathizer of the women's rights movement
sym·pa·thy /'sɪmpəθi/ n [U] 1 sensitivity to and understanding of the sufferings of other people, often expressed in a willingness to give help: She squeezed his hand in sympathy. | I didn't get much sympathy from the doctor when I told him about my pains. | The documentary aroused public sympathy for victims of the disaster. | The president sent a message of sympathy/expressed his sympathy. 2 agreement with or understanding of the feelings or thoughts of other people: I have a lot of sympathy for what they're trying to do. | I am in sympathy with her aims, but I don't like the way she goes about achieving them. 3 active support of other workers: The dock workers have come out in sympathy (with the miners) (=stopped work as a sign of support for them); it's a sympathy strike. → compare EMPATHY; see also tea and sympathy (TEA)
'sympathy ,card n a card expressing sympathy, sent to someone a member of whose family has just died
sym·pho·ny /'sɪmfəni/ n a piece of music for an ORCHESTRSA (=a large group of instruments) usually having four main parts (= MOVEMENTS) —nic /ˌsɪm'fɒnɪk‖-'fɑːn-/ adj
'symphony ,orchestra n a large ORCHESTRA (=large group of musical instruments) which performs symphonies and other similar musical works
sym·po·si·um /sɪm'pəʊziəm/ n pl. -siums or -sia /-ziə/ fml a meeting between scientists or other people experienced in a particular subject, in order to talk about a certain area of interest
symp·tom /'sɪmptəm/ n [(of)] 1 an outward or noticeable sign of disease: The symptoms don't appear until a few days after you're infected. | Yellow skin is a symptom of jaundice. 2 an outward sign of a usually bad or undesirable condition or event: The lower production levels are a symptom of widespread dissatisfaction among the workforce. | He recognizes the symptoms, but refuses to admit that he has marital problems. → see also WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS
symp·to·mat·ic /ˌsɪmptə'mætɪk◊◊/ adj [(of)] being a sign of a particular especially bad condition: Their refusal to take part in the inquiry is symptomatic of their distrust of the police.
—ally /kli/ adv
syn·a·gogue /'sɪnəgɒg‖-gɑːg/ n a building where Jews meet for religious worship
syn·apse /'saɪnæps, 'sɪn-‖'sɪnæps, sɪ'næps/ n the place where nerve cells meet, especially in the brain —synaptic /sɪ'næptɪk/ adj
sync, synch /sɪŋk/ n [U] infml a correct working arrangement; synchronization: The film and its soundtrack are out of sync. (=not going properly together)
syn·chro·mesh /'sɪŋkrəʊmeʃ/ n [U] a part of the GEARS in a car which allows them to change smoothly
syn·chro·nic·i·ty /ˌsɪŋkrə'nɪsɪti/ n (an example of) the happening at the same place, time, or period of time, of two or more events which are similar or related
Unlike COINCIDENCE, SYNCHRONICITY is only used when the speaker believes that there is or may be some connection between the two events besides chance, such as God, FATE, or some other PSYCHIC force (=which cannot be explained by science): Some people study the synchronicities between planetary changes and major changes in the world's problems. | the synchronicity of changes in animal behaviour before earthquakes
syn·chro·nize also -nise BrE /'sɪŋkrənaɪz/ v fml 1 [I;T(with)] to (cause to) happen at the same time or the same speed: You have to synchronize the soundtrack with the film. (=make the sound fit the pictures) | The soundtrack and the film don't synchronize. 2 [T] to set (clocks and watches) so that all show exactly the same time: Let's synchronize watches.
—nization /ˌsɪŋkrənaɪ'zeɪʃən‖-krə-/ n [U]
,synchronized 'swimming n [U] a form of swimming, usually performed by women, which is like a dance in the water while music is playing. The swimmers make patterns with their bodies but do not move fast or over long distances.
syn·chro·nous /'sɪŋkrənəs/ adj tech of or being a method of sending information over telephone lines at a fixed speed which is synchronized by the equipment used. It is faster than ASYNCHRONOUS because it does not use BITS to show the beginning and end of each character.
syn·co·pate /'sɪŋkəpeɪt/ v [T] tech to change (the beat of music) by giving force to the beats that are usually less forceful: a syncopated rhythm —pation /ˌsɪŋkə'peɪʃən/ n [U]
syn·co·pe /'sɪŋkəpi/ n [U] tech the loss of consciousness in fainting (FAINT)
syn·di·cal·ism /'sɪndɪkəlɪzəm/ n [U] a political system or belief whose aim is control of industry by the workers —ist adj, n
syn·di·cate¹ /'sɪndɪkət/ ɪ n [C+sing/pl. v] a group of people or companies combined together for a particular purpose, usually business: Our companies formed a syndicate to bid for the big new contract. | A syndicate of local businessmen is/are bidding for the contract.
syn·di·cate² /'sɪndɪkeɪt/ v 1 [T] to arrange for (written work, photographs etc) to be sold to a number of different newspapers, magazines etc: His column is syndicated throughout America. 2 [I;T] to form into a syndicate
—cation /ˌsɪndɪ'keʃən/ n [U]
syn·drome /'sɪndrəʊm/ n 1 tech a set of medical SYMPTOMS which represent a physical or MENTAL disorder → see also DOWN'S SYNDROME 2 infml a pattern of qualities, events etc, typical of a general condition: Their lifestyle is typical of the bored middle-aged housewife syndrome.
Synge, J. M. /sɪŋ/ (1871–1909) an Irish writer famous for his plays such as The Playboy of the Western World
syn·od /'sɪnəd/ n an important meeting of church members to make decisions on church matters (especially in the Christian church)
syn·o·nym /'sɪnənɪm/ n a word with the same meaning or nearly the same meaning as another word in the same language: 'Sad' and 'unhappy' are synonyms. → compare ANTONYM
syn·on·y·mous /sɪ'nɒnəməs‖-'nɑː-/ adj [(with)] having the same meaning or nearly the same meaning (as): 'Sad' and 'unhappy' are synonymous. | 'Sad' is synonymous with 'unhappy'. 1 (fig.) She seems to think that being poor is synonymous with being lazy. —ly adv
sy·nop·sis /sɪ'nɒpsɪs‖-'nɑːp-/ n pl. -ses /-siːz/ [(of)] a short account of something longer, such as the story of a film, play, or book; SUMMARY
Sy·nop·tic Gos·pels, the /ˌsɒ,nɒptɪk 'gɒspəlz‖nɑːptɪk 'gɑː-/ n (usually cap.) the accounts of Christ's life written by Matthew, Mark, and Luke (but not John), which all tell the same story in a similar way
syn·tac·tic /sɪn'tæktɪk/ adj concerning or obeying the rules of syntax —ally /kli/ adv: 'Be' and 'become' are often used in the same way syntactically.
syn·tax /'sɪntæks/ n [U] 1 the rules of grammar which are used for ordering and connecting words to form phrases or sentences 2 the rules which describe how words and phrases are used in a computer language → compare MORPHOLOGY
syn·the·sis /'sɪnθəsɪs/ n pl. -ses /-siːz/ [(of)] 1 [U] the combining of separate things, ideas etc, into a complete whole: the synthesis of rubber from petroleum → compare ANALYSIS 2 [C] something, such as a substance or an idea, made by combining various parts: Their beliefs are a synthesis of Eastern and Western religions.
syn·the·size also -sise BrE /'sɪnθəsaɪz/ v [T] to make up or produce by combining parts, especially to make (something