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supernumerary
television by millions of people, and many people have Super Bowl parties at their houses. → see also FOOTBALL
su·per·bug /'su:pəbʌg||-ər-/ n a bacterium (BACTERIA) that cannot be treated with ANTIBIOTICS. Scientists are especially worried about the spread of superbugs such as MRSA in hospitals.
su·per·charge /'su:pətʃɑ:dʒ||-pɑ:rtʃɑ:dʒ/ v [T often pass.] 1 to increase the power of (an engine) with a supercharger 2 to fill with (too much) power, strong feeling etc: an atmosphere supercharged with emotion
su·per·charg·er /'su:pə,tʃɑ:dʒər||-pər,tʃɑ:r-/ n an apparatus for producing more power from an engine by forcing air into the place where FUEL, such as petrol, burns → see also TURBOCHARGER
su·per·cil·i·ous /ˌsu:pə'sɪliəs||-pər-/ adj derog (as if) thinking that others are of little importance; HAUGHTY: a supercilious wave of the hand | a supercilious manner —ly adv: He smiled superciliously when I described my modest collection. —ness n [U]
su·per·con·duc·tiv·i·ty /ˌsu:pəkɒndʌk'tvɪtɪ||-pərkɑ:n-/ n [U] the ability of certain metals to allow electricity to pass freely (without RESISTANCE) when at the lowest temperatures possible
su·per·con·duc·tor /ˌsu:pəkən'dʌktər||-pər-/ n a substance that possesses the quality of superconductivity
Su·per·drug /'su:pədrʌg||-pər-/ trademark a British shop which sells medicines, soaps, SHAMPOOS, RAZORS etc
su·per·du·per /ˌsu:pə'du:pər||-pər-/ adj infml, becoming old-fash wonderful; SUPER
su·per·e·go /ˌsu:pər'i:gəʊ, -'egəʊ/ n pl. -gos tech (in Freudian PSYCHOLOGY) the moral self or conscience; one of the three parts of the mind that is partly conscious and that rewards and punishes us by our feelings of guilt or rightness, according to our respect for the rules of society → compare EGO, ID
su·per·fi·cial /ˌsu:pə'fɪʃəl||-pər-/ adj 1 [no comp.] on the surface; not deep: a superficial wound | a superficial resemblance between two people 2 not thorough or complete: She has a superficial knowledge of the language. | a superficial inspection 3 derog showing a lack of deep feelings or serious thinking; SHALLOW: He's so superficial. | a very superficial analysis of the situation —ly adv —ity /ˌsu:pəfɪʃi'ælɪtɪ||-pər-/ n [U]
su·per·flu·i·ty /ˌsu:pə'flu:ɪtɪ||-pər-/ n [S(oft)] fml or pomp a larger amount than is needed
su·per·flu·ous /su:'pɜ:fliuəs||-'pɜ:r-/ adj fml more than is necessary; not needed or wanted: He had already been told, so our comments were superfluous. | superfluous energy —ly adv —ness n [U]
Su·per·glue /'su:pəglu:||-pər-/ trademark a very strong type of glue which sticks very quickly and is difficult to remove —superglue v [T]
su·per·grass /'su:pəgrɑ:s||-pərgræs/ n BrE a person, especially a criminal, who supplies the police with a lot of information about the activities of other criminals in order to reduce his/her own punishment
su·per·gun /'su:pəgʌn||-pər-/ n a very large gun, especially the one that Iraq was trying to build in 1990, made up of steel tubes sent secretly into the country: There have been more questions in the British parliament about the Iraqi supergun affair.
su·per·he·ro /'su:pəˌhɪərəʊ||-pər-/ n a character in stories who has special qualities such as great strength, the ability to fly, and special senses, and uses these to help people and to save the world from evil → see also SUPERMAN
su·per·high·way /'su:pəˌhaɪweɪ||-pər-/ n AmE a very large MOTORWAY → see Cultural Note at HIGHWAY
su·per·hu·man /ˌsu:pə'hju:mən||-pər'hju:-, -'ju:-/ adj seeming beyond human powers: It will require a superhuman effort to get the job finished on time.
su·per·im·pose /ˌsu:pərɪm'pəʊz/ v [T(on)] to put (something) over something else, especially so that both can be (partly) seen: Using two projectors, we can superimpose one film image on the other.
su·per·in·tend /ˌsu:pərɪn'tend/ v [T] to be in charge of and direct (official work)
su·per·in·tend·ent /ˌsu:pərɪn'tendənt/ n 1 a person who is officially in charge of an activity, a place etc: superintendent of schools 2 a British police officer of middle rank 3 AmE also super a person who manages an APARTMENT BUILDING
su·pe·ri·or¹ /su:'pɪəriər, ˌsju:-||su-/ adj 1 [(to)] of higher rank or class: I'll report you to your superior officer! 2 [(to)] better in quality or value: Of the two books, I think this one is superior (to that). 3 of high quality: This is a very superior make of car, sir. | superior craftsmanship 4 derog (as if) thinking oneself better than others: He smiled a superior smile as he drove past in his expensive new car. 5 [A] tech higher in position; upper: the superior limbs (=the arms) 6 [after n] (usually cap.) (a title for) the head of a religious group: Mother/Father Superior → compare INFERIOR; see MAJOR (USAGE) —ity /suˌpɪəri'ɒrɪtɪ|| sju:-,ˌsuˌpɪəri':-, -'ɑ:-/ n [U(over)] their obvious superiority over the other team
su·pe·ri·or² n [often pl.] a person of higher rank, especially in a job: He always does what his superiors tell him. → compare INFERIOR
Superior, Lake the largest of the GREAT LAKES on the border between Canada and the US, which is also the largest FRESHWATER lake (=whose water does not contain salt) in the world
su'perior ,court n a STATE COURT which hears many different types of cases, especially serious cases
,superi'ority ,complex n infml a condition of the mind in which someone believes that they are much better, more important, clever etc, than other people → compare INFERIORITY COMPLEX
su·per·la·tive¹ /su:'pɜ:lətɪv, sju:-||su'pɜ:r-/ adj 1 [no comp.] (in grammar) of the form of an adjective or adverb expressing the highest degree of comparison: 'Worst' is the superlative form of 'bad'. → compare COMPARATIVE, POSITIVE 2 best; of the highest quality: of superlative quality | a superlative performance
superlative² n 1 [the S] the superlative form of an adjective or adverb: 'Biggest' is the superlative of 'big'. 2 [C] a word in this form, especially when expressing great praise or admiration: She described the place with a string of superlatives. (=several superlative adjectives)
su·per·la·tive·ly /su:'pɜ:lətvli, sju:-||su'pɜ:r-/ adv (especially of something good) very; to a very high degree: superlatively happy
su·per·man /'su:pəmæn||-pər-/, superwoman fem. — n pl. -men /men/ a person of very great or SUPERHUMAN ability or strength
Superman trademark a character in US COMICS (=magazines with stories told in pictures), films, and television programmes. He came to Earth as a baby from an imaginary PLANET called KRYPTON, and he has great strength and special powers, including the ability to fly and to see through objects using X-RAY VISION. He uses his powers to save the world from being destroyed by evil characters and to fight for 'Truth, Justice, and the American Way'. Most of the time he lives a normal life as Clark KENT, a REPORTER for the newspaper The Daily Planet, and no-one knows that he is Superman, not even his girlfriend, Lois LANE, who also works for the same newspaper. When his help is needed, he quickly changes from his ordinary clothes into a special uniform and becomes Superman.
su·per·mar·ket /'su:pəˌmɑ:kɪt||-pərˌmɑ:r-/ also grocery store AmE — n a large shop where customers serve themselves with food and other goods needed in the home. The customers use large TROLLEYS and often buy enough food to last for a week or even a month. Goods usually cost less in supermarkets than they do in smaller shops: Small corner shops simply cannot compete with the supermarkets on prices.
su·per·nat·u·ral¹ /ˌsu:pə'nætʃərəl||-pər-/ adj impossible to explain by natural laws; of or caused by the powers of spirits, gods, and magic: supernatural forces —ly adv
supernatural² n [the S] matters and experiences connected with unknown forces and spirits: belief in the supernatural
su·per·no·va /ˌsu:pə'nəʊvə||-pər-/ n a very large exploding star seen in the sky as a bright mass → compare NOVA
su·per·nu·me·ra·ry /ˌsu:pə'nju:məreri||-pər'nu:məreri/ n, adj fml (a person or thing) additional to the usual or necessary number