Sopranos, The
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**So·pra·nos, The** /səˈprɑːnəʊz || -ˈprɑ-/ an American television series about the life of Tony Soprano, a MAFIA leader who lives in New Jersey. He has to deal with problems involving both his own family and the mafia. Actors in the series include James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, and Lorraine Bracco.
**sor·bet** /ˈsɔːbeɪ || ˈsɔːrbeɪ/ *n* [C;U] **1** also **sherbet** *AmE* — WATER ICE with the addition of the white of an egg, milk etc: *a spoonful of blackcurrant sorbet* **2** *AmE* for WATER ICE
**Sor·bonne, the** /sɔːˈbɒn || sɔːrˈbɑːn/ the oldest part of the University of Paris, established in the 14th century on the LEFT BANK of the River Seine
**sor·cer·er** /ˈsɔːsərər || ˈsɔːr-/, **sor·cer·ess** /-rəs/ *fem.* — *n* a person who is believed to be magic because of their use of the power of evil spirits → compare WITCH, WIZARD
**CULTURAL NOTE** The popular image of a sorcerer in books, stories etc, is of an old man in a pointed hat and a long CLOAK which often has pictures of the moon and stars on it.
**Sorcerer's Ap'prentice, the** a piece of music by the French COMPOSER Paul Dukas (1865-1935), based on a poem by GOETHE about a boy who works for a sorcerer and lazily tries to do his work using magic, but everything goes wrong
**sor·cer·y** /ˈsɔːsəri || ˈsɔːr-/ *n* [U] the art and practice of a sorcerer
**sor·did** /ˈsɔːdɪd || ˈsɔːr-/ *adj* **1** wicked and dishonourable; not noble: *Gradually the whole sordid story of how he had cheated and lied to his friends came out.* **2** dirty or in bad condition (as if) from lack of money and care; SQUALID: *He lived in a sordid little bed-sit.* —**ly** *adv* —**ness** *n* [U]
**sore¹** /sɔːr/ *adj* **1** painful or aching from a wound, infection, or (of a muscle) hard use: *I've got a cold and a sore throat.* | *I'm sore/My legs are sore from all that running yesterday.* | *I have a sore finger.* **2** [A] *infml* likely to cause offence: *Don't joke about his weight: it's a rather sore point with him.* **3** [F(at)] *infml*, especially *AmE* angry, especially from feeling unjustly treated: *Don't get sore (at me); I didn't mean it!* → see also **sight for sore eyes** (SIGHT), SORELY —**ness** *n* [U] some soreness and swelling in the infected area
**sore²** *n* a painful usually infected place on the body: *The poor animal was covered with sores.* → see also COLD SORE
**sore·head** /ˈsɔːhed || ˈsɔːr-/ *n* *AmE* *infml* an unpleasant person, especially one who does or says cruel things: *Don't be such a sorehead! I only asked if you'd had a good game.*
**sore·ly** /ˈsɔːli || ˈsɔːrli/ also **sore** *old use* — *adv* *fml* very much; greatly: *These improvements are sorely needed.*
**sor·ghum** /ˈsɔːgəm || ˈsɔːr-/ *n* [U] a type of corn grown in tropical areas
**so·ror·i·ty** /səˈrɒrɪti || səˈrɑː-/ *n* (at some American universities) a club of women students usually living in the same house (a **sorority house**)
**CULTURAL NOTE** **Sororities and Fraternities** At the beginning of the school year, the sororities and fraternities (=clubs for male students) hold RUSH WEEK, which is a period when there are lots of parties for new students and members to meet. Once rush week is over, students who want to join a particular sorority or fraternity RUSH (=try to join) that group. To be invited to rush you must usually be the daughter or son of someone who was in one of these sororities or fraternities, or someone who is already a member has to suggest that you are suitable. You may try to rush more than one sorority or fraternity. At the end of rush you have to PLEDGE, which means that you choose the sorority or fraternity you want to join, and must prove that you will do anything to be a member of it. You are often expected to do things such as study for a specific amount of time, clean the sorority or fraternity's house, and learn all of their rules and beliefs. They also sometimes demand that you do strange things such as wear the same shirt every day for a week. This is sometimes called hazing (HAZE), and most universities have strict rules about it so that people are not asked to do anything dangerous. Once you are accepted by a sorority or fraternity, there is a special ceremony in which you officially become a **sorority sister** or a **fraternity brother**. Each sorority and fraternity is expected to do some form of useful work, such as collecting money for CHARITY organizations. The names of sororities and fraternities are based on Greek letters, and so members are sometimes called Greeks. Although sororities and fraternities are popular at most large US universities, some people do not like these types of clubs. The STEREOTYPE of a sorority sister is an attractive young woman who is not very intelligent, but who thinks she is impressive because she belongs to a sorority. The stereotype of a fraternity brother is a young man who plays a lot of sport, plays stupid tricks, and drinks too much beer.
**So·ros, George** /ˈsɔːrɒs || -rəs/ (1930–) a rich Hungarian-born businessman living in the US. He is an international financial businessman who is thought of as powerful enough to change the value of national currencies (CURRENCY). He started the Soros Foundation, which gives money to help people in need.
**sor·rel** /ˈsɒrəl || ˈsɔːr-, ˈsɑːr-/ *n* [U] a plant with sour-tasting leaves used in cooking
**Sor·ren·to** /səˈrentəʊ/ a town on the southwest coast of Italy near Naples, where many people, especially British people, go on holiday
**sor·row¹** /ˈsɒrəʊ || ˈsɑːr-, ˈsɔːr-/ *n* [C often pl; U (over, at, for)] **1** (a cause of) unhappiness over loss or wrongdoing; sadness; grief: *We all share your sorrow over this sad loss.* | *Life has many joys and sorrows.* | *the conventional expressions of sorrow and sympathy* → see also **drown one's sorrows** (DROWN); see SORRY (USAGE) **2** **more in sorrow than in anger** (to say or do something) in a way which shows that one is sad or disappointed, rather than angry, about the situation mentioned: *'Unless you can tackle your drink problem, I'm going to have to let you go', said the boss, more in sorrow than in anger.* —**ful** *adj* —**fully** *adv* —**fulness** *n* [U]
**sorrow²** *v* [(over, at, for)] especially *lit* to feel or express sorrow; grieve: *a sorrowing heart*
**sor·ry¹** /ˈsɒri || ˈsɑːri, ˈsɔːri/ *adj* **1** [F(for, about)] feeling sadness, pity, or sympathy, especially for another person's misfortune; grieved: *He was/felt sorry for her and tried to cheer her up.* | *I feel sorry for whoever marries her.* | *He came in looking very sorry for himself, and I could tell he'd had a bad day.* | *'How's your cat?' 'It died.' 'I'm sorry (about that).'* | [+to-v] *I was sorry to hear that your cat had died.* | *I'm sorry to say* (=I must tell you, but it makes me sad) *that our efforts have failed.* | [+(that)] *I'm sorry you didn't pass your exam.* **2** [F (for, about)] having a sincere feeling of shame or unhappiness at one's past actions, and expressing a wish that one had not done them: *If you say you're sorry for (what you did), I'm sure she'll forgive you.* | [+(that)] *I'm sorry I lost my temper.* | *I can't tell you how sorry I am.* (=I am extremely sorry) | *I'm sorry I ever came here; I wish I'd stayed at home!* **3** [F] (used for expressing polite refusal or disagreement, or excusing oneself etc): *I'm sorry but I won't be able to come/but I can't agree with that.* **4** [A] causing pity mixed with disapproval: *He was a sorry sight in his dirty and torn old clothes.* | *You've made a sorry mess of this piece of work.* | *It's a sorry state of affairs* (=unsatisfactory) *when you have to wait an hour to be served.*
**USAGE** Compare **sorry** and **sorrowful**. You say *(I'm) sorry* if you step on someone's toe etc, and *I'm very sorry (to hear that)* when you hear about another person's troubles. If you *feel sorry for* someone you feel pity for them. **Sorrowful** would not be used for either of these meanings of **sorry** and would not be used about yourself. It is a much stronger and rather literary word meaning 'looking, sounding or feeling very unhappy': *I could see how unhappy she was from her sorrowful face.* → see also EXCUSE (USAGE)
**sorry²** *interj* **1** (used for expressing polite refusal, disagreement, excusing oneself etc): *'That's my coffee, I think.' 'Sorry'.* | *Sorry, but you can't come in.* | *Sorry, did I step on your toe?* **2** especially *BrE* (used for asking someone to repeat something one has not heard properly): *'I'm cold.' 'Sorry?' 'I said I was cold.'*
**sort¹** /sɔːt || sɔːrt/ *n* **1** [(of)] a group of people, things etc, all sharing certain qualities; type; kind: *They sell many different sorts of wine here.* | *What sort of music do you like best?* | *There were all sorts of colours/colours of all sorts* (=many