strop /stroplstrup/ n a narrow piece of leather used for sharpening RAZORS
stro·phe /'strəʊfi/ n tech 1 (especially in ancient Greek plays) a song by a group of actors, answered by another group in the same way 2 a group of lines in a poem —phic adj
strop·py /'stropɪl/ strɒpi/ adj BrE infml bad-tempered, unwilling to help, and tending to argue
strove /strəʊv/ past tense of STRIVE
struck¹ /strak/ past tense & participle of STRIKE
struck² adj be struck on sb/sth BrE infml to think that someone or something is very good: She seemed rather struck on Vincent.
struc·tur·al /'strʌktʃərəl/ adj of a structure, especially of the main part of a building: The storm caused no structural damage. | structural unemployment (=caused by changes in the structure of society) —→ly adv
,structural engineer n an engineer skilled in planning the building of large structures, e.g. bridges
structural engineering n a branch of engineering that deals with building large structures, e.g. bridges
struct·tur·al·is·m /'strʌktʃərəlɪzəm/ n [U] a method of study, especially in the social sciences and LINGUISTICS, which places particular importance on the relationships and patterns of organization that lie below the surface —ist adj, n
structure¹ /'strʌktʃər/ n'1 [U(of)] an arrangement or organization; the way in which parts are formed into a whole: the structure of the brain | cell structure | the structure of a sentence | the financial structure of the organization | a company's price structure/pricing structure (=the range of prices it charges) 2 [C] something formed of many parts, especially a building: a six-storey brick structure
structure² v [T] to arrange (especially ideas) into a whole form, in which each part is related to others: You need to structure your arguments more carefully. | a well structured report
stru·del /'stru:dl/ n [C;U] a sort of cake of Austrian origin, made of light pastry with fruit inside: apple strudel
strug·gle¹ /'strʌgəl/ v [|(with)] 1 to make violent movements, especially when fighting against a stronger person or thing: It's hard to rescue drowning people because they struggle so much. | He struggled with his assailants and eventually drove them off. | She struggled out of the net which had trapped her. | [+to-v] They were struggling to get out of the burning car. | (fig.) At 3-0 down with five minutes to go, we were really struggling. (=likely to lose) 2 to make great efforts, especially when trying to deal with a difficult problem or situation: I was struggling with the accounts. | She struggled (=walked with difficulty) up the stairs with her heavy bags. | [+to-v] He struggled to control his temper. | young writers who have to struggle for recognition | struggling young writers
struggle² n a hard fight or bodily effort; great or determined effort: Three people were hurt in the struggle. | Despite his terrible injuries, he wouldn't give up the struggle for life. | (euph) We shall continue our armed struggle (=war) until the government is defeated. | With a struggle, he controlled his feelings. | It was/I had a struggle to make myself heard in all the noise. | the struggle for survival | a struggle for independence | Which of the contenders will come out on top in the power struggle? → see also CLASS STRUGGLE
strum /strʌm/ v -mm- [l(on);T] to play (a tune) carelessly or informally on (a musical instrument) by brushing one's fingers over its strings, especially without skill: She was strumming (on) her guitar/strumming a tune on her guitar.
strum·pet /'stræmpst/ n old use derog for a female PROSTITUTE
strung /strʌŋ/ past tense & participle of STRING
strung-out adj [F(on)] infmi 1 strongly influenced by or unable to stop taking drugs: strung-out on heroin 2 extremely tired
strung-’up adj infml, especially BrE very nervous, worried, or excited
strut¹ /strʌt/ v -tt- [1] usually derog to walk proudly and stiffly, especially with the chest pushed forwards and trying to look important: The male bird strutted in front of the female.
strut² n 1 a usually long thin piece of wood or metal supporting a part of a building, aircraft etc 2 [C usually sing.] a strutting way of walking
strych·nine /'striknɪnll-nain, -niːn/ n [U] a poisonous drug used as a medicine in very small amounts
St 'Thomas an island in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea
St Trin-i-an's /sənt 'trɪniənz|seint-/ an imaginary British private school for girls in humorous CARTOON stories of the 1950s and later in a number of humorous films. The girls are very badly behaved and the teachers cannot control them, and they have many amusing and exciting adventures, often involving illegal activities.
St Tro $ \underset{\cdot}{r}\underset{\cdot}{o} $pez /,s $ \underset{\cdot}{a} $n tr $ \underset{\cdot}{e}\underset{\cdot}{r} $pe/ a fashionable holiday town on the south coast of France, which used to be very popular with rich and famous people. It became famous in the 1960s for being one of the first holiday towns to allow women on the beach to wear nothing on their breasts.
'Stu·art /'stjuːətˈstuːrt/ the name of the royal family that ruled Scotland from 1371 to 1603 and Britain from 1603 to 1649 and from 1660 to 1714 → see also MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS
Stuart, Charles Edward → see BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE
Stuart, Gil·bert /'gilbətˈl-bət/ (1755–1828) a US painter who painted many PORTRAITS of famous people and is best known for his picture of George WASHINGTON
Stuart, James Edward (1688–1766) the son of the British king James II, sometimes also called the Old Pretender, and the father of BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE (Charles Edward STUART). He believed he had the right to be the British king instead of King George I, but his attempt to become king, during the first JACOBITE RISING of 1715–16, was a failure.
Stuart, Mary → see MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS
$  \text{stub}^1  $ /st $ \wedge $b/ n 1 a short end of something, especially a cigarette or pencil, left when the rest has been used 2 a piece of a cheque or ticket left in a book of these as a record after the main part has been torn out 3 the part of a ticket returned to the owner after it has been torn, as proof of payment
$  \mathbf{stub}^2 \ v \ \mathbf{-bb} \ \mathbf{[T]} \ \text{to hurt (one's toe)} \ \text{by hitting it against something}  $
$  \mathbf{stub} \ \mathbf{sthg.} \ \Leftrightarrow \ \mathbf{out} \ \mathbf{phr} \ v \ \mathbf{[T]} \ \text{to stop (a cigarette)} \ \text{burning by pressing the end against something}  $
stub-ble /'stʌbəl/ n [U] short stiff pieces of something which grows, especially a short beard or the remains of wheat after being cut: Farmers often burn the stubble after they've cut the corn. \ Ever since designer stubble became fashionable, he's been very lazy about shaving. —bly adj: a stubbly growth of beard
stub-born /'stʌbənl-ərn/ adj 1 determined, especially to an unreasonable degree; with a strong will: (derog) He's a stubborn child who won't obey his mother. | (apprec) The defenders put up stubborn resistance but were eventually defeated. 2 difficult to move, change etc: This lock's rather stubborn; it needs oiling. | stubborn stains —ly adv —ness n [U]
Stubbs, George /st $ \Delta $bz/ (1724-1806) a British artist known especially for his paintings of horses and other animals
stub·by /'stʌbi/ adj infml, often derog short and thick: stubby little fingers
Stuc·Co /'stʌkəʊ/ n [U] a covering of PLASTER on the walls of buildings, often formed into decorative shapes —-ed /'stʌkəʊd/ adj
stuck¹ /stʌk/ past tense & participle of STICK: The paper's stuck to my finger.
$  \text{stuck}^2  $ adj [F] 1 fixed in position; impossible to move: The door's stuck; we'll have to get out through the window. | He got his finger stuck/His finger got stuck in the hole. 2 infml unable to go further or do anything further, especially because of difficulties: I'm stuck; can you give me some help with this sum, Dad? | If the bank won't lend us the money we'll really be stuck. | She was stuck at home looking after the children. 3 [+with] infml having to do, have, or deal with, especially unwillingly: We were stuck with relatives who came to stay unexpectedly. 4 [+on] infml having a great liking for; fond of (especially someone): Jane's really stuck on her new