synthesizer
1412
similar to a natural product) by combining chemicals: to synthesize a drug → compare ANALYSE
syn·the·siz·er also -siser BrE /'sɪnθəsaɪzə/ n an electrical instrument that can produce many different sorts of sound, such as those of various musical instruments, which is usually played with a KEYBOARD like a piano, and is used especially in popular music → see also SPEECH SYNTHESIZER
syn·thet·ic /sɪn'θetɪk/ adj produced by synthesizing, not naturally produced; artificial: synthetic rubber | synthetic fibres —ally /kli/ adv
syn·thet·ics /sɪn'θetɪks/ n [P] substances or materials, especially cloth, that are made using a chemical process
syph·i·lis /'sɪfəlɪs/ n [U] a very serious disease, passed on during sexual activity or from parent to child. This disease, like any VENEREAL disease is considered very embarrassing, and someone who had it would be ashamed to tell anyone, but in both Britain and the US there are special CLINICS where it can be treated → compare GONORRHEA, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE
syph·i·lit·ic /ˌsɪf'lɪtɪk/ n, adj (a person) suffering the effects of syphilis
sy·phon /'saifən/ n, v SYPHON
Sy·ra·cuse /'særəkjuːz/ † a port and town on the east coast of the Italian island of Sicily, built by Greeks in the 8th century BC 2 a city in the northern part of New York State in the US
Syr·i·a /'sɪriə/ a country in west Asia, south of Turkey and west of Iraq. Population 17,585,540 (2003). Capital: Damascus. —Syrian n, adj
sy·ringe¹ /sə'rɪndʒ/ n·an instrument used especially in science and medicine, which consists of a hollow tube into which liquid can be sucked and from which it can be pushed out, especially through a needle, to put drugs into the body → see also HYPODERMIC
syringe² v [T] to clean with a syringe: She had to have her ears syringed.
syr·up /'sɪrəp||'sɜ:-, 'sɪ./, n [U] 1 sweet liquid, especially sugar and water: tinned peaches in syrup 2 a very thick sticky pale liquid made from sugar: golden syrup | maple syrup → see also CORN SYRUP 3 medicine in the form of a thick sweet liquid: cough syrup | syrup of figs
syr·up·y /'sɪrəpi||'sɜ:-, 'sɪ-/ adj 1 like or containing syrup 2 derog too sweet, nice, kind etc: a syrupy romantic novel
sys·tem /'sɪstəm/ n 1 [C] a group of related parts which work together forming a whole: A strike disrupted the postal system. | a heating/air-conditioning system | the solar system | a computer system | the digestive system | the nervous system 2 [C[of, for]] an ordered set of ideas, methods, or ways of working: What are the differences between the American and British systems of government? | She has a special system for winning money on horse races. 3 [U] the use of orderly methods: You need some system in your work if you want to succeed. 4 [C] the body, thought of as a set of working parts: All this idleness and overeating must be bad for the system. your system. 5 [C] the workings of a computer or set of computers: a fault in the system | systems design → see also OPERATING SYSTEM 6 [the S] infml the impersonal official forces that seem to govern one's life and limit one's freedom: She just blames it all on the system. 7 beat the system to find ways to achieve what you want even though society's rules or powerful organizations do not allow it or approve of it: When he heard that his mother had cancer Phan Ho became determined to beat the system and bring her to the US for treatment. | Dave thought he could beat the system, by borrowing money from different sources, but he just got deeper and deeper into debt. 8 get sb/sth/it out of your system a) to do something such as talking, writing, or using a lot of energy that helps you to stop feeling angry, unhappy etc: I had such a bad day at the office - I went for a swim to get it out of my system. | Saturday football is great because you can get it all out of your system, get rid of your frustrations about your parents and everything. b) to stop wanting to do something, or wanting to be with someone, after a romantic relationship has finished: I've tried to get you out of my system, I really have -' I even took Kitty McKenna out last week. | University gives you a chance to study, but also a chance to get staying in bed till lunch and watching bad television out of your system. 9 (it's) all systems go used in order to say that a plan or process is ready to start: On Monday it'll be all systems go for the Northern Gardening Show at the Exhibition centre. | By lunchtime the wind had dropped, the sun was shining, and it was all systems go for a cracking airshow.
sys·te·mat·ic /ˌsɪstə'mætɪk/ adj often apprec based on orderly methods and careful organization; thorough: The way he works isn't very systematic. | The police made a systematic search of the building. —ally /kli/ adv
sys·te·ma·tize also -tise BrE /'sɪstəmətaɪz/ v [T] to arrange in a system or by a set method —tization /ˌsɪstəmətaɪ'zeʃn||-mətə-/ n [U]
sys·tem·ic /sɪ'stemɪk, -'sti:mɪk||sɪ'stemɪk/ adj tech having an effect on the whole of something, especially a living thing: systemic drugs | Systemic insecticides spread all through a plant and kill any insects that feed on it.
systems a'nalysis n [U] the process of examining a system or activity to see whether it can be improved or carried out more effectively, especially using computers to do this
'systems analyst n someone who studies activities, such as business or industrial operations, and uses computers to plan ways of carrying them out, improving them etc