📖 S — The English dictionary · page 42

showmanship — Everyday, meaning 1: Skill at entertaining a crowd and getting attention, by doing things in a bold, exciting or dramatic way.↗ Example: The magician's showmanship had the whole hall gasping.↗ · His goal celebration was pure showmanship.↗ · The circus ringmaster was famous for his showmanship.↗ · Good showmanship can make even a science demo exciting.↗ · She plays well, but she needs less showmanship and more teamwork.↗ · P. T. Barnum was known for his showmanship and his tall tales.↗

showy — Everyday, meaning 1: Very bright, big or colourful so that people notice it, sometimes too much.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Done to make people admire you rather than for a real purpose: a showy trick, a showy way of playing.↗ Example: Sunflowers are showy flowers.↗ · His showy red car was parked outside the school.↗ · She did a showy cartwheel just to impress everyone.↗ · The footballer's showy trick lost the ball.↗ · The peacock spread its showy tail.↗ · Toad loved showy clothes and loud horns.↗ · I prefer a simple cake to a showy one.↗

shred — Everyday, meaning 1: (noun) A small, thin piece torn or cut from something.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A very small amount.↗ e.g. "not a shred of evidence".↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) To tear or cut something into small thin pieces.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (verb) To destroy papers with a shredding machine.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (slang) To play guitar very fast and well, or to skate or surf very well; "shredded" also means very muscly.↗ Example: Mum shredded the cheese for the pizza.↗ · The dog tore my homework to shreds!↗ · There is not a shred of evidence that he did it.↗ · Dad shredded the old bank letters.↗ · Her dress was in shreds after the storm.↗ · That guitarist can really shred!↗ (slang)↗ · And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage; for they knew them not.↗ (Prophets 2KI.4.39, JPS 1917)↗

shredded — Everyday, meaning 1: Shredded means torn or cut into thin strips or small pieces.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: As an adjective in cooking: shredded cheese, lettuce, carrot or chicken is cut or grated into thin strips.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Paper that is shredded has been cut up by a machine so no one can read it.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (slang) "Shredded" can mean having very visible muscles; in skateboarding or guitar "shredded" means played or rode brilliantly.↗ Example: Sprinkle the shredded cheese on the pizza.↗ · The puppy shredded my homework!↗ · Mum shredded old bank letters so no one could steal her details.↗ · The storm shredded the tent.↗ · Add shredded carrot to the salad.↗ · The cat shredded the arm of the sofa with its claws.↗ · (slang) After a year at the gym, he's totally shredded.↗

shredder — Everyday, meaning 1: A shredder is a machine that cuts paper into thin strips so it cannot be read.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A shredder can be a kitchen tool or machine part that cuts food or other things into thin pieces.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (slang) A shredder is someone who plays very fast, skilled guitar, or who surfs or snowboards brilliantly.↗ Example: Mum put the old bank letters in the shredder.↗ · Keep your fingers away from the shredder.↗ · The shredder jammed because I put too much paper in.↗ · We used shredded paper for the hamster's bed.↗ · The office has a big shredder by the printer.↗ · My cousin is a real shredder on the electric guitar.↗ (slang)↗ · The vegetable shredder made thin strips of carrot.↗

shrew — Everyday, meaning 1: A shrew is a tiny mammal with a long pointed nose, small eyes and soft fur, that looks a bit like a mouse but eats insects and worms.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (old-fashioned, insulting) A shrew was an old word for a bad-tempered woman who often scolds; this use is now seen as unkind.↗ Example: A shrew must eat every few hours or it will starve.↗ · The cat brought a dead shrew into the kitchen.↗ · Shrews have pointed noses that twitch all the time.↗ · The pygmy shrew is one of Britain's smallest mammals.↗ · A water shrew can swim and dive for food.↗ · The owl swooped down and caught a shrew.↗ · A shrew is not a mouse; it eats insects, not seeds.↗ · In old books a cross woman was rudely called a shrew.↗ · There was once upon a time a lark who was the Tsar among the birds, and he took unto himself as his Tsaritsa a little shrew-mouse.↗

shrewd — Everyday, meaning 1: Clever at understanding people and situations and at making good, practical decisions, especially about money or business.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (of a guess or choice) Wise and likely to be right.↗ Example: The shrewd shopkeeper knew the coin was fake.↗ · That was a shrewd move — you saved half your pocket money.↗ · Grandma is shrewd; you can't fool her with a story.↗ · I made a shrewd guess that the answer was 12, and I was right.↗ · A shrewd buyer checks the price per gram, not just the price.↗ · The detective gave the suspect a shrewd look.↗ · He shrewdly kept some money back for later.↗ · Well, Donald was a shrewd fellow, and downhearted though he was, began to think if he could get any good out of Daisy's death.↗

shrewdly — Everyday, meaning 1: To act shrewdly is to think quickly and clearly and judge well what is going on, especially when you want to gain something.↗ Example: The landlord said shrewdly what he thought.↗ · Odysseus shrewdly worked out who the stranger was.↗ · She shrewdly guessed the answer.↗

shriek — Everyday, meaning 1: To shriek is to give a short, loud, very high cry, because you are scared, excited, hurt or laughing hard.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A shriek is one such cry.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To shriek something is to say it in a very high, loud voice.↗ Example: The children shrieked with joy on the roller coaster.↗ · She let out a shriek when the mouse ran past.↗ · «Get off my foot!» he shrieked.↗ · We heard shrieks from the haunted house ride.↗ · The baby shrieked with laughter at the puppy.↗ · A sudden shriek woke the whole house.↗ · The girls shrieked as the cold wave hit them.↗ · The genie gave such a loud and terrible shriek that the hall shook.↗

shrieked — Everyday, meaning 1: Past form of «shriek»: gave a sudden, very high, loud cry, out of fear, pain, excitement or laughter.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Said something in a high, loud voice.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (of things) Made a high, sharp noise, like brakes, wind or a whistle.↗ Example: She shrieked when the spider ran across her foot.↗ · The children shrieked with laughter at the clown.↗ · "Get out of my room!" my sister shrieked.↗ · The brakes shrieked as the bus stopped.↗ · The wind shrieked around the old house all night.↗ · Everyone shrieked as the roller coaster dropped.↗ · The parrot shrieked whenever the doorbell rang.↗ · "We'll poison her--poison her!" shrieked the witches.↗

shrieking — Everyday, meaning 1: Making a loud, high, sharp cry, from fear, pain, excitement or laughter.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) The sound of loud high cries.↗ Example: The children were shrieking with laughter on the slide.↗ · We heard shrieking from the haunted house.↗ · The shrieking wind rattled the windows.↗ · She ran away shrieking when she saw the mouse.↗ · The monkeys were shrieking in the trees.↗ · Stop shrieking — the baby's asleep!↗ · He could scarce keep from shrieking.↗

shrill — Everyday, meaning 1: A shrill sound is very high, loud and sharp, often unpleasant: a shrill whistle, a shrill scream.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Shrill can describe someone who complains or argues in a loud, annoying way.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (rare, verb) To shrill is to make a shrill sound.↗ Example: The referee blew a shrill whistle.↗ · A shrill scream came from the playground.↗ · The smoke alarm gave a shrill beep.↗ · The bird's shrill call woke me up.↗ · Her voice became shrill when she was scared.↗ · The kettle let out a shrill whistle.↗ · The shrill cries of seagulls filled the harbour.↗ · But more distinct came the shrill voice of Tinker Bell.↗ · Cry thou with a shrill voice, O daughter of Gallim!↗ (Prophets ISA.10.30, JPS 1917)↗

shrimp — Everyday, meaning 1: A shrimp is a small sea animal with a shell, a long tail and many legs; many are eaten as food.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal, teasing) A shrimp is a very small person.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To shrimp is to catch shrimps.↗ Example: We caught shrimps in a net at the beach.↗ · Whales eat tiny shrimp-like krill.↗ · Dad cooked shrimp for dinner.↗ · «Come here, you little shrimp!» laughed my big brother.↗ · Some shrimps can change colour.↗ · Shrimps belong to the same group as crabs and lobsters.↗ · ‘You wretched little shrimp,’ replied Hans, ‘a great deal of good your gratitude is likely to do me!↗

shrine — Everyday, meaning 1: A shrine is a holy place, often a small chapel or a tomb, where people go to pray or to honour a saint or god.↗ Example: We visited the shrine to pray.↗ · The hermit lived near a small shrine.↗ · People left flowers at the shrine.↗

shrink — Everyday, meaning 1: To shrink means to get smaller, or to make something smaller.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Clothes can shrink when they are washed in hot water.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To shrink back or shrink away is to move back because you are afraid.↗ Example: The sweater shrank by 4 cm.↗ · The pond shrinks 2 cm each day.↗ · How long is the shirt after it shrinks?↗ · The class shrank from 30 to 25 pupils.↗ · My jumper shrank in the hot wash.↗ · Alice drank from the bottle and began to shrink.↗ · Metal shrinks a little when it gets cold.↗ · The puddle shrank in the hot sun.↗ · "Will the dog bite me?" asked Proserpina, shrinking closer to Pluto.↗

shrinkage — Everyday, meaning 1: The amount by which something gets smaller.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The process of getting smaller.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (business) Goods lost from a shop through theft, damage or mistakes.↗ Example: Wash it in cold water to avoid shrinkage.↗ · The shrinkage of the jumper was 3 centimetres.↗ · Buy a bigger size to allow for shrinkage.↗ · Wood shows shrinkage as it dries.↗ · Shops lose money through shrinkage.↗ · If 10% shrinkage happens to 50 cm, it becomes 45 cm.↗

shrivel — Everyday, meaning 1: To become smaller, dry and wrinkled, often because of heat, cold or lack of water.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To make something do this.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (figurative) To feel very small or ashamed.↗ e.g. "I shrivelled with embarrassment."↗ Example: The flowers shrivelled in the heat.↗ · Grapes shrivel into raisins when they dry.↗ · My fingers shrivel in the bath.↗ · The leaves shrivelled up and fell off.↗ · The slug shrivelled when salt touched it.↗ · I shrivelled with embarrassment when I fell over on stage.↗ · Till thy skin shrivels up and thou art a skeleton!↗ · The grains shrivel under their hoes; the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.↗ (Prophets JOL.1.17, JPS 1917)↗

shrivelled — Everyday, meaning 1: Shrivelled means dried up and wrinkled, shrunk small and tight, like an old apple or a dead leaf.↗ Example: The shrivelled frog sat alone in the corner.↗ · He sold a sack of shrivelled apples.↗ · The old dwarf had a shrivelled face.↗ · And Thou hast shrivelled me up, which is a witness against me; and my leanness riseth up against me, it testifieth to my face.↗ (Writings JOB.16.8, JPS 1917)↗ · Their visage is blacker than coal; they are not known in the streets; their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.↗ (Writings LAM.4.8, JPS 1917)↗

shroud — Everyday, meaning 1: (noun) A cloth that a dead body is wrapped in before burial.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) Something that covers or hides.↗ e.g. "a shroud of mist", "a shroud of secrecy".↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) To cover or hide something.↗ e.g. "Fog shrouded the town."↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (noun, sailing) One of the ropes that hold a ship's mast steady.↗ Example: The castle was shrouded in fog.↗ · The old house was shrouded in mystery.↗ · The body was wrapped in a white shroud.↗ · A shroud of smoke hung over the city.↗ · The plan was kept under a shroud of secrecy.↗ · The sailor climbed the shrouds to the top of the mast.↗ · She went up to the corpse, and drew away its shroud from it.↗ · Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon, with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of a high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs.↗ (Prophets EZK.31.3, JPS 1917)↗

shrub — Everyday, meaning 1: A woody plant smaller than a tree, with several stems growing from near the ground; a bush.↗ Example: Lavender is a shrub with purple flowers.↗ · Birds built a nest in the shrub by the fence.↗ · We planted shrubs along the school path.↗ · A shrub has many woody stems, but a tree usually has one trunk.↗ · The gardener trimmed the shrubs into round shapes.↗ · Rosemary is a shrub that smells lovely.↗ · It was a large shrub, completely covered with the most magnificent flowers in the world.↗ · And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.↗ (Torah GEN.21.15, JPS 1917)↗

shrubbery — Everyday, meaning 1: A shrubbery is an area in a garden or park planted with bushes and small trees.↗ Example: He walked into the shrubbery.↗ · The deer was hidden in the shrubbery.↗ · The children played among the shrubbery.↗

shrug — Everyday, meaning 1: To shrug is to raise your shoulders quickly and drop them, to show you do not know or do not care.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A shrug is that movement.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To shrug something off is to treat it as not important, or to get over it easily.↗ Example: «Where's your homework?»↗ He just shrugged.↗ · She shrugged her shoulders and said, «I don't know.»↗ · He gave a shrug and walked away.↗ · She shrugged off the fall and kept running.↗ · Don't shrug when I ask you a question.↗ · He shrugged off the cold and played on.↗ · "All right," said Elfin, shrugging his shoulders.↗