📖 S — The English dictionary · page 7

sapiens — Everyday, meaning 1: (Latin) «Sapiens» means «wise» or «knowing»; it is the second part of the scientific name of modern humans, Homo sapiens, meaning «wise human».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) Used alone to mean modern humans: «early sapiens».↗ It is not an ordinary English word.↗ Example: Humans belong to the species Homo sapiens.↗ · «Sapiens» is Latin for wise.↗ · Homo sapiens first lived in Africa.↗ · Neanderthals lived at the same time as early Homo sapiens.↗ · Scientific names like Homo sapiens are written in italics.↗ · The museum shows a skull of an early sapiens.↗

sapient — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Wise; having great understanding.↗ Here it is Latin, "sapientes", meaning "wise men".↗ Example: Hinc jam rebus Israel inclinatis ne deficeret per sapientes Hierusalem arcanis et (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · Hinc jam rebus Israel inclinatis ne deficeret per sapientes Hierusalem arcanis et [p. 12] profundissimis sensibus literis commendatus."↗ Johannes Pistorius.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗

sapling — Everyday, meaning 1: A young tree with a thin trunk.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (literary) A young person, especially a slim young man.↗ Example: We planted an oak sapling in the school garden.↗ · The sapling was tied to a stick so the wind would not bend it.↗ · Deer eat the bark of young saplings.↗ · In ten years the sapling will be a big tree.↗ · The storm snapped the little sapling.↗ · Each class planted a sapling for Arbor Day.↗ · ‘When first I came hither,’ said he, ‘the plain was bare save for one oak sapling, which grew up to be an oak with a hundred branches.↗ · For he shot up right forth as a sapling, and as a root out of a dry ground; he had no form nor comeliness, that we should look upon him, nor beauty that we should delight in him.↗ (Prophets ISA.53.2, JPS 1917)↗

sapphire — Everyday, meaning 1: A sapphire is a precious stone, usually a clear, deep blue, used in jewellery.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (adjective) Sapphire describes a bright, deep blue colour, as in «sapphire eyes» or «a sapphire sea».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Sapphires can also be pink, yellow or other colours, except red, which is called a ruby.↗ Example: The queen's crown was set with sapphires.↗ · The sea was a deep sapphire blue.↗ · Sapphires are very hard, so they don't scratch easily.↗ · Gran's ring has a small sapphire in the middle.↗ · Rubies and sapphires are made of the same mineral.↗ · Some phone screens and watch faces use man-made sapphire glass.↗ · They are made of rare sapphires, which were brought out of India a thousand years ago.↗ · and the second row a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald; (Torah EXO.28.18, JPS 1917)↗ · And the second row, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald.↗ (Torah EXO.39.11, JPS 1917)↗ · and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness.↗ (Torah EXO.24.10, JPS 1917)↗ · The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.↗ (Writings JOB.28.6, JPS 1917)↗ · It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.↗ (Writings JOB.28.16, JPS 1917)↗ · His hands are as rods of gold set with beryl; his body is as polished ivory overlaid with sapphires.↗ (Writings SNG.5.14, JPS 1917)↗

sarcasm — Everyday, meaning 1: Sarcasm is saying the opposite of what you mean, often in a mocking voice, to make fun of something or to show you are annoyed.↗ Example: "Great weather for a picnic," he said with sarcasm, as it poured.↗ · She did not notice the sarcasm in his voice.↗ · Sarcasm can be funny, but it can also hurt people.↗ · "Oh, thanks a lot," she said, full of sarcasm.↗ · It's hard to tell sarcasm in a text message.↗ · The teacher asked us not to use sarcasm in the debate.↗ · But for the moment Wendy was shocked.↗ “You conceit,” she exclaimed, with frightful sarcasm; “of course I did nothing!”↗

sarcastic — Everyday, meaning 1: Sarcastic means saying the opposite of what you mean, in a mocking way, to make fun of someone or show you are annoyed.↗ Example: «Oh, brilliant, more homework,» he said in a sarcastic voice.↗ · Don't be sarcastic with your teacher.↗ · She gave a sarcastic laugh.↗ · «Nice of you to turn up,» said the coach sarcastically when Tom came late.↗ · His sarcastic remarks hurt my feelings.↗ · Was that a real compliment or were you being sarcastic?↗ · Still he kept up a flow of sarcastic talk, just to exercise his wits and to have the fun of disputing.↗

sarcastically — Everyday, meaning 1: Sarcastically means saying something in a mocking way, where you say the opposite of what you mean in order to tease or hurt, like saying "Oh, great!" when something bad happens.↗ Example: "Oh, brilliant," he said sarcastically, as the rain started.↗ · "Thanks a lot," she said sarcastically when her brother ate the last biscuit.↗ · He clapped sarcastically when I dropped the ball.↗ · "What a lovely surprise," Mum said sarcastically, looking at the muddy floor.↗ · Don't speak sarcastically to your teacher.↗ · She rolled her eyes and answered sarcastically.↗ · Read the line sarcastically and the meaning changes.↗ · "I suppose it's full of molasses now," remarked one of the young men, sarcastically.↗

sardine — Everyday, meaning 1: A sardine is a small, silvery sea fish, often eaten from a tin.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (idiom) «Packed like sardines» means squashed very tightly together.↗ Example: We had sardines on toast for tea.↗ · The bus was full; we were packed like sardines.↗ · Dolphins chase shoals of sardines.↗ · A tin holds 6 sardines; how many in 4 tins?↗ (24)↗ · At the party we played sardines.↗ · Sardines are oily fish and are good for you.↗ · In fact the wagon was so closely packed with boys of all ages that it looked like a box of sardines.↗

sargasso — Everyday, meaning 1: (a name) The Sargasso Sea is a part of the North Atlantic Ocean with no coast around it, famous for floating brown seaweed.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Sargasso (also sargassum) is the kind of brown seaweed that floats there in large mats.↗ Example: The Sargasso Sea is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.↗ · European eels travel thousands of kilometres to the Sargasso Sea.↗ · Sargasso seaweed floats in huge golden mats.↗ · Baby sea turtles hide in the sargasso weed.↗ · The Sargasso Sea has no coastline at all.↗ · Sailors once feared their ships would get stuck in the Sargasso.↗

sari — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: A Hebrew word meaning officer or prince, found in the Assyrian and Babylonian titles "Rab-saris," chief officer.↗ Example: And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army unto Jerusalem.↗ (Prophets 2KI.18.17, JPS 1917)↗ · So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushazban Rab-saris, and Nergal-sarezer Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon; (Prophets JER.39.13, JPS 1917)↗ · that all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sarezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim Rab-saris, Nergal-sarezer Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.↗ (Prophets JER.39.3, JPS 1917)↗

sars — Everyday, meaning 1: (abbreviation) SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a serious lung illness caused by a coronavirus that spread to several countries in 2002–2003.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (science) SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the virus that causes COVID-19.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (abbreviation) In some places SAR or SARs can mean other things, such as Hong Kong and Macau's status as Special Administrative Regions of China.↗ Example: SARS was a dangerous illness that spread in 2003.↗ · The SARS virus attacked people's lungs.↗ · The virus that causes COVID-19 is called SARS-CoV-2.↗ · Doctors stopped SARS spreading with careful hygiene and quarantine.↗ · SARS is short for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.↗ · Scientists think SARS came from animals.↗ · Hand-washing helps protect against viruses like SARS.↗

sash — Everyday, meaning 1: A long band of cloth worn around the waist or over one shoulder, often as decoration or part of a uniform.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The frame that holds the glass in a window that slides up and down.↗ Example: Wendy wore a pink sash.↗ · She tied the sash around her waist.↗ · He fastened the cord to his sash.↗ · the headtires, and the armlets, and the sashes, and the corselets, and the amulets; (Prophets ISA.3.20, JPS 1917)↗

sass — Everyday, meaning 1: (informal, mainly US) Cheeky, rude talk, especially to a parent or teacher; back talk.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb, informal) To talk back cheekily to someone.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal, praise) Bold, lively confidence and style: «she's got sass».↗ Example: «Don't sass your mother,» said Dad.↗ · That's enough sass, young lady.↗ · The puppy has a lot of sass for such a tiny dog.↗ · He sassed the teacher and got a detention.↗ · The singer performed with style and sass.↗ · I didn't mean to give you sass.↗

sassy — Everyday, meaning 1: Cheeky, bold and not polite, answering back in a lively way (mainly American informal).↗ Example: The sassy cat answered back.↗ · The sassy bird hopped about the tree.↗ · Don't be sassy to your teacher.↗

satanic — Everyday, meaning 1: To do with Satan, who Christians believe is the devil, the chief spirit of evil.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Very evil or cruel.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (literature) "Dark satanic mills" is a famous phrase from William Blake's poem "Jerusalem", often taken to mean the grim factories of the Industrial Revolution.↗ Example: Christians believe Satan is the devil, so "satanic" means "of the devil".↗ · We sang "Jerusalem", which mentions "dark satanic mills".↗ · The villain gave a satanic laugh.↗ · The old film was about a satanic cult.↗ · Blake may have meant the factories when he wrote "satanic mills".↗ · Some people called the cruel king satanic.↗

satchel — Everyday, meaning 1: A bag with a long strap, worn over the shoulder or on the back, used especially for carrying school books.↗ Example: She put her pencil case and reading book in her satchel.↗ · My grandad had a brown leather satchel at school.↗ · The postman's satchel was full of letters.↗ · He swung his satchel over his shoulder and ran to school.↗ · Don't forget your satchel!↗ · The satchel was heavy with books.↗ · Give me what you have got in your satchel.’↗

sate — Everyday, meaning 1: (old use) The old past tense of «sit», meaning the same as «sat».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To satisfy a hunger or desire completely, so there is no more wanting.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: To have sat down or been seated, in the past.↗ Example: So down she sate and wept.↗ · Somebody has been sitting in my chair and has sate the bottom out of it.↗ · The sheep sate in the field all day.↗ · He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath sated me with wormwood.↗ (Writings LAM.3.15, JPS 1917)↗ · For my soul is sated with troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.↗ (Writings PSA.88.4, JPS 1917)↗ · Be gracious unto us, O LORD, be gracious unto us; for we are full sated with contempt.↗ (Writings PSA.123.3, JPS 1917)↗ · So down she sate; I suppose she wept.↗ (More English Fairy Tales) · ‘Somebody has been sitting in my chair, and has sate the bottom of it out!’↗ (The Green Fairy Book) · “Somebody has been sitting in my chair and has sate the bottom out of it!”↗ (English Fairy Tales)

satellite — Everyday, meaning 1: A satellite is a machine sent into space to travel around the Earth or another planet, used for communication, weather, maps or science.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A satellite is any natural object that travels around a planet; the Moon is Earth's natural satellite.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Satellite (before a noun) means using satellites: satellite TV, satellite photo.↗ Example: The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite.↗ · Weather satellites take pictures of clouds.↗ · Satnav uses satellites to find where we are.↗ · Jupiter has many moons, which are its satellites.↗ · We looked at a satellite photo of our school.↗ · There's a satellite dish on our roof.↗ · You can sometimes see a satellite moving across the night sky.↗

satiable — Everyday, meaning 1: (rare) Able to be satisfied or filled.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (Just So Stories) In «The Elephant's Child», Kipling writes «'satiable curtiosity», meaning «insatiable curiosity» — a curiosity that can never be satisfied; the Elephant's Child keeps asking questions.↗ Example: The Elephant's Child was full of 'satiable curtiosity.↗ · He asked the Kolokolo Bird about the Crocodile because of his 'satiable curtiosity.↗ · Her curiosity was insatiable — she never stopped asking why.↗ · A small appetite is easily satiable.↗ · Kipling made up the word «curtiosity» on purpose.↗ · Scientists need an insatiable curiosity.↗

satiate — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: To fill someone fully so they want no more.↗ Example: And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, saith the LORD.↗ (Prophets JER.31.14, JPS 1917)↗

satiation — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: The state of being completely full or satisfied.↗ Example: Heat was created from Fire, and cold from Water, and satiation from Wind deciding between them.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗

satiety — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: The feeling of being completely full, or having more than enough of something.↗ Example: Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.↗ (Writings ECC.5.11, JPS 1917)↗

satin — Everyday, meaning 1: A smooth, shiny cloth, often made of silk or polyester, used for dresses, ribbons and pyjamas.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (adjective) Smooth and shiny like satin; a "satin" paint finish is a soft shine, between matt and gloss.↗ Example: The ballerina wore pink satin shoes.↗ · She tied the present with a satin ribbon.↗ · The satin dress shone under the lights.↗ · Satin feels smooth and cool.↗ · Dad painted the door with satin paint.↗ · The kitten's fur was soft as satin.↗ · She lifted her graceful round arm, and her satin dress rustled.↗