
sea | sea: n. 1 ocean, deep blue sea, high seas, Literary (briny) deep, (bounding) main, Neptune''s or Poseidon''s kingdom or domain, Nautical blue water, Davy Jones''s locker, Colloq briny, drink, pond (= ''Atlantic Ocean''): For years he sailed the seas in search of adventure. 2 swell, breaker, wave: As the wind increased, huge seas began to wash over the boat. 3 plethora, quantity, abundance, surfeit, profusion, flood, multitude, spate, legion, mass, Colloq lot(s), heap(s), pile(s), ton(s), mountain(s), load(s), oodles, gobs, scads: Hamlet''s sea of troubles was nothing compared to mine if this book isn''t completed soon! 4 (all) at sea. confused, disoriented, at sixes and sevens, bewildered, perplexed, baffled, mystified, lost, adrift: They were clearly not expecting her and were completely at sea as to what to do.
sea-coast | sea-coast: n. seashore, shore, coast, seaside, seaboard, shoreline, coastline, littoral, sand(s), beach, strand: The people in the villages along the sea-coast depend mainly on fishing for their livelihood.
seafaring | seafaring: adj. maritime, nautical, naval, marine: Britain was at one time the largest seafaring nation in the world.
seal | seal: n. 1 symbol, token, mark, insigne (pl. insignia), sign, signet, crest, bearing, coat of arms, escutcheon, emblem, badge, monogram, identification, cartouche, design, imprint, stamp: The seal on his ring showed a crouching lion. 2 authentication, confirmation, verification, validation, affirmation, attestation, ratification, corroboration, assurance, guarantee or guaranty, endorsement, substantiation, evidence, notice, notification: Management set their seal of approval on the plans. --v. 3 Sometimes, seal off or up. close (off or up), shut (off), zip up, plug (up), stop (up), lock, bolt, secure, batten down, make airtight or waterproof; cork: All exits had been sealed off. They sealed up the windows so that no air could get in. 4 authenticate, confirm, verify, validate, affirm, attest, ratify, clinch, corroborate, assure, ensure, guarantee, endorse: The peace treaty was sealed by the marriage of the king to the emperor''s daughter.
seam | seam: n. 1 junction, juncture, joint, suture, Technical commissure; scar, ridge, line, cicatrix: It is easy enough to see the seam where the parts meet. 2 lode, vein, stratum, bed, layer, thickness: The miners have been working on a new seam discovered at the end of Tunnel 4.
seamy | seamy: adj. sordid, nasty, dark, disreputable, shameful, unwholesome, unpalatable, unsavoury, distasteful, unseemly, squalid, low, depraved, degenerate, degraded, foul, vile, odious, abhorrent, contemptible, scurvy, rotten, unattractive, ugly, repulsive, repellent: In his later work, he painted the seamy side of life in the slums.
search | search: v. 1 Often, search through. examine, scrutinize, check, comb (through), explore, go through, investigate, scout out, inspect, look at or into, probe, scour, sift through, pry into, hunt or rummage through; inquire or enquire of, Colloq plough through: She searched through several encyclopedias but could not find the information she was looking for. Search your conscience to determine the best course. 2 Often, search for. look (about or around), cast about, seek, leave no stone unturned: I searched high and low but couldn''t find my key. --n. 3 hunt, pursuit, quest: The search for the killer went on for years. 4 researching, analysis; exploration, examination, scrutiny, probe, study, perusal, sifting, inspection, scouring, inquiry or enquiry: A thorough search of the documents failed to turn up anything useful. The police made a house-to-house search of the neighbourhood.
searchingly | searchingly: adv. penetratingly, piercingly, intently, deeply, fixedly, concentratedly, eagerly: She looked searchingly into my eyes for some glimmer of hope.
season | season: n. 1 time, period, occasion, opportunity: This is the season when the birds migrate north. Is the silly season upon us again so soon? 2 in season. ripe, ready, edible, seasoned, seasonable, available: Fresh strawberries will be in season soon. --v. 3 spice, salt, flavour, pep up, enliven: One of the great things about chicken is that you can season it in many different ways. 4 ripen, mature, age, condition, mellow: The wood should be well seasoned before being made into furniture.
seasonable | seasonable: adj. appropriate, opportune, suitable, apt, timely, fitting, providential, well-timed, proper, fit, propitious, welcome, well-suited, happy, lucky, fortunate, convenient, auspicious, favourable, advantageous, expedient: The success of the book was owing largely to its seasonable publication, just at the end of the cold war.
seasoned | seasoned: adj. experienced, trained, long-standing, long-serving, practised, well-versed, habituated, acclimatized or acclimated, accustomed, familiarized, prepared, established, veteran, tempered, hardened, toughened, inured: It was a pleasure to be working with so seasoned a performer as Margie.
seasoning | seasoning: n. spice, zest, flavour, relish, sauce: The fact that a former film star was running for office lent just the right seasoning to the campaign.
seat | seat: n. 1 place, chair, bench, sofa, settee, settle, stool, throne: He found a seat and waited to be called. 2 focus, base, centre, heart, hub, site, capital, cradle, headquarters, fountain-head: In those days, Paris was the main seat of learning in western Europe. Istanbul was established as the seat of the Turkish empire. 3 membership, position, incumbency: His grandfather held a seat in the House of Commons. 4 bottom, buttocks, posterior(s), rump, hindquarters, fundament, derri�re, Colloq behind, butt, backside, rear (end), Brit bum, US fanny, tushie, tush, tokus, hinie, Slang tail, Brit arse, US ass: He needs a swift kick in the seat to get him to move. 5 abode, residence, home, domicile, estate, mansion: The duchess used to spend the summer at her country seat in Norfolk. --v. 6 hold, accommodate, have room or space or capacity for, contain, sit: The new auditorium will seat more than four thousand. 7 install or instal, enthrone, ensconce, instate, invest, establish, place, swear in: Once Lord Carter has been seated, it will be difficult to get rid of him.
seating | seating: n. accommodation, capacity, space, room: At present, the auditorium has seating for only 500.
secede | secede: v. withdraw or resign or retire (from), abandon, forsake, apostasize, break with or away (from), drop or pull out (of), turn one''s back to or on, quit, separate from, leave, wash one''s hands of, have nothing further to do with: The City of New York occasionally threatens to secede from the United States.
secession | secession: n. withdrawal, seceding, defection, break, breaking, disaffiliation, retirement, separation, splitting off or away, apostasy: The secession of the splinter group was welcomed by virtually all the other members.
secluded | secluded: adj. 1 private, separate, isolated, lonely, cloistered, sequestered, detached, solitary, retired, eremitic, monastic: He lives a very secluded life on an island in the Outer Hebrides. 2 off the beaten track, out-of-the-way, remote, far-away, far-off, separate, segregated, private: He chose a secluded island in the Outer Hebrides for his vacation.
seclusion | seclusion: n. privacy, private, separation, isolation, loneliness: He prefers to live in complete seclusion.
second� | second�: adj. 1 subsequent, following, next: He let the first target go by and aimed for the second one. 2 subordinate, next: If the colonel isn''t here, who is the second officer? 3 alternative, second-best: She refuses to settle for second choice. 4 alternate, other: The laundry is picked up and delivered every second Tuesday. His second language is Italian. 5 other, later, younger, newer, more recent: After his first wife died, he took her nurse as his second wife. 6 another, duplicate: The boy is a second Einstein. --n. 7 defective or imperfect or damaged or faulty or deficient or flawed or impaired or marred or blemished or bruised or inferior merchandise: The prices of these shirts have been reduced because they are seconds. 8 subordinate, assistant, number two, lieutenant, aide-de-camp, man Friday, girl Friday, right hand; understudy, stand-in, substitute, surrogate, double, alternate, backer, supporter; Colloq US gal Friday: Not being ambitious, Helen would prefer to be a second to the person who runs the business. --v. 9 support, back, aid, help, assist, approve (of), advance, promote, subscribe to, espouse, sponsor, patronize, favour, encourage, go along with: Madam Chairwoman, I would like to second this proposal. 10 transfer, move, assign, shift, relocate: After the Falklands War, he was seconded to fleet headquarters for a year. --adv. 11 secondly, in the second place, secondarily, (number) two, b or B: I want to go: first, because it''ll be interesting, and second, because Jake''ll be there.
second� | second�: n. moment, instant, flash, minute, twinkling or wink or bat (of an eye), split second, Colloq sec, jiffy, two shakes (of a lamb''s tail), Brit tick, half a mo: I''ll be with you in a second, as soon as I finish writing this letter.
secondary | secondary: adj. 1 less important, unimportant, inessential or unessential, non-essential, non-critical, subsidiary, ancillary, minor, inferior, subordinate: These secondary matters can be dealt with after the important ones. 2 derivative, derived, indirect, second-hand, unoriginal, not original; copied, imitated: His biography of Queen Victoria was based entirely on secondary sources. 3 auxiliary, second-line, backup, extra, reserve, spare, provisional, supporting, supportive, alternate, alternative: We were forced to rely on our secondary defences after the enemy cavalry broke through.
second-hand | second-hand: adj. used, old, worn, Colloq hand-me-down: When we were children our parents could only afford to dress us in second-hand clothes. His much-vaunted novels are for the most part based on second-hand ideas.
secrecy | secrecy: n. 1 mystery, concealment, confidentiality, stealth, secretiveness, surreptitiousness, privacy, furtiveness, covertness, clandestineness: Why was there so much secrecy surrounding the publication date of Jennie''s book? 2 in secrecy. secretly, mysteriously, confidentially, stealthily, secretively, surreptitiously, privately, furtively, covertly, clandestinely, sneakily: They carry on much of their business in secrecy.
secret | secret: adj. 1 concealed, hidden, private, covert, shrouded, clandestine; confidential, covert, quiet, under cover, secretive, unpublishable, unpublished, Colloq hush-hush: There is a secret passageway leading from the cave to the cove. Keep secret what I shall tell you. She revealed to me her most secret desires. 2 cryptic, private, arcane, mysterious, incomprehensible, esoteric, recondite, abstruse; cryptographic, encrypted, encoded: We used to communicate by secret code. Did you receive my secret message? --n. 3 private or confidential matter or affair, mystery: If I tell you my secret will you tell me yours? 4 in secret. privately, confidentially, secretly, on the q.t. or Q.T.; surreptitiously, under cover, by stealth, stealthily, furtively, quietly, on the sly, clandestinely: The office manager told me in secret that John was going to resign. They see one another in secret.
secrete� | secrete�: v. hide, conceal, cache, bury, cloak, shroud, enshroud, camouflage, mask, disguise, Slang stash away: They secreted the haul from the robbery in the cellar of a house in Balham.
secrete� | secrete�: v. yield, excrete, pass, generate, release, ooze, seep, exude, discharge, leak, drip, drop, dribble, trickle, run, drain, emit, give off, emanate, transude, Technical extravasate: The ants herd aphids for the substance they secrete. The wound will secrete pus for a while.
secretion | secretion: n. secreting, release, escape, oozing, seeping, seepage, discharge, discharging, leak, leaking, leakage, drip, dripping, drop, dropping, dribbling, trickling, trickle, running, drain, draining, emission, emitting, giving off, exudation, transudation, excretion, excreting, emanation, emanating, generation, Technical extravasation; transudate, excreta, Technical extravasate: The secretion of perspiration may be profuse under such circumstances. The secretion is highly acid in content.
secretive | secretive: adj. reticent, silent, close-mouthed, taciturn, uncommunicative, reserved, tight-lipped, close, Colloq mum: Robert is very secretive about where he goes every day at lunch-time.
secretly | secretly: adv. surreptitiously, quietly, privately, covertly, on the q.t. or Q.T., furtively, stealthily, mysteriously, clandestinely, in secret, confidentially, on the sly, slyly, sub rosa, sub sigillo: I can tell you secretly that she is wanted by the police. Henry secretly rents videotape cartoons to watch at weekends.
sect | sect: n. 1 religious order or group or denomination or body or cult or persuasion or subdivision: At times it seems as if there are as many sects as worshippers. 2 school (of thought), faction, ism, set, clique, cabal: He belonged to a small sect that promulgated the Ptolemaic cosmogony.
sectarian | sectarian: adj. 1 cultist, cultish, clannish, cliquish, partisan, partial, dogmatic, doctrinaire, factional: They seldom mingle with others, maintaining their sectarian existence. 2 parochial, narrow, narrow-minded, limited, insular, provincial, rigid, fanatic(al), prejudicial, prejudiced, bigoted: Because they refused to consider ideas other than their own, they gradually became more and more sectarian in their views. --n. 3 adherent, member, sectary, votary, cultist, partisan: They tried to banish Anabaptists, Lutherans, Calvinists, and other sectarians. 4 (true) believer, dogmatist, fanatic, bigot, zealot, extremist, Slang nut, bug, fiend: Some of the sectarians engage in the ritualistic handling of live rattlesnakes.
section | section: n. 1 part, division, department, branch, sector, group, detachment, segment, portion, subdivision, component, element: Sadler has been assigned to work in the research section. I never read the the sports section in the Sunday papers. Which sections of the country will vote for you? The string section needs practice before tonight''s concert. 2 sample, slice, cross-section, fraction: It can be faulty to assume that the characteristics of the whole are necessarily represented in a small section of it. I examined a section of tissue under the microscope. 3 part, stage, segment, portion, leg: The first section of the journey was more comfortable than the last. --v. 4 cut (up), divide (up), segment, split, cleave, measure out, apportion, allot, allocate: The land was sectioned into four-acre parcels.
secular | secular: adj. worldly, terrestrial, mundane, temporal, material, lay, laic or laical, non-clerical, non-ecclesiastic(al), non-spiritual, non-religious, civil, state: Once he had taken his vows, he put aside secular matters.
secure | secure: adj. 1 safe, shielded, sheltered, protected, immune, unthreatened, unexposed, unimperilled, snug, cosy: Fiona feels quite secure in her new house. Considering the success of the company, Bill''s job looks secure. 2 firm, steady, stable, fixed, fast, moored, anchored, immovable, closed, shut, fastened, locked (up), tight, sound, solid, sturdy, strong: That button on your jacket doesn''t look very secure. Make sure that the house is secure before you go to sleep. 3 reliable, safe, good, profitable, healthy, solid: Telephone shares looked like a secure investment at the time. 4 sure, certain, assured, ensured, definite, inevitable, assumed, evident, obvious, unquestionable, established, probable, easy: With only two minutes left to play, victory seemed secure for Rangers. --v. 5 obtain, get (hold of), come by, acquire, procure, win; gain, get or take possession of, arrogate: Tim has secured a responsible position at the bank. She always manages to secure the sympathy of older men. 6 guarantee, underwrite, hypothecate, collateralize: We used our house to secure the loan. 7 protect, shelter, shield, defend, guard, safeguard, preserve: It seems impossible to secure young children from bullying at school. 8 fasten, make fast, fix, affix, attach, anchor: Secure the cases to the roof-rack with strong rope.
security | security: n. 1 safety, shelter, protection, fastness, refuge, safe keeping, sanctuary, asylum: During the air raids, we retired to the security of the basement. 2 confidence, certainty, surety, assurance, conviction: He has the security of knowing that he is right in this instance. 3 guarantee or guaranty, collateral, deposit, gage, pledge, insurance: What are you going to offer as security for the loan? 4 surveillance, safeguarding, guarding, safe keeping, protection, custody, custodianship, care: What plans does the company have for the security of the office building?
sedate | sedate: adj. 1 composed, serene, peaceful, calm, tranquil, cool, collected, even-tempered, detached, imperturbable, unruffled, undisturbed, unperturbed, controlled, placid, grave, serious, sober, solemn, Colloq unflappable: Despite all the turmoil round her, Sarah remained quite sedate. 2 dignified, decorous, refined, formal, stiff, staid, proper, strait-laced, prudish, fussy, prim, conventional, old-fashioned: Donald prefers a sedate waltz to boogying and jiving.
sedative | sedative: n. 1 narcotic, tranquillizer, opiate, sleeping-pill, soporific, calmative, anodyne, depressant, hypnotic, barbiturate, lenitive, Colloq downer, knock-out drop, Slang Mickey (Finn): The doctor has given him a sedative and he should sleep now. --adj. 2 narcotic, tranquillizing, relaxing, soothing, calming, allaying, opiate, soporific, sleep-inducing, calmative, anodyne, lenitive, depressing, hypnotic: I found that listening to a recording of surf splashing on a beach has a sedative effect.
sedentary | sedentary: adj. seated, sitting, stationary, fixed, immobile, unmoving, housebound, desk-bound: You should find a more sedentary occupation to follow while you recover. As a writer, I lead a sedentary existence and get little exercise.
sediment | sediment: n. lees, dregs, deposit, grounds, precipitate, remains, residue, settlings, residuum, detritus: Periodically, the sediment must be cleaned out of the filters.
sedition | sedition: n. agitation, incitement (to riot), rabble-rousing, fomentation, instigation, firing-up, stirring up, whipping up; mutiny, insurrection, insurgency or insurgence, rebellion; treason, treachery: Because he had organized the strike in the munitions plant during wartime, he was accused of sedition.
seditious | seditious: adj. rebellious, mutinous, revolutionary, insurgent, inflammatory, rabble-rousing, insurrectionist, insurrectionary, refractory, subversive, treacherous, dissident, disloyal, turncoat, unfaithful: One seditious action on the part of the colonists was to dump tea into the harbour at Boston, Massachusetts.
seduce | seduce: v. 1 lure, entice, attract, allure, tempt, mislead, beguile, deceive, decoy, draw on, charm, captivate, vamp, entrap, ensnare, trap, Colloq sweet-talk: He was seduced into giving her his life''s savings. 2 dishonour, ruin, corrupt, lead astray, defile, debauch, deflower, violate, ravish: How many girls have been seduced in the name of undying love?
seducer | seducer: n. See also seductress, below. rake, libertine, rou�, playboy, lady-killer, lecher, debauchee, debaucher, lover, cicisbeo, Don Juan, Lothario, Casanova, Colloq wolf: She can''t really be going out with that wretched seducer!
seductive | seductive: adj. alluring, attractive, tempting, tantalizing, enticing, inviting, seducing, enchanting, entrancing, bewitching, fascinating, flirtatious, coquettish, captivating, beguiling, provocative, siren, irresistible, winning, appealing, prepossessing, Colloq sexy: He was lured into the whirl of the financial world by the seductive five-letter word - money. Never had Helena looked more seductive than on that night in Rio.
seductress | seductress: n. See also seducer, above. temptress, siren, femme fatale, enchantress, Circe, Lorelei, Jezebel, vamp: That clever seductress will soon have him eating out of her hand.
see | see: v. 1 perceive, note, notice, mark, spot, watch, witness, recognize, behold, discern, distinguish, observe, look at, regard, sight, catch sight of, descry, espy, spy, make out, look upon, view, glimpse, catch a glimpse of, Slang get a load of, US glom: I saw him buy a bottle of whisky. We saw two yellow-bellied sapsuckers in one day! Can you see the sea from your suite? Did you see the Houses of Parliament when you were in London? 2 understand, comprehend, apprehend, perceive, appreciate, fathom, grasp, take in, realize, know, be aware or conscious of, get the idea or meaning of, Colloq dig, get, get the drift or the hang of: I see what you are saying, but I don''t agree. After her speech, I saw Gladys in a new light. 3 foresee, foretell, imagine, envisage, envision, visualize, picture, divine, conceive (of), dream of, conjure up, accept: I can see a day when warming from the greenhouse effect will make the sea level rise. Ted said he can''t see you as a married man. 4 determine, ascertain, find out, investigate, discover, learn: See if the bakery has any macaroons. I''ll see what she thinks. 5 Often, see to it. ensure, assure, make sure or certain, mind, be vigilant: It''s cold outside, so see that you dress warmly. 6 accompany, escort, show, lead, conduct, usher, take, convoy, bring, walk, drive: I was seeing Nellie home from a soir�e at Aunt Dinah''s. 7 go out with, socialize with, keep company with, consort with, associate with; court, woo; Colloq go steady with, Chiefly US date: Are you still seeing that boy you met at the school dance? 8 make up one''s mind, think over, mull over, consider, ponder (on or over), contemplate, decide, reflect (on), meditate (on or over or about), ruminate (on or over), brood over: Mother said she''d see whether I could go. Then I asked father, and he said he''d see. 9 receive, meet (with), talk or speak with, confer with, consult (with), have a word with, sit down with, visit with, interview; welcome, greet: The ambassador will see you now. 10 undergo, experience, go through, endure, survive: He saw service overseas during the war. 11 help, aid, assist, support, finance, pay the way for; guide, shepherd: She saw three children through university without anyone''s help. 12 see about. a see to, attend to, look after, take care or charge of, look to, organize, manage, do, undertake, sort out; think about, consider, give some thought to, pay attention or heed to: Could you please see about feeding the horses while I am away? I asked Martin and he said he''d see about it. b investigate, study, probe, look into, make enquiries or inquiries, enquire or inquire about: The teacher said she would see about letting us out early before the holiday. 13 see off. bid adieu or bon voyage: We went to the airport to see them off. 14 see through. a penetrate, detect, perceive, Slang be wise to: She saw through your subterfuge at once. b see (something) through. persevere, persist, manage, survive, last, ride out, Colloq stick out: Once you start on something, I wish you''d see it through. c see (someone) through. provide with help or aid or assistance, help, aid, assist, last: We''ll give you enough money to see you through. 15 see to. See 12(a), above.
seed | seed: n. 1 grain, spore, kernel, pit, tuber, bulb, corm, Technical ovum, ovule, embryo, egg, germ: Add water and the seeds will soon germinate. 2 origin, source, cause, root, provocation, reason, basis, grounds; motive, motivation, motivating factor: The seeds of suspicion were sown by the continuous police presence in the neighbourhood. 3 offspring, children, progeny, young, issue, descendants, heirs, successors: Yea, and verily I say unto you that his seed shall populate the earth. 4 go or run to seed. run down, become dilapidated or worn out or shabby, decay, go downhill, decline, degenerate, deteriorate, go to rack and ruin, Colloq go to pot: If he doesn''t start to look after it, the entire place will go to seed. --v. 5 scatter, sow, distribute: Don''t walk on the freshly seeded lawn.
seedy | seedy: adj. 1 shabby, dilapidated, worn (out), decayed, deteriorated, run-down, broken-down, mangy, grubby, decaying, tatty, scruffy, squalid, sleazy, Colloq ratty: They live in a seedy little shack on the other side of town. 2 tired, weary, wearied, run-down, worn out, unwell, out of sorts, ailing, ill, sickly, Colloq poorly, under the weather, off one''s feed: I begged off at dinner time because I was feeling a bit seedy.
seeing | seeing: conjunction. in view of (the fact that), whereas, in (the) light of, inasmuch as, since, considering: Seeing that you are here, you might as well tell her yourself.
seek | seek: v. 1 look (for), search (for), hunt (for), go or be after, quest after, pursue: They are seeking a really good site for a grand luxury hotel. Seek and ye shall find. 2 hope, aim, aspire, try, essay, endeavour, undertake: They are seeking to recruit members for the new party. 3 ask for, request, beg, solicit, invite; demand: He sought her help and she refused him.
seem | seem: v. appear, look (as if or non-standard in US like), sound, feel, have (all) the hallmarks or earmarks of, give every indication or appearance of: He seems all right to me. She seems to have forgotten her key again. It seems as if I''ve never been away at all. He seemed frightened.
seeming | seeming: adj. apparent, evident, ostensible, outward, superficial, surface, assumed, feigned, pretended, false, so-called, alleged, specious, purported, professed: She was shocked by his seeming indifference to her problems.
seemingly | seemingly: adv. apparently, evidently, ostensibly, outwardly, superficially, falsely, allegedly, speciously, purportedly, professedly, on the face of it, possibly, feasibly, conceivably, plausibly, believably: The purpose of this seemingly honest confession was to throw the detectives off the scent.
seemly | seemly: adj. 1 proper, fitting, appropriate, becoming, suited, suitable, fit, befitting, apt, comme il faut, right, apropos, apposite, characteristic, meet, reasonable, sensible: You can count on Felix to do the seemly thing in such cases. 2 decent, decorous, proper, dignified, genteel, gentlemanly, ladylike, diplomatic, discreet, prudent, politic: She behaved in a seemly manner, in keeping with what was expected of a princess.
seer | seer: n. soothsayer, fortune-teller, sibyl, oracle, prophet, prophetess, augur, vaticinator, prophesier, clairvoyant, psychic, crystal-gazer, star-gazer: The seer foretold a grave famine and much suffering in the land.
see-saw | see-saw: n. 1 teeter: The children were playing on the see-saw. --v. 2 teeter, totter, waver, vary, vacillate, oscillate, alternate, fluctuate, swing, switch: He couldn''t make up his mind and kept see-sawing between staying and going.
seethe | seethe: v. 1 boil, stew, simmer, foam: In the kitchen, a large pot of stew seethed on the stove. 2 stew, simmer, foam (at the mouth), fume, smoulder, burn, rage, rant, rave, become livid or feverish, be in ferment, be furious or incensed, Colloq blow one''s stack or top, carry on, take on, get hot under the collar, get red in the face, get all steamed up: The ball sailed through Mr Griffiths'' new greenhouse and he came out seething with rage.
see-through | see-through: adj. sheer, diaphanous, gauzy, transparent, translucent, gossamer, filmy, peekaboo: She was wearing a see-through neglig�e when she appeared at the door.
segment | segment: n. 1 section, part, division, portion, component, element; piece, fraction, fragment, length, joint, slice, wedge: Only a narrow segment of the population supports the new measures. She divided the orange into three equal segments. --v. 2 divide, partition, section, separate, part, cleave, split, subdivide, fragment: The department was then further segmented into smaller units, each with its own manager.
segregate | segregate: v. separate, segment, partition, isolate, seclude, sequester, set apart, compartmentalize, exclude, ostracize, discriminate against: In the sorting process, each size must be segregated into its own compartment. Their policy was to segregate the Blacks from the rest of the population.
segregation | segregation: n. separation, segmentation, partition, isolation, seclusion, sequestration, setting apart, compartmentalization, exclusion, ostracism, discrimination, apartheid, US Jim Crowism: No modern culture can long survive a segregation of the races.
seize | seize: v. 1 Sometimes, seize on. grab, grasp, clutch, take (hold of), grip, snatch: Robin felt that he had to seize every opportunity that presented itself. The dog seized the robber by the seat of the pants. 2 capture, catch, arrest, take into custody, take prisoner, apprehend, round up, Colloq pinch, nab, collar, pick up, Brit nick, Slang bust: The police seized him as he was trying to leave the country. 3 catch, transfix, stop, hold, possess, take possession of, afflict, beset, visit, subject: I was seized by a sudden desire to kiss those quivering, pouting lips. 4 take advantage of, make good use of: When their attention was diverted, I seized the opportunity to escape. 5 confiscate, take (away), commandeer, appropriate, capture, take possession of, impound: Ten tons of cannabis was seized in the raid. 6 seize up, bind, jam, stop, lock (up), stick, freeze (up): Because of the excessive heat, the gears seized and the engine stalled.
seizure | seizure: n. 1 seizing, confiscating, confiscation, appropriation, impounding, commandeering, capture, taking, possession, annexation, sequestration, usurpation: Police today announced the seizure of a shipment of 2000 pounds of cocaine. 2 spasm, attack, fit, paroxysm, convulsion, Technical ictus: He has had another seizure and is not expected to live.
seldom | seldom: adv. rarely, infrequently, not often, hardly ever, very occasionally: Since they moved away, we seldom see the Pattersons.
select | select: v. 1 choose, pick, show (a) preference for, prefer, opt for, single out, hand-pick, distinguish: Select any two books from this pile. Anne was delighted to be selected from hundreds of candidates. --adj. 2 selected, chosen, hand-picked, choice, special, preferred, preferable, favoured, favourite, exceptional, excellent, first-rate, first-class, superior, supreme, prime, better, best, finest, tiptop: We have set aside some of our select jewels for you to consider, Your Ladyship. 3 limited, restricted, restrictive, exclusive, privileged, �lite, closed: He belongs to one of those select clubs that accept you only if your family can be traced back five hundred years.
selection | selection: n. 1 choice, pick, preference, option: Please make your selection from the merchandise in this display. 2 assortment, variety, collection, range, batch, number, set, series, group: Tonight I shall play for you a selection of jazz recordings made at the Savoy. 3 selecting, choosing, picking, singling out, electing, settling on, voting for, opting for, choice, pick, election: Selection has been delayed till tomorrow. 4 extract, quotation, excerpt, abstract, passage, piece, quote: I shall read you a selection from Blake''s Songs of Innocence and Experience .
selective | selective: adj. particular, discerning, discriminative, discriminating, discriminatory, eclectic, exacting, demanding, choosy, Colloq picky: Thea has been very selective in her choice of partners.
self-abuse | self-abuse: n. masturbation, onanism, self-gratification, auto-eroticism or autoerotism, self-stimulation, self-manipulation, self-pollution, self-defilement, self-contamination, Technical manustupration: Victorian schoolboys were punished if suspected of self-abuse.
self-confidence | self-confidence: n. confidence, self-assurance, self-respect, self-esteem, assurance, poise, aplomb, self-reliance, self-sufficiency: Harrigan has demonstrated that he has the self-confidence to run the department.
self-confident | self-confident: adj. confident, self-assured, assured, poised, self-reliant, secure, sure of oneself, positive, definite, assertive, independent: She seems much more self-confident, relaxed, and contented these days.
self-conscious | self-conscious: adj. embarrassed, coy, diffident, shy, modest, self-effacing, sheepish, shrinking, retiring, unsure, apprehensive, reserved, insecure, affected, awkward, nervous, uncomfortable, hesitant, timid, timorous: Phil felt a bit self-conscious about asking Maria to the dance.
self-contained | self-contained: adj. 1 self-possessed, unemotional, self-controlled, in control, composed, serene, peaceful, calm, tranquil, cool, collected, even-tempered, detached, imperturbable, unruffled, undisturbed, unperturbed, controlled, placid, grave, serious, sober, solemn, Colloq unflappable: Sometimes I think Frank is a little too self-contained. 2 reserved, controlled, distant, aloof, formal, withdrawn, reticent, standoffish: Gregory is so self-contained that he did not tell anyone that he was ill, not even his wife. 3 whole, entire, complete, stand-alone, unitary: The house has been divided into five self-contained apartments.
self-control | self-control: n. 1 self-discipline, self-restraint, restraint, self-denial, control, will-power, strength (of character or of mind or of will), mettle, fortitude, moral fibre, determination, self-possession, resoluteness, resolve, will, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, doggedness, obduracy, persistence, Facetious US won''t-power: Can I exercise the self-control needed to stop smoking? 2 calmness, tranquillity, serenity, placidity, imperturbability, cool-headedness, coolness, poise, level-headedness, patience, aplomb, dignity, equanimity, forbearance, control, restraint, self-restraint, even temper: You exhibited marvellous self-control by not losing your temper when you were insulted.
self-denial | self-denial: n. 1 self-sacrifice,self-abnegation, renunciation, selflessness, altruism, unselfishness, magnanimity: His contributions must have been made at the cost of some self-denial. 2 hardship, suffering, self-mortification, asceticism, privation, renunciation, renouncing, abstemiousness, abstinence, abstention, self-deprivation, keeping away from, refusal, refusing, giving up, desisting, Colloq swearing off: As far as certain foods are concerned, a little self-denial is good for one''s health. 3 See self-control, 1, above.
self-esteem | self-esteem: n. 1 conceit, vanity, egoism, narcissism, self-centredness, egotism, amour propre, self-approbation, self-satisfaction, self-admiration, self-love, self-adulation, self-idolatry, smugness, self-importance, self-regard: The arrogant, overweening self-esteem of some of the club members is unbearable. 2 See self-confidence, above.
self-evident | self-evident: adj. evident, obvious, patent, clear, incontrovertible, definite, express, distinct, clear-cut, apparent, unmistakable or unmistakeable, undeniable, inescapable, incontestable, plain, axiomatic, proverbial, manifest, true, palpable, tangible: Her guilt seemed self-evident at first. The gradual destruction of the beaches is self-evident.
self-government | self-government: n. 1 self-rule, independence, self-determination, home rule, autonomy, freedom: The satellite countries, one by one, voted for self-government. 2 See self-control, 1 above.
self-important | self-important: adj. conceited, self-centred, self-seeking, self-absorbed, vain, egotistic(al), self-satisfied, smug, pompous, swollen-headed, swell-headed, arrogant, overweening, overbearing, vainglorious, self-glorifying, self-engrossed, presumptuous, snobbish, haughty, Colloq snooty, Slang snotty, stuck-up: That self-important little cockalorum ought to be taken down a few pegs.
self-indulgent | self-indulgent: adj. self-gratifying, selfish, self-gratifying, extravagant, sensual, intemperate, overindulgent, greedy, immoderate, hedonistic, sybaritic, epicurean, gluttonous, gormandizing, pleasure-bound, pleasure-seeking, dissolute, dissipating, licentious, profligate, debauching: David''s self-indulgent habits take no account of his wife and children.
selfish | selfish: adj. 1 greedy, covetous, grasping, avaricious, self-indulgent, self-aggrandizing, acquisitive, self-seeking, self-loving, self-centred, self-absorbed, self-interested, self-serving, egotistic(al), egoistic(al): They pursue success for their own selfish ends. 2 stingy, mean, mercenary, tight, tight-fisted, narrow, penurious, parsimonious, miserly, niggardly, penny-pinching, cheese-paring, ungenerous, illiberal, grudging, uncharitable, possessive, inconsiderate, thoughtless: He is so selfish that he won''t even give you the right time.
selfless | selfless: adj. open, charitable, unselfish, self-denying, generous, altruistic, ungrudging, magnanimous, considerate, thoughtful; self-sacrificing: Always ready to help anyone with a need, Archer is the most selfless man I know.
self-made | self-made: adj. independent, self-reliant, entrepreneurial, self-sufficient: She is a self-made woman and has accomplished it all without anyone else''s help.
self-possessed | self-possessed: adj. composed, cool, serene, placid, collected, self-assured, peaceful, calm, tranquil, even-tempered, detached, imperturbable, unruffled, undisturbed, unperturbed, controlled, dignified, refined, Colloq unflappable: Considering what she has been through, Tanya is quite self-possessed for a teenager.
self-respect | self-respect: n. honour, dignity, integrity, self-regard, self-esteem, pride, amour propre, morale: He managed to maintain a semblance of his self-respect despite the accusations hurled at him.
self-righteous | self-righteous: adj. Pharisaic(al), sanctimonious, holier-than-thou, pietistic, mealy-mouthed, hypocritical, complacent, smug, self-satisfied, priggish, superior, tartuffian, canting, Colloq goody-goody, Slang Brit pi: Butter would not melt in the mouth of that self-righteous hypocrite!
self-styled | self-styled: adj. would-be, self-called, soi-disant, professed, self-appointed, self-christened, so-called, quasi-: The building has been designed by a firm of self-styled ''neo-traditionalist'' architects.
self-sufficient | self-sufficient: adj. independent, self-reliant, self-supporting, self-sustaining: Agriculture will soon reach the point where the country is self-sufficient for food.
self-willed | self-willed: adj. headstrong, determined, forceful, refractory, stubborn, obstinate, pigheaded, wilful, ungovernable, uncontrollable, unruly, unmanageable, intractable, contrary, perverse, uncooperative, contumacious, recalcitrant, stiff-necked, vexatious, difficult, incorrigible, disobedient: That self-willed, overindulged little brat needs a good spanking.
sell | sell: v. 1 vend, transfer, convey (title), trade, barter, exchange, dispose of: Sorry, but I sold that car last week. 2 market, deal in, merchandise, trade in, traffic in, peddle, vend, hawk, handle, retail, carry, stock, furnish, supply, offer, Colloq push, Slang Brit flog: We no longer sell that model. She has a shop selling second-hand clothes. 3 Often, sell out. betray, inform against, deliver up, give away, Slang rat on, grass on, tell on, tattle on, sell down the river, blow the whistle on, double-cross, Brit shop: He swore he''d get the man who sold him. 4 promote, push, put across or over: He couldn''t sell sand to a beach flea. 5 be sold on. persuaded,convinced, won over: After seeing that film, I was sold on a holiday in Mexico.
seller | seller: n. dealer, vendor, merchant, retailer, shopkeeper, salesperson, salesman, saleswoman, saleslady, sales agent, representative, traveller, travelling salesman, peddler, hawker, colporteur, sutler, chandler, Old-fashioned counter-jumper, Brit shop assistant, -monger (as in costermonger, ironmonger, fishmonger, etc.), US and Canadian sales-clerk, clerk, shop-girl, Colloq rep, US drummer: Time ran out on his job as a seller of water-clocks and hourglasses.
semblance | semblance: n. 1 appearance, image, likeness, resemblance, form, figure, bearing, aspect, air, look, mien, exterior, mask, fa�ade, front, face, show, veneer: Beneath that semblance of tranquillity lies a turbulent, tortured mind. 2 guise, face, front, fa�ade, air, show, veneer, look, pretence, show, cloak, simulation, impression, affectation, Rare superficies: You might try to give the sculpture at least a semblance of reality.
seminal | seminal: adj. 1 original, basic, creative, primary, prime, formative, innovative, imaginative, new, unprecedented, precedent-setting, landmark, benchmark, important, influential, telling: Michaelson''s paper is considered the seminal work on the subject. It sets forth many seminal ideas. 2 embryonic, germinal, potential, undeveloped, incipient: Each seed contains a seminal plant.
seminary | seminary: n. academy, school, institute, institution, college, university, training ground: His three daughters had all attended an exclusive seminary on the East Coast.
send | send: v. 1 Sometimes, send off. dispatch or despatch, commission, charge, depute, delegate, assign: The pope sent an emissary to London. 2 communicate, transmit, convey, deliver, consign, address to, mail, post, fax, remit, ship, forward; broadcast, telecast, televise, radio, telegraph: The message is being sent to all concerned. 3 release, discharge, shoot, propel, fire, fling, project, hurl; cast, throw, toss, let fly: With a great burst of flame the satellite was sent into orbit. 4 delight, please, charm, enrapture, stir, thrill, move, electrify, Slang turn (someone) on: That saxophone solo really sends me. 5 send down. imprison, incarcerate, send away, jail or Brit also gaol Slang US send up (the river): If she doesn''t mend her ways, she''ll be sent down. 6 send for. call for, summon, order, request, ask for: I have sent for a taxi which should be here shortly. 7 send forth or out. emit, radiate, discharge, give off, exude, grow: The object sent forth a strange phosphorescent glow. In the spring, the vine sends forth tendrils. 8 send off. send (someone) away, send (someone) away or off with a flea in his or her ear, dismiss, discharge, send (someone) packing, send (someone) about his or her business, Colloq give (someone) his or her walking papers, Slang give (someone) the brushoff, US give (someone) the brush: I went to the office as you instructed, but they just sent me off with no explanation. 9 send up. a lampoon, satirize, burlesque, parody, make fun of, Colloq take off, spoof, Brit take the mickey out of: In Britain one of the enduring forms of humour is in sending up the government. b imprison, incarcerate, send away, jail or Brit also gaol, Slang US send up the river: He was sent up for insider trading.
senile | senile: adj. (of a woman) anile; senescent, decrepit, declining, failing, in one''s dotage, doting, doddering, in one''s second childhood, dotty, simple, feeble-minded; forgetful, Colloq past it: He''s senile and needs constant care.
senility | senility: n. (of a woman) anility; senile dementia, Alzheimer''s disease, senescence, decrepitude, decline, dotage, second childhood, loss of one''s faculties: An increased life-span has created increased cases of senility.
senior | senior: adj. elder, older, Brit (postpositive) major; (higher-) ranking, superior, chief: The senior members of the club are impossibly stuffy. You must not address your senior officer in such a manner.
senior citizen | senior citizen: n. elderly person, retired person, pensioner, Brit OAP (=''old-age pensioner''), grey panther, Chiefly US retiree, golden-ager: Special tax provisions have been made for senior citizens.
sensation | sensation: n. 1 feeling, sense, impression, perception, foreboding, presentiment, prescience, awareness, suspicion, Colloq sneaking suspicion, funny feeling, hunch: I had the distinct sensation of having been there before. 2 commotion, stir, thrill, furore or US furor; excitement: The news of the wedding caused a sensation. 3 hit, coup de th��tre, success, Colloq show-stopper, crowd-puller, crowd-pleaser: Edith Piaf was a sensation at Le Th��tre de la Verdure in Nice.
sensational | sensational: adj. 1 exciting, stimulating, electrifying, galvanizing, shocking, hair-raising, spine-tingling, thrilling, stirring, breathtaking, amazing, astonishing, astounding, staggering, mind-boggling, unbelievable, incredible, spectacular, Slang mind-blowing: They certainly put on a sensational show - the best I have ever seen. 2 lurid, vivid, overdone, overdrawn, extreme, melodramatic, exaggerated, dramatic, extravagant: The weekly I worked for insisted that each issue''s first page carry a sensational story - whether it was true or not. 3 (very) good, great, marvellous, wonderful, superior, superb, matchless, peerless, unequalled, nonpareil, extraordinary, terrific, phenomenal, splendid, fabulous, fantastic, stupendous, Colloq super, smashing, Slang far-out: Suzanne Peters''s performance was sensational in Carmen .
sense | sense: n. 1 faculty: It''s not always easy to tell if Brown''s senses are all functioning. 2 common sense, intelligence, perception, quick-wittedness, quickness, (mother) wit, judgement, reason, wisdom, sagacity, discrimination, discernment; sanity, Colloq brains, Slang Brit nous: Fancy doing something like that! - she hasn''t the sense she was born with! 3 See sensation, 1, above. 4 meaning, intelligibility, coherence, head or tail, drift, gist, import, purport, nuance, significance, message, substance: I was unable to get any sense out of what she was saying. Yes, I wasn''t able to make sense out of it either. 5 sentiment, atmosphere, impression, intuition, sensation: I had a sense of being de trop - that I was not wanted. --v. 6 feel, perceive, detect, divine, intuit, have a hunch or feeling, have or get or be under the impression that, suspect, Colloq have a funny feeling that, feel (something) in one''s bones, pick up: I sensed a certain antagonism in that last remark. I sensed that he was getting bored with me.
senseless | senseless: adj. 1 insensible, unconscious, (knocked) out (cold), stunned, insensate, comatose: Agatha''s head hit the fire-grate and she was borne senseless to her room. 2 numb(ed), insensate, unfeeling, benumbed, unfeeling, insensible, anaesthetized, dead, deadened, insentient: My feet are senseless from the cold. 3 pointless, purposeless, ridiculous, ludicrous, unintelligent, illogical, irrational, incongruous, meaningless, absurd, wild, mad, crazy, demented, insane, asinine, nonsensical, imbecilic or imbecile, idiotic, moronic, simple-minded, fatuous, stupid, foolish, silly, dizzy, halfwitted, mindless, brainless, witless, empty-headed, thimble-witted, pea-brained, bird-brained, hare-brained, feather-headed, rattle-brained, addle-pated, muddle-headed, Colloq daft, US daffy, nutty, batty, Slang wacky, dippy: Many of the government''s objections to the plan are just senseless posturing. He is promoting some senseless plan for double-decker motorways.
sensibility | sensibility: n. 1 See sensitivity, 3, below. 2 Often, sensibilities. feelings, responsiveness, responsivity, emotions, sentiments: Personal events are more likely to affect our sensibilities than major disasters in which we are not involved.
sensible | sensible: adj. 1 reasonable, realistic, logical, common-sense, commonsensical, rational, reasoned, sound, practical, prudent, judicious, discreet, intelligent, sage, wise, sane; down-to-earth, matter-of-fact, well-thought-out: Do you really think it sensible to go out in this storm? Andrew has a very sensible way of dealing with junk mail - he returns it to sender. 2 perceivable, perceptible, detectable, evident, discernible, recognizable, ascertainable, apprehensible, cognizable, manifest, palpable, physical, tangible, corporeal, substantive, material, visible, observable, seeable: Some maintain that in addition to the sensible world there is another world, an anti-world, that we do not normally encounter. 3 sentient, feeling, sensitive, live, conscious, aware: Who among us ever regards microbes as sensible creatures? 4 Usually, sensible of or to. conscious (of), aware (of), acquainted (with), cognizant (of), sensitive (to), alive to, mindful (of), understanding (of), in touch (with), observant (of), awake (to), alert (to), Slang wise (to), hip or old-fashioned hep (to): The people of the village are ever sensible to the needs of their neighbours. There are some things to which we are not at all sensible. 5 appreciable, significant, considerable, substantial, substantive, noticeable: The theory is that an increased interest rate will have a sensible effect on the rate of inflation.
sensitive | sensitive: adj. 1 delicate, tender, sore, susceptible: My arm is still sensitive where I got the injection. 2 touchy, susceptible, susceptive, reactive, responsive, attuned, impressionable, emotional, thin-skinned, vulnerable, supersensitive, hypersensitive, testy, irascible, quarrelsome, irritable, volatile, excitable, temperamental, petulant, hot-tempered, quick-tempered: Liz is very sensitive on the subject of being unmarried, and I shouldn''t bring it up. 3 finely tuned, delicate, responsive, subtle, acute, reactive, receptive: We need a more sensitive test to detect neutrinos. This radio is not sensitive enough to receive distant stations.
sensitivity | sensitivity: n. 1 sensitiveness, delicacy, touchiness, over-sensitivity, hypersensitivity, supersensitivity; soreness, irritability: The sensitivity of teenagers to criticism is well known to teachers and parents. She complained of sensitivity and pain in the pelvic region. 2 compassion, concern, sympathy, tenderness, tender-heartedness, kind-heartedness, kindliness, warmth, feeling: The nurses exhibit a genuine sensitivity for the problems of the handicapped. 3 awareness, consciousness, acuteness, perception, understanding, intuition, feeling, sense, sensitivity, sensitiveness, receptivity or receptiveness, receptibility, appreciation, appreciativeness, susceptibility, susceptivity or susceptiveness: Harvey has a keen sensitivity for the feelings of others. Sometimes I think the duke lacks the sensitivity needed to sympathize with the needy.
sensual | sensual: adj. physical, appetitive, voluptuous, carnal, bodily, fleshly, erotic, sexual, lustful, unchaste, abandoned, dissolute, profligate, dissipated, licentious, lewd, lascivious, lubricious or lubricous, goatish, hircine, lecherous, libidinous, salacious, prurient, rakish, wanton, debauched, Cyprian, loose, dirty, Slang randy: Cranston pursued his sensual pleasures with no regard for morality.
sensualist | sensualist: n. lecher, profligate, wanton, debauchee, rou�, rake, Romeo, Don Juan, Casanova, Lothario, libertine; voluptuary, hedonist, sybarite, bon viveur, bon vivant, epicure, epicurean, gourmet, gourmand, gastronome, pleasure-seeker: The main character in the film is a self-seeking sensualist who betrays every woman in his life.
sensuous | sensuous: adj. sensory, sybaritic, epicurean, hedonist(ic), sumptuous, luxurious, rich: She felt sensuous delight in the scents and sounds of the island.
sentence | sentence: n. judgement, decision, ruling, verdict, decree, determination; punishment, Slang rap: It is up to the judge to announce the sentence of the court. Asked by his teacher for an example of a short sentence, Johnny replied, ''Thirty days''.
sentiment | sentiment: n. 1 attitude, feeling, sensibility, emotion, susceptibility, tenderness, tender-heartedness, sentimentality, sentimentalism: He wanted to preserve the old village square more out of sentiment than because it was historically important. 2 Often, sentiments. view, outlook, opinion, position, attitude, judgement, thought, belief, feeling, emotion: His sentiments regarding apartheid are better left unexpressed.
sentimental | sentimental: adj. 1 emotional, sympathetic, compassionate, tender, warm-hearted, tender-hearted: Has he returned for sentimental reasons or for practical and mercenary ones? 2 romantic, nostalgic, emotional, maudlin, mawkish, over-emotional, tender, tearful, weepy, sickening, nauseating, simpering, sweet, saccharine, Colloq sloppy, gooey, sticky, tacky, mushy, slushy, gushy, soppy, drippy, tear-jerking, ill-making, sick-making, Slang corny, schmaltzy, icky, yucky or yukky: His last tune is always some sentimental ballad like ''Good Night, Sweetheart''.
sentimentality | sentimentality: n. romanticism, nostalgia, pathos, emotionalism, maudlinism, bathos, mawkishness, over-emotionalism, tenderness, tearfulness, weepiness, sweetness, Colloq sloppiness, gooeyness, mushiness, slushiness, gushiness, soppiness, drippiness, US stickiness, tackiness, Slang corn, corniness, schmaltz, schmaltziness, ickiness, yuckiness or yukkiness: The role of the bereaved mother was overplayed with enough gushing sentimentality to make one sick.
sentinel | sentinel: n. sentry, guard, watchman, watch, picket, lookout, patrol: The sentinels measured out the ramparts of the fortress with their regular paces.
separable | separable: adj. distinguishable, segregable, detachable, divisible, severable, removable, fissile, scissile: Unfortunately, as history demonstrates, morality and religion are separable.
separate | separate: v. 1 disjoin, pull or take or break apart, come or fall apart, fall or take or break to pieces, split or divide or break (up), split or break (off or away), disconnect, disengage, part, partition, sort (out), uncouple, disarticulate, disassemble, unhook, detach, disunite, unyoke, disentangle, unravel: In order to clean it, I first have to separate all the individual elements of the motor. The glue didn''t hold, and the vase separated into a dozen fragments. Separate this yarn into different piles. 2 distinguish, discriminate, analyse, sort, break down, classify, segregate, single out, sequester, type, codify, organize, split up; group, collate: What criteria are used to separate the men from the boys, the sheep from the goats, or the wheat from the chaff? 3 split or break up, part (company), divide (up), disband, divorce: After ten years we separated, and each went our own way. 4 fork, split (up or off), bifurcate, diverge, branch: Beyond the river, the road to Norton separates from the main road. --adj. 5 divided, separated, disjoined, disconnected, detached, isolated, discrete, distinct, individual, independent, solitary, different: Sort these books by subject into separate piles. 6 different, independent, unrelated, other: How you behave when you are not at home is a separate matter. 7 withdrawn, solitary, alone, shut or closed off or away, apart, detached, removed, cloistered, secluded, sequestered, isolated, separated: He prefers a separate existence, far away from the rest of the world.
separately | separately: adv. individually, independently, singly, one by one, one at a time, personally, alone, severally: Each child approached separately to wish her Bon Voyage.
separation | separation: n. 1 rift, break, split, split-up, divorce, break-up, disunion, estrangement: Their separation, after forty years, was a surprise. 2 partition, division, split, schism, dividing line, dissociation, disassociation, severance: The United States constitution provides for the separation of church and state. 3 disintegration, shattering, break-up, fragmentation, dismemberment, taking or keeping apart, segregation, division, disjoining, disjunction, fission, scission, rupture, schism, splitting, split, fracturing, fracture, break: After a crash, investigators supervise the separation of the aeroplane into its tens of thousands of component parts.
sepulchre | sepulchre: n. tomb, mausoleum, burial-vault, grave, crypt, pyramid, burial-place: Beneath the floor of the church are the sepulchres of important people.
sequel | sequel: n. follow-up, upshot, issue, result, consequence, development, supplement: The ruling went against him, but there was a curious sequel when he was suddenly offered an out-of-court settlement. They are showing the film Jean de Florette , together with its sequel Manon des Sources .
sequence | sequence: n. succession, progression, order, series, chain, string, course, cycle, arrangement, organization, train, line, set, run, concatenation, system: His description conflicts with the sequence of events as recorded by the video camera. Some of these dates are out of sequence.
sequential | sequential: adj. successive, ordered, orderly, serial, progressive, organized, systematic, cyclic, continuous: Would you please put these periodicals into sequential order?
seraphic | seraphic: adj. angelic, celestial, divine, heavenly, blissful, sublime, empyrean, Elysian, ethereal, holy, saintly, godly: In her later years, Anna''s beauty took on a detached, seraphic quality.
serene | serene: adj. 1 peaceful, tranquil, calm, pacific, peaceable, restful, halcyon, idyllic, bucolic, pastoral, undisturbed, unruffled, imperturbable, unperturbed, untroubled, quiet, still: With the turmoil of the love affair behind her, Sharon looked ahead to a more serene life. 2 calm, cool, collected, placid, composed, self-possessed, poised, unexcitable, even-tempered, temperate, nonchalant, easygoing, cool-headed, easy, Colloq unflappable: Beneath William''s serene exterior lay a seething, churning miasma of violent lust.
serenity | serenity: n. 1 peacefulness, peace, tranquillity, calm, calmness, restfulness, quiet, stillness: The serenity of the warm summer''s evening was shattered by an enormous explosion. 2 tranquillity, peacefulness, peaceableness, unexcitability, calmness, calm, composure, self-possession, poise, aplomb, even-temperedness, temperance, nonchalance, cool-headedness, placidity, Colloq unflappability: The serenity of her nature was like a safe harbour to the friends who sought comfort from the turbulence of their lives.
serious | serious: adj. 1 grave, solemn, earnest, unsmiling, poker-faced, straight-faced, sedate, sober, pensive, thoughtful; humourless, sombre, grim, dour, severe: One should be wary of the person who is always serious, who cannot see the ludicrous side of life. 2 grave, important, vital, dangerous, weighty, significant, momentous, crucial, consequential, life-and-death or life-or-death, urgent, pressing; no laughing matter, of consequence or moment or importance: Things like the greenhouse effect and the hole in the ozone layer are serious concerns for all mankind. 3 sincere, straightforward, not joking or fooling, genuine, honest: Is he serious about wanting me to fetch him a left-handed wrench? 4 acute, critical, life-threatening, bad, dangerous, nasty, perilous, alarming, grave, severe, precarious: His condition is serious and we might have to operate tonight. She had no idea that measles could be such a serious illness.
seriously | seriously: adv. 1 gravely, badly, severely, critically: Two men were seriously injured in the explosion. 2 really, honestly, Scout''s honour, sincerely, truly, candidly, openly, Colloq joking or kidding aside, no joking or kidding or fooling, cross one''s heart (and hope to die): Seriously, kids, I meant what I said about going to bed on time, or no treats tomorrow at the beach. 3 soberly, earnestly, unquestioningly, without a doubt, at face value: What teacher takes seriously that old story about a grandmother''s illness as an excuse for absence?
sermon | sermon: n. 1 lecture, lesson, preaching, reprimand, reproach, reproof, remonstration, remonstrance, scolding, harangue, Colloq talking-to, dressing-down: Mother gave me a long sermon last night about getting home late. 2 homily, address, exhortation, lesson, lecture, speech, talk, discourse: We thought that Father Keiller''s sermon on vanity was especially appropriate.
serpentine | serpentine: adj. 1 evil, bad, diabolical, satanic, Mephistophelian, reptilian, devilish, wily, cunning, conniving, sneaky, shrewd, artful, crafty, slick, sly, insidious, shifty, tricky, scheming, plotting, Machiavellian: With serpentine deceit she swore that she had returned the ring. 2 twisting, winding, tortuous, snaking, snakelike, sinuous, anfractuous, roundabout, meandering, ambagious, indirect, devious, crooked, labyrinthine, vermicular, vermiculate, complex, complicated, Byzantine: The amulet was traced through a serpentine trail of ownership back to Xerxes.
serrated | serrated: adj. sawlike, saw-shaped, sawtoothed, toothed, notched, zigzag, jagged, serrate, serriform, serratiform, serrulate(d), crenellated, crenulate, crenate, denticulate: A knife with a serrated edge would cut the meat more easily.
serried | serried: adj. ranked, tiered, row on row, ranged, assembled, packed, close, compacted, compact: The serried army of brightly clad warriors stretched as far as the eye could see.
servant | servant: n. 1 domestic (servant), help, retainer; maid, maidservant, parlour-maid, upstairs maid, lady''s maid, cleaner, cleaning man, cleaning woman, amah; housekeeper, chatelaine, major-domo, factotum, steward, seneschal, butler, houseman, houseboy, boy, page; valet, man, gentleman''s gentleman, manservant, serving-man, footman, foot-boy, chauffeur, driver, attendant, groom; governess, au pair (girl), nurse, nursemaid, ayah; cook, chef, waiter, waitress, stewardess, wine steward, sommelier (des vins); menial, lackey, dogsbody, Archaic servitor, Historical coachman, postilion, serving-woman, serving-girl, servant-girl, serving-wench, scullery-maid, scullion, Literary cup-boy, Ganymede, Chiefly Brit nanny, Brit boots, charwoman, charlady, daily, tweeny, US scrubwoman: Who can afford to keep domestic servants these days? 2 civil servant. civil-service employee or worker, public servant, (government or State) official, office-holder, government worker: In his capacity as a civil servant, Richard has worked for several different governments.
serve | serve: v. 1 attend (to), wait on or upon, minister to, look after (the needs of), be at (someone''s) beck and call, assist, help, be of assistance or help, be in the service of, oblige, accommodate, gratify: After a patron is seated and settled, approach him and ask, ''May I serve you, Sir (or Madam, as the case may be ) ?'' We serve all customers with equal consideration. 2 fulfil or carry out or perform or discharge (a function or a duty or one''s duty), work (for), do (duty) (as or for), do one''s part, suffice, be used or of use or useful (to or for), function (as or to), act (as or to), fill the bill, be serviceable (as or for), be available (for), answer (for), be sufficient or adequate or suitable, suit, be advantageous or of advantage (to); fight (for), be obedient (to), take one''s part: This catch will serve to keep the door closed. I had no screw driver, but a coin served just as well. They also serve who only stand and wait. 3 distribute, deal out, dole out, give out, present, set out, provide, supply, offer, pass out or about or around, make available, come (a)round with, dish up or out: They will serve hors-d''oeuvres at seven-thirty. Dinner is served, Madam. 4 be convenient or opportune or favourable (to): If the opportunity serves me, I shall repay you many times over. 5 not fail, not play tricks (on), work or function (for), be accurate or correct: If memory serves, he was last here about ten years ago. 6 go through, complete, spend, last, endure, survive: Henryson served ten years in Dartmoor for that crime.
service | service: n. 1 help, assistance, aid, use, usefulness, utility, benefit, advantage: May I be of service to you? You could do me a great service by not saying anything of this to my mother. 2 maintenance, overhaul, servicing, checking, repair, mending: Must we send the copier out for service or can they do it in the office? 3 serving, accommodation, amenities, waiting, care: The food is good but the service leaves much to be desired. 4 employment, employ: How long have you been in my service, Jones? 5 use, utilization, usage, handling: This old teapot has seen much service. 6 assignment, post, appointment, Military Brit secondment: Oscar was on service in the Far East during the war. 7 rite, ceremony, ritual, worship: I shall be attending a memorial service for Grimes on Saturday. 8 Often, services. army, navy, air force, marines; armed forces or services, military: He was a pianist before joining the service. 9 Often, services. talents, help, professional care, work, advice: You will need the services of a good accountant. 10 serve, serving; putting into play: Clarke''s tennis service is faster and more accurate than before.
serviceable | serviceable: adj. 1 workable, working, functional, functioning, usable, useful, operative, operating: It seems unlikely that the old tractor will still be serviceable. 2 hard-wearing, long-wearing, durable, utilitarian, long-lasting, tough, wear-resistant: I need to buy a serviceable pair of hiking boots.
servile | servile: adj. submissive, subservient, menial, craven, acquiescent, abject, cringing, slavish, mean, fawning, deferential, mean-spirited, vile, low, base, ingratiating, grovelling, obsequious, toadying, toadyish, sycophantish, sycophantic, truckling, wheedling, unctuous, slimy, flattering, time-serving, boot-licking, Colloq chiefly Brit smarmy, US and Canadian apple-polishing, Slang Brit arse-kissing, US ass-kissing, Taboo slang brown-nosing, Brit arse-licking, US ass-licking: Victor is constantly trying to gain favour with the directors in the most servile way.
servility | servility: n. submissiveness, submission, subservience, servileness, acquiescence, abjectness, abjection, cringing, slavishness, meanness, fawning, mean-spiritedness, vileness, baseness, grovelling, obsequiousness, obsequence, toadying, toadyism, sycophancy, sycophantism, truckling, wheedling, unctuousness, sliminess, flattery, boot-licking, Colloq chiefly Brit smarminess, US and Canadian apple-polishing, Slang Brit arse-kissing, US ass-kissing, Taboo slang brown-nosing, Brit arse-licking, US ass-licking: We are sick of the servility with which Victor treats the directors.
servitude | servitude: n. bondage, slavery, thraldom, serfdom, subjugation, enslavement, subjection, vassalage: They were sentenced to ten years'' penal servitude.
session | session: n. 1 sitting, seating, assembly, conference, meeting, hearing: Parliament is in session at this very moment. 2 term, period: The bill will be introduced again at the next session of Parliament.
set | set: v. 1 set down, place, put, situate, locate, site, plant, position, station, stand, lay, install or instal, lodge, mount, park, deposit, plump, drop, plunk or plonk (down): Please set that blue box over here. 2 go down, sink, decline, subside: The sun is setting. 3 jell or gel, congeal, freeze, solidify, stiffen, harden, clot, coagulate, thicken, cake: The concrete takes a long time to set in this weather. 4 establish, fix, fasten on, appoint: The date of the wedding has been set for May 23rd. 5 focus on, home or zero in on, pinpoint, pin down: When Ivor sets his mind on doing something, it usually gets done. 6 adjust, regulate, turn, synchronize, fix, calibrate, coordinate: Set your watches to Greenwich Mean Time. Set the counter back to zero. 7 present, introduce, establish, determine, stipulate, lay down, define, indicate, designate, specify; set or mark off, delineate: Who set the pattern for such behaviour? You''ll have to set the rules. 8 prepare, set up, concoct, lay, arrange, fix: I think we ought to set a trap for the burglar. 9 set forth, propound, present, devise, work out or up, make up, select, choose, decide, settle, establish: Who is going to set the questions for the examination? 10 arrange, lay, spread: If you set the table, I''ll serve dinner. 11 adjust, move, tilt, fix, place, position, lodge: He set his hat at a jaunty angle and strode out of the restaurant. 12 set about. a get or make ready, start, begin, get to work, set in motion, get under way, start the ball rolling, break the ice, undertake, launch, tackle, address oneself to, enter upon, Colloq get cracking: It''s time you set about deciding what you want to do for a living. b attack, assail, assault, beat up: The gang set about him with clubs. 13 set against. a compare, evaluate, rate, balance, weigh, juxtapose, contrast: If you set his assets against his liabilities, he comes off pretty well. b antagonize, set at odds, alienate, divide, disunite: They succeeded in setting brother against brother. 14 set apart. a distinguish, separate, differentiate: His talent for language sets him apart from the others. b reserve, put or set aside, store, earmark, put away, lay away, set by, save, keep back: I set apart this piece of chocolate just for you. 15 set aside. a See 14 (b), above. b annul, cancel, nullify, declare or render null and void, reverse, repudiate, abrogate, quash, overturn, overrule, discard: The judge set aside the ruling of the lower court. 16 set back. put back, hinder, slow, hold up, retard, delay, impede, obstruct, stay, thwart, frustrate, inhibit: Completion has been set back because the materials failed to arrive. 17 set down. a write (down), put in writing, put down, record, register, mark or jot down, list: The secretary laboriously set down every word the official said. b ascribe, assign, attribute, impute, charge: She set down her failure to win promotion to prejudice on the part of management. c put down, land: See if you can set the plane down in that field over there. 18 set forth. a express, voice, propose, propound, state, offer, submit, suggest, broach, make a motion, move: Hugo set forth various proposals for the expansion of the company. b set out or off, put forth or out, begin, start (out), get under way, go, embark, sally forth, push off, depart, leave: After much hemming and hawing, Clive finally set forth on his big adventure. c set out, present, declare, describe, propose, state, articulate, enunciate: Hermione''s theory is set forth in a lengthy report. 19 set in. begin, become established, arrive, come: Winter has set in quite early this year. 20 set off. a ignite, kindle, detonate, light, touch off, trigger, trip: That little spark set off an explosion that destroyed the entire plant. b dramatize, enhance, highlight, throw into relief, show (off), display: The engraving is beautifully set off by the new mat and frame. c See 18 (b), above. 21 set on. set upon, attack, assault, pounce on or upon, fall on or upon, fly at: You were set on by a pack of dogs in the park? 22 set out. a See 17 (b) and (c), above. b put out, lay out, arrange, dispose, display: The stallholders are all setting out their wares for the jewellery fair this morning. 23 set up. a build, put up, erect, assemble, construct, raise, elevate, put together, arrange, prepare: They are setting up the Christmas displays over the weekend. b start, begin, initiate, organize, establish, found; finance, fund, invest in, back, subsidize: The Crockers are setting up their third shop in Halsted. His father set him up in business. 24 set upon. attack, assault, ambush, beat up, fall upon, set about Colloq mug: The gang set upon him as he was getting home from work. --n. 25 collection, group, combination, number, grouping, assortment, selection, arrangement, series: Brackenhall bought a set of Hogarth etchings from the gallery. 26 clique, coterie, group, company, circle, ring, crowd, faction, sect, gang: The set she associates with think nothing of flying to Rio for the weekend. 27 kit, outfit, rig; equipment, apparatus: When I was ten, my father bought me a chemistry set. 28 setting, stage set or setting, scene, mise en sc�ne, mounting, scenery: Hunter''s set for Waiting for Godot won a prize. --adj. 29 fixed, established, determined, predetermined, arranged, prearranged, decided, customary, usual, normal, regular, agreed, conventional, habitual, definite, defined, firm, unvarying, unvaried, unchanging, wonted, rigid, strict, settled, scheduled: There is a set order in which these things are done. 30 stereotyped, trite, hackneyed, routine, standard, traditional, unchanged, unvaried, invariable: He made his set welcoming speech, as usual dripping with condescension, to the incoming classes. 31 prepared, ready, fit, primed: Are you all set to go?
set-back | set-back: n. hindrance, hitch, check, reverse, reversal, impediment, block, obstruction, defeat, hold-up, delay, check, rebuff, upset; relapse; Colloq hiccup: The reduction in arts funding has resulted in some severe set-backs in certain programmes. Derek has suffered a set-back and will remain in hospital for a while.
setting | setting: n. mounting, scenery, background, backdrop, locale, location, surroundings, habitat, home, environs, environment, milieu, frame, context, site, placement; stage set or setting, mise en sc�ne, scene: It is quite interesting to see how the animals live in their natural setting. The setting of Hardy''s novels is in the West Country.
settle | settle: v. 1 arrange, order, dispose, organize, straighten out, put in or into order, compose, sort out, classify, coordinate, resolve, set to rights, reconcile: Ben settled his affairs before undergoing surgery. 2 Often, settle on or upon. fix (on), decide (on), establish, appoint, set, confirm, affirm, conclude, make sure or certain (of), determine, agree (upon or on), pick, choose, select: Have you been able to settle on a suitable time to visit Max and Maddy? 3 decide, reconcile, resolve, put an end to, conclude, clear up, patch up, adjust, negotiate, mediate: We have settled our differences. 4 Often, settle down. take up residence, go or come or move to, dwell, reside, make one''s home, abide, remain, stay, live, set up home or house,put down roots, locate, inhabit, US set up housekeeping, locate: They have decided to settle in Australia after George retires. 5 Sometimes, settle down. light, alight, land, come down, put down, set down, (come to) rest or (roost), descend, perch: The butterfly settled on the tip of Alice''s nose. 6 populate, people, colonize, pioneer: That part of the country wasn''t settled till late in the 19th century. 7 Usually, settle down. calm down, subside, quiet down, be or become tranquil, Chiefly Brit quieten (down): The class settled down and we began the lesson. I must settle down and get back to work. 8 calm, quiet, soothe, tranquillize, relax, Chiefly Brit quieten: He drank some camomile tea to settle his nerves. 9 subside, sink, decline, fall: A great crack appeared in the wall when the house settled a bit. 10 Often, settle up. pay, square, dispose of, clear, balance, liquidate, discharge: If you settle the bill, we can leave. 11 Often, settle out. gravitate, sink, fall, precipitate (out): Stop shaking the container and let the sand settle to the bottom. 12 clarify, clear: After about an hour, the particles will start to settle.
settlement | settlement: n. 1 colony, outpost, post, camp, community, encampment, village, hamlet: The first colonists established a small settlement on the bank of the river. 2 colonization, settling, populating, settling: The settlement of the valley was mainly by Scandinavians. 3 agreement, rapprochement, resolution, adjustment, elimination, reconciliation, working-out, accommodation, arbitration, arrangement: Settlement of the dispute was supervised by a union representative. 4 payment, defrayal, discharge, liquidation, satisfaction, settling, quittance, clearing, clearance: The settlement of our debts is of paramount importance. 5 deciding, settling, setting, decision, conclusion, confirmation, affirmation, establishment, stabilization, determination, agreement, choice, selection: The only thing on his mind was the settlement of their holiday destination - should it be France or Thailand?
settler | settler: n. colonist, frontiersman, frontierswoman, pioneer, immigrant: The early settlers cleared the land for farming.
set-up | set-up: n. 1 arrangement, system, organization, layout, regime, structure, make-up, composition, framework, frame, construction; conditions, circumstances: This set-up of interlocking directorships makes it difficult to see who answers to whom and who owns what. What, exactly, is the set-up between you and Eustace? 2 prearrangement, trap, Slang put-up job: As soon as I saw the police car, I knew we had walked into a set-up.
sever | sever: v. 1 cut off or apart or in two, lop or chop or hew or hack off, slice or shear off, cleave, dock, bob, dissever, split, separate, divide, disjoin, detach, disconnect: The animal''s foot was severed by the trap. 2 separate, disunite, dissolve, break off or up, terminate, end, cease, stop, discontinue, suspend, abandon, put an end to: The final divorce decree severed us from one another once and for all.
several | several: adj. 1 some, a few, not too or very many, a handful or a sprinkling or a number of: Several people asked for you at the party last night. 2 various, sundry, a variety of, diverse, divers, different, respective, individual, distinct, disparate, particular, certain, specific, discrete, dissimilar: There are several stages one must go through before reaching the end.
severe | severe: adj. 1 strict, harsh, rigorous, austere, hard, stony, stony-hearted, hard-hearted, flinty, inexorable, iron-handed, oppressive, unbending, rigid, uncompromising, relentless, unyielding, obdurate, pitiless, punitive, merciless, unsympathetic, unfeeling, cruel, brutal, mean, savage, inhuman, beastly, ruthless, despotic, dictatorial, tyrannical, autocratic, demanding, exacting, painstaking, fastidious, exigent, taxing: Nicholas Nickleby was subjected to extremely severe treatment at Dotheboys Hall. Mr Bradshaw was a severe taskmaster. 2 stern, forbidding, dour, glowering, grave, grim, stiff, strait-laced, serious, unsmiling, sober, cold, frigid, aloof, austere: If he so much as dropped a spoon the master would give Nicholas a severe look. 3 dangerous, critical, dreadful, awful, life-threatening, acute, dire; mortal, fatal, terminal: She has had a severe attack of the flu. 4 stringent, punitive, harsh, punishing, burdensome, tough, onerous, grievous, painful, Draconian or Draconic: There are severe penalties for breaking the parking laws in this city. 5 harsh, bitter, cold, inclement, keen, violent, stormy, intense, turbulent, fierce, wicked: Granny couldn''t live through another severe winter at Fort William. 6 stark, bare, plain, austere, Spartan, ascetic, primitive, simple, sparse, spare, monastic, modest, unadorned, unembellished, crude, undecorated, unembroidered: The severe d�cor in the servants'' quarters gave the appearance of a prison.
severely | severely: adv. 1 acutely, seriously, badly, dangerously, dreadfully; permanently, fully, entirely: The accident left him severely handicapped. 2 strictly, harshly, rigorously, austerely, oppressively, relentlessly, mercilessly, cruelly, brutally, savagely, inhumanly, tyrannically: The boys were severely maltreated at the school. 3 sternly, forbiddingly, dourly, gloweringly, gravely, seriously, grimly, unsmilingly, soberly, coldly, coolly, austerely: Mrs Gladwin regarded me severely over the top of her pince-nez. 4 stringently, punitively, harshly, onerously, grievously, painfully: One is punished severely for the slightest infraction of the law. 5 dangerously, acutely, critically, dreadfully, awfully; mortally, fatally, terminally: I am afraid to say that your mother is severely ill. 6 starkly, plainly, barely, modestly, austerely, ascetically, monastically, primitively, simply, crudely, sparsely, sparely: The room is furnished a bit severely for my taste.
severity | severity: n. 1 strictness, harshness, rigour, rigorousness, austerity, hardness, flintiness, inexorability, inexorableness, stringency, oppression, oppressiveness, rigidity, inflexibility, relentlessness, obduracy, obdurateness, pitilessness, mercilessness, cold-bloodedness, abusiveness, cruelty, brutality, meanness, savagery, inhumanity, beastliness, ruthlessness, despotism, tyranny, fastidiousness, exigency: The severity of the discipline was almost unbearable. 2 coldness, aloofness, sternness, gravity, grimness, frigidity, austerity, solemnity: The severity of his look froze me to the spot. 3 dangerousness, acuteness, seriousness, gravity, ferocity, fierceness, virulence, violence, intensity: The severity of the fits has diminished since we put the patient on new medication. 4 stringency, punitiveness, punishment, harshness, onerousness, grievousness, painfulness, burdensomeness, oppressiveness: The severity of the sentence is not inappropriate to the heinousness of the crime. 5 harshness, inclemency, violence, storminess, intensity, ferocity, fierceness, fury, furiousness, tempestuousness: The severity of the weather has interfered with our maintenance of the electrical power lines. 6 plainness, starkness, austerity, asceticism, bareness, modesty, simplicity, primitiveness, spareness, sparseness, monasticism, crudeness: The severity of the cells at the monastery was equalled by the austerity of the regimen.
sew | sew: v. sew up, stitch, darn, mend, repair; sew on, attach, fasten; tack, baste, hem: Would you sew up a hole in my sweater for me and, while you''re at it, would you mind sewing a button on my shirt?
sex | sex: n. 1 gender: It is difficult to determine the sex of some of the lower animals. 2 sexual intercourse or relations, coitus, coition, mating, copulation, (sexual) congress or union, intimacy, lovemaking, making love, coupling, Colloq making out, going to bed, shacking up, Slang having it away, Taboo slang screwing, shafting, shagging, fucking, Chiefly Brit bonking: They feel that there is too much sex and violence on television these days.
sexual | sexual: adj. 1 sex, reproductive, genital, procreative or procreant, sex, progenitive, propagative: Their current project is an investigation of sexual behaviour in young adults. 2 sensual, sensuous, erotic, carnal, fleshly, voluptuous, libidinous, earthy, bodily, physical, lustful, animal, Colloq sexy: They have a deep sexual attraction to one another.
sexy | sexy: adj. 1 erotic, arousing, exciting, sensual, sensuous, seductive, suggestive, provocative, inviting, alluring, bedroom, flirtatious, appealing, fascinating, striking, tempting, captivating, enchanting, stunning, Colloq come-hither: She thought he had a sexy smile. 2 sex, dirty, pornographic, obscene, filthy, smutty, lewd, foul, lascivious, indecent, explicit, gross, X-rated, vulgar, rude, coarse, off colour, risqu�, titillating, bawdy, ribald, lusty, immodest, rough, indelicate, suggestive, unseemly, improper, indecorous, naughty, shameless, Slang raunchy: They sat there leering over a sexy magazine.
