English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

skivvies

noun

(informal, chiefly US) Underwear, especially men's.

skivvy

noun

(informal) A woman employed to do housework, especially menial tasks.

Skoda

name

A Czech surname and brand name, best known as the automobile manufacturer Škoda.

skol

intj

A word called out as a toast when drinking, meaning 'cheers'.

skronk

verb

To make a harsh, jarring noise on an instrument, especially a saxophone or an electric guitar.

skulduggery

noun

A dishonest trick or scheme.

skulk

noun

A number of foxes together, as a group.

skulking

noun

The act of moving furtively or hiding, often with bad intent.

skull

noun

The bony structure that forms the head, enclosing the brain.

skullcap

noun

A small, close-fitting cap without a brim that covers the head from the forehead to the back of the neck.

skullduggery

noun

A US spelling of skulduggery.

skully

noun

A street game in which players attempt to flick caps into a series of squares drawn on the ground.

skunk

noun

A small black-and-white North American mammal that sprays a foul-smelling liquid when threatened.

skunked

adj

(informal) Drunk, or under the influence of drugs.

skutterudite

noun

A mineral made up of cobalt and nickel combined with arsenic and sulfur.

sky

noun

The space above the earth where clouds, the sun, and stars appear.

skyclad

adj

Relating to the Digambara branch of Jainism.

skydiver

noun

A person who jumps from an aircraft and free-falls before opening a parachute.

skydiving

noun

The sport of jumping from a plane and performing manoeuvres during free fall before deploying a parachute.

Skye

noun

Another term for a Skye terrier.

skyjacking

noun

The act of seizing control of an aircraft by force, usually while it is flying, and holding its passengers.

skyla

name

A female given name that originated as a coinage.

Skylar

name

A gender-neutral given name, a variant spelling of Skyler, popular in the United States since the late twentieth century.

skylark

noun

A small brown European bird known for singing while flying high in the air.

Skyler

name

A gender-neutral given name derived from the Dutch surname Schuyler, meaning "scholar."

skylight

noun

A window built into a roof or ceiling to let in natural light.

skyline

noun

The outline of buildings and other structures seen against the sky.

Skynet

name

The fictional artificial intelligence system that becomes hostile to humanity in the Terminator film franchise.

skype

verb

To make a phone or video call over the internet using the Skype app.

skyrocket

noun

A firework that shoots into the sky before exploding.

skyrocketed

adj

Having risen suddenly and sharply.

skyscraper

noun

A very tall multi-storey building.

skywalker

noun

An ironworker who works at great heights on tall structures, such as skyscrapers or bridges.

skyward

adj

Turned towards, or heading up into, the sky.

skyway

noun

A regular route flown by aircraft.

slab

noun

A thick, flat piece of a hard material, such as stone or concrete.

slabber

verb

(informal) To dribble saliva or another liquid from the mouth carelessly.

slabbery

adj

(informal) Wet and slippery, as if covered in dribble.

slabby

adj

Describes a liquid that is thick and sticky.

slack

adj

Loose; not pulled tight.

slacken

verb

To slowly lose strength, tightness or speed.

slackening

noun

A reduction in speed, tightness, or effort.

slacker

noun

Someone who avoids work or puts in minimal effort.

slackline

noun

A strip of webbing or rope fixed between two points that sags rather than staying tight.

slackness

noun

The quality of being loose, slow, or lacking effort.

slacks

noun

Casual or semi-formal trousers, less formal than a suit.

slade

noun

A shallow valley or open grassy hollow between hills.

slag

noun

Waste material left over after smelting ore.

slain

noun

Those who have been killed, especially in battle.

slake

verb

To quench a thirst or satisfy a strong desire.

slaked

adj

Satisfied, calmed, or put out.

slam

verb

To shut something with sudden force and a loud noise.

slammed

adjective

Extremely busy with work or activity.

slammer

noun

Prison or jail (informal).

slamming

adjective

Excellent; impressive (informal).

slander

noun

A false spoken statement that damages someone's reputation.

slandering

noun

The act of spreading a false, damaging spoken statement about someone.

slanderous

adjective

False and damaging to someone's reputation.

slang

noun

Very informal words and phrases not used in standard, formal speech or writing.

slant

noun

A slope or tilt; a sloping surface or line.

slanted

adjective

Set at an angle; sloping.

slap

noun

A quick blow with the open hand.

slapdash

adj

Done quickly and without much care or planning.

slapper

noun

A promiscuous or disreputable woman (British slang, derogatory).

slapping

noun

The act of hitting with an open hand.

slappy

adjective

Resembling a slap, especially in sound.

slaps

noun

A hand-slapping reaction game played between two people.

slapstick

noun

Comedy built on exaggerated physical mishaps — falls, chases, collisions and blows — rather than on words.

slapstick comedy

noun

Comedy that gets its laughs from broad physical action — falls, chases, collisions, thrown pies and improbable accidents — rather than from dialogue or wit.

slash

noun

A quick, forceful cutting stroke, or the cut it leaves.

slashed

adjective

Cut, torn, or reduced sharply.

slasher

noun

A horror film built around a killer who murders victims one by one, usually graphically.

slashing

noun

The act of cutting sharply, or a sharp cut or reduction.

slat

noun

A narrow, thin strip or bar made of wood (a lath), metal, or plastic.

slate

noun

A fine-grained gray rock that splits easily into thin flat sheets, often used for roofing.

slated

adjective

Scheduled or planned.

slater

noun

A person whose job is fitting slates onto roofs.

slattern

noun

(dated, derogatory) A woman regarded as sexually promiscuous.

Slattery

adj

Rainy, wet, or muddy underfoot.

slaughter

noun

The killing of animals for food.

slaughtered

adjective

Extremely drunk (informal).

slaughterer

noun

Someone whose job is to kill animals for meat.

slaughterhouse

noun

A facility where animals are killed for meat.

slaughtering

noun

The act of killing animals or people, especially on a large scale.

slaughterous

adj

Inclined to slaughter.

Slav

noun

A member of one of the peoples of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe who speak a Slavic language, such as Russian, Polish, or Serbian.

slava

noun

A family feast day held in honor of a household's patron saint, a tradition kept mainly by Serbian families and also observed by some of their Balkan neighbors.

slave

noun

A person legally owned by another and forced to work without freedom or pay.

slaver

noun

A person who trades in or owns slaves.

slavery

noun

The practice or system of owning people as property and forcing them to work.

slavey

noun

(old-fashioned) A man employed as a household servant.

Slavic

adjective

Relating to the Slavs, their cultures, or their languages.

slaving

noun

The practice of capturing, holding, or transporting people as slaves.

slavish

adj

Behaving like a slave, with no freedom or self-respect.

slavonic

name

A branch of the Indo-European family of languages, usually divided into three subbranches

slaw

noun

A salad made of shredded raw cabbage, usually with a creamy or vinegary dressing; coleslaw.

slay

verb

To kill.

slayer

noun

A person or thing that kills; a killer.

slaying

noun

A killing, especially a murder.

sleaze

noun

Dishonest or immoral behavior, especially involving corruption or inappropriate sexual conduct.

sleazebag

noun

A morally disreputable or sleazy person (informal, derogatory).

sleazeball

noun

(informal) An unpleasant, dishonest person that other people despise.

sleazebucket

noun

(informal) An insulting name for someone who behaves in a nasty, crude way.

sleazehole

noun

(informal) A run-down, dirty place that people look down on.

sleazy

adjective

Dishonest, corrupt, or morally low, often in a sordid or seedy way.

sled

noun

A small, light vehicle on runners, used for sliding down snowy hills for fun, usually by children.

sledding

noun

The activity of riding a sled down a slope, or hauling goods on one.

sledge

noun

A heavy, long-handled hammer used for driving stakes or breaking things apart; short for sledgehammer.

sledgehammer

noun

A large, heavy hammer with a long handle, swung with both hands to deliver powerful blows.

sleek

verb

To make something smooth, glossy, or polished.

sleep

verb

To rest in the natural state of reduced consciousness that the body needs each day.

sleeper

noun

Someone who is sleeping.

sleepies

noun

(informal) The bits of dried mucus found in your eyes after you wake up.

sleepiness

noun

The state of feeling ready to fall asleep.

sleeping

adj

Currently asleep.

sleepless

adj

Unable to sleep, or marked by an absence of sleep.

sleeplessness

noun

The state of not being able to sleep.

sleepover

noun

A night spent as a guest at someone else's house, especially among children or teenagers.

sleepsack

noun

A blanket-like garment that a baby wears for sleeping.

sleepwalk

verb

To walk around or perform actions while still asleep.

sleepwalker

noun

A person who walks or performs actions while asleep.

sleepwalking

noun

The act of walking or moving around while still asleep and unaware of it.

sleepy

adj

Tired and wanting to sleep.

sleepyhead

noun

(informal) A person who is sleepy, or who tends to sleep in — often used affectionately.

sleet

noun

A wintry mix of rain and snow, or small pellets of ice formed from partly frozen raindrops.

sleety

adj

Covered with sleet, or with a lot of sleet falling.

sleeve

noun

The part of a garment that covers the arm.

sleigh

noun

A vehicle on runners, usually pulled by an animal, for carrying people or goods over snow or ice.

sleight

noun

Skillful, quick trickery, especially in performing a deceptive feat with the hands.

sleightly

adv

(old-fashioned) In a clever and skilful way.

sleighty

adj

(old-fashioned) Clever in a sly, deceptive way.

slender

adj

Thin and gracefully built.

sleuth

noun

A detective, especially a skilled one who investigates crimes or mysteries.

sleuthhound

noun

A trained dog, especially a bloodhound, used to follow a criminal's trail.

slew

noun

(informal) A large number or amount of something.

slice

noun

A thin, flat piece cut off from something larger.

sliced

adj

Cut into thin, flat pieces.

slicer

noun

A machine or tool used to cut something into slices.

slicing

noun

The action of cutting something into slices.

slick

adj

Smooth and slippery, often because of a coating of liquid.

slicker

noun

A long, waterproof coat.

slickered

adj

Dressed in a long waterproof coat.

slickness

noun

The quality of being smooth, slippery, or impressively skilful.

slidder

verb

To slip or move unsteadily, often in a nervous or awkward way.

slide

verb

To move smoothly along a surface while staying in contact with it.

slider

noun

An on-screen control that lets a user pick a value by dragging along a scale.

slidey

adj

(informal) Smooth and likely to make things slip.

sliding

adj

Designed or able to move smoothly along a track or surface.

slidy

adj

Smooth enough to make things slide easily.

slight

adj

Small in degree or amount; minor.