English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

southpaw

noun

A left-handed person, especially an athlete such as a boxer or pitcher.

southside

noun

The southern part of a town, street, or building.

southward

noun

The direction or region towards the south.

southwest

noun

The direction exactly between south and west.

southwestern

adjective

Of, in, or relating to the southwest.

southwestward

adj

Situated in, or heading toward, the southwest.

southwood

name

One of five places in England named Southwood, including a South Derbyshire hamlet, a Farnborough, Hampshire western suburb, and a Malvern Hills district, Worcestershire hamlet.

souvenir

noun

An object kept as a reminder of a place, event, or trip.

souvlaki

noun

A Greek dish of grilled meat, and sometimes vegetables, served on a skewer.

Souza

name

A Portuguese surname, a variant spelling of Sousa.

sovereign

adjective

Having supreme power or independent authority.

sovereigndom

noun

The status or territory belonging to a sovereign ruler.

sovereignhood

noun

The condition of being a sovereign power or ruler.

sovereignness

noun

The fact of being sovereign.

sovereignship

noun

The position of being a sovereign.

sovereignty

noun

Supreme authority, especially the power of a nation to govern itself without outside control.

soviet

noun

An elected council that formed the basic unit of government in the former Soviet Union.

Sow

noun

An adult female pig, especially one that has had a litter.

sowing

noun

The act of planting seeds.

sowl

noun

A tasty food, such as a relish or sauce, eaten together with bread.

sown

adjective

Planted with seed; describing land that has had seed scattered on it.

Sox

noun

An informal or trademark spelling of "socks," best known from baseball team names.

soy

noun

A salty sauce made by fermenting soybeans, used widely in East Asian cooking.

soybean

noun

A legume plant grown widely for its protein-rich seeds, used for food, oil, and animal feed.

Soyuz

noun

A Russian (originally Soviet) series of spacecraft and rockets used to carry crews to orbit and to the International Space Station.

sozzly

adj

(informal) Drunk.

Sp

noun

A common written abbreviation for "spelling," used to flag a misspelled word, or for "species" in scientific names.

spa

noun

A resort or facility offering mineral baths, hot tubs, or treatments for relaxation and health.

space

noun

The vast expanse beyond Earth's atmosphere where stars, planets, and other celestial bodies exist.

spacecraft

noun

A vehicle designed to travel through space.

spacefarer

noun

A person who travels into outer space.

spaceman

noun

An astronaut, or informally, an alien from outer space.

spaceport

noun

A facility used for launching or landing spacecraft.

spaceship

noun

A crewed vehicle designed to travel through outer space.

spacetime

noun

The four-dimensional continuum made up of the three dimensions of space together with time.

spacing

noun

The amount of space left between objects, letters, or lines.

spacious

adjective

Having plenty of room; roomy.

spack

noun

(offensive) A person who has cerebral palsy.

spacky

adj

(offensive) Clumsy or lacking physical coordination.

spacy

adj

Having plenty of room; roomy.

spade

noun

A hand tool with a flat blade and a handle, used for digging.

spadeful

noun

The quantity that a spade can hold or lift in one go.

spadeloads

noun

(informal) A very large amount of something.

spades

noun

The suit of playing cards marked with the black ♠ symbol.

spaer

noun

A person who claims to predict the future.

spaghetti

noun

Long, thin strands of pasta, or a dish made from them.

Spain

proper noun

A country in southern Europe occupying most of the Iberian Peninsula, with Madrid as its capital.

spake

verb

An old-fashioned or literary past tense of "speak."

Spalding

name

An English surname and place name, also a well-known American sporting goods brand.

spall

noun

A small broken piece or chip, particularly from stone.

spam

noun

Unwanted, unsolicited messages sent in bulk, especially by email.

span

noun

The distance or length between two points, edges, or supports.

spandex

noun

A stretchy synthetic fabric prized for its elasticity.

spanger

noun

(informal) Someone who begs for money, often by asking for spare change.

spangler

noun

Someone or something that spangles — that is, decorates something with small sparkling ornaments.

Spaniard

noun

A person from Spain, or a native of the Spanish ethnic group centered on Iberia.

spaniel

noun

A type of gun dog with a broad muzzle, long wavy fur, and drooping ears, traditionally bred for hunting.

Spanish

adjective

Relating to Spain, its people, or its culture.

spank

verb

To strike someone, usually a child, on the buttocks with an open hand as punishment.

spanker

noun

A person who spanks someone.

spanking

noun

A punishment involving smacking someone, usually a child, on the buttocks.

spanky

adjective

Impressively new or sharp-looking (informal), as in "brand spanky new."

spanner

noun

A hand tool used to grip and turn nuts and bolts (called a "wrench" in American English).

spanning

noun

The act of extending or stretching across something.

spar

noun

A strong pole used as a mast, boom, or similar support on a ship or aircraft.

spare

adjective

Extra; kept in reserve in case it is needed.

spareful

adj

Eating or drinking very little, and lacking energy.

sparge

verb

To sprinkle or spray.

sparing

adjective

Careful and restrained, especially in the amount of something used.

sparingly

adv

In a careful, limited way, using only a small amount.

spark

noun

A small glowing particle thrown off by fire, friction, or an electrical discharge.

sparked

adjective

Having triggered or set something off.

sparker

noun

A person or thing that starts something off.

sparking

noun

The act or process of giving off sparks.

sparkle

noun

A small flash of light, or a general quality of shining brightness.

sparkler

noun

A hand-held firework stick that gives off bright showers of sparks.

sparkling

adjective

Reflecting light in bright little flashes.

sparkly

adjective

Giving off small glittering flashes of light.

sparks

noun

An informal name for an electrician or a ship's radio operator.

Sparky

adjective

Lively, energetic, and full of spirit.

sparring

noun

Practice fighting or boxing, usually without full force, used for training.

sparrow

noun

A small, brownish-grey songbird common in towns and gardens.

sparse

adjective

Thinly spread out or scattered, with a lot of empty space in between.

Sparta

noun

A powerful city-state of ancient Greece, famous for its harsh military discipline and its warrior culture.

Spartacus

noun

A Thracian gladiator who led a major slave rebellion against the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC.

spartan

adjective

Extremely plain, strict, or self-disciplined, with no luxury or comfort.

spary

adj

Careful with money; frugal.

spasm

noun

A sudden, involuntary tightening of a muscle or group of muscles.

spasmodic

adj

Connected with a spasm, or like a sudden muscle contraction.

spastic

adj

Relating to muscle spasms or a condition causing stiff, jerky movement.

spat

noun

A brief, minor argument or quarrel.

spatchcock

noun

A chicken or other bird that has been split open along the backbone and flattened, so it cooks more evenly.

spate

noun

A sudden rush or outpouring of something, especially a large number of events happening close together.

spathic

adj

(of a mineral) Splitting cleanly along flat planes.

spatial

adj

Relating to space, position, area, or the way things are arranged in relation to one another.

spats

noun

Short cloth or leather coverings worn over the top of a shoe and ankle, historically for style or protection.

spatter

verb

To splash small drops of a liquid onto someone or something.

spatula

noun

A flat-bladed kitchen tool with a long handle, used for flipping, lifting, or spreading food.

Spaulding

name

An English surname, a variant spelling of Spalding.

spawn

verb

Of fish, frogs, or other aquatic creatures, to lay eggs in water.

spawning

noun

The act or process of laying eggs, especially by fish or amphibians.

spay

verb

To remove a female animal's ovaries or womb in an operation, so that she cannot have young.

spaz

noun

An informal, often offensive term for a clumsy or awkward person.

spazmo

noun

(offensive) A person regarded as stupid or clumsy.

speak

verb

To say words out loud; to talk.

speakeasy

noun

An illegal bar, especially one operating secretly during America's Prohibition era in the 1920s.

speaker

noun

A device that converts electrical signals into sound.

speakerphone

noun

A telephone feature or device that lets you talk hands-free through a built-in microphone and loudspeaker.

speaking

noun

The act of talking or communicating with one's voice.

speaking in tongues

noun

The practice, found mainly in Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity, of praying or worshipping aloud in fluent speech-like sounds that the speaker does not understand and believes to be given by the Holy Spirit.

spear

noun

A weapon consisting of a long shaft with a sharp point, used for thrusting or throwing.

spearchucker

noun

(offensive, racist) A black person.

spearhead

noun

The pointed tip of a spear.

spearmint

noun

Spearmint is an aromatic plant in the mint family, used to flavour tea, sweets and food, and traditionally to settle a mild upset stomach.

spearpoint

noun

The sharp end of a spear.

Spears

noun

Plural of spear: long pointed weapons or thin cut pieces of vegetable.

spec

noun

A detailed technical requirement or description of something, short for "specification."

special

adj

Different from what is usual or ordinary in a valued way.

specialisation

noun

A non-Oxford British English standard spelling of specialization.

specialise

verb

A non-Oxford British English standard spelling of specialize.

specialist

noun

Someone with deep expertise in one particular field or subject.

speciality

noun

A UK standard form of specialty.

specialization

noun

The process of becoming skilled in, or focused on, one particular area.

specialize

verb

To focus one's study, work, or business on a particular area rather than a broad range.

specialized

adj

Designed for or skilled in one particular purpose or area, rather than general use.

specially

adv

For a particular purpose, person, or occasion.

specialty

noun

A particular area of skill, work, or interest that someone focuses on.

speciate

verb

To develop into a new biological species from an existing one.

speciation

noun

The process in which new species develop and split off from earlier ones over time.

specie

noun

A kind or type, used in the set phrase 'in specie'.

species

noun

A group of living things that can breed with one another and produce fertile offspring; the basic unit of biological classification.

specific

adj

Clearly defined or particular, rather than general or vague.

specifically

adv

In a way that names or applies to one particular thing; explicitly.

specificate

verb

To state exactly what something is or give its particular details; to specify it.

specification

noun

A clear, detailed list of requirements that a material, product, or service must meet.

specifications

noun

A detailed set of requirements describing exactly how something must be built or how it should perform.

specified

adj

Stated clearly and exactly.

specify

verb

To state something precisely or in detail.

specimen

noun

A single example of something, used to represent or study the wider group it belongs to.

speciose

adj

Containing a large number of species, for example when one genus has many species in it.

specious

adj

Appearing reasonable or true at first glance, but actually wrong.

speck

noun

A very small spot, mark, or particle.

speckle

noun

A tiny mark or dot on skin, feathers, or leaves.

speckled

adj

Covered with small spots or marks of a different color.

speckly

adj

Covered with small spots or marks.

specs

noun

Specifications: plural of spec.

spectacle

noun

A striking or unusual scene, show or performance.

spectacles

noun

A pair of glasses worn to correct or aid eyesight.

spectacular

adj

Extremely impressive or striking to watch.

spectacularly

adv

In a way that is extremely impressive or striking.