English dictionary — definitions & meanings

striper

noun

A device that applies stripes.

stripling

noun

A young man in the state of adolescence, or just passing from boyhood to manhood; a lad. .

stripped

adjective

Having had an outer layer, covering, or contents removed; laid bare.

stripper

noun

A person who takes off their clothes to music as a paid performance, usually in a club or at a private party.

stripping

noun

The act of removing an outer layer, covering, or clothing.

striptease

noun

A performance in which someone slowly removes their clothing in an erotic way, usually to music.

stripteaser

noun

A person who performs a striptease.

strive

verb

To make a great and sustained effort to achieve something.

striving

noun

Sustained effort made toward achieving a goal.

strobe

noun

A light that flashes on and off rapidly and repeatedly.

strobing

noun

A brief flashing on and off, as of a stroboscopic lamp.

stroboscope

noun

Instrument for studying or observing periodic movement by rendering a moving body visible only at regular intervals.

Strode

name

An English surname, originally denoting someone who lived near a marshy area crossed by a path.

stroganoff

noun

A dish of sautéed strips of beef served in a creamy sauce, typically with sour cream.

Stroh

name

A German surname meaning "straw."

stroke

noun

A sudden loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which can cause lasting damage or death.

stroked

adjective

Of an engine, fitted with a modified crankshaft that gives the pistons a longer stroke.

stroking

noun

The act of moving a hand or object gently across a surface.

stroll

noun

A slow, relaxed walk taken for pleasure.

stroller

noun

A wheeled chair used to push a baby or young child around; a pushchair.

strolling

noun

The act of walking slowly and leisurely.

strong

adjective

Physically powerful; capable of exerting or withstanding great force.

stronghold

noun

A fortified place built to resist attack.

strongly

adverb

In a powerful, forceful, or intense manner.

strongman

noun

A person, especially a performer, known for feats of physical strength.

strongroom

noun

A strongly built room or vault where valuables may be safely stored.

strongwoman

noun

A woman who demonstrates physical strength, sometimes in contests.

strop

noun

A strap; more specifically a piece of leather or a substitute (notably canvas), or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for honing a razor.

strophe

noun

A turn in verse, as from one metrical foot to another, or from one side of a chorus to the other.

stroud

noun

A coarse woolen cloth historically used for blankets and clothing, especially in trade with Native Americans.

strout

verb

To cause to project or swell out; to enlarge affectedly

struck

verb

The past tense and past participle of "strike".

structural

adjective

Relating to the structure, framework, or underlying arrangement of something.

structurally

adverb

In terms of how something is built or organized, rather than in appearance or content.

structure

noun

A building or other physical construction made of connected parts.

structured

adjective

Arranged in an organized, planned way rather than left loose or random.

structuring

noun

Structure; organization.

strudel

noun

A pastry made of thin rolled layers of dough wrapped around a sweet filling, often apple.

struggle

verb

To make a strong, difficult effort to do, achieve, or overcome something.

strugglesome

adj

Characterised or marked by struggling

struggling

adjective

Having a hard time succeeding or coping, especially financially or emotionally.

strum

verb

To play a stringed instrument by brushing the fingers or a pick across several strings at once.

strummer

noun

One who strums a stringed musical instrument.

strumming

noun

The action of playing a stringed instrument by sweeping across several strings.

strumpet

noun

An old-fashioned, disparaging term for a promiscuous woman or prostitute.

strut

verb

To walk in a proud, stiff, confident way, often with the head held high.

strutting

noun

The act of walking proudly and confidently, often showing off.

strychnine

noun

A highly poisonous, bitter crystalline compound extracted from certain plant seeds, historically used to kill rodents.

Stryker

noun

A heavily padded wheeled hospital gurney, often with distinctive coloured legs.

Stu

noun

A shortened, familiar form of the given name Stuart.

stuart

name

A Scottish surname originating as an occupation, a variant of Stewart.

stub

noun

A short remaining piece of something after the main part has been used, cut, or removed.

stubbed

adjective

Short and blunt, as if cut off short.

stubble

noun

Short, rough hair growing on a man’s face after not shaving for a day or two.

stubborn

adjective

Refusing to change one’s mind, position, or behaviour despite pressure or good reason to.

stubbornly

adverb

In a way that shows refusal to change one’s mind or give in.

stubbornness

noun

The quality of being unwilling to change one’s mind or give in.

Stubbs

name

An English surname, most famously borne by 18th-century painter George Stubbs, known for his depictions of horses.

stubby

adjective

Short and thick.

stucco

noun

A material with binder and aggregate that is used to coat interior walls or to make interior mouldings.

stuck

adjective

Unable to move or be moved; fixed in place.

Stuckey

name

A surname of English origin.

stud

noun

A male animal, especially a horse, kept specifically for breeding.

studded

adjective

Decorated or covered with small studs or embedded objects.

Studebaker

name

A former American automobile manufacturer.

student

noun

A person who is enrolled in and attends a school, college, or university.

studied

adjective

Deliberately and carefully done rather than natural or spontaneous.

studies

noun

An organized field or programme of academic learning.

studio

noun

A room or building where an artist, photographer, or designer works.

studious

adjective

Devoted to studying and learning; diligent about schoolwork.

studly

adj

Like a stud; being or relating to a sexually attractive male.

studs

noun

Small metal or rubber protrusions on the sole of a shoe or boot to improve grip.

study

verb

To spend time learning about a subject, often in preparation for an exam or qualification.

studying

noun

The activity of learning material, especially in preparation for an assessment.

stuff

noun

Miscellaneous items, belongings, or unspecified material.

stuffed

adjective

Filled tightly, especially with a food filling.

stuffer

noun

One who, or that which, stuffs.

stuffiness

noun

The state or quality of being angry and obstinate.

stuffing

noun

A seasoned mixture used to fill poultry, vegetables, or other foods before cooking.

stuffy

adjective

Lacking fresh air; poorly ventilated and uncomfortably warm.

stultification

noun

The process of stultifying.

stultify

verb

To stunt, inhibit (progress, ideas, etc.) or make dull and uninteresting, especially through routine that is overly restrictive or limiting.

stumble

verb

To trip or lose one’s balance while walking.

stumblebum

noun

A blundering or awkward person.

stumbling

noun

The act of tripping, faltering, or moving unsteadily.

stump

noun

The part of a tree, plant, or limb left behind after the rest has been cut off.

stumped

adj

Confused and unable to find an answer or solution.

stumper

noun

One who stumps, or speaks, or orates, as a politician.

stumps

noun

In cricket, the end of a day's play, marked by the umpires pulling out the wicket posts.

stumpy

adj

Short and thick, as if cut off; stubby.

stun

verb

To knock someone senseless or make them lose awareness, often with a blow or shock.

stunned

adj

Dazed, shocked, or momentarily unable to react.

stunner

noun

Someone or something remarkably beautiful, impressive, or shocking.

stunning

adj

Extremely beautiful or impressive.

stunningly

adv

To an amazing or shockingly impressive degree.

stunt

noun

A dangerous or spectacular feat performed for entertainment, often in film.

stunted

adj

Prevented from growing or developing fully; smaller than normal as a result.

stunting

noun

The act of performing stunts or ostentatiously showing off.

stuntman

noun

A person who performs dangerous physical stunts in films or television in place of the main actor.

stupe

noun

A stupid person or (rarely) thing.

stupefaction

noun

The state of extreme shock or astonishment.

stupefy

verb

To dull the senses or capacity to think thereby reducing responsiveness; to stun.

stupefying

adj

That causes stupefaction.

stupendous

adj

Astonishingly large, impressive, or great.

stupid

adj

Lacking intelligence or common sense.

stupidicy

noun

A stupid statement or action.

stupidity

noun

The quality of being unintelligent or unwise.

stupidly

adv

In a foolish or unwise manner.

stupor

noun

A state of near-unconsciousness or greatly reduced alertness and responsiveness.

sturdy

adj

Strongly built and unlikely to break or give way.

sturgeon

noun

A large freshwater or migratory fish prized for its roe, which is processed into caviar.

sturges

name

An unincorporated community in Livingston County, Missouri, United States, possibly named after Samuel D. Sturgis.

Sturgis

name

An English surname and place name; also a town in South Dakota famous for its annual motorcycle rally.

Sturm

name

A German surname meaning "storm."

stutter

verb

To speak with involuntary repetitions or pauses on certain sounds.

stuttering

noun

A speech disorder involving involuntary repetitions, prolongations, or blocks in the flow of speech.

Stuttgart

name

The capital city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, known as a major center of the automobile industry.

Stuyvesant

name

A Dutch surname, most notably that of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch director-general of New Netherland.

sty

noun

A pen where pigs are kept.

stye

noun

A bacterial infection in the eyelash or eyelid.

stygian

adj

Infernal or hellish.

style

noun

A distinctive way of writing, speaking, dressing, or doing something.

styled

adj

Arranged or designed in a particular fashion.

styler

noun

Someone who styles (especially hair), a stylist.

styling

noun

The way something is designed or arranged to give it a particular look.

stylish

adj

Fashionable and elegant in appearance or manner.

stylishness

noun

The state or quality of being stylish.

stylist

noun

A person who cuts, colors, or arranges hair professionally.

stylistics

noun

The study of literary style, and how it changes within different contexts.

stylized

adj

Made to conform to some style.

styll

adv

Usually added to the end of a sentence to add emphasis.

stylus

noun

An ancient writing implement consisting of a small rod with a pointed end for scratching letters on clay, wax-covered tablets or other surfaces, and a blunt end for obliterating them.

stymie

noun

A situation where an opponent's ball is directly in the way of one's own ball and the hole, on the putting green (abolished 1952).

styptic

adj

Bringing about contraction of tissues; harsh, raw, austere.

styrofoam

noun

A lightweight rigid foam plastic used for insulation, packaging, and disposable cups.

Styx

name

In Greek mythology, the river separating the world of the living from the underworld; also the name of an American rock band.

Su

name

A Chinese surname and a short given name used in various cultures.

Suarez

name

A Spanish surname, most famously borne by footballer Luis Suarez.

suasion

noun

The act of urging or influencing; persuasion.

suave

adj

Charming, smooth-mannered, and confident, sometimes in a way that feels a little too polished to be trusted.

sub

noun

A submarine (informal shortening).

subangular

adj

Slightly angular; having rather blunt angles.

subaqueous

adj

Existing below the water surface.

Subaru

name

A Japanese car manufacturer, whose name refers to a star cluster known in the West as the Pleiades.

subatomic

adj

Smaller than an atom, or relating to the particles — like protons, neutrons, and electrons — that make up an atom.

subbing

noun

The stage of editing where a piece of writing is checked and polished before publication, often called copy editing.

subclavian

adj

Located beneath the collarbone, especially describing the artery or vein supplying blood to the arm and shoulder area.

subclinical

adj

Without signs and symptoms that are detectable by physical examination or laboratory test; not clinically manifest.

subcommittee

noun

A smaller group formed from within a larger committee to handle a specific part of its work.

subconscious

adj

Happening in the part of the mind we are not actively aware of.