S Flashcards
Sacrilege
The violation of anything sacred
Saccharine
Overly sweet
Sacrosanct
Extremely holy
Sagacious
Wise
Sage
A wise person
Salacious
Obscene; lusty
Salient
Significant; conspicuous
Saline
Salty
Sallow
Sickly pale
Salubrious
Healthful
Salutary
Healthful; wholesome
Salvage
To rescue; to save from destruction
Sanctimonious
Hypocritical in regard to religious belief
Sanction
To authorize; to give permission
Sangfroid
Calmness; composure
Sanguinary
Bloody
Sanguine
Cheerful; optimistic
Sapient
Wise
Sardonic
Mocking; scornful
Sartorial
Pertaining to clothes or tailoring
Satiated
Satisfied; filled up
Satirical
Sarcastic; ironic
Saturate
To soak; to fill up
Saturnine
Gloomy; sluggish
Saunter
To stroll; to walk leisurely
Savant
A person of extensive learning
Savoir faire
Tact; knowledge of just what to do in any situation
Savor
To enjoy, as by taste or smell
Scant
Inadequate in size or amount
Scapegoat
One who takes the blame for others
Scathing
Extremely severe or harsh, such as a remark
Schism
A split or break
Scintilla
A tiny amount; a speck
Scintillate
To sparkle; to twinkle
Scion
An offspring; a descendent
Scoff
To ridicule
Scope
Range; extent
Scourge
A whip or a lash; a person or thing that punishes or destroys
Scrupulous
Honest; ethical; precise
Scrutinize
To examine closely
Scurrilous
Coarsely abusive; vulgar
Scurry
Run about; to hurry
Scuttle
To sink (a ship); to abandon
Sear
To burn; to scorch
Sebaceous
Fatty
Seclude
To keep apart; to isolate
Secular
Worldly; non religious
Sedate
Calm; quiet; serious
Sedentary
Sitting most of the time
Sediment
Material that settles on the bottom; residue
Sedition
Rebellion
Sedulous
Hard-working; industrious; diligent
Seedy
Run-down; shabby
Seethe
To boil; to be violently agitated
Seismic
Pertaining to earthquakes
Semblance
Outward appearance
Sensuous
Pertaining to enjoyment of art, music, etc
Sententious
Concise; including proverbs and brief remarks
Sentient
Conscious; capable of feeling
Sentinel
A guard
Sepulcher
Tomb; burial vault
Sequester
To separate; to set aside
Seraphic
Angelic; pure
Serpentine
Winding
Serrated
Having toothlike edges
Servile
Like a slave
Servitude
Slavery; bondage
Sever
To cut in two; to separate
Shackle
To keep prisoner; to restrain
Sham
A pretense
Shambles
A slaughterhouse; Great disorder
Shard
A fragment
Sheepish
Embarrassed; bashful
Shibboleth
A slogan; a password
Shiftless
Lazy; inefficient
Shoal
A shallow place in the water; a reef
Shortcomings
Defects; deficiencies
Shrew
A nagging, bad-tempered woman
Shroud
A cloth or sheet in which a corpse is wrapped for burial
Sibilant
Hissing
Simian
Pertaining to an ape or monkey
Simony
The sin of buying or selling church benefits
Simper
To smile in a silly way
Simulacrum
An image; a likeness
Simulate
To pretend; to imitate
Sinecure
Job with no responsibility
Sinewy
Tough; firm; strong
Singular
Extraordinary; remarkable; exceptional
Sinuous
Curving; winding
Siren
An attractive but dangerous woman
Skinflint
Stingy person; miser
Skittish
Restless; excitable; nervous
Skulduggery
Trickery; deception
Skulk
To sneak around; to lie in hiding
Slacken
Become loose; to relax
Slake
To lessen (thirst, desire, anger, etc.) by satisfying; to quench
Slattern
An untidy woman
Slither
To slide or glide
Slothful
Lazy
Slough
(Off) to discard; to shed
Slovenly
Untidy; dirty; careless
Smite
To strike forcefully
Smolder
To burn without flame; to keep feelings concealed
Smug
Self-satisfied
Snare
To trap
Sneer
To look at with contempt; to scorn; to deride
Snippet
A small fragment.
Snivel
To whine; to complain
Sobriquet
Nickname; assumed name
Sodden
Soaked; damp
Sojourn
A brief stay or visit
Solace
Comfort
Solar
Pertaining to the sun
Solecism
Ungrammatical usage; an error or inconsistency in speech
solicit
To ask; to seek; to try to get an order in business
Solicitude
Concern; anxiety
Soliloquy
Act of talking to oneself
Solipsistic
Pertaining to the theory that only oneself exists or can be proved to exist
Solitude
Loneliness
Solon
A wise man
Solvent
Having the ability to pay a debt
Somber
Dark; gloomy
Somnambulate
Walk in ones sleep
Somniferous
Causing sleep
Somnolent
Drowsy; sleepy
Sonorous
Producing a deep, rich sound
Sophistry
A deceptive, tricky argument
Sophomoric
Immature; pretentious
Soporific
Causing sleep
Sordid
Dirty; filthy
Sot
A drunkard
Sovereign
A monarch or other supreme ruler
Spartan
Warlike; brave; disciplined
Specious
Not genuine; pleasing to the eye but deceptive
Specter
A ghost; a phantom
Speculate
To meditate; to participate in a risky business transaction
Sphinx
Person who is difficult to understand
Splenetic
Bad- tempered; irritable
Sporadic
Infrequent; irregular
Spry
Full of life; active
Spume
Foam
Spurious
Deceitful; counterfeit
Spurn
To reject
Squalid
Filthy; dirty
Staccato
Made up of short, abrupt sounds
Stagnant
Not flowing; stale; sluggish
Staid
Sedate; settled
Stalemate
A deadlock; a draw
Stalwart
Strong; sturdy
Stance
Attitude; posture
Stark
Complete; harsh; severe
Statute
Law; rule
Steadfast
Firm in purpose; dependable; constant
Stench
A foul smell
Stentorian
Very loud
Sterling
Of high quality; excellent
Stilted
Artificially formal
Stint
To be sparing; to conserve
Stipulate
To specify; to arrange definitely
Stoic
Showing no emotion; indifferent to pleasure or pain
Stolid
Impassive; having little emotion
Strait
A position of difficulty; a narrow passage of water
Stratagem
A plan, scheme, or trick
Strew
To spread about; to scatter
Stricture
Negative criticism; a restriction
Strident
Harsh-sounding; loud and shrill
Stringent
Strict; tight
Stultify
To make absurd or ridiculous; to render worthless
Stupefy
To stun; to amaze
Stygian
Dark; gloomy
Stymie
To hinder; to block
Sub rosa
Secretly; confidentially
Subaqueous
Underwater
Subjective
Not objective; personal
Subjugate
To conquer
Sublimate
To make a person act noble or moral
Sublime
Majestic; elevated or lofty in thought
Subliminal
Subconscious; unaware
Suborn
To hire for an unlawful act
Subsequent
Following; occurring later
Subservient
Submissive; helpful, in an inferior capacity
Subsidiary
Auxiliary; supplementary; serving to assist
Substantiate
To prove; to confirm; to support
Subterfuge
Trickery; deceit
Subterranean
Underground
Subversive
Tending to overthrow or undermine
Succinct
Concise; brief and to the point
Succor
Assistance; help; relief
Succumb
To yield; to give in
Suffrage
The right to vote
Sullen
Gloomy; showing irritation
Sully
To soil, stain, or tarnish
Sultry
Hot and moist
Sumptuous
Luxurious; lavish; extravagant
Sundry
Various; assorted
Superannuated
Retired because of old age
Supercilious
Proud; haughty
Supernal
Heavenly
Supernumerary
Extra; more than necessary
Supersede
To take the place of
Supervene
To take place or occur unexpectedly
Supine
Lying on the back
Supplant
To replace
Supple
Flexible
Suppliant
Begging; asking humbly
Supplicate
To pray humbly; to beg
Surfeit
An excessive amount
Surly
Rude; bad-tempered
Surmise
To guess
Surmount
To go beyond; to overcome
Surreptitious
Acting in a sneaky way
Sustenance
Nourishment
Susurration
Whispering; murmuring
Svelte
Slender; graceful
Swarthy
Dark-complexioned
Swathe
To wrap closely or fully
Sybarite
One who is fond of luxuries and pleasure
Sycophant
A flatterer; a parasite
Sylvan
Wooded; pertaining to the forest
Symbiosis
Mutual dependence between two different organisms
