sell the family silver
To sell valuable or essential assets, especially to pay off debts
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Where will you be? Anywhere UK & IrelandUnited StatesOnline slangBusiness jargon
sell the pass
To fail to defend or take advantage of an opportunity
sell up
To sell one's business or other major asset (such as a home).
seller's market
A market where demand exceeds supply, favoring sellers
selling plate
A race in which owners of starters have to agree beforehand that the winner shall be sold at a previously fixed price.
selling point
A feature that makes something attractive to buyers
selling the pass
Betraying one's own side. The phrase was originally Irish, and is applied to those who turn king's evidence, or who impeach their comrades for money. The tradition is that a regiment was sent by Crotha, "lord of Atha," to hold a pass against the invading army of Trathal, "King of Gael." The pass was betrayed for money; the Fir- bolgs were subdued, and Trathal assumed the title of "King of Ireland.
Sellinger's Round
An old country dance, very popular hi Elizabethan times, in which — the dancers take hands, go round twice and back again; then all set, turn, and repeat; then lead all forward, and back, and repeat; two singles and back, set and turn single and repeat; arms all and repeat. — JOHN PLAYFORD: The English Dancing Master (1651).
sello
sellotape.
semi-precious stones
Gems suitable for jewellery and for ornamenting other sorts of goldsmith's work; but not sufficiently beauti- ful, durable or rare to be ranked with such precious stones as diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Examples of semi-precious stones are amethysts, cairngorms, cornelian, lapis-lazuh, moonstones, and onyx.
semitic yod
The written (and printed) i and / were for long interchangeable; it was only in the 19th century that in dictionaries, etc., they were treated as separate letters (in Johnson's Dictionary, for instance, iambic comes between iamb and jangle), and hence in many series- such as the signatures of sheets in a book, hall- marks on plate, etc. — either I or J is omitted. Cp. U.
send
To drive or break in. Hand down the Jemmy and send it in; apply the crow to the door, and drive it in.
send a message
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
send away
to dismiss or reject someone
send away for
To order something by mail or online
send down
To cause something or someone to pass from a higher to a lower place.
send for a toss
to cause something to become disorganized or ruined
send shivers down someone's spine
Cause someone to feel a strong sense of fear or excitement
send someone packing
to dismiss or reject someone abruptly
send someone to the showers
to dismiss or reject someone
send to Coventry
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
send to dorse
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
send to the glue factory
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
send word
to send a message or notification
sense of craft
A feeling of skill or expertise in a particular activity
sensy
Sensitive.
separate the wheat from the chaff
To distinguish valuable or useful things from worthless ones
sepulchral lamps
The Romans are said to have preserved lamps in some of their sepul- chres for centuries, and many legends are told of their never dying. In the papacy of Paul III (1534-40) one was found in the tomb of Tullia (Cicero's daughter), which had been shut up for 1,550 years, and at the dissolution of the monasteries a lamp was found which is said to have been burning 1,200 years. Two are preserved in Leyden museum.
seraglio
A bawdy-house; the name of that part of the Great Turk's palace where the women are kept.
serg
A sergal.
Serpentine Verses
Such as end with the same word as they begin with.
serve notice
Inform someone that you plan to take a certain action
serve someone right
to deserve or be a fitting consequence for someone's actions
serve the turn
to be useful or sufficient for a particular purpose
serve time
to spend time in prison as a punishment
serve two masters
To work for or loyalty to two parties with conflicting interests
serve up
to provide or offer something
served
Found guilty. Convicted. Ordered to be punished or transported. To serve a cull out; to beat a man soundly.
Service Acts
A comb-out was a thorough clearing out or clean sweep of men of military age in offices, works, etc., and getting them into the Army.
set
A dead set: a concerted scheme to defraud a person by gaming.
Set a herring to catch a whale. (Strauss, 1994 p. 1134)
Use a small or trivial thing to get something much bigger or more important.
set a spell
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
set a thief to catch a thief
Use someone with questionable character to help solve a problem
set at large
At liberty. It is a French phrase; prendre la large is to stand out to sea, or occupy the main ocean, so as to be free to move. Similarly, to be set at large is to be placed free in the wide world.
set back
to hinder or delay progress
set by the ears
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
set down
to write or record something
set eyes on
to see someone or something for the first time
set foot
to enter or visit a place
set for life
Having enough resources to be financially secure forever
set in motion
To start something happening or to put a plan into action
set in one's ways
Unwilling to change habits or opinions
set in stone
Completely decided and unchangeable
set of pipes
a person who can play music well
set of wheels
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
set off
start a journey or trip
set on
To attack.
set one's cap at
to try to win someone's love or affection
set one's hair on fire
to take drastic or extreme action
set one's heart on
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
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