seeking a gape's nest
A gape's nest is a sight which one stares at with wide-open mouth. Cp. MARE'S NEST.
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sees
The eyes. See DAYLIGHTS.
seismic shift
A sudden, significant change in a situation or field
seize the day
Make the most of the present moment
seize the opportunity
Take advantage of a favorable situation
Select Man
In some of the New England States a member of a board of town officers who has been deputed to be responsible for the conduct of certain branches of local admini- stration.
self evidence
That derived from the senses- manifest and indubitable.
sell
A deception, or disappointment; also a lying joke.
sell bargains
To deceive or cheat someone by appearing to offer a good deal
sell dearly
To cost someone a lot, often in an immaterial sense
sell down
to reduce the price of something
sell down the river
To betray or deceive someone for personal gain
sell ice to Eskimos
To persuade someone to buy or accept something they do not need
sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage
To sacrifice something valuable for something trivial or temporary
sell one's body
To engage in prostitution or sacrifice one's values for money
sell one's life dearly
To fight very hard and make great sacrifices in defense of something
sell one's own grandmother
to do something morally wrong for personal gain
sell one's soul
To sacrifice one's integrity or values for personal gain
sell someone a bill of goods
to deceive or cheat someone by persuading them to accept something false
sell the family silver
To sell valuable or essential assets, especially to pay off debts
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.
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