silver screen
The film industry or movies
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silver sheet
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
silver spoon
Born into a wealthy family
silver tongue
Ability to speak persuasively and eloquently
Silver Wedding
The twenty-fifth anniversary, when presents of silver plate (in Germany a silver wreath) are given to the happy pair.
sim
One of a Methodistical turn in religion; a Low Churchman; originally a follower of the late Rev. Charles Simeon.—Cambridge.
simkin
champagne
simmer down
to calm down or become less angry
Simnel Cakes
Rich cakes formerly eaten (especially in Lancashire) on Mid-Lent Sunday ("Mothering Sunday"), Easter, and Christ- mas Day.
simoleon
A dollar.
simoleons
plural of simoleon
simon
Sixpence. Simple Simon: a natural, a silly fellow; Simon Suck-egg, sold his wife for an addle duck-egg.
simon
Or SIMPLE SIMON, a credulous, gullible person. A character in a song, but now common.
Simon and St
James the Less, in allusion to the tradition of their being sawn to death in martyrdom.
Simon Magus
Isidore tells us that Simon Magus -I. died in the reign of Nero, and adds that he had proposed a dispute with Peter and Paul, and had promised to fly up to heaven. He succeeded in rising high into the air, but at the prayers of the two apostles he was cast down to earth by the evil spirits who had enabled him to rise.
simon pure
"the real SIMON PURE," the genuine article. Those who have witnessed Mr. Charles Mathews’s performance in Mrs. Centlivre’s admirable comedy of A Bold Stroke for a Wife, and the laughable coolness with which he, the false SIMON PURE, assuming the Quaker dress and character of the real one, elbows that worthy out of his expected entertainment, will at once perceive the origin of this phrase.—See act v. scene i.
Simon Pure
The real man, the authentic article, etc. In Mrs. Centlivre's Bold Stroke for a Wife, a Colonel Feignwell passes himself off for Simon Pure, a Quaker, and wins the heart of Miss Lovely. No sooner does he get the assent of her guardian, than the Quaker turns up, and proves, beyond a doubt, he is the "real Simon Pure.
simpkin
Or SIMKIN, champagne.—Anglo-Indian. Derived from the manner in which native servants pronounce champagne.
simple as kiss your hand
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Simple Simon
A simpleton, a gullible booby; from the character in the well-known anonymous nursery tale, who "met a pie-man.
simples
Physical herbs; also follies. He must go to Battersea, to be cut for the simples--Battersea is a place famous for its garden grounds, some of which were formerly appropriated to the growing of simples for apothecaries, who at a certain season used to go down to select their stock for the ensuing year, at which time the gardeners were said to cut their simples; whence it became a popular joke to advise young people to go to Battersea, at that time, to have their simples cut, or to be cut for the
simpleton
Abbreviation of simple Tony or Anthony, a foolish fellow.
simplicity itself
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
simpson
Water used in the dilution of milk. Term in use among cow-keepers. From this the parish pump has been called Mrs. SIMPSON.
sin tax
a tax on activities considered sinful or unhealthy
sinbad made his escape
Hence the phrase is figuratively applied to bad habits, evil associates, etc., from which it is very difficult to free oneself.
Sinbad the Sailor
The hero of a story of this name in the Arabian Nights
sine die
No time being fixed; indefinitely in regard to time. When a proposal is deferred sine die, it is deferred without fixing a day for its reconsideration, which is virtually "for ever.
sine qua non
An indispensable condition. Lat. Sine qua non potest esse or fieri (that without which [the thing] cannot be, or be done).
Sinews of War
Essential funds for the prosecu- tion of a war. Troops have to be paid and fed and the materials of war are costly.
sing along
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
sing for one's supper
to perform a task in order to receive payment or reward
sing from the same hymnbook
To express the same opinion or idea
sing like a bird
To confess or reveal information willingly
sing off the same hymn sheet
To express the same opinions or ideas
sing small
to speak or sing softly
sing soprano
to speak in a high-pitched voice, often due to fear or pain
sing the praises of
To enthusiastically express admiration or approval
sing the same tune
To say or do the same thing as someone else
sing-song
A harmonic meeting at a pot-house, a free-and-easy.
singe one's wings
to suffer or be harmed as a result of one's actions
singing soprano
speaking in a high-pitched voice, often due to fear or intimidation
single out
To choose or notice someone or something from a group
single peeper
A person having but one eye.
Single Tax
The doctrine that land rent alone should be subject to taxation, propounded by Henry George in Progress and Poverty (1879).
singleton
A very foolish fellow; also a particular kind of nails.
sinhound
A priest.
sink in
To be fully understood or appreciated after a period of time
sink of iniquity
A place where immoral or wicked activities are concentrated
sink or swim
No matter what happens. Convicted witches were thrown into the water to "sink or swim"; if they sank they were drowned ; if they swam it was clear proof they were in league with the Evil One; so it did not much matter, one way or the other.
sinkers
Bad money,—affording a man but little assistance in "keeping afloat."
sinking ship
A failing organization or situation
sinks
A throw of fives at dice. French, CINQ.
Sinn Fein
Irish for "Ourselves alone" This was the Nationalist movement that finally brought about the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1921. The rebellion of 1916 was its first overt act of great im- portance; in the following year Eamonn de Valera was elected president of the movement and the new republican policy was inaugur- ated.
Sir Bevis of Hamtown
A mediaeval chivalric romance, slightly connected with the Charlemagne cycle, which (in the English version) tells how the father of Bevis was slam by the mother, and how, on Bevis trying to avenge the murder, she sold him into slavery to Eastern merchants. After many adven- tures he converts and carries off Josian, daughter of the Soldan, returns to England, gets his revenge, and all ends happily.
Sir Brain
The bear in the famous German beast-epic, Reynard the Fox.
Sir Epicure Mammon
A worldly sensualist in Ben Jonson's Alchemist.
Sir Hugh Caverley
Famous for ridding Poland of a monstrous bear. Sir Henry Maleyerer, generally called Henry of Cornhill, who lived in the reign of Henry IV. He was a crusader, and became the guardian of "Jacob's well.
sir john
The old title for a country parson: as Sir John of Wrotham, mentioned by Shakespeare.
Sir John Fastolf
The English repulsed the onset, using barrels of herrings, which were among the supplies, as a defence; hence the name.
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