[showoff]{n.} A boastful person. •/Jim always has to be the center of attention; he is an insufferable showoff./
[show off]{v. phr.} 1. To put out nicely for people to see; display; exhibit. •/The Science Fair gave Julia a chance to show off her shell collection./ •/The girls couldn’t wait to show off their fine needlework to our visitors./ 2. {informal} To try to attract attention; also, try to attract attention to. •/The children always show off when we have company./ •/Joe hasn’t missed a chance to show off his muscles since that pretty girl moved in next door./
[show of hands]{n. phr.} An open vote during a meeting when those who vote "yes" and those who vote "no" hold up their hands to be counted. •/The chairman said, "I’d like to see a show of hands if we’re ready for the vote."/
[show one’s colors]{v. phr.} 1. To show what you are really like. •/We thought Toby was timid, but he showed his colors when he rescued the ponies from the burning barn./ 2. To make known what you think or plan to do. •/Mr. Ryder is afraid that he will lose the election if he shows his colors on civil rights./ •/We would not help Jim until he showed his colors./
[show one’s face]{v. phr.} To be seen; appear. •/Bill is afraid to show his face since Tom threatened to beat him up./ •/Judy is a wonderful mimic but she is too shy to show her face on stage./ •/After cheating on the test, Chris was ashamed to show his face./
[show one’s hand]{v. phr.} To reveal or exhibit one’s true and hitherto hidden purpose. •/Only after becoming Chancellor of Germany did Adolf Hitler really show his hand and reveal that he intended to take over other countries./
[show one’s teeth]{v. phr.} To show anger; show belligerence. •/He is a very mild, private person, but during a tough business negotiation he knows how to show his teeth./
[show signs] See: GIVE SIGNS.
[show the door]{v. phr.} To ask (someone) to go away. •/Ruth was upsetting the other children, so I showed her the door./ •/Our neighbors invited themselves to the party and stayed until Harry showed them the door./
[show up]{v.} 1. To make known the real truth about (someone). •/The man said he was a mind reader, but he was shown up as a fake./ 2. To come or bring out; become or make easy to see. •/The detective put a chemical on the paper, and the fingertips showed up./ •/This test shows up your weaknesses in arithmetic./ 3. {informal} To come; appear. •/We had agreed to meet at the gym, but Larry didn’t show up./ •/Only five students showed up for the class meeting./ Compare: TURN UP(2).
[shrift] See: SHORT SHRIFT.
[shrink] See: HEAD SHRINKER.
[shrug off] or [shrug away] {v.} To act as if you are not interested and do not care about something; not mind; not let yourself be bothered or hurt by. •/Alan shrugged off our questions; he would not tell us what had happened./ •/Muriel shrugged away every attempt to comfort her./ •/The ballplayer shrugged off the booing of the fans./ •/Jim cut his hand but he tied a cloth around it and shrugged it away./
[shudder to think]{v. phr.} To be afraid; hate to think about something. •/The professor is so strict I shudder to think what his final exam questions will be like./
[shut] See: KEEP ONE’S MOUTH SHUT, PUT UP or SHUT UP, CLOSE ONE’S EYES.
[shut down] See: CLOSE DOWN.
[shut-eye]{n.}, {slang} Sleep. •/It’s very late. We’d better get some shut-eye./ •/I’m going to get some shut-eye before the game./ Compare: FORTY WINKS.
[shut off]{v.} 1. To make (something like water or electricity) stop coming. •/Please shut off the hose before the grass gets too wet./ Compare: TURN OFF. 2. To be apart; be separated from; also to separate from. •/Our camp is so far from the highway we feel shut off from the world when we are there./ •/The sow is so bad tempered we had to shut it off from its piglets./
[shut one’s eyes] See: CLOSE ONE’S EYES.
[shut out]{v.} 1. To prevent from coming in; block. •/During World War II, Malta managed to shut out most of the Italian and German bombers by throwing up an effective anti-aircraft screen./ •/The boys were annoyed by Tom’s telling club secrets and shut him out of their meeting./ 2. To prevent (an opposing team) from scoring throughout an entire game. •/The Dodgers shut out the Reds, 5-0./
[shut the door] See: CLOSE THE DOOR.
[shut up]{v.} 1. {informal} To stop talking. •/Little Ruthie told Father about his birthday surprise before Mother could shut her up./ — Often used as a command; usually considered rude. •/Shut up and let Joe say something./ •/If you’ll shut up for a minute, I’ll tell you our plan./ Syn.: BUTTON YOUR LIP, DRY UP(3), KEEP ONE’S MOUTH SHUT. 2. To close the doors and windows of. •/We got the house shut up only minutes before the storm hit./ 3. To close and lock for a definite period of time. •/The Smiths always spend Labor Day shutting up their summer home for the year./ •/We got to the store only to find that the owner had shut up shop for the weekend./ 4. To confine. •/That dog bites. It should be shut up./ •/John has been shut up with a cold all week./
[shy] See: ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY and BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.
[shy away] or [shy off] {v.} To avoid; seem frightened or nervous. •/The boys shied away from our questions./ •/The horse shied off when Johnny tried to mount it./
[sick] See: TAKE ILL or TAKE SICK.
[sick and tired]{adj.} 1. Feeling strong dislike for something repeated or continued too long; exasperated; annoyed. •/Jane was sick and tired of always having to wait for Bill, so when he didn’t arrive on time she left without him./ •/John is sick and tired of having his studies interrupted./ •/I’ve been studying all day, and I’m sick and tired of it./ Compare: FED UP.
[side] See: CHOOSE UP SIDES, FROM SIDE TO SIDE, GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BED, GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE or GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL, LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE’S MOUTH, ON ONE’S BAD SIDE, ON ONE’S GOOD SIDE, ON THE SIDE, SUNNY-SIDE UP, TAKE SIDES, THORN IN THE FLESH or THORN IN THE SIDE.
[side against]{v.} To join or be on the side that is against; disagree with; oppose. •/Bill and Joe sided against me in the argument./ •/We sided against the plan to go by plane./ Contrast: SIDE WITH.
[side by side]{adv.} 1. One beside the other in a row. •/Alice’s dolls were lined up side by side on the window seat./ •/Charles and John are neighbors; they live side by side on Elm Street./ Compare: SHOULDER TO SHOULDER. 2. Close together. •/The two boys played side by side all afternoon./
[sidekick]{n.} A companion; a close friend of lesser status. •/Wherever you see Dr. Howell, Dr. Percy, his youthful sidekick is sure to be present as well./
[side of the tracks] See: THE TRACKS.
[side street]{n.} A street that runs into and ends at a main street. •/The store is on a side street just off Main Street./ •/The Spellmans bought a house on a side street that runs off Broad Street./ Compare: BACK STREET, CROSS STREET.
[side with]{v.} To agree with; help. •/Alan always sides with Johnny in an argument./ •/Gerald sided with the plan to move the club./ Contrast: SIDE AGAINST.
[sight] See: AT FIRST GLANCE or AT FIRST SIGHT, AT SIGHT or ON SIGHT, CATCH SIGHT OF, HEAVE IN SIGHT, LOSE SIGHT OF, ON SIGHT, SET ONE’S SIGHTS.
[sight for sore eyes]{n. phr.}, {informal} A welcome sight. •/After our long, dusty hike, the pond was a sight for sore eyes./ •/"Jack! You’re a sight for sore eyes!"/
[sight-read]{v.} To be able to play music without memorization by reading the sheet music and immediately playing it. •/Experienced, good musicians are expected to be able to sight-read./
[sight unseen]{adv. phr.} Before seeing it; before seeing her, him, or them. •/Tom read an ad about a car and sent the money for it sight unseen./
[sign] See: HIGH SIGN, INDIAN SIGN, ROAD SIGN.
[sign in]{v.} To write your name on a special list or in a record book to show that you are present. •/Every worker must sign in when coming back to work./ •/Teachers go to the office and sign in each morning before going to their classrooms./ Contrast SIGN OUT.
[sign off]{v.} 1. To end a program on radio or television. •/That TV newscaster always signs off by saluting./ 2. To stop broadcasting for the day. •/That TV station always signs off after the late movie./
[sign of the times]{n. phr.} A characteristic of the times in which one lives. •/It is a sad sign of the times that all the major lakes and rivers are badly polluted and fish in them are poisoned./
[sign on]{v. phr.} 1. To sign an agreement to become an employee. •/The new cowboys signed on with the wealthy rancher in Nevada./ 2. To start a radio or television broadcast. •/Station WLAK signs on every morning at 6 A.M./ Contrast: SIGN OFF.
[sign one’s own death warrant]{v. phr.} To cause your own death or the loss of something you want very much. •/Mr. Carter had lung trouble, and the doctor told him he would sign his own death warrant if he didn’t stop smoking./ •/When Jim’s fiancee saw him on a date with another girl, he signed his own death warrant./
[sign on the dotted line]{v. phr.} To attach one’s signature on an important document, such as a contract, a bill of sales, etc. •/The seller said to the buyer, "All you need to do is sign on the dotted line."/
[sign out]{v.} To write your name on a special list or in a record book to show that you are leaving a place. •/Most of the students sign out on Friday./ Contrast SIGN IN.
[sign over]{v.} To give legally by signing your name. •/He signed his house over to his wife./
[sign up]{v.} 1. To promise to do something by signing your name; join; sign an agreement. •/We will not have the picnic unless more people sign up./ •/John wants to sign up for the contest./ •/Miss Carter has signed up to be the chaperone at the dance./ 2. To write the name of (a person or thing) to be in an activity; also, to persuade (someone) to do something. •/Betty decided to sign up her dog for obedience training./ •/The superintendent has signed up three new teachers for next year./
[signed, sealed, and delivered]{adj. phr.} Finished; completed; in a state of completion. •/"How is the campus renovation plan for the governor’s office coming along?" the dean of the college asked. "Signed, sealed, and delivered," his assistant answered./ Compare: CUT AND DRIED; HOOK, LINE AND SINKER.
[silence gives consent] If you say nothing or do not say no to something, it means that you agree. — A proverb. •/Don’t be afraid to say, if you don’t like something. Silence gives consent./
[silent majority]{n.}, {informal} The large majority of people who, unlike the militants, do not make their political and social views known by marching and demonstrating and who, presumably, can swing an election one way or the other. •/Sidney Miltner is a member of the silent majority./
[silver] See: BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN ONE’S MOUTH, EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING, HAND SOMETHING TO ONE ON A SILVER PLATTER.
[silver anniversary] or [wedding] {n. phr.} The twenty-fifth wedding anniversary of a couple; the twenty-fifth anniversary of a business or an association, etc. •/"The day after tomorrow is Mom and Dad’s silver anniversary," Sue said to her brother. "I hope you have a nice present picked out."/
[simmer down]{v.}, {informal} To become less angry or excited; become calmer. •/Tom got mad, but soon simmered down./
[Simon Legree]{n.}, {informal} A strict person, especially a boss, who makes others work very hard. •/Don’t talk on the job; the boss is a real Simon Legree./ •/Everybody avoids the foreman. He acts like a Simon Legree./
