[so much for] Enough has been said or done about. — Used to point out that you have finished with one thing or are going to take up something else. •/So much for the geography of Ireland, we will now talk about the people who live there./ •/"I have nothing more to say to you, Tommy, and so much for that," Mary said angrily./
[son] See: FAVORITE SON, LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON.
[song] See: FOR A SONG.
[song and dance]{n.}, {informal} 1. Foolish or uninteresting talk; dull nonsense. Usually used with "give". •/I met Nancy today and she gave me a long song and dance about her family./ 2. A long lie or excuse, often meant to get pity. Usually used with "give". •/Billy gave the teacher a song and dance about his mother being sick as an excuse for being late./ •/The tramp asked us for money and tried to give us a big song and dance about having to buy a bus ticket to Chicago./
[sonic boom]{n.} A loud noise and vibration in the air, made when a jet plane passes the speed of sound (1087 feet per second). •/Fast jet planes sometimes cause a sonic boom, which can break windows and crack the plaster in houses below them./ •/We thought there was an explosion or earthquake, but it was only a sonic boom that shook the house./
[son of a bitch] or [sunuvabitch] also S.O.B. {n. phr.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} (but becoming more and more acceptable, especially if said with a positive or loving intonation). Fellow, character, guy, individual. Negatively: •/Get out of here you filthy, miserable sunuvabitch!/ Positively: •/So you won ten million dollars at the lottery, you lucky son of a bitch (or sunuvabitch)!/ Compare: SON OF A GUN.
[son of a gun]{n. phr.}, {slang} 1. A bad person; a person not liked. •/I don’t like Charley; keep that son of a gun out of here./ Syn.: BAD ACTOR. 2. A mischievous rascal; a lively guy. — Often used in a joking way. •/The farmer said he would catch the son of a gun who let the cows out of the barn./ •/Hello Bill, you old son of a gun!/ Compare: SO AND SO. 3. Something troublesome; a hard job. •/The test today was a son of a gun./ Used as an exclamation, usually to show surprise or disappointment. •/Son of a gun! I lost my car keys./ Compare: SON OF A BITCH.
[soon] See: AS SOON, FOOL AND HIS MONEY ARE SOON PARTED.
[sooner] See: HAD RATHER or HAD SOONER, NO SOONER --- THAN.
[sooner or later]{adv. phr.} At some unknown time in the future; sometime. •/John will come back sooner or later./ •/Grandpa is very slow about fixing things around the house, but he always does it sooner or later./ Compare: OR OTHER.
[sore] See: SIGHT FOR SORE EYES.
[sore spot] or [sore point] {n.} A weak or sensitive part; a subject or thing about which someone becomes angry or upset easily. •/Don’t ask Uncle John why his business failed; it’s a sore spot with him./ Compare: WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES.
[sorrow] See: DROWN ONE’S SORROWS.
[sort] See: OF SORTS, IN A WAY also IN A SORT OF WAY.
[sort of] See: KIND OF.
[sort out]{v. phr.} 1. To alphabetize; arrange in numerical order. •/The secretary helped Professor Brown sort out his numerous index cards./ 2. To clarify. •/"Help me sort out these bills," she begged her husband./
[so-so]{adj.} Fair; neither good nor bad. •/The children’s grades were just so-so on the test./ •/How is the fishing today? So-so./
[so that]{conj.} 1. or in order that; for the purpose that; so. — "So that" is usually followed by "can" or "could"; "in order that" is usually followed by "may" or "might". •/Let’s get ready now so that we can leave when Father comes./ •/Betty saved her money in order that she might buy a doll./ Compare: IN ORDER TO. 2. With the result that; so. •/My pencil fell under my desk, so that I couldn’t see it./ •/George often told stories that weren’t true, so that no one believed him when he told about a deer in the school yard./
[so --- that] — Used with an adjective or adverb before a clause of result. •/The bus was so full that I could hardly turn around./ •/Billy pitched so well that everyone cheered him at the end of the game./
[so to speak]{adv. phr.} To say it in this way. •/John was, so to speak, the leader of the club, but he was officially only the club’s secretary./ •/The horse, so to speak, danced on his hind legs./ Compare: AS IT WERE.
[sought after]{adj.} Wanted by many buyers; searched for. •/Antiques are much sought after nowadays./ Syn.: IN DEMAND.
[soul] See: HEART AND SOUL, KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER.
[soul-searching] See: SEARCH ONE’S HEART or SEARCH ONE S SOUL.
[sound] See: HIGH-SOUNDING, SAFE AND SOUND.
[sound effects]{n.} The noises made to imitate real sounds in a play, movie, or program. •/Greg agreed to plan the sound effects for the class play./ •/The movie was good but the sound effects were not very true to life./
[sound off]{v.} 1. To say your name or count "One! Two! Three! Four!" as you march. — Used as orders in U.S. military service. •/"Sound off!" said the sergeant, and the soldiers shouted, "One! Two! Three! Four!" with each step as they marched./ 2. {informal} To tell what you know or think in a loud clear voice, especially to brag or complain. •/If you don’t like the way we’re doing the job, sound off!/ •/George sounded off about how the game should have been played./ •/The teacher is always sounding off about the students not doing their homework./ Compare: SPEAK ONE’S PIECE, SPEAK OUT.
[sound out]{v.} To try to find out how a person feels about something usually by careful questions. •/Alfred sounded out his boss about a day off from his job./ •/When you see the coach, sound him out about my chances of getting on the basketball team./ Syn.: FEEL OUT.
[sound sheet]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A thin low-quality phonograph recording frequently bound into books and magazines for use as promotional or advertising material; it may have either a spoken or a musical message. •/Don’t throw that away; Sue is collecting sound sheets for her market research course./
[sound truck]{n. phr.} A truck equipped with loudspeakers. •/During the senatorial campaign, the streets of the big city were full of sound trucks blaring out messages./
[soup] See: IN THE SOUP.
[souped-up]{adj.}, {informal} More powerful or faster because of changes and additions. •/Many teen-aged boys like to drive souped-up cars./ •/The basketball team won the last five games with souped-up plays./
[so what]{informal} Used as an impolite reply showing that you don’t care about what another has said. •/Roy boasted that he was in the sixth grade, but Ted said, "So what? I am in Junior High."/ Syn.: WHAT OF IT.
[sow one’s wild oats]{v. phr.} To do bad or foolish things, especially while you are young. •/Mr. Jones sowed his wild oats while he was in college, but now he is a wiser and better man./
[space] See: OUTER SPACE.
[spaced out]{adj.}, {slang}, {informal} Having gaps in one’s train of thought, confused, incoherent; resembling the behavior of someone who is under the influence of drugs. •/Joe’s been acting funny lately — spaced out, you might say./
[space probe]{n.}, {Space English} An unmanned spacecraft other than an Earth satellite fitted with instruments which gather and transmit information about other planets in the solar system (e.g., Venus, Mars, and Jupiter) on what are called fly-by missions, i.e., without the craft landing on any of these bodies. •/Both the U.S.A. and Russia have sent up many a space probe in the past decade./
[spade] See: CALL A SPADE A SPADE.
[Spain] See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR or BUILD CASTLES IN SPAIN.
[spar with] See: FENCE WITH.
[speak] See: ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, CHILDREN AND FOOLS SPEAK THE TRUTH, NOT TO MENTION or NOT TO SPEAK OF, SHORT-SPOKEN, SO TO SPEAK, TO SPEAK OF.
[speakeasy]{n.} A bar during Prohibition where illegal alcoholic beverages were sold. •/Al Capone’s associates met in a Chicago speakeasy to drink and discuss business./
[speaker] See: PUBLIC SPEAKER.
[speak for]{v.} 1. To speak in favor of or in support of. •/At the meeting John spoke for the change in the rules./ •/The other girls made jokes about Jane, but Mary spoke for her./ 2. To make a request for; to ask for. •/The teacher was giving away some books. Fred and Charlie spoke for the same one./ 3. To give an impression of; be evidence that (something) is or will be said. — Used with the words "well" or "ill". •/It seems that it will rain today. That speaks ill for the picnic this afternoon./ •/Who robbed the cookie jar? The crumbs on your shirt speak ill for you, Billy./ •/John wore a clean shirt and a tie when he went to ask for a job, and that spoke well for him./ •/It speaks well for Mary that she always does her homework./
[speak of the devil and he appears] A person comes just when you are talking about him. — A proverb. •/We were just talking about Bill when he came in the door. Speak of the devil and he appears./
[speak one’s mind]{v. phr.} To say openly what you think; give advice that may not be liked. •/John thought it was wrong to keep George out of the club and he spoke his mind about it./ Compare: SOUND OFF.
[speak one’s piece] See: SAY ONE’S PIECE.
[speak out of turn]{v. phr.} To say something tactless; commit an indiscretion. •/You spoke out of turn in criticizing Aunt Hermione’s old furniture; she considers herself quite a connoisseur on the subject./
[speak out] or [speak up] {v.} 1. To speak in a loud or clear voice. •/The trucker told the shy boy to speak up./ 2. To speak in support of or against someone or something. •/Willie spoke up for Dan as club president./ •/Ed spoke up against letting girls join the club./
[speak the same language]{v. phr.} To have similar feelings, thoughts, and tastes; have a mutual understanding with another person. •/We both love listening to Mozart. Obviously, we speak the same language./
[speak volumes]{v. phr.} To tell or show much in a way other than speaking; be full of meaning. •/The nice present she gave you spoke volumes for what she thinks of you./ •/A child’s choice of hobbies speaks volumes./ Compare: READ BETWEEN THE LINES.
[speak well of]{v. phr.} To approve of; praise. •/Everyone always speaks well of my sister because she’s so kind./
[speak with a forked tongue]{v. phr.}, {literary} To lie; to say one thing while thinking of the opposite. •/I have learned not to trust Peter’s promises because he speaks with a forked tongue./
[speed trap]{n.} A place where police hide and wait to catch drivers who are going even a little faster than the speed limit. •/Mr. Jones was caught in a speed trap./
[speed up]{v.} To go faster than before; also, to make go faster. •/The car speeded up when it reached the country./ •/Push in the throttle to speed up the engine./ Compare: PICK UP(12). Contrast: SLOW DOWN.
[spell out]{v.} 1. To say or read aloud the letters ot a word, one by one; spell. •/John could not understand the word the teacher was saying, so she spelled it out on the blackboard./ 2. To read slowly, have trouble in understanding. •/The little boy spelled out the printed words./ 3. {informal} To explain something in very simple words; explain very clearly. •/The class could not understand the problem, so the teacher spelled it out for them./ •/Before the game the coach spelled out to the players what he wanted them to do./ Compare: WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE.
[spell trouble]{v. phr.} To signify major difficulties ahead. •/The note we just received from the Chancellor seems to spell trouble./
[spending money] or [pocket money] {n.} Money that is given to a person to spend. •/When the seniors went to New York City on a trip, each was given $10 in spending money./ •/Father gave John a nickel in pocket money when he went to the store with Mother./
