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English Words Starting With S
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- spit-shine/ˈspɪt ˌʃaɪn/To polish shoes or boots to a high gloss by applying polish and then using saliva or a small amount of water on a cloth to create a brilliant shine.nounverb-transitiveLow
- spital/ˈspɪtəl/An archaic or dialectal term for a hospital or hostel, especially one providing care for the sick poor.nounVery low
- spitball/ˈspɪt.bɔːl/A small ball of chewed paper, historically used as a projectile; also to propose an idea informally without thorough analysis.nounverb-ambitransitiveC1/C2
- spitballer/ˈspɪtˌbɔːlə/a person who proposes ideas in an informal, speculative, or improvisational way, often to brainstorm or solve problems without initial concern for practicality.nounLow
- spitchcock/ˈspɪtʃkɒk/A historical cooking term for splitting an eel (or other fish) down the back, cutting it into pieces, and grilling or broiling it with spices and breadcrumbs.nounverb-transitiveVery Low / Archaic
- spite/spaɪt/A desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone; malicious ill will.nounverbverb-transitiveB2
- spite fence/spaɪt fens/A high or obtrusive fence, wall, or similar structure erected by a property owner primarily to annoy, irritate, or block the view of a neighbour, rather than for any practical purpose.nounLow
- spitfire/ˈspɪtfaɪə/A person, typically a woman or girl, who has a quick, fiery, and easily provoked temper.nounC1
- spithead/ˈspɪt.hɛd/A stretch of water in the Solent, between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, historically a significant naval anchorage.nounVery Low
- spitsbergen/ˈspɪtsˌbɜːɡən/The largest island and the administrative centre of the Svalbard archipelago, a Norwegian territory in the Arctic Ocean.nounLow
- spitsticker/ˈspɪtˌstɪk.ə/A person who uses the tongue to moisten postage stamps (or similar small paper items).nounExtremely Rare / Archaic
- spitteler/ˈʃpɪtələ/Proper noun referring to Carl Spitteler, a Swiss poet and novelist, Nobel laureate in Literature (1919).nounVery Low
- spitter/ˈspɪtə(r)/a person or thing that ejects liquid forcefully from the mouth or a machinenounrare
- spitting cobra/ˈspɪt.ɪŋ ˈkəʊ.brə/A cobra with the specialized ability to eject venom from its fangs towards a target's eyes, typically as a defensive mechanism.nounRare
- spitting distance/ˈspɪt.ɪŋ ˌdɪs.təns/A very short physical distance; close enough to be reached easily.nounB2-C1
- spitting image/ˌspɪt.ɪŋ ˈɪm.ɪdʒ/A person who looks exactly like another person (typically a parent or relative).nounC1
- spitting snake/ˈspɪt.ɪŋ sneɪk/Any venomous snake that can project or eject venom from its fangs towards a threat, primarily as a defensive mechanism.nounLow
- spittle/ˈspɪt.əl/Saliva, especially when expectorated; spit.nounC2
- spittle insect/ˈspɪt(ə)l ˌɪnsɛkt/Any insect of the family Aphrophoridae, whose nymphs (young) live within and feed on plant sap, producing a frothy, saliva-like protective secretion.nounRare/Technical
- spittlebug/ˈspɪt.l̩.bʌɡ/A small insect, particularly the nymph of a froghopper, which secretes a frothy, protective mass resembling saliva on plant stems while feeding.nounLow / Specialized
Showing 10321–10340 of 15552 words.