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[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 fu
[space probe]{n.}, {Space English} An unma