S

Multiple Entries:
  S    s    's    's-    -'s    -s    -s'    second    sulphur  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
S1 (also s)

▶noun (pl. Ss or S's)

• 1 the nineteenth letter of the alphabet.

• 2 denoting the next after R in a set of items, categories, etc.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
S2

▶abbreviation

• 1 (chiefly in Catholic use) Saint.

• 2 siemens.

• 3 small (as a clothes size).

• 4 South or Southern.

• 5 Sweden (international vehicle registration).

▶symbol

• 1 the chemical element sulphur.

• 2 Chemistry entropy.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
s/ɛs/

▶abbreviation

• 1 second(s).

• 2 Law section (of an act).

• 3 shilling(s).

• 4 Grammar singular.

• 5 Chemistry solid.

• 6 (in genealogies) son(s).

• 7 succeeded.

• 8 Chemistry

  ■ denoting electrons and orbitals possessing zero angular momentum and total symmetry.

  ■ [s from sharp, orig. applied to lines in atomic spectra.]

▶symbol (in mathematical formulae) distance.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
's /s, z/ after a vowel sound or voiced consonant

▶contraction informal

• 1 is.

• 2 has.

• 3 us.

• 4 does.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
's- /s, z/ before a voiced consonant

▶prefix archaic (used chiefly in oaths): God's.

– origin shortened form.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-'s1 /s, z/ after a vowel sound or voiced consonant, /ɪz/ after a sibilant

▶suffix denoting possession in singular nouns, also in plural nouns not having a final -s: John's book.

– origin OE, masc. and neut. genitive sing. ending.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-'s2 /s, z/ after a vowel sound or voiced consonant, /ɪz/ after a sibilant

▶suffix denoting the plural of a letter or symbol: 9's.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-s1 /s, z/ after a vowel sound or voiced consonant

▶suffix denoting the plurals of nouns (as in wagons). Compare with -es1.

– origin OE pl. ending -as.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-s2 /s, z/ after a vowel sound or voiced consonant

▶suffix forming the third person singular of the present of verbs (as in sews). Compare with -es2.

– origin OE dial.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-s3 /s, z/ after a vowel sound or voiced consonant

▶suffix

• 1 forming adverbs such as besides.

• 2 forming possessive pronouns such as hers.

– origin OE -es, masc. and neut. genitive sing. ending.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-s4 /s, z/ after a vowel sound or voiced consonant

▶suffix forming nicknames or pet names: ducks.

– origin suggested by -s1.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-s'/s/

▶suffix denoting possession in plural nouns and sometimes in singular nouns having a final s: the girls' dormitories | Giles' sister.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
second1 /ˈsɛk(ə)nd/

▶ordinal number

• 1 constituting number two in a sequence; coming after the first in time or order; 2nd.

  ■ secondly.

  ■ (seconds) informal a second course or second helping of food at a meal.

  ■ denoting someone or something reminiscent of a better-known predecessor: the conflict could turn into a second Vietnam.

• 2 subordinate or inferior in position, rank, or importance.

  ■ Brit. a place in the second grade in an examination for a university degree.

  ■ Music performing a lower or subordinate of two or more parts for the same instrument or voice.

  ■ (seconds) goods of an inferior quality.

  ■ coarse flour, or bread made from it.

• 3 Music an interval spanning two consecutive notes in a diatonic scale.

  ■ the note which is higher by this interval than the tonic of a diatonic scale or root of a chord.

• 4 an attendant assisting a combatant in a duel or boxing match.

• 5 a Cub or Brownie who assists the Sixer.

▶verb

• 1 formally support or endorse (a nomination or resolution) before adoption or further discussion.

  ■ express agreement with.

• 2 archaic support; back up.

– phrases
second to none the best, worst, fastest, etc.

– derivatives
seconder noun,
secondly adverb.

– origin ME: via OFr. from L. secundus ‘following, second’, from the base of sequi ‘follow’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
second2 /ˈsɛk(ə)nd/

▶noun

• 1 (abbrev.: s or ʺ) a sixtieth of a minute of time, which as the SI unit of time is defined in terms of the natural periodicity of the radiation of a caesium-133 atom.

  ■ informal a very short time.

• 2 (also arc second or second of arc) a sixtieth of a minute of angular distance. (Symbol: ʺ)

– origin ME: from med. L. secunda (minuta) ‘second (minute)’, fem. (used as n.) of secundus, referring to the ‘second’ operation of dividing an hour by sixty.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
second3 /sɪˈkɒnd/

▶verb Brit. temporarily transfer (a worker) to another position.

– derivatives
secondee /-ˈdiː/ noun,
secondment noun.

– origin C19: from Fr. en second ‘in the second rank (of officers)’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sulphur /ˈsʌlfə(r)/ (US & Chemistry sulfur)

▶noun

• 1 the chemical element of atomic number 16, a combustible non-metal which typically occurs as yellow crystals. (Symbol: S)

  ■ the material of which hellfire and lightning were formerly believed to consist.

• 2 a pale greenish-yellow colour.

• 3 an American butterfly with predominantly yellow wings. [Colias and other genera.]

▶verb disinfect or fumigate with sulphur.

– derivatives
sulphureous adjective,
sulphury adjective.

– origin ME: from Anglo-Norman Fr. sulfre, from L. sulfur, sulphur.