An elementary school teacher sends this note to all parents on the first day of school.
"If you promise not to believe everything your child says happens at school, I will promise not to believe everything your child says happens at home.
- deposit n. Building containing strongrooms and safes for hire.
- house n. Place of refuge etc. For spies, terrorists, etc.
- keeping n. Preservation in a safe place.
- period n. Time during the month when conception is least likely.
- sex n. Sexual activity in which precautions are taken against sexually transmitted diseases, esp. Aids.
- —adj. - free of danger or injury.
- secure, not risky (in a safe place).
- reliable, certain.
- prevented from escaping or doing harm (have got him safe).
- (also safe and sound) uninjured; with no harm done.
- cautious, unenterprising. —n. - strong lockable cabinet etc. For valuables.
- = *meat safe. on the safe side with a margin for error. safely adv. [french sauf from latin salvus]
SAGA
n. - long heroic story, esp. Medieval icelandic or norwegian.
- series of connected novels concerning a family's history etc.
- long involved story. [old norse: related to *saw3]
SAGE
n. Culinary herb with dull greyish-green leaves. [french from latin *salvia]
- —n. Often iron. Wise man. —adj. Wise, judicious, experienced. sagely adv. [french from latin sapio be wise]
SAGO
n. (pl. -s) 1 a starch used in puddings etc.
- (in full sago palm) any of several tropical palms and cycads yielding this. [malay]
SAID
past and past part. Of *say.
SAIL
—n. - piece of material extended on rigging to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship.
- ship's sails collectively.
- voyage or excursion in a sailing-boat.
- ship, esp. As discerned from its sails.
- wind-catching apparatus of a windmill. —v. - travel on water by the use of sails or engine-power.
- begin a voyage (sails at nine).
- a navigate (a ship etc.). B travel on (a sea).
- set (a toy boat) afloat.
- glide or move smoothly or in a stately manner.
- (often foll. By through) colloq. Succeed easily (sailed through the exams). sail close to the wind 1 sail as nearly against the wind as possible.
- come close to indecency or dishonesty. Sail into colloq. Attack physically or verbally. Under sail with sails set. [old english]
SAKE
n. for christ's (or god's or goodness' or heaven's or pete's etc.) Sake expression of impatience, supplication, anger, etc. For the sake of (or for one's sake) out of consideration for; in the interest of; because of; in order to please, honour, get, or keep. [old english]
- n. Japanese rice wine. [japanese]
SALE
n. - exchange of a commodity for money etc.; act or instance of selling.
- amount sold (sales were enormous).
- temporary offering of goods at reduced prices.
- a event at which goods are sold. B public auction. on (or for) sale offered for purchase. [old english]
- of work n. Sale of home-made goods etc. For charity.
- or return n. Arrangement by which a purchaser may return surplus goods to the supplier without payment.
- —n. - (also common salt) sodium chloride, esp. Mined or evaporated from sea water, and used for seasoning or preserving food.
- chemical compound formed from the reaction of an acid with a base.
- piquancy; wit.
- (in sing. Or pl.) A substance resembling salt in taste, form, etc. (bath salts). B (esp. In pl.) Substance used as a laxative.
- (also old salt) experienced sailor.
- = *salt-cellar. —adj. Containing, tasting of, or preserved with salt. —v. - cure, preserve, or season with salt or brine.
- sprinkle (a road etc.) With salt. salt away (or down) slang put (money etc.) By. The salt of the earth most admirable or honest person or people (matt. 5:13). Take with a pinch (or grain) of salt regard sceptically. Worth one's salt efficient, capable. [old english]
SAME
—adj. - (often prec. By the) identical; not different (on the same bus).
- unvarying (same old story).
- (usu. Prec. By this, these, that, those) just mentioned (this same man later died). —pron. (prec. By the) 1 the same person or thing.
- law or archaic the person or thing just mentioned. —adv. (usu. Prec. By the) similarly; in the same way (feel the same). all (or just) the same 1 nevertheless.
- emphatically the same. At the same time 1 simultaneously.
- notwithstanding. Be all (or just) the same to make no difference to. Same here colloq. The same applies to me. sameness n. [old norse]
