A wife sending a short message to her husband:
It was just said on the news that they found a hideous corpse with a hollow head, a cigar among ugly rotten teeth and a bottle of liquor in his hand. I"m worried about you! Please, give me a ring...
- music n. Black american music with rhythm and blues, gospel, and rock elements.
- n. - spiritual or immaterial part of a person, often regarded as immortal.
- moral, emotional, or intellectual nature of a person.
- personification or pattern (the very soul of discretion).
- an individual (not a soul in sight).
- person regarded with familiarity or pity etc. (the poor soul; a good soul).
- person regarded as an animating or essential part (life and soul).
- energy or intensity, esp. In a work of art.
- = *soul music. upon my soul exclamation of surprise. [old english]
SOUP
—n. Liquid food made by boiling meat, fish, or vegetables. —v. (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. - increase the power of (an engine).
- enliven (a souped-up version of the original). in the soup colloq. In difficulties. [french]
SOUR
grapes n.pl. Resentful disparagement of something one covets.
- —adj. - acid in taste or smell, esp. Because unripe or fermented.
- morose; bitter.
- (of a thing) unpleasant; distasteful.
- (of the soil) dank. —v. Make or become sour. go (or turn) sour 1 turn out badly.
- lose one's keenness. sourly adv. Sourness n. [old english]
SOYA
n. 1 (in full soya bean) a leguminous plant yielding edible oil and flour and used to replace animal protein. B seed of this.
- (in full soya sauce) = *soy 1. [malay: related to *soy]
SPAM
n. Propr. Tinned meat made from ham. [spiced ham]
SPAN
—n. - full extent from end to end.
- each part of a bridge between supports.
- maximum lateral extent of an aeroplane or its wing, or a bird's wing, etc.
- a maximum distance between the tips of the thumb and little finger. B this as a measure of 9 in. —v. (-nn-) 1 stretch from side to side of; extend across.
- bridge (a river etc.). [old english]
- see *spick and span.
SPAR
n. - stout pole, esp. As a ship's mast etc.
- main longitudinal beam of an aeroplane wing. [old norse sperra or french esparre]
- —v. (-rr-) 1 make the motions of boxing without heavy blows.
- argue. —n. - sparring motion.
- boxing-match. [old english]
- n. Easily split crystalline mineral. [low german]
SPAT
past and past part. Of *spit1.
- n. (usu. In pl.) Hist. Short gaiter covering a shoe. [abbreviation of spatterdash: related to *spatter]
- n. Colloq. Petty or brief quarrel. [probably imitative]
- n. Spawn of shellfish, esp. The oyster. [anglo-french, of unknown origin]
SPAY
v. Sterilize (a female animal) by removing the ovaries. [anglo-french: related to *epee]
SPEC
n. Colloq. Speculation. on spec as a gamble. [abbreviation]
- n. Colloq. Detailed working description; specification. [abbreviation of *specification]
