One day Holmes and Watson are flying a dirigible balloon. It is foggy around, they have lost their way. Suddenly they see - a shepherd is grazing sheep below. The men are very glad and shout:
- The dear, tell us, please, where we are now?
- You are in the dirigible balloon.
- I understand... - Holmes says. - We are flying over Russia.
- But why? - Watson is surprised.
- It’s elementary, Buddy! Only a programmer could give such an exact and useless answer at the same time. And only in Russia programmers can look after sheep.
absorber n. Device on a vehicle etc. For absorbing shocks, vibrations, etc.
- therapy n. (also shock treatment) treatment of depressive patients by electric shock etc.
- troops n.pl. Troops specially trained for assault.
- wave n. - moving region of high air pressure caused by an explosion or by a supersonic body.
- wave of emotional shock (the news sent shock waves throughout the region).
- —n. - violent collision, impact, tremor, etc.
- sudden and disturbing effect on the emotions etc.
- acute prostration following a wound, pain, etc.
- = *electric shock.
- disturbance in the stability of an organization etc. —v. - a horrify; outrage. B (absol.) Cause shock.
- affect with an electric or pathological shock. [french choc, choquer]
- —n. Group of corn-sheaves in a field. —v. Arrange (corn) in shocks. [origin uncertain]
- n. Unkempt or shaggy mass of hair. [origin unknown]
SHONE
past and past part. Of *shine.
SHOOK
past of *shake.
SHOOT
—v. (past and past part. Shot) 1 a (also absol.) Cause (a weapon) to fire. B kill or wound with a bullet, arrow, etc.
- send out, discharge, etc., esp. Swiftly.
- (often foll. By out, along, forth, etc.) Come or go swiftly or vigorously.
- a (of a plant etc.) Put forth buds etc. B (of a bud etc.) Appear.
- hunt game etc. With a gun.
- film or photograph.
- (also absol.) Esp. Football a score (a goal). B take a shot at (the goal).
- (of a boat) sweep swiftly down or under (a bridge, rapids, etc.).
- (usu. Foll. By through, up, etc.) (of a pain) seem to stab. 10 (often foll. By up; also absol.) Slang inject (a drug). —n. - a young branch or sucker. B new growth of a plant.
- a hunting party, expedition, etc. B land shot over for game.
- = *chute1. —int. Colloq. Invitation to ask questions etc. shoot down 1 kill by shooting.
- cause (an aircraft etc.) To crash by shooting.
- argue effectively against. Shoot one's bolt colloq. Do all that is in one's power. Shoot one's mouth off slang talk too much or indiscreetly. Shoot up 1 grow rapidly.
- rise suddenly.
- terrorize by indiscriminate shooting. The whole shoot (or the whole shooting match) colloq. Everything. [old english]
SHORE
n. - land adjoining the sea, a lake etc.
- (usu. In pl.) Country (foreign shores). on shore ashore. [low german or dutch]
- —n. Prop or beam set against a ship, wall, etc., as a support. —v. (-ring) (often foll. By up) support (as if) with a shore or shores; hold up. [low german or dutch]
SHORN
past part. Of *shear.
SHORT
back and sides n. Short simple haircut.
- circuit —n. Electric circuit through small resistance, esp. Instead of the resistance of a normal circuit. —v. (short-circuit) 1 cause a short circuit (in).
- shorten or avoid by taking a more direct route etc.
- cut n. - route shorter than the usual one.
- quick method.
- list —n. List of selected candidates from which a final choice is made. —v. (short-list) put on a short list.
- shrift n. Curt or dismissive treatment. [old english shrift confession: related to *shrive]
- sight n. Inability to focus on distant objects.
- temper n. Temper easily lost. short-tempered adj.
- wave n. Radio wave of frequency greater than 3 mhz.
- weight n. Weight less than it is alleged to be.
- —adj. - a measuring little from head to foot, top to bottom, or end to end; not long. B not long in duration. C seeming short (a few short years of happiness).
- a (usu. Foll. By of, on) deficient; scanty (short of spoons). B not far-reaching; acting or being near at hand (short range).
- a concise; brief. B curt; uncivil.
- (of the memory) unable to remember distant events.
- (of a vowel or syllable) having the lesser of the two recognized durations.
- (of pastry) easily crumbled.
- (of stocks etc.) Sold or selling when the amount is not in hand, with reliance on getting the deficit at a lower price in time for delivery.
- (of a drink of spirits) undiluted.
- (of odds or a chance) nearly even. —adv. - before the natural or expected time or place; abruptly.
- rudely. —n. - short circuit.
- colloq. Short drink.
- short film. —v. Short-circuit. be caught (or taken) short 1 be put at a disadvantage.
- colloq. Urgently need to use the lavatory. Be short for be an abbreviation for. Come short of = fall short of. For short as a short name (tom for short). In short briefly. Short of 1 see sense 2a of adj.
- less than (nothing short of a miracle).
- distant from (two miles short of home).
- without going so far as (did everything short of resigning). Short on colloq. See sense 2a of adj. shortish adj. Shortness n. [old english]
SHOUT
—v. - speak or cry loudly.
- say or express loudly. —n. - loud cry of joy etc., or calling attention.
- colloq. One's turn to buy a round of drinks etc. shout down reduce to silence by shouting. [perhaps related to *shoot]
SHOVE
—v. (-ving) 1 (also absol.) Push vigorously.
- colloq. Put casually (shoved it in a drawer). —n. Act of shoving. shove off 1 start from the shore in a boat.
