n. Division of a group (esp. Religious) into sects etc., usu. Over doctrine. schismatic adj. & n. [greek skhizo to split]
SCHIST
n. Layered crystalline rock. [greek skhizo to split]
SCHIZO
colloq. —adj. Schizophrenic. —n. (pl. -s) schizophrenic person. [abbreviation]
SCHOOL
age n. Age-range of school attendance.
- year n. Period from september to july.
- —n. - a educational institution for pupils up to 19 years of age, or (us) including college or university level. B (attrib.) Of or for use in school (school dinners).
- a school buildings, pupils, staff, etc. B time of teaching; the teaching itself (no school today).
- university department or faculty.
- a group of similar artists etc., esp. Followers of an artist etc. B group of like-minded people (belongs to the old school).
- group of card-players etc.
- colloq. Instructive circumstances etc. (school of adversity). —v. - send to school; educate.
- (often foll. By to) discipline, train, control.
- (as schooled adj.) (foll. By in) educated or trained (schooled in humility). at (us in) school attending lessons etc. Go to school attend lessons. [greek skhole]
- n. (often foll. By of) shoal of fish, whales, etc. [low german or dutch]
SCONCE
n. Wall-bracket for a candlestick or light-fitting. [latin (ab)sconsa covered (light)]
SCORCH
—v. - burn or discolour the surface of with dry heat.
- become so discoloured etc.
- (as scorching adj.) Colloq. A (of the weather) very hot. B (of criticism etc.) Stringent; harsh. —n. Mark made by scorching. [origin unknown]
SCORIA
n. (pl. Scoriae) 1 cellular lava, or fragments of it.
- slag or dross of metals. scoriaceous adj. [greek skoria refuse]
SCOTCH
broth n. Meat soup with pearl barley etc.
- egg n. Hard-boiled egg in sausage meat.
- fir n. (also scots fir) = *scots pine.
- mist n. Thick drizzly mist.
- terrier n. (also scottish terrier) small rough-haired terrier.
- v. - put an end to; frustrate.
- archaic wound without killing. [origin unknown]
- whisky n. Whisky distilled in scotland.
- —adj. Var. Of *scottish or *scots. —n. - var. Of *scottish or *scots.
- scotch whisky. [from *scottish]
SCOUSE
colloq. —n. - liverpool dialect.
- (also scouser) native of liverpool. —adj. Of liverpool. [from *lobscouse]
SCRAPE
—v. (-ping) 1 a move a hard or sharp edge across (a surface), esp. To make smooth. B apply (a hard or sharp edge) in this way.
- (foll. By away, off, etc.) Remove by scraping.
- a rub (a surface) harshly against another. B scratch or damage by scraping.
- make (a hollow) by scraping.
- a draw or move with a scraping sound. B make such a sound. C produce such a sound from.
- (often foll. By along, by, through, etc.) Move almost touching surrounding obstacles etc. (scraped through the gap).
- narrowly achieve (a living, an examination pass, etc.).
- (often foll. By by, through) a barely manage. B pass an examination etc. With difficulty.
- (foll. By together, up) bring, provide, or amass with difficulty. 10 be economical. 11 draw back a foot in making a clumsy bow. 12 (foll. By back) draw (the hair) tightly back. —n. - act or sound of scraping.
