S

salient (adjective)

Very important or noticeable. (BD)
Most noticeable or important.  Prominent; conspicuous. (NOA)
Noteworthy; important.  Prominent; conspicuous. (AHD)

Standing out conspicuously; prominent, especially, of notable significance. (MW)
The salient facts about something or qualities of something are the most important things about them.  Most noticeable or important. (CD)

Standing out from the rest; noticeable; conspicuous; prominent; striking.  Most important or notable. (CDC)

Having a quality that thrusts itself into attention. (VC)

Shooting out or up; springing; projecting.  Hence, figuratively, forcing itself on the attention; prominent; conspicuous; noticeable. (WUD)

Of material things, standing above or beyond the general surface or outline; jutting out; prominent among a number of objects.  Of immaterial things, qualities, etc., standing out from the rest; prominent, conspicuous; often in salient point. (OED)

salvific (adjective)

Leading to salvation. (NOA)
Having the intent or power to save or redeem. (MW)

Acting to save; saving.  Bringing salvation. (CDC)
Tending to save, causing salvation. (OED)

Having the power or intention to save from danger, loss, or harm.  In the Christian religion, relating to the state of being saved from evil and its effects by the death of Jesus Christ. (CD)

Pertaining to the power of salvation or redemption. (VC)
Tending to save or secure safety. (WUD)

sangfroid (noun)
Composure or coolness, sometimes excessive, as shown in danger or under trying circumstances. (NOA)
Self-possession or imperturbability especially under strain. (MW)
Coolness and composure, especially in trying circumstances. (AHD)
The ability to stay calm in a difficult or dangerous situation. (CD)

Great coolness and composure under strain.  The ability to keep your cool, even under stress; your feathers are not easily ruffled.  Poise under pressure. (VC)

sanguinary (adjective)

Involving or causing much bloodshed. (NOA)

Bloodthirsty, murderous.  Attended by bloodshed; bloody. (MW)

Accompanied by bloodshed.  Eager for bloodshed; bloodthirsty. (AHD)

Accompanied by much bloodshed or carnage.  Eager for bloodshed; bloodthirsty. (CDC)

Extremely violent and involving a lot of blood and injuries.  Covered with or full of blood. (CD)

sanguine (adjective)

Cheerful and confident; optimistic; hopeful. (CDC)
Marked by eager hopefulness; confidently optimistic. (MW)

Optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. (NOA)

Cheerfully confident; optimistic.  At ease; accepting. (AHD)

Of someone or someone's character, positive and hoping for good things. (CD)

sari-sari (adjective)

Philippines

Tagalog word for:  Assorted, sundry, variety, diverse. (RM)

Variety; assorted; various kinds. (Tagalog.com)

sari-sari store (noun):

In the Philippines, a small neighborhood shop selling a variety of goods. (OD)
A small neighborhood store selling a variety of goods. (OED)

sartorial (adjective)
Relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress. (NOA)
Of or relating to a tailor, tailoring, or tailored clothing. (AHD)
Of or relating to a tailor or tailored clothes.  Broadly, of or relating to clothes. (MW)
Relating to the making of clothes, usually men's clothes, or to a way of dressing. (CD)
Of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring.  Of tailors or their work.  Of clothing or dress, especially men's. (CDC)

Of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring.  Pertains to clothing, fashion, or dressing.  Used to refer to any matter pertaining to the consideration of clothing or fashion. (VC)

schadenfreude (noun)

Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. (AHD)

Enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others. (MW)
Pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune. (NOA)
Malicious enjoyment of the misfortunes of others. (OED)

The emotional experience of pleasure in response to another’s misfortune. (EB)

Delight or glee in another's misfortune. (CDC)
A feeling of pleasure or satisfaction when something bad happens to someone else. (CD)
Delight in another person's misfortune.  When another person's bad luck secretly makes you feel good.  That satisfied feeling everyone gets at times when someone else runs into misfortune. (VC)

sciolist (noun)
One who makes a superficial show of learning. (MW)

A pretentious attitude of scholarship; superficial knowledgeability. (AHD)
A person who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed. (NOA)
A person whose knowledge is only superficial, especially one who makes much of it; a pretender to learning. (OED)

An amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge. (VC)
sciolism (noun)

Superficial knowledge, especially when presented as comprehensive; pretentious superficiality of knowledge. (OED)

Superficial knowledge or learning. (CDC)

Pretentious superficiality of knowledge. (VC)

Superficial pretensions to knowledge (CHM)

sciolistic (adjective)

scribblemania (noun)
Intense enthusiasm or mania for writing. (OED)
See:  scripturiency

scripturiency (noun)
Passion for writing; an urge to write.  The tendency to produce an abundance of trivial or inferior writing. (OED)
scripturient (noun and adjective):  Examples:  There's a bit of a scripturient in all diarists; a writing class full of scripturient undergraduates.
See:  scribblemania

sentient (adjective)

Able to experience feelings. (CD)

Able to perceive or feel things. (NOA)
Having sense perception; conscious.  Experiencing sensation or feeling. (AHD)

Having the power of sense perception or sensation; conscious.  Capable of feeling. (CDC)
Capable of sensing or feeling; conscious of or responsive to the sensations of seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling; aware. (MW)
That feels or is capable of feeling; have the power or function of sensation or of perception by the senses. (OED)
Endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness.  Able to feel things, or sense them.  Describes things that are alive, able to feel and perceive, and show awareness or responsiveness.  Having senses makes something sentient, or able to smell, communicate, touch, see, or hear. (VC)

sequacious (adjective)
Of a person, lacking independence or originality of thought. (NOA)
Intellectually servile. (MW)

Highly impressionable or unquestioning, especially in following a leader or embracing an idea. (AHD)

Ready to follow any leader; pliant.  Easily influenced or led; servile; compliant. (CDC)

Inclined to follow a leader; following; attendant.  Hence, ductile; malleable; pliant; manageable. (WUD)
Given to slavish or unreasoning following of others, especially in matters of thought or opinion. (OED)

Seven Sisters (petroleum companies)
A common term for the seven multinational oil companies which dominated the global petroleum industry from the mid-1940s to the mid-1970s:  Exxon, Shell, BP, Gulf, Texaco, Mobil, Chevron (and their predecessors).
(Anthony Sampson, The Seven Sisters:  The Great Oil Companies & the World They Shaped, 1975)

Grok:

The Seven Sisters is a term used to describe the seven oil companies that dominated the global petroleum industry from the mid-20th century.  Here's the list of the original Seven Sisters:

1.  Standard Oil of New Jersey (Esso/Exxon)

2.  Royal Dutch Shell

3.  Anglo-Persian Oil Company (now BP)

4.  Standard Oil of New York (Socony, later Mobil, now part of ExxonMobil)

5.  Standard Oil of California (Socal, now Chevron)

6.  Gulf Oil (acquired by Chevron in 1984)

7.  Texaco (merged with Chevron in 2001)

These companies were known for their control over oil production, refining, and distribution worldwide, forming a powerful oligopoly in the oil industry.  Over time, due to mergers, acquisitions, and shifts in the global oil market, the composition and influence of these companies have evolved.  However, the term Seven Sisters still sometimes refers to the major players in the oil industry, albeit with a different lineup today.

(Grok)

Note:  Most people use this term to refer to seven prestigious, private, smallish, liberal arts women's colleges, in the United States Northeast; all very posh and expensive, sophisticated, and ever so correct.  All the more reason to relish the reference to the profit-seeking, environmentally-incorrect, male-dominated, global petroleum companies.

shadow (noun)
A source of gloom or unhappiness. (MW)

A feeling or cause of gloom or unhappiness. (AHD)
Used in reference to proximity, ominous oppressiveness, or sadness and gloom. (NOA)
A dominant or pervasive threat, influence, or atmosphere, especially one causing gloom, fear, doubt, or the like. (DC)
A feeling of gloom or depression, a suggestion of doubt, etc.  Anything causing gloom, doubt, etc. (CDC)

Figurative:  Gloom, unhappiness; a temporary interruption of friendship; something that obscures the luster of a reputation. (OED)

Grok:  The term shadow is typically a metaphor rather than a literal object.  It suggests that the person is affected by something dark, oppressive, or lingering, often an emotional, psychological, or situational burden.  This could imply a sense of gloom, fear, or influence cast over their life, much like how a physical shadow blocks out light.  For example, it might refer to living with a troubled past, a looming threat, or the dominance of someone else's presence.  The exact meaning depends on context, but it generally conveys a life overshadowed by something intangible yet heavy. (Grok)
See:  cloud

shahada or shahadah or shahādah (noun)

Arabic

The Muslim profession of faith:  There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
The Muslim profession of faith:  There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Prophet of God.  The shahādah is the first of the five Pillars of Islam.  It must be recited by every Muslim at least once in a lifetime, aloud, correctly, and purposively, with a full understanding of its meaning and with an assent of the heart. (EB)

shahid or shaheed (noun)

Arabic

A muslim martyr. (NOA)

A martyr to the Islamic faith. (CDC)

Arabic term for a holy martyr. (VC)

Note:  Such as a suicide bomber.

sharia or shariah (Islamic law)

Arabic
Islamic canonical law based on the teachings of the Koran and the traditions of its prophet (Hadith and Sunna), prescribing both religious and secular duties and sometimes retributive penalties for lawbreaking. (NOA)

The code of law based on the Koran and hadith. (AHD)

Islamic law based on the Quran. (MW)

The holy laws of Islam that cover all parts of a Muslim's life. (CD)

The body of canonical law based on the Koran that lays down certain duties and penalties for Muslims.  Islamic law as derived from the Koran and the traditions of Islam. (CDC)
See:  hudud

Siam (country)

Former name (until 1939) for Thailand. (NOA)

signaling (economic concept)

The actions or behaviors individuals or entities take to communicate or convey information about themselves to others, often when direct information is not available or when there's an asymmetry of information. (Grok)

Economic concept describing how firms and individuals signal their competence and value through pricing, credentials, appearance, presentation, location, and other attributes. (RM)

sine qua non (noun)

Latin
Somebody or something indispensable. (OED)

An essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary. (NOA)

An essential element or condition. (AHD)
Something absolutely indispensable or essential. (MW)
A necessary condition without which something is not possible.  Something that must be done or achieved before anything else is done or achieved. (CD)
An essential condition or requirement.  An essential condition, qualification, etc.; indispensable thing; absolute prerequisite. (CDC)
A prerequisite.  The term literally means without which not in Latin, and it was originally a legal term.  These days, it is used more generally to talk about anything that is necessary. (VC)

sinecure (noun)

A position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit. (NOA)
A position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary. (AHD)
An office or position that requires little or no work and that usually provides an income. (MW)
A position which involves little work, but for which the person is paid.  A paid position that involves little or no work. (CD)
A paid office or post involving minimal duties.  Any office or position providing an income or other advantage but requiring little or no work. (CDC)
An office that involves minimal duties.  A cushy job, one that pays, but involves minimal work.  The word is now usually associated with political appointments. (VC)

singularity (technological theory)
A hypothetical moment in time when artificial intelligence and other technologies have become so advanced that humanity undergoes a dramatic and irreversible change. (NOA)

A hypothetical future point in time when artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence and be able to self-replicate and improve itself autonomously. (AHD)

A hypothetical point in time after which humans will not be able to control the activities of artificially intelligent machines. (CDC)

An event that some people believe will happen in the future when technology becomes much more intelligent than humans.  The point in time when advances in AI can create machines that are smarter than humans is known as the Singularity. (CD)

EB:  Theoretical condition that could arrive in the near future when a synthesis of several powerful new technologies will radically change the realities in which we find ourselves in an unpredictable manner.  Most notably, the singularity would involve computer programs becoming so advanced that artificial intelligence transcends human intelligence, potentially erasing the boundary between humanity and computers. (EB)

Grok:

The Singularity refers to a hypothetical future point in time at which artificial intelligence (AI) will surpass human intelligence, leading to an exponential growth in technological evolution that would be beyond human control or comprehension.  Here are some key points about the concept:

Definition:  The point where technology growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, resulting in unfathomable changes to human civilization.

Technological Explosion:  Once AI reaches a level where it can autonomously improve itself, this feedback loop could lead to rapid advancements in technology, far outstripping human capabilities in every domain.

Positive Implications:  Potential for solving complex global problems like disease, poverty, and environmental issues.  It could lead to an era of abundance, with AI assisting or even doing most of the work.

Negative Implications:  Concerns include loss of control over AI, ethical issues, the potential for AI to develop goals misaligned with human values, and the possibility of human obsolescence or even extinction.

Debate:  There's significant debate about whether the Singularity will happen, when it might occur, and how society should prepare for or prevent it.  Some argue it's inevitable, while others believe it's a misunderstanding of technological progress or AI capabilities.

Cultural Impact:  The Singularity has influenced science fiction and has spurred discussions in fields ranging from technology and philosophy to ethics and economics.

In summary, the Singularity represents a theoretical event where AI would exceed human intelligence, potentially leading to a new era of civilization or posing significant risks if not managed carefully.  The exact nature, timing, and even the very possibility of the Singularity remain subjects of intense speculation and study.

(Grok)

sister (noun)

Great Britain

A senior female nurse, typically in charge of a ward. (NOA)

A senior nurse having charge of a ward in a hospital, or holding a similar position; also, any member of a body of nurses.  Also, prefixed as a title to the name of a nurse. (OED)

Nurse. (MW)

A senior nurse.  A nurse, especially a head nurse. (CDC)

A nurse, especially the head nurse in a ward. (AHD)

A female nurse who is in charge of a department of a hospital. (CD)

Grok:  In Britain, the term sister is still used in some contexts to refer to senior nurses, though its usage has evolved over time.  Traditionally, sister was a formal title for a senior nurse in charge of a ward or unit, rooted in the historical influence of religious nursing orders.  Today, it is less common but still persists in certain hospitals and among older generations of healthcare workers.  The title applies to a nurse at a senior level, typically equivalent to a ward manager or charge nurse.  Modernization has led to a shift toward gender-neutral terms like charge nurse or ward manager, especially as the profession has become more diverse.  However, sister has not fully disappeared; some nurses and patients still use it, particularly in traditional or rural settings.  It is a bit of a linguistic relic, clinging on out of habit and nostalgia rather than universal practice.  Anecdotally, you might hear it more in casual conversation than in official documentation, where titles are standardized. (Grok)

sixes and sevens (idiom)
Typically, at sixes and sevens.
In a state of disorder. (MW)

In a state of confusion or disorder. (AHD)
In a state of total confusion or disarray. (NOA)

In a confused, badly organized, or difficult situation. (CD)

In disagreement; in a state of confusion or disorder.  At odds; disagreeing. (CDC)
The creation or existence of, or neglect to remove, confusion, disorder, or disagreement. (OED)
Also from OED:  From the original phrase 'to set on six and seven.'  So may be:  at, of, for, on, as well as other verbs in place of 'set.'
Note:  I like the idea of:  Let's prepare for sixes and sevens, but I have never seen it used this way.

slake (verb)

Quench or satisfy one's thirst; satisfy desires. (NOA)
To appease, allay, or satisfy, desire or thirst. (OED)
To satisfy a craving; quench. (AHD)
Satisfy, quench. (MW)
To satisfy a feeling of being thirsty or of wanting something.  To satisfy a need to drink or a desire for something. (CD)
To satisfy thirst, desire, etc.  To allay or make thirst, desire, etc. less active or intense by satisfying; assuage; satisfy. (CDC)
Satisfy thirst.  When you slake something, such as a desire or a thirst, you satisfy it.  The word is used to indicate that a craving is made less intense by getting whatever it is that you crave. (VC)

smellfungus (noun)
An excessively faultfinding person.  A captious critic; faultfinder. (MW)
Refers to a person who is always finding fault or complaining about everything.  It originates from Laurence Sterne's novel A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy (1768), where he describes a character named Smelfungus who travels through France and Italy only to find fault with everything he encounters.  The term has since been used to describe a habitual fault-finder or a pessimist. (Grok)

smitten (verb)
Be strongly attracted to someone or something. (NOA)
Deeply affected with or struck by strong feelings of attraction, affection, or infatuation. (MW)
To affect sharply with great feeling. (AHD)

To strike or impress favorably; inspire with love. (CDC)
Having suddenly started to like or love something or someone very much.  Strongly influenced by someone or feeling the effects of something. (CD)
Marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness.  Smitten means overwhelmed or struck by something, usually love. (VC)

snollygoster (noun)
A shrewd, unprincipled person, especially a politician. (NOA)
One, especially a politician, who is guided by personal advantage rather than by consistent, respectable principles. (AHD)
A shrewd, unprincipled person. (MW)
A politician who cares more for personal gain than serving the people.  A clever, unscrupulous person. (CDC)
A self-promoting, unprincipled person, especially a politician. (Green's)

sobriquet (noun)
A person’s nickname. (NOA)

A descriptive name or epithet; nickname. (MW)

Humorous name that people give someone or something. (CDC)
An affectionate or humorous nickname.  An assumed name. (AHD)
A name given to someone or something that is not their or its real or official name. (CD)
A familiar name for a person, often a shortened version of a person's given name.  A nickname.  Often but not always humorous. (VC)

social contagion (noun)

The spread of ideas, attitudes, or behavior patterns in a group through imitation and conformity. (Oxford Dictionary of Psychology)

The spread of behaviors, attitudes, and affect through crowds and other types of social aggregates from one member to another.  Early analyses of social contagion suggested that it resulted from the heightened suggestibility of members and likened the process to the spread of contagious diseases.  Subsequent studies suggest that social contagion is sustained by relatively mundane interpersonal processes, such as imitation, conformity, universality, and mimicry. (American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology)

Grok:

Refers to the spread of behaviors, emotions, or ideas through a group or society in a manner similar to how diseases spread through populations.  Here's a breakdown of how it typically works:

Behavioral Contagion:  This involves the spread of specific behaviors or actions.  Examples include trends in fashion, viral challenges on social media, or even more harmful behaviors like self-harm or eating disorders when they spread through peer groups.

Emotional Contagion:  This is when emotions or mood states spread from one person to another.  For instance, one person's anxiety or excitement can influence others around them, leading to a collective mood shift.  This can happen in crowds, workplaces, or even over digital communication platforms.

Idea Contagion:  Ideas or beliefs can spread rapidly through societies, especially with the advent of the internet and social media.  Conspiracy theories, political ideologies, or misinformation are examples where ideas can become contagious, leading to widespread acceptance or discussion.

Key characteristics of social contagion include:

Speed of Spread:  Often, these phenomena can spread very quickly, especially in the digital age where information can go viral in hours or even minutes.

Influence of Social Networks:  The structure of social networks, whether physical or digital, significantly influences how contagions spread.  Close-knit groups or influential individuals can accelerate the spread.

Psychological Factors:  Human psychology plays a crucial role, where people might conform to group behavior due to social pressure, desire for belonging, or simply because they are unaware of how the behavior started.

Understanding social contagion is crucial in fields like sociology, psychology, marketing, public health, especially in studying how behaviors like smoking cessation or obesity can spread, and even in managing public responses to crises or misinformation campaigns.

(Grok)

See:  mass formation psychosis, mass hysteria

See:  Note on Mass Psychosis and Hysteria

solecism (noun)

Behavior that is a social mistake or is not polite.  A grammatical mistake. (CD)
A grammatical mistake in speech or writing.  A breach of good manners; an instance of incorrect behavior. (OD)
An ungrammatical combination of words in a sentence; also, a minor blunder in speech.  Something deviating from the proper, normal, or accepted order.  A breach of etiquette or decorum (MW)
A nonstandard usage or grammatical construction.  A violation of etiquette.  An impropriety, mistake, or incongruity. (AHD)
The nonstandard use of a grammatical construction.  Any mistake, incongruity, or absurdity.  A violation of good manners; breach of etiquette.  A violation of the conventional usage, grammar, etc. of a language; ungrammatical use of words.  A mistake or impropriety. (CDC)

A socially awkward or tactless act.  Also, if you say something incorrectly, or make a grammatical error in writing, that is a solecism. (VC)

solipsism (noun)

Extreme egocentrism. (MW)
The quality of being self-centered or selfish. (NOA)
Excessive regard for oneself and one's own interests, to the exclusion of others; preoccupation with oneself; extreme selfishness, self-centeredness, or self-absorption; (also) an instance of this. (OED)

Absorption with oneself without consideration for the needs and desires of others. (AHD)

Egotism. (WUD)
solipsist (noun)
solipsistic (adjective)
solipsistically (adverb)

somnambulant (adjective)
Resembling or characteristic of a sleepwalker; sluggish. (NOA)

Walking or having the habit of walking while asleep.  Resembling or having the characteristics of a sleepwalker; sluggish. (MW)

Showing little activity or excitement, as if asleep.  Walking while asleep. (CD)
somnambulate (verb):  To walk while asleep. (CDC)

somnambulantly (adverb)

soupçon (noun)

A very small amount. (CD)

A little bit; trace (MW)

A very small quantity of something. (NOA)

A slight but appreciable amount.  Scant. (VC)

A very small amount; a trace. (AHD)

A suspicion, a suggestion, a very small quantity or slight trace, of something. (OED)

specious (adjective)
Superficially plausible, but actually wrong. (NOA)

Seeming to be right or true, but really wrong or false. (CD)

Having a false look of truth or genuineness; sophistic.  Having deceptive attraction or allure. (MW)

Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious.  Deceptively appealing. (AHD)

Plausible but false.  Based on pretense; deceptively pleasing.  An argument that seems to be good, correct, or logical, but is not so.  Attractive in a deceptive way. (VC)

Apparently correct or true, but actually wrong or false.  Deceptively attractive in appearance.  Seeming to be good, sound, correct, logical, etc. without really being so; plausible but not genuine. (CDC)
Of reasoning, an argument, etc., apparently sound or convincing, but in reality deceptive or fallacious; superficially plausible, but actually wrong. (OED)

See:  casuistry, spurious
See:  Note on specious and spurious

spurious (adjective)
Not being what it purports to be; false or fake.  Of a line of reasoning, apparently but not actually valid. (NOA)

Not genuine or real.  Not true or genuine; false; counterfeit. (CDC)

Lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin; not genuine.  Not trustworthy; dubious or fallacious. (AHD)

False and not what it appears to be, or of reasons and judgments, based on something that has not been correctly understood and therefore false.  Based on false reasoning or information that is not true, and therefore not to be trusted. (CD)

Outwardly similar or corresponding to something without having its genuine qualities; false.  Of falsified or erroneously attributed origin; forged.  Of a deceitful nature or quality. (MW)

Plausible but false.  Intended to deceive.  False or inauthentic; fake.  Things that can't be trusted or accepted at face value. (VC)
Having an illegitimate or irregular origin; not properly qualified or constituted.  Superficially resembling or simulating, but lacking the genuine character or qualities of something; not true or genuine; false, sham, counterfeit.  Of a writing, etc., not really proceeding from its reputed origin, source, or author; not genuine or authentic; forged. (OED)

See:  specious

See:  Note on specious and spurious

squirrelly (adjective)

Eccentric, nervous, or crazy. (AHD)
Restless, nervous, or unpredictable. (NOA)

Tending to move around a lot; restless.  Very odd, silly, or foolish. (BD)

Very nervous, sensitive, strange, or unpredictable.  Odd, crazy, etc. (CDC)
Tending to be unusually active; restless.  Odd, eccentric.  Lacking stability or control; moving erratically.  Morally dubious or questionable. (MW)
Nervous and unable to stay still and calm.  Not completely honest, or not to be trusted.  Difficult to deal with or solve.  Making sudden uncontrolled movements. (CD)

star bread (noun) – See putok

Stockholm syndrome (psychological theory)
Feelings of trust or affection felt in certain cases of kidnapping or hostage-taking by a victim toward a captor. (OD)

The psychological tendency of a hostage to bond with, identify with, or sympathize with his or her captor. (MW)

The situation when a person who has been taken prisoner starts to like or trust the person or people who have taken them. (CD)

A psychological syndrome in which a person being held captive begins to identify with and grow sympathetic to the captor, simultaneously becoming unsympathetic towards the police or other authorities. (AHD)

Britannica:

Psychological response wherein a captive begins to identify closely with his or her captors, as well as with their agenda and demands.  Psychologists who have studied the syndrome believe that the bond is initially created when a captor threatens a captive’s life, deliberates, and then chooses not to kill the captive.  The captive’s relief at the removal of the death threat is transposed into feelings of gratitude toward the captor for giving him or her life.  It takes only a few days for this bond to cement, proving that, early on, the victim’s desire to survive trumps the urge to hate the person who created the situation.

The survival instinct is at the heart of the syndrome.  Victims live in enforced dependence and interpret rare or small acts of kindness in the midst of horrible conditions as good treatment.  They often become hypervigilant to the needs and demands of their captors, making psychological links between the captors’ happiness and their own.  Indeed, the syndrome is marked not only by a positive bond between captive and captor, but also by a negative attitude on behalf of the captive toward authorities who threaten the captor-captive relationship.  The negative attitude is especially powerful when the hostage is of no use to the captors except as leverage against a third party, as has often been the case with political hostages.

Psychologists have expanded their understanding of Stockholm syndrome from hostages to other groups, including victims of domestic violence, cult members, prisoners of war, procured prostitutes, and abused children.

(EB)

stoic (noun and adjective)
noun:

A person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining. (NOA)

Someone who is seemingly indifferent to emotions. (VC)
One apparently or professedly indifferent to pleasure or pain (MW)

One who is seemingly indifferent to or unaffected by joy, grief, pleasure, or pain. (AHD)

Someone who does not complain or show their emotions. (CD)
adjective:

Another term for stoical:  Enduring pain or hardship without showing one's feelings or complaining. (NOA)
Not affected by or showing passion or feeling.  Especially, firmly restraining response to pain or distress. (MW)
Seemingly indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive. (AHD)
Determined not to complain or show your feelings, especially when something bad happens to you.  Not showing or not feeling any emotion, especially in a situation in which the expression of emotion is expected. (CD)
Seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive.  Being calm and almost without any emotion.  When you are stoic, you do not show what you are feeling and you also accept whatever is happening; emotionless and almost blank; calmly go with the flow and do not appear to be shook up by much. (VC)

stolid (adjective)
Of a person, calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation. (NOA)
Having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; impassive. (AHD)

Having or expressing little or no sensibility; unemotional. (MW)

Of a person, calm and not showing emotion or excitement; showing little or no emotion or imagination.  Of a thing, not interesting or attractive. (CD)

Showing little or no emotion or interest.  Having or showing little or no emotion or sensitivity; unexcitable; impassive. (CDC)

Having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited.  A stolid person cannot be moved to smile or show much sign of life; emotionless; expressionless. (VC)

stolidly (adverb)

sub rosa or sub-rosa (adverb and adjective)

Latin

Secretive, private.  In confidence; secretly. (MW)

In secret.  Secretly; privately; confidentially. (CDC)

In secret; privately or confidentially. (AHD)

Privately, secretly, in strict confidence. (OED)

Designed and carried out secretly or confidentially.  In secret or covertly. (VC)

Grok:

The terms sub rosa and sub-rosa essentially mean the same thing and are interchangeable in usage.  Both refer to something done in secret or confidentiality, derived from the Latin phrase meaning under the rose.  The difference lies solely in punctuation:

Sub rosa (without the hyphen) is often used as a phrase in its own right, especially in more formal or traditional contexts.

Sub-rosa (with the hyphen) might be seen in compound adjectives or when the phrase is used as a modifier before a noun, like sub-rosa discussions.  However, usage can vary, and both forms are commonly accepted.

In summary, whether you use sub rosa or sub-rosa, the meaning remains the same, and the choice might depend on stylistic preferences or specific grammatical contexts.

(Grok)

Note:  Both MW and VC both designate sub-rosa, with the hyphen, as the adjective and sub rosa, without the hyphen, as the adverb.  So, We will be having a sub-rosa meeting tomorrow night and We will meet tomorrow night, sub rosa.

sublime (adjective)
Of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.  Of very great excellence or beauty.  Used to denote the extreme or unparalleled nature of a person's attitude or behavior. (NOA)

Extremely good, beautiful, or enjoyable. (CD)
Lofty, grand, or exalted in thought, expression, or manner.  Of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth.  Tending to inspire awe usually because of elevated quality, as of beauty, nobility, or grandeur, or transcendent excellence. (MW)

Characterized by nobility; majestic.  Of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth.  Not to be excelled; supreme.  Inspiring awe; impressive. (AHD)

Of high moral, aesthetic, intellectual, or spiritual value; noble; exalted; majestic.  Inspiring deep veneration, awe, or uplifting emotion because of its beauty, nobility, grandeur, or immensity.  Unparalleled; supreme.  Inspiring awe or admiration through grandeur, beauty, etc.  Outstandingly or supremely such. (CDC)

Of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style.  Worthy of adoration or reverence.  Inspiring awe.  Lifted up or set high.  Awe-inspiringly grand, excellent, or impressive.  With the, also functions as a noun meaning something that strikes the mind with a sense of grandeur or power. (VC)

the sublime (noun):  Something that is sublime.

sublimely (adverb)

from the sublime to the ridiculous (idiom):  Everything, from something that is very good or very serious to something very bad or silly. (CD)

subterfuge (noun)

Deception by artifice or stratagem in order to conceal, escape, or evade.  A deceptive device or stratagem. (MW)

Deceit used in order to achieve one's goals. (NOA)

Deception used to achieve an end.  A deceptive stratagem or device. (AHD)

A trick or a dishonest way of achieving something.  An action taken to hide something from someone. (CD)

A stratagem employed to conceal something, evade an argument, etc.  Any plan, action, or device used to hide one's true objective, evade a difficult or unpleasant situation, etc.; stratagem; artifice. (CDC)

A device or stratagem used to escape the force of an argument, to avoid blame, or to justify one's conduct; a deceptive or evasive statement, action, etc.  Evasive or devious behavior; deception.  Something designed to conceal one's true attitude, identity, etc.; a pretense, a smokescreen. (OED)

succubus (noun)

A female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men. (NOA)

A female demon supposed to descend upon and have sexual intercourse with a man while he sleeps. (AHD)

A demon assuming female form to have sexual intercourse with men in their sleep. (MW)

A female evil spirit who is believed to have sex with men while they are sleeping. (CD)

A female demon fabled to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men.  A female evil spirit or demon thought in medieval times to descend upon and have sexual intercourse with sleeping men. (CDC)

A female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men.  This female demon of the sleep first appeared in medieval folklore and has taken on many forms, ranging from beautiful enchantress to a ghastly supernatural being portrayed in literature, film, music, and video games. (VC)

sui generis (adjective)

Latin

Unique. (OD)

Of its own kind. (WUD)

Constituting a class alone; unique, peculiar. (MW)

Not like anyone or anything else. (CD)

Without a counterpart or equal. (CDC)

Being the only example of its kind; unique. (AHD)

Constituting a class of its own; unique. (VC)

sunk cost (economics and finance)

Britannia:  A cost that has already been incurred and that cannot be recovered.  In economic decision making, sunk costs are treated as bygone and are not taken into consideration when deciding whether to continue an investment project.  The reason economic analysis ignores sunk costs is that doing so helps to prevent decision makers from throwing good money after bad when they are stuck in an unprofitable project.  It is often the case that heavy initial investment in a poor project results in a temptation to spend more money on the project in the hope of recovering the sunk cost or preventing embarrassment.  Economic theory tries to solve that problem by focusing only on future costs and returns. (EB)
Retrospective costs which have been incurred and cannot be recovered. (CDC)

Money that a business or organization has already spent and cannot get back.  Money that a company has already spent or invested in a particular project, etc. and that it cannot get back. (CD)

A cost that has already been incurred and cannot be reversed, which therefore cannot be avoided by current or future action. Sunk costs should therefore be irrelevant to current decisions. (Alan Deardorff)
A sunk cost is an expense that cannot be recovered by additional spending or investment.  Businesses should be careful to exclude sunk costs from future decisions because they will remain the same regardless of the outcome of those decisions. (Investopedia)

sunna or sunnah (noun)
Arabic

In Islam, the traditional portion of Muslim law based on Muhammad's words or acts, accepted (together with the Koran) as authoritative by Muslims and followed particularly by Sunni Muslims. (NOA)
The way of life prescribed as normative in Islam, based on the teachings and practices of Muhammad and on exegesis of the Koran.  Muhammad's way of life viewed as a model for Muslims. (AHD)

The body of Islamic custom and practice based on Muhammad's words and deeds. (MW)

A collection of traditional Muslim laws based on the prophet Muhammad's life and actions, used with the Koran to guide Muslims. (CD)

See:  hadith

superannuated (adjective)

Outmoded, old-fashioned. (MW)

Old; no longer valid or fashionable.  Obsolete. (VC)

Obsolete through age or new technological or intellectual developments. (NOA)

Outmoded; obsolete.  For instance:  superannuated laws. (AHD)
Discharged, especially with a pension, owing to age or illness.  Retired, especially with a pension, because of old age or infirmity.  Obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated. (CDC)

superannuation:  A pension paid to a retired employee who has contributed to a fund.  The retirement of an employee, especially with a pension. (NOA)

suttee (noun) also sati

Sanskrit (sati)

The act or custom of a Hindu widow burning herself to death or being burned to death on the funeral pyre of her husband.  Also:  A woman burned to death in this way.  (MW)

A former practice in India whereby a widow threw herself on to her husband's funeral pyre.  A widow who committed sati. (NOA)

The now illegal act or practice of a Hindu widow's cremating herself on her husband's funeral pyre in order to fulfill her true role as wife.  A widow who commits such an act. (AHD)

The Hindu custom, no longer legal, of a woman being burned alive in the same fire as that in which her dead husband's body is burned. (CD)

Indian custom of a wife immolating herself either on the funeral pyre of her dead husband or in some other fashion soon after his death.  Although never widely practiced, suttee was the ideal of womanly devotion held by certain Brahman and royal castes. (EB)

sward (noun)
An expanse of short grass. (NOA)
An area covered with grass. (CD)

Turf or grass or a stretch of turf or grass.  Grass-covered soil; turf. (CDC)
Land covered with grassy turf.  A lawn or meadow. (AHD)
A portion of ground covered with grass.  The grassy surface of land. (MW)
Surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots. (VC)

swot (verb)
Study assiduously. (NOA)

To study hard, usually by reading about or learning something, especially before taking an exam. (CD)

To study a subject intensively, as for an examination; cram.  To study hard; cram. (CDC)

Study intensively, as before an exam. (VC)
noun:

Someone, usually a child, who studies very hard. (CD)

A person who works or studies hard.  A person who studies hard; grind. (CDC)

A person who studies hard, especially one regarded as spending too much time studying. (NOA)

An insignificant student who is ridiculed as being affected or boringly studious. (VC)
swot up on:  Study a subject intensively, especially in preparation for something. (NOA)

𓐵

R <=> T

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X-Y  Z