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1scare verb scared; scar·ing : to frighten esp. suddenly : STARTLE

Synonyms

alarm, frighten, horrify, panic, shock, spook, startle, terrify, terrorize—more at FRIGHTEN

2scare noun : FRIGHT

scare·crow noun : a crude figure set up to scare birds away from crops

scared adjective : thrown into or being in a state of fear, fright, or panic

Synonyms

afraid, aghast, fearful, terrified—more at AFRAID

1scarf noun, plural scarves or scarfs 1 : a broad band (as of cloth) worn about the shoulders, around the neck, over the head, or about the waist

2 : a long narrow cloth cover for a table or dresser top

2scarf verb [ORIGIN: alter. of earlier scoff eat greedily]

: to eat greedily

scar·i·fy verb -fied; -fy·ing 1 : to make scratches or small cuts in <~ skin for vaccination> <~ seeds to help them germinate>

2 : to lacerate the feelings of

3 : to break up and loosen the surface of (as a road)

— scar·i·fi·ca·tion noun

scar·let noun : a bright red color

— scarlet adjective

scarlet fever noun : an acute contagious disease marked by fever, sore throat, and red rash and caused by certain streptococci

scarp noun : a line of cliffs produced by faulting or erosion

Synonyms

bluff, cliff, crag, escarpment, palisade, precipice—more at CLIFF

scary adjective scar·i·er; -est 1 : causing fright

2 : easily scared

3 : feeling alarm or fright

Synonyms

[1] dire, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, forbidding, formidable, frightful, hair-raising, horrible, redoubtable, shocking, terrible, terrifying—more at FEARFUL

[2] fainthearted, fearful, mousy, shy, skittish, timid—more at SHY

scath·ing adjective : bitterly severe

Synonyms

acrid, biting, caustic, cutting, mordant, pungent, sarcastic, satiric, sharp, tart—more at SARCASTIC

scat·o·log·i·cal adjective : concerned with obscene matters

scat·ter verb 1 : to distribute or strew about irregularly

2 : to cause to separate widely : DISPERSE

Synonyms

[1] dot, pepper, sow, spray, sprinkle, strew; also blanket, dust; stud; dapple, spot, fleck, speckle, stipple

[2] clear out, disband, disperse, dissipate; also break up, isolate, part, segregate, separate, split up; diffuse, disseminate, diverge, spread

Antonyms

assemble, cluster, collect, concentrate, gather, congregate

scat·ter·brain noun : a silly careless person

scat·ter·brained adjective : having the characteristics of a scatterbrain

Synonyms

flighty, frivolous, giddy, goofy, harebrained, light-headed, silly—more at GIDDY

scattered adjective : marked by disorganized dispersion

Synonyms

aimless, arbitrary, desultory, erratic, haphazard, random, stray—more at RANDOM

scav·enge verb scav·enged; scav·eng·ing : to work or function as a scavenger

scav·en·ger noun [ORIGIN: alter. of earlier scavager, fr. AF scawageour collector of scavage (duty imposed on nonresident street merchants), fr. skawage scavage, fr. MF dial. (Flanders) escauver to inspect, fr. MD scouwen]

: a person or animal that collects, eats, or disposes of refuse or waste

sce·nar·io noun, plural -i·os : the plot or outline of a dramatic work; also : an account of a possible action

scene noun [ORIGIN: MF, stage, fr. L scena, scaena stage, scene, prob. fr. Etruscan, fr. Gk skēnē temporary shelter, tent, building forming the background for a dramatic performance, stage]

1 : a division of one act of a play

2 : a single situation or sequence in a play or motion picture

3 : a stage setting

4 : VIEW, PROSPECT

5 : the place of an occurrence or action

6 : a display of strong feeling and esp. anger

7 : a sphere of activity

8 : a critical, trying, or unusual state of affairs

— sce·nic adjective

Synonyms

[6] blowup, dudgeon, explosion, fireworks, fit, huff, tantrum—more at TANTRUM

[8] footing, picture, posture, situation, status—more at SITUATION

scen·ery noun, plural -er·ies 1 : the painted scenes or hangings and accessories used on a theater stage

2 : a picturesque view or landscape