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switch·blade noun : a pocket-knife with a spring-operated blade

switch·board noun : a panel for controlling the operation of a number of electric circuits; especially : one used to make and break telephone connections

switch–hit·ter noun : a baseball player who bats either right-handed or left-handed

— switch–hit verb

switch·man noun : one who attends a railroad switch

Switz abbreviation Switzerland

1swivel noun : a device joining two parts so that one or both can turn freely

2swivel verb -eled or -elled; -el·ing or -el·ling : to swing or turn on or as if on a swivel

swiv·et noun : an agitated state

swiz·zle stick noun : a stick used to stir mixed drinks

swollen past participle of SWELL

1swoon verb : to undergo a temporary loss of consciousness : FAINT

Synonyms

black out, faint, pass out—more at FAINT

2swoon noun : a partial or total loss of consciousness; also : a state of suspended animation

Synonyms

blackout, faint, knockout—more at FAINT

swoop verb : to move with a sweep

— swoop noun

swoopy adjective : having lines that extend in a wide curve

swop chiefly British variant of SWAP

sword noun 1 : a weapon with a long blade for cutting or thrusting

2 : the use of force

sword·fish noun : a very large ocean fish used for food that has the upper jaw prolonged into a long swordlike beak

sword·play noun : the art or skill of wielding a sword

swords·man noun : one skilled in swordplay; especially : FENCER

sword·tail noun : a small brightly marked Central American fish often kept in aquariums

swore past of SWEAR

sworn past participle of SWEAR

swum past participle of SWIM

swung past and past participle of SWING

syb·a·rite noun : a lover of luxury : VOLUPTUARY

— syb·a·rit·ic adjective

syc·a·more noun : a large spreading tree chiefly of the eastern and central U.S. that has light brown flaky bark and small round fruits hanging on long stalks

sy·co·phant noun : a servile flatterer

— sy·co·phan·tic adjective

syl or syll abbreviation syllable

syl·lab·i·ca·tion noun : the division of words into syllables

syl·lab·i·fy verb -fied; -fy·ing : to form or divide into syllables

— syl·lab·i·fi·ca·tion noun

syl·la·ble noun [ORIGIN: ME, fr. AF sillabe, silable, fr. L syllaba, fr. Gk syllabē, fr. syllambanein to gather together, fr. syn- with + lambanein to take]

: a unit of spoken language consisting of an uninterrupted utterance and forming either a whole word (as cat) or a commonly recognized division of a word (as syl in syl-la-ble); also : one or more letters representing such a unit

— syl·lab·ic adjective

syl·la·bus noun, plural -bi or -bus·es : a summary containing the heads or main topics of a speech, book, or course of study

syl·lo·gism noun : a logical scheme of a formal argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion which must logically be true if the premises are true

— syl·lo·gis·tic adjective

sylph noun 1 : an imaginary being inhabiting the air

2 : a slender graceful woman

syl·van adjective 1 : living or located in a wooded area; also : of, relating to, or characteristic of forest

2 : abounding in woods or trees

sym abbreviation 1 symbol

2 symmetrical

sym·bi·o·sis noun, plural -o·ses : the living together in close association of two dissimilar organisms esp. when mutually beneficial

— sym·bi·ot·ic adjective

sym·bol noun 1 : something that stands for something else; especially : something concrete that represents or suggests another thing that cannot in itself be pictured

2 : a letter, character, or sign used in writing or printing to represent operations, quantities, elements, sounds, or other ideas

— sym·bol·ic also sym·bol·i·cal adjective

— sym·bol·i·cal·ly adverb

Synonyms

emblem, hallmark, logo, trademark—more at EMBLEM

sym·bol·ise British