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sarcasm
(n.) ironic; bitter humor designed to wound
The teacher did not appreciate the student's sarcasm and gave him detention.
sardonic
(adj.) having a sarcastic quality
H.L. Mencken was known for his sardonic writings on political figures.
satire
(n.) a novel or play that uses humor or irony to expose folly
The new play was a satire that exposed the President's inability to lead
the country.
saturate
(v.) soak thoroughly; drench
She saturated the sponge with soapy water before she began washing the
car.
saturnine
(adj.) gloomy, sluggish
The never-ending rain put everyone in a saturnine mood.
saunter
(v.) to walk at a leisurely pace; stroll
The loving couple sauntered down the wooded path.
savant
(n.) one who is intelligent
The savant accepted his award of excellence.
savor
(v.) to receive pleasure from; to enjoy with appreciation; dwell on with
delight
After several months without a day off, she savored every minute of her
week-long vacation.
scanty
(adj.) inadequate; sparse
The malnutrition was caused by the scanty amount of healthy food eaten
each day.
schism
(n.) a division in an organized group
When the group could not decide on a plan of action, a schism occurred.
scourge
(v.) to whip severely
The trainer will scourge the animal if it attacks someone.
scrupulous
(adj.) honorable; exact
After finding a purse with valuable items inside, the scrupulous Mr. Prendergast
returned everything to its owner.
A scrupulous cleaning was conducted before the family moved.
scrutinize
(v.) examine closely; study
After allowing his son to borrow the family car, the father scrutinized
every section for dents.
scurrilous
(adj.) vulgarity
The scurrilous language made the mother twinge.
sectarian
(adj.) to be narrow minded or limited
A sectarian precluded him from listening to the other side.
sedentary
(adj.) characterized by sitting; remaining in one locality
The sedentary child had not moved after two hours.
The old woman who never left her home town has led a sedentary life.
sedition
(n.) a revolt
The sedition by the guards ended with their being executed for treason.
sedulous
(adj.) working diligently; persistent
The sedulous habits of the team will surely conclude in victory.
Only the most sedulous salespeople will succeed.
seethe
(v.) to be violently disturbed
By the time I arrived, she was seething with anger.
He seethed at the prospect of losing the business to his conniving uncle.
sequester
(v.) to separate or segregate
The jury was sequestered at the local inn.
serendipity
(n.) an apparent aptitude for making fortunate discoveries accidentally
Serendipity seemed to follow the lucky winner where ever he went.
serrated
(adj.) having a saw-toothed edge
While camping, the family used a serrated band saw to cut firewood.
servile
(adj.) slavish; groveling
He knew they both possessed equal abilities, and yet he was always treated
as a servile underling.
His servile leadership forced her to take over.
The servile nurse did everything the doctor told her to do.
shady
(adj.) a character of questionable honesty
A shady person would not be trusted with a sensitive secret.
shoal
(n.) a large group or crowd
Shoals of grain were stored in the barn.
shoddy
(adj.) of inferior quality; cheap
The state's attorney said many homes, as they were built with shoddy materials,
were bound to just blow apart even in winds of 60 or 70 miles per hour.
The shoddy homes were blown over in the storm.
sinuous
(adj.) full of curves; twisting and turning
Sinuous mountain roads at night present extra danger at night when it's
harder to see the road's edge.
skeptic
(n.) doubter
Even after seeing evidence that his competitor's new engine worked, the
engineer remained a skeptic that it was marketable.
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