Glossary
Terms starting with S
401 definitions · page 3 of 7.
- sharp
- In musical notation, a sign (#) indicating that the note it precedes is to be played a half step higher.
- shawl collar
- A one-piece collar which is turned down to form a continuous line around the back of the neck to the front.
- Shea Butter
- An excellent emollient for use in creams, lotions. Alleviates dry skin.
- sheaths
- Usually have straight or close fitting skirts, accompanied by a form fitting bodice. The skirt is often ankle length and sometimes has a slit in either the front, side, or back to make walking easier.
- shelf bra
- A bra that is built right into the garment.
- Shiatsu
- A Japanese method of massage that uses acupressure.
- Shift Work
- A term used to describe work that is performed outside of the normal spread of hours. Shift work is most commonly used when a business operates on a 24 hour basis but can also consist of shifts between certain hours of the day. An example would be a worker…
- Shin
- One of the cheapest cuts of beef, shin comes from the foreleg. It needs long slow cooking but has a superb flavour. Use it in casseroles and stews - it makes the most delicious gravy because the connective tissue in it turns to gelatine, thickening and…
- shirred waist
- A decorative gathering (as of cloth) made by drawing up the material along two or more parallel lines of stitching.
- shock wave
- a powerful wave caused by a sudden change in density, pressure, or temperature that travels though a medium faster than sound travels through that same medium
- Shopping Cart
- Software that allows users to select products from a Web catalog, modify their choices, calculate prices, review their choices, and order them. Many hosts with e-commerce plans offer installed shopping carts, but you can always get a shopping cart of your…
- Short Wavelength Red Laser
- Supplies the shorter wavelength needed to match the tiny DVD pits. The laser has a noise reduction function to suppress interference and it exhibits stable oscillation at high temperature (60 degrees Celsius).
- short-period comet
- Comets that have orbital periods of less than 200 years.
- Shortbread
- A sweet Scottish biscuit made with sugar, flour and a generous amount of butter, which gives it its melt-in-the-mouth texture. Shortbread, which is pale golden in colour and quite crumbly, is traditionally baked in a round, flat shape, pricked with a fork…
- Shortcrust pastry
- Probably the most useful and versatile pastry, shortcrust is a crumbly pastry that's ideal for pies and tarts. The degree of 'shortness', or crisp crumbliness, depends on the amount and type of fat incorporated into the flour and the way in which the pastry…
- shrug
- A woman's small, waist-length or shorter jacket.
- SHTTP
- Secure HTTP. A version of HTTP protocol that uses encryption to assure that the traffic between the server and the browser cannot be eveasdropped on. Should be considered mandatory for all e-commerce applications.
- Shuck
- To 'shuck' means to open an oyster shell using a stubby, thick-bladed knife. It's a skill that takes a little while to master but is easy once you know how. You can find out more about shellfish, including ways of cooking and preparing them, in our Back to…
- Shuffle Play
- The CD player will play the songs from one CD in a random order. Some CD players offer another type of shuffle play, where the songs from all the CDs in the deck are played in random order.
- Shutter Speeds
- Variable speeds at which the camcorder captures images. The faster the speed, the less blurred the playback image will be. Ideal for sporting events where slow motion or stop action is important.
- Sibling
- Brother or sister.
- Sichuan pepper
- Sichuan pepper isn't actually pepper, but the dried red-brown berries of a type of ash tree. The berries are dried and then sold whole or crushed to a powder. Try to buy the freshest berries you can find, because they quickly lose their lemony, peppery…
- SIDE FINS
- Vertical shading elements mounted on either side of a glazed opening that blocks direct solar radiation from the lower, lateral portions of the sun's path. SITE - any location on which a facility is constructed or is proposed to be constructed.
- sidereal
- relating to or measured with respect to the stars
- sidereal year
- the amount of time it takes one body to revolve about another with respect to the stars
- siderostat
- a flat mirror that can be moved to reflect light from a celestial object to a specific spot
- Signal to Noise Ratio
- A comparison between signal and noise levels measured in decibels. A ratio of wanted signal to unwanted noise. This ratio is abbreviated as S/N.
- Silverside
- A cheaper cut of beef from the rear of the animal. It's very lean and contains no bone, making it a good cut for braising or for using in stews and casseroles - or to make mince.
- Simnel cake
- Now an Easter speciality, this cake was originally given by servant girls to their mothers when they went home on Mothering Sunday. A fairly rich fruit cake, it's covered with almond paste or marzipan, stamped with the figure of Christ and decorated with 11…
- simple meter
- A meter in which the main beats arc subdivided into twos, such as 2/4 or 3/4.
- Simulated Stereo Surround Mode
- With the Simulated Stereo Surround Mode, one of several different modes in audio receivers and systems shape sound to more closely resemble a live performance. Simulated settings provide a simulated spatial surround sound when playing mono source material.
- SINGLE PREMIUM ANNUITY
- An annuity that is paid in full upon purchase.
- Single Service Articles
- Tableware, carry out utensils designed for one-time or one person use.
- Singspiel ("sung play")
- German folk or comic opera in which arias, ensembles, and choruses arc interspersed with spoken dialogue.
- Singspiel (sung play)
- German folk or comic opera in which arias, ensembles, and choruses arc interspersed with spoken dialogue.
- singularity
- a point at which space and time are infinitely distorted, such as the central point of a black hole where matter is concentrated into an area of zero volume and infinite density
- SITE ENERGY
- The energy consumed at a building location or other end-use site. SKYLIGHT - Any opening in the roof surface which is glazed with a transparent or translucent material. [See California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Section 2-5302]
- Site search
- search functionality specific to one site.
- skant
- Pants that have a sweater-like attachment around the waist.
- skort
- Shorts that have a front covering to resemble a skirt.
- SKY TEMPERATURE
- The equivalent temperature of the clouds, water vapor, and other atmospheric elements that make up the sky to which a surface can radiate heat.
- Skyscraper ad
- an online ad significantly taller than the 120x240 vertical banner.
- SLAC
- The Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in Stanford, California.
- Slake
- To mix a thickening agent with liquid, such as cornflour or arrowroot.
- SLIDE DEPLOYMENT
- A maneuver when staff move from their main responsibilities to help with a bottleneck. This maneuver shows the power of teamwork and training in helping a customer and a fellow employee in need.
- Sloppy
- A track condition in which there is moisture on the track, but the base of the track is still firm.
- slur
- (1) In musical notation, a curved line connecting notes that are to be played legato; (2) in performance, the playing of legato.
- small Magellanic Cloud
- a small, irregular dwarf galaxy that orbits the Milky Way Galaxy
- Smileys
- Characters used in text-only communications to convey emotions. Example :) :-) ;-) :O :(...
- SMOG
- Originally "smog" meant a mixture of smoke and fog. The definition has expanded to mean air that has restricted visibility due to pollution. Pollution formed in the presence of sunlight is called photochemical smog. According to the U.S. EPA, smog is "a…
- Smoothie
- A non-alcoholic cold drink made up of a mixture of the juices and pulp of fruit or vegetables mixed into a smooth drink using a blender. Other ingredients such as milk, yoghurt or honey can be added to thicken and flavour. Smoothies make a great breakfast…
- Smorgasbord
- An assortment of hot and cold dishes served in Sweden as hors d'oeuvres or as a full buffet meal. The name translates as 'buttered bread table'. A smorgasbord can include all kinds of things, such as potato-based dishes, salads, meats and cheeses, marinated…
- SMTP
- Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Very popular protocol used to transfer email messages across the Internet mail servers.
- SMUD
- The acronym for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, an electric utility serving the greater Sacramento, California, region.
- Snail Mail
- A normal paper mail delivered by the Post Office.
- SNMP
- (Simple Network Management Protocol). A most widespread protocol used for network management.
- Soba noodles
- Thin grey-brown Japanese noodles made from buckwheat (which is gluten-free). Available dried, they're long and straight and look similar to spaghetti. They're used mostly in soups and can be used in stir-fries, although you must stir them carefully because…
- SOFT MARKET
- An environment where insurance is plentiful and sold at a lower cost, also known as a buyers’ market. (See Property/casualty insurance cycle)
- SOLAR CELL
- A photovoltaic cell that can convert light directly into electricity. A typical solar cell uses semiconductors made from silicon.
- SOLAR COLLECTOR
- A component of an active or passive solar system that absorbs solar radiation to heat a transfer medium which, in turn, supplies heat energy to the space or water heating system.