Glossary
Terms starting with S
401 definitions · page 5 of 7.
- Spider
- An automated software that retrieves webpages and follows the hyperlinks contained in them. Used to generate indexes used by search engines.
- Spiel
- An add-on feature to a lotto game. For an additional fee an extra set of numbers (typically four to six numbers) is printed on the bottom of a ticket. Players win by matching one or more of these numbers to those selected in a random drawing. Spiel games are…
- Spin
- A quantum particle property of intrinsic angular momentum.
- spinning-out
- A translation of the German Fortspinnung, in reference to the single-minded use in Baroque music of a brief motive to generate a long, continuous phrase.
- spiral arm
- a concentration of gas, dust, and young stars that winds its way out from the nuclear region of a spiral galaxy
- spiral galaxy
- a spiral-shaped system of billions of stars, gas clouds, and dust
- split neck
- A round neckline that looks like it has been cut in the center to form a small "V".
- Split-Screen Display
- Lets you view two programs at once by dividing the screen down the middle. Each program is shown at full height, with one program on the left side and the other on the right. The feature is similar to picture-in-picture, but at a much larger size. Audio is…
- SPLIT-THE-SAVINGS (Electric Utility)
- The basis for settling economy-energy transactions between utilities. The added costs of the supplier are subtracted from the avoided costs of the buyer, and the difference is evenly divided.
- Sponsor
- 1) A person who fills out and submits an immigration visa petition. Another name for sponsor is petitioner, OR 2) a person who completes an affidavit of support (I-864) for an immigrant visa applicant.
- Sponsored Immigrant
- An immigrant who has had an affidavit of support filed for him/her.
- Sponsorship
- advertising that seeks to establish a deeper association and integration between an advertiser and a publisher, often involving coordinated beyond-the-banner placements.
- Sports Lottery
- Games where outcomes are determined by the results of sports events. Sports lotteries are popular lottery games in much of the world, where they are frequently called 'Toto' or 'Totocalcio' (Italy) or 'Football Pools' (UK), but have not achieved this level…
- Spouse
- Legally married husband or wife. A co-habiting partner does not qualify as a spouse for immigration purposes. A common-law husband or wife may or may not qualify as a spouse for immigration purposes, depending on the laws of the country where the…
- SPREAD OF RISK
- The selling of insurance in multiple areas to multiple policyholders to minimize the danger that all policyholders will have losses at the same time. Companies are more likely to insure perils that offer a good spread of risk. Flood insurance is an example…
- Sprechstimme
- A vocal delivery, developed by Schoenberg, intermediate between speech and song.
- Sprue asparagus
- The 'thinnings' or first pickings of the asparagus bed. These thin stems have a good flavour and should be cheaper than asparagus proper.
- SPX
- (Sequenced Packet Exchange). A proprietary Novell network protocol used in conjunction with IPX.
- SQL
- Structured Query Language. Limited programming language used for updating and performing queries on relational databases. All databases share a common subset of SQL. Most popular SQL databases available with hosting plans are MySQL and MS SQL.
- SQPB (S-VHS Quasi Playback S-VHS ET)
- Allows a TV/VCR combo to play tapes recorded in S-VHS format. Although the feature does not produce S-VHS resolution, it allows playback of otherwise incompatible Super VHS tapes.
- square neck
- An open-yoke neckline shaped in the form of a half square.
- Squid
- A sea mollusc related to the cuttlefish and also known as calamari. Squid can be grilled or fried. Larger squid can be added to stews or stuffed or cooked in their own ink. Their shape makes them very good for stuffing with vegetables or other kinds of…
- SSH
- Secure Shell. Developed by SSH Communications Security, it is a standard for encrypted terminal Internet connections. SSH programs provide strong authentication and encrypted communications, replacing less secure access methods like telnet.
- SSI
- Server-Side Includes. Instructs the server to include some dynamic information in a Web page before it is sent to a client. This dynamic information could be current date, an opinion poll, etc. Many hosts require that SSI pages have .shtml extension to…
- SSL
- Secure Sockets Layer. Protocol developed by Netscape to provide encryption for commercial transactions data that should be protected while traveling over the Internet, like credit card numbers. SSL uses https protocol. Before using SSL in commerce, you'll…
- Stable
- Does not decay. A particle is stable if there exist no processes in which a particle disappears and in its place different particles appear.
- staccato
- In musical notation, a dot placed above a notehead to indicate that it is to be played crisply, with a short duration of sound.
- STACKING
- Practice that increases the money available to pay auto liability claims. In states where this practice is permitted by law, courts may allow policyholders who have several cars insured under a single policy, or multiple vehicles insured under different…
- Stadium Surround Mode
- One of several different modes in audio receivers and systems to shape sound to more closely resemble a live performance. Stadium Mode recreates the reverberation and open air atmosphere of a rock concert or sporting event when playing stereo (but not mono)…
- staff
- (plural, staves) In musical notation, the five horizontal lines on which one or more voices are notated.
- STAIR-STEPPING
- Bringing people into and out of the shift at different intervals to ensure a smoother transition, higher productivity, and improved labor cost.
- standard candle
- an astronomical object of known luminosity; can be used to determine distances
- Standard Model
- Physicists have developed a theory of fundamental particles and interactions called the Standard Model. This site describes various aspects of this model.
- STANDBY LOSS
- A measure of the losses from a water heater tank. When expressed as a percentage, standby loss is the ratio of heat loss per hour to the heat content of the stored water above room temperature. When expressed in watts, standby loss is the heat lost per hour…
- star
- a self-luminous sphere of hot gas held together by gravity; ordinary stars generate energy by nuclear fusion in their cores
- Star anise
- The fruit of a shrub native to the Far East (Illicium verum), star anise is shaped like an eight-pointed star and contains shiny seeds with an aniseed flavour, which comes from the essential oil, anethole. It's used widely in Chinese cooking and is one of…
- star atlas
- an collection of maps that marks the positions of stars, nebulae, galaxies, and other astronomical objects on a coordinate system
- star hopping
- the technique of using recognizable patterns of stars to “hop†from one part of the sky to another; useful in observing both with the naked eye and a telescope
- star party
- a gathering of people to observe the night sky
- starburst galaxy
- a galaxy undergoing an extremely high rate of star formation
- Starfruit
- Also known as carambola, this ridged yellow exotic fruit has a waxy skin and becomes a five-pointed star when sliced widthways. Starfruits have a quite sour taste so they are often used for decoration or as a garnish.
- State
- One of the 50 States of the United States, for example, the State of California.
- State Workforce Agency
- The agency or bureau in each State that deals with employment and labor issues.
- Static (or dedicated) IP
- If a host offers a static IP, it means that your site will be assigned a unique and unchanging IP address. See the FAQ for some possible advantages of using a static IP.
- STATION
- A telephone instrument consisting of a transmitter, receiver, and associated apparatus so connected as to permit sending and/or receiving telephone messages.
- Status
- Condition under the visa law.
- STATUTORY ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES SAP
- More conservative standards than under GAAP accounting rules, they are imposed by state laws that emphasize the present solvency of insurance companies. SAP helps ensure that the company will have sufficient funds readily available to meet all anticipated…
- STEADY STATE EFFICIENCY
- A performance rating for space heaters; a measure of the percentage of heat from combustion of gas which is transferred to the space being heated under specified steady state conditions. [See California Code of Regulations, Title 20, Section 1602(e)(13)]
- STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT
- A power station in which steam is used to turn the turbines that generate electricity. The heat used to make the steam may come from burning fossil fuel, using a controlled nuclear reaction, concentrating the sun's energy, tapping the earth's natural heat or…
- Steering
- The critical part of the Dolby® Pro Logic®. Most soundtracks are mixed for playback on multi-speaker systems, using "cues" that steer specific sounds to specific speakers. In a home theatre system, the DPL processor typically does the steering to five or six…
- stellar evolution
- the life cycle of stars
- stellar wind
- a stream of electrically charged subatomic particles given off by stars
- stem
- In musical notation, the vertical line attached to a notehead.
- Stepchild
- A spouse’s child from a previous marriage or other relationship. In order for a stepchild to be able to immigrate as a “child,” the marriage creating the stepchild/stepparent relationship must have happened before the stepchild was 18 years of age.
- Stereo Audio
- Plays hi-fi/stereo rental tapes and records stereo TV broadcasts when used with a stereo TV or decoder using two sound tracks at the top edge of the videotape.
- Stereo Headphone Jack
- Allows you to connect optional stereo headphones to the unit, so you can listen to your favourite TV shows without disturbing others or hear TV audio in an unusually noisy environment. The mini-jack configuration accepts either 8-ohm or 16-ohm mini-plug…
- Stereo SAP Reception with dbx Noise Reduction
- This feature has a built-in stereo decoder that can receive both TV stereo and separate audio program (SAP) telecasts where available. A dbx noise reduction system helps provide clear, crisp sound with proper stereo separation.
- stereocomparator
- An instrument that allows astronomers to view two images of the same region of sky simultaneously. Objects that have changed their brightness or position appear to stand out of the plane of the picture.
- Stewards
- Like any sporting event there are officials who enforce the rules. In racing they are called stewards.
- STIRLING ENGINE
- An external combustion engine that converts heat into useable mechanical energy (shaftwork) by the heating (expanding) and cooling (contracting) of a captive gas such as helium or hydrogen.