Vocabularies

English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples

adjective
/ˈʃɔːrt ˌtempərd/

quick to lose one's temper; easily angered

"She became short-tempered when the traffic made her late for the meeting."

short-term definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective
/ˈʃɔːrt tɜːrm/

lasting for or involving a short period of time

"They offered a short-term loan to help the business."

noun
/ˈʃɔːrtɪdʒ/

a state or situation in which something needed cannot be obtained in sufficient amounts

"There is a shortage of skilled workers in the industry."

noun
/ˈʃɔːrt.kʌm.ɪŋ/

a fault or failure to meet a certain standard; a deficiency

"Despite his many talents, he has some shortcomings."

shortcomings definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun
ˈʃɔːtkʌmɪŋz

A fault or failure to meet a certain standard; deficiencies.

"Institutional shortcomings affect student behavior negatively."

✂️

shorten

verb
/ˈʃɔːrtn/

To make something shorter in length, duration, or extent

"She decided to shorten her speech to fit the time limit."

🌽

shuck

verb
/ʃʌk/

To remove the outer covering, such as the husk of corn or shell of shellfish.

"She learned how to shuck oysters quickly."

adjective, adverb
/ˈsaɪdlɔːŋ/

Directed to the side; indirect, furtive, or not straightforward.

"She gave him a sidelong glance across the room."

sideline discussions definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun
/ˈsaɪd.laɪn dɪˈskʌʃənz/

Informal or secondary conversations that occur outside the main agenda of a formal meeting.

"Sideline discussions often lead to agreements."

sideline definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun
/ˈsaɪd.laɪn/

An activity done in addition to one's main job or area of work.

"The sideline discussions led to mutual understanding."

➡️

side

noun
/saɪd/

a position to the left or right of something

"The store is on the side of the road."

noun
/ˈsɪk.nəs/

the state of being ill; a disease or illness

"She took time off work due to sickness."

adjective
/ˈsɪk.li/

weak and unhealthy; prone to illness; appearing weak or pale

"The sickly child needed extra care and attention."

⚒️

Sickle

noun
/ˈsɪk.əl/

a tool with a curved metal blade and short handle used for cutting grain crops

"The farmer harvested wheat using a traditional sickle."

Sick definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
🤒

Sick

adjective
/sɪk/

feeling unwell or suffering from illness

"She stayed home because she was feeling sick."

adjective
/ˈsɪbɪlaɪn/

Prophetic, mysterious, or cryptic in meaning.

"The old woman gave a sibylline warning about the future."

Siblings definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun
ˈsɪblɪŋz

Each of two or more children or offspring having one or both parents in common.

"Siblings are usually placed on the same level in a family tree."

noun
/ˈsɪblɪŋ/

A brother or sister.

"She has three siblings, two brothers and one sister."

verb
/ˈsɪbəleɪt/

To pronounce with a hissing sound.

"The actor sibilated his lines for dramatic effect."

adjective
/ˈsɪbɪlənt/

Making or characterized by a hissing sound.

"The word 'snake' starts with a sibilant sound."

noun
/ˈsɪbɪləns/

A hissing or hushing sound, especially in speech with 's' or 'sh'.

"The poet used sibilance to create a soft, hissing effect in the verse."

🕵️

shyster

noun
/ˈʃaɪstər/

a person, especially a lawyer, who uses unscrupulous or dishonest methods

"The businessman was exposed as a shyster who cheated clients."

Shy definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
🙈

Shy

adjective
/ʃaɪ/

Being reserved or nervous around other people.

"The child was too shy to speak in class."

noun
/ˈʃʌtəl/

a vehicle or craft that travels regularly between two places.

"The airport shuttle runs every 30 minutes."

🤐

shut

verb
/ʃʌt/

to close something, especially a door or window

"Please shut the door before you leave."

🚂

shunt

verb
/ʃʌnt/

to move or turn aside; to push or divert from one track to another

"The train was shunted onto a different track."

Shun definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
🚫

Shun

verb
/ʃʌn/

to deliberately avoid or stay away from someone or something

"He was shunned by his colleagues after the scandal."

verb
/ˈʃʌfəl/

to walk by dragging one's feet along or without lifting them fully; to mix or rearrange

"He shuffled the cards before dealing them."

verb
/ˈʃʌdər/

to tremble or shake suddenly, often due to fear, cold, or strong emotion

"She shuddered at the thought of walking alone in the dark forest."

🐭

shrew

noun
/ʃruː/

a small mouse-like animal; also a woman with a bad temper

"The play describes a strong-willed woman as a shrew."

noun
/ʃɔːrts/

a short garment worn on the lower half of the body that covers each leg separately, usually above the knees.

"He wore a pair of blue shorts to the beach."

🏹

shot

noun, verb
/ʃɒt/

a single attempt to hit something, usually with a weapon or a ball

"He took a shot at the goal."

modal verb
/ʃʊd/

used to indicate obligation or duty

"You should study for your exams."

noun
/ˈʃoʊldər/

the upper joint of the human arm and the part of the body to which it is attached

"He hurt his shoulder while lifting weights."

shout definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
📢

shout

verb
/ʃaʊt/

to say something very loudly

"He shouted at the top of his lungs to get their attention."

🤜

shove

verb
/ʃʌv/

to push someone or something roughly

"He shoved the box into the corner."

🏗️

Shovel

noun
/ˈʃʌv.əl/

a tool with a broad flat blade and long handle used for digging and moving earth, snow, or other materials

"He grabbed a shovel to clear the snow from the driveway."

show definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
👀

show

verb
/ʃoʊ/

To display or allow someone to see something.

"He will show us the way to the station."

noun
/ˈsɛrəf/

An angelic being associated with light and purity, often depicted as a high-ranking angel in Christian theology.

"The stained-glass window depicted a seraph with outstretched wings."

noun
/ˈʃaʊər/

a brief fall of rain or snow or a device for taking a bath or washing oneself

"After the workout, I took a quick shower to refresh myself."

✂️

shred

/ʃrɛd/

to tear or cut something into small pieces

"She shredded the old documents before throwing them away."

noun
/ʃraɪn/

A place regarded as holy, often associated with a saint or deity.

"Thousands of pilgrims visit the shrine each year."

🤷

shrug

verb
/ʃrʌɡ/

To raise and lower the shoulders to express uncertainty or indifference.

"He shrugged when asked about the missing file."

shroud definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
🌫️

shroud

verb
/ʃraʊd/

to cover or hide; to wrap in cloth

"The mountain peak was shrouded in mist."

verb
/ˈʃrɪvəl/

To become dry, wrinkled, and smaller due to lack of moisture.

"The flowers shriveled under the hot sun."

noun
/ˈʃrɪŋkɪdʒ/

The process of becoming smaller in size, amount, or value.

"The company reported a shrinkage in profits this quarter."

shrink definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb
/ʃrɪŋk/

to become smaller in size, amount, or value.

"The sweater may shrink after washing."

adjective
/ʃrɪl/

High-pitched and piercing in sound.

"The shrill whistle startled everyone in the room."

adjective
/ʃruːd/

having sharp judgment and practical intelligence

"She made a shrewd investment in real estate."

verb
/ʃriːk/

to make a loud, high-pitched cry

"She shrieked when she saw the spider."