The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (39 page)

stanch
(stawnch)
verb

1. restrain the flow of (blood etc.).

2. restrain the flow of blood from (a wound etc.).

Do not confuse
stanch
with
staunch
, which see.

Related words:
stanchable
adjective
,
stancher
noun
.

stationary
(STAY-sh
e
-
NER
-ee)
adjective

1. not moving, not movable.

2. unchanging in condition or quantity etc.

Do not confuse the adjective
stationary
with the noun
stationery
. Both are pronounced identically, but there the similarity ends.
Stationery
is defined as
writing materials, such as paper, envelopes, and the like
.

staunch
(stawnch)
adjective

firm in attitude, opinion, or loyalty.

The adjective
staunch
and the verb
stanch
are frequently confused. As you can see, the two words are pronounced identically, but listeners alert to the context in which they hear the words have no trouble. It is when encountering the words in a piece of writing that trouble may arise for readers. Beginning far back in the history of the language, the two words were merely spelling variants, used interchangeably, so writers had nothing to worry about. In the 20th century, however,
staunch
and
stanch
began to be treated as different words, the first meaning
firm in attitude etc
., the second meaning
restrain a flow
. Thus, even though some permissive dictionaries still may treat the two words as spelling variants, one of the things you must do as a careful writer is use
staunch
and
stanch
correctly. Remember to be
staunch
in your most cherished beliefs, and to
stanch
the flow of blood whenever you cut yourself badly. Also remember that
staunch
is an adjective, and
stanch
is a verb.

Related words:
staunchly
adverb
,
staunchness
noun
.

steatopygia
(stee-
AT
-
e
-P
I
-jee-
e
)
noun

excessive development of fat on the buttocks, especially of women.

Related words:
steatopygic
(stee-
AT
-
e
-PIJ-ik) and
steatopygous
(stee-
AT
-
e
-P
I
-g
e
s)
both adjectives
.

stratagem
(START-
e
-j
e
m)
noun

1. a cunning method of achieving something.

2. a piece of trickery.

Related words:
stratagemical
(
STRAT
-
e
-JEM-i-k
e
l)
adjective
,
stratagemically
adverb
.

stratum
(START-
e
m)
noun, plural
strata
(START-
e
) and
stratums

1. a social level or class.

2. one of a series of layers, especially of rock in Earth's crust.

Many students of English style have remarked on the increasing use of
strata
as a singular, but editors and careful writers use it only as a plural. Until poor usage overwhelms the conventional use of
strata
as a plural, you would do well to use
stratum
consistently as a singular, and
strata
or
stratums
as plurals.

Related word:
stratous
adjective
.

stricture
(STRIK-ch
e
r)
noun

1. a remark or comment expressing criticism or condemnation.

2. an abnormal constriction of a tubelike part of the body.

Related words:
striction
(STRIK-sh
e
n)
noun
,
strictured
(STRIK-ch
e
rd)
adjective
.

stridulate
(STRIJ-
e
-
LAYT
)
verb

of a cricket or cicada etc., make a shrill and grating sound by rubbing parts of the body together.

Related words:
stridulation
(
STRIJ
-
e
-LAY-sh
e
n)
noun
,
stridulatory
(STRIJ-
e
-l
e
-
TOR
-ee) and
stridulous
(STRIJ-
e
-l
e
s)
both adjectives
.

stultify
(STUL-t
e
-
F
I
)
verb

impair or make ineffective.

Related words:
stultification
(
STUL
-ti-fi-KAY-sh
e
n) and
stultifier
(STUL-ti-
F
I
-
e
r)
both nouns
,
stultifyingly
(STUL-ti-
F
I
-ing-lee)
adverb
.

sublimate
(SUB-l
e
-
MAYT
)
verb

divert the energy of (a primitive impulse) into a culturally higher activity.

Related words:
sublimable
(SUB-l
e
-m
e
-b
e
l) and
sublimational
(
SUB
-l
e
-MAY-sh
e
-n
e
l)
both adjectives
,
sublimableness
(SUB-l
e
-m
e
-b
e
l-nis) and
sublimation
(
SUB
-l
e
-MAY-sh
e
n)
both nouns
.

subliminal
(sub-LIM-
e
-n
e
l)
adjective

below the threshold of consciousness.

Related word:
subliminally
adverb
.

succubus
(SUK-y
e
-b
e
s)
noun, plural
succubi
(SUK-y
e
-b
I
); also given as
succuba
(SUK-y
e
-b
e
),
plural
succubae
(SUK-y
e
-bee)

1. a female demon said to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men.

2. any evil spirit.

sudorific
(
SOO
-d
e
-RIF-ik)
adjective

1. causing sweating.

2. (
noun
) a drug that induces sweating.

suggestible
(s
e
g-JES-t
e
-b
e
l)
adjective

1. easily influenced by people's suggestions.

2. that may be suggested.

Do not confuse
suggestible
with
suggestive
, which see.

Related words:
suggestibility
(s
e
g-
JES
-t
e
-BIL-i-tee) and
suggestibleness
(s
e
g-JES-t
e
-b
e
l-nis)
both nouns
,
suggestibly
(s
e
g-JES-t
e
-blee)
adverb
.

suggestive
(s
e
g-JES-tiv)
adjective

1. tending to convey an indecent or improper meaning; risqué.

2. conveying a suggestion.

Do not confuse
suggestive
with
suggestible
. The confusion that can result from careless use of these two adjectives gives us a wonderful example of the difference a suffix can make. The adjective
suggestive
is most often used in the sense of
tending to convey an indecent or improper meaning
, while
suggestible
is most often used in the sense of
easily influenced by people's suggestions
. Facial expressions and activities may be
suggestive
, while people, their ideas, their thoughts, and the like may be
suggestible
. Be careful in your use of these adjectives.

Related words:
suggestively
adverb
,
suggestiveness
noun
.

sui generis
(SOO-ee JEN-
e
-ris), Latin

1. of its, his, her, their own kind.

2. one of a kind; unique.

superannuate
(
SOO
-p
e
r-AN-yoo-
AYT
)
verb

1. retire (an employee) with a pension because of age or infirmity.

2. discard (something) as too old for further use.

Related words:
superannuated
adjective
,
superannuation
(
SOO
-p
e
r-
AN
-yoo-AY-sh
e
n)
noun
.