permit: He can let the court's decision stand and permit the execution.
allow: Smoking will not be allowed.
back: The Prime Minister is backed by the civic movement, Public Against Violence.
support: The vice president insisted that he supported the hard-working people of New York. NOUN 2
ban: The General also lifted a ban on political parties.
restriction: The relaxation of travel restrictions means they are free to travel and work.
boycott: Opposition leaders had called for a boycott of the vote.
embargo: He has called on the government to lift its trade embargo.
sanc|tity /sæ ŋkt I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT If you talk about the sanctity of something, you mean that it is very important and must be treated with respect. □ [+ of ] …the sanctity of human life.
sanc|tu|ary /sæ ŋktʃuəri, [AM ] -tʃueri/ (sanctuaries )
1 N‑COUNT A sanctuary is a place where people who are in danger from other people can go to be safe. □ [+ for ] His church became a sanctuary for thousands of people who fled the civil war.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Sanctuary is the safety provided in a sanctuary. □ Some of them have sought sanctuary in the church.
3 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A sanctuary is a place where birds or animals are protected and allowed to live freely. □ …a bird sanctuary. □ …a wildlife sanctuary.
sanc|tum /sæ ŋtəm/ (sanctums )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you refer to someone's inner sanctum , you mean a room which is private and sometimes secret, where they can be quiet and alone. □ His bedroom's his inner sanctum.
2 N‑COUNT A sanctum is the holiest place inside a holy building such as a temple or mosque.
sand ◆◇◇ /sæ nd/ (sands , sanding , sanded )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Sand is a substance that looks like powder, and consists of extremely small pieces of stone. Some deserts and many beaches are made up of sand. □ They all walked barefoot across the damp sand to the water's edge. □ …grains of sand.
2 N‑PLURAL Sands are a large area of sand, for example a beach. □ …miles of golden sands.
3 VERB If you sand a wood or metal surface, you rub sandpaper over it in order to make it smooth or clean. □ [V n] Sand the surface softly and carefully. ● PHRASAL VERB Sand down means the same as sand . □ [V P n] I was going to sand down the chairs and repaint them. □ [V n P ] Simply sand them down with a fine grade of sandpaper.
san|dal /sæ nd ə l/ (sandals ) N‑COUNT Sandals are light shoes that you wear in warm weather, which have straps instead of a solid part over the top of your foot.
sandal|wood /sæ nd ə lwʊd/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Sandalwood is the sweet-smelling wood of a tree that is found in South Asia and Australia. It is also the name of the tree itself.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Sandalwood is the oil extracted from the wood of the tree. It is used to make perfume.
sand|bag /sæ ndbæg/ (sandbags , sandbagging , sandbagged )
1 N‑COUNT A sandbag is a cloth bag filled with sand. Sandbags are usually used to build walls for protection against floods or explosions.
2 VERB To sandbag something means to protect or strengthen it using sandbags. □ [V n] They sandbagged their homes to keep out floods.
sand|bank /sæ ndbæŋk/ (sandbanks ) N‑COUNT A sandbank is a bank of sand below the surface of the sea or a river. □ The ship hit a sandbank.
sand|bar /sæ ndbɑː r / (sandbars ) also sand bar N‑COUNT A sandbar is a sandbank which is found especially at the mouth of a river or harbour.
sand|box /sæ ndbɒks/ (sandboxes ) N‑COUNT A sandbox is the same as a sandpit . [AM ]
sa nd cas|tle (sand castles ) N‑COUNT A sand castle is a pile of sand, usually shaped like a castle, which children make when they are playing on the beach.
sa nd dune (sand dunes ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] A sand dune is a hill of sand near the sea or in a sand desert.
sand|er /sæ ndə r / (sanders ) N‑COUNT A sander is a machine for making wood or metal surfaces smoother.
S & L /e s ən e l/ (S & Ls ) N‑COUNT S & L is an abbreviation for savings and loan . [BUSINESS ]
S & M /e s ən e m/ N‑UNCOUNT S & M is an abbreviation for sado-masochism .
sand|paper /sæ ndpe I pə r / N‑UNCOUNT Sandpaper is strong paper that has a coating of sand on it. It is used for rubbing wood or metal surfaces to make them smoother.
sand|pit /sæ ndp I t/ (sandpits ) also sand-pit N‑COUNT A sandpit is a shallow hole or box in the ground with sand in it where small children can play. [BRIT ] in AM, use sandbox
sand|stone /sæ ndstoʊn/ (sandstones ) N‑VAR Sandstone is a type of rock which contains a lot of sand. It is often used for building houses and walls. □ …sandstone cliffs.
sand|storm /sæ ndstɔː r m/ (sandstorms ) N‑COUNT A sandstorm is a strong wind in a desert area, which carries sand through the air.
sand|wich /sæ nw I dʒ, -w I tʃ/ (sandwiches , sandwiching , sandwiched )
1 N‑COUNT A sandwich usually consists of two slices of bread with a layer of food such as cheese or meat between them. □ …a ham sandwich.