1 COMB [ADJ n] -scarred is used after nouns such as 'bullet' and 'fire' to form adjectives which indicate that something has been damaged or marked by the thing mentioned. □ …a bullet-scarred bus. □ …a lightning-scarred tree.
2 COMB [usu ADJ n] -scarred is used after nouns such as 'battle' or 'drug' to form adjectives which indicate that the thing mentioned has had a permanent effect on someone's mind. □ …battle-scarred soldiers.
3 → see also scar
scarves /skɑː r vz/ Scarves is a plural of scarf .
scary /skeə ri/ (scarier , scariest ) ADJ Something that is scary is rather frightening. [INFORMAL ] □ I think prison is going to be a scary thing for Harry. □ [+ about ] There's something very scary about him. ● scari|ly /skeə r I li/ ADV [usu ADV adj] □ …the scarily unstable new world order.
scat /skæ t/ N‑UNCOUNT Scat is a type of jazz singing in which the singer sings sounds rather than complete words.
scath|ing /ske I ð I ŋ/ ADJ If you say that someone is being scathing about something, you mean that they are being very critical of it. □ [+ about ] His report was scathing about all terror groups.
scato|logi|cal /skæ təlɒ dʒ I k ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as scatological , you mean that it deliberately refers to or represents faeces in some way. [FORMAL ] □ …scatological anecdotes.
scat|ter /skæ tə r / (scatters , scattering , scattered )
1 VERB If you scatter things over an area, you throw or drop them so that they spread all over the area. □ [V n prep/adv] She tore the rose apart and scattered the petals over the grave. □ [V n] He began by scattering seed and putting in plants.
2 VERB If a group of people scatter or if you scatter them, they suddenly separate and move in different directions. □ [V ] After dinner, everyone scattered. □ [V n] The cavalry scattered them and chased them off the field.
3 → see also scattered , scattering
scatter|brained /skæ tə r bre I nd/ also scatter-brained ADJ If you describe someone as scatterbrained , you mean that they often forget things and are unable to organize their thoughts properly.
sca t|ter cush|ion (scatter cushions ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Scatter cushions are small cushions for use on sofas and chairs.
scat|tered /skæ tə r d/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Scattered things are spread over an area in an untidy or irregular way. □ He picked up the scattered toys. □ [+ across/on/over ] The fridge door was open and food was scattered across the floor.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ with n] If something is scattered with a lot of small things, they are spread all over it. □ [+ with ] Every surface is scattered with photographs.
sca tter|gun /skæ tə r gʌn/ (scatterguns ) also scatter-gun
1 N‑COUNT A scattergun is a gun that fires a lot of small metal balls at the same time. [AM ]
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Scattergun means the same as scattershot . □ They advocated a scattergun approach of posting dozens of letters.
scat|ter|ing /skæ tər I ŋ/ (scatterings ) N‑COUNT A scattering of things or people is a small number of them spread over an area. □ [+ of ] …the scattering of houses east of the village.
scatter|shot /skæ tə r ʃɒt/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A scattershot approach or method involves doing something to a lot of things or people in disorganized way, rather than focusing on particular things or people. □ The report condemns America's scattershot approach to training workers.
scat|ty /skæ ti/ ADJ If you describe someone as scatty , you mean that they often forget things or behave in a silly way. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ Her mother is scatty and absent-minded.
scav|enge /skæ v I ndʒ/ (scavenges , scavenging , scavenged ) VERB If people or animals scavenge for things, they collect them by searching among waste or unwanted objects. □ [V + for ] Many are orphans, their parents killed as they scavenged for food. □ [V prep/adv] Children scavenge through garbage. □ [V n] Cruz had to scavenge information from newspapers and journals. [Also V ] ● scav|en|ger (scavengers ) N‑COUNT □ …scavengers such as rats.
sce|nario /s I nɑː rioʊ, [AM ] -ne r-/ (scenarios )
1 N‑COUNT If you talk about a likely or possible scenario , you are talking about the way in which a situation may develop. □ [+ of ] …the nightmare scenario of a divided and irrelevant Royal Family.
2 N‑COUNT The scenario of a film is a piece of writing that gives an outline of the story.
scene ◆◆◇ /siː n/ (scenes )
1 N‑COUNT A scene in a play, film, or book is part of it in which a series of events happen in the same place. □ I found the proposal scene tremendously poignant. □ …the opening scene of 'A Christmas Carol'.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You refer to a place as a scene when you are describing its appearance and indicating what impression it makes on you. □ [+ of ] It's a scene of complete devastation. □ Thick black smoke billowed over the scene.
3 N‑COUNT You can describe an event that you see, or that is broadcast or shown in a picture, as a scene of a particular kind. □ There were emotional scenes as the refugees enjoyed their first breath of freedom. □ [+ of ] Television broadcasters were warned to exercise caution over depicting scenes of violence.