5 ADJ [ADJ n] In Britain, a second-class degree is a good university degree, but not as good as a first-class degree. □ A second-class honours degree is the minimum requirement.
se c|ond co m|ing N‑SING When Christians refer to the second coming , they mean the expected return to Earth of Jesus Christ.
se c|ond cou s|in (second cousins ) N‑COUNT Your second cousins are the children of your parents' first cousins. Compare first cousin .
se cond-degree
1 ADJ [ADJ n] In the United States, second-degree is used to describe crimes that are considered to be less serious than first-degree crimes. □ The judge reduced the charge to second-degree murder.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A second-degree burn is more severe than a first-degree burn but less severe than a third-degree burn. □ James Bell suffered second-degree burns in an explosion.
se cond-gue ss (second-guesses , second-guessing , second-guessed ) VERB If you try to second-guess something, you try to guess in advance what someone will do or what will happen. □ [V n] Editors and contributors are trying to second-guess the future. [Also V ]
se cond-ha nd
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Second-hand things are not new and have been owned by someone else. □ Buying a second-hand car can be a risky business. □ …a stack of second-hand books. ● ADV [ADV after v] Second-hand is also an adverb. □ Far more boats are bought second-hand than are bought brand new.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A second-hand shop sells second-hand goods.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Second-hand stories, information, or opinions are those you learn about from other people rather than directly or from your own experience. □ The denunciation was made on the basis of second-hand information.
4 at second hand → see second ➋
se cond-in-comma nd also second in command N‑SING A second-in-command is someone who is next in rank to the leader of a group, and who has authority to give orders when the leader is not there. □ He was posted to Hong Kong as second-in-command of C Squadron.
se c|ond la n|guage (second languages ) N‑COUNT Someone's second language is a language which is not their native language but which they use at work or at school. □ Lucy teaches English as a second language.
se c|ond lieu|te n|ant (second lieutenants )
1 N‑COUNT A second lieutenant is an officer of low rank in the army. [BRIT ]
2 N‑COUNT A second lieutenant is an officer in the army, air force, or marines who ranks directly below a first lieutenant. [AM ]
sec|ond|ly /se kəndli/ ADV You say secondly when you want to make a second point or give a second reason for something. □ You need, firstly, a strong board of directors and secondly, an experienced staff.
se|cond|ment /s I kɒ ndmənt/ (secondments ) N‑VAR [oft on N ] Someone who is on secondment from their normal employer has been sent somewhere else temporarily in order to do special duties. [BRIT ] □ [+ from/to ] We have two full-time secretaries, one of whom is on secondment from the navy.
se c|ond na me (second names ) N‑COUNT Someone's second name is their family name, or the name that comes after their first name and before their family name.
se c|ond opi n|ion (second opinions ) N‑COUNT If you get a second opinion , you ask another qualified person for their opinion about something such as your health. □ I would like a second opinion on my doctor's diagnosis.
se c|ond pe r|son N‑SING A statement in the second person is a statement about the person or people you are talking to. The subject of a statement like this is 'you'.
se cond-ra te ADJ If you describe something as second-rate , you mean that it is of poor quality. □ …second-rate restaurants. □ …another second-rate politician.
se c|ond si ght N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone has second sight , you mean that they seem to have the ability to know or see things that are going to happen in the future, or are happening in a different place.
se c|ond stri ng also second-string N‑SING [oft N n] If you describe a person or thing as someone's second string , you mean that they are only used if another person or thing is not available. □ …a second-string team.
se c|ond thou ght (second thoughts )
1 N‑SING If you do something without a second thought , you do it without thinking about it carefully, usually because you do not have enough time or you do not care very much. □ This murderous lunatic could kill them both without a second thought. □ Roberto didn't give a second thought to borrowing $2,000 from him.
2 N‑PLURAL If you have second thoughts about a decision that you have made, you begin to doubt whether it was the best thing to do. □ [+ about ] I had never had second thoughts about my decision to leave the company.
3 PHRASE You can say on second thoughts or on second thought when you suddenly change your mind about something that you are saying or something that you have decided to do. □ 'Wait there!' Kathryn rose. 'No, on second thought, follow me.'
se c|ond wi nd N‑SING When you get your second wind , you become able to continue doing something difficult or energetic after you have been tired or out of breath. □ Finding a second wind, he rode away from his pursuers.
Se c|ond World Wa r N‑PROPER The Second World War is the major war that was fought between 1939 and 1945.
se|cre|cy /siː krəsi/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft prep N ] Secrecy is the act of keeping something secret, or the state of being kept secret. □ He shrouds his business dealings in secrecy.
se|cret ◆◆◇ /siː kr I t/ (secrets )
1 ADJ [ADJ n, v-link ADJ ] If something is secret , it is known about by only a small number of people, and is not told or shown to anyone else. □ Soldiers have been training at a secret location. □ The police have been trying to keep the documents secret. ● se|cret|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He wore a hidden microphone to secretly record conversations.