semi|nar /se m I nɑː r / (seminars )
1 N‑COUNT A seminar is a meeting where a group of people discuss a problem or topic. □ …courses and seminars on nutrition and natural health.
2 N‑COUNT A seminar is a class at a college or university in which the teacher and a small group of students discuss a topic. □ Students are asked to prepare material in advance of each weekly seminar.
semi|nar|ian /se m I neə riən/ (seminarians ) N‑COUNT A seminarian is a student at a seminary.
semi|nary /se m I nəri, [AM ] -neri/ (seminaries ) N‑COUNT A seminary is a college where priests, ministers, or rabbis are trained.
se|mi|ot|ics /se miɒ t I ks/ N‑UNCOUNT Semiotics is the academic study of the relationship of language and other signs to their meanings.
se mi-pre cious in AM, also use semiprecious ADJ [usu ADJ n] Semi-precious stones are stones such as turquoises and amethysts that are used in jewellery but are less valuable than precious stones such as diamonds and rubies.
se mi-profe ssional in AM, also use semiprofessional ADJ Semi-professional sports players, musicians, and singers receive some money for playing their sport or for performing but they also have an ordinary job as well. □ …a semi-professional country musician.
se mi-ski lled also semiskilled ADJ [usu ADJ n] A semi-skilled worker has some training and skills, but not enough to do specialized work. [BUSINESS ]
se mi-skimmed mi lk N‑UNCOUNT Semi-skimmed milk or semi-skimmed is milk from which some of the cream has been removed. [BRIT ] in AM, use one percent milk , two percent milk
Se|mit|ic /s I m I t I k/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Semitic languages are a group of languages that include Arabic and Hebrew.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Semitic people belong to one of the groups of people who speak a Semitic language. □ …the Semitic races.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Semitic is sometimes used to mean Jewish.
4 → see also anti-Semitic
semi|tone /se mitoʊn/ (semitones ) N‑COUNT In Western music, a semitone is the smallest interval between two musical notes. Two semitones are equal to one tone.
se mi-trai ler (semi-trailers ) also semitrailer N‑COUNT A semi-trailer is the long rear section of a truck or lorry that can bend when it turns. [AM ] in BRIT, use trailer
se mi-tro pical also semitropical
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Semi-tropical places have warm, wet air. □ …a semi-tropical island.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Semi-tropical plants and trees grow in places where the air is warm and wet. □ The inn has a garden of semi-tropical vegetation.
semo|li|na /se məliː nə/ N‑UNCOUNT Semolina consists of small hard grains of wheat that are used for making sweet puddings with milk and for making pasta.
Sen|ate ◆◆◇ /se n I t/ (Senates )
1 N‑PROPER [with sing or pl verb] The Senate is the smaller and more important of the two parts of the parliament in some countries, for example the United States and Australia. □ The Senate is expected to pass the bill shortly. □ …a Senate committee.
2 N‑PROPER [with sing or pl verb] Senate or the Senate is the governing council at some universities. □ The new bill would remove student representation from the university Senate.
sena|tor ◆◇◇ /se n I tə r / (senators ) N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A senator is a member of a political Senate, for example in the United States or Australia.
sena|to|rial /se n I tɔː riəl/ ADJ [ADJ n] Senatorial means belonging to or relating to a Senate. [FORMAL ] □ He has senatorial experience in defence and foreign policy.
send ◆◆◆ /se nd/ (sends , sending , sent )
1 VERB When you send someone something, you arrange for it to be taken and delivered to them, for example by post. □ [V n n] Myra Cunningham sent me a note thanking me for dinner. □ [V n + to ] I sent a copy to the minister for transport. □ [V n] He sent a basket of exotic fruit and a card. □ [V n with adv] Sir Denis took one look and sent it back. □ [be V -ed + from ] A huge shipment of grain had been sent from Argentina to Peru.
2 VERB If you send someone somewhere, you tell them to go there. □ [V n with adv] Inspector Banbury came up to see her, but she sent him away. □ [V n + to ] …the government's decision to send troops to the region. □ [V n + for ] I suggested that he rest, and sent him for an X-ray. □ [be V -ed + from ] Reinforcements were being sent from the neighbouring region…
3 VERB If you send someone to an institution such as a school or a prison, you arrange for them to stay there for a period of time. □ [V n + to ] It's his parents' choice to send him to a boarding school, rather than a convenient day school.
4 VERB To send a signal means to cause it to go to a place by means of radio waves or electricity. □ [V n + to ] The transmitters will send a signal automatically to a local base station. □ [V n with adv] …in 1989, after a 12-year journey to Neptune, the space probe Voyager sent back pictures of Triton, its moon. [Also V n, V n n]
5 VERB If something sends things or people in a particular direction, it causes them to move in that direction. □ [V n v-ing] The explosion sent shrapnel flying through the sides of cars on the crowded highway. □ [V n prep] The slight back and forth motion sent a pounding surge of pain into his skull.