sew|ing /soʊ I ŋ/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Sewing is the activity of making or mending clothes or other things using a needle and thread. □ Her mother had always done all the sewing.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Sewing is clothes or other things that are being sewn. □ We all got out our own sewing and sat in front of the log fire.
se w|ing ma|chine (sewing machines ) N‑COUNT A sewing machine is a machine that you use for sewing.
sewn /soʊ n/ Sewn is the past participle of sew .
sex ◆◆◇ /se ks/ (sexes , sexing , sexed )
1 N‑COUNT The two sexes are the two groups, male and female, into which people and animals are divided according to the function they have in producing young. □ …an entertainment star who appeals to all ages and both sexes. □ …differences between the sexes.
2 → see also fair sex , opposite sex , same-sex , single-sex
3 N‑COUNT [oft with poss] The sex of a person or animal is their characteristic of being either male or female. □ She continually failed to gain promotion because of her sex. □ [+ of ] The new technique has been used to identify the sex of foetuses.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Sex is the physical activity by which people can produce young. □ He was very open in his attitudes about sex. □ We have a very active sex life.
5 PHRASE If two people have sex , they perform the act of sex. □ [+ with ] Have you ever thought about having sex with someone other than your partner?
▸ sex up PHRASAL VERB To sex something up means to make it more interesting and exciting. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] They wanted to modernise the programme, sex it up. [Also V P n, V -ed P ]
se x aid (sex aids ) N‑COUNT A sex aid is an object or piece of equipment that is designed to make sex easier or better.
se x ap|peal N‑UNCOUNT Someone's sex appeal is their sexual attractiveness. □ She still has the energy and sex appeal of a woman less than half her age.
-sexed /-se kst/ COMB -sexed is used after adverbs such as 'over' and 'under' to form adjectives which indicate that someone wants to have sex too often or not often enough. □ My husband has always been a bit over-sexed.
se x edu|ca|tion N‑UNCOUNT Sex education is education in schools on the subject of sexual activity and sexual relationships.
se x god|dess (sex goddesses ) N‑COUNT If you refer to a woman, especially a film star, as a sex goddess , you mean that many people consider her to be sexually attractive. [JOURNALISM ] □ The actress was at the height of her popularity as a sex goddess.
sex|ism /se ks I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Sexism is the belief that the members of one sex, usually women, are less intelligent or less capable than those of the other sex and need not be treated equally. It is also the behaviour which is the result of this belief. □ Groups like ours are committed to eradicating homophobia, racism and sexism.
sex|ist /se ks I st/ (sexists ) ADJ If you describe people or their behaviour as sexist , you mean that they are influenced by the belief that the members of one sex, usually women, are less intelligent or less capable than those of the other sex and need not be treated equally. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Old-fashioned sexist attitudes are still common. ● N‑COUNT A sexist is someone with sexist views or behaviour.
sex|less /se ksləs/ ADJ If you describe a person as sexless , you mean that they have no sexual feelings or that they are not sexually active. A sexless relationship does not involve sex. □ …a neurotic and sexless woman.
se x life (sex lives ) N‑COUNT [oft with poss] If you refer to someone's sex life , you are referring to their sexual relationships and sexual activity.
se x ob|ject (sex objects ) N‑COUNT If someone is described as a sex object , he or she is considered only in terms of their physical attractiveness and not their character or abilities. □ He cared for her as a whole person rather than just a sex object.
sex|olo|gist /seksɒ lədʒ I st/ (sexologists ) N‑COUNT A sexologist is a person who studies sexual relationships and gives advice or makes reports. □ …Alfred Kinsey, the pioneering sexologist.
sex|pot /se kspɒt/ (sexpots ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a sexpot , you mean that they are sexually very attractive. [INFORMAL ]
se x shop (sex shops ) N‑COUNT A sex shop is a shop that sells products associated with sex, for example magazines, videos, and special clothing or equipment.
se x sym|bol (sex symbols ) N‑COUNT A sex symbol is a famous person, especially an actor or a singer, who is considered by many people to be sexually attractive. □ …Hollywood sex symbols of the Forties.
sex|tant /se kstənt/ (sextants ) N‑COUNT A sextant is an instrument used for measuring angles, for example between the sun and the horizon, so that the position of a ship or aeroplane can be calculated.
sex|tet /se kste t/ (sextets )
1 N‑COUNT A sextet is a group of six musicians or singers who play or sing together. □ …the Paul Rogers Sextet.
2 N‑COUNT A sextet is a piece of music written for six performers.
sext|ing /se kst I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Sexting is the activity of using a mobile phone to send text messages that are about sex or to send sexual photographs. □ He was expelled from school for sexting.
se x toy (sex toys ) N‑COUNT A sex toy is an object that some people use to give sexual pleasure.
sex|ual ◆◆◇ /se kʃuəl/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Sexual feelings or activities are connected with the act of sex or with people's desire for sex. □ This was the first sexual relationship I had had. □ Men's sexual fantasies often have little to do with their sexual desire. ● sex|ual|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ …sexually transmitted diseases. □ How many kids in this school are sexually active?