2 N‑COUNT A shire or shire horse is a large heavy horse used for pulling loads. [BRIT ]
shirk /ʃɜː r k/ (shirks , shirking , shirked ) VERB [usu with neg] If someone does not shirk their responsibility or duty, they do what they have a responsibility to do. □ [V n] We in the Congress can't shirk our responsibility. □ [V + from ] The Government will not shirk from considering the need for further action. [Also V ]
shirt ◆◇◇ /ʃɜː r t/ (shirts )
1 N‑COUNT A shirt is a piece of clothing that you wear on the upper part of your body. Shirts have a collar, sleeves, and buttons down the front.
2 → see also dress shirt , stuffed shirt , sweatshirt , T-shirt
-shirted /-ʃɜː r t I d/ COMB -shirted is used to form adjectives which indicate what colour or type of shirt someone is wearing. □ …white-shirted men.
shirt|sleeve /ʃɜː r tsliːv/ (shirtsleeves ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Shirtsleeves are the sleeves of a shirt. If a man is in shirtsleeves or in his shirtsleeves , he is wearing a shirt but not a jacket. □ He rolled up his shirtsleeves.
shi rt-tail (shirt-tails ) also shirttail N‑COUNT Shirt-tails are the long parts of a shirt below the waist. □ He wore sandals and old jeans and his shirt-tails weren't tucked in.
shirty /ʃɜː r ti/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone gets shirty , they behave in a bad-tempered and rude way because they are annoyed about something. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ with ] He got quite shirty with me.
shit /ʃ I t/ (shits , shitting , shat )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Some people use shit to refer to solid waste matter from the body of a human being or animal. [INFORMAL , RUDE ]
2 VERB To shit means to get rid of solid waste matter from the body. [INFORMAL , RUDE ]
3 N‑SING To have a shit means to get rid of solid waste matter from the body. [INFORMAL , RUDE ]
4 N‑PLURAL If someone has the shits , liquid waste matter keeps coming out of their body because they are ill or afraid. [INFORMAL , RUDE ]
5 N‑UNCOUNT People sometimes refer to things that they do not like as shit . [INFORMAL , RUDE , DISAPPROVAL ] □ This is a load of shit.
6 N‑COUNT People sometimes insult someone they do not like by referring to them as a shit . [INFORMAL , RUDE , DISAPPROVAL ]
7 EXCLAM Shit is used to express anger, impatience, or disgust. [INFORMAL , RUDE ]
8 PHRASE To beat or kick the shit out of someone means to beat or kick them so violently that they are badly injured. [INFORMAL , RUDE , EMPHASIS ]
9 PHRASE If someone says that the shit hit the fan , they mean that there was suddenly a lot of trouble or angry arguments. [INFORMAL , RUDE ]
10 PHRASE If someone says that they do not give a shit about something, they mean that they do not care about it at all. [INFORMAL , RUDE , FEELINGS ]
shite /ʃa I t/ ADJ If someone describes something as shite , they do not like it or think that it is very poor quality. [BRIT , INFORMAL , RUDE , DISAPPROVAL ]
shit|less /ʃ I tləs/ ADV [adj ADV ] If someone says that they are scared shitless or bored shitless , they are emphasizing that they are extremely scared or bored. [INFORMAL , RUDE , EMPHASIS ]
shit|ty /ʃ I ti/ (shittier , shittiest ) ADJ If someone describes something as shitty , they do not like it or think that it is of poor quality. [INFORMAL , RUDE , DISAPPROVAL ]
shiv|er /ʃ I və r / (shivers , shivering , shivered ) VERB When you shiver , your body shakes slightly because you are cold or frightened. □ [V ] He shivered in the cold. □ [V + with ] I was sitting on the floor shivering with fear. ● N‑COUNT Shiver is also a noun. □ The emptiness here sent shivers down my spine.
shiv|ery /ʃ I vəri/ ADJ If you are shivery , you cannot stop shivering because you feel cold, frightened, or ill. □ She felt shivery and a little sick.
shoal /ʃoʊ l/ (shoals ) N‑COUNT A shoal of fish is a large group of them swimming together. □ [+ of ] Among them swam shoals of fish. □ …tuna shoals.
shock ◆◆◇ /ʃɒ k/ (shocks , shocking , shocked )
1 N‑COUNT If you have a shock , something suddenly happens which is unpleasant, upsetting, or very surprising. □ The extent of the violence came as a shock. □ [+ of ] He has never recovered from the shock of your brother's death.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Shock is a person's emotional and physical condition when something very frightening or upsetting has happened to them. □ She's still in a state of shock.
3 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] If someone is in shock , they are suffering from a serious physical condition in which their blood is not flowing round their body properly, for example because they have had a bad injury. □ They escaped the blaze but were rushed to hospital suffering from shock.
4 VERB If something shocks you, it makes you feel very upset, because it involves death or suffering and because you had not expected it. □ [V n] After forty years in the police force nothing much shocks me. ● shocked ADJ □ This was a nasty attack and the woman is still very shocked.
5 VERB If someone or something shocks you, it upsets or offends you because you think it is rude or morally wrong. □ [V n] You can't shock me. □ [be V -ed] They were easily shocked in those days. □ [V ] We were always trying to be creative and to shock. ● shocked ADJ □ Don't look so shocked.