1 N‑VAR The size of something is how big or small it is. Something's size is determined by comparing it to other things, counting it, or measuring it. □ [+ of ] Scientists have found the bones of a hoofed grazing animal about the size of a small horse. □ [+ of ] In 1970 the average size of a French farm was 19 hectares. □ …shelves containing books of various sizes.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The size of something is the fact that it is very large. □ [+ of ] He knows the size of the task. □ Jack walked around the hotel and was mesmerized by its sheer size.
3 N‑COUNT A size is one of a series of graded measurements, especially for things such as clothes or shoes. □ My sister is the same height but only a size 12. □ I tried them on and they were the right size.
▸ size up PHRASAL VERB If you size up a person or situation, you carefully look at the person or think about the situation, so that you can decide how to act. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] Some U.S. manufacturers have been sizing up the U.K. as a possible market for their clothes. □ [V n P ] He spent the evening sizing me up intellectually.
-size /-sa I z/ or -sized
1 COMB You can use -size or -sized in combination with nouns to form adjectives which indicate that something is the same size as something else. □ …golfball-sized lumps of coarse black rock.
2 COMB You can use -size or -sized in combination with adjectives to form adjectives which describe the size of something. □ …full-size gymnasiums. □ …a medium-sized college.
3 COMB You can use -size or -sized in combination with nouns to form adjectives which indicate that something is big enough or small enough to be suitable for a particular job or purpose. □ …a small passport-size photograph. □ …a child-sized knife.
size|able /sa I zəb ə l/ also sizable ADJ [usu ADJ n] Sizeable means fairly large. □ Harry inherited the house and a sizeable chunk of land.
-sized /-sa I zd/ → see -size
siz|zle /s I z ə l/ (sizzles , sizzling , sizzled ) VERB If something such as hot oil or fat sizzles , it makes hissing sounds. □ [V ] The sausages and burgers sizzled on the barbecue. □ [V -ing] …a frying pan of sizzling oil.
skate /ske I t/ (skates , skating , skated )
1 N‑COUNT Skates are ice-skates.
2 N‑COUNT Skates are roller-skates.
3 VERB If you skate , you move about wearing ice-skates or roller-skates. □ [V ] I actually skated, and despite some teetering I did not fall on the ice. □ [V adv/prep] Dan skated up to him. [Also V n] ● skat|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ They all went skating together in the winter. ● skat|er (skaters ) N‑COUNT □ West Lake, an outdoor ice-skating rink, attracts skaters during the day and night.
4 N‑COUNT A skate is a kind of flat sea fish. □ Boats had plenty of mackerel and a few skate. ● N‑UNCOUNT Skate is this fish eaten as food.
5 VERB If you skate over or round a difficult subject, you avoid discussing it. □ [V + over ] Scientists have tended to skate over the difficulties of explaining dreams. □ [V + round/around ] When pressed, he skates around the subject of those women who he met as a 19-year-old.
skate|board /ske I tbɔː r d/ (skateboards ) N‑COUNT A skateboard is a narrow board with wheels at each end, which people stand on and ride for pleasure.
skate|board|er /ske I tbɔː r də r / (skateboarders ) N‑COUNT A skateboarder is someone who rides on a skateboard.
skate|board|ing /ske I tbɔː r d I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Skateboarding is the activity of riding on a skateboard.
skate|park /ske I tpɑː r k/ (skateparks ) N‑COUNT A skatepark is an area that is designed for people to practise skateboarding.
ska t|ing rink (skating rinks ) N‑COUNT A skating rink is the same as a rink .
skein /ske I n/ (skeins ) N‑COUNT A skein is a length of thread, especially wool or silk, wound loosely round on itself. □ [+ of ] …a skein of wool.
skel|etal /ske l I t ə l/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Skeletal means relating to the bones in your body. □ …the skeletal remains of seven adults. □ …the skeletal system.
2 ADJ A skeletal person is so thin that you can see their bones through their skin. □ …a hospital filled with skeletal children.
3 ADJ Something that is skeletal has been reduced to its basic structure. □ Passenger services can best be described as skeletal.
skel|eton /ske l I t ə n/ (skeletons )
1 N‑COUNT Your skeleton is the framework of bones in your body. □ …a human skeleton.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A skeleton staff is the smallest number of staff necessary in order to run an organization or service. □ Only a skeleton staff remains to show anyone interested around the site.
3 N‑COUNT The skeleton of something such as a building or a plan is its basic framework. □ [+ of ] Only skeletons of buildings remained.
4 PHRASE If you say that someone has a skeleton in the closet , or in British English a skeleton in the cupboard , you mean that they are keeping secret a bad or embarrassing fact about themselves. □ On accepting the job, Maya assured her employers that she had no skeletons in the cupboard.