song|ster /sɒ ŋstə r , [AM ] sɔː ŋ-/ (songsters ) N‑COUNT Journalists sometimes refer to a popular singer, especially a male singer, as a songster .
song|stress /sɒ ŋstrəs, [AM ] sɔː ŋ-/ (songstresses ) N‑COUNT Journalists sometimes refer to a female popular singer as a songstress .
song|writer /sɒ ŋra I tə r , [AM ] sɔː ŋ-/ (songwriters )
1 N‑COUNT A songwriter is someone who writes the words or the music, or both, for popular songs. □ …one of rock'n'roll's greatest songwriters.
2 → see also singer-songwriter
son|ic /sɒ n I k/ ADJ [ADJ n] Sonic is used to describe things related to sound. [TECHNICAL ] □ He activated the door with the miniature sonic transmitter.
so n-in-law (sons-in-law ) N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] Someone's son-in-law is the husband of one of their children.
son|net /sɒ n I t/ (sonnets ) N‑COUNT A sonnet is a poem that has 14 lines. Each line has 10 syllables, and the poem has a fixed pattern of rhymes.
son|ny /sʌ ni/ N‑COUNT Some people address a boy or young man as sonny . [INFORMAL ] □ Well, sonny, I'll give you a bit of advice.
so n of a bi tch (sons of bitches ) also son-of-a-bitch N‑COUNT If someone is very angry with another person, or if they want to insult them, they sometimes call them a son of a bitch . [INFORMAL , OFFENSIVE , DISAPPROVAL ]
so|nor|ity /sənɒ r I ti, [AM ] -nɔː r-/ (sonorities ) N‑UNCOUNT The sonority of a sound is its deep, rich quality. [FORMAL ] □ The lower strings contribute a splendid richness of sonority.
so|no|rous /sɒ nərəs, [AM ] sənɔː rəs/ ADJ A sonorous sound is deep and rich. [LITERARY ] □ 'Doctor McKee?' the man called in an even, sonorous voice.
soon ◆◆◆ /suː n/ (sooner , soonest )
1 ADV [ADV with v] If something is going to happen soon , it will happen after a short time. If something happened soon after a particular time or event, it happened a short time after it. □ You'll be hearing from us very soon. □ This chance has come sooner than I expected. □ The plane was returning to the airport soon after takeoff when it burst into flames. □ Soon afterwards he left his job.
2 PHRASE If you say that something happens as soon as something else happens, you mean that it happens immediately after the other thing. □ As soon as relations improve they will be allowed to go. □ You'll never guess what happened as soon as I left my room.
3 PHRASE If you say that you would just as soon do something or you 'd just as soon do it, you mean that you would prefer to do it. □ They'd just as soon I didn't know the truth. □ I'd just as soon not have to make this public. □ I'd just as soon you put that thing away. □ She'd just as soon throw your plate in your face as serve you.
soon|er /suː nə r /
1 Sooner is the comparative of soon .
2 PHRASE You say the sooner the better when you think something should be done as soon as possible. □ The kidnapper is a man we must catch and the sooner the better.
3 PHRASE If you say that something will happen sooner or later , you mean that it will happen at some time in the future, even though it might take a long time. □ Sooner or later she would be caught by the police.
4 PHRASE If you say that no sooner has one thing happened than another thing happens, you mean that the second thing happens immediately after the first thing. □ No sooner had he arrived in Rome than he was kidnapped.
5 PHRASE If you say that you would sooner do something or you 'd sooner do it, you mean that you would prefer to do it. □ Ford vowed that he would sooner burn his factory to the ground than build a single vehicle for war purposes. □ I'd sooner not talk about it. □ I'd sooner he didn't know till I've talked to Pete. □ I would sooner give up sleep than miss my evening class. □ [MODAL not ] I'd sooner not, if you don't mind.
soot /sʊ t/ N‑UNCOUNT Soot is black powder which rises in the smoke from a fire and collects on the inside of chimneys. □ … a wall blackened by soot.
soothe /suː ð/ (soothes , soothing , soothed )
1 VERB If you soothe someone who is angry or upset, you make them feel calmer. □ [V n] He would take her in his arms and soothe her. □ [V n] It did not take long for the central bank to soothe investors' fears. ● sooth|ing ADJ □ Put on some nice soothing music.
2 VERB Something that soothes a part of your body where there is pain or discomfort makes the pain or discomfort less severe. □ [V n] …body lotion to soothe dry skin. ● sooth|ing ADJ □ Cold tea is very soothing for burns.
sooth|say|er /suː θse I ə r / (soothsayers ) N‑COUNT In former times, soothsayers were people who believed they could see into the future and say what was going to happen.
sooty /sʊ ti/ ADJ Something that is sooty is covered with soot. □ Their uniforms are torn and sooty.
sop /sɒ p/ (sops ) N‑COUNT You describe something as a sop to a person when they are offered something small or unimportant in order to prevent them from getting angry or causing trouble. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ to ] This is an obvious sop to the large Irish-American audience.
so|phis|ti|cate /səf I st I ke I t/ (sophisticates ) N‑COUNT A sophisticate is someone who knows about culture, fashion, and other matters that are considered socially important.