4 N‑COUNT In the arts, a particular style is characteristic of a particular period or group of people. □ …six scenes in the style of a classical Greek tragedy. □ …a mixture of musical styles.
5 VERB [usu passive] If something such as a piece of clothing, a vehicle, or someone's hair is styled in a particular way, it is designed or shaped in that way. □ [be V -ed] His thick blond hair had just been styled before his trip.
6 → see also old-style , self-styled , styling
7 to cramp someone's style → see cramp
-style /-sta I l/
1 COMB [usu ADJ n] -style combines with nouns and adjectives to form adjectives which describe the style or characteristics of something. □ …the development of a Western-style political system. □ …a hearty country-style dinner.
2 COMB [ADV after v] -style combines with adjectives and nouns to form adverbs which describe how something is done. □ Guests have been asked to dress 1920s-style.
styl|ing /sta I l I ŋ/
1 N‑UNCOUNT The styling of an object is the design and appearance of it. □ The car neatly blends classic styling into a smooth modern package.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] The styling of someone's hair is the way in which it is cut and arranged. □ …shampoos and styling products.
3 → see also style
styl|ised /sta I la I zd/ → see stylized
styl|ish /sta I l I ʃ/ ADJ Someone or something that is stylish is smart, elegant, and fashionable. □ …a very attractive and very stylish woman of 27. □ …a varied choice of stylish designs. ● styl|ish|ly ADV □ …stylishly dressed middle-aged women.
styl|ist /sta I l I st/ (stylists )
1 N‑COUNT A stylist is a person whose job is to cut and arrange people's hair. □ Choose a stylist recommended by someone whose hair you like.
2 N‑COUNT A stylist is someone whose job is to create the style of something such as an advertisement or the image of people such as pop singers. □ She is now a writer and fashion stylist.
sty|lis|tic /sta I l I st I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Stylistic describes things relating to the methods and techniques used in creating a piece of writing, music, or art. □ There are some stylistic elements in the statue that just don't make sense.
styl|ized /sta I la I zd/ in BRIT, also use stylised ADJ Something that is stylized is shown or done in a way that is not natural in order to create an artistic effect. □ Some of it has to do with recent stage musicals, which have been very, very stylised.
sty|lus /sta I ləs/ (styluses )
1 N‑COUNT The stylus on a record player is the small needle that picks up the sound signals on the records.
2 N‑COUNT A stylus is a device like a pen with which you can input written text or drawing directly into a computer. [COMPUTING ] □ It has a stylus-operated on-screen keyboard that takes great skill to master.
sty|mie /sta I mi/ (stymies , stymieing , stymied ) VERB [usu passive] If you are stymied by something, you find it very difficult to take action or to continue what you are doing. [INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] Companies have been stymied by the length of time it takes to reach an agreement.
styro|foam /sta I ə rəfoʊm/ N‑UNCOUNT Styrofoam is a very light, plastic substance, used especially to make containers. [AM ] in BRIT, use polystyrene
suave /swɑː v/ (suaver , suavest ) ADJ Someone who is suave is charming, polite, and elegant, but may be insincere. □ He is a suave, cool and cultured man. ● suave|ly ADV □ …the skills needed to deal suavely with a company's senior managers.
sub /sʌ b/ (subs )
1 N‑COUNT In team games such as football, a sub is a player who is brought into a match to replace another player. [INFORMAL ] □ We had a few injuries and had to use youth team kids as subs.
2 N‑COUNT A sub is the same as a submarine . [INFORMAL ]
3 N‑PLURAL A fixed amount of money that you pay regularly in order to be a member of a club or society is called your subs . [BRIT , OLD-FASHIONED ] □ Subs will be raised as from next year.
PREFIX sub-
forms nouns that refer to things that are part of a larger thing. For example, a subculture is the culture of a group of people within a society.
sub|al|tern /sʌ b ə ltə r n/ (subalterns ) N‑COUNT A subaltern is an officer of middle rank in the British army. [BRIT ]
sub|atom|ic /sʌ bətɒ m I k/ ADJ [ADJ n] A subatomic particle is a particle which is part of an atom, for example an electron, a proton, or a neutron. [TECHNICAL ]
sub|com|mit|tee /sʌ bkəm I ti/ (subcommittees ) also sub-committee N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] A subcommittee is a small committee made up of members of a larger committee.
sub|con|scious /sʌ bkɒ nʃəs/
1 N‑SING Your subconscious is the part of your mind that can influence you or affect your behaviour even though you are not aware of it. □ …the hidden power of the subconscious. □ The memory of it all was locked deep in my subconscious.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A subconscious feeling or action exists in or is influenced by your subconscious. □ He caught her arm in a subconscious attempt to detain her. □ …a subconscious cry for affection. ● sub|con|scious|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Subconsciously I had known that I would not be in personal danger.