[second] See: PLAY SECOND PIDDLE, SPLIT SECOND.

[second best]{n.} Something that is lower than or not quite as good asthe best. •/Tom liked the deluxe model bicycle; but he could afford only asecond best./ •/Joan chose the best and Mary had to take the secondbest./ •/There were ten boys in the race. Jack won and Fred was a closesecond best./ Compare: RUNNER UP.

[second best]{adv.} Second; in second place. •/The team came offsecond best in the game./

[second-best]{adj.} Next to best; second in rank. •/Mary wore hersecond-best dress./ •/Bob was the second-best player on the team./ •/"Iam the second-best student in this school because I was second best in theMilwaukee competition."/

[second childhood]{n. phr.} Senility; dotage. •/"Grandpa is in hissecond childhood; we must make allowances for him at the dinner table," mymother said, as Grandpa dropped food all over the place./

[second class]{n.} 1. The second best or highest group; the class nextafter the first. •/Joe was good enough in arithmetic to be put in the secondclass but was not good enough for the first./ Compare: FIRST CLASS. 2. Theplace or quarters, especially on a ship, train, or airplane which people travelwho pay the next to the highest fare. •/Aunt May bought a ticket to travel inthe second class on the boat trip./ Compare: FIRST CLASS, THIRD CLASS. 3. Aclass of mail that includes magazines and newspapers published at least fourtimes a year and costs less for mailing than first class mail. Compare: FIRSTCLASS.

[second-class(1)]{adj.} 1. Belonging in the class that is next to thehighest or next best. •/He was only a second-class math student./ •/Hisparents traveled as second-class passengers on the boat./ •/The periodicalcame as second-class mail./ Compare: FIRST-CLASS, THIRD-CLASS. 2. Not so goodas others; second-rate. •/They were never given full democratic rights butwere always treated as second-class citizens./

[second-class(2)]{adv.} By second class. •/We went second-class onthe train to New York./ •/I mailed the newspaper second-class./

[second cousin]{n.} A child of your father’s or mother’s first cousin.•/Mary and Jane are second cousins./

[second-guess]{v. phr.} 1. To criticize another’s decision withadvantage of hindsight. •/The losing team’s coach is alwayssecond-guessed./ 2. To guess what someone else intends or would think or do.•/Television planners try to second-guess the public./

[secondhand]{adj.} Used; not new; preowned. •/Sometimes a secondhandcar is just as reliable as a brand new one./

[second nature]{n.} Something done without any special effort, as ifby natural instinct. •/Cutting tall trees has become second nature to theexperienced lumberjack./

[second-rate]{adj.} Of mediocre or inferior quality. •/The moviereceived a bad review; it was second-rate at best./

[second-run]{adj.} Of a movie: Shown in many movie theaters before,and allowed to be shown later in other movie theaters. •/Tickets tosecond-run movies cost much less./

[second sight]{n. phr.} Intuition; prescience; clairvoyance. •/Somepolice departments employ psychics to find missing persons or objects as theyare said to have second sight./

[second thought]{n.} A change of ideas or opinions resulting from morethought or study. •/Your second thoughts are very often wiser than your firstideas./ •/We decided to climb the mountain, but on second thought realizedthat it was too dangerous./ Compare: THINK BETTER OF.

[second to none]{adj. phr.} Excellent; first rate; peerless. •/Ournew State University campus is second to none. There is no need to pay all thathigh tuition at a private college./

[second wind] also [second breath] {n.} 1. The easier breathingthat follows difficult breathing when one makes a severe physical effort, as inrunning or swimming./ •/After the first quarter mile, a mile runner usuallygets his second wind and can breathe better./ •/We climbed with laboredbreathing for half an hour, but then got our second wind and went up moreeasily./ 2. {informal} The refreshed feeling you get after first becomingtired while doing something and then becoming used to it. •/Tom became verytired of working at his algebra, but after a while he got his second wind andbegan to enjoy it./

[secret] See: IN SECRET, OPEN SECRET.

[section gang] or [section crew] {n.} A group of railroad workerswho watch and repair a number of miles of track. •/The section crew wascalled out to fix the broken bridge./

[section hand]{n.} A worker who repairs railway track; one of the menin a section gang. •/The section hands moved off the track while the trainwent by./

[security blanket]{n.}, {slang}, {colloquial} An idea, person,or object that one holds on to for psychological reassurance or comfort asinfants usually hang on to the edge of a pillow, a towel, or a blanket. •/Suehas gone to Aunt Mathilda for a chat; she is her security blanket./

[see] See: CAN’T SEE THE WOODS FOR THE TREES, LET ME SEE or LET’S SEE.

[see a lot of]{v. phr.} To go out regularly with someone; have anaffair with someone. •/They have been seeing a lot of each other lately./

[see about]{v.} 1. To find out about; attend to. •/If you are toobusy, I’ll see about the train tickets./ 2. {informal} To consider;study. •/I cannot take time now but I’ll see about your plan when I havetime./ Compare: SEE TO, LOOK INTO, THINK OVER.

[see after] See: LOOK AFTER.

[see better days]{v. phr.} 1. To enjoy a better or happier life.•/Mr. Smith is poor now, but he will see better days./ 2. To become old,damaged, or useless. Used in the perfect tense. •/Mv blue coat is ten yearsold. It has seen better days./ •/Our car wasn’t old, but it had seen betterdays./

[see beyond one’s nose] or [see beyond the end of one’s nose] {v.phr.} To make wise judgments about questions of importance to yourself andothers; act with farseeing understanding. Used in negative, conditional, andinterrogative sentences. •/He couldn’t save money or make plans for thefuture; he just never saw beyond the end of his nose./ •/People who alwayscomplain about school taxes would stop it if they could see beyond their nosesand understand the importance of first-class schools./

[seed] See: GO TO SEED or RUN TO SEED.

[see daylight]{v. phr.}, {informal} To know that an end or successis near. •/We thought we would never finish building the house, but now wecan see daylight./ •/Sarah thought it would take forever to read the bookfor her report, but finally she saw daylight./

[see eye to eye]{v. phr.} To agree fully; hold exactly the sameopinion. •/Though we did not usually agree, we saw eye to eye in the matterof reducing taxes./ •/Jim did not see eye to eye with Sally on where theywould go for their vacation./

[see fit] or [think fit] {v. phr.} To decide that an action isnecessary, wise, or advisable; choose. •/Jim asked "Dad, what time should Icome home after the dance?" His father answered, "You way do as you seefit."/ — Often used with an infinitive. •/After much thought, we did notsee fit to join the Smiths on their Caribbean cruise./ •/The boys wereangry because Ed thought fit to report the fight to the principal./