[shrift] See: SHORT SHRIFT.

[shrink] See: HEAD SHRINKER.

[shrug off] or [shrug away] {v.} To act as if you are notinterested and do not care about something; not mind; not let yourself bebothered or hurt by. •/Alan shrugged off our questions; he would not tell uswhat had happened./ •/Muriel shrugged away every attempt to comfort her./•/The ballplayer shrugged off the booing of the fans./ •/Jim cut his handbut he tied a cloth around it and shrugged it away./

[shudder to think]{v. phr.} To be afraid; hate to think aboutsomething. •/The professor is so strict I shudder to think what his finalexam questions will be like./

[shut] See: KEEP ONE’S MOUTH SHUT, PUT UP or SHUT UP, CLOSE ONE’S EYES.

[shut down] See: CLOSE DOWN.

[shut-eye]{n.}, {slang} Sleep. •/It’s very late. We’d better getsome shut-eye./ •/I’m going to get some shut-eye before the game./Compare: FORTY WINKS.

[shut off]{v.} 1. To make (something like water or electricity) stopcoming. •/Please shut off the hose before the grass gets too wet./ Compare:TURN OFF. 2. To be apart; be separated from; also to separate from. •/Ourcamp is so far from the highway we feel shut off from the world when we arethere./ •/The sow is so bad tempered we had to shut it off from itspiglets./

[shut one’s eyes] See: CLOSE ONE’S EYES.

[shut out]{v.} 1. To prevent from coming in; block. •/During WorldWar II, Malta managed to shut out most of the Italian and German bombers bythrowing up an effective anti-aircraft screen./ •/The boys were annoyed byTom’s telling club secrets and shut him out of their meeting./ 2. To prevent(an opposing team) from scoring throughout an entire game. •/The Dodgers shutout the Reds, 5-0./

[shut the door] See: CLOSE THE DOOR.

[shut up]{v.} 1. {informal} To stop talking. •/Little Ruthietold Father about his birthday surprise before Mother could shut her up./ — Often used as a command; usually considered rude. •/Shut up and let Joe saysomething./ •/If you’ll shut up for a minute, I’ll tell you our plan./Syn.: BUTTON YOUR LIP, DRY UP(3), KEEP ONE’S MOUTH SHUT. 2. To close the doorsand windows of. •/We got the house shut up only minutes before the stormhit./ 3. To close and lock for a definite period of time. •/The Smithsalways spend Labor Day shutting up their summer home for the year./ •/Wegot to the store only to find that the owner had shut up shop for theweekend./ 4. To confine. •/That dog bites. It should be shut up./•/John has been shut up with a cold all week./

[shy] See: ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY and BURNT CHILD DREADS THE FIRE.

[shy away] or [shy off] {v.} To avoid; seem frightened or nervous.•/The boys shied away from our questions./ •/The horse shied off whenJohnny tried to mount it./

[sick] See: TAKE ILL or TAKE SICK.

[sick and tired]{adj.} 1. Feeling strong dislike for somethingrepeated or continued too long; exasperated; annoyed. •/Jane was sick andtired of always having to wait for Bill, so when he didn’t arrive on time sheleft without him./ •/John is sick and tired of having his studiesinterrupted./ •/I’ve been studying all day, and I’m sick and tired ofit./ Compare: FED UP.

[side] See: CHOOSE UP SIDES, FROM SIDE TO SIDE, GET UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OFTHE BED, GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE or GRASS ISALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HILL, LAUGH ON THE WRONG SIDE OF ONE’SMOUTH, ON ONE’S BAD SIDE, ON ONE’S GOOD SIDE, ON THE SIDE, SUNNY-SIDE UP, TAKESIDES, THORN IN THE FLESH or THORN IN THE SIDE.

[side against]{v.} To join or be on the side that is against; disagreewith; oppose. •/Bill and Joe sided against me in the argument./ •/Wesided against the plan to go by plane./ Contrast: SIDE WITH.

[side by side]{adv.} 1. One beside the other in a row. •/Alice’sdolls were lined up side by side on the window seat./ •/Charles and Johnare neighbors; they live side by side on Elm Street./ Compare: SHOULDER TOSHOULDER. 2. Close together. •/The two boys played side by side allafternoon./

[sidekick]{n.} A companion; a close friend of lesser status.•/Wherever you see Dr. Howell, Dr. Percy, his youthful sidekick is sure to bepresent as well./

[side of the tracks] See: THE TRACKS.

[side street]{n.} A street that runs into and ends at a main street.•/The store is on a side street just off Main Street./ •/The Spellmansbought a house on a side street that runs off Broad Street./ Compare: BACKSTREET, CROSS STREET.

[side with]{v.} To agree with; help. •/Alan always sides with Johnnyin an argument./ •/Gerald sided with the plan to move the club./Contrast: SIDE AGAINST.

[sight] See: AT FIRST GLANCE or AT FIRST SIGHT, AT SIGHT or ON SIGHT, CATCHSIGHT OF, HEAVE IN SIGHT, LOSE SIGHT OF, ON SIGHT, SET ONE’S SIGHTS.

[sight for sore eyes]{n. phr.}, {informal} A welcome sight.•/After our long, dusty hike, the pond was a sight for sore eyes./•/"Jack! You’re a sight for sore eyes!"/

[sight-read]{v.} To be able to play music without memorization byreading the sheet music and immediately playing it. •/Experienced, goodmusicians are expected to be able to sight-read./

[sight unseen]{adv. phr.} Before seeing it; before seeing her, him, orthem. •/Tom read an ad about a car and sent the money for it sight unseen./

[sign] See: HIGH SIGN, INDIAN SIGN, ROAD SIGN.

[sign in]{v.} To write your name on a special list or in a record bookto show that you are present. •/Every worker must sign in when coming back towork./ •/Teachers go to the office and sign in each morning before going totheir classrooms./ Contrast SIGN OUT.

[sign off]{v.} 1. To end a program on radio or television. •/That TVnewscaster always signs off by saluting./ 2. To stop broadcasting for theday. •/That TV station always signs off after the late movie./

[sign of the times]{n. phr.} A characteristic of the times in whichone lives. •/It is a sad sign of the times that all the major lakes andrivers are badly polluted and fish in them are poisoned./

[sign on]{v. phr.} 1. To sign an agreement to become an employee.•/The new cowboys signed on with the wealthy rancher in Nevada./ 2. Tostart a radio or television broadcast. •/Station WLAK signs on every morningat 6 A.M./ Contrast: SIGN OFF.

[sign one’s own death warrant]{v. phr.} To cause your own death or theloss of something you want very much. •/Mr. Carter had lung trouble, and thedoctor told him he would sign his own death warrant if he didn’t stopsmoking./ •/When Jim’s fiancee saw him on a date with another girl, hesigned his own death warrant./

[sign on the dotted line]{v. phr.} To attach one’s signature on animportant document, such as a contract, a bill of sales, etc. •/The sellersaid to the buyer, "All you need to do is sign on the dotted line."/

[sign out]{v.} To write your name on a special list or in a recordbook to show that you are leaving a place. •/Most of the students sign out onFriday./ Contrast SIGN IN.

[sign over]{v.} To give legally by signing your name. •/He signedhis house over to his wife./