1812
2
the meaning of words, phrases or systems (
ft ,
m) ftx
sema
phore /'semafo:(r)/
noun, verb mnoun [U] a system for
sending signals in which you hold your arms or two flags in particular positions
to represent different letters of the alphabet ft ft;
• verb [V, VN, V that] to
send a message to sb by semaphore or a similar system of signals frig ill; (
lift ft
semb lance /'semblans/ noun
[sing., U] ~ of sth {format) a situation in which sth seems to exist
although this may not, in fact, be the case ^ft; [gill;
The ceasefire brought about a semblance of peace.
o Life at last
returned to some
semblance of normality. seme /si:m/ noun = semanteme sem eme /'semi:m; BrE also 'si:m-/ noun {linguistics
if W) a unit of meaning carried by a morpheme
ft ft, XM ( i5]l^:tft#Lft )
—compare semanteme semen /‘siimen/ noun
[U] the whitish liquid containing sperm
that is produced by the sex organs of men and male animals
se-mes-ter /si'mesta(r)/ noun
(especially in the
the spring/fall semester # ft / $( ft ^ — see also
term n.(2) — compare trimester(2) semi /'semi/ noun {pi.
semis)
1
{BrE, informal) a semi-detached house
(= one that is joined to another house by one shared wall) ft <f& XA ft
X : suburban semis ^KWSi^ft? 2
(NAmE) = semi-trailer
3
= semi-final
semi- /‘semi/ prefix
(in adjectives and nouns ffl £ half; partly ft; §(5 jf: semicircular
ft III ft Eft 0 semi-final ft#i|f
,semi-'arid adj. {technical fti!) (of land or
climate Aft ^^f^) dry; with little rain ft ft A Eft semi-auto mat ic adj. (of a gun ft) able to
load bullets automatically, and therefore very quickly, but not firing
automatically fti zhtf) ► ,
semi-auto'mat-ic noun
semi-breve
/'semibriiv/
(BrE) {NAmE 'whole note) noun {music H) a note that lasts as
long as four crotchets/ QUARTER
NOTES — picture O MUSIC
semi-circle
/'semis3:kl; NAmE -S3:rkl/ noun 1 {geometry ft
fn]j one half of a circle ft@] — picture o circle
2 the line that forms the edge of a semicircle 4 l ili 3 a thing, or a group of people or things,
shaped like a semicircle ft ® ft: a semicircle of chairs figj^ft Pftift
Iff o We sat in a semicircle round the fire. 4% fil ftftE ft ft if, H —
ft ft ®] ft o ►
semi-cir-cu-lar /.semi- 'S3:kjala(r); NAmE
-'S3:rk-/ adj.:
a
semicircular driveway
xmm-m
semi-colon /.semi'kaolan; NAmE 'semikou-/ noun the mark (;) used to
separate the parts of a complicated sentence or items in a detailed list, showing
a pause that is longer than a comma but shorter than a full stop/period —
compare colon(I) semi con duct or /.semikan'dAkta(r)/ noun {technical ft if) 1 a solid substance
that conducts electricity in
particular conditions, better than insulators but not as well as conductors ftft 2 a device containing a
semiconductor used in electronics ftUftHS semi-de tached adj. (of a house ft X)
joined to another house by a wall on one side that is shared ft<ft XAlft ► .semi-de
tached noun (BrE) —picture
o page R23 —compare detached(I) —see also semi(1), terraced(I)
,semi-'final (also semi) noun one of the two games
or parts of a sports competition that are held to decide who will compete in
the last part (the final)
ft^ftlft He’s through to the semi-final of the men’s singles, ft B
j&AUXftfTftft^o ►,semi- finalist noun-. They are
semi-finalists for the fourth year in succession. JIL-ftd
semi-metal/'scmimetl/ noun
{BrE) = metalloid
sem inal /'seminl/ adj. 1 {format) very
important and having a strong influence on later developments ( ft WSftHftlft: aseminal
work/article/study W S ft ft ift l1 ft / X A /
2 [usually before noun] {technical
ft: if) of or containing SEMEN seminal
fluid 3|f|t
sem inar /'seminai(r)/ noun
1 a class at a
university or college when a small group of students and a teacher discuss or
study a particular topic ( A ft it ft ^ ^ ft ft ft ft IS ft i& ) W ft if : Teaching is by lectures and
seminars. Iftft ft ^ A il I*
Iff il iM 0 oa graduate seminar Uf X UF ft If o a seminar
room If ft ^ 2 a meeting for discussion or training #f ; if ill| ^: a
one-day management seminar ft$|—Al^lfSIf ft^- seminarian /.semi'nearian; NAmE -'ner-/ noun a student in a
seminary ftftl^ftX.; j^X sem-in-ary /'seminari; NAmE -neri/ noun {pi. -ies) a college where
priests, ministers or rabbis are
trained
im
Sem in ole /'seminaul; NAmE -ool/ noun {pi. Sem-in-ole
or
Sem-in-oles)
a
member of a Native American people, many of whom live in the
semi-ot-ics /.semi'ntiks; NAmE -'artiks/ noun [fJ] the study of
signs and symbols and of their meaning and use ► semi-ot-ic adj.: semiotic analysis
.semi-1
precious adj. [usually
before noun] (of a jewel ifc X) less
valuable than the most valuable types of jewels ftXX
,semi-pro
fessional adj. semi-professional
musicians or sports players are paid for what they do, but do not do it as
their main job ft5Rik&5 ( ft AIcbJcS/Ij
) ►
.semi-pro'fes-sion- al noun semi-quaver /'semikweiva(r)/ (BrE) {NAmE .sixteenth
note) noun {music ft)
a note that lasts half as long as a quaver/eighth
note hA5>ft# — picture o music
.semi-'skilled
adj. [usually
before noun] (of workers XA) having some special training or qualifications, but
less than skilled people ft ^ ^ : a semi-skilled machine
operator ft B A #1 fl M ft M;0
semi-skilled jobs (- for people who have some special
training) ftftftXft ,semi-'skimmed adj. {BrE) (of milk Wr) that has had a lot of
the fat removed ftls^J
Sem-ite
/'semait/
noun a
member of the peoples who speak Semitic languages, including Arabs and Jews |X]
ft#A( ft^WiffiA^iifJcAA
)
Semitic
/sa'mitik/
adj. 1
of or connected with the language group that includes Hebrew and Arabic |X[ ft
ixiftw () 2 of
or connected with the
people who speak Semitic languages, especially Hebrew and Arabic |X]ft#A ( ft
) ift;
semi-tone /'semitaon; NAmE -toon/ (BrE) {NAmE 'half
step, 'half-tone) noun {music ft) half a tone on a musical scale,
for example the interval between
C and C# or between E and F ft ft — compare step
/?.(10) 'semi-trailer noun {NAmE) a trailer that has wheels at the back and
is supported at the front by the vehicle that is pulling it ft ft ft; X ft ft .semi-tropical adj. = subtropical semi-vowel /'semivaual/^ noun {phonetics iftft) a speech sound
that sounds like a vowel but functions as a consonant, for example /w/ and /j/
in the English words wet and yet ftftft
semo lina /.sema'liina/ noun [U] 1 large hard grains of wheat used when crushed for making pasta and sweet dishes )
2 a sweet dish made from semolina and milk,
eaten for dessert in
sem-tex /'semteks/ noun [U] a powerful explosive that is used for making
bombs, often illegally Hit ft MKft
m()
Sen*
abbr. senator M : Sen. John K Nordqvist j
a *K.