| suttee |
an old Hindu custom, now banned in India, in which a widow would allow herself to be cremated alive upon her husband's funeral pyre. |
| suture |
the act or process of surgically joining or sewing together the edges of a wound, incision, or the like. [5 definitions] |
| SUV |
abbreviation of "sport-utility vehicle," a passenger vehicle that combines the seating capacity of a large car or van with the power of a truck. |
| Suva |
the capital of Fiji. |
| suzerain |
a ruler or state that exercises authority over the international affairs of another state. [2 definitions] |
| suzerainty |
the position of, or area controlled by, a suzerain. |
| svelte |
gracefully slim or slender. |
| Svengali |
one who exerts a mysterious controlling influence on another person or persons, usu. for self-serving or malevolent purposes. |
| SW |
abbreviation of "southwest." |
| swab |
a small piece of absorbent material, such as cotton, that is often attached to an applicator stick and is used for medicinal applications or cleansing. [6 definitions] |
| swabber |
one that swabs, esp. in cleaning. [2 definitions] |
| swaddle |
to wrap (an infant) tightly in cloths or blankets. [3 definitions] |
| swaddling bands |
see "swaddling clothes." |
| swaddling clothes |
strips of cloth or garments wrapped around a baby or infant, esp. for restraint. [2 definitions] |
| swag |
a decorative curtain or other hanging, usu. draped in a curve from one point to another. [4 definitions] |
| swage |
a tool used to bend and shape cold metal. [4 definitions] |
| swage block |
see "swage." |
| swagger |
to walk or move in a proud or arrogant manner; strut. [5 definitions] |
| swagger stick |
a short stick or cane sometimes carried by military officers. |
| Swahili |
an African language with some Arabic roots that is used in east Africa and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [2 definitions] |
| swale |
a piece of land lower and usu. marshier and damper than surrounding areas. |