A to Z Idioms

The Spectrum of 'S' Idioms: From Simple to Sophisticated

1. Saddled with Debt: Burdened by a lot of debt.

   • "After buying his new house, he was saddled with debt."

2. Safe and Sound: Unharmed and in good condition.

   • "The kids arrived home safe and sound after the school trip."

3. Salt Away: To save money as a precaution.

   • "He's been salting away funds for his retirement."

4. Saved By The Bell: Rescued from a difficult situation at the last moment.

   • "He was about to fail the test, but was saved by the bell when the fire alarm went off."

5. Scapegoat: Someone who is unfairly blamed for something.

   • "She became the scapegoat for the team's failure."

6. Scaredy-cat: Someone easily scared.

   • "Don't be such a scaredy-cat, it's just a harmless spider."

7. Scot-free: To escape punishment or consequences.

   • "Despite the accusations, he got off scot-free."

8. Sealed Orders: Secret instructions given to a person in authority.

   • "The agent received sealed orders for his next mission."

9. Seasoned Food: Food flavored with herbs or spices.

   • "The chef's specialty is well-seasoned food that delights all."

10. Seasoned Timber: Wood that has been dried thoroughly.

    • "Seasoned timber is essential for quality furniture making."

11. Second Fiddle: To have a secondary and less important role.

    • "He didn't like playing second fiddle in the partnership."

12. Second Nature: A habit or skill that feels effortless.

    • "Playing the piano is second nature to her now."

13. Second Sight: The supposed ability to see future events or beyond normal sensory contact.

    • "Some believe she has second sight and can predict the future."

14. Second Thoughts: Doubts about a decision already made.

    • "He's having second thoughts about selling his old house."

15. See Into Something: To investigate or examine.

    • "The committee will see into the allegations made against the CEO."

16. See Someone Off: To bid farewell to someone leaving.

    • "They went to the airport to see their son off on his trip abroad."

17. See Someone Out: To accompany someone leaving a place.

    • "She politely saw her guests out at the end of the party."

18. See Someone Through: To support someone during a difficult time.

    • "Her faith saw her through the hardships."

19. See Something Through: To complete something despite difficulties.

    • "It's a challenging project, but I'm determined to see it through."

20. See The Light: To understand or realize something after a period of confusion.

    • "He finally saw the light and understood the problem."

21. See Through Someone/Something: To recognize the truth about someone or something.

    • "She could see through his lies."

22. See To Someone: To take care of or attend to someone.

    • "I'll see to the guests while you prepare the meal."

23. Sell Out: To have no more items available for sale.

    • "The concert tickets sold out within minutes."

24. Sell Out Something: To sell all of a particular item.

    • "They sold out their entire stock by noon."

25. Sell Up: To sell one's property or business.

    • "After retiring, they decided to sell up and travel the world."

26. Send Away For Something: To request something by mail.

    • "I sent away for a free sample of the product."

27. Send For Someone: To request or summon someone.

    • "Send for the doctor immediately!"

28. Send For Something: To request something be delivered or sent.

    • "We need to send for some office supplies."

29. Serving His Time: Undergoing an apprenticeship or training.

    • "He's serving his time as a mechanic's apprentice."

30. Set About Someone: To start attacking or criticizing someone.

    • "The press set about the politician after the scandal broke."

31. Set Face Against: To oppose something firmly.

    • "She set her face against the new policy changes."

32. Set In: To begin and seem likely to continue.

    • "The rainy season has set in earlier this year."

33. Set Off: To start a journey.

    • "They set off on their trip at dawn."

34. Set Out: To start an activity with a particular goal.

    • "They set out to find a cure for the disease."

35. Set Someone Back: To cost someone a particular amount of money.

    • "The new car set him back over $20,000."

36. Set Someone Off: To cause someone to start doing something.

    • "Mentioning the wedding plans set her off again."

37. Set Something Off: To cause something to explode or start.

    • "The fireworks were set off at midnight."

38. Set Teeth on Edge: To irritate or annoy someone.

    • "The sound of the chalk on the board set my teeth on edge."

39. Set To: To begin doing something in a determined or enthusiastic way.

    • "They set to work at once to repair the damage."

40. Set Up: To establish or start a business or organization.

    • "He set up his own law practice in the city."

41. Sets Everybody by the Ears: To cause a disturbance or conflict.

    • "His controversial statement sets everybody by the ears."

42. Settle Down: To adopt a stable and routine lifestyle.

    • "They're planning to settle down and start a family."

43. Settle For Something: To accept something less than what was wanted.

    • "He had to settle for a lower salary than he expected."

44. Settle In: To become familiar and comfortable in a new environment.

    • "It took a few months to settle in at the new job."

45. Settle On Something: To make a final decision.

    • "After much discussion, they settled on a location for the wedding."

46. Settle Up: To pay someone the money that you owe.

    • "Let's settle up for the dinner."

47. Settled Weather: A period of consistent weather conditions.

    • "We've had a week of settled weather, with no rain."

48. Shake Someone Up: To upset or disturb someone.

    • "The accident really shook her up."

49. Sharp Practice: Dishonest or barely legal dealings.

    • "He's known for his sharp practice in business."

50. Shook in Their Shoes: To be very frightened.

    • "The children shook in their shoes during the thunderstorm."

51. Shoot the Breeze: To chat in a relaxed and informal way.

    • "We sat on the porch and shot the breeze."

52. Show Off: To display one's abilities or possessions in a showy way.

    • "He likes to show off his new car."

53. Show Someone Up: To embarrass or outshine someone.

    • "She showed him up by solving the problem he couldn't."

54. Show Up: To arrive somewhere.

    • "He didn't show up for the meeting."

55. Showed a Clean Pair of Heels: To run away quickly.

    • "As soon as he saw the police, he showed a clean pair of heels."

56. Showing His Teeth: Displaying aggression or hostility.

    • "The boss was showing his teeth during the negotiations."

57. Shut Up: To stop talking or to make someone stop talking.

    • "I wish they would shut up; I'm trying to concentrate."

58. Siamese Twins: Twins joined together at some part of their bodies.

    • "The Siamese twins were famous for their extraordinary lives."

59. Sick As A Dog: Extremely sick.

    • "He was sick as a dog after eating the spoiled food."

60. Sine Die: Indefinitely or without a specified date.

    • "The meeting was adjourned sine die."

61. Sink In: To be fully understood or absorbed.

    • "It took a while for the news to really sink in."

62. Sit Back: To relax and not involve oneself in an activity.

    • "I'm going to sit back and enjoy the weekend."

63. Sit Down to Something: To begin a task or activity.

    • "We sat down to discuss the project details."

64. Sit On Someone: To suppress or repress someone.

    • "The government tried to sit on the dissenters."

65. Sit On Something: To delay dealing with something.

    • "The committee is sitting on the proposal."

66. Sit Out: To not participate in an activity.

    • "I'll sit out this dance."

67. Sit Something: To attend an event or activity until it ends.

    • "She sat the concert out despite feeling unwell."

68. Sit Up: To stay awake and out of bed later than usual.

    • "We sat up late talking."

69. Sitting On the Fence: To be undecided or neutral.

    • "He's still sitting on the fence about the job offer."

70. Sitting Shotgun: Riding in the front passenger seat of a car.

    • "I'm sitting shotgun on our road trip."

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Conclusion: Strengthening Your Command of English with 'S' Idioms

You've now expanded your understanding of idioms that start with 'S', which can enhance your ability to express complex ideas and emotions in English. For any inquiries or more lessons, visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/learningenglishfree.co.uk.