sacrosanct a :sacred/inviolable; holy/venerable
sage n :wise, judicious;also-sagebrush
salacious a :lustful/ obscene/ lewd
salient a :conspicious/prominent;a protruding part
sanguine a :blood color; vigorous, confident, optimistic
sardonic a :sarcastic; scornful; mocking
satori n :a state of intuitive illumination sought in Zen Buddism
savant n :person of learning/detailed knowledge
savoir faire n :knowledge of what to do/say; tact
scepter n :wand as emblem or regal power; sovereignty
schadenfreude n :enjoyment obtained from other's troubles
schism n :division into mutually opposed parties
schlep (p) v :proceed/move slowly; tediously or awkwardly
schmear n :aggregate of related things
schmooze i.v. :to converse informally/chat
scintilla n :spark, trace, particle
scion n :descendant/heir; cutting from a plant
sclerosis n :hardening/thickening of tissue or part; a disease
sclerotic a : coat of the eye; hard/firm
screed n :long piece of writing; strip as a guide/gage
scrum n :scrum-age/madhouse
scullion n :twigs bound together
segueing i.v. :proceed/transition w/out pause from one activity/topic/musical # to another
semantics n :word meanings; relationship between signs/symbols & what they represent
seminal a :consisting of seed/semen; act as a source
sentient a : capable of perceiving or feeling; perceptive; conscious mind
sepulcher n :burial place/tomb
sere a :dried/withered; archaic
serendipity n :making happy/interesting discoveries by accident
sillabub n :drink of milk w/wine or liquor
skew a :slant; sloping; turn aside; swerve
slog v : hit hard/beat or plod one's way w/difficulty
snollygoster n : shrewd unprincipled person
solecisms n :ungrammatical combo of words; blunder in speech; deviation from normal
soporific a :causing sleep; lethargy/drowsiness
sortie n :sudden/surprise incursion; sally forth
specious a :plausible but deceptive; no real merit
stare decisis n :(Latin) to stand by decided matters; to follow principles previously laid down
statism/statist n :the state regulates economy
stoic n :indifferent to pleasure/pain; impassive
subjugate v.t. :conquer; compel to submit; enslave
subservience n :servile, submissive; a subordinate
subsume v.t. :to include; bring under a rule/class
succinctly adv :concise, compressed into few words
sumptuary a :regulating expense or expenditure
supercilious a :haughty air/manner; disdainful/arrogant
surrealism n :non rational thought; dreams in the subconscious mind
surreptitious a : done or acquired by stealth; secretive/clandestine
sycophant n :fawning, self-seeking flatterer; servile parasite
syllogism n :a form of reasoning; eg, insect has 6 legs, bee is an insect, hence a bee has 6 legs
symbosis n :state of living together
synergism n :condition where total effect is greater than sum of individual effects
synergistic a :capacity to act/resemble synergism
synthesis n :combo of parts/elements as materials or thoughts