[strike out at]{v. phr.} To attack someone verbally or physically. •/She was so angry that she struck out at him every occasion she got./
[strike the hour]{v. phr.} To mark or toll the hour (said of clocks or bells). •/We heard the church clock strike the hour of two./
[strike up]{v.} 1a. To start to sing or play. •/We were sitting around the camp fire. Someone struck up a song, and we all joined in./ •/The President took his place on the platform, and the band struck up the national anthem./ 1b. To give a signal to start (a band) playing. •/When the team ran on the field, the band director struck up the band./ 2. To bring about; begin; start. •/The policeman struck up a conversation with John while they were waiting for the bus./ •/It did not take Mary long to strike up acquaintances in her new school./
[strike while the iron is hot] See: MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES.
[string] See: FIRST STRING, LATCH STRING, ON THE STRING or ON A STRING, PULL STRINGS, PURSE STRINGS, SHOE-STRING CATCH, TIED TO ONE’S MOTHER’S APRON STRINGS.
[string along]{v.}, {informal} 1. To deceive; fool; lead on dishonestly. •/Mary was stringing John along for years but she didn’t mean to marry him./ •/George told the new boy that he must always call the teacher "Sir," but the new boy soon saw that George was stringing him along./ Compare: ON A STRING. 2. To follow someone’s leadership; join his group. •/Those of you who want to learn about wild flowers, string along with Jake./
[string out]{v.} To make (something) extend over a great distance or a long stretch of time. •/The telephone poles were strung out along the road as far as we could see./ •/Mary and Ann did not have much to say but they did not want to go home. They strung out their gossip for a long time./
[string up]{v.}, {slang} To put a rope around the neck of a person and choke him to death; hang. •/The posse strung up the rustler without a trial./ Compare: NECKTIE PARTY.
[strings attached]{adv. phr.} With some special proviso or condition that is a handicap. •/John inherited a large fortune but with the string attached that he could not touch a penny of it before his 28th birthday./
[strip] See: DRAG STRIP.
[stripe] See: MIDFIELD STRIPE.
[stroke] See: AT A STROKE or AT ONE’S STROKE.
[stroke of luck] See: RUN OF LUCK.
[strong language]{n. phr.} Cursing; swearing. •/When Ned learned that he had been fired, he used some very strong language about his boss./
[strung out]{adj.}, {slang}, {colloquial} 1. Nervous, jittery, jumpy; generally ill because of drug use or withdrawal symptoms. •/The only explanation I can think of for Max’s behavior is that he must be strung out./ 2. To suffer because of a lack of something previously accustomed to, such as the love and affection of someone. •/Sue is all strung out for Jim; they’ve just split up./ Compare: SPACED OUT.
[stuck on]{slang} Very much in love with; crazy about. •/Judy thinks she is very pretty and very smart. She is stuck on herself./ •/Lucy is stuck on the football captain./
[stuck-up]{adj.}, {informal} Acting as if other people are not as good as you are; conceited; snobbish. •/Mary is very stuck-up, and will not speak to the poor children in her class./
[stuck with]{adj. phr.} Left in a predicament; left having to take care of a problem caused by another. •/Our neighbors vanished without a trace and we got stuck with their cat and dog./
[study] See: BROWN STUDY.
[stuff] See: KNOW ONE’S WAY AROUND(2).
[stuff and nonsense]{n.} Foolish or empty writing or talk; nonsense. •/Fred told a long story about his adventures in Africa, but it was all stuff and nonsense./ Often used as an interjection. •/When Jane said she was too sick to go to school, her mother answered, "Stuff and nonsense! I know there’s a test today."/
[stuff the ballot box]{v. phr.} To give more votes to a candidate in an election than there are people who actually voted for him. •/It is a crime to stuff the ballot box./ — [ballot-stuffing] {adj. phr.}
[stuffed shirt]{n. phr.} A pretentious bore; a pompous, empty person. •/I think that Howard is a terrible stuffed shirt with no sense of humor./
[stuffed up]{adj. phr.} Impeded; blocked. •/Our kitchen sink is all stuffed up so I have to call the plumber./
[stumble across]{v. phr.} To encounter a person or thing, mostly by accident. •/I gave up looking for my old hat when I accidentally stumbled across it in a dark corner of the closet./
[stump] See: TAKE THE STUMP or TAKE TO THE STUMP, UP A STUMP.
[style] See: CRAMP ONE’S STYLE, HIGH STYLE.
[subject to]{adj. phr.} 1. Under the government or control of; in the power of. •/The English colonies in America were subject to the English king./ •/The principal and the teachers of a school are subject to the school board./ 2. Likely to get or have; liable. •/John is in rather poor health and is subject to colds./ •/The western plains are subject to tornadoes./ 3. Depending on some change, happening, or need. •/The company and the union agreed that the workers' wages should be subject to changes in the cost of living./ •/Agreements made by the President with other countries are subject to the approval of the Senate./
[substance] See: IN SUBSTANCE.
[succeed] See: HOWLING SUCCESS, NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS.
[such and such]{pronoun} Something whose name is not mentioned because it does not need to be mentioned. •/George’s argument tries to prove such and such to be true, but it does not convince me./