shaft.noun,.plural.shafts
harsh, unfair.treatment; the handle of any of variou.tools or implements; a vertical.passage.housing an elevator; a long, narrow, often vertical passage sunk into the Earth, as for mining ore; a tunnel; a duct or conduit for the passage of air, as for ventilation or heating; the main axis of a feather, especially its distal.portion; the long, narrow stem or body of a spear or an arrow; a spear or an arrow
shaft, shafted, shafting, shafts.transitive verbs
to treat in a harsh, unfair way; to equip with a shaft

stratigraphy.noun,.plural.stratigraphies
the study of rock strata, especially the distribution, deposition, and age of sedimentary rocks
stratigraphic or stratigraphical.adjective
stratigraphically.adverb

stratify, stratified, stratifying, stratifies.verbs
transitive verb use.to form, arrange or deposit in layers; to preserve seeds by placing them between layers of moist sand or similar material; to arrange or separate into castes, classes.or.social levels; to separate into a sequence of graded status levels. intransitive verb use.to become layered; form strata; to develop different levels of caste, class, privilege or status

stratum.noun,.plural.strata.or.stratums
a level, a layer of society composed of people with similar.social, cultural, or economic.status (a psychopathic society); a horizontal layer of material, one of several parallel layers arranged one on top of another; in geology, a bed or layer of sedimentary (of sediment {material like dirt and fragments from the weathering of rock that settles to the bottom of a liquid}) rock having approximately the same composition throughout, however the stratum evidences missing links, making geology to appear as working in reverse to the geologic/paleontological record
stratal.adjective
Usage note: The standard singular form is stratum; the standard plural is strata or stratums, but not stratas; see more Usage notes

sketchy, sketchier, sketchiest.adjectives
lacking in substance or completeness; incomplete; slight; superficial; resembling a sketch; a hazy outline; giving only major points or parts
sketchily.adverb
sketchiness.noun,.plural.sketchinesses
sketch.noun,.plural.
a hasty or undetailed drawing or painting often made as a preliminary study; a brief, general.account or presentation; an outline; a brief, light literary composition, such as an essay or a short story; in music, a brief composition, especially for the piano; a short, often satirical scene or play
sketch, sketched,sketching, sketches.verbs
transitive verb use.to make a sketch of; outline
intransitive verb use.to make a sketch
sketcher.noun,.plural.sketchers

spiral.noun,.plural.spirals
a curve on a plane that winds around a fixed center point at a continuously increasing or decreasing distance from the point; a three-dimensional curve that turns around an axis at a constant or continuously varying distance while moving parallel to the axis; a helix; something having the form of such a curve (a spiral of black smoke; spiral binding of a notebook)
spiral.adjective
of or resembling a spiral; circling around a center at a continuously increasing or decreasing distance; coiling around an axis in a constantly changing series of planes; helical
spiral, spiraled, spiraling, spirals.verbs
intransitive verb use.to take a spiral form or course
transitive verb use.to cause to take a spiral form or course
spirality.noun,.plural.spiralities
spirally.adverb

salvation.noun,.plural.salvations
preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty or evil; being saved from conditions inimical to one's betterment, such as the unwanted things of life; how does salvation come?
salvational.adjective

shortcoming.noun,.plural.shortcomings
a deficiency; a flaw (people often allow their minds to drift onto their shortcomings, guilt, avoiding retribution and other negatives that sap their daily energy)

spindle.noun,.plural.spindles
a rod or pin, tapered at the ends, on which fibers are spun by hand into thread and then wound; a similar rod or pin used for spinning on a spinning wheel; a pin or rod holding a bobbin or spool on which thread is wound on an automated spinning machine; any of various mechanical parts that revolve or serve as axes for larger revolving parts, as in a lock, an axle, a phonograph turntable or a lathe; any of various long, thin, stationary rods, as a spike on which papers may be impaled; a baluster
Biology:.the spindle-shaped achromatic.structure, composed of microtubules, along which the chromosomes are distributed in mitosis and meiosis; from Middle English 'spindel', alteration of Old English 'spinel'
spindle, spindled, spindling, spindles.verbs
transitive verb use.to impale or perforate on a spindle (do not fold, spindle or mutilate this card)
intransitive verb use.to grow into a thin, elongated or weak form

spin.noun
the distinctive.complex of connotations or implications.inherent in a point of view (putting a spin to the facts so as to sway others from the truth to the way the spinner intends for others to understand them); interpretation, especially political or corporate words, promulgated to sway public opinion; the act of spinning; a swift whirling motion; a state of mental confusion (with so many decisions, my head's in a spin); a short drive in a vehicle (took a spin in the new car); the flight condition of an aircraft in a nose-down, spiraling, stalled descent; 
Physics:.spin quantization or integral spin
spin, spun, spinning, spins.verbs
transitive verb use.to tell, especially imaginatively (spun tales for the children); to draw out and twist (fibers) into thread; to form (thread or yarn) in this manner; to cause to rotate swiftly; twirl; to play a phonograph record or records, especially as a disc jockey
intransitive verb use.to make thread or yarn by drawing out and twisting fibers; to rotate rapidly; whirl; turn; to go for a ride; to fish with a light rod, lure and line and a reel with a stationary spool
spin off.phrasal verb
to derive.(a company or product, for example) from something larger
spin out, spun out.phrasal verb
to rotate out of control, as a skidding car leaving a roadway (on the icy road the vehicle spun out of control for a moment)
spin one's wheels.idiom
to expend effort with no result

spendthrift.noun,.plural.spendthrifts
one who spends money recklessly or wastefully
spendthrift.adjective
wasteful or extravagant (spendthrift bureaucrats)

switch.noun,.plural.switches
a slender.flexible.rod, stick or twig; also a device consisting of two sections of railroad track and accompanying apparatus used to transfer rolling stock (a train car) from one track to another; an exchange or a swap
switch, switched, switching, switches.verbs
transitive verb use.to shift, transfer or divert (switched the conversation to a lighter subject); to exchange (asked her brother to switch seats with her; to connect, disconnect or divert an electric current by operating a switch (switch on the light); to cause an electric current or appliance to begin or cease operation (switched the lights on and off); to move a train from one track to another; shunt
intransitive verb use.to make or undergo a shift or an exchange (she finally has switched from a typewriter to a computer word processor)
switchable.adjective
switcher.noun,.plural.switchers

switcheroo.noun,.plural.switcheroos
an unexpected variation or reversal

sacrosanct.adjective
if you describe something as sacrosanct, you consider it to be special and are unwilling to see it criticized or changed; regarded as sacred and inviolable
sacrosanctity.noun,.plural.sacrosanctities

sane, saner, sanest.adjectives
of sound mind; not unsane and not insane; someone who is sane is able to think and behave in a manner.conducive to the well-being of himself and others, making him a normal and reasonable human being and therefor not mentally ill (how would one recognize mental illness?); mentally healthy; having or showing sound.judgment; if you refer to a sane human being, action or system, you mean one that you think is reasonable and sensible (no sane person wishes to see conflict or the hurts and deaths caused by conflict)
sanely.adverb
saneness.noun,.plural.sanenesses

sanity.noun,.plural.sanities
the quality or condition of being sane; soundness of mind; soundness of judgment or reason

skedaddle, skedaddled, skedaddling, skedaddles.intransitive verbs
to leave hastily; flee

seminar.noun,.plural.seminars
a small group of advanced students in a college or graduate school engaged in original research or intensive study under the guidance of a professor who meets regularly with them to discuss their reports and findings; a course of study so pursued; a meeting for an exchange of ideas; a conference

span, spanned, spanning, spans.transitive verbs
a span is the period of time between two dates or events during which something exists, functions or happens (a human being's life span is about 100-120 years in Western countries and can be up to and over 150 in parts of countries in India, Asia and elsewhere; the batteries had a life span of six hours); your concentration span or your attention span is the length of time you are able to concentrate on something or be interested in it (his ability to absorb information was astonishing, but his concentration span was short); if something spans a long period of time, it lasts throughout that period of time or relates to that whole period of time (Darwin's research spanned 25 years; the film Red Cliff tells the true story of three dynasties in China in 228 A.D.); if something spans a range of things, all those things are included in it (Bernstein's compositions spanned all aspects of music, from symphonies to musicals); the span of something that extends or is spread out sideways is the total width of it from one end to the other (it is a very pretty butterfly, with a 2 inch wing span); a bridge or other structure that spans something such as a river or a valley stretches right across it (travelers get from one side to the other by walking across a footbridge that spans a little stream); to extend across in space or time (a bridge that spans the gorge; a career that spanned 40 years); to measure by or as if by the fully extended hand
span.noun,.plural.spans
a unit of measure, approx half-cubit, the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended, formerly used as a unit of measure equal to about nine inches (23 centimeters); the extent or measure of space between two points or extremities, as of a bridge or roof; the breadth; the distance between the tips of the wings of an airplane; the section between two intermediate supports of a bridge; something, such as a railroad trestle or bridge, that extends from one point to another; a period of time (within the span of a lifetime)

seethe, seethed, seething, seethes.intransitive verbs
to come to a boil; to churn and foam as if boiling; fomenting; when you are seething, you are very angry about something but do not deal with or express your feelings about it (she took it calmly at first but under the surface was seething; how to deal with it); to be in a state of turmoil or ferment (the nation seethed with suppressed revolutionary activity); to be violently excited or agitated (she seethed with anger over the insult); if you say that a place is seething with people or things, you are emphasizing that it is very full of them and that they are all moving about (the airport was seething with passengers who could not get on planes due to the weather having made it necessary to cancel all flights in or out; the forest below him seethed with heat and teemed with life)
seethe.noun,.plural.seethes

saucy, saucier, sauciest.adjectives
impertinent in an entertaining way; impossible to repress or control (you couldn't help but love her as she had her own way and was quite saucy about it); impertinent and seeming to be a bit disrespectful in a colorful way; piquant; pert.(a saucy red dress)
saucily.adverb
sauciness.noun,.plural.saucinesses
sauce.noun,.plural.sauces
a flavorful.seasoning or relish served as an accompaniment to food; something that adds zest, flavor or piquancy
sauce, sauced, saucing, sauces.transitive verbs
to season or flavor with sauce; to add piquancy or zest to

self-will.noun,.plural.self-wills
willfulness, especially in satisfying one's own desires or adhering to one's own opinions
self-willed.adjective

self-worth.noun,.plural.self-worths
self-esteem; self-respect

self-esteem.noun,.plural.self-esteems
pride in oneself; self-respect

segregation.noun,.plural.segregations
the act or process of treating men, women and children like cattle by segregating them; the condition of being segregated; the policy and practice of corrupt governments imposing the social separation of races, as in schools, housing and industry, especially so as to practice discrimination against people of color in a predominantly white society

segregate, segregated, segregating, segregates.verbs
transitive verb use.to forced.manipulation of men, women and children by government, so as to separate or isolate them from others or from a main body or group; isolate; to impose the separation of (a race or class) from the rest of society
intransitive verb use.to become separated from a main body or mass; to practice a policy of segregation
segregate, segregative.adjective
separated; isolated
segregate.noun,.plural.segregates
one that is or has been segregated
segregator.noun,.plural.segregators
one doing segregation

subside, subsided, subsiding, subsides.intransitive verbs
to become less agitated or active; abate (the storm subsided); to settle down to a normal level; decrease
subsidence.noun,.plural.subsidences
the process by which an area of land sinks to a lower level than the land surrounding it or a building begins to sink into the ground (is your house insured against subsidence?)

shaman.noun,.plural.shamans
a member of certain tribal societies who acts as a medium between the visible world and an invisible world and who knows how to use knowledge for healing and control over natural events
shamanic.adjective

strain, strained, straining, strains.verbs
transitive verb use.to pull, draw or stretch tight (strained the sheets over the bed); to exert or tax to the utmost (straining our ears to hear); to injure or impair by overuse or overexertion; wrench (strain a muscle (to stretch or force beyond a wise or proper or legitimate limit (strain a point in a speech); to pass gravy, for example, through a filtering agent such as a strainer; to draw off or remove by filtration (strained the pulp from the juice)
intransitive verb use.to make violent or steady efforts; strive hard (straining to reach the finish line); to pull forcibly or violently (the dog strained at its leash); to stretch or exert one's muscles or nerves to the utmost; to be extremely hesitant; balk (a mule that strained at the lead
strain.noun,.plural.strains
the act of straining; the state of being strained (he was under a lot of strain after moving across the world from his homeland); extreme or laborious effort, exertion or work (technical work can be a strain as there are often so many things to keep uppermost in mind; the strain of managing both a family and a career); an exceptional degree or pitch (a strain of zealous.idealism)

strain.noun,.plural.strains
the collective descendant of a common ancestor; a race, stock, line or breed (there are many strains of cannabis, the vegetable that should only be used raw, in a salad or juiced and mixed with some other fruit or vegetable juice and never heated which destroys most nutrients); any of the various lines of ancestry united in an individual or a family; ancestry or lineage; a group of organisms of the same species, having distinctive characteristics but not usually considered a separate breed or variety (a superior strain of wheat never is genetically modified); an inborn or inherited tendency or character; a streak; a trace; the tone, tenor or substance of a verbal utterance or of a particular action or behavior (spoke in a passionate strain); a prevailing quality, as of attitude or behavior; often strains (melodic strains of the violin)