[second-rate] <adj.> Of mediocre or inferior quality. * /The movie received a bad review; it was second-rate at best./
[second-run] <adj.> Of a movie: Shown in many movie theaters before, and allowed to be shown later in other movie theaters. * /Tickets to second-run movies cost much less./
[second sight] <n. phr.> Intuition; prescience; clairvoyance. * /Some police departments employ psychics to find missing persons or objects as they are said to have second sight./
[second thought] <n.> A change of ideas or opinions resulting from more thought or study. * /Your second thoughts are very often wiser than your first ideas./ * /We decided to climb the mountain, but on second thought realized that it was too dangerous./ Compare: THINK BETTER OF.
[second to none] <adj. phr.> Excellent; first rate; peerless. * /Our new State University campus is second to none. There is no need to pay all that high tuition at a private college./
[second wind] also [second breath] <n.> 1. The easier breathing that follows difficult breathing when one makes a severe physical effort, as in running or swimming./ * /After the first quarter mile, a mile runner usually gets his second wind and can breathe better./ * /We climbed with labored breathing for half an hour, but then got our second wind and went up more easily./ 2. <informal> The refreshed feeling you get after first becoming tired while doing something and then becoming used to it. * /Tom became very tired of working at his algebra, but after a while he got his second wind and began to enjoy it./
[secret] See: IN SECRET, OPEN SECRET.
[section gang] or [section crew] <n.> A group of railroad workers who watch and repair a number of miles of track. * /The section crew was called out to fix the broken bridge./
[section hand] <n.> A worker who repairs railway track; one of the men in a section gang. * /The section hands moved off the track while the train went by./
[security blanket] <n.>, <slang>, <colloquial> An idea, person, or object that one holds on to for psychological reassurance or comfort as infants usually hang on to the edge of a pillow, a towel, or a blanket. * /Sue has gone to Aunt Mathilda for a chat; she is her security blanket./
[see] See: CAN'T SEE THE WOODS FOR THE TREES, LET ME SEE or LET'S SEE.
[see a lot of] <v. phr.> To go out regularly with someone; have an affair with someone. * /They have been seeing a lot of each other lately./
[see about] <v.> 1. To find out about; attend to. * /If you are too busy, I'll see about the train tickets./ 2. <informal> To consider; study. * /I cannot take time now but I'll see about your plan when I have time./ Compare: SEE TO, LOOK INTO, THINK OVER.
[see after] See: LOOK AFTER.
[see better days] <v. phr.> 1. To enjoy a better or happier life. * /Mr. Smith is poor now, but he will see better days./ 2. To become old, damaged, or useless. Used in the perfect tense. * /Mv blue coat is ten years old. It has seen better days./ * /Our car wasn't old, but it had seen better days./
[see beyond one's nose] or [see beyond the end of one's nose] <v. phr.> To make wise judgments about questions of importance to yourself and others; act with farseeing understanding. Used in negative, conditional, and interrogative sentences. * /He couldn't save money or make plans for the future; he just never saw beyond the end of his nose./ * /People who always complain about school taxes would stop it if they could see beyond their noses and understand the importance of first-class schools./
[seed] See: GO TO SEED or RUN TO SEED.
[see daylight] <v. phr.>, <informal> To know that an end or success is near. * /We thought we would never finish building the house, but now we can see daylight./ * /Sarah thought it would take forever to read the book for her report, but finally she saw daylight./
[see eye to eye] <v. phr.> To agree fully; hold exactly the same opinion. * /Though we did not usually agree, we saw eye to eye in the matter of reducing taxes./ * /Jim did not see eye to eye with Sally on where they would go for their vacation./
[see fit] or [think fit] <v. phr.> To decide that an action is necessary, wise, or advisable; choose. * /Jim asked "Dad, what time should I come home after the dance?" His father answered, "You way do as you see fit."/ - Often used with an infinitive. * /After much thought, we did not see fit to join the Smiths on their Caribbean cruise./ * /The boys were angry because Ed thought fit to report the fight to the principal./
[see how the land lies] <v. phr.>, <informal> To reconnoiter; investigate. * /Before going there in person to ask for a job, you had better see how the land lies and who does what./ Compare: CASE THE JOINT.
[seeing is believing] Seeing something is good proof. * /Bill told Joe he had passed his test, but Joe said, "Seeing is believing."/
[see into] <v.> To know or understand the real nature or meaning of. * /Suddenly the teacher saw into Linda's strange actions./
[see off] <v.> To go to say or wave goodbye to. * /His brother went to the train with him to see him off./ * /When Marsha flew to Paris, Flo saw her off at the airport./
[see one home] <v. phr.> To walk a person home. * /"Let me see you home, dear," Nick said to Jenny at the end of the party./
[see one's way clear] <v. phr.> To know no reason for not doing something; feel that you are free. * /John finally saw his way clear to help his friends./ * /Mary had to do her homework and help her mother before she could see her way clear to go to the movies with Jane./
[see out] <v.> 1. To go with to an outer door. * /A polite man sees his company out after a party./ 2. To stay with and finish; not quit. * /Pete's assignment was hard but he saw it out to the end./
[see reason] <v. phr.> To think or act sensibly, especially after realizing what the facts are on a certain matter and accepting advice about it. * /He finally saw reason and reshaped his sales strategy by lowering the prices as his older brother had suggested./
[see red] <v. phr.>, <informal> To become very angry. * /Whenever anyone teased John about his weight, he saw red. /
[see service] <v. phr.> 1. To be used over a considerable period of time. * /This old camera of mine has already seen six years of service./ 2. To serve in a military sense. * /Colonel Hutchins has seen service in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf./
[see stars] <v. phr.>, <informal> To imagine you are seeing stars as a result of being hit on the head. * /When Ted was hit on the head by the ball, he saw stars./ * /The boxer's head hit the floor, making him see stars./
[see the beat] See: HEAR THE BEAT.
[see the color of one's money] <v. phr.>, <informal> To know that you have money to spend. * /The realtor would not show us a house until he saw the color of our money./ * /Before I show you the diamond, let me see the color of your money./
[see the last of] <v. phr.> To say good-bye to someone or something; get rid of something. * /We were glad to see the last of the winter./
[see the light] <v. phr.>, <informal> To understand or agree, often suddenly; accept another's explanation or decision. * /I did not approve of his action, but he explained his reason and then I saw the light./ * /Bill wanted Harry to help him, but Harry wasn't in the mood until Bill offered to pay him. Then Harry saw the light./ * /Mary thought it was fun to date older boys but when they started drinking, she saw the light./
[see the light at the end of the tunnel] <v. phr.>, <informal> To anticipate the happy resolution of a prolonged period of problems. * /We've been paying on our house mortgage for many years, but at long last we can see the light at the end of the tunnel./
[see the light of day] <v. phr.> To be born or begun. * /The children visited the old house where their great-grandfather first saw the light of day./ * /The party was a failure, and Mathilda wished her plan had never seen the light of day./
[see the sights] See: SIGHTSEE.
[see things] <v. phr.>, <informal> To imagine sights which are not real; think you see what is not there. * /I had not seen him for twenty years and when we met on the street I thought I was seeing things./ * /She woke her husband to tell him she had seen a face at the window, but he told her she was seeing things./
[see through] <v.> 1. To understand the real meaning of or reason for; realize the falseness of. * /Mother saw through Johnny's excuses not to go to bed on Christmas Eve. She knew he wanted to stay up to see Santa Claus./ * /The teacher saw through the boy's story of having to help at home./ 2. To do (something) until finished; stay with until the end. * /Once Charles started a job, he saw it through till it was finished./ 3. To help and encourage (a person) through trouble or difficulty. * /Mrs. Miller saw Jane through her sickness./ * /When Mr. and Mrs. Brown lost their little girl, their friends saw them through with help and sympathy./ * /His business was about to fail, but his banker saw him through./ 4. To be enough for; last. * /This money will see us through the week./ * /Here is a long report to type. Do you have enough paper to see you through?/ Compare: TIDE OVER.
[see to] also [look to] <v.> To attend to; take care of; do whatever needs to be done about. * /While Donna bought the theatre tickets, I saw to the parking of the car./ Compare: SEE ABOUT.
[see to it] <v. phr.> To take care; take the responsibility; make sure. - Usually used with a noun clause. * /We saw to it that the child was fed and bathed./
[see with rose-colored glasses] See: LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.
[seed money] <n. phr.> A small grant or donation for others to be able to start a new venture. * /All you need is some seed money and you can set up your own desk-top publishing firm./
[seize on] <v.> To make use of (a happening or idea.) * /Bob seized on the rain as an excuse for missing school./
[seize on] or [upon] <v. phr.> To latch onto. * /Whenever Herb is in a romantic mood, Irene seizes on it and starts talking about marriage, which is not what Herb had in mind./
[seize the opportunity] <v. phr.> To exploit a chance. * /His wealthy uncle offered to send him to Harvard and he wisely seized the opportunity./
[self-conscious] <adj.> Embarrassed; shy. * /Edith has a freckled face and sometimes she is very self-conscious about it./
[self-made] <adj.> Having achieved wealth, fame, and success on one's own without outside help. * /John D. Rockefeller is one of the most famous self-made men in America./