Sceptic / septic
A sceptic is someone who does not believe things unless they have definite proof.
Many scientists remain sceptics.
A wound or part of your body that is septic is infected with bacteria.
Roger wanted treatment for a septic finger
Scot / Scottish / Scotch
A Scot is someone from Scotland.
‘Scottish’ means ‘from or belonging to Scotland.’
‘Scotch’ and ‘Scottish’ are adjectives.
‘Scotch’ should be used only with reference to food, drink, animals and flowers.
Selena owns a Scotch terrier.
Scream / screech / shriek
‘Scream’ means ‘to make a loud high noise with your voice because you are hurt, frightened, or excited.’
When shots rang out in Israel people started screaming.
‘Screech’ means ‘to make a very unpleasant high noise with your voice.’
Mother screeched at me to take off my muddy shoes.
‘Shriek’ means ‘to make a very high, loud sound.’
Jane shrieked when she stepped on a snake.
Scull / skull / skull cap
A scull is a small light boat for only one person.
‘Skull’ is the bones of a person or animal’s head.
If you cannot get it into your skull, you are unable to understand something very simple.
A skull cap is a simple close fitting cap for the top of the head worn sometimes by priests.
Seasonable / seasonal
‘Seasonable’ means ‘suitable for the time of year.’
‘Seasonal’ means ‘usually happening or available during a particular season.’
There are seasonal jobs in the tourist industry.
Seldom
‘Seldom’ means ‘very rarely.’
My boss seldom reads newspapers.
It is seldom that we get a chance to see a film.
Semi
‘Semi’ is a prefix meaning ‘exactly half.’
They stood in a semicircle.
‘Semi’ also means ‘partly but not completely.’
There are semi-literate people in our country.
A semi-detached house is joined to another house by one shared wall.
A semi-precious jewel or stone is valuable but not as valuable as a diamond or ruby.
A semi-skilled worker is not highly skilled or professional, but has some skills for the job they are doing.
A semi-weekly newspaper appears twice a week.
Sensibility / sensitive / sensible / sensitivities
‘Sensibility’ means ‘the ability to understand feelings, especially those expressed in literature or art.’
Benjamin was a man of sensibility and perception.
‘Sensitive’ means ‘able to understand other people’s feelings and problems.’
We must be sensitive to the community’s needs.
‘Sensible’ means ‘reasonable, practical and able to judge things well.’
That is a very sensible suggestion.
‘Sensitivities’ are someone’s feelings and the fact that they could be upset or offended.
The sensitivities of the minorities are largely ignored.
Sentinel / sentry
Both words mean someone who stands guard, but ‘sentinel’ is the more general word. ‘Sentry’ is exclusively used in a military context.
Sergeant / serjeant / surgeon
‘Sergeant’ is a low rank in the army, air force or police.
‘Serjeant-at-arms’ is an official of the House of Parliament.
A surgeon is a doctor who does operations in hospital.
Sestet / sextet
The word ‘sestet’ is confined to poetry and means the last six lines of a sonnet.
A sextet is group of six, especially singers or players.
Sew / sow
To sew is to use a needle and thread to join pieces of cloth together to make or repair clothes.
Could you sew a patch on my shirt?
To sow is to plant or scatter seeds on a field.
The farmer is going to sow the seeds tomorrow.
As a noun, ‘sow’ means ‘a fully grown female pig.’
