Sabre-rattling
When people, states, etc, threaten to use force as a way of getting what they want, especially when they are unlikely to use force, they are sabre-rattling.
Sacred cow
Something that is a sacred cow is held in such respect that it cannot be criticised or attacked.
Safe and sound
If you arrive safe and sound, then nothing has harmed you on your way.
Safe as houses
Something that is as safe as houses is very secure or certain.
Safe bet
A proposition that is a safe bet doesn't have any risks attached.
Safe pair of hands
A person who can be trusted to do something without causing any trouble is a safe pair of hands.
Safety in numbers
If a lot of people do something risky at the same time, the risk is reduced because there is safety in numbers.
Saigon moment
(USA) A Saigon moment is when people realise that something has gone wrong and that they will lose or fail.
Sail close to the wind
If you sail close to the wind, you take risks to do something, going close to the limit of what is allowed or acceptable.
Sail under false colours
Someone who sails under false colours (colors) is hypocritical or pretends to be something they aren't in order to deceive people.
Salad days
Your salad days are an especially happy period of your life.
Salt in a wound
If you rub salt in a wound, you make someone feel bad about something that is already a painful experience. 'Pour salt on a wound' is an alternative form of the idiom.
Salt of the earth
People who are salt of the earth are decent, dependable and unpretentious.
Salty dog
A salty dog is an experienced sailor.
Same old, same old
When nothing changes, it's the same old, same old.
Save face
If someone saves face, they manage to protect their reputation.
Save someone's bacon
If something saves your bacon, it saves your life or rescues you from a desperate situation. People can also save your bacon.
Save your skin
If someone saves their skin, they manage to avoid getting into serious trouble.
Saved by the bell
If you are saved by the bell, you are rescued from a danger or a tricky situation just in time.
Saving grace
If someone has some character defects, but has a characteristic that compensate for their failings and shortcomings, this is their saving grace.
Say uncle
(USA) If you say uncle, you admit defeat. ('Cry uncle' is an alternative form.)
Say when
People say this when pouring a drink as a way of telling you to tell them when there's enough in your glass.
Say-so
If you do something on someone else's say-so, you do it on the authority, advice or recommendation.
Saying is one thing; doing is another
It's harder to do something than it is to say that you will do it.
Scales fall from your eyes
When the scales fall from your eyes, you suddenly realise the truth about something.
Scare the daylights out of someone
If you scare the daylights out of someone, you terrify them. (This can be made even stronger by saying 'the living daylights'.)
Scarlet woman
This idiom is used as a pejorative term for a sexually promiscuous woman, especially an adulteress.
Scattered to the four winds
If something's scattered to the four winds, it goes out in all directions.
Scent blood
If you can scent blood, you feel that a rival is having difficulties and you are going to beat them.
Schoolyard pick
When people take it in turns to choose a member of a team, it is a schoolyard pick.
Scot free
If someone escapes scot free, they avoid payment or punishment. 'Scot' is an old word for a tax, so it originally referred to avoiding taxes, though now has a wider sense of not being punished for someone that you have done.
Scotch Mist
The phrase 'Scotch mist' is used humorously to refer to something that is hard to find or doesn't exist - something imagined.
Scraping the barrel
When all the best people, things or ideas and so on are used up and people try to make do with what they have left, they are scraping the barrel.
Scratch the surface
When you scratch the surface of  something, you have a superficial knowledge or understanding of it.
Scream bloody murder
If you scream bloody murder, you protest loudly and angrily, or scream in fear.
Scream blue murder
If someone shouts very loudly in anger, or fear, they scream blue murder.
Screw loose
If someone has a screw loose, they are crazy.
Screwed if you do, screwed if you don't
This means that no matter what you decide or do in a situation, there will be negative consequences.
Sea change
An expression that connotes big change; a significant change in comparison to a minor, trivial or insignificant change.
Sea legs
If you are getting your sea legs, it takes you a while to get used to something new.
Seamy side
The seamy side of something is the unpleasant or sordid aspect it has.
Searching question
A searching question goes straight to the heart of the subject matter, possibly requiring an answer with a degree of honesty that the other person finds uncomfortable.
Second thoughts
If some has second thoughts, they start to think that an idea, etc, is not as good as it sounded at first and are starting to have doubts.
Second wind
If you overcome tiredness and find new energy and enthusiasm, you have second wind.
Second-guess
If you second-guess someone, you try to predict what they will do.
See eye to eye
If people see eye to eye, they agree about everything.
See red
If someone sees red, they become very angry about something.
See the elephant
If you see the elephant, you experience much more than you wish to; it is often used when a soldier goes into a warzone for the first time.
See the light
When someone sees the light, they realise the truth.
See which way the cat jumps
(AU) If you see which way the cat jumps, you postpone making a decision or acting until you have seen how things are developing.

See you anon
(UK) If somebody says this when leaving, they expect to see you again soon.
See you later
A casual way of saying to friends I'll see you again, sometime, (without a definite date or time having been set) - this is often abbreviated to 'Later' or 'Laters' as an alternative way of saying goodbye.
See you on the big drum
A good night phrase to children.
Seed money
Seed money is money that is used to start a small business.
Seeing is believing
This idiom means that people can only really believe what they experience personally.
Seen better days
If something's seen better days, it has aged badly and visibly compared to when it was new. The phrase can also be used to describe people.
Sell down the river
If you sell someone down the river, you betray their trust.
Sell like hot cakes
If a product is selling very well, it is selling like hot cakes.
Sell like hotcakes
If something is selling like hotcakes, it is very popular and selling very well.
Sell your birthright for a mess of pottage
If a person sells their birthright for a mess of pottage, they accept some trivial financial or other gain, but lose something much more important. 'Sell your soul for a mess of pottage' is an alternative form.
Sell your soul
If someone sells their soul, their betray the most precious beliefs.
Send someone packing
If you send someone packing, you send them away, normally when they want something from you.
Send someone to Coventry
(UK) If you send someone to Coventry, you refuse to talk to them or co-operate with them.
Senior moment
A memory lapse or a momentary confusion in someone who is no longer young is a senior moment.
Separate the sheep from the goats
If you separate the sheep from the goats, you sort out the good from the bad.
Separate the wheat from the chaff
When you separate the wheat from the chaff, you select what is useful or valuable and reject what is useless or worthless.
Serve time
When someone is serving time, they are in prison.
Serve your country
When someone is serving their country, they have enrolled in the military.
Set a thief to catch a thief
The best person to catch a criminal is another criminal  as they understand how criminals work.
Set in stone
If something is set in stone, it cannot be changed or altered.
Set the stage
If you create the conditions for something to happen or take place, you set the stage for it.
Set the Thames on fire
If you do something remarkable, you set the Thames on fire, though this expression is used in the negative; someone who is dull or undistiguished will never set the Thames on fire.
Set the wheels in motion
When you set the wheels in motion, you get something started.
Set your sights on
If you set your sights on someone or something, it is your ambition to beat them or to achieve that goal.
Set your teeth on edge
If something, especially sounds, sets your teeth on edge, you react very negatively to it.
Settled on your lees
This is an old biblical idiom but still used. It refers to the lees (dregs, sediments) of wine or other liquids that settle in the bottom of the containing vessel if it is not disturbed. Hence, the idiom refers to someone or something that is at ease, not disturbed, or worried. Sometimes this also has reference to a false assurance.
Seven sheets to the wind
If someone is seven sheets to the wind, they are very drunk.
Seventh heaven
If you are in seventh heaven, you are extremely happy.
Shades of meaning
Shades of meaning is a phrase used to describe the small, subtle differences in meaning between similar words or phrases; 'kid' and 'youth' both refer to young people, but carry differing views and ideas about young people.
Shaggy dog story
A shaggy dog story is a joke which is a long story with a silly end.
Shake a leg
If you shake a leg, you are out of bed and active.  It can be used to tell someone to hurry up.
Shanks's pony
(UK) If you go somewhere by Shanks's pony, you walk there.
Shape up or ship out
If someone has to shape up or ship out, they have to improve or leave their job, organisation, etc.
Sharks are circling
If the sharks are circling, then something is in danger and its enemies are getting ready for the kill.
Sharp as a tack
(USA) If someone is as sharp as a tack, they are very clever indeed.
Sharp cookie
Someone who isn't easily deceived or fooled is a sharp cookie.
Sharpen your pencil
(USA) If someone says this when negotiating, they want the other person to make a better offer, a lower price.
She'll be apples
(AU) A very popular old Australian saying meaning everything will be all right, often used when there is some doubt.
Shed light
If you shed light on something, you make it clearer and easier to understand.
Shifting sands
If the sands are shifting, circumstances are changing.
Shilly-shally
If people shilly-shally, they can't make up their minds about something and put off the decision.
Ship came in
If your ship has come in, something very good has happened to you.
Shipshape and Bristol fashion
If things are shipshape and Bristol fashion, they are in perfect working order.
Shoe is on the other foot
If the shoe is on the other foot, someone is experiencing what they used to make others experience, normally negative things.
Shoestring
If you do something on a shoestring, you try to spend the absolute minimum amount of money possible on it.
Shoot down in flames
If someone demolishes your argument, it (and you) have been shot down in flames.
Shoot from the hip
Someone who shoots from the hip talks very directly or insensitively without thinking beforehand.
Shoot the breeze
When you shoot the breeze, you chat in a relaxed way.
Shoot your wad
When you have shot your wad, you have expended everything and have no more to say or do about a matter.
Shoot yourself in the foot
If you shoot yourself in the foot, you do something that damages your ambition, career, etc.

Shooting fish in a barrel
If something is like shooting fish in a barrel, it is so easy that success is guaranteed.
Shop floor
'Shop floor' refers to the part of an organisation where the work is actually performed rather than just managed.
Short end of the stick
If someone gets the short end of the stick, they are unfairly treated or don't get what they deserve.
Short horse soon curried
A convenient and superficial explanation that is normally unconvincing is a short horse soon curried.
Short shrift
If somebody gives you short shrift, they treat you rudely and brusquely, showing no interest or sympathy.
Short-change
If you are short-changed, someone cheats you of money or doesn't give you full value for something.
Shot across the bow
A shot across the bow is a warning to tell someone to stop doing something or face very serious consequences.
Shot in the arm
If something gives you a shot in the arm, it encourages you, gives you energy or improves morale.
Shot in the dark
If you have a shot in the dark at something, you try something where you have little hope of success.
Shotgun marriage
A shotgun marriage, or shotgun wedding, is one that is forced because of pregnancy. It is also used idiomatically for a compromise, agreement or arrangement that is forced upon groups or people by necessity.
Show me the money
When people say this, they either want to know how much they will be paid for something or want to see evidence that something is valuable or worth paying for.
Show someone a clean pair of heels
If you show someone a clean pair of heels, you run faster than them when they are chasing you.
Show someone the ropes
If you show someone the ropes, you explain to someone new how things work and how to do a job.
Show your true colors
To show your true colors is to reveal yourself as you really are.
Shrinking violet
A shrinking violet is a shy person who doesn't express their views and opinions.
Shy bairns get nowt
(UK) An idiom primarily used by those from the North East of England, used to emphasize the fact that children who fail to ask for something (usually from an older person) probably won't succeed in obtaining it. (bairn = child, nowt = nothing)
Sick and tired
If you are sick and tired of something, it has been going on for a long time and you can no longer tolerate it.
Sick as a dog
If somebody's as sick as a dog, they throw up (=vomit) violently.
Sick as a parrot
If someone's sick as a parrot about something, they are unhappy, disappointed or depressed about it.
Sick to death
If you are sick to death of something, you have been exposed to so much of it that you cannot take any more.
Sight for sore eyes
Someone or something that is a sight for sore eyes is a pleasure to see.
Sight to behold
If something is a sight to behold, it means that seeing it is in some way special, either spectacularly beautiful or, equally, incredibly ugly or revolting, etc.
Signed, sealed and delivered
If something's signed, sealed and delivered, it has been done correctly, following all the necessary procedures.
Silence is golden
It is often better to say nothing than to talk, so silence is golden.
Silly season
The silly season is midsummer when Parliament is closed and nothing much is happening that is newsworthy, which reduces the press to reporting trivial and stupid stories.
Silver bullet
A silver bullet is a complete solution to a large problem, a solution that seems magical.
Silver screen
The silver screen is the cinema.
Silver surfer
A silver surfer is an elderly person who uses the internet.
Since time immemorial
If something has happened since time immemorial, it's been going on for such a long time that nobody can remember a time without it.
Sing for your supper
If you have to sing for your supper, you have to work to get the pay or reward you need or want.
Sing from the same hymn sheet
If people are singing from the same hymn sheet, they are expressing the same opinions in public.
Sing like a canary
If someone sings like a canary, they tell everything they know about a crime or wrongdoing to the police or authorities.
Sink or swim
Of you are left to sink or swim, no one gives you any help and it's up to you whether you fail or succeed.
Sit on the fence
If someone sits on the fence, they try not to support either side in a dispute.
Sit pretty
Someone who's sitting pretty is in a very advantageous situation.
Sit well with
If something doesn't sit well with you, it doesn't please you or is not acceptable to you.
Sitting duck
A sitting duck is something or someone that is easy to criticise or target.
Six feet under
If someone is six feet under, they are dead.
Six of one and half-a-dozen of the other
This is an idiom used when there is little or no difference between two options.
Sixes and sevens
If something is all at sixes and sevens, then there is a lot of disagreement and confusion about what should be done.
Sixty-four-thousand-dollar-question
The sixty-four-thousand-dollar-question is the most important question that can be asked about something.
Skate on thin ice
If someone is skating on thin ice, they are taking a big risk.
Skeleton in the closet
If someone has a skeleton in the closet, they have a dark, shameful secret in their past that they want to remain secret.
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