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Talk Talk - Communication terms
Category: General technical and industrial
Date & country: 28/05/2010, UK
Words: 18630
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Shamir, Yitzhak YernitskyPolish-born Israeli right-wing politician; prime minister 1983–84 and 1986–92; leader of the Likud (Consolidation Party) until 1993. He was foreign minister under Menachem Begin 1980–83, and again foreign minister in Shimon Peres's unity government 1984–86. In October 1986, he and Peres exchanged positions, S...
Shakespeare, William(dramatist) Click images to enlargeEnglish dramatist and poet. He is considered the greatest English dramatist. His plays, written in blank verse with some prose, can be broadly divided into comedies, including
A Midsummer Night's Dream&...
shah
(More formally, shahanshah `king of kings`) traditional title of ancient Persian rulers, and also of those of the recent Pahlavi dynasty in Iran
Shaanxi
Province of northwest China, bounded to the north by Inner Mongolia, to the east by Shanxi and Henan, to the south by Hubei and Sichuan, and to the west by Gansu and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region; area 195,800 sq km/75,600 sq mi; population (2000 est) 36,050,000. The capital is Xi'an. There are coalmining, iron, steel, textile, and ...
Shiva
In Hinduism, the third chief god (with Brahma and Vishnu) making up the Trimurti. As Mahadeva (great lord), he is the creator, symbolized by the phallic lingam, who restores what as Mahakala he destroys. He is often sculpted as Nataraja, performing his fruitful cosmic dance. His consort or shakti (fe...
shock
In medicine, circulatory failure marked by a sudden fall of blood pressure and resulting in pallor, sweating, fast (but weak) pulse, and sometimes complete collapse. Causes include disease, injury, and psychological trauma. In shock, the blood pressure falls below that necessary to supply the tissues of the body, especially the brain. Treatment dep...
Shiraz
Ancient walled city of southern Iran, the capital of Fars province, on the highway from Tehran to Bushire; population (2006) 1,227,300. Grain, rice, pulses, tobacco, gum tragacanth, clarified butter, wine, wool, skins, and carpets are the main products, as well as cotton goods, glass, attar of roses, and inlaid craftwork. There are many mosques...
shinty
Stick-and-ball game resembling hurling, popular in the Scottish Highlands. It is played between teams of 12 players each, on a field 132–183 m/144–200 yd long and 64–91 m/70–99 yd wide. A curved stick (`camán`) is used to propel a leather-covered cork and worsted ball into the opposing team'...
Shinto
The indigenous religion of Japan. It combines an empathetic oneness with natural forces and loyalty to the reigning dynasty as descendants of the Sun goddess, Amaterasu-Omikami. An aggressive nationalistic form of Shinto, known as State Shinto, was developed under the Emperor Meiji (1868–191...
Shikoku
Smallest of the four main islands of Japan, south of Honshu, east of Kyushu; area 18,800 sq km/7,250 sq mi; population (2000 est) 4,154,000. This mountainous island consists of four prefectures, Kagawa, Tokushima, Ehime, and Kochi. The chief towns are Matsuyama and Takamatsu. The population is largely concentrated in the small coastal p...
Sherwood Forest
Hilly stretch of parkland in west Nottinghamshire, central England; area about 520 sq km/200 sq mi. Formerly an ancient royal forest extending from Nottingham to Worksop, it is associated with the legendary outlaw Robin Hood. According to the Forestry Commission, Sherwood Forest is over 1,000 years old. It was once a vast royal forest of oa...
Sherriff, R(obert) C(edric)
English dramatist. He is remembered for the antiheroic war play Journey's End (1928). Later plays include Badger's Green (1930) and Home at Seven (1950). His film scripts include The Invisible Man (1933), Goodbye Mr Chips (1939) and The D...
Sherpa
Member of a Mongolian people who originally migrated from Tibet and now live in northeastern Nepal. They are related to the Tibetans. Skilled mountaineers, they frequently work as support staff and guides for climbing expeditions. Traditionally farmers, they grow wheat, barley, and potatoes and breed sheep, goats, and yaks. Until recently a great d...
sheriff
In England and Wales, the crown's chief executive officer in a county for ceremonial purposes; in Scotland, the equivalent of the English county-court judge, but also dealing with criminal cases; and in the USA the popularly elected head law-enforcement officer of a county, combining judicial authority with administrative duties
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley
Irish dramatist and politician. His social comedies include The Rivals (1775), celebrated for the character of Mrs Malaprop, whose unintentional misuse of words gave the English language the word `malapropism`, and his best-known piece, The School for Scandal (1777). He also wrote a burlesque (moc...
Shepard, E(rnest) H(oward)
English illustrator and cartoonist. He worked for Punch, but is best remembered for his illustrations for children's classics, including A A Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows (1908)
Shenyang
Capital of Liaoning province, China; population (2000) 4,596,800. It is the region's main trading city, and one of China's principal metal-fabricating and machine-building centres. It was the capital of the Manchu emperors from 1625 to 1644; their tombs are nearby. History Originally known as Shen, from the 10th to the 12th ...
shell shock
Any of the various forms of mental disorder that affect soldiers exposed to heavy explosions or extreme stress. Shell shock was first diagnosed during World War I
Shelley, Percy Bysshe
English lyric poet and critic. He was a commanding figure of the artistic movement of Romanticism. His skill in poetic form and metre and his intellectual capacity and searching mind were clouded by his rebellious nature and his notorious moral nonconformity. He fought against religion and for political freedom. This is reflected in his early poems...
shellac
Resin derived from secretions of the lac insect
Sheffield
Industrial city and metropolitan borough on the River Don, South Yorkshire, England; population of metropolitan district (2001 est) 513,100. From the 12th century, iron smelting was the chief industry, and by the 14th century, Sheffield cutlery, silverware, and plate were being made. During the Industrial Revolution the iron and steel industrie...
Shaw, George Bernard
Irish dramatist, critic, and novelist, and an early member of the socialist Fabian Society, although he resigned in 1911. His plays combine comedy with political, philosophical, and controversial aspects, aiming to make an impact on his audience's social conscience as well as their emotions. They include Arms and the Man (189...
share
In finance, that part of the capital of a company held by a member (shareholder). Shares may be numbered and are issued as units of definite face value; shareholders are not always called on to pay the full face value of their shares, though they bind themselves to do so. The shares of a public limited company are tradable on a stock exchange. ...
Shannon
Longest river in Ireland, rising 105 m/344 ft above sea level in the Cuilcagh Mountains in County Cavan, and flowing 386 km/240 mi to the Atlantic Ocean past Athlone, and through loughs Allen, Boderg, Forbes, Ree, and Derg. The estuary, which is 110 km/68 mi long and 3–16 km/2...
Shanghai
Click images to enlargeLargest urban settlement and mainland port in China, on the East China Sea in Jiangsu province, on the Huangpu and Wusong rivers, 24 km/15 mi from the Chang Jiang estuary; population (2000) 14,231,000. The municipality of Shanghai, which has the status of a province, answering directly to th...
Shaker
Member of the Christian sect of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, called Shakers because of their ecstatic trembling and shaking during worship. The movement was founded by James and Jane Wardley in England about 1747, and taken to North America in 1774 by Ann Lee (173...
Shahn, Ben(jamin)
Lithuanian-born US painter. The most distinguished of the US Social Realists, his art drew attention to social and political issues that were often particularly controversial. The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti (1931–32; Whitney Museum of American Art), for example, is based on the notorious Sacco-Vanzetti case, i...
Shaftesbury
Market town and agricultural centre in Dorset, southwest England, 30 km/19 mi southwest of Salisbury; population (2001) 6,700. Industries include tourism. King Alfred is said to have founded an abbey on the site in 880 (consecrated in 888); King Canute died at Shaftesbury in 1035
Shah Jahan
Mogul emperor of India from 1628, under whom the dynasty reached its zenith. Succeeding his father Jahangir, he extended Mogul authority into the Deccan plateau (eastern India), subjugating Ahmadnagar, Bijapur, and Golconda 1636, but lost Kandahar in the northwest to the Persians 1653. His reign mark...
Shaffer, Peter Levin
English dramatist. His psychological dramas include Five Finger Exercise (1958), the historical epic The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1964), the controversial Equus (1973), Amadeus (1979), about the envy provoked by the composer Mozart, the comedy Lettice and Lovage
Shackleton, Ernest Henry
Irish Antarctic explorer. In 1908–09, he commanded the British Antarctic expedition that reached 88° 23' S latitude, located the magnetic South Pole, and climbed Mount Erebus. He was knighted in 1909. Shackleton was a member of Scott's Antarctic expedition 1901–04, and also com...
shrimp
Crustacean related to the prawn. It has a cylindrical, semi-transparent body, with ten jointed legs. Some shrimps grow as large as 25 cm/10 in long. The European common shrimp Crangon vulgaris is greenish, translucent, has its first pair of legs ending in pincers, possesses no rostrum (the beaklike structure which extends...
Shavuot
In Judaism, a festival celebrated on the 50th day after Pesach (Passover) in commemoration of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, and the end of the grain harvest. In the Christian church, Shavuot (Pentecost) was the day on which the apostles experienced inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Shavuot signifies the spiritual freedom...
shot put
In athletics, the sport of throwing (or putting) overhand from the shoulder a metal ball (or shot). Standard shot weights are 7.26 kg/16 lb for men and 4 kg/8.8 lb for women
shallot
Small onion in which bulbs are clustered like garlic; it is used for cooking and in pickles. (Allium ascalonicum, family Liliaceae.)
shamrock
Any of several leguminous plants (see legume) whose leaves are divided into three leaflets, including clovers. St Patrick is said to have used one to illustrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and it was made the national badge of Ireland. (Family Leguminosae.)
shield
(technology) In technology, any material used to reduce the amount of radiation (electrostatic, electromagnetic, heat, nuclear) reaching from one region of space to another, or any material used as a protection against falling debris, as in tunnelling. Electrical conductors are used for electr...
ship
Click images to enlargeLarge seagoing vessel. The Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, and Vikings used ships extensively for trade, exploration, and warfare. European voyages of exploration began in the 14th century, greatly aided by the invention of the compass; most of the great European voyages of discovery were made betw...
Short Parliament
English Parliament summoned by Charles I on 13 April 1640 to raise funds for his war against the Scots. It was succeeded later in the year by the Long Parliament. When it became clear that the Parliament opposed the war and would not grant him any money, he dissolved it on 5 May and arrested some of its leaders
short story
Short work of prose fiction, usually consisting of between 500 and 10,000 words, which typically either sets up and resolves a single narrative point or depicts a mood or an atmosphere. The form has a long history and examples of its popularity and success include Aesop's Fables and the tales of The Thousand and One ...
shadow cabinet
The chief members of the British parliamentary opposition, each of whom is responsible for commenting on the policies and performance of a government ministry
sheikh
Leader or chief of an Arab family or village; also Muslim title meaning `religious scholar`
Shiite
Member of a sect of Islam that believes that Ali, a cousin of the prophet Muhammad, was his first true successor. The Shiites are doctrinally opposed to the Sunni Muslims. They developed their own version of the Sunna (traditional law of Islam), with only minor differences, such as inheritance and the status of women. In Shiism, the clergy are empo...
show trial
Public and well-reported trial of people accused of crimes against the state. In the USSR in the 1930s and 1940s, Stalin carried out show-trial purges against economic saboteurs, Communist Party members, army officers, and even members of the Bolshevik leadership. Andrei Vyshinsky was the Soviet prosecutor for many of the most notorious sho...
Shaka
Zulu chief who formed a Zulu empire in southeastern Africa. He seized power from his half-brother 1816 and then embarked on a bloody military campaign to unite the Zulu clans. He was assassinated by his two half-brothers
Shoemaker, Willie
US jockey. He rode 8,833 winners from 40,351 mounts. Having first ridden as a professional on 19 March 1949, he retired in February 1990. Career highlights US Triple Crown Kentucky Derby: 1955, 1959, 1965, 1986; Preakness Stakes: 1963, 1967; Belmont Stakes: 1957, 1959, 1962, 1967, 1975 Leading US money winner 1951, 1953–54,...
Shastri, Lal Bahadur
Indian politician, prime minister 1964–66. He campaigned for national integration, and secured a declaration of peace with Pakistan at the Tashkent peace conference in 1966. Before independence, he was imprisoned several times for civil disobedience. Because of his small stature, he was known as `the Sparrow`
Shema
In Judaism, prayer from the Torah that affirms Jewish belief in the one God, and the special relationship of the Jews with God. It plays an important part in most services and worship, and is recited by Orthodox men every morning and evening
shofar
In Judaism, a ram's horn blown in the synagogue as a call to repentance at the New Year festivals of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Jewish high holy days or `days of awe`. The shofar is sounded several times during the morning service at synagogue in the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally, a horn would signal the arri...
shaman
Ritual leader who acts as intermediary between society and the supernatural world in many indigenous cultures of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Also known as a medicine man, seer, or sorcerer, the shaman is expected to use special powers to cure illness and control good and evil spirits
Shona
A Bantu-speaking people of South Africa, comprising approximately 80% of the population of Zimbabwe. They also occupy the land between the Save and Pungure rivers in Mozambique, and smaller groups are found in South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia. The Shona are mainly farmers, living in scattered villages. The Shona language belongs to the Ni...
shadoof
Machine for lifting water, consisting typically of a long, pivoted wooden pole acting as a lever, with a weight at one end. The other end is positioned over a well, for example. The shadoof was in use in ancient Egypt and is still used in Arab countries today
shire
Administrative area formed in Britain for the purpose of raising taxes in Anglo-Saxon times. By AD 1000 most of southern England had been divided into shires with fortified strongholds at their centres. The Midland counties of England are still known as the Shires; for example Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire
short circuit
Unintended direct connection between two points in an electrical circuit. Resistance is proportional to the length of wire through which current flows. By bypassing the rest of the circuit, the short circuit has low resistance and a large current flows through it. This may cause the circuit to overheat dangerously
shackle
Obsolete unit of length, used at sea for measuring cable or chain. One shackle is 15 fathoms (90 ft/27 m)
Shilton, Peter
English international footballer, an outstanding goalkeeper, who set records for the highest number of Football League appearances (1,005) and England caps (125). First capped by England in 1970, he retired from international football after the 1990 World Cup finals. He was manager of Plymouth Argyle 1992–95. Career highlights International ap...
sheath
Another name for a condom
short tennis
A variation of lawn tennis. It is played on a smaller court, largely by children. It can be played indoors or outdoors
sharp
In music, a sign that tells a player to raise the pitch of a note by one semitone. It can also describe the inaccurate intonation of players when they are playing higher in pitch than they should be
Sheridan, Philip Henry
Union general in the American Civil War. Recognizing Sheridan's aggressive spirit, General Ulysses S Grant gave him command of his cavalry 1864, and soon after of the Army of the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. Sheridan laid waste to the valley, cutting off grain supplies to the Confederate armies. In the final stage of the war, Sheridan forced Ge...
Sherman, William Tecumseh
Union general in the American Civil War. In 1864 he captured and burned Atlanta; continued his march eastward, to the sea, laying Georgia waste; and then drove the Confederates northward. He was US Army Chief of Staff 1869–83
shadow
Area of darkness behind an opaque object that cannot be reached by some or all of the light coming from a light source in front. Its presence may be explained in terms of light rays travelling in straight lines and being unable to bend around obstacles. The light in front of the object is blocked. A ...
short-sightedness
Nontechnical term for myopia
shooting star
Another name for a meteor
shiatsu
In alternative medicine, Japanese method of massage derived from acupuncture and sometimes referred to as `acupressure`, which treats organic or physiological dysfunctions by applying finger or palm pressure to parts of the body remote from the affected part
share option
In finance, see option
Sholes, Christopher Latham
American printer and newspaper editor who, in 1867, invented the first practicable typewriter in association with Carlos Glidden and Samuel Soulé. In 1873, they sold their patents to Remington & Sons, a firm of gunsmiths in New York, who developed and sold the machine commercially. In 1878 Sholes developed a shift-key mechanism that ma...
Sharman, Helen
English astronaut and the first Briton to fly in space, chosen from 13,000 applicants for a 1991 joint UK–Russian space flight. A research chemist, she was launched on 18 May 1991 in Soyuz TM-12 and spent six days with Russian cosmonauts conducting scientific experiments aboard the Mir space station
shogun
Japanese term for military dictator and abbreviation for `seii tai shogun` – `great barbarian-conquering general`. Technically an imperial appointment, the office was treated as hereditary and was held by a series of clans, the Minamoto 1192–1219, the Ashikaga 1336–1573, and the Tokugawa 160...
sheep scab
Highly contagious disease of sheep, caused by mites that penetrate the animal's skin. Painful irritation, infection, loss of fleece, and death may result. The disease is notifiable in the UK
shanty town
Click images to enlargeGroup of unplanned shelters constructed from cheap or waste materials (such as cardboard, wood, and cloth). Shanty towns are commonly located on the outskirts of cities in poor countries, or within large cities on derelict land or near rubbish tips. Land available for shanties is often of poor quali...
sharecropping
Farming someone else's land, where the farmer gives the landowner a proportion of the crop instead of money. This system of rent payment was common in the USA, especially the South, until after World War II. It is still common in parts of the developing world; for example, in India. Often the farmer is left with such a small share of the cr...
shifting cultivation
Farming system where farmers move on from one place to another when the land becomes exhausted. The most common form is slash-and-burn agriculture: land is cleared by burning, so that crops can be grown. After a few years, soil fertility is reduced and the land is abandoned. A new area is cleared while the old land recovers its fertilit...
shield volcano
Broad, flat volcano formed at a constructive margin between tectonic plates or over a hot spot. The magma (molten rock) associated with shield volcanoes is usually basalt – thin and free-flowing. An example is Mauna Loa on the Pacific island of Hawaii. A composite volcano, on the other hand,...
Shushkevich, Stanislav
Belorussian politician, president 1991–94. He was elected to parliament as a nationalist `reform communist` in 1990 and played a key role in the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as the successor to the USSR. A supporter of free-market reforms, he opposed the alignment of Belarus's economic and foreign ...
Shang dynasty
China's first fully authenticated dynasty, c. 1500–c. 1066 BC, which saw the start of the Bronze Age. Shang rulers dominated the Huang He (Yellow River) plain of northern China, developing a complex agricultural civilization which used a written language
shell
(outer covering) In zoology, hard outer covering of a wide variety of invertebrates. The covering is usually mineralized, normally with large amounts of calcium. The shell of birds' eggs is also largely made of calcium
Sher, Antony
South African-born actor. A versatile performer in contemporary and classic drama, his roles include Richard III (1984), Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (1987), the title role in Peter Flannery's Singer (1989), Mikhail Astrov in Uncle Vanya (1992), Tamburlaine in ...
Sheol
In the Hebrew Bible, the place of the dead. The word also suggests the grave, the underworld, and the state of death. Yahweh was the ruler of Sheol, and in some writings premature committal to Sheol was seen as a form of punishment. In later Jewish literature, Sheol is divided into areas for the wicked and the righteous
shareware
Software distributed free via the Internet or on disks given away with magazines. Users have the opportunity to test its functionality and ability to meet their requirements before paying a small registration fee directly to the author. This may bring additional functionality, documentation, and occasional upgrades. Shareware is not copyright-f...
Shaivism
In Hinduism, worship of the god Shiva. It is an important part of the Hindu tradition, particularly in southern India. Shaivite ascetics often smear their bodies with ashes, keep their hair uncut, and carry a trident. Shaivism stresses asceticism and meditation
shortcut
In computing, keyboard combination or icon that activates a procedure otherwise available only through pull-down menus and dialog boxes. Most commercial software comes with built-in keyboard shortcuts and pushbuttons, and many allow users to create their own custom shortcuts. In Microsoft Windows, a shortcut is an icon that launches a progr...
Shearer, Alan
English footballer. In 1996 he was transferred to Newcastle United from Blackburn Rovers for what was then a world record fee of £15 million. A strongly built centre-forward, he made his England debut in 1992. He retired from international football after captaining England in the 2000 European Championships. At that time his final tally of...
Shipley, Jenny
New Zealand right-of-centre politician, prime minister 1997–99. She joined the conservative National Party at the age of 23 and, after a spell as a local councillor, was elected to the House of Representatives in 1987. When the National Party came to power in 1990, Shipley entered Jim Bolger's government as minister of social welfa...
Sharon, Ariel
Israeli right-wing Likud politician, prime minister 2001–06. Initially a soldier, he left the army in 1973 to help found the Likud party with Menachem Begin. He was elected to the Knesset (Israeli parliament) in 1977 and held a succession of influential posts. A leading member of the staunchly nationalist new right, he took over Likud'...
Shivaratri
Hindu festival of devotion to the creator Shiva, occurring in February/March. Devotees will rise and bathe, then either set up a lingam (a phallic symbol of generative energy) at home, or visit the mandir (temple). There is an all-day fast, although certain simple foods are permitted, and the worshippers make puja offerings, perform arti, a...
shahadah
The first duty of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is a statement of faith – `I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah`. For Muslims, the affirmation of the shahadah entails living one's life in a way that upholds its truth. The shahadah is said first thing on waking and last thing at night....
Shapcott, Jo
English poet. She is the first person to have won the National Poetry Competition twice (1990 and 1991). Her first collection of verse, Electroplating the Baby (1988) won the Commonwealth Prize. Phrase Book (1992) further established her as an innovative poet. My Life Asleep (1998) won the Fo...
Shekhinah
In Judaism, the presence of God among people. Jews believe that the permanent, all-pervading, joyful majesty of God is present where people gather for worship, study the Torah, or do good deeds
shrine
Place regarded as holy due to an association with a divine figure, relic, or event. Shrines are important places in most religions, and are often a focus of worship or meditation
shaping
Method in which resistant materials can be fitted together to make structures that have shape. However, shapes can be made from single pieces of material. Irregular shapes can be made in sheet material by cutting with a fret saw or a coping saw. `Tin snips` can be used to cut sheet metal into shapes. Chain drilling is a way of cutting sha...
silicon
Brittle, non-metallic element, atomic number 14, relative atomic mass 28.086. It is the second-most abundant element (after oxygen) in the Earth's crust and occurs in amorphous and crystalline forms. In nature it is found only in combination with other elements, chiefly with oxygen in silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2...
Sirius
Brightest star in the night sky, 8.6 light years from the Sun in the constellation Canis Major. Sirius is a double star: Sirius A is a white star with a mass 2.3 times that of the Sun, a diameter 1.8 times that of the Sun, and a true luminosity of 23 Suns. It is orbited every 50 years by a white dwarf, Sirius B, also known as the Pup. Sirius B ...
Silicon Valley
Nickname given to a region of southern California, USA, approximately 32 km/20 mi long, between Palo Alto and San Jose. It is the site of many high-technology electronic firms, whose prosperity is based on the silicon chip. Silicon Valley faces increasing competition from computer companies in Asia
Singer, Isaac Merrit
US inventor of domestic and industrial sewing machines. Within a few years of opening his first factory in 1851, he became the world's largest sewing-machine manufacturer (despite infringing the patent of Elias Howe), and by the late 1860s more than 100,000 Singer sewing machines were in use in the USA alone
silverfish
Wingless insect, a type of bristletail
siskin
North American finch Carduelis pinus with yellow markings or greenish-yellow bird Carduelis spinus about 12 cm/5 in long, found in Eurasia. They are members of the finch family Fringillidae, order Passeriformes
silkworm
Usually the larva of the common silkworm moth Bombyx mori. After hatching from the egg and maturing on the leaves of white mulberry trees (or a synthetic substitute), it spins a protective cocoon of fine silk thread 275 m/900 ft long. To keep the thread intact, the moth is kill...
sidewinder
Rattlesnake Crotalus cerastes that lives in the deserts of the southwestern USA and Mexico, and moves by throwing its coils into a sideways `jump` across the sand. It can grow up to 75 cm/30 in long
sima
In geochemistry and geophysics, the substance of the Earth's oceanic crust, as distinct from the sial of the continental crust. The name, now used rarely, is derived from silica and magnesia, its two main chemical constituents
