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Words starting with S

Words that start with S

Six slippery snakes sailed southward on a silver ship to Sydney.

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Photo of smoke
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Sis forSmoke

Smoke is given off when you burn something. Smoke is made up of byproduct gases and small particles from the burning process. Most of the particles are small specs of soot. The smoke in the picture is a smoke bomb some students made in a science class at a school.
Photo of smooth polished stones
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Sis forSmooth

Something is smooth if you can run your fingers over it and not catch or snag your fingers on the surface. A smooth surface has no bumps or imperfections. The opposite of smooth is rough.

Sis forSmudge

A smudge is a place where something clean or sharply drawn has been wiped with something and it has been blurred.
Photo of a smug man
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Sis forSmug

Someone is smug if they are very confident of their ability to do something, but at the same time are calm and complacent about it, as if they can do it very easily.
Photo of a snack
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Sis forSnack

A snack is a small amount of food you eat between larger meals, when you are a little bit hungry.
Photo of a snail
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Sis forSnail

Snails can be found on land and in the water, both freshwater and the sea. A snail without a shell is called a slug. Snails range in size from smaller than your little fingernail to a sea snail that can grow to 30 inches long. The biggest land snail is only grows to 12 inches long. They come in a wide variety of colours and patterns. Snails have a pair of eyes on stalks and a pair of feelers below them, to stop it bumping into things. It can suck both its feelers and eyes into its body for safety, and it can hide in its shell if it is disturbed. Snails have one foot that they "walk" with. They eat by scraping the top layer of their food with their tongue, which is covered in tiny sharp teeth. If you listen hard to a snail when it is eating, you can hear it scraping.
Photo of a coiled snake.
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Sis forSnake

Snakes are a type of reptile that has no legs. They come in many colours and patterns, and some kinds of snake can grow to be several metres long. Snakes jaws do not lock open like ours do, but can open a huge way. They can swallow small animals that are much bigger than their heads. Snakes only need to eat every few days. Some snakes are very poisonous and can kill a person in one bite. Other snakes kill their prey by wrapping themselves around it and suffocating it. You should always be careful around snakes. Some kinds of non-venomous snake are sold as pets, but often a special license is needed and pet snakes should still be treated with care as they might eat other household pets and have been known to kill very small children.
Scientific name: Sansevieria trifasciata
Snake plant is also called viper's bowstring hemp, mother-in-law's tongue or Saint George's sword. It is a very hardy plant, and spreads by growing below the ground and then sending up new leaves.

Sis forSnap

Snap means to make a loud noise using your fingers. People often snap to hurry someone. It might also mean to break something long and thin, like snapping a twig.
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Scientific name: antirrhinum majus
Snapdragons are an old-fashioned flower. The flower can be squeezed to make it open like a dragon's mouth, which is why they are called snapdragons. They should be planted in well-drained soil in full sun. They can be planted at any time of year, and take about 8-10 weeks to flower. They come in a big range of colours, but shades of pink and white are most common.