[square peg in a round hole]{n.}, {informal} A person who does not fit into a job or position; someone who does not belong where he is. •/Arthur is a square peg in a round hole when he is playing ball./ •/George likes to work with his hands. When it comes to books, he’s a square peg in a round hole./ — Sometimes used in a short form, [square peg].

[square shooter] See: SHOOT STRAIGHT.

[square up]{v. phr.} To liquidate debts and other obligations. •/I want to square up my medical bills before I accept my new teaching assignment in Africa./

[squeak] See: PIP-SQUEAK.

[squeak by]{v. phr.} 1. To barely succeed. •/He was so poorly prepared for his bar exam that he barely squeaked by./ 2. To clear with difficulty. •/The entrance to the corridor in the old Italian castle was so narrow that I barely managed to squeak by it./

[squeak through]{v.}, {informal} To be successful but almost fail; win by a small score. •/Susan squeaked through the history examination./ •/The football team squeaked through 7-6./ Compare: BY THE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH.

[squeeze out of]{v. phr.} To apply pressure to someone in order to obtain what one desires. •/The police were interrogating the suspect to squeeze information out of him./

[stab in the back(1)]{v. phr.}, {slang} To say or do something unfair that harms (a friend or someone who trusts you). •/Owen stabbed his friend Max in the back by telling lies about him./

[stab in the back(2)]{n. phr.}, {slang} An act or a lie that hurts a friend or trusting person; a promise not kept, especially to a friend. •/John stabbed his own friend in the back by stealing from his store./ •/My friend stabbed me in the back by telling the teacher I was playing hooky when I was home sick./

[stab in the dark]{n. phr.} A random attempt or guess at something without previous experience or knowledge of the subject. •/"You’re asking me who could have hidden grandpa’s will," Fred said. "I really have no idea, but let me make a stab in the dark — I think my sister Hermione has it."/

[stack] See: BLOW A FUSE or BLOW ONE’S STACK.

[stack the cards]{v. phr.} 1. To arrange cards secretly and dishonestly for the purpose of cheating. •/The gambler had stacked the cards against Bill./ 2. To arrange things unfairly for or against a person; have things so that a person has an unfair advantage or disadvantage; make sure in an unfair way that things will happen. — Usually used in the passive with "in one’s favor" or "against one." •/A tall basketball player has the cards stacked in his favor./ •/The cards are stacked against a poor boy who wants to go to college./

[stage] See: AT --- STAGE OF THE GAME, HOLD THE STAGE, ON THE STAGE, SET THE STAGE.

[stage fright]{n. phr.} The fear one feels before appearing in front of an audience. •/Many famous actors and actresses admit that they often have stage fright before the curtain goes up./

[stagestruck]{adj.} Desirous of becoming an actor or actress; enamored of the acting profession. •/Milly is so stagestruck that she waits for actresses at the stage door after each performance to get their signatures./

[stage whisper]{n. phr.} A loud whisper intended to reach other ears than those of the person(s) addressed. •/Some jokes should be told in a stage whisper./

[stag party] See: GO STAG. Contrast: HEN PARTY.

[stake] See: AT STAKE, PULL UP STAKES.

[stake a claim]{v. phr.} 1. To claim ownership of land by driving stakes to show boundaries. •/The gold hunters staked claims in the West./ 2. {informal} To claim a person or thing as your own by some sign. Usually used with "on". •/George staked a claim on Dianne by giving her his class ring./

[stamp] See: SAVINGS STAMP, TRADING STAMP.

[stamping ground]{n.}, {informal} A place where a person spends much of his time. •/Pete’s soda fountain is an afterschool stamping ground./ •/When John returned to his hometown many years later, he visited all of his old stamping grounds./

[stamp out]{v.} To destroy completely and make disappear. •/In the last few years, we have nearly stamped out polio by using vaccine./ •/The police and judges are trying to stamp out crime./ Compare: WIPE OUT.

[stand] See: GOAL LINE STAND, HAIR STAND ON END, HEART STAND STILL, LEG TO STAND ON.

[stand a chance] or [stand a show] {n. phr.} To have a possibility or opportunity; be likely to do or get something. •/Fred doesn’t stand a chance of being elected./ •/We stand a good chance of seeing Mary at the party./

[standard time] also [slow time] {n.} Clock time that is set by law or agreement in a country or in part of a country; especially, in the United States: the clock time used between fall and spring, which is an hour slower than the time used in the summer. — Abbreviation ST. •/When we go to bed Saturday night, we will set our clocks back an hour, because Sunday we will be on standard time again./ •/Next week it will get dark an hour earlier, because we will be on standard time./ Contrast: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.

[stand by]{v.} 1. To be close beside or near. •/Mary could not tell Jane the secret with her little brother standing by./ •/Would you just stand by and watch the big boys beat your little brother?/ 2. To be near, waiting to do something when needed. •/The policeman in the patrol car radioed the station about the robbery, and then stood by for orders./ •/Lee stood by with a fire extinguisher while the trash was burning./ 3. To follow or keep (one’s promise). •/He is a boy who always stands by his promises./ 4. To be loyal to; support; help. •/When three big boys attacked Bill, Ed stood by him./ •/Some people blamed Harry when he got into trouble, but Joe stood by him./ Compare: BACK UP, HANG TOGETHER, STAND UP FOR.

[stand by one’s guns] See: STICK TO ONE’S GUNS.

[stand for]{v.} 1. To be a sign of; make you think of; mean. •/The letters "U.S.A." stand for "United States of America."/ •/The written sign "=" in an arithmetic problem stands for "equals."/ •/Our flag stands for our country./ •/The owl stands for wisdom./ 2. To speak in favor of something, or show that you support it. •/The new President stood for honest government./ •/John always stands for what is right./ 3. {Chiefly British} To try to be elected for. •/Three men from London are standing for parliament./ •/The governor did not stand for reelection./ 4. {informal} To allow to happen or to be done; permit. — Usually used in the negative, •/The teacher will not stand for fooling in the classroom./ Compare: HAVE IT(4), PUT UP WITH.

[stand in awe of]{v. phr.} To look upon with wonder; feel very respectful to. •/Janet always stands in awe of the superintendent./ •/The soldier stood in awe to his officers./

[stand in for]{v. phr.} To substitute for someone. •/The famous brain surgeon was called out of town so his assistant had to stand in for him during the operation./

[stand in one’s way] See: IN ONE’S WAY.

[stand in with]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be liked by or friendly with. — Usually used with "well". •/John stands in well with the teacher./

[stand off]{v.} 1. To stay at a distance; stay apart. •/At parties, Mr. Jones goes around talking to everyone, but Mrs. Jones is shy and stands off./ 2. To keep (someone or something) from coming near or winning. •/The soldiers defending the fort stood off a large band of Indians./ •/The other schools wanted to beat our team and win the championship, but our boys stood them all off./ Contrast: GIVE GROUND.