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2 VERB When something such as a hand or finger is sewn back by a doctor, it is joined with the patient's body using a needle and thread. □ [be V -ed adv] The hand was preserved in ice by neighbours and sewn back on in hospital.

3 → see also sewing

▸  sew up

1 PHRASAL VERB If you sew up pieces of cloth or tears in cloth or skin, you join them together using a needle and thread. □ [V P n] Next day, Miss Stone decided to sew up the rip. [Also V n P ]

2 PHRASAL VERB If someone sews up something such as a business deal, an election, or a game, they make sure that they will get the result they want. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] If they didn't move fast, Johnson could sew this deal up within days. □ [V -ed P ] The Italians think they've got it all sewn up. [Also V P n]

sew|age /suː I dʒ/ N‑UNCOUNT Sewage is waste matter such as faeces or dirty water from homes and factories, which flows away through sewers. □  …the MPs' call for more treatment of raw sewage.

sew|er /suː ə ^r / (sewers ) N‑COUNT A sewer is a large underground channel that carries waste matter and rain water away, usually to a place where it is treated and made harmless. □  …the city's sewer system. □  …open sewers.

sew|er|age /suː ər I dʒ/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Sewerage is the system by which waste matter is carried away in sewers and made harmless. □  …without access to any services such as water or sewerage.

sew|ing /soʊ I ŋ/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Sewing is the activity of making or mending clothes or other things using a needle and thread. □  Her mother had always done all the sewing.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Sewing is clothes or other things that are being sewn. □  We all got out our own sewing and sat in front of the log fire.

se w|ing ma|chine (sewing machines ) N‑COUNT A sewing machine is a machine that you use for sewing.

sewn /soʊ n/ Sewn is the past participle of sew .

sex ◆◆◇ /se ks/ (sexes , sexing , sexed )

1 N‑COUNT The two sexes are the two groups, male and female, into which people and animals are divided according to the function they have in producing young. □  …an entertainment star who appeals to all ages and both sexes. □  …differences between the sexes.

2 → see also fair sex , opposite sex , same-sex , single-sex

3 N‑COUNT [oft with poss] The sex of a person or animal is their characteristic of being either male or female. □  She continually failed to gain promotion because of her sex. □ [+ of ] The new technique has been used to identify the sex of foetuses.

4 N‑UNCOUNT Sex is the physical activity by which people can produce young. □  He was very open in his attitudes about sex. □  We have a very active sex life.

5 PHRASE If two people have sex , they perform the act of sex. □ [+ with ] Have you ever thought about having sex with someone other than your partner?

▸  sex up PHRASAL VERB To sex something up means to make it more interesting and exciting. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] They wanted to modernise the programme, sex it up. [Also V P n, V -ed P ]

se x aid (sex aids ) N‑COUNT A sex aid is an object or piece of equipment that is designed to make sex easier or better.

se x ap|peal N‑UNCOUNT Someone's sex appeal is their sexual attractiveness. □  She still has the energy and sex appeal of a woman less than half her age.

-sexed /-se kst/ COMB -sexed is used after adverbs such as 'over' and 'under' to form adjectives which indicate that someone wants to have sex too often or not often enough. □  My husband has always been a bit over-sexed.

se x edu|ca|tion N‑UNCOUNT Sex education is education in schools on the subject of sexual activity and sexual relationships.