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Cambridge Dictionaries Online

Guide to
 Mnemonic Initial Sounds
Just for fun!

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List of Contents

Introduction      Initial Sound Menu

Introduction

Sometimes it is possible to have associations about a word in English merely by looking at it or hearing it spoken. On this page I'd like to draw your attention to certain initial sounds that help convey the general gist of some words you may not have met before.

J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" stories have captured the imagination of children all over the world. In the first book of the series, Harry enrolls at Hogwarts school where the naughty boys' team is called Slytherin and the most dreaded teacher is a Prof. Snape. Native speakers of English automatically associate these names with something bad because experience has taught them that expressions beginning with sl- and sn- are overwhelmingly pejorative in meaning.

By listing selected vocabulary items according to their initial-sound associations, I hope to arouse your interest and facilitate memorization.

Initial Sound Menu
 cl-  fl-  gl-  sl-  sn-  st-  str- sw-

cl- words are often related to the hands or to holding
 claim to want to get your hands on something
 clamber climb with hands and feet
 clamp device for holding things together
 clap strike the palms of one's hands together
 clasp hold tightly or closely
 claw animal nails; to scratch with claw-like nails
 clench grasp firmly
 climb move up or along by grasping or clinging
 clinch grasp firmly
 cling maintain a grasp on or keep hold of something
 clip device for holding things
 clout heavy blow with the hand
 club hand-held stick
 clutch seize eagerly

fl-  words often convey a sense of unimpeded movement for or in air or water
 flag piece of cloth that moves freely in the air
 flagon large bottle with handle and spout from which cider or wine can flow freely
 flail (v.i.) wave or swing wildly
 flap move wings up and down while flying
 flask narrow-necked bottle from which drinks can flow freely
 flee run away to freedom
 fleeting transient, i.e. time passing swiftly
 flexible pliable, adaptable, versatile
 flick sudden release of bent finger to propel a small object through the air
 flip flick something like a coin so that it spins in the air
 flit make short leisurely flights like a bee between flowers
 float rest or move on the surface of a liquid without sinking
 flop sway about loosely and heavily like uncombed hair over one's face in a breeze
 flotsam wreckage found floating around freely
 flow glide along in an unimpeded stream; proceed smoothly
 flue duct or channel in a wall to convey smoke or hot air 
 fluency the smooth easy flow of speech or writing
 fluid liquid able to flow and alter shape freely
 flush clean by using a rushing flow of water
 flute a wind instrument
 flutter the same as to flap but usually with smaller or less confident wings, like those of a butterfly
 flux a continual process of ebbing and flowing
 fly move freely through the air in a controlled fashion

gl- words often relate to the behavior of light or the shade of one's mood
 glad

happy, pleased, as if you had sunshine in your heart 
 glamour looks or beauty eye-catchingly beaming or radiant
 glance  a flash or gleam of light; sunlight glances off a knife
 glare  of light that is dazzlingly and uncomfortably bright
 glass a material that allows light to pass through it
 glaze a smooth, light-reflecting surface
 gleam of a light source that shines faintly or intermittently 
 glee sunny feeling things are not going well for your foes
 glim a weak light; archaic English for a lantern or candle
 glimmer a weak or intermittently shining source of light or hope
 glimpse (v.i.) shine faintly or intermittently; in poetry, to dawn
 glint cause or reflect a quick flash of light 
 glisten shine and sparkle like snow in the sunshine
 glister [archaic] sparkle or glitter
 glitter sparkle and shine with showy brilliance
 glitz [slang] a superficial display of showy brilliance
 gloaming [poetic] dusk or twilight
 gloat have a bright, triumphant feeling after gaining some advantage — probably at someone else's expense
 gloom partial darkness; a dismal situation or feeling of despair
 gloriole a circle of light around the head of a sacred person
 glory a bright experience of honor, fame or exaltation 
 gloss a bright sheen or lustre on a surface 
 glow emit a steady light and heat without flame
 glum feeling or looking gloomy; having dark thoughts

sl-  words have overwhelmingly pejorative connotations
 slack not taut; negligent, remiss
 slag [slang] prostitute or promiscuous woman
 slam throw shut
 slammer [slang] prison
 slander defame someone falsely
 slang very informal or unofficial language
 slanted biased
 slap hit with the palm of the hand
 slapdash rushed and careless
 slap-happy treating serious things lightly
 slash cut with random, sweeping movement
 slate scold
 slaughter kill in a ruthless manner
 slave person who has to work for nothing
 slaver dribble; servile flattery
 slay kill
 sleaze sordid details
 sleazy dirty and probably dishonest, sordid
 sleepy drowsy
 sleet mixture of snowfall and rainfall
 sleight [archaic] cunning; deceptive trick
 sleuth prying detective
 slick insincere
 slide slip along, slither
 slight insult
 slime thick slippery mud or similar goo
 slimy disgustingly dishonest or flattering
 sling throw quickly and carelessly
 slink sneak
 slip slide unintentionally
 slit cut or tear lengthwise
 slither slide with an irregular motion
 slob [colloq.] coarse person
 slobber slaver
 slog hit wildly
 slogan short, easily remembered phrase, not usually objective
 sloppy  careless
 slosh [slang] hit hard
 sloth indolence, laziness
 slouch droop
 slough swamp
 slovenly careless
 slow unhurried; laggardly; tedious
 slub warp or fabric of uneven thickness
 sludge mire, slush
 slug slimy mollusc and garden pest
 sluggard lazy person
 sluggish slow-moving, inactive or inert
 slum squalid living quarters
 slumber sleep; be drowsy, idle or inactive
 slump sudden decline in trade or business
 slur pronounce indistinctly; insult someone
 slurp drink noisily
 slush mire, mud or dirty melting snow
 slut [slang] prostitute or promiscuous woman
 sly crafty, cunning, wily

sn-  words also have a pejorative tendency but are not as bad as sl- words
 snack not a full, quality meal
 snag unexpected obstacle
 snail slow-moving mollusc
 snake long, limbless, often poisonous reptile
 snap break suddenly or unexpectedly
 snare trap
 snarl angry growl
 snatch seize suddenly, quickly and impolitely
 sneak go or convey something furtively
 sneer derisive smile or remark
 sneeze sudden involuntary expulsion of air from the nose and mouth
 snicker whinny or neighing sound
 snide slyly derogatory; mean, underhand
 sniffy [colloq.] inclined to sniff; disdainful, contemptuous
 snigger half-suppressed secretive laugh
 snipe hide and fire shots at long range
 snit  rage or sulk
 snitch [slang] steal or inform on someone
 snivel cry while sniffling with a runny nose
 snob person who looks down on those (s)he regards as social inferiors
 snook [slang] type of contemptuous gesture
 snoop [colloq.] pry
 snooty  supercilious, conceited
 snore breathing with a grunting or snorting sound while asleep
 snort sound made by suddenly forcing breath out through the nose
 snot [slang] nasal mucus
 snotty [slang] contemptible or conceited
 snout [slang] derogatory term for a nose or an informer
 snub rebuff
 snuff it [slang] die
 snuffy annoyed, irritable or contemptuous

st-  words often mean a general lack of movement, or activity that is confined
 stab deep, sharp cut in one place
 stable steady, unwavering; place of confinement for horses
 stack pile or heap in one place
 stage  fixed place or point
 stagger hesitate, waver
 stagnant motionless
 stagnate become motionless
 stain a mark that won't budge
 stake pole to mark fixed position; fixed sum of money as a wager
 stale of food left untouched for too long
 stalemate position where you're unable to make any new move
 stalk pursue and so not move away from someone
 stall stop suddenly
 stamina staying power
 stammer get stuck on the same sound when speaking
 stamp bring something down hard on one particular place
 stance fixed attitude or position
 stand remain upright in one place
 standard fixed value or norm
 staple fixed main element
 star fixed point in the sky
 starch fabric stiffener
 stare look fixedly
 startle shock someone so their heart skips a beat
 starve no movement in the digestive system
 stash [colloq.] keep something safe or hidden in one particular place
 state fixed condition
 static not moving
 station place where a train stops
 stationary remaining in one place
 statistics established figures or data
 statue fixed figure of a person
 status fixed condition or social position
 statute fixed regulation
 stay not move away
 steadfast constant, unwavering
 steady firm, persistent, unfaltering
 stealth indiscernible movement
 stench foul smell that sticks around
 stencil holed sheet of plastic to create a fixed design with a pencil on paper
 step fixed position on the way somewhere
 sterile barren
 stern with a fixed severity
 stew cook slowly in one place for a long time
 stick affix something so it doesn't move
 stiff rigid, inflexible
 stifle suppress development
 stigma discredit that won't go away
 still not moving
 stilted stiff and unnatural
 sting sharp wound from insect in one particular place
 stingy mean, i.e. no hand movement toward one's wallet
 stink emit foul smell that won't go away easily
 stipend regular fixed allowance
 stipulate establish as a fixed rule or condition
 stock stationary supply of goods
 stodgy of food, heavy and indigestible
 stoical unmoved emotionally
 stooge compliant person who sticks to instructions
 stop suspend movement
 store keep stationary supply of goods
 stow pack goods tightly into one place so they don't move
 stubborn exhibiting no movement in one's thinking
 stud male horse kept primarily for breeding rather than transport
 study hold head still over a book for a long time
 stuff pack material tightly into one place so it doesn't move
 stuffy of a room with no air movement or a person unwilling to change diehard conservative thinking
 stump puzzle, i.e. render someone's brain cells inactive
 stun knock someone senseless so they can't move
 stunt retard growth or development
 stupefy stop someone's brain cell activity
 stupid without brain cell activity
 stupor dazed state preventing normal bodily activity
 sturdy strong and robust so it stands still in a storm
 stutter get stuck on the same sound when speaking
 sty pen to prevent pigs from moving about too much
 style a fixed appearance or form of something
 stymie cause an obstruction to bring someone to a halt
 styptic pencil stick with chemical to stop small cuts bleeding

str-  words convey both narrowness and spreading out in space or time
 straddle stand across something with your legs spread out in straight line
 straggle trail behind in race or line of people; become dispersed/sporadic
 straight extending unvaryingly in the same direction
 strain stretch tightly; apply sustained pressure to something
 strait narrow stretch of water separating two seas
 strake continuous line of plates or planking from stem to stern of a ship
 strand [poetic] the margin of a lake, river or sea
 strangle narrow the windpipe, freedom of expression, etc.
 strap long thin strip of leather or other material used for fastening
 strategy series of calculated plans implemented over a period of time 
 stratum, strata layer of rock or the atmosphere; sometimes even a social class
 straw long thin dry cut stalk of grain; thin tube to suck drinks through
 stray wander off course into a wider area than intended or allowed
 streak long thin line or band; row of similar happenings; character trait
 stream narrow river or waterway; flow of something in a certain direction
 street length of road for vehicles to move along
 strenuous requiring a series of efforts and sustained use of energy
 stress sustained pressure on material objects/mental tension in humans
 stretch pull on something so it becomes taut or longer than it already is
 strew scatter or spread all over a surface, perhaps a very wide area
 strickle straight-edged bar to level off exact measure of grain, etc.
 strict adhering to/enforcing a straight and narrow pattern of behavior 
 stride walk in a narrow path straight ahead with long, firm steps
 string length of narrow cord/twine or, on music instruments, wire/catgut
 strip a long, narrow and usually flat piece of something
 stripe a long narrow strip differing in color from surfaces on either side
 strive make a sustained effort to achieve something over time
 stroke sweep one's hand gently over the surface of something
 stroll walk or saunter leisurely and with a sense of freedom
 strop leather strip for sharpening razors
 struggle put up a sustained fight against hardship or restrictions

sw-  words connote various kinds of movement, often purposeful in nature
 swaddle throw a garment around an infant and wrap it tightly
 swag sag heavily and sway from side to side
 swage tool for bending metal
 swagger walk arrogantly or with a sense of self-importance
 swallow move one's oesophagus; a fast-moving migratory bird 
 swamp inundate an area with a sudden onrush of water
 swap move goods between two people in a mutual exchange
 swarm many insects moving together in a widespread cloud
 swash [archaic] strike violently; swagger
 swat hit something hard with a rapid movement of the arm
 swathe throw a garment around something and wrap it tightly
 sway move back and forth irregularly like a tree in a gale
 swear let the tongue loose with profane or indecent expletives
 sweep move like a broom across a floor
 swell move toward enlargement or increase in size
 swerve move suddenly in an effort to rapidly change course
 swift fast-moving; a fast-flying bird resembling a swallow