frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

sectarians engage in the ritualistic handling of live
rattlesnakes.
section n. 1 part, division, department, branch, sector, group,
detachment, segment, portion, subdivision, component, element:
Sadler has been assigned to work in the research section. I
never read the the sports section in the Sunday papers. Which
sections of the country will vote for you? The string section
needs practice before tonight's concert. 2 sample, slice,
cross-section, fraction: It can be faulty to assume that the
characteristics of the whole are necessarily represented in a
small section of it. I examined a section of tissue under the
microscope. 3 part, stage, segment, portion, leg: The first
section of the journey was more comfortable than the last.
--v. 4 cut (up), divide (up), segment, split, cleave, measure
out, apportion, allot, allocate: The land was sectioned into
four-acre parcels.
secular adj. worldly, terrestrial, mundane, temporal, material, lay,
laic or laical, non-clerical, non-ecclesiastic(al),
non-spiritual, non-religious, civil, state: Once he had taken
his vows, he put aside secular matters.
secure adj. 1 safe, shielded, sheltered, protected, immune,
unthreatened, unexposed, unimperilled, snug, cosy: Fiona feels
quite secure in her new house. Considering the success of the
company, Bill's job looks secure. 2 firm, steady, stable, fixed,
fast, moored, anchored, immovable, closed, shut, fastened,
locked (up), tight, sound, solid, sturdy, strong: That button
on your jacket doesn't look very secure. Make sure that the
house is secure before you go to sleep. 3 reliable, safe, good,
profitable, healthy, solid: Telephone shares looked like a
secure investment at the time. 4 sure, certain, assured,
ensured, definite, inevitable, assumed, evident, obvious,
unquestionable, established, probable, easy: With only two
minutes left to play, victory seemed secure for Rangers.
--v. 5 obtain, get (hold of), come by, acquire, procure, win;
gain, get or take possession of, arrogate: Tim has secured a
responsible position at the bank. She always manages to secure
the sympathy of older men. 6 guarantee, underwrite, hypothecate,
collateralize: We used our house to secure the loan. 7