[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/sir/)

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# sir

noun (sir, sirs); also a title (Sir)

«sir» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A polite way to speak to a man whose name you do not know, or to a man in charge: "Can I help you, sir?" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#m1)
2. In the UK and Ireland, what pupils call a male teacher. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#m2)
3. "Sir" with a capital S is a title for a knight in the UK: "Sir Isaac Newton". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#m3)

### In the lessons

In school in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, children may call a male teacher "Sir" and a female teacher "Miss". In shops and restaurants, staff say "sir" to be polite. In history, knights are called "Sir". Phrases: yes sir, no sir, Dear Sir.

### Examples

- Excuse me, sir, you dropped your glove. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#x1)
- Please, sir, may I go to the toilet? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#x2)
- Sir Isaac Newton was a famous scientist. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#x3)
- "Yes, sir!" said the soldier. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#x4)
- The waiter asked, "Would you like water, sir?" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#x5)
- Our class calls Mr Brown "Sir". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#x6)
- Letters used to begin "Dear Sir". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#x7)
- "No, sir, by design," returned Aladdin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/#x8)

### Note

For women the matching words are "madam" or "ma'am", and "Miss" for a teacher. As a title it is used with the first name: "Sir Isaac", never "Sir Newton". In the USA, children may say "sir" to show respect, especially in the South.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «sir» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sir/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«sir» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sir.html) on Mova free.