someone |
1. pron. Some person. | |
Can someone help me, please? | |
2. n. A partially specified but unnamed person. | |
Do you need a gift for that special someone? | |
3. n. an important person | |
He thinks he has become someone. | |
being |
1. v. present participle of be | |
2. n. A living creature. | |
3. n. The state or fact of existence, consciousness, or life, or something in such a state. | |
4. n. (philosophy) That which has actuality (materially or in concept). | |
5. n. (philosophy) One's basic nature, or the qualities thereof; essence or personality. | |
6. n. (obsolete) An abode; a cottage. | |
7. conj. (obsolete) Given that; since. | |
be |
1. v. (intransitive, now literary) To exist; to have real existence. | |
2. v. (with there, or dialectally it, as dummy subject) To exist. | |
There is just one woman in town who can help us. (or, dialectally:) It is just one woman in town who can help us. | |
3. v. (intransitive) To occupy a place. | |
The cup is on the table. | |
4. v. (intransitive) To occur, to take place. | |
When will the meeting be? | |
5. v. (intransitive, in perfect tenses, without predicate) Elliptical form of "be here", "go to and return from" or similar. | |
The postman has been today, but my tickets have still not yet come. | |
I have been to Spain many times. | |
Moscow, huh? I've never been, but it sounds fascinating. | |
6. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to indicate that the subject and object are the same. | |
Knowledge is bliss. | |
Hi, I’m Jim. | |
7. v. (transitive, copulative, mathematics) Used to indicate that the values on either side of an equation are the same. | |
3 times 5 is fifteen. | |
8. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to indicate that the subject plays the role of the predicate nominal. | |
François Mitterrand was president of France from 1981 to 1995. | |
9. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to connect a noun to an adjective that describes it. | |
The sky is blue. | |
10. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to indicate that the subject has the qualities described by a noun or noun phrase. | |
The sky is a deep blue today. | |
11. v. (transitive, auxiliary) Used to form the passive voice. | |
The dog was drowned by the boy. | |
12. v. (transitive, auxiliary) Used to form the continuous forms of various tenses. | |
The woman is walking. | |
I shall be writing to you soon. | |
We liked to chat while we were eating. | |
13. v. (archaic, auxiliary) Used to form the perfect aspect with certain intransitive verbs, most of which indicate motion. Often still used for "to go". | |
14. v. (transitive, auxiliary) Used to form future tenses, especially the future periphrastic. | |
I am to leave tomorrow. | |
I would drive you, were I to obtain a car. | |
15. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to link a subject to a measurement. | |
This building is three hundred years old. | |
I am 75 kilograms. | |
He’s about 6 feet tall. | |
16. v. (transitive, copulative, with a cardinal numeral) Used to state the age of a subject in years. | |
I’m 20. (= I am 20 years old.) | |
17. v. (with a dummy subject) it Used to indicate the time of day. | |
It is almost eight. (= It is almost eight o’clock.) | |
It’s 8:30 read eight-thirty in Tokyo. | |
What time is it there? It’s night. | |
18. v. (With since) Used to indicate passage of time since the occurrence of an event. | |
It has been three years since my grandmother died. (similar to My grandmother died three years ago, but emphasizes the intervening period) | |
It had been six days since his departure, when I received a letter from him. | |
19. v. (often, impersonal, with it as a dummy subject) Used to indicate weather, air quality, or the like. | |
It is hot in Arizona, but it is not usually humid. | |
Why is it so dark in here? | |
20. v. (dynamic/lexical "be", especially in progressive tenses, conjugated non-suppletively in the present tense, see usage notes) To exist or behave in a certain way. | |
"What do we do?" "We be ourselves.". | |
Why is he being nice to me? | |
interviewed |
1. v. simple past tense and past participle of interview | |
interview |
1. n. (obsolete) An official face-to-face meeting of monarchs or other important figures. | |
2. n. Any face-to-face meeting, especially of an official nature. | |
3. n. A conversation in person (or, by extension, over the telephone, Internet etc.) between a journalist and someone whose opinion or statements he or she wishes to record for publication, broadcast etc. | |
The reporter gave the witness an interview. | |
4. n. A formal meeting, in person, for the assessment of a candidate or applicant. | |
It was a dreadful interview; I have no hope of getting the job. | |
5. n. An audition. | |
6. n. A police interrogation of a suspect or party in an investigation. | |
7. v. To ask questions of (somebody); to have an interview. | |
He interviewed the witness. | |
The witness was interviewed. | |
8. v. To be interviewed; to attend an interview. | |
the |
1. art. Definite grammatical article that implies necessarily that an entity it articulates is presupposed; something already mentioned, or completely specified later in that same sentence, or assumed already | |
I’m reading the book. (Compare I’m reading a book.) | |
The street in front of your house. (Compare A street in Paris.) | |
The men and women watched the man give the birdseed to the bird. | |
2. art. Used before a noun modified by a restrictive relative clause, indicating that the noun refers to a single referent defined by the relative clause. | |
The street that runs through my hometown. | |
3. art. Used before an object considered to be unique, or of which there is only one at a time. | |
No one knows how many galaxies there are in the universe. | |
God save the Queen! | |
4. art. Used before a superlative or an ordinal number modifying a noun, to indicate that the noun refers to a single item. | |
That was the best apple pie ever. | |
5. art. Added to a superlative or an ordinal number to make it into a substantive. | |
That apple pie was the best. | |
6. art. Introducing a singular term to be taken generically: preceding a name of something standing for a whole class. | |
7. art. Used before an adjective, indicating all things (especially persons) described by that adjective. | |
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. | |
8. art. Used to indicate a certain example of (a noun) which is usually of most concern or most common or familiar. | |
No one in the whole country had seen it before. | |
I don't think I'll get to it until the morning. | |
9. art. Used before a body part (especially of someone previously mentioned), as an alternative to a possessive pronoun. | |
A stone hit him on the head. (= “A stone hit him on his head.”) | |
10. art. When stressed, indicates that it describes an object which is considered to be best or exclusively worthy of attention. | |
That is the hospital to go to for heart surgery. | |
11. adv. 1=With a comparative ormore and a verb phrase, establishes a parallel with one or more other such comparatives. | |
The hotter the better. | |
The more I think about it, the weaker it looks. | |
The more money donated, the more books purchased, and the more happy children. | |
It looks weaker and weaker, the more I think about it. | |
12. adv. 1=With a comparative, and often withfor it, indicates a result more like said comparative. This can be negated withnone. | |
It was a difficult time, but I’m the wiser for it. | |
It was a difficult time, and I’m none the wiser for it. | |
I'm much the wiser for having had a difficult time like that. | |
recipient |
1. n. One who receives. | |
the recipient of money or goods | |
My e-mail never reached the intended recipient. | |
2. n. (medicine) An individual receiving donor organs or tissues. | |
3. n. (chemistry) The portion of an alembic or other still in which the distilled liquid is collected. | |
4. adj. receiving | |
of |
1. prep. Expressing distance or motion. | |
2. prep. (now obsolete, or dialectal) From (of distance, direction), "off". | |
3. prep. (obsolete except in phrases) Since, from (a given time, earlier state etc.). | |
4. prep. From, away from (a position, number, distance etc.). | |
There are no shops within twenty miles of the cottage. | |
5. prep. (North America, Scotland, Ireland) Before (the hour); to. | |
What's the time? / Nearly a quarter of three. | |
6. prep. Expressing separation. | |
7. prep. (Indicating removal, absence or separation, with the action indicated by a transitive verb and the quality or substance by a grammatical object.) | |
Finally she was relieved of the burden of caring for her sick husband. | |
8. prep. (Indicating removal, absence or separation, with resulting state indicated by an adjective.) | |
He seemed devoid of human feelings. | |
9. prep. (obsolete) (Indicating removal, absence or separation, construed with an intransitive verb.) | |
10. prep. Expressing origin. | |
11. prep. (Indicating an ancestral source or origin of descent.) | |
The word is believed to be of Japanese origin. | |
12. prep. (Indicating a (non-physical) source of action or emotion; introducing a cause, instigation); from, out of, as an expression of. | |
The invention was born of necessity. | |
13. prep. (following an intransitive verb) (Indicates the source or cause of the verb.) | |
It is said that she died of a broken heart. | |
14. prep. (following an adjective) (Indicates the subject or cause of the adjective.) | |
I am tired of all this nonsense. | |
15. prep. Expressing agency. | |
16. prep. (following a passive verb) (Indicates the agent (for most verbs, now usually expressed with by).) | |
I am not particularly enamoured of this idea. | |
17. prep. (Used to introduce the "subjective genitive"; following a noun to form the head of a postmodifying noun phrase) (see also 'Possession' senses below). | |
The contract can be terminated at any time with the agreement of both parties. | |
18. prep. (following an adjective) (Used to indicate the agent of something described by the adjective.) | |
It was very brave of you to speak out like that. | |
19. prep. Expressing composition, substance. | |
20. prep. (after a verb expressing construction, making etc.) (Used to indicate the material or substance used.) | |
Many 'corks' are now actually made of plastic. | |
21. prep. (directly following a noun) (Used to indicate the material of the just-mentioned object.) | |
She wore a dress of silk. | |
22. prep. (Indicating the composition of a given collective or quantitative noun.) | |
What a lot of nonsense! | |
23. prep. (Used to link a given class of things with a specific example of that class.) | |
Welcome to the historic town of Harwich. | |
24. prep. (Links two nouns in near-apposition, with the first qualifying the second); "which is also". | |
I'm not driving this wreck of a car. | |
25. prep. Introducing subject matter. | |
26. prep. (Links an intransitive verb, or a transitive verb and its subject (especially verbs to do with thinking, feeling, expressing etc.), with its subject-ma | |
I'm always thinking of you. | |
27. prep. (following a noun (now chiefly nouns of knowledge, communication etc.)) (Introduces its subject matter); about, concerning. | |
He told us the story of his journey to India. | |
28. prep. (following an adjective) (Introduces its subject matter.) | |
This behaviour is typical of teenagers. | |
29. prep. Having partitive effect. | |
30. prep. (following a number or other quantitive word) (Introduces the whole for which is indicated only the specified part or segment); "from among". | |
Most of these apples are rotten. | |
31. prep. (following a noun) (Indicates a given part.) | |
32. prep. (now archaic, literary, with preceding partitive word assumed, or as a predicate after to be) Some, an amount of, one of. | |
On the whole, they seem to be of the decent sort. | |
33. prep. (Links to a genitive noun or possessive pronoun, with partitive effect (though now often merged with possessive senses, below).) | |
He is a friend of mine. | |
34. prep. Expressing possession. | |
35. prep. Belonging to, existing in, or taking place in a given location, place or time. Compare "origin" senses, above. | |
He was perhaps the most famous scientist of the twentieth century. | |
36. prep. Belonging to (a place) through having title, ownership or control over it. | |
The owner of the nightclub was arrested. | |
37. prep. Belonging to (someone or something) as something they possess or have as a characteristic; (the "possessive genitive". (With abstract nouns, this inter | |
Keep the handle of the saucepan away from the flames. | |
38. prep. Forming the "objective genitive". | |
39. prep. (Follows an agent noun, verbal noun or noun of action.) | |
She had a profound distrust of the police. | |
40. prep. Expressing qualities or characteristics. | |
41. prep. (now archaic, or literary) (Links an adjective with a noun or noun phrase to form a quasi-adverbial qualifier); in respect to, as regards. | |
My companion seemed affable and easy of manner. | |
42. prep. (Indicates a quality or characteristic); "characterized by". | |
Pooh was said to be a bear of very little brain. | |
43. prep. (Indicates quantity, age, price, etc.) | |
We have been paying interest at a rate of 10%. | |
44. prep. (US, informal considered incorrect by some) (Used to link singular indefinite nouns (preceded by the indefinite article) and attributive adjectives mod | |
It's not that big of a deal. | |
45. prep. Expressing a point in time. | |
46. prep. (chiefly regional) During the course of (a set period of time, day of the week etc.), now specifically with implied repetition or regularity. | |
Of an evening, we would often go for a stroll along the river. | |
47. prep. (UK dialectal, chiefly in negative constructions) For (a given length of time). | |
I've not tekken her out of a goodly long while. | |
48. prep. (after a noun) (Indicates duration of a state, activity etc.) | |
After a delay of three hours, the plane finally took off. | |
an |
1. art. Form of a used before a vowel sound | |
2. art. (now quite rare) Form of a used before 'h' in an unstressed syllable | |
3. art. (nonstandard) Form of a used before 'h' in a stressed syllable | |
4. conj. (archaic) If | |
5. conj. (archaic) So long as. | |
An it harm none, do what ye will. | |
6. conj. (archaic) As if; as though. | |
7. n. The first letter of the Georgian alphabet, ა (Mkhedruli), Ⴀ (Asomtavruli) or ⴀ (Nuskhuri). | |
8. prep. In each; to or for each; per. | |
I was only going twenty miles an hour. | |
interview |
1. n. (obsolete) An official face-to-face meeting of monarchs or other important figures. | |
2. n. Any face-to-face meeting, especially of an official nature. | |
3. n. A conversation in person (or, by extension, over the telephone, Internet etc.) between a journalist and someone whose opinion or statements he or she wishes to record for publication, broadcast etc. | |
The reporter gave the witness an interview. | |
4. n. A formal meeting, in person, for the assessment of a candidate or applicant. | |
It was a dreadful interview; I have no hope of getting the job. | |
5. n. An audition. | |
6. n. A police interrogation of a suspect or party in an investigation. | |
7. v. To ask questions of (somebody); to have an interview. | |
He interviewed the witness. | |
The witness was interviewed. | |
8. v. To be interviewed; to attend an interview. | |
usually |
1. adv. Most of the time; less than always, but more than occasionally. | |
Except for one or two days a year, he usually walks to work. | |
2. adv. Under normal conditions. | |
the |
1. art. Definite grammatical article that implies necessarily that an entity it articulates is presupposed; something already mentioned, or completely specified later in that same sentence, or assumed already | |
I’m reading the book. (Compare I’m reading a book.) | |
The street in front of your house. (Compare A street in Paris.) | |
The men and women watched the man give the birdseed to the bird. | |
2. art. Used before a noun modified by a restrictive relative clause, indicating that the noun refers to a single referent defined by the relative clause. | |
The street that runs through my hometown. | |
3. art. Used before an object considered to be unique, or of which there is only one at a time. | |
No one knows how many galaxies there are in the universe. | |
God save the Queen! | |
4. art. Used before a superlative or an ordinal number modifying a noun, to indicate that the noun refers to a single item. | |
That was the best apple pie ever. | |
5. art. Added to a superlative or an ordinal number to make it into a substantive. | |
That apple pie was the best. | |
6. art. Introducing a singular term to be taken generically: preceding a name of something standing for a whole class. | |
7. art. Used before an adjective, indicating all things (especially persons) described by that adjective. | |
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. | |
8. art. Used to indicate a certain example of (a noun) which is usually of most concern or most common or familiar. | |
No one in the whole country had seen it before. | |
I don't think I'll get to it until the morning. | |
9. art. Used before a body part (especially of someone previously mentioned), as an alternative to a possessive pronoun. | |
A stone hit him on the head. (= “A stone hit him on his head.”) | |
10. art. When stressed, indicates that it describes an object which is considered to be best or exclusively worthy of attention. | |
That is the hospital to go to for heart surgery. | |
11. adv. 1=With a comparative ormore and a verb phrase, establishes a parallel with one or more other such comparatives. | |
The hotter the better. | |
The more I think about it, the weaker it looks. | |
The more money donated, the more books purchased, and the more happy children. | |
It looks weaker and weaker, the more I think about it. | |
12. adv. 1=With a comparative, and often withfor it, indicates a result more like said comparative. This can be negated withnone. | |
It was a difficult time, but I’m the wiser for it. | |
It was a difficult time, and I’m none the wiser for it. | |
I'm much the wiser for having had a difficult time like that. | |
one |
1. num. (cardinal) The number represented by the Arabic numeral 1; the numerical value equal to that cardinal number. | |
In some religions, there is only one god. | |
In many cultures, a baby turns one year old a year after its birth. | |
One person, one vote. | |
2. num. (number theory) The first positive number in the set of natural numbers. | |
3. num. (set theory) The cardinality of the smallest nonempty set. | |
4. num. (mathematics) The ordinality of an element which has no predecessor, usually called first or number one. | |
5. pron. (impersonal pronoun, indefinite) One thing (among a group of others); one member of a group. | |
The big one looks good. I want the green one. A good driver is one who drives carefully. | |
6. pron. (impersonal pronoun, sometimes with "the") The first mentioned of two things or people, as opposed to the other. | |
She offered him an apple and an orange; he took one and left the other. | |
7. pron. (indefinite personal pronoun) Any person (applying to people in general). | |
One’s guilt may trouble one, but it is best not to let oneself be troubled by things which cannot be changed. One shouldn’t be too quick to judge. | |
8. pron. (pronoun) Any person, entity or thing. | |
"driver", noun: one who drives. | |
9. n. The digit or figure 1. | |
10. n. (mathematics) The neutral element with respect to multiplication in a ring. | |
11. n. (US) A one-dollar bill. | |
12. n. (cricket) One run scored by hitting the ball and running between the wickets; a single. | |
13. n. A joke or amusing anecdote. | |
14. n. (colloquial) A particularly special or compatible person or thing. | |
15. n. (Internet slang) Used instead of ! to amplify an exclamation, parodying unskilled typists who forget to press the shift key while typing exclamation points, thus typing "1". | |
A: SUM1 Hl3p ME im alwyz L0ziN!!?! | |
Someone help me; I'm always losing! | |
B: y d0nt u just g0 away l0zer!!1!!one!!one!!eleven!!1! | |
Why don't you just go away loser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |
16. adj. Of a period of time, being particular. | |
One day the prince set forth to kill the dragon that had brought terror to his father’s kingdom for centuries. | |
17. adj. Being a single, unspecified thing; a; any. | |
My aunt used to say, "One day is just like the other.". | |
18. adj. Sole, only. | |
He is the one man who can help you. | |
19. adj. Whole, entire. | |
Body and soul are not separate; they are one. | |
20. adj. In agreement. | |
We are one on the importance of learning. | |
21. adj. The same. | |
The two types look very different, but are one species. | |
22. adj. Being a preeminent example. | |
He is one hell of a guy. | |
23. adj. Being an unknown person with the specified name; see also "a certain". | |
The town records from 1843 showed the overnight incarceration of one “A. Lincoln”. | |
24. v. (obsolete, transitive) To cause to become one; to gather into a single whole; to unite. | |
answering |
1. v. present participle of answer | |
2. n. The act of giving an answer. | |
answer |
1. n. A response or reply; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question. | |
Her answer to his proposal was a slap in the face. | |
2. n. A solution to a problem. | |
There is no simple answer to corruption. | |
3. n. (legal) A document filed in response to a complaint, responding to each point raised in the complaint and raising counterpoints. | |
4. v. To make a reply or response to. | |
He answered the question. | |
5. v. To speak in defence against; to reply to in defence. | |
to answer a charge or accusation | |
6. v. To respond to a call by someone at a door or telephone, or other similar piece of equipment. | |
She answered the door. | |
Nobody answered when I knocked on the door. | |
7. v. To suit a need or purpose satisfactorily. | |
It answers the need. | |
8. v. To be acor responsible; to make amends. | |
The man must answer to his employer for the money entrusted to his care. | |
He has a lot to answer for. | |
9. v. (legal) To file a document in response to a complaint. | |
10. v. To correspond to; to be in harmony with; to be in agreement with. | |
11. v. To be opposite, or to act in opposition. | |
12. v. To be or act in conformity, or by way of accommodation, correspondence, relation, or proportion; to conform; to correspond; to suit; usually with to. | |
13. v. To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification; to refute. | |
14. v. To be or act in compliance with, in fulfillment or satisfaction of, as an order, obligation, or demand. | |
He answered my claim upon him. | |
The servant answered the bell. | |
15. v. (obsolete) To render account to or for. | |
16. v. (obsolete) To atone for; to be punished for. | |
17. v. (obsolete) To be or act as an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for; to serve for; to repay. | |
the |
1. art. Definite grammatical article that implies necessarily that an entity it articulates is presupposed; something already mentioned, or completely specified later in that same sentence, or assumed already | |
I’m reading the book. (Compare I’m reading a book.) | |
The street in front of your house. (Compare A street in Paris.) | |
The men and women watched the man give the birdseed to the bird. | |
2. art. Used before a noun modified by a restrictive relative clause, indicating that the noun refers to a single referent defined by the relative clause. | |
The street that runs through my hometown. | |
3. art. Used before an object considered to be unique, or of which there is only one at a time. | |
No one knows how many galaxies there are in the universe. | |
God save the Queen! | |
4. art. Used before a superlative or an ordinal number modifying a noun, to indicate that the noun refers to a single item. | |
That was the best apple pie ever. | |
5. art. Added to a superlative or an ordinal number to make it into a substantive. | |
That apple pie was the best. | |
6. art. Introducing a singular term to be taken generically: preceding a name of something standing for a whole class. | |
7. art. Used before an adjective, indicating all things (especially persons) described by that adjective. | |
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. | |
8. art. Used to indicate a certain example of (a noun) which is usually of most concern or most common or familiar. | |
No one in the whole country had seen it before. | |
I don't think I'll get to it until the morning. | |
9. art. Used before a body part (especially of someone previously mentioned), as an alternative to a possessive pronoun. | |
A stone hit him on the head. (= “A stone hit him on his head.”) | |
10. art. When stressed, indicates that it describes an object which is considered to be best or exclusively worthy of attention. | |
That is the hospital to go to for heart surgery. | |
11. adv. 1=With a comparative ormore and a verb phrase, establishes a parallel with one or more other such comparatives. | |
The hotter the better. | |
The more I think about it, the weaker it looks. | |
The more money donated, the more books purchased, and the more happy children. | |
It looks weaker and weaker, the more I think about it. | |
12. adv. 1=With a comparative, and often withfor it, indicates a result more like said comparative. This can be negated withnone. | |
It was a difficult time, but I’m the wiser for it. | |
It was a difficult time, and I’m none the wiser for it. | |
I'm much the wiser for having had a difficult time like that. | |
questions |
1. n. plural of question | |
2. n. A game in which players must only say questions, and if they don't they lose. Below is an example of how to play. | |
A: Do you know the time? | |
B: Can you wait a second while I look for my watch? | |
A: Can't you just look at the clock? | |
B: Where's the clock? | |
A: What clock? | |
B: Do you mean the clock on the wall or the one by the door? | |
A: What door? | |
B: Can you turn around to see the door? | |
A: Turn around like this? | |
B: Are there any other ways to turn around? | |
A: Can you tell me the time yet? | |
B: Do you want it the 12-hour or 24-hour format? | |
A: Do you think I care? | |
B: What does this number on my watch say? | |
A: Can't you read numbers? | |
B: Do you want to know the time or not? | |
A: Of course I do! | |
B: Yes, I've just won! | |
A: You've won what? | |
B: I've won questions! | |
A: Ha, that time I won. One all! Game on! | |
3. v. third-person singular present indicative of question | |
question |
1. n. A sentence, phrase or word which asks for information, reply or response; an interrogative. | |
What is your question? | |
2. n. A subject or topic for consideration or investigation. | |
The question of seniority will be discussed at the meeting. | |
There was a question of which material to use. | |
3. n. A doubt or challenge about the truth or accuracy of a matter. | |
His claim to the property has come under question. | |
The story is true beyond question. | |
He obeyed without question. | |
4. n. A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation. | |
I move that the question be put to a vote. | |
5. n. Interrogation by torture. | |
6. n. (obsolete) Talk; conversation; speech. | |
Made she no verbal question? Shakespeare King Lear ca. 1606 | |
7. v. To ask questions of; interrogate; enquire; ask for information. | |
8. v. To raise doubt, doubts about; have doubts about. | |
9. v. (obsolete) To argue; to converse; to dispute. | |