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. | |
act |
1. n. Something done, a deed. | |
an act of goodwill | |
2. n. (obsolete) Actuality. | |
3. n. A product of a legislative body, a statute. | |
4. n. The process of doing something. | |
He was caught in the act of stealing. | |
5. n. A formal or official record of something done. | |
6. n. A division of a theatrical performance. | |
The pivotal moment in the play was in the first scene of the second act. | |
7. n. A performer or performers in a show. | |
Which act did you prefer? The soloist or the band? | |
8. n. Any organized activity. | |
9. n. A display of behaviour. | |
10. n. A thesis maintained in public, in some English universities, by a candidate for a degree, or to show the proficiency of a student. | |
11. n. A display of behaviour meant to deceive. | |
to put on an act | |
12. v. (intransitive) To do something. | |
If you don't act soon, you will be in trouble. | |
13. v. (obsolete, transitive) To do (something); to perform. | |
14. v. (intransitive) To perform a theatrical role. | |
I started acting at the age of eleven in my local theatre. | |
15. v. Of a play: to be acted out (well or badly). | |
16. v. (intransitive) To behave in a certain way. | |
He's acting strangely - I think there's something wrong with him. | |
17. v. (copulative) To convey an appearance of being. | |
He acted unconcerned so the others wouldn't worry. | |
18. v. To do something that causes a change binding on the doer. | |
act on behalf of John | |
19. v. (intransitive, construed with on or upon) To have an effect (on). | |
High-pressure oxygen acts on the central nervous system and may cause convulsions or death. | |
Gravitational force acts on heavy bodies. | |
20. v. To play (a role). | |
He's been acting Shakespearean leads since he was twelve. | |
21. v. To feign. | |
He acted the angry parent, but was secretly amused. | |
22. v. (mathematics, intransitive, construed with on or upon, of a group) To map via a homomorphism to a group of automorphisms (of). | |
This group acts on the circle, so it can't be left-orderable! | |
23. v. (obsolete, transitive) To move to action; to actuate; to animate. | |
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. | |
snipping |
1. v. present participle of snip | |
2. n. The act by which something is snipped or cut. | |
3. n. A piece cut off; a clipping. | |
snip |
1. v. To cut with short sharp actions, as with scissors. | |
I don't want you to take much hair off; just snip my mullet off. | |
2. v. To reduce the price of a product, to create a snip. | |
3. v. To break off; to snatch away. | |
4. v. (informal) To circumcise. | |
5. v. (lbl, en, internet) To remove the irrelevant parts of quotations in the reply message. | |
6. n. The act of snipping; cutting a small amount off of something. | |
7. n. A single cut with scissors, clippers, or similar tool. | |
8. n. Something acquired for a low price; a bargain. | |
That wholesale lot on eBay was a snip at $10 | |
9. n. A small amount of something; a pinch. | |
10. n. (definite, the snip, euphemistic) A vasectomy. | |
11. n. A small or weak person, especially a young one. | |
12. n. (dated) An impertinent or mischievous person. | |
13. n. (obsolete) A share or portion; a snack. | |
14. n. (obsolete, slang) A tailor. | |
cutting |
1. n. The action of the verb to cut. | |
How many different cuttings can this movie undergo? | |
2. n. A section removed from the larger whole. | |
3. n. A newspaper clipping. | |
4. n. A leaf, stem, branch, or root removed from a plant and cultivated to grow a new plant. | |
5. n. An abridged selection of written work, often intended for performance. | |
The actor had to make his cutting shorter to fit the audition time. | |
6. n. The editing of film or other recordings. | |
7. n. Self-harm; the act of cutting one's own skin. | |
8. n. (machining) The process of bringing metals to a desired shape by chipping away the unwanted material. | |
Turning, boring, milling, and drilling are all different kinds of metal cutting processes. | |
9. n. A narrow passage, dug for a road, railway or canal to go through. | |
10. adj. (not comparable) That is used for cutting. | |
I need some sort of cutting utensil to get through this shrink wrap. | |
11. adj. Of remarks, criticism, etc., potentially hurtful. | |
The director gave the auditioning actors cutting criticism. | |
12. adj. (India) Half-size beverage. | |
cutting chai | |
13. v. present participle of cut | |
cut |
1. adj. (participial adjective) Having been cut. | |
2. adj. Reduced. | |
The pitcher threw a cut fastball that was slower than his usual pitch. | |
Cut brandy is a liquor made of brandy and hard grain liquor. | |
3. adj. Omitted from a literary or musical work. | |
My favourite song had been cut from the show. | |
4. adj. (of a gem) Carved into a shape; not raw. | |
5. adj. (cricket, of a shot) Played with a horizontal bat to hit the ball backward of point. | |
6. adj. (bodybuilding) Having muscular definition in which individual groups of muscle fibers stand out among larger muscles. | |
7. adj. (informal) Circumcised or having been the subject of female genital mutilation | |
8. adj. (Australia, NZ, slang) Emotionally hurt. | |
9. adj. Eliminated from consideration during a recruitment drive. | |
10. adj. Removed from a team roster. | |
11. adj. (NZ) Intoxicated as a result of drugs or alcohol. | |
12. n. An opening resulting from cutting. | |
Look at this cut on my finger! | |
13. n. The act of cutting. | |
He made a fine cut with his sword. | |
14. n. The result of cutting. | |
a smooth or clear cut | |
15. n. A notch, passage, or channel made by cutting or digging; a furrow; a groove. | |
a cut for a railroad | |
16. n. (specifically) An artificial navigation as distinguished from a navigable river | |
17. n. A share or portion. | |
The lawyer took a cut of the profits. | |
18. n. (cricket) A batsman's shot played with a swinging motion of the bat, to hit the ball backward of point. | |
19. n. (cricket) Sideways movement of the ball through the air caused by a fast bowler imparting spin to the ball. | |
20. n. (sports) In lawn tennis, etc., a slanting stroke causing the ball to spin and bound irregularly; also, the spin thus given to the ball. | |
21. n. (golf) In a strokeplay competition, the early elimination of those players who have not then attained a preannounced score, so that the rest of the competition is less pressed for time and more entert | |
22. n. (theatre) A passage omitted or to be omitted from a play. | |
The director asked the cast to note down the following cuts. | |
23. n. (cinema) A particular version or edit of a film. | |
24. n. The act or right of dividing a deck of playing cards. | |
The player next to the dealer makes a cut by placing the bottom half on top. | |
25. n. The manner or style a garment etc. is fashioned in. | |
I like the cut of that suit. | |
26. n. A slab, especially of meat. | |
That’s our finest cut of meat. | |
27. n. (fencing) An attack made with a chopping motion of the blade, landing with its edge or point. | |
28. n. A deliberate snub, typically a refusal to return a bow or other acknowledgement of acquaintance. | |
29. n. A definable part, such as an individual song, of a recording, particularly of commercial records, audio tapes, CDs, etc. | |
The drummer on the last cut of their CD is not identified. | |
30. n. (archaeology) A truncation, a context that represents a moment in time when other archaeological deposits were removed for the creation of some feature such as a ditch or pit. | |
31. n. A haircut. | |
32. n. (graph theory) The partition of a graph’s vertices into two subgroups. | |
33. n. A string of railway cars coupled together. | |
34. n. An engraved block or plate; the impression from such an engraving. | |
a book illustrated with fine cuts | |
35. n. (obsolete) A common workhorse; a gelding. | |
36. n. (slang) The failure of a college officer or student to be present at any appointed exercise. | |
37. n. A skein of yarn. | |
38. n. (slang) That which is used to dilute or adulterate a recreational drug. | |
Don't buy his coke: it's full of cut. | |
39. n. (fashion) A notch shaved into an eyebrow. | |
40. n. (bodybuilding) A time period when one tries to lose fat while retaining muscle mass. | |
41. v. (heading, transitive) To incise, to cut into the surface of something. | |
42. v. To perform an incision on, for example with a knife. | |
43. v. To divide with a knife, scissors, or another sharp instrument. | |
Would you please cut the cake? | |
44. v. To form or shape by cutting. | |
I have three diamonds to cut today. | |
45. v. (slang) To wound with a knife. | |
46. v. (intransitive) To engage in self-harm by making cuts in one's own skin. | |
The patient said she had been cutting since the age of thirteen. | |
47. v. To deliver a stroke with a whip or like instrument to. | |
48. v. To wound or hurt deeply the sensibilities of; to pierce. | |
Sarcasm cuts to the quick. | |
49. v. To castrate or geld. | |
to cut a horse | |
50. v. To interfere, as a horse; to strike one foot against the opposite foot or ankle in using the legs. | |
51. v. (intransitive) To admit of incision or severance; to yield to a cutting instrument. | |
52. v. (transitive, heading, social) To separate, remove, reject or reduce. | |
53. v. To separate from prior association; to remove a portion of a recording during editing. | |
Travis was cut from the team. | |
54. v. To abridge a piece of printed or written work. | |
55. v. To reduce, especially intentionally. | |
They're going to cut salaries by fifteen percent. | |
56. v. To absent oneself from (a class, an appointment, etc.). | |
I cut fifth period to hang out with Angela. | |
57. v. To ignore as a social snub. | |
After the incident at the dinner party, people started to cut him on the street. | |
58. v. (intransitive, cinema, audio, usually as imperative) To cease recording activities. | |
After the actors read their lines, the director yelled, "Cut!". | |
59. v. (intransitive, cinema) To make an abrupt transition from one scene or image to another. | |
The camera then cut to the woman on the front row who was clearly overcome and crying tears of joy. | |
60. v. (transitive, film) To edit a film by selecting takes from original footage. | |
61. v. (transitive, computing) To remove and place in memory for later use. | |
Select the text, cut it, and then paste it in the other application. | |
62. v. (intransitive) To enter a queue in the wrong place. | |
One student kept trying to cut in front of the line. | |
63. v. (intransitive) To intersect or cross in such a way as to divide in half or nearly so. | |
This road cuts right through downtown. | |
64. v. (transitive, cricket) To deflect (a bowled ball) to the off, with a chopping movement of the bat. | |
65. v. (intransitive) To change direction suddenly. | |
The football player cut to his left to evade a tackle. | |
66. v. (transitive, intransitive) To divide a pack of playing cards into two. | |
If you cut then I'll deal. | |
67. v. (transitive, slang) To write. | |
cut orders; cut a check | |
68. v. (transitive, slang) To dilute or adulterate a recreational drug. | |
a |
1. art. One; any indefinite example of; used to denote a singular item of a group. | |
There was a man here looking for you yesterday. | |
2. art. Used in conjunction with the adjectives score, dozen, hundred, thousand, and million, as a function word. | |
I've seen it happen a hundred times. | |
3. art. One certain or particular; any single.Brown, Lesley, (2003) | |
We've received an interesting letter from a Mrs. Miggins of London. | |
4. art. The same; one. | |
We are of a mind on matters of morals. | |
5. art. Any, every; used before a noun which has become modified to limit its scope; also used with a negative to indicate not a single one.Lindberg, Christine A. (2007) | |
A man who dies intestate leaves his children troubles and difficulties. | |
He fell all that way, and hasn't a bump on his head? | |
6. art. Used before plural nouns modified by few, good many, couple, great many, etc. | |
7. art. Someone or something like; similar to; Used before a proper noun to create an example out of it. | |
The center of the village was becoming a Times Square. | |
8. prep. (archaic) To do with position or direction; In, on, at, by, towards, onto. | |
Stand a tiptoe. | |
9. prep. To do with separation; In, into. | |
Torn a pieces. | |
10. prep. To do with time; Each, per, in, on, by. | |
I brush my teeth twice a day. | |
11. prep. (obsolete) To do with method; In, with. | |
12. prep. (obsolete) To do with role or capacity; In. | |
A God’s name. | |
13. prep. To do with status; In. | |
King James Bible (II Chronicles 2:18) | |
To set the people a worke. | |
14. prep. (archaic) To do with process, with a passive verb; In the course of, experiencing. | |
1964, Bob Dylan, The Times They Are a-Changin’ | |
The times, they are a-changin'. | |
15. prep. (archaic) To do with an action, an active verb; Engaged in. | |
1611, King James Bible, Hebrews 11-21 | |
Jacob, when he was a dying | |
16. prep. (archaic) To do with an action/movement; To, into. | |
17. v. (archaic, or slang) Have. | |
I'd a come, if you'd a asked. | |
18. pron. (obsolete, outside, England, and Scotland dialects) He. | |
19. interj. A meaningless syllable; ah. | |
20. prep. (archaic, slang) Of. | |
The name of John a Gaunt. | |
21. adv. (chiefly Scotland) All. | |
22. adj. (chiefly Scotland) All. | |
small |
1. adj. Not large or big; insignificant; few in number. | |
A small serving of ice cream. | |
A small group. | |
He made us all feel small. | |
2. adj. (figuratively) Young, as a child. | |
Remember when the children were small? | |
3. adj. (writing, incomparable) Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written letters. | |
4. adj. Envincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean. | |
5. adj. Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short. | |
a small space of time | |
6. adj. topics, en, Size | |
7. adv. In a small fashion. | |
8. adv. In or into small pieces. | |
9. adv. (obsolete) To a small extent. | |
10. n. (rare) Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back. | |
11. v. (obsolete, transitive) To make little or less. | |
12. v. (intransitive) To become small; to dwindle. | |
amount |
1. n. The total, aggregate or sum of material (not applicable to discrete numbers or units or items in standard English). | |
The amount of atmospheric pollution threatens a health crisis. | |
2. n. A quantity or volume. | |
Pour a small amount of water into the dish. | |
The dogs need different amounts of food. | |
3. n. (nonstandard, sometimes proscribed) The number (the sum) of elements in a set. | |
4. v. (intransitive, followed by to) To total or evaluate. | |
It amounts to three dollars and change. | |
5. v. (intransitive, followed by to) To be the same as or equivalent to. | |
He was a pretty good student, but never amounted to much professionally. | |
His response amounted to gross insubordination | |
6. v. (obsolete, intransitive) To go up; to ascend. | |
off |
1. adv. In a direction away from the speaker or object. | |
He drove off in a cloud of smoke. | |
2. adv. Into a state of non-operation; into a state of non-existence. | |
Please switch off the light when you leave. | |
die off | |
3. adv. So as to be removed or separated. | |
He bit off more than he could chew. | |
Some branches were sawn off. | |
4. adj. Inoperative, disabled. | |
All the lights are off. | |
5. adj. Rancid, rotten. | |
This milk is off! | |
6. adj. (cricket) In, or towards the half of the field away from the batsman's legs; the right side for a right-handed batsman. | |
7. adj. Less than normal, in temperament or in result. | |
sales are off this quarter | |
8. adj. Circumstanced (as in well off, better off, poorly off). | |
9. adj. Started on the way. | |
off to see the wizard | |
And they're off! Whatsmyname takes an early lead, with Remember The Mane behind by a nose. | |
10. adj. Far; off to the side. | |
the off horse or ox in a team, in distinction from the nigh or near horse | |
11. adj. Designating a time when one is not strictly attentive to business or affairs, or is absent from a post, and, hence, a time when affairs are not urgent. | |
He took an off day for fishing. an off year in politics; the off season | |
12. adj. (of a dish on a menu) Presently unavailable. | |
— I'll have the chicken please. | |
— Sorry, chicken's off today. | |
13. adj. Right-hand (in relation to the side of a horse or a vehicle). | |
14. prep. Used to indicate movement away from a position on | |
I took it off the table. | |
Come off the roof! | |
15. prep. (colloquial) Out of the possession of. | |
He didn't buy it off him. He stole it off him. | |
16. prep. Away from or not on. | |
He's off the computer, but he's still on the phone. | |
Keep off the grass. | |
17. prep. Disconnected or subtracted from. | |
We've been off the grid for three days now. | |
He took 20% off the list price. | |
18. prep. Distant from. | |
We're just off the main road. | |
The island is 23 miles off the cape. | |
19. prep. No longer wanting or taking. | |
He's been off his feed since Tuesday. | |
He's off his meds again. | |
20. prep. Placed after a number (of products or parts, as if a unit), in commerce or engineering(topics, en, Engineering). | |
Tantalum bar 6 off 3/8" Dia × 12" — Atom, Great Britain Atomic Energy Authority, 1972 | |
samples submitted … 12 off Thermistors type 1K3A531 … — BSI test report for shock and vibration testing, 2000 | |
I'd like to re-order those printer cartridges, let's say 5-off. | |
21. v. (transitive, slang) To kill. | |
He got in the way so I had him offed. | |
22. v. (transitive, Singapore, Philippines) To switch off. | |
Can you off the light? | |
23. n. (rare) Beginning; starting point. | |
He has been very obviously an untrustworthy narrator right from the off. | |
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. | |
something |
1. pron. An uncertain or unspecified thing; one thing. | |
I must have forgotten to pack something, but I can't think what. | |
I have something for you in my bag. | |
I have a feeling something good is going to happen today. | |
2. pron. (colloquial, of someone or something) A quality to a moderate degree. | |
The performance was something of a disappointment. | |
That child is something of a genius. | |
3. pron. (colloquial, of a person) A talent or quality that is difficult to specify. | |
She has a certain something. | |
4. pron. (colloquial, often with really or quite) Somebody or something who is superlative in some way. | |
He's really something! I've never heard such a great voice. | |
She's quite something. I can't believe she would do such a mean thing. | |
5. adj. Having a characteristic that the speaker cannot specify. | |
6. adv. (degree) Somewhat; to a degree. | |
The baby looks something like his father. | |
7. adv. (degree, colloquial) To a high degree. | |
8. v. Applied to an action whose name is forgotten by, unknown or unimportant to the user, e.g. from words of a song. | |
9. n. An object whose nature is yet to be defined. | |
10. n. An object whose name is forgotten by, unknown or unimportant to the user, e.g., from words of a song. Also used to refer to an object earlier indefinitely referred to as 'something' (pronoun sense). | |