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. | |
back |
1. adj. (not comparable) Near the rear. | |
Go in the back door of the house. | |
2. adj. (not comparable) Not current. | |
I’d like to find a back issue of that magazine. | |
3. adj. (not comparable) Far from the main area. | |
They took a back road. | |
4. adj. (not comparable) In arrear; overdue. | |
They still owe three months' back rent. | |
5. adj. (not comparable) Moving or operating backward. | |
back action | |
6. adj. (comparable, phonetics) Pronounced with the highest part of the body of the tongue toward the back of the mouth, near the soft palate (most often describing a vowel). | |
The vowel of smallcaps - lot has a back vowel in most dialects of England. | |
7. adv. (not comparable) To or in a previous condition or place. | |
He gave back the money. He needs his money back. He was on vacation, but now he’s back. The office fell into chaos when you left, but now order is back. | |
8. adv. Away from the front or from an edge. | |
Sit all the way back in your chair. | |
Step back from the curb. | |
9. adv. In a manner that impedes. | |
Fear held him back. | |
10. adv. In a reciprocal manner. | |
If you hurt me, I'll hurt you back. | |
11. adv. Earlier, ago. | |
many years back | |
12. n. The rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly. | |
Could you please scratch my back? | |
13. n. The spine and associated tissues. | |
I hurt my back lifting those crates. | |
14. n. (slang) Large and attractive buttocks. | |
15. n. (figurative) The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back. | |
I still need to finish the back of your dress. | |
16. n. The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back. | |
Can you fix the back of this chair? | |
17. n. (obsolete) That part of the body that bears clothing. (Now used only in the phrase clothes on one's back.) | |
18. n. That which is farthest away from the front. | |
He sat in the back of the room. | |
19. n. The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side. | |
Turn the book over and look at the back. | |
20. n. # The edge of a book which is bound. | |
# The titles are printed on the backs of the books. | |
21. n. # (printing) The inside margin of a page. | |
22. n. # The side of a blade opposite the side used for cutting. | |
# Tap it with the back of your knife. | |
23. n. The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen. | |
I hung the clothes on the back of the door. | |
24. n. Area behind, such as the backyard of a house. | |
We'll meet out in the back of the library. | |
25. n. The part of something that goes last. | |
The car was near the back of the train. | |
26. n. (sports) In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team. | |
The backs were lined up in an I formation. | |
27. n. (figuratively) Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back. | |
The small boat raced over the backs of the waves. | |
28. n. A support or resource in reserve. | |
29. n. (nautical) The keel and keelson of a ship. | |
The ship's back broke in the pounding surf. | |
30. n. (mining) The roof of a horizontal underground passage. | |
31. n. (slang) Effort, usually physical. | |
Put some back into it! | |
32. n. A non-alcoholic drink (often water or a soft drink), to go with hard liquor or a cocktail. | |
Could I get a martini with a water back? | |
33. n. Among leather dealers, one of the thickest and stoutest tanned hides. | |
34. v. (intransitive) To go in the reverse direction. | |
the train backed into the station; the horse refuses to back | |
35. v. To support. | |
I back you all the way; which horse are you backing in this race? | |
36. v. (nautical, of the wind) To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere. | |
37. v. (nautical, of a square sail) To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship. | |
38. v. (nautical, of an anchor) To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power. | |
39. v. (of a hunting dog) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed. | |
40. v. To push or force backwards. | |
to back oxen | |
The mugger backed her into a corner and demanded her wallet. | |
41. v. (transitive, obsolete) To get upon the back of; to mount. | |
42. v. (transitive, obsolete) To place or seat upon the back. | |
43. v. To make a back for; to furnish with a back. | |
to back books | |
44. v. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of. | |
45. v. To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement. | |
to back a letter; to back a note or legal document | |
46. v. (legal, of a justice of the peace) To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender). | |
47. v. To row backward with (oars). | |
to back the oars | |
48. n. A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc. | |
49. n. A ferryboat. | |
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. | |
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. | |
tile |
1. n. A regularly-shaped slab of clay or other material, affixed to cover or decorate a surface, as in a roof-tile, glazed tile, stove tile, carpet tile etc. | |
2. n. (computing) A rectangular graphic. | |
Each tile within Google Maps consists of 256 × 256 pixels. | |
Sprites and tiles that are hidden in the prototype ROM file can be recovered. | |
3. n. Any of various types of cuboid playing piece used in certain games, such as in dominoes, Scrabble, or mahjong. | |
4. n. (dated) A stiff hat. | |
5. v. To cover with tiles. | |
The handyman tiled the kitchen. | |
White marble tiled the bathroom. | |
6. v. (computing) To arrange in a regular pattern, with adjoining edges (applied to tile-like objects, graphics, windows in a computer interface). | |
7. v. (comptheory) To optimize (a loop in program code) by means of the tiling technique. | |
8. v. To protect from the intrusion of the uninitiated. | |
to tile a Masonic lodge | |
tile the door | |
was |
1. v. first-person singular past of be. | |
2. v. third-person singular past of be. | |
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? | |
groovy |
1. adj. Of, pertaining to, or having grooves. | |
The back of the tile was groovy so that it could hold the adhesive compound. | |
2. adj. (dated) Set in one's ways. | |
3. adj. (dated, slang) Cool, neat, interesting, fashionable. | |
4. n. (dated, slang) A trendy and fashionable person. | |
So |
1. n. A Mon-Khmer-speaking people of Laos and Thailand. | |
2. conj. In order that. | |
Eat your broccoli so you can have dessert. | |
3. conj. With the result that; for that reason; therefore. | |
I was hungry so I asked if there was any more food. | |
He ate too much cake, so he fell ill. | |
He wanted a book, so he went to the library. | |
“I need to go to the bathroom.”―“So go!” | |
4. conj. (archaic) Provided that; on condition that, as long as. | |
5. adv. To the (explicitly stated) extent that. | |
It was so hot outside that all the plants died. He was so good, they hired him on the spot. | |
6. adv. (informal) To the (implied) extent. | |
I need a piece of cloth so long. = this long | |
7. adv. (informal) Very (positive clause). | |
He is so good! | |
8. adv. (informal) Very (negative clause). | |
It’s not so bad. i.e. it's acceptable | |
9. adv. (slang) Very much. | |
But I so want to see the Queen when she visits our town! That is so not true! | |
10. adv. In a particular manner. | |
Place the napkin on the table just so. If that's what you mean, then say so; (or do so). | |
11. adv. In the same manner or to the same extent as aforementioned; also. | |
Just as you have the right to your free speech, so I have the right to mine. Many people say she's the world's greatest athlete, but I don't think so. "I can count backwards from on | |
12. adv. (with as) To such an extent or degree; as. | |
so far as; so long as; so much as | |
13. adj. True, accurate. | |
That is so. You are responsible for this, is that not so? | |
14. adj. In that state or manner; with that attribute. A proadjective that replaces the aforementioned adjective phrase. | |
15. adj. (dated, UK, slang) Homosexual. | |
Is he so? | |
16. interj. Used after a pause for thought to introduce a new topic, question or story. | |
So, let's go home. | |
So, what'll you have? | |
So, there was this squirrel stuck in the chimney... | |
17. interj. (Short for) so what. | |
"You park your car in front of my house every morning." — "So?". | |
18. interj. Used to connect previous conversation or events to the following question. | |
So how does this story end? | |
So, everyone wants to know - did you win the contest or not? | |
19. interj. (archaic) Be as you are; stand still; (used especially to cows; also used by sailors.) | |
20. pron. abbreviation of someone | |
21. n. (music) A syllable used in solfège to represent the fifth note of a major scale. | |
22. n. (foods) A type of dairy product made in Japan between the seventh and 10th centuries. | |
that |
1. conj. Introducing a clause which is the subject or object of a verb (such as one involving reported speech), or which is a complement to a previous statement. | |
He told me that the book is a good read. | |
I believe that it is true. — She is convinced that he is British. | |
2. conj. Introducing a subordinate clause expressing a reason or cause: because, in that. | |
Be glad that you have enough to eat. | |
3. conj. (now uncommon) Introducing a subordinate clause that expresses an aim, purpose or goal ("final"), and usually contains the auxiliaries may, might or should: so, so that. | |
4. conj. Introducing — especially, but not exclusively, with an antecedent like so or such — a subordinate clause expressing a result, consequence or effect. | |
The noise was so loud that she woke up. | |
The problem was sufficiently important that it had to be addressed. | |
5. conj. (archaic, or poetic) Introducing a premise or supposition for consideration: seeing as; inasmuch as; given that; as would appear from the fact that. | |
6. conj. Introducing a subordinate clause modifying an adverb. | |
Was John there? — Not that I saw. | |
How often did she visit him? — Twice that I saw. | |
7. conj. Introducing an exclamation expressing a desire or wish. | |
8. conj. Introducing an exclamation expressing a strong emotion such as sadness or surprise. | |
9. det. The (thing, person, idea, etc) indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote physically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction. | |
That book is a good read. This one isn't. | |
That battle was in 1450. | |
That cat of yours is evil. | |
10. pron. (demonstrative) The thing, person, idea, quality, event, action or time indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote geographically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "t | |
He went home, and after that I never saw him again. | |
11. pron. The known (thing); (used to refer to something just said). | |
They're getting divorced. What do you think about that? | |
12. pron. (demonstrative) The aforementioned quality; used together with a verb and pronoun to emphatically repeat a previous statement. | |
The water is so cold! — That it is. | |
13. pron. (relative) (plural that) Which, who; (representing a subject, direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition). | |
The CPR course that she took really came in handy. | |
The house that he lived in was old and dilapidated. | |
14. pron. (colloquial) (Used in place of relative adverbs such as where or when; often omitted.) | |
the place that = where or to which I went last year | |
the last time that = when I went to Europe | |
15. adv. (degree) To a given extent or degree. | |
"The ribbon was that thin." "I disagree, I say it was not that thin, it was thicker... or maybe thinner...". | |
16. adv. (degree) To a great extent or degree; very, particularly (in negative constructions). | |
I'm just not that sick. | |
I did the run last year, and it wasn't that difficult. | |
17. adv. (obsolete, outside, dialects) To such an extent; so. (in positive constructions). | |
Ooh, I was that happy I nearly kissed her. | |
18. n. (philosophy) Something being indicated that is there; one of those. | |
it |
1. pron. The third-person singular personal pronoun that is normally used to refer to an inanimate object or abstract entity, also often used to refer to animals. | |
Put it over there. | |
Take each day as it comes. | |
I heard the sound of the school bus - it was early today. | |
2. pron. A third-person singular personal pronoun used to refer to a child, especially of unknown gender. | |
She took the baby and held it in her arms. | |
3. pron. Used to refer to someone being identified, often on the phone, but not limited to this situation. | |
It's me. John. | |
Is it her? | |
4. pron. The impersonal pronoun, used without referent as the subject of an impersonal verb or statement. (known as the dummy pronoun or weather it) | |
It is nearly 10 o’clock. | |
It’s 10:45 read ten-forty-five. | |
It’s very cold today. | |
It’s lonely without you. | |
5. pron. The impersonal pronoun, used without referent in various short idioms. | |
stick it out | |
live it up | |
rough it | |
6. pron. The impersonal pronoun, used as a placeholder for a delayed subject, or less commonly, object; known as the dummy pronoun or, more formally in linguistics, a syntactic expletive. The delayed subject i | |
It is easy to see how she would think that. (with the infinitive clause headed by to see) | |
I find it odd that you would say that. (with the noun clause introduced by that) | |
It is hard seeing you so sick. (with the gerund seeing) | |
He saw to it that everyone would vote for him. (with the noun clause introduced by that) | |
It is not clear if the report was true. (with the noun clause introduced by if) | |
7. pron. All or the end; something after which there is no more. | |
Are there more students in this class, or is this it? | |
That's it—I'm not going to any more candy stores with you. | |
8. pron. (chiefly pejorative, offensive) A third-person singular personal pronoun used to refer to an animate referent who is transgender or is neither female nor male. | |
9. pron. (obsolete) (Followed by an omitted and understood relative pronoun): That which; what. | |
10. det. (obsolete) its | |
11. n. One who is neither a he nor a she; a creature; a dehumanized being. | |
12. n. The person who chases and tries to catch the other players in the playground game of tag. | |
In the next game, Adam and Tom will be it… | |
13. n. (British) The game of tag. | |
Let's play it at breaktime. | |
14. n. Sex appeal, especially that which goes beyond beauty. | |
15. n. (euphemism) Sexual activity. | |
caught them doing it | |
16. adj. (colloquial) Most fashionable. | |
could |
1. v. simple past tense of can | |
Before I was blind, I could see very well. | |
2. v. conditional of can | |
3. v. Used as a past subjunctive (contrary to fact). | |
I think he could do it if he really wanted to. | |
I wish I could fly! | |
4. v. Used to politely ask for permission to do something. | |
Could I borrow your coat? | |
5. v. Used to politely ask for someone else to do something. | |
Could you proofread this email? | |
6. v. Used to show the possibility that something might happen. | |
We could rearrange the time if you like. | |
7. v. Used to suggest something. | |
You could try adding more salt to the soup. | |
8. n. Something that could happen, or could be the case, under different circumstances; a potentiality. | |
can |
1. v. (auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to. | |
She can speak English, French, and German. I can play football. Can you remember your fifth birthday? | |
2. v. (modal auxiliary verb, defective, informal) May; to be permitted or enabled to. | |
You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework. Can I use your pen? | |
3. v. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have the potential to; be possible. | |
Can it be Friday already? | |
Teenagers can really try their parents' patience. | |
Animals can experience emotions. | |
4. v. (auxiliary verb, defective) Used with verbs of perception. | |
Can you hear that?. | |
I can feel the baby moving inside me. | |
5. v. (obsolete, transitive) To know. | |
6. n. A more or less cylindrical vessel for liquids, usually of steel or aluminium, but sometimes of plastic, and with a carrying handle over the top. | |
7. n. A container used to carry and dispense water for plants (a watering can). | |
8. n. A tin-plate canister, often cylindrical, for preserved foods such as fruit, meat, or fish. | |
9. n. (archaic) A chamber pot, now (US, slang) a toilet or lavatory. | |
Shit or get off the can. | |
Bob's in the can. You can wait a few minutes or just leave it with me. | |
10. n. (US, slang) Buttocks. | |
11. n. (slang) Jail or prison. | |
Bob's in the can. He won't be back for a few years. | |
12. n. (slang) Headphones. | |
13. n. (archaic) A drinking cup. | |
14. n. (nautical) A cube-shaped buoy or marker used to denote a port-side lateral mark | |
15. n. A chimney pot. | |
16. v. To preserve, by heating and sealing in a can or jar. | |
They spent August canning fruit and vegetables. | |
17. v. to discard, scrap or terminate (an idea, project, etc.). | |
He canned the whole project because he thought it would fail. | |
18. v. To shut up. | |
Can your gob. | |
19. v. (US, euphemistic) To fire or dismiss an employee. | |
The boss canned him for speaking out. | |
hold |
1. v. To grasp or grip. | |
Hold the pencil like this. | |
2. v. To contain or store. | |
This package holds six bottles. | |
3. v. To maintain or keep to a position or state.: | |
4. v. To have and keep possession of something. | |
Hold my coat for me. The general ordered the colonel to hold his position at all costs. | |
5. v. To reserve. | |
Hold a table for us at 7:00. | |
6. v. To cause to wait or delay. | |
Hold the elevator. | |
7. v. To detain. | |
Hold the suspect in this cell. | |
8. v. (intransitive) To be or remain valid; to apply (usually in the third person). | |
to hold true; The proposition holds. | |
9. v. To keep oneself in a particular state. | |
to hold firm; to hold opinions | |
10. v. To impose restraint upon; to limit in motion or action; to bind legally or morally; to confine; to restrain. | |
11. v. To bear, carry, or manage. | |
He holds himself proudly erect. Hold your head high. | |
12. v. (intransitive, mostly, imperative) Not to move; to halt; to stop. | |
13. v. (intransitive) Not to give way; not to part or become separated; to remain unbroken or unsubdued. | |
14. v. To remain continent; to control an excretory bodily function. | |
to hold one's bladder; to hold one's breath | |
15. v. To maintain or keep to particular opinions, promises, actions.: | |
16. v. To maintain, to consider, to opine. | |
17. v. To bind (someone) to a consequence of his or her actions. | |
He was held responsible for the actions of those under his command. I'll hold him to that promise. | |
18. v. To maintain in being or action; to carry on; to prosecute, as a course of conduct or an argument; to continue; to sustain. | |
19. v. To accept, as an opinion; to be the adherent of, openly or privately; to persist in, as a purpose; to maintain; to sustain. | |
20. v. (archaic) To restrain oneself; to refrain; to hold back. | |
21. v. (tennis, ambitransitive) To win one's own service game. | |
22. v. To take place, to occur. | |
23. v. To organise an event or meeting (usually in passive voice). | |
Elections will be held on the first Sunday of next month. | |
24. v. (archaic) To derive right or title. | |
25. n. A grasp or grip. | |
Keep a firm hold on the handlebars. | |
26. n. A place where animals are held for safety | |
27. n. An order that something is to be reserved or delayed, limiting or preventing how it can be dealt with. | |
Senator X placed a hold on the bill, then went to the library and placed a hold on a book. | |
28. n. Something reserved or kept. | |
We have a hold here for you. | |
29. n. Power over someone or something. | |
30. n. The ability to persist. | |
31. n. The property of maintaining the shape of styled hair. | |
32. n. (wrestling) A position or grip used to control the opponent. | |
He got him in a tight hold and pinned him to the mat. | |
33. n. (exercise) An exercise involving holding a position for a set time | |
34. n. (gambling) The percentage the house wins on a gamble, the house or bookmaker's hold. | |
The House Hold on the game is 10,000, this is the amount of decision or risk the house wishes to assume. | |
35. n. (gambling) The wager amount, the total hold. | |
As of Monday night the total Melbourne Cup hold was $848,015 | |
36. n. (tennis) An instance of holding one's service game, as opposed to being broken. | |
37. n. The part of an object one is intended to grasp, or anything one can use for grasping with hands or feet. | |
38. n. A fruit machine feature allowing one or more of the reels to remain fixed while the others spin. | |
39. n. (video games, dated) A pause facility. | |
40. n. The queueing system on telephones and similar communication systems which maintains a connection when all lines are busy. | |
41. n. (baseball) A statistic awarded to a relief pitcher who is not still pitching at the end of the game and who records at least one out and maintains a lead for his team. | |
42. adj. (obsolete) Gracious; friendly; faithful; true. | |
43. n. (nautical, aviation) The cargo area of a ship or aircraft, (often cargo hold). | |
Put that in the hold. | |
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. | |
adhesive |
1. adj. sticky; tenacious, as glutinous substances | |
2. adj. apt or tending to adhere; clinging | |
3. n. a substance, such as glue, that provides or promotes adhesion | |
compound |
1. n. an enclosure within which workers, prisoners, or soldiers are confined | |
2. n. a group of buildings situated close together, e.g. for a school or block of offices | |
3. adj. composed of elements; not simple | |
a compound word | |
4. adj. (music) An octave higher than originally (i.e. a compound major second is equivalent to a major ninth). | |
5. n. Anything made by combining several things. | |
6. n. (chemistry, dated) A substance made from any combination elements. | |
7. n. (chemistry) A substance formed by chemical union of two or more ingredients in definite proportions by weight. | |
8. n. (linguistics) A lexeme that consists of more than one stem; compound word; for example laptop, formed from lap and top. | |
9. n. (rail) a compound locomotive, a steam locomotive with both high-pressure and low-pressure cylinders. | |
10. v. To form (a resulting mixture) by combining different elements, ingredients, or parts. | |
to compound a medicine | |
11. v. To assemble (ingredients) into a whole; to combine, mix, or unite. | |
12. v. To modify or change by combination with some other thing or part; to mingle with something else. | |
13. v. (transitive, legal) To settle by agreeing on less than the claim, or on different terms than those stipulated. | |
to compound a debt | |
14. v. To settle amicably; to adjust by agreement; to compromise. | |
15. v. (intransitive) To come to terms of agreement; to agree; to settle by a compromise; usually followed by with before the person participating, and for before the thing compounded or the consideration. | |
16. v. (transitive, obsolete) To compose; to constitute. | |
17. v. (intransitive, finance) To increase in value with interest, where the interest is earned on both the principal sum and prior earned interest. | |
18. v. To worsen a situation | |