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. | |
fact |
1. n. (archaic) Action; the realm of action. | |
2. n. (legal, obsolete except in set phrases) A wrongful or criminal deed. | |
He had become an accessory after the fact. | |
3. n. (obsolete) A feat or meritorious deed. | |
4. n. An honest observation. | |
5. n. Something actual as opposed to invented. | |
In this story, the Gettysburg Address is a fact, but the rest is fiction. | |
6. n. Something which is real. | |
Gravity is a fact, not a theory. | |
7. n. Something which has become real. | |
The promise of television became a fact in the 1920s. | |
8. n. Something concrete used as a basis for further interpretation. | |
Let's look at the facts of the case before deciding. | |
9. n. An objective consensus on a fundamental reality that has been agreed upon by a substantial number of experts. | |
There is no doubting the fact that the Earth orbits the Sun. | |
10. n. Information about a particular subject, especially actual conditions and/or circumstances. | |
The facts about space travel. | |
11. interj. Used before making a statement to introduce it as a trustworthy one. | |
or |
1. conj. Connects at least two alternative words, phrases, clauses, sentences, etc. each of which could make a passage true. In English, this is the "inclusive or." The "exclusive or" is formed by "either(...) | |
In Ohio, anyone under the age of 18 who wants a tattoo or body piercing needs the consent of a parent or guardian. | |
He might get cancer, or be hit by a bus, or God knows what. | |
2. conj. (logic) An operator denoting the disjunction of two propositions or truth values. There are two forms, the inclusive or and the exclusive or. | |
3. conj. Counts the elements before and after as two possibilities. | |
4. conj. Otherwise (a consequence of the condition that the previous is false). | |
It's raining! Come inside or you'll catch a cold! | |
5. conj. Connects two equivalent names. | |
The country Myanmar, or Burma | |
6. n. (logic, electronics) alternative form of OR | |
7. n. (tincture) The gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms. | |
8. adj. (tincture) Of gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms. | |
9. adv. (obsolete) Early (on). | |
10. adv. (obsolete) Earlier, previously. | |
11. prep. (now archaic, or dialect) Before; ere. | |
action |
1. n. Something done so as to accomplish a purpose. | |
2. n. A way of motion or functioning. | |
Knead bread with a rocking action. | |
3. n. Fast-paced activity. | |
a movie full of exciting action | |
4. n. A mechanism; a moving part or assembly. | |
a rifle action | |
5. n. (music): The mechanism, that is the set of moving mechanical parts, of a keyboard instrument, like a piano, which transfers the motion of the key to the sound-making device.Marshall Cavendish Corporat | |
6. n. (slang) sexual intercourse. | |
She gave him some action. | |
7. n. The distance separating the strings and the fretboard on the guitar. | |
8. n. (military) Combat. | |
He saw some action in the Korean War. | |
9. n. (legal) A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio). | |
10. n. (mathematics) A mapping from a pairing of mathematical objects to one of them, respecting their individual structures. The pairing is typically a Cartesian product or a tensor product. The object that | |
11. n. (physics) The product of energy and time. | |
12. n. The event or connected series of events, either real or imaginary, forming the subject of a play, poem, or other composition; the unfolding of the drama of events. | |
13. n. (art, painting and sculpture) The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted. | |
14. n. (bowling) spin put on the bowling ball. | |
15. n. (business, obsolete, a Gallicism) A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds. | |
16. interj. Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually an act or scene of a theatric performance. | |
The director yelled ‘Action!’ before the camera started rolling. | |
17. v. (transitive, management) To act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect. | |
18. v. (transitive, chiefly archaic) To initiate a legal action against someone. | |
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. | |
speaking |
1. adj. Used in speaking. | |
one's normal speaking voice | |
2. adj. Expressive; eloquent. | |
The sight was more speaking than any speech could be. | |
3. adj. Involving speaking. | |
It was her first speaking part: she screamed. | |
4. adj. Having the ability of speech. | |
speaking parrot; speaking clock | |
5. adj. (in compounds) Having competence in a language. | |
the English-speaking gentleman gave us directions; I travel in Russian-speaking countries; the French-speaking world listened in to the broadcas | |
6. n. One's ability to communicate vocally in a given language. | |
I can read and understand most texts in German, but my speaking is awful. | |
7. n. The act of communicating vocally. | |
8. n. An oral recitation of e.g. a story. | |
9. v. present participle of speak | |
speak |
1. v. (intransitive) To communicate with one's voice, to say words out loud. | |
I was so surprised I couldn't speak. | |
You're speaking too fast. | |
2. v. (intransitive) To have a conversation. | |
It's been ages since we've spoken. | |
3. v. (by extension) To communicate or converse by some means other than orally, such as writing or facial expressions. | |
He spoke of it in his diary. | |
Speak to me only with your eyes. | |
Actions speak louder than words. | |
4. v. (intransitive) To deliver a message to a group; to deliver a speech. | |
This evening I shall speak on the topic of correct English usage. | |
5. v. To be able to communicate in a language. | |
He speaks Mandarin fluently. | |
6. v. To utter. | |
I was so surprised that I couldn't speak a word. | |
7. v. To communicate (some fact or feeling); to bespeak, to indicate. | |
8. v. (informal, transitive, sometimes humorous) To understand (as though it were a language). | |
Sorry, I don't speak idiot. | |
So you can program in C. But do you speak C++? | |
9. v. (intransitive) To produce a sound; to sound. | |
10. v. (transitive, archaic) To address; to accost; to speak to. | |
11. n. language, jargon, or terminology used uniquely in a particular environment or group. | |
Corporate speak; IT speak. | |
12. n. Speach, conversation. | |
13. n. (dated) a low class bar, a speakeasy. | |
As |
1. n. plural of A | |
She went from getting Cs and Ds to earning straight As. | |
2. adv. To such an extent or degree. | |
You’re not as tall as I am. | |
It's not as well made, but it's twice as expensive. | |
3. adv. In the manner or role specified. | |
The kidnappers released him as agreed. | |
The parties were seen as agreeing on a range of issues. | |
He was never seen as the boss, but rather as a friend. | |
4. adv. (dated) For example (compare such as). | |
5. conj. In the same way that; according to what. | |
Do as I say! | |
I'm under a lot of pressure, as you know. | |
As you wish, my lord! | |
6. conj. At the same instant that; when. | |
As I came in, she flew. | |
7. conj. At the same time that; while. | |
He sleeps as the rain falls. | |
8. conj. Varying through time in the same proportion that. | |
As my fear grew, so did my legs become heavy. | |
9. conj. Being that, considering that, because, since. | |
As it’s too late, I quit. | |
10. conj. Introducing a basis of comparison, after as, so, or a comparison of equality. | |
She's twice as strong as I was two years ago. | |
It's not so complicated as I expected. | |
11. conj. (dated) Introducing a comparison with a hypothetical state (+ subjunctive); ‘as though’, ‘as if’. | |
12. conj. Introducing a comparison with a hypothetical state with the verb elided; as if, as though. | |
13. conj. (now England, US, regional) Functioning as a relative conjunction; that. | |
14. conj. Expressing concession; though. | |
15. conj. (obsolete, rare) Than. | |
16. prep. Introducing a basis of comparison, with an object in the objective case. | |
You are not as tall as me. | |
They're big as houses. | |
17. prep. In the role of. | |
What is your opinion as a parent? | |
18. n. (unit of weight) A libra. | |
19. n. Any of several coins of Rome, coined in bronze or later copper; or the equivalent value. | |
20. n. plural of a | |
opposed |
1. adj. Acting in opposition; opposing. | |
2. adj. Being, of having an opponent; not unopposed. | |
3. v. simple past tense and past participle of oppose | |
oppose |
1. v. To attempt to stop the progression of; to resist or antagonize by physical means, or by arguments, etc.; to contend against; to confront; to resist; to withstand. | |
to oppose the king in battle; to oppose a bill in Congress | |
There is still time to oppose this plan. | |
2. v. To object to. | |
Many religious leaders oppose cloning humans. | |
3. v. To present or set up in opposition; to pose. | |
They are opposed to any form of hierarchy. | |
4. v. To place in front of, or over against; to set opposite; to exhibit. | |
to |
1. part. A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive. | |
I want to leave. | |
He asked me what to do. | |
I don’t know how to say it. | |
I have places to go and people to see. | |
2. part. As above, with the verb implied. | |
"Did you visit the museum?" "I wanted to, but it was closed.". | |
If he hasn't read it yet, he ought to. | |
3. part. A particle used to create phrasal verbs. | |
I have to do laundry today. | |
4. prep. Indicating destination: In the direction of, and arriving at. | |
We are walking to the shop. | |
5. prep. Used to indicate purpose. | |
He devoted himself to education. | |
They drank to his health. | |
6. prep. Used to indicate result of action. | |
His face was beaten to a pulp. | |
7. prep. Used after an adjective to indicate its application. | |
similar to ..., relevant to ..., pertinent to ..., I was nice to him, he was cruel to her, I am used to walking. | |
8. prep. (obsolete,) As a. | |
With God to friend (with God as a friend); with The Devil to fiend (with the Devil as a foe); lambs slaughtered to lake (lambs slaughtered as a sacrifice); t | |
9. prep. (arithmetic) Used to indicate a ratio or comparison. | |
one to one = 1:1 | |
ten to one = 10:1. | |
I have ten dollars to your four. | |
10. prep. (arithmetic) Used to indicate that the preceding term is to be raised to the power of the following value; indicates exponentiation. | |
Three squared or three to the second power is nine. | |
Three to the power of two is nine. | |
Three to the second is nine. | |
11. prep. Used to indicate the indirect object. | |
I gave the book to him. | |
12. prep. (time) Preceding. | |
ten to ten = 9:50; We're going to leave at ten to (the hour). | |
13. prep. Used to describe what something consists of or contains. | |
Anyone could do this job; there's nothing to it. | |
There's a lot of sense to what he says. | |
14. prep. (Canada, UK, Newfoundland, West Midlands) At. | |
Stay where you're to and I'll come find you, b'y. | |
15. adv. Toward a closed, touching or engaging position. | |
Please push the door to. | |
16. adv. (nautical) Into the wind. | |
17. adv. misspelling of too | |
writing |
1. n. Graphism of symbols such as letters that express some meaning. | |
2. n. Something written, such as a document, article or book. | |
3. n. The process of representing a language with symbols or letters. | |
4. n. A work of an author. | |
5. n. The style of writing of a person. | |
I can't read your writing. | |
6. n. (as a modifier) Intended for or used in writing. | |
a writing table | |
7. v. present participle of write | |
write |
1. v. To form letters, words or symbols on a surface in order to communicate. | |
The pupil wrote his name on the paper. | |
Your son has been writing on the wall. | |
2. v. To be the author of (a book, article, poem, etc.). | |
My uncle writes newspaper articles for The Herald. | |
3. v. To send written information to. | |
(UK) Please write to me when you get there. | |
(US) Please write me when you get there. | |
4. v. To show (information, etc) in written form. | |
The due day of the homework is written in the syllabus. | |
5. v. (intransitive) To be an author. | |
I write for a living. | |
6. v. (computing, intransitive, with to) To record data mechanically or electronically. | |
The computer writes to the disk faster than it reads from it. | |
7. v. (transitive, South Africa, Canada, of an exam, a document, etc.) To fill in, to complete using words. | |
I was very anxious to know my score after I wrote the test. | |
8. v. To impress durably; to imprint; to engrave. | |
truth written on the heart | |
9. v. To make known by writing; to record; to prove by one's own written testimony; often used reflexively. | |
10. n. (computing) The operation of storing data, as in memory or onto disk. | |
How many writes per second can this hard disk handle? | |
or |
1. conj. Connects at least two alternative words, phrases, clauses, sentences, etc. each of which could make a passage true. In English, this is the "inclusive or." The "exclusive or" is formed by "either(...) | |
In Ohio, anyone under the age of 18 who wants a tattoo or body piercing needs the consent of a parent or guardian. | |
He might get cancer, or be hit by a bus, or God knows what. | |
2. conj. (logic) An operator denoting the disjunction of two propositions or truth values. There are two forms, the inclusive or and the exclusive or. | |
3. conj. Counts the elements before and after as two possibilities. | |
4. conj. Otherwise (a consequence of the condition that the previous is false). | |
It's raining! Come inside or you'll catch a cold! | |
5. conj. Connects two equivalent names. | |
The country Myanmar, or Burma | |
6. n. (logic, electronics) alternative form of OR | |
7. n. (tincture) The gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms. | |
8. adj. (tincture) Of gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms. | |
9. adv. (obsolete) Early (on). | |
10. adv. (obsolete) Earlier, previously. | |
11. prep. (now archaic, or dialect) Before; ere. | |
to |
1. part. A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive. | |
I want to leave. | |
He asked me what to do. | |
I don’t know how to say it. | |
I have places to go and people to see. | |
2. part. As above, with the verb implied. | |
"Did you visit the museum?" "I wanted to, but it was closed.". | |
If he hasn't read it yet, he ought to. | |
3. part. A particle used to create phrasal verbs. | |
I have to do laundry today. | |
4. prep. Indicating destination: In the direction of, and arriving at. | |
We are walking to the shop. | |
5. prep. Used to indicate purpose. | |
He devoted himself to education. | |
They drank to his health. | |
6. prep. Used to indicate result of action. | |
His face was beaten to a pulp. | |
7. prep. Used after an adjective to indicate its application. | |
similar to ..., relevant to ..., pertinent to ..., I was nice to him, he was cruel to her, I am used to walking. | |
8. prep. (obsolete,) As a. | |
With God to friend (with God as a friend); with The Devil to fiend (with the Devil as a foe); lambs slaughtered to lake (lambs slaughtered as a sacrifice); t | |
9. prep. (arithmetic) Used to indicate a ratio or comparison. | |
one to one = 1:1 | |
ten to one = 10:1. | |
I have ten dollars to your four. | |
10. prep. (arithmetic) Used to indicate that the preceding term is to be raised to the power of the following value; indicates exponentiation. | |
Three squared or three to the second power is nine. | |
Three to the power of two is nine. | |
Three to the second is nine. | |
11. prep. Used to indicate the indirect object. | |
I gave the book to him. | |
12. prep. (time) Preceding. | |
ten to ten = 9:50; We're going to leave at ten to (the hour). | |
13. prep. Used to describe what something consists of or contains. | |
Anyone could do this job; there's nothing to it. | |
There's a lot of sense to what he says. | |
14. prep. (Canada, UK, Newfoundland, West Midlands) At. | |
Stay where you're to and I'll come find you, b'y. | |
15. adv. Toward a closed, touching or engaging position. | |
Please push the door to. | |
16. adv. (nautical) Into the wind. | |
17. adv. misspelling of too | |
action |
1. n. Something done so as to accomplish a purpose. | |
2. n. A way of motion or functioning. | |
Knead bread with a rocking action. | |
3. n. Fast-paced activity. | |
a movie full of exciting action | |
4. n. A mechanism; a moving part or assembly. | |
a rifle action | |
5. n. (music): The mechanism, that is the set of moving mechanical parts, of a keyboard instrument, like a piano, which transfers the motion of the key to the sound-making device.Marshall Cavendish Corporat | |
6. n. (slang) sexual intercourse. | |
She gave him some action. | |
7. n. The distance separating the strings and the fretboard on the guitar. | |
8. n. (military) Combat. | |
He saw some action in the Korean War. | |
9. n. (legal) A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio). | |
10. n. (mathematics) A mapping from a pairing of mathematical objects to one of them, respecting their individual structures. The pairing is typically a Cartesian product or a tensor product. The object that | |
11. n. (physics) The product of energy and time. | |
12. n. The event or connected series of events, either real or imaginary, forming the subject of a play, poem, or other composition; the unfolding of the drama of events. | |
13. n. (art, painting and sculpture) The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted. | |
14. n. (bowling) spin put on the bowling ball. | |
15. n. (business, obsolete, a Gallicism) A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds. | |
16. interj. Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually an act or scene of a theatric performance. | |
The director yelled ‘Action!’ before the camera started rolling. | |
17. v. (transitive, management) To act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect. | |
18. v. (transitive, chiefly archaic) To initiate a legal action against someone. | |