botany |
1. n. The scientific study of plants, a branch of biology. Typically those disciplines that involve the whole plant. | |
2. n. The plant life of a geographical area. | |
the botany of Greenland | |
3. n. The properties and life phenomena exhibited by a plant, plant type, or plant group. | |
4. n. A botanical treatise or study, especially of a particular system of botany or that of a particular place. | |
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. | |
outer |
1. adj. Outside; external. | |
2. adj. Farther from the centre of the inside. | |
3. n. An outer part. | |
4. n. (military, firearms) The 4th circle on a target, outside the inner and magpie. | |
5. n. A shot which strikes the outer of a target. | |
6. n. (retail) The smallest single unit sold by wholesalers to retailers, usually one retail display box. | |
We ordered two cartons with twelve outers in each. | |
7. n. Someone who admits to something publicly. | |
8. n. Someone who outs another. | |
9. n. One who puts out, ousts, or expels. | |
10. n. An ouster; dispossession. | |
11. n. (politics) One who supports leaving the European Union. | |
layer |
1. n. A single thickness of some material covering a surface. | |
Wrap the loaf in two layers of aluminum foil before putting it in the oven. | |
After the first coat of paint dried, he applied another layer. | |
2. n. An item of clothing worn under or over another. | |
It's cold now but it will warm up this afternoon. Make sure you wear layers. | |
3. n. A (usually) horizontal deposit; a stratum. | |
I find seven-layer cake a bit too rich. | |
4. n. One of the items in a hierarchy. | |
mired in layers of deceit | |
5. v. to cut or divide (something) into layers | |
6. v. to arrange (something) in layers. | |
Layer the ribbons on top of one another to make an attractive pattern. | |
7. n. A person who lays things, such as tiles. | |
8. n. A mature female bird, insect, etc. that is able to lay eggs. | |
When dealing with an infestation of headlice, the first step is to eliminate the layers. | |
9. n. A hen kept to lay eggs. | |
10. n. A shoot of a plant, laid underground for growth. | |
of |
1. prep. Expressing distance or motion. | |
2. prep. (now obsolete, or dialectal) From (of distance, direction), "off". | |
3. prep. (obsolete except in phrases) Since, from (a given time, earlier state etc.). | |
4. prep. From, away from (a position, number, distance etc.). | |
There are no shops within twenty miles of the cottage. | |
5. prep. (North America, Scotland, Ireland) Before (the hour); to. | |
What's the time? / Nearly a quarter of three. | |
6. prep. Expressing separation. | |
7. prep. (Indicating removal, absence or separation, with the action indicated by a transitive verb and the quality or substance by a grammatical object.) | |
Finally she was relieved of the burden of caring for her sick husband. | |
8. prep. (Indicating removal, absence or separation, with resulting state indicated by an adjective.) | |
He seemed devoid of human feelings. | |
9. prep. (obsolete) (Indicating removal, absence or separation, construed with an intransitive verb.) | |
10. prep. Expressing origin. | |
11. prep. (Indicating an ancestral source or origin of descent.) | |
The word is believed to be of Japanese origin. | |
12. prep. (Indicating a (non-physical) source of action or emotion; introducing a cause, instigation); from, out of, as an expression of. | |
The invention was born of necessity. | |
13. prep. (following an intransitive verb) (Indicates the source or cause of the verb.) | |
It is said that she died of a broken heart. | |
14. prep. (following an adjective) (Indicates the subject or cause of the adjective.) | |
I am tired of all this nonsense. | |
15. prep. Expressing agency. | |
16. prep. (following a passive verb) (Indicates the agent (for most verbs, now usually expressed with by).) | |
I am not particularly enamoured of this idea. | |
17. prep. (Used to introduce the "subjective genitive"; following a noun to form the head of a postmodifying noun phrase) (see also 'Possession' senses below). | |
The contract can be terminated at any time with the agreement of both parties. | |
18. prep. (following an adjective) (Used to indicate the agent of something described by the adjective.) | |
It was very brave of you to speak out like that. | |
19. prep. Expressing composition, substance. | |
20. prep. (after a verb expressing construction, making etc.) (Used to indicate the material or substance used.) | |
Many 'corks' are now actually made of plastic. | |
21. prep. (directly following a noun) (Used to indicate the material of the just-mentioned object.) | |
She wore a dress of silk. | |
22. prep. (Indicating the composition of a given collective or quantitative noun.) | |
What a lot of nonsense! | |
23. prep. (Used to link a given class of things with a specific example of that class.) | |
Welcome to the historic town of Harwich. | |
24. prep. (Links two nouns in near-apposition, with the first qualifying the second); "which is also". | |
I'm not driving this wreck of a car. | |
25. prep. Introducing subject matter. | |
26. prep. (Links an intransitive verb, or a transitive verb and its subject (especially verbs to do with thinking, feeling, expressing etc.), with its subject-ma | |
I'm always thinking of you. | |
27. prep. (following a noun (now chiefly nouns of knowledge, communication etc.)) (Introduces its subject matter); about, concerning. | |
He told us the story of his journey to India. | |
28. prep. (following an adjective) (Introduces its subject matter.) | |
This behaviour is typical of teenagers. | |
29. prep. Having partitive effect. | |
30. prep. (following a number or other quantitive word) (Introduces the whole for which is indicated only the specified part or segment); "from among". | |
Most of these apples are rotten. | |
31. prep. (following a noun) (Indicates a given part.) | |
32. prep. (now archaic, literary, with preceding partitive word assumed, or as a predicate after to be) Some, an amount of, one of. | |
On the whole, they seem to be of the decent sort. | |
33. prep. (Links to a genitive noun or possessive pronoun, with partitive effect (though now often merged with possessive senses, below).) | |
He is a friend of mine. | |
34. prep. Expressing possession. | |
35. prep. Belonging to, existing in, or taking place in a given location, place or time. Compare "origin" senses, above. | |
He was perhaps the most famous scientist of the twentieth century. | |
36. prep. Belonging to (a place) through having title, ownership or control over it. | |
The owner of the nightclub was arrested. | |
37. prep. Belonging to (someone or something) as something they possess or have as a characteristic; (the "possessive genitive". (With abstract nouns, this inter | |
Keep the handle of the saucepan away from the flames. | |
38. prep. Forming the "objective genitive". | |
39. prep. (Follows an agent noun, verbal noun or noun of action.) | |
She had a profound distrust of the police. | |
40. prep. Expressing qualities or characteristics. | |
41. prep. (now archaic, or literary) (Links an adjective with a noun or noun phrase to form a quasi-adverbial qualifier); in respect to, as regards. | |
My companion seemed affable and easy of manner. | |
42. prep. (Indicates a quality or characteristic); "characterized by". | |
Pooh was said to be a bear of very little brain. | |
43. prep. (Indicates quantity, age, price, etc.) | |
We have been paying interest at a rate of 10%. | |
44. prep. (US, informal considered incorrect by some) (Used to link singular indefinite nouns (preceded by the indefinite article) and attributive adjectives mod | |
It's not that big of a deal. | |
45. prep. Expressing a point in time. | |
46. prep. (chiefly regional) During the course of (a set period of time, day of the week etc.), now specifically with implied repetition or regularity. | |
Of an evening, we would often go for a stroll along the river. | |
47. prep. (UK dialectal, chiefly in negative constructions) For (a given length of time). | |
I've not tekken her out of a goodly long while. | |
48. prep. (after a noun) (Indicates duration of a state, activity etc.) | |
After a delay of three hours, the plane finally took off. | |
an |
1. art. Form of a used before a vowel sound | |
2. art. (now quite rare) Form of a used before 'h' in an unstressed syllable | |
3. art. (nonstandard) Form of a used before 'h' in a stressed syllable | |
4. conj. (archaic) If | |
5. conj. (archaic) So long as. | |
An it harm none, do what ye will. | |
6. conj. (archaic) As if; as though. | |
7. n. The first letter of the Georgian alphabet, ა (Mkhedruli), Ⴀ (Asomtavruli) or ⴀ (Nuskhuri). | |
8. prep. In each; to or for each; per. | |
I was only going twenty miles an hour. | |
ovule |
1. n. (botany) The structure in a plant that develops into a seed after fertilization; the megasporangium of a seed plant with its enclosing integuments. | |
2. n. (zoology) An immature ovum in mammals. | |
which |
1. det. (interrogative) What, of those mentioned or implied. | |
Which song made the charts? | |
2. det. (relative) The one or ones that. | |
Show me which one is bigger. | |
They couldn't decide which song to play. | |
3. det. (relative) The one or ones mentioned. | |
He once owned a painting of the house, which painting would later be stolen. | |
For several seconds he sat in silence, during which time the tea and sandwiches arrived. | |
I'm thinking of getting a new car, in which case I'd get a red one. | |
4. pron. (interrogative) What one or ones (of those mentioned or implied). | |
Which is bigger?; Which is which? | |
5. pron. (relative) Who; whom; what (of those mentioned or implied). | |
He walked by a door with a sign, which read: PRIVATE OFFICE. | |
We've met some problems which are very difficult to handle. | |
He had to leave, which was very difficult. | |
No art can be properly understood apart from the culture of which it is a part. | |
6. pron. (relative, archaic) Used of people (now generally who, whom or that). | |
7. n. An occurrence of the word which. | |
develops |
1. v. third-person singular present indicative of develop | |
develop |
1. v. (intransitive) To change with a specific direction, progress. | |
Let's see how things develop and then make our decision. | |
2. v. To progress through a sequence of stages. | |
Isabel developed from a tropical depression to a tropical storm to a hurricane. An embryo develops into a fetus and then into an infant. | |
3. v. To advance; to further; to promote the growth of. | |
4. v. To create. | |
I need to develop a plan for the next three weeks. | |
5. v. To bring out images latent in photographic film. | |
Please develop this roll of film. | |
6. v. To acquire something usually over a period of time. | |
I have been in England enough to develop a British accent. | |
You will develop calluses if you play the cello. | |
She developed bad eating habits. | |
7. v. (chess, transitive) To place one's pieces actively. | |
I need to develop my white-square bishop. | |
8. v. (snooker, pool) To cause a ball to become more open and available to be played on later. Usually by moving it away from the cushion, or by opening a pack. | |
9. v. (math) To change the form of (an algebraic expression, etc.) by executing certain indicated operations without changing the value. | |
into |
1. prep. Going inside (of). | |
Mary danced into the house. | |
2. prep. Going to a geographic region. | |
We left the house and walked into the street. | |
The plane flew into the open air. | |
3. prep. Against, especially with force or violence. | |
The car crashed into the tree; I wasn't careful, and walked into a wall | |
4. prep. Producing, becoming; (indicates transition into another form or substance). | |
I carved the piece of driftwood into a sculpture of a whale. Right before our eyes, Jake turned into a wolf! | |
5. prep. After the start of. | |
About 20 minutes into the flight, the pilot reported a fire on board. | |
6. prep. (colloquial) Interested in or attracted to. | |
She's really into Shakespeare right now; I'm so into you! | |
7. prep. (mathematics) Taking distinct arguments to distinct values. | |
The exponential function maps the set of real numbers into itself. | |
8. prep. (UK, archaic, India, mathematics) Expressing the operation of multiplication.(R:OED Online) | |
Five into three is fifteen. | |
9. prep. (mathematics) Expressing the operation of division, with the denominator given first. Usually with "goes". | |
Three into two won't go. | |
24 goes into 48 how many times? | |
10. prep. Investigating the subject (of). | |
Call for research into pesticides blamed for vanishing bees. | |
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. | |
seed |
1. n. A fertilized grain, initially encased in a fruit, which may grow into a mature plant. | |
If you plant a seed in the spring, you may have a pleasant surprise in the autumn. | |
2. n. (botany) A fertilized ovule, containing an embryonic plant. | |
3. n. An amount of fertilized grain that cannot be readily counted. | |
The entire field was covered with geese eating the freshly sown seed. | |
4. n. Semen. | |
A man must use his seed to start and raise a family. | |
5. n. A precursor. | |
the seed of an idea; which idea was the seed (idea)? | |
6. n. The initial state, condition or position of a changing, growing or developing process; the ultimate precursor in a defined chain of precursors. | |
7. n. The initial position of a competitor or team in a tournament. (seed position) | |
The team with the best regular season record receives the top seed in the conference tournament. | |
8. n. The competitor or team occupying a given seed. (seed position) | |
The rookie was a surprising top seed. | |
9. n. Initialization state of a pseudorandom number generator (PRNG). (seed number) | |
If you use the same seed you will get exactly the same pattern of numbers. | |
10. n. Commercial message in a creative format placed on relevant sites on the Internet. (seed idea or seed message) | |
The latest seed has attracted a lot of users in our online community. | |
11. n. (now rare) Offspring, descendants, progeny. | |
the seed of Abraham | |
12. n. Race; generation; birth. | |
13. v. To plant or sow an area with seeds. | |
I seeded my lawn with bluegrass. | |
14. v. To cover thinly with something scattered; to ornament with seedlike decorations. | |
15. v. To start; to provide, assign or determine the initial resources for, position of, state of. | |
A venture capitalist seeds young companies. | |
The tournament coordinator will seed the starting lineup with the best competitors from the qualifying round. | |
The programmer seeded fresh, uncorrupted data into the database before running unit tests. | |
16. v. (sports) To allocate a seeding to a competitor. | |
17. v. (internet, transitive) To leave (files) available for others to download through BitTorrent. | |
18. v. To be able to compete (especially in a quarter-final/semi-final/final). | |
The tennis player seeded into the quarters. | |
19. v. To ejaculate inside the penetratee during intercourse, especially in the rectum. | |
20. v. (dialectal) simple past tense and past participle of see | |
coat |
1. n. An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.Wp | |
2. n. A covering of material, such as paint.Wp | |
3. n. The fur or feathers covering an animal's skin.Wp | |
When the dog shed its coat, it left hair all over the furniture and the carpet. | |
4. n. (nautical) Canvas painted with thick tar and secured round a mast or bowsprit to prevent water running down the sides into the hold (now made of rubber or leather). | |
5. n. (obsolete) A petticoat. | |
6. n. The habit or vesture of an order of men, indicating the order or office; cloth. | |
7. n. A coat of arms.Wp | |
8. n. A coat card. | |
9. v. To cover with a coat of some material | |
One can buy coated frying pans, which are much easier to wash up than normal ones. | |
10. v. To cover as a coat. | |