linguistics |
1. n. The scientific study of language. | |
pertaining |
1. v. present participle of pertain | |
2. n. Something that pertains; an appurtenance. | |
pertain |
1. v. (intransitive) to belong to or be a part of; be an adjunct, attribute, or accessory of | |
2. v. (intransitive) to relate, to refer, be relevant to | |
3. v. (intransitive) To apply; to be or remain in place; to continue to be applicable | |
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 | |
words |
1. n. plural of word | |
Words have a longer life than deeds. — Pindar (translated) | |
2. n. Angry debate or conversation; argument. | |
After she found out the truth, she had words with him, to tell him how she felt. | |
3. n. Lines in a script for a performance. | |
You better get your words memorised before rehearsal next Saturday. | |
4. v. third-person singular present indicative of word | |
word |
1. n. The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.) | |
2. n. The smallest discrete unit of spoken language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more phonemes and one or more morphemes | |
3. n. The smallest discrete unit of written language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more letters or symbols and one or more morphemes | |
4. n. A discrete, meaningful unit of language approved by an authority or native speaker (compare non-word). | |
5. n. Something like such a unit of language: | |
6. n. A sequence of letters, characters, or sounds, considered as a discrete entity, though it does not necessarily belong to a language or have a meaning | |
7. n. (telegraphy) A unit of text equivalent to five characters and one space. | |
8. n. (computing) A fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit by a machine (on many 16-bit machines, 16 bits or two bytes). | |
9. n. (computer science) A finite string that is not a command or operator. | |
10. n. (group theory) A group element, expressed as a product of group elements. | |
11. n. The fact or act of speaking, as opposed to taking action. | |
12. n. (now rare outside certain phrases) Something that someone said; a comment, utterance; speech. | |
13. n. (obsolete outside certain phrases) A watchword or rallying cry, a verbal signal (even when consisting of multiple words). | |
mum's the word | |
14. n. (obsolete) A proverb or motto. | |
15. n. News; tidings (used without an article). | |
Have you had any word from John yet? | |
16. n. An order; a request or instruction; an expression of will. | |
He sent word that we should strike camp before winter. | |
Don't fire till I give the word | |
Their mother's word was law. | |
17. n. A promise; an oath or guarantee. | |
I give you my word that I will be there on time. | |
18. n. A brief discussion or conversation. | |
Can I have a word with you? | |
19. n. (in the plural) See words. | |
There had been words between him and the secretary about the outcome of the meeting. | |
20. n. (theology, sometimes Word) Communication from God; the message of the Christian gospel; the Bible, Scripture. | |
Her parents had lived in Botswana, spreading the word among the tribespeople. | |
21. n. (theology, sometimes Word) Logos, Christ. | |
22. v. To say or write (something) using particular words; to phrase (something). | |
I’m not sure how to word this letter to the council. | |
23. v. (transitive, obsolete) To flatter with words, to cajole. | |
24. v. To ply or overpower with words. | |
25. v. (transitive, rare) To conjure with a word. | |
26. v. (intransitive, archaic) To speak, to use words; to converse, to discourse. | |
27. interj. (slang) Truth, indeed, that is the truth! The shortened form of the statement "My word is my bond.". | |
"Yo, that movie was epic!" / "Word?" ("You speak the truth?") / "Word." ("I speak the truth.") | |
28. interj. (slang) An abbreviated form of word up; a statement of the acknowledgment of fact with a hint of nonchalant approval. | |
29. v. alternative form of worth (to become). | |
used |
1. v. simple past tense and past participle of use | |
You used me! | |
2. v. (intransitive, as an auxiliary verb, now only in past tense) to perform habitually; to be accustomed to doing something | |
He used to live here, but moved away last year. | |
3. adj. That is or has or have been used. | |
The ground was littered with used syringes left behind by drug abusers. | |
4. adj. That has or have previously been owned by someone else. | |
He bought a used car. | |
5. adj. Familiar through use; usual; accustomed. | |
I got used to this weather. | |
use |
1. n. The act of using. | |
the use of torture has been condemned by the United Nations; there is no use for your invention | |
2. n. (followed by "of") Usefulness, benefit. | |
What's the use of a law that nobody follows? | |
3. n. A function; a purpose for which something may be employed. | |
This tool has many uses. | |
4. n. Occasion or need to employ; necessity. | |
I have no further use for these textbooks. | |
5. n. (obsolete, rare) Interest for lent money; premium paid for the use of something; usury. | |
6. n. (archaic) Continued or repeated practice; usage; habit. | |
7. n. (obsolete) Common occurrence; ordinary experience. | |
8. n. (religion) The special form of ritual adopted for use in any diocese. | |
the Sarum, or Canterbury, use; the Hereford use; the York use; the Roman use; etc. | |
9. n. (forging) A slab of iron welded to the side of a forging, such as a shaft, near the end, and afterward drawn down, by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging. | |
10. v. To utilize or employ. | |
11. v. To employ; to apply; to utilize. | |
Use this knife to slice the bread. | |
We can use this mathematical formula to solve the problem. | |
12. v. (transitive, often with up) To expend; to consume by employing. | |
I used the money they allotted me. | |
We should use up most of the fuel. | |
She used all the time allotted to complete the test. | |
13. v. To exploit. | |
You never cared about me; you just used me! | |
14. v. To consume (alcohol, drugs, etc), especially regularly. | |
He uses cocaine. I have never used drugs. | |
15. v. (intransitive) To consume a previously specified substance, especially a drug to which one is addicted. | |
Richard began experimenting with cocaine last year; now he uses almost every day. | |
16. v. (transitive, with auxiliary "could") To benefit from; to be able to employ or stand. | |
I could use a drink. My car could use a new coat of paint. | |
17. v. To accustom; to habituate. (Now common only in participial form. Note: This usage uses the nounal pronunciation of the word rather than the typically verbal one.) | |
soldiers who are used to hardships and danger (still common) | |
to use the soldiers to hardships and danger (now rare) | |
18. v. (reflexive, obsolete, with "to") To become accustomed, to accustom oneself. | |
19. v. (intransitive, now rare, literary) To habitually do; to be wont to do. | |
20. v. (intransitive, now rare, literary) To habitually employ; to be wont to employ. | |
21. v. (intransitive, past tense with infinitive) To habitually do. See used to. | |
I used to get things done. | |
22. v. (dated) To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat. | |
to use an animal cruelly | |
23. v. (reflexive, obsolete) To behave, act, comport oneself. | |
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 | |
convey |
1. v. To move (something) from one place to another. | |
Air conveys sound. Water is conveyed through the pipe. | |
2. v. (dated) To take or carry (someone) from one place to another. | |
3. v. To communicate; to make known; to portray. | |
to convey an impression; to convey information | |
4. v. (legal) To transfer legal rights (to). | |
He conveyed ownership of the company to his daughter. | |
5. v. (obsolete) To manage with privacy; to carry out. | |
6. v. (obsolete) To carry or take away secretly; to steal; to thieve. | |
any |
1. adv. To even the slightest extent, at all. | |
I will not remain here any longer. | |
If you get any taller, you'll start having to duck through doorways! | |
2. det. At least one; of at least one kind. One at all. | |
do you have any biscuits?; do you have any food?; I haven't got any money; it won't do you any good | |
3. det. No matter what kind. | |
choose any items you want; any person may apply | |
4. pron. Any thing(s) or person(s). | |
Any may apply. | |
kind |
1. n. A type, race or category; a group of entities that have common characteristics such that they may be grouped together. | |
What kind of a person are you? | |
This is a strange kind of tobacco. | |
2. n. A makeshift or otherwise atypical specimen. | |
The opening served as a kind of window. | |
3. n. (archaic) One's inherent nature; character, natural disposition. | |
4. n. Goods or services used as payment, as e.g. in barter. | |
5. n. Equivalent means used as response to an action. | |
I'll pay in kind for his insult. | |
6. n. (Christianity) Each of the two elements of the communion service, bread and wine. | |
7. adj. Having a benevolent, courteous, friendly, generous, gentle, liberal, sympathetic, or warm-hearted nature or disposition, marked by consideration for – and service to – others. | |
8. adj. Affectionate. | |
a kind man; a kind heart | |
9. adj. Favorable. | |
10. adj. Mild, gentle, forgiving | |
The years have been kind to Richard Gere; he ages well. | |
11. adj. Gentle; tractable; easily governed. | |
a horse kind in harness | |
12. adj. (obsolete) Characteristic of the species; belonging to one's nature; natural; native. | |
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. | |
social |
1. n. A festive gathering to foster introductions. | |
They organized a social at the dance club to get people to know each other. | |
2. n. (Canadian Prairies) A dance held to raise money for a couple to be married. | |
3. n. (UK, colloquial) (with definite article) Abbreviation of social security, referring to the UK state welfare system, or of related terms such as Social Security Office or Social Security Benefit. | |
Fred hated going down to the social to sign on. | |
4. n. (US, colloquial) (abbreviation of social security number) | |
What's your social? | |
5. n. (dated, Ireland) A dinner dance event, usually held annually by a company or sporting club. | |
6. n. (Canada) (clipping of social studies) | |
7. adj. Being extroverted or outgoing. | |
James is a very social guy; he knows lots of people. | |
8. adj. Of or relating to society. | |
Teresa feels uncomfortable in certain social situations. | |
Unemployment is a social problem. | |
9. adj. (Internet) Relating to social media or social networks. | |
social gaming | |
10. adj. (rare) Relating to a nation's allies (compare the Social War) | |
11. adj. (botany, zoology) Cooperating or growing in groups. | |
a social insect | |
relationship |
1. n. Connection or association; the condition of being related. | |
2. n. (mathematics) The links between the x-values and y-values of ordered pairs of numbers especially coordinates. | |
3. n. Kinship; being related by blood or marriage. | |
4. n. A romantic or sexual involvement. | |
Why are they being mean to her just because she wants a relationship with him? | |
5. n. A way in which two or more people behave and are involved with each other | |
I have a good working relationship with my boss. | |
6. n. (music) The level or degree of affinity between keys, chords and tones. | |
E |
1. n. (street slang) The illicit drug ecstasy (MDMA), particularly in pill form. | |
2. n. (especially, in LGBT contexts) The hormone estrogen/estradiol. (Contrast T, testosterone.) | |
3. n. The grade below D in some grading systems. In most such systems, it is a failing grade. | |
4. n. (abbreviation of episode) (installment of a series) | |
The pilot episode is S01E01. | |
5. Number. en-number, upper=E, lower=e | |
6. n. (mathematics) the base of the natural logarithm, 2.718281828459045… | |