main |
1. adj. Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal. | |
2. adj. Chief, most important, or principal in extent, size, or strength; consisting of the largest part. | |
Synonyms: largest | |
main timbers main branch of a river main body of an army | |
3. adj. Of force, strength, etc.: full, sheer, undivided. | |
4. adj. (dialectal) Big; angry. | |
5. adj. (nautical) Belonging to or connected with the principal mast in a vessel. | |
6. adj. (obsolete) Great in size or degree; important, powerful, strong, vast. | |
7. adv. (Britain, dialectal) Exceedingly, extremely, greatly, mightily, very, very much. | |
8. v. (short for, mainline, , to inject (a drug) directly into a vein) | |
9. v. (transitive, gaming) To mainly play a specific character, or side, during a game. | |
He mains the same character as me in that game. | |
What race do you main and what is your favourite race to beat? | |
10. v. (obsolete) Of a road: to convert into a main or primary road. | |
11. n. That which is chief or principal; the chief or main portion; the bulk, the greater part, gross. | |
12. n. (video gaming) The primary character that one plays in a video game in which one can play more than one character. | |
My WoW main has reached level cap and I’m on my way getting my first alt there as well. | |
13. n. A large cable or pipe providing utility service to an area or a building, such as a water main or electric main. | |
14. n. (informal) (short for, main course, , the principal dish of a meal) | |
I had scampi and chips for my main and a slice of cheesecake for dessert. | |
15. n. (now poetic) The high seas. | |
16. n. (now archaic, US dialectal) The mainland. | |
17. n. (nautical) (short for, mainsail) | |
18. n. (obsolete, except in might and main) Force, power, strength, violent effort. | |
19. n. (obsolete, gaming) A hand or match in a game of dice. | |
20. n. (obsolete, gaming) The largest throw in a match at dice; in the game of hazard, a number from one to nine called out by a person before the dice are thrown. | |
21. n. (obsolete, gaming) A stake played for at dice. | |
22. n. (obsolete, gaming, sports) A sporting contest or match, especially a cockfighting match. | |
23. n. A banker's shovel for coins. | |
24. n. (obsolete, rare) A basket for gathering grapes. | |
usage |
1. n. The manner or the amount of using; use. | |
2. n. Habit or accepted practice. | |
3. n. (lexicography) The ways and contexts in which spoken and written words are used, determined by a lexicographer's intuition or from corpus analysis. | |
4. n. Correct or proper use of language, proclaimed by some authority. | |
5. n. Geographic, social, or temporal restrictions on the use of words. | |
6. n. (obsolete) The treatment of someone or something. | |
usually |
1. adv. Most of the time; less than always, but more than occasionally. | |
Except for one or two days a year, he usually walks to work. | |
2. adv. Under normal conditions. | |
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. | |
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. | |
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. | |
but |
1. prep. (obsolete, outside, Scotland) Outside of. | |
Away but the hoose and tell me whae's there. | |
2. prep. Apart from, except (for), excluding. | |
Everyone but Father left early. | |
I like everything but that. | |
Nobody answered the door when I knocked, so I had no choice but to leave. | |
3. adv. Merely, only, just. | |
4. adv. (Australian, conjunctive) Though, however. | |
I'll have to go home early but. | |
5. adv. Used as an intensifier. | |
Nobody, but nobody, crosses me and gets away with it. | |
6. conj. (following a negative clause or sentence) On the contrary, but rather (introducing a word or clause that contrasts with or contradicts the preceding clause or sentence without the negation). | |
I am not rich but (I am) poor; not John but Peter went there. | |
7. conj. However, although, nevertheless, on the other hand (implies that the following clause is contrary to prior belief or contrasts with or contradicts the preceding clause or sentence). | |
She is very old but still attractive. | |
You told me I could do that, but she said that I could not. | |
8. conj. Except that (introducing a subordinate clause which qualifies a negative statement); also, with omission of the subject of the subordinate clause, acting as a negative relative, "except one that", "ex | |
I cannot but feel offended. | |
9. conj. (archaic) Without its also being the case that; unless that (introducing a necessary concomitant). | |
It never rains but it pours. | |
10. conj. (obsolete) Except with; unless with; without. | |
11. conj. (obsolete) Only; solely; merely. | |
12. conj. (obsolete) Until. | |
13. n. An instance or example of using the word "but". | |
It has to be done – no ifs or buts. | |
14. n. (Scotland) The outer room of a small two-room cottage. | |
15. n. A limit; a boundary. | |
16. n. The end; especially the larger or thicker end, or the blunt, in distinction from the sharp, end; the butt. | |
17. v. (archaic) Use the word "but". | |
But me no buts. | |
also |
1. adv. (conjunctive, focus) In addition; besides; as well; further; too. | |
They had porridge for breakfast, and also toast. | |
2. adv. (obsolete) To the same degree or extent; so, as. | |
figurative |
1. adj. Metaphorical or tropical, as opposed to literal; using figures; as of the use of "cats and dogs" in the phrase "It's raining cats and dogs". | |
2. adj. Metaphorically so called. | |
3. adj. With many figures of speech. | |
4. adj. Emblematic; representative | |
overly |
1. adv. To an excessive degree. | |
Parents can be overly protective of their children. | |
2. adv. (obsolete) Superficially. | |
3. adv. (obsolete) Carelessly, without due attention. | |
4. adv. (obsolete) With a sense of superiority, haughtily. | |
5. adj. (obsolete) Superficial; not thorough; careless, negligent, inattentive. | |
6. adj. (obsolete) Having a sense of superiority, haughty. | |
7. adj. (obsolete) Excessive; too great. | |
plain |
1. adj. (now rare, regional) Flat, level. | |
2. adj. Simple. | |
3. adj. Ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation; unembellished. | |
He was dressed simply in plain black clothes. | |
a plain tune | |
4. adj. Of just one colour; lacking a pattern. | |
a plain pink polycotton skirt | |
5. adj. Simple in habits or qualities; unsophisticated, not exceptional, ordinary. | |
They're just plain people like you or me. | |
6. adj. (of food) Having only few ingredients, or no additional ingredients or seasonings; not elaborate, without toppings or extras. | |
Would you like a poppy bagel or a plain bagel? | |
7. adj. (computing) Containing no extended or nonprinting characters (especially in plain text). | |
8. adj. Obvious. | |
9. adj. Evident to one's senses or reason; manifest, clear, unmistakable. | |
10. adj. Downright; total, unmistakable (as intensifier). | |
His answer was just plain nonsense. | |
11. adj. Open. | |
12. adj. Honest and without deception; candid, open; blunt. | |
Let me be plain with you: I don't like her. | |
13. adj. Clear; unencumbered; equal; fair. | |
14. adj. Not unusually beautiful; unattractive. | |
Throughout high school she worried that she had a rather plain face. | |
15. adv. (colloquial) Simply | |
It was just plain stupid. | |
I plain forgot. | |
16. n. (rare, poetic) A lamentation. | |
17. v. (reflexive, obsolete) To complain. | |
18. v. (ambitransitive, now rare, poetic) To lament, bewail. | |
to plain a loss | |
19. n. An expanse of land with relatively low relief. | |
20. n. A battlefield. | |
21. n. (obsolete) A plane. | |
22. v. (obsolete, transitive) To level; to raze; to make plain or even on the surface. | |
23. v. (obsolete, transitive) To make plain or manifest; to explain. | |
simple |
1. adj. Uncomplicated; taken by itself, with nothing added. | |
2. adj. Without ornamentation; plain. | |
3. adj. Free from duplicity; guileless, innocent, straightforward. | |
4. adj. Undistinguished in social condition; of no special rank. | |
5. adj. (now rare) Trivial; insignificant. | |
6. adj. (now colloquial) Feeble-minded; foolish. | |
7. adj. (heading, technical) Structurally uncomplicated. | |
8. adj. (chemistry) Consisting of one single substance; uncompounded. | |
9. adj. (mathematics) Of a group: having no normal subgroup. | |
10. adj. (botany) Not compound, but possibly lobed. | |
11. adj. (of a steam engine) Using steam only once in its cylinders, in contrast to a compound engine, where steam is used more than once in high-pressure and l | |
12. adj. (zoology) Consisting of a single individual or zooid; not compound. | |
a simple ascidian | |
13. adj. (mineralogy) Homogenous. | |
14. adj. (obsolete) Mere; not other than; being only. | |
15. n. (medicine) A herbal preparation made from one plant, as opposed to something made from more than one plant. | |
16. n. (obsolete) A term for a physician, derived from the medicinal term above. | |
17. n. (logic) A simple or atomic proposition. | |
18. n. (obsolete) Something not mixed or compounded. | |
19. n. (weaving) A drawloom. | |
20. n. (weaving) Part of the apparatus for raising the heddles of a drawloom. | |
21. n. (Roman Catholic) A feast which is not a double or a semidouble. | |
22. v. (transitive, intransitive, archaic) To gather simples, i.e., medicinal herbs. | |
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. | |
commonplace |
1. adj. Ordinary; not having any remarkable characteristics. | |
2. n. A platitude or cliché. | |
3. n. Something that is ordinary. | |
4. n. A memorandum; something to be frequently consulted or referred to. | |
5. n. A commonplace book. | |
6. v. To make a commonplace book. | |
7. v. To enter in a commonplace book, or to reduce to general heads. | |
8. v. (obsolete) To utter commonplaces; to indulge in platitudes. | |
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 | |
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. | |
point |
1. n. A discrete division of something. | |
2. n. An individual element in a larger whole; a particular detail, thought, or quality. | |
The Congress debated the finer points of the bill. | |
3. n. A particular moment in an event or occurrence; a juncture. | |
There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up. | |
At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda. | |
4. n. (archaic) Condition, state. | |
She was not feeling in good point. | |
5. n. A topic of discussion or debate; a proposition. | |
I made the point that we all had an interest to protect. | |
6. n. A focus of conversation or consideration; the main idea. | |
The point is that we should stay together, whatever happens. | |
7. n. A purpose or objective, which makes something meaningful. | |
Since the decision has already been made, I see little point in further discussion. | |
8. n. (obsolete) The smallest quantity of something; a jot, a whit. | |
9. n. (obsolete) A tiny amount of time; a moment. | |
10. n. A specific location or place, seen as a spatial position. | |
We should meet at a pre-arranged point. | |
11. n. (mathematics, science) A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions; something considered to have position | |
12. n. A full stop or other terminal punctuation mark. | |
13. n. (music) A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time. In ancient music, it distinguished or characterized certain tones or styles (points of p | |
14. n. (by extension) A note; a tune. | |
15. n. A distinguishing quality or characteristic. | |
Logic isn't my strong point. | |
16. n. Something tiny, as a pinprick; a very small mark. | |
The stars showed as tiny points of yellow light. | |
17. n. (now only in phrases) A tenth; formerly also a twelfth. | |
Possession is nine points of the law. | |
18. n. Each of the marks or strokes written above letters, especially in Semitic languages, to indicate vowels, stress etc. | |
19. n. (sports) A unit of scoring in a game or competition. | |
The one with the most points will win the game | |
20. n. (mathematics) A decimal point (now especially when reading decimal fractions aloud). | |
10.5 ("ten point five"; = ten and a half) | |
21. n. (economics) A unit used to express differences in prices of stocks and shares. | |
22. n. (typography) a unit of measure equal to 1/12 of a pica, or approximately 1/72 of an inch (exactly 1/72 of an inch in the digital era). | |
23. n. (UK) An electric power socket. | |
24. n. (navigation, nautical) A unit of bearing equal to one thirty-second of a circle, i.e. 11.25°. | |
Ship ahoy, three points off the starboard bow! | |
25. n. (UK) A unit of measure for rain, equal to 0.254 mm or 0.01 of an inch. | |
26. n. A sharp extremity. | |
27. n. The sharp tip of an object. | |
Cut the skin with the point of the knife. | |
28. n. Any projecting extremity of an object. | |
29. n. An object which has a sharp or tapering tip. | |
His cowboy belt was studded with points. | |
30. n. (backgammon) Each of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played. | |
31. n. A peninsula or promontory. | |
32. n. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force. | |
33. n. Each of the main directions on a compass, usually considered to be 32 in number; a direction. | |
34. n. (nautical) The difference between two points of the compass. | |
to fall off a point | |
35. n. Pointedness of speech or writing; a penetrating or decisive quality of expression. | |
36. n. (railroads, UK, in the plural) A railroad switch. | |
37. n. (usually in the plural) An area of contrasting colour on an animal, especially a dog; a marking. | |
The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable. | |
38. n. A tine or snag of an antler. | |
39. n. (fencing) A movement executed with the sabre or foil. | |
tierce point | |
40. n. (heraldry) One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. | |
41. n. (nautical) A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. | |
42. n. (historical) A string or lace used to tie together certain garments. | |
43. n. Lace worked by the needle. | |
point de Venise; Brussels point | |
44. n. (US, slang) An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer. | |
45. n. The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game. | |
The dog came to a point. | |
46. n. (falconry) The perpendicular rising of a hawk over the place where its prey has gone into cover. | |
47. n. The act of pointing, as of the foot downward in certain dance positions. | |
48. n. The gesture of extending the index finger in a direction in order to indicate something. | |
49. n. (medicine, obsolete) A vaccine point. | |
50. n. In various sports, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player occupying that position. | |
51. n. (cricket) A fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover. | |
52. n. (lacrosse, ice hockey) The position of the player of each side who stands a short distance in front of the goalkeeper. | |
53. n. (baseball) The position of the pitcher and catcher. | |
54. n. (hunting) A spot to which a straight run is made; hence, a straight run from point to point; a cross-country run. | |
55. v. (intransitive) To extend the index finger in the direction of something in order to show where it is or to draw attention to it. | |
It's rude to point at other people. | |
56. v. (intransitive) To draw attention to something or indicate a direction. | |
The arrow of a compass points north | |
The skis were pointing uphill. | |
The arrow on the map points towards the entrance | |
57. v. (intransitive) To face in a particular direction. | |
58. v. To direct toward an object; to aim. | |
to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort | |
59. v. To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end. | |
to point a dart, a pencil, or (figuratively) a moral | |
60. v. (intransitive) To indicate a probability of something. | |
61. v. (ambitransitive, masonry) To repair mortar. | |
62. v. (transitive, masonry) To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface. | |
63. v. (stone-cutting) To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool. | |
64. v. To direct or encourage (someone) in a particular direction. | |
If he asks for food, point him toward the refrigerator. | |
65. v. (transitive, mathematics) To separate an integer from a decimal with a decimal point. | |
66. v. To mark with diacritics. | |
67. v. (dated) To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate. | |
to point a composition | |
68. v. (transitive, computing) To direct the central processing unit to seek information at a certain location in memory. | |
69. v. (transitive, Internet) To direct requests sent to a domain name to the IP address corresponding to that domain name. | |
70. v. (intransitive, nautical) To sail close to the wind. | |
Bear off a little, we're pointing. | |
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. | |
being |
1. v. present participle of be | |
2. n. A living creature. | |
3. n. The state or fact of existence, consciousness, or life, or something in such a state. | |
4. n. (philosophy) That which has actuality (materially or in concept). | |
5. n. (philosophy) One's basic nature, or the qualities thereof; essence or personality. | |
6. n. (obsolete) An abode; a cottage. | |
7. conj. (obsolete) Given that; since. | |
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? | |
boring |
1. n. A pit or hole which has been bored. | |
2. n. Fragments thrown up when something is bored or drilled. | |
3. n. Any organism that bores into a hard surface | |
4. v. present participle of bore | |
5. adj. Causing boredom; unable to engage or hold the interest. | |
What a boring film that was! I almost fell asleep. | |
bore |
1. v. To inspire boredom in somebody. | |
2. v. To make a hole through something. | |
3. v. (intransitive) To make a hole with, or as if with, a boring instrument; to cut a circular hole by the rotary motion of a tool. | |
to bore for water or oil | |
An insect bores into a tree. | |
4. v. To form or enlarge (something) by means of a boring instrument or apparatus. | |
to bore a steam cylinder or a gun barrel; to bore a hole | |
5. v. To make (a passage) by laborious effort, as in boring; to force a narrow and difficult passage through. | |
to bore one's way through a crowd | |
6. v. (intransitive) To be pierced or penetrated by an instrument that cuts as it turns. | |
This timber does not bore well. | |
7. v. (intransitive) To push forward in a certain direction with laborious effort. | |
8. v. (of a horse) To shoot out the nose or toss it in the air. | |
9. v. (obsolete) To fool; to trick. | |
10. n. A hole drilled or milled through something, or (by extension) its diameter. | |
the bore of a cannon | |
11. n. The tunnel inside of a gun's barrel through which the bullet travels when fired, or (by extension) its diameter. | |
12. n. A tool, such as an auger, for making a hole by boring. | |
13. n. A capped well drilled to tap artesian water. The place where the well exists. | |
14. n. One who inspires boredom or lack of interest. | |
15. n. Something that wearies by prolixity or dullness; a tiresome affair. | |
16. n. Calibre; importance. | |
17. n. A sudden and rapid flow of tide in certain rivers and estuaries which rolls up as a wave; an eagre. | |
18. v. simple past tense of bear | |
humdrum |
1. adj. Lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring. | |
2. n. The quality of lacking variety or excitement; dullness; monotony. | |
3. n. (dated) A stupid fellow. | |
dull |
1. adj. Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp. | |
All these knives are dull. | |
2. adj. Boring; not exciting or interesting. | |
He sat through the dull lecture and barely stayed awake. | |
When does having a dull personality ever get you a girlfriend? Even if you get one, how does being dull help you keep a relationship for over a year? | |
3. adj. Not shiny; having a matte finish or no particular luster or brightness. | |
Choose a dull finish to hide fingerprints. | |
a dull fire or lamp; a dull red or yellow; a dull mirror | |
4. adj. Not bright or intelligent; stupid; slow of understanding. | |
5. adj. Sluggish, listless. | |
6. adj. Cloudy, overcast. | |
It's a dull day. | |
7. adj. Insensible; unfeeling. | |
8. adj. Heavy; lifeless; inert. | |
9. adj. (of pain etc) Not intense; felt indistinctly or only slightly. | |
Pressing on the bruise produces a dull pain. | |
10. adj. (of a noise or sound) Not clear, muffled. | |
11. v. To render dull; to remove or blunt an edge or something that was sharp. | |
Years of misuse have dulled the tools. | |
12. v. To soften, moderate or blunt; to make dull, stupid, or sluggish; to stupefy. | |
He drinks to dull the pain. | |
13. v. (intransitive) To lose a sharp edge; to become dull. | |
A razor will dull with use. | |
14. v. To render dim or obscure; to sully; to tarnish. | |
unimaginative |
1. adj. Not imaginative. | |