a |
1. art. One; any indefinite example of; used to denote a singular item of a group. | |
There was a man here looking for you yesterday. | |
2. art. Used in conjunction with the adjectives score, dozen, hundred, thousand, and million, as a function word. | |
I've seen it happen a hundred times. | |
3. art. One certain or particular; any single.Brown, Lesley, (2003) | |
We've received an interesting letter from a Mrs. Miggins of London. | |
4. art. The same; one. | |
We are of a mind on matters of morals. | |
5. art. Any, every; used before a noun which has become modified to limit its scope; also used with a negative to indicate not a single one.Lindberg, Christine A. (2007) | |
A man who dies intestate leaves his children troubles and difficulties. | |
He fell all that way, and hasn't a bump on his head? | |
6. art. Used before plural nouns modified by few, good many, couple, great many, etc. | |
7. art. Someone or something like; similar to; Used before a proper noun to create an example out of it. | |
The center of the village was becoming a Times Square. | |
8. prep. (archaic) To do with position or direction; In, on, at, by, towards, onto. | |
Stand a tiptoe. | |
9. prep. To do with separation; In, into. | |
Torn a pieces. | |
10. prep. To do with time; Each, per, in, on, by. | |
I brush my teeth twice a day. | |
11. prep. (obsolete) To do with method; In, with. | |
12. prep. (obsolete) To do with role or capacity; In. | |
A God’s name. | |
13. prep. To do with status; In. | |
King James Bible (II Chronicles 2:18) | |
To set the people a worke. | |
14. prep. (archaic) To do with process, with a passive verb; In the course of, experiencing. | |
1964, Bob Dylan, The Times They Are a-Changin’ | |
The times, they are a-changin'. | |
15. prep. (archaic) To do with an action, an active verb; Engaged in. | |
1611, King James Bible, Hebrews 11-21 | |
Jacob, when he was a dying | |
16. prep. (archaic) To do with an action/movement; To, into. | |
17. v. (archaic, or slang) Have. | |
I'd a come, if you'd a asked. | |
18. pron. (obsolete, outside, England, and Scotland dialects) He. | |
19. interj. A meaningless syllable; ah. | |
20. prep. (archaic, slang) Of. | |
The name of John a Gaunt. | |
21. adv. (chiefly Scotland) All. | |
22. adj. (chiefly Scotland) All. | |
dish |
1. n. A vessel such as a plate for holding or serving food, often flat with a depressed region in the middle. | |
2. n. The contents of such a vessel. | |
a dish of stew | |
3. n. (metonym) A specific type of prepared food. | |
a vegetable dish | |
this dish is filling and easily made | |
4. n. (in the plural) Tableware (including cutlery, etc, as well as crockery) that is to be or is being washed after being used to prepare, serve and eat a meal. | |
It's your turn to wash the dishes. | |
5. n. (telecommunication) A type of antenna with a similar shape to a plate or bowl. | |
satellite dish | |
radar dish | |
6. n. (slang) A sexually attractive person. | |
7. n. The state of being concave, like a dish, or the degree of such concavity. | |
the dish of a wheel | |
8. n. A hollow place, as in a field. | |
9. n. (mining) A trough in which ore is measured. | |
10. n. (mining) That portion of the produce of a mine which is paid to the land owner or proprietor. | |
11. n. (slang) Gossip | |
12. v. To put in a dish or dishes; serve, usually food. | |
The restaurant dished up a delicious Italian brunch. | |
13. v. (informal, slang) To gossip; to relay information about the personal situation of another. | |
14. v. To make concave, or depress in the middle, like a dish. | |
to dish a wheel by inclining the spokes | |
15. v. (slang) To frustrate; to beat; to outwit or defeat. | |
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. | |
boiled |
1. v. simple past tense and past participle of boil | |
2. adj. Cooked in boiling water. | |
3. adj. (of water) Having reached the boiling point. | |
4. adj. (colloquial) Angry. | |
5. adj. (colloquial) Drunk. | |
boil |
1. n. A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection. | |
2. n. The point at which fluid begins to change to a vapour. | |
Add the noodles when the water comes to the boil. | |
3. n. A dish of boiled food, especially based on seafood. | |
4. n. (rare, nonstandard) The collective noun for a group of hawks. | |
5. v. To heat (a liquid) to the point where it begins to turn into a gas. | |
Boil some water in a pan. | |
6. v. (transitive, intransitive) To cook in boiling water. | |
Boil the eggs for two minutes. | |
Is the rice boiling yet? | |
7. v. (intransitive) Of a liquid, to begin to turn into a gas, seethe. | |
Pure water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. | |
8. v. (intransitive, informal, used only in progressive tenses) Said of weather being uncomfortably hot. | |
It’s boiling outside! | |
9. v. (intransitive, informal, used only in progressive tenses) To feel uncomfortably hot. See also seethe. | |
I’m boiling in here – could you open the window? | |
10. v. To form, or separate, by boiling or evaporation. | |
to boil sugar or salt | |
11. v. (obsolete) To steep or soak in warm water. | |
12. v. To be agitated like boiling water; to bubble; to effervesce. | |
the boiling waves of the sea | |
13. v. To be moved or excited with passion; to be hot or fervid. | |
His blood boils with anger. | |
food |
1. n. Any solid substance that can be consumed by living organisms, especially by eating, in order to sustain life. | |
The innkeeper brought them food and drink. | |
2. n. A foodstuff. | |
3. n. (figuratively) Anything that nourishes or sustains. | |
The man's inspiring speech gave us food for thought. | |
Mozart and Bach are food for my soul. | |
especially |
1. adv. (manner) In a special manner; specially. | |
2. adv. (focus) Particularly; to a greater extent than is normal. | |
3. adv. (focus) Used to place greater emphasis upon someone or something. | |
Invite them all, especially Molly. | |
based |
1. adj. Founded on; having a basis; often used in combining forms. | |
That was a soundly based argument. | |
2. adj. (slang) Not caring what others think about his or her personality, style, or behavior; focused on maintaining individuality. | |
3. v. simple past tense and past participle of base | |
4. v. Being derived from (usually followed by on or upon). | |
It's a new film based on a best-selling novel. | |
5. v. Having a base | |
The ladder is based on the even sidewalk for stability. | |
6. v. Having a base of operations. | |
The company is based in New York. | |
base |
1. n. Something from which other things extend; a foundation. | |
2. n. A supporting, lower or bottom component of a structure or object. | |
3. n. The starting point of a logical deduction or thought; basis. | |
4. n. A permanent structure for housing military personnel and material. | |
5. n. The place where decisions for an organization are made; headquarters. | |
6. n. (cooking, painting, pharmacy) A basic but essential component or ingredient. | |
7. n. A substance used as a mordant in dyeing. | |
8. n. (cosmetics) Foundation: a cosmetic cream to make the face appear uniform. | |
9. n. (chemistry) Any of a class of generally water-soluble compounds, having bitter taste, that turn red litmus blue, and react with acids to form salts. | |
10. n. Important areas in games and sports. | |
11. n. A safe zone in the children's games of tag and hide-and-go-seek. | |
12. n. (baseball) One of the three places that a runner can stand without being subject to being tagged out. | |
13. n. (architecture) The lowermost part of a column, between the shaft and the pedestal or pavement. | |
14. n. (biology, biochemistry) A nucleotide's nucleobase in the context of a DNA or RNA biopolymer. | |
15. n. (botany) The end of a leaf, petal or similar organ where it is attached to its support. | |
16. n. (electronics) The name of the controlling terminal of a bipolar transistor (BJT). | |
17. n. (geometry) The lowest side of a in a triangle or other polygon, or the lowest face of a cone, pyramid or other polyhedron laid flat. | |
18. n. (heraldry) The lowest third of a shield or escutcheon. | |
19. n. (heraldry) The lower part of the field. See escutcheon. | |
20. n. (mathematics) A number raised to the power of an exponent. | |
The logarithm to base 2 of 8 is 3. | |
21. n. (mathematics) (synonym of radix). | |
22. n. (topology) The set of sets from which a topology is generated. | |
23. n. (topology) A topological space, looked at in relation to one of its covering spaces, fibrations, or bundles. | |
24. n. (acrobatics, cheerleading) In hand-to-hand balance, the person who supports the flyer; the person that remains in contact with the ground. | |
25. n. (linguistics) A morpheme (or morphemes) that serves as a basic foundation on which affixes can be attached. | |
26. n. (music) (dated form of bass) | |
27. n. (military, historical) The smallest kind of cannon. | |
28. n. (archaic) The housing of a horse. | |
29. n. (historical, in the plural) A kind of skirt (often of velvet or brocade, but sometimes of mailed armour) which hung from the middle to about the knees, or lower. | |
30. n. (obsolete) The lower part of a robe or petticoat. | |
31. n. (obsolete) An apron. | |
32. n. A line in a survey which, being accurately determined in length and position, serves as the origin from which to compute the distances and positions of any points or objects connected with it by a sys | |
33. v. To give as its foundation or starting point; to lay the foundation of. | |
34. v. To be located (at a particular place). | |
35. v. (acrobatics, cheerleading) To act as a base; to be the person supporting the flyer. | |
36. adj. (obsolete) Low in height; short. | |
37. adj. Low in place or position. | |
38. adj. (obsolete) Of low value or degree. | |
39. adj. (archaic) Of low social standing or rank; vulgar, common. | |
40. adj. Morally reprehensible, immoral; cowardly. | |
41. adj. (now rare) Inferior; unworthy, of poor quality. | |
42. adj. Designating those metals which are not classed as precious or noble. | |
43. adj. Alloyed with inferior metal; debased. | |
base coin | |
base bullion | |
44. adj. (obsolete) Of illegitimate birth; bastard. | |
45. adj. Not classical or correct. | |
base Latin | |
46. adj. obsolete form of bass | |
the base tone of a violin | |
47. adj. (legal) Not held by honourable service. | |
A base estate is one held by services not honourable, or held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant is a base tenant. | |
48. n. (now chiefly US historical) The game of prisoners' bars. | |
on |
1. adj. In the state of being active, functioning or operating. | |
2. adj. Performing according to schedule. | |
Are we still on for tonight? | |
Is the show still on? | |
3. adj. (chiefly UK, informal, usually negative) Acceptable, appropriate. | |
You can't do that; it's just not on. | |
4. adj. (informal) Destined, normally in the context of a challenge being accepted; involved, doomed. | |
"Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!". | |
Mike just threw coffee onto Paul's lap. It's on now. | |
5. adj. (baseball, informal) Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter. | |
6. adj. (euphemistic) Menstruating. | |
7. adv. To an operating state. | |
turn the television on | |
8. adv. Along, forwards (continuing an action). | |
drive on, rock on | |
9. adv. In continuation, at length. | |
and so on. | |
He rambled on and on. | |
10. adv. (not US) Later. | |
Ten years on, nothing had changed in the village. | |
11. prep. Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above. | |
on the table; on the couch | |
The parrot was sitting on Jim's shoulder. | |
12. prep. At or near; adjacent to. | |
Soon we'll pass a statue on the left. | |
The fleet is on the American coast. | |
Croton-on-Hudson, Rostov-on-Don, Southend-on-Sea | |
13. prep. Covering. | |
He wore old shoes on his feet. | |
14. prep. At the date of. | |
Born on the 4th of July. | |
15. prep. Some time during the day of. | |
I'll see you on Monday. The bus leaves on Friday. Can I see you on a different day? On Sunday I'm busy. | |
16. prep. Dealing with the subject of, about, or concerning something. | |
A book on history. The World Summit on the Information Society. | |
17. prep. Touching; hanging from. | |
The fruit ripened on the trees. The painting hangs on the wall. | |
18. prep. (informal) In the possession of. | |
I haven't got any money on me. | |
19. prep. Because of, or due to. | |
To arrest someone on suspicion of bribery. To contact someone on a hunch. | |
20. prep. Upon; at the time of (and often because of). | |
On Jack's entry, William got up to leave. | |
On the addition of ammonia, a chemical reaction begins. | |
21. prep. Paid for by. | |
The drinks are on me tonight, boys. The meal is on the house. I paid for the airfare and meals for my family, but the hotel room was on the company. | |
22. prep. Used to indicate a means or medium. | |
I saw it on television. Can't you see I'm on the phone? | |
23. prep. Indicating a means of subsistence. | |
They lived on ten dollars a week. The dog survived three weeks on rainwater. | |
24. prep. Away or occupied with (e.g. a scheduled activity). | |
He's on his lunch break. on vacation; on holiday | |
25. prep. Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with. | |
to play on a violin or piano | |
Her words made a lasting impression on my mind. | |
26. prep. Regularly taking (a drug). | |
You've been on these antidepressants far too long. He's acting so strangely, I think he must be on something. | |
27. prep. Under the influence of (a drug). | |
He's acting crazy because he's on crack right now. | |
28. prep. (mathematics) Having identical domain and codomain. | |
a function on | |
29. prep. (mathematics) HavingV^n as domain and V as codomain, for some set V and integer n. | |
an operator on | |
30. prep. (mathematics) Generated by. | |
the free group on four letters | |
31. prep. Supported by (the specified part of itself). | |
A table can't stand on two legs. After resting on his elbows, he stood on his toes, then walked on his heels. | |
32. prep. At a given time after the start of something; at. | |
33. prep. In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series. | |
heaps on heaps of food | |
mischief on mischief; loss on loss | |
34. prep. (obsolete, regional) of | |
35. prep. Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in. | |
I depended on them for assistance. | |
He will promise on certain conditions. | |
Do you ever bet on horses? | |
36. prep. Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion. | |
Have pity or compassion on him. | |
37. prep. (obsolete) At the peril of, or for the safety of. | |
38. prep. In the service of; connected with; of the number of. | |
He is on a newspaper; I am on the committee. | |
39. prep. By virtue of; with the pledge of. | |
He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honour. | |
40. prep. To the account or detriment of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon. | |
On us be all the blame. | |
A curse on him! | |
Please don't tell on her and get her in trouble. | |
He turned on her and has been her enemy ever since. | |
He went all honest on me, making me listen to his confession. | |
41. v. (transitive, Singapore, Philippines) to switch on | |
Can you on the light? | |
42. prep. (UK dialectal, Scotland) Without. | |
43. n. In the Japanese language, a pronunciation, or reading, of a kanji character that was originally based on the character's pronunciation in Chinese, contrasted with kun. | |
Most kanji have two kinds of reading, called "on" and "kun". | |
seafood |
1. n. Fish, shellfish, seaweed, and other edible aquatic life. | |