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. | |
measure |
1. n. A prescribed quantity or extent. | |
2. n. (obsolete) Moderation, temperance. | |
3. n. A limit that cannot be exceeded; a bound. (Now chiefly in set phrases.) | |
4. n. An (unspecified) portion or quantity. | |
a measure of salt | |
5. n. The act or result of measuring. | |
6. n. (now chiefly cooking) A receptacle or vessel of a standard size, capacity etc. as used to deal out specific quantities of some substance. | |
7. n. A standard against which something can be judged; a criterion. | |
Honesty is the true measure of a man. | |
8. n. Any of various standard units of capacity. | |
The villagers paid a tithe of a thousand measures of corn. | |
9. n. A unit of measurement. | |
10. n. The size of someone or something, as ascertained by measuring. (Now chiefly in make to measure.) | |
11. n. (now rare) The act or process of measuring. | |
12. n. A ruler, measuring stick, or graduated tape used to take measurements. | |
13. n. (mathematics, now rare) A number which is contained in a given number a number of times without a remainder; a divisor or factor. | |
the greatest common measure of two or more numbers | |
14. n. (geology) A bed or stratum. | |
coal measures; lead measures | |
15. n. (mathematics) A function that assigns a non-negative number to a given set following the mathematical nature that is common among length, volume, proba | |
16. n. Metrical rhythm. | |
17. n. (now archaic) A melody. | |
18. n. (now archaic) A dance. | |
19. n. (poetry) The manner of ordering and combining the quantities, or long and short syllables; meter; rhythm; hence, a metrical foot. | |
a poem in iambic measure | |
20. n. (music) A musical designation consisting of all notes and or rests delineated by two vertical bars; an equal and regular division of the whole of a com | |
21. n. A course of action. | |
22. n. (in plural) Actions designed to achieve some purpose; plans. | |
23. n. A piece of legislation. | |
24. v. To ascertain the quantity of a unit of material via calculated comparison with respect to a standard. | |
We measured the temperature with a thermometer. You should measure the angle with a spirit level. | |
25. v. To be of (a certain size), to have (a certain measurement) | |
The window measured two square feet. | |
26. v. To estimate the unit size of something. | |
I measure that at 10 centimetres. | |
27. v. To judge, value, or appraise. | |
28. v. To obtain or set apart; to mark in even increments. | |
29. v. (rare) To traverse, cross, pass along; to travel over. | |
30. v. To adjust by a rule or standard. | |
31. v. To allot or distribute by measure; to set off or apart by measure; often with out or off. | |
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. | |
fineness |
1. n. The quality or degree of being fine. | |
2. n. The ratio, in a precious metal, of the primary metal to any additives or impurities. | |
3. n. The ratio of length to width of a ship, aircraft or rocket | |
particle |
1. n. A very small piece of matter, a fragment; especially, the smallest possible part of something. | |
2. n. (physics) Any of various physical objects making up the constituent parts of an atom; an elementary particle or subatomic particle. | |
3. n. (linguistics) A word that has a particular grammatical function but does not obviously belong to any particular part of speech, such as the word to in English infinitives or O as a vocative particle. | |
4. n. (linguistics) A part of speech which cannot be inflected: an adverb, preposition, conjunction or interjection. | |
5. n. (Christianity) In the Roman Catholic church, a crumb of consecrated bread; also the smaller breads used in the communion of the laity. | |
size |
1. n. (obsolete, outside, dialects) An assize. | |
2. n. (obsolete) A regulation determining the amount of money paid in fees, taxes etc. | |
3. n. (obsolete) A fixed standard for the magnitude, quality, quantity etc. of goods, especially food and drink. | |
4. n. The dimensions or magnitude of a thing; how big something is. | |
The size of the building seemed to have increased since I was last there. | |
5. n. (obsolete) A regulation, piece of ordinance. | |
6. n. A specific set of dimensions for a manufactured article, especially clothing. | |
I don't think we have the red one in your size. | |
7. n. (graph theory) A number of edges in a graph. | |
8. n. (figurative, dated) Degree of rank, ability, character, etc. | |
9. n. An instrument consisting of a number of perforated gauges fastened together at one end by a rivet, used for measuring the size of pearls. | |
10. v. To adjust the size of; to make a certain size. | |
11. v. To classify or arrange by size. | |
12. v. (military) To take the height of men, in order to place them in the ranks according to their stature. | |
13. v. (mining) To sift (pieces of ore or metal) in order to separate the finer from the coarser parts. | |
14. v. (transitive, colloquial) To approximate the dimensions, estimate the size of. | |
15. v. (intransitive) To take a greater size; to increase in size. | |
16. v. (Cambridge University) To order food or drink from the buttery; hence, to enter a score, as upon the buttery book. | |
17. v. (transitive, obsolete) To swell; to increase the bulk of. | |
18. n. A thin, weak glue used as primer for paper or canvas intended to be painted upon. | |
19. n. Wallpaper paste. | |
20. n. The thickened crust on coagulated blood. | |
21. n. Any viscous substance, such as gilder's varnish. | |
22. v. To apply glue or other primer to a surface which is to be painted. | |
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. | |
ground |
1. n. The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground. | |
2. n. Terrain. | |
3. n. Soil, earth. | |
The worm crawls through the ground. | |
The fox escaped from the hounds by going to ground. | |
4. n. The bottom of a body of water. | |
5. n. Basis, foundation, groundwork, legwork. | |
6. n. reason, Reason, (epistemic) justification, cause. | |
You will need to show good grounds for your action. | |
He could not come on grounds of health, or on health grounds. | |
7. n. Background, context, framework, surroundings. | |
8. n. (historical) The area on which a battle is fought, particularly as referring to the area occupied by one side or the other. Often, according to the eventualities, "to give ground" or "to gain ground". | |
9. n. (metaphorical) Hence, by extension, advantage given or gained in any contest; e.g. in football, chess, debate or academic discourse. | |
10. n. plain surface upon which the figures of an artistic composition are set. | |
crimson flowers on a white ground | |
11. n. In sculpture, a flat surface upon which figures are raised in relief. | |
12. n. In point lace, the net of small meshes upon which the embroidered pattern is applied. | |
Brussels ground | |
13. n. In etching, a gummy substance spread over the surface of a metal to be etched, to prevent the acid from eating except where an opening is made by the needle. | |
14. n. (architecture, mostly, in the plural) One of the pieces of wood, flush with the plastering, to which mouldings etc. are attached. | |
Grounds are usually put up first and the plastering floated flush with them. | |
15. n. A soccer stadium. | |
Manchester United's ground is known as Old Trafford. | |
16. n. (electricity, Canadian, and US) An electrical conductor connected to the ground. | |
17. n. (electricity, Canadian, and US) A level of electrical potential used as a zero reference. | |
18. n. (cricket) The area of grass on which a match is played (a cricket field); the entire arena in which it is played; the part of the field behind a batsman's popping crease where he can not be run out (h | |
19. n. (music) A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to a varying melody. | |
20. n. (music) The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song. | |
21. n. The pit of a theatre. | |
22. v. (US) To connect (an electrical conductor or device) to a ground. | |
23. v. To punish, especially a child or teenager, by forcing him/her to stay at home and/or give up certain privileges. | |
If you don't clean your room, I'll have no choice but to ground you. | |
Eric, you are grounded until further notice for lying to us about where you were last night! | |
My kids are currently grounded from television. | |
24. v. To forbid (an aircraft or pilot) to fly. | |
Because of the bad weather, all flights were grounded. | |
25. v. To give a basic education in a particular subject; to instruct in elements or first principles. | |
Jim was grounded in maths. | |
26. v. (baseball) to hit a ground ball; to hit a ground ball which results in an out. Compare fly (verb(regular)) and line (verb). | |
Jones grounded to second in his last at-bat. | |
27. v. (cricket) (of a batsman) to place his bat, or part of his body, on the ground behind the popping crease so as not to be run out | |
28. v. (intransitive) To run aground; to strike the bottom and remain fixed. | |
The ship grounded on the bar. | |
29. v. To found; to fix or set, as on a foundation, reason, or principle; to furnish a ground for; to fix firmly. | |
30. v. (fine arts) To cover with a ground, as a copper plate for etching, or as paper or other materials with a uniform tint as a preparation for ornament. | |
31. v. To improve or focus the mental or emotional state of. | |
I ground myself with meditation. | |
32. v. simple past tense and past participle of grind | |
I ground the coffee up nicely. | |
33. adj. Crushed, or reduced to small particles. | |
ground mustard seed | |
34. adj. Processed by grinding. | |
lenses of ground glass | |
grind |
1. v. To reduce to smaller pieces by crushing with lateral motion. | |
2. v. To shape with the force of friction. | |
grind a lens | |
grind an axe | |
3. v. (metalworking) To remove material by rubbing with an abrasive surface. | |
4. v. To become ground, pulverized, or polished by friction. | |
This corn grinds well. | |
Steel grinds to a sharp edge. | |
5. v. To move with much difficulty or friction; to grate. | |
6. v. (sports) To slide the flat portion of a skateboard or snowboard across an obstacle such as a railing. | |
7. v. To oppress, hold down or weaken. | |
8. v. (slang) To rotate the hips erotically. | |
9. v. (slang) To dance in a sexually suggestive way with both partners in very close proximity, often pressed against each other. | |
10. v. (video games) To repeat a task a large number of times in a row to achieve a specific goal. | |
11. v. To operate by turning a crank. | |
to grind an organ | |
12. v. To produce mechanically and repetitively as if by turning a crank. | |
13. v. To instill through repetitive teaching. | |
Grinding lessons into students' heads does not motivate them to learn. | |
14. v. (slang) To eat. | |
Eh, brah, let's go grind. | |
15. v. (slang) To work or study hard; to hustle or drudge. | |
16. n. The act of reducing to powder, or of sharpening, by friction. | |
17. n. Something that has been reduced to powder, something that has been ground. | |
18. n. A specific degree of pulverization of coffee beans. | |
This bag contains espresso grind. | |
19. n. A tedious and laborious task. | |
Synonyms: chore | |
This homework is a grind. | |
20. n. A grinding trick on a skateboard or snowboard. | |
21. n. (archaic, slang) One who studies hard; a swot. | |
22. n. grindcore, Grindcore (subgenre of heavy metal) | |
23. n. A traditional communal pilot whale hunt in the Faroe Islands. | |
material |
1. adj. Having to do with matter; consisting of matter. | |
This compound has a number of interesting material properties. | |
2. adj. Worldly, as opposed to spiritual. | |
Don't let material concerns get in the way of living a happy life. | |
3. adj. (law, accounting) Significant. | |
You've made several material contributions to this project. | |
This is the most material fact in this lawsuit. | |
4. n. Matter which may be shaped or manipulated, particularly in making something. | |
Asphalt, composed of oil and sand, is a widely used material for roads. | |
5. n. Text written for a specific purpose. | |
We were a warm-up act at the time; we didn't have enough original material to headline. | |
6. n. A sample or specimens for study. | |
7. n. Cloth to be made into a garment. Fabric. | |
You'll need about a yard of material to make this. | |
8. n. The people collectively who are qualified for a certain position or activity. | |
John Doe is a great governor, and I also believe he is presidential material. | |
He is not the only one. I believe we have lots of presidential material in various public offices. | |
9. n. Related data of various kinds, especially if collected as the basis for a document or book. | |
10. n. The substance that something is made or composed of. | |
11. v. (obsolete, transitive) To form from matter; to materialize. | |