English Sentence Analyser

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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.
poem
1. n. A literary piece written in verse.
2. n. A piece of writing in the tradition of poetry, an instance of poetry.
3. n. A piece of poetic writing, that is with an intensity or depth of expression or inspiration greater than is usual in prose.
describing
1. v. present participle of describe
describe
1. v. To represent in words.
The feeling is difficult to describe, but not unpleasant.
The geographer describes countries and cities.
2. v. To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out.
to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle
3. v. (transitive, mathematics) To give rise to a geometrical structure.
The function describes a very complex surface.
4. v. (transitive, taxonomy) To introduce a new taxon to science by explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other taxa.
The fungus was first described by a botanist.
5. v. (obsolete) To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class.
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.
life
1. n. The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and reproduction and distinguishing them from inanimate objects; the state of being alive and liv
Having experienced both, the vampire decided that he preferred (un)death to life. He gave up on life.
2. n. (biology) The status possessed by any of a number of entities, including animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and sometimes viruses, which have the proper
3. n. The animating principle or force that keeps an inorganic thing or concept metaphorically alive (dynamic, relevant, etc) and makes it a "living document", "living constitution", etc.
4. n. Lifeforms, generally or collectively.
It's life, but not as we know it. She discovered plant life on the planet. The rover discovered signs of life on the alien world.
5. n. A living individual; the fact of a particular individual being alive. (Chiefly when indicating individuals were lost (died) or saved.)
Many lives were lost during the war. Her quick thinking saved many dogs' lives.
6. n. Existence
Man's life on this planet has been marked by continual conflict. the eternal life of the soul
7. n. A worthwhile existence.
He gets up early in the morning, works all day long — even on weekends — and hardly sees his family. That's no life! His life was ruined by
8. n. A particular aspect of existence.
He struggled to balance his family life, social life and work life. sex life, political life
9. n. (informal) Social life.
Get a life.
10. n. Something which is inherently part of a person's existence, such as job, family, a loved one, etc.
She's my love, my life. Running the bakery is her life.
11. n. A period of time during which something has existence.
12. n. The period during which one (a person, an animal, a plant; a civilization, species; a star; etc) is alive.
This light bulb is designed to have a life of 2,000 hours.
13. n. The span of time during which an object operates.
14. n. The period of time during which an object is recognizable.
The life of this milk carton may be thousands of years in this landfill.
15. n. A particular phase or period of existence.
16. n. A period extending from a when a (positive or negative) office, punishment, etc is conferred on someone until that person dies (or, sometimes, reaches
17. n. # (colloquial) A life sentence; a period of imprisonment that lasts until the convict's death (or, sometimes, parole).
18. n. Animation; spirit; vivacity.
19. n. The most lively component or participant.
20. n. A biography.
His life of the founder is finished, except for the title.
21. n. Nature, reality, and the forms that exist it.
22. n. An opportunity for existence.
23. n. (video games) One of the player's chances to play, lost when the player's character dies or when certain mistakes are made.
Scoring 1000 points is rewarded with an extra life.
24. n. (baseball, softball) A chance for the batter (or batting team) to bat again, given as a result of an misplay by a member of the fielding team.
25. n. (insurance) The life insurance industry.
I work in life.
26. n. A life assured under a life assurance policy (equivalent to the policy itself for a single life contract).
and
1. conj. As a coordinating conjunction; expressing two elements to be taken together or in addition to each other.
2. conj. Used simply to connect two noun phrases, adjectives or adverbs.
3. conj. Simply connecting two clauses or sentences.
4. conj. Introducing a clause or sentence which follows on in time or consequence from the first.
5. conj. (obsolete) Yet; but.
6. conj. Used to connect certain numbers: connecting units when they precede tens (not dated); connecting tens and units to hundreds, thousands etc. (now often
7. conj. (now colloquial, or literary) Used to connect more than two elements together in a chain, sometimes to stress the number of elements.
8. conj. Connecting two identical elements, with implications of continued or infinite repetition.
9. conj. Introducing a parenthetical or explanatory clause.
10. conj. Introducing the continuation of narration from a previous understood point; also used alone as a question: ‘and so what?’.
11. conj. (now regional or somewhat colloquial) Used to connect two verbs where the second is dependent on the first: ‘to’. Used especially after come,
12. conj. Introducing a qualitative difference between things having the same name; "as well as other".
13. conj. Used to combine numbers in addition; plus (with singular or plural verb).
14. conj. Expressing a condition.:
15. conj. (now US dialect) If; provided that.
16. conj. (obsolete) As if, as though.
17. n. (enm, music, often informal) In rhythm, the second half of a divided beat.
18. n. (UK dialectal) Breath.
19. n. (UK dialectal) Sea smoke; steam fog.
20. v. (UK dialectal, intransitive) To breathe; whisper; devise; imagine.
manners
1. n. plural of manner
2. n. Etiquette.
Political correctness is tyranny with manners. ― Charlton Heston
manner
1. n. Mode of action; way of performing or doing anything
2. n. Characteristic mode of acting or behaving; bearing
His natural manner makes him seem like the boss.
3. n. One's customary method of acting; habit.
These people have strange manners.
4. n. good, polite behaviour
5. n. The style of writing or thought of an author; the characteristic peculiarity of an artist.
6. n. A certain degree or measure.
It is in a manner done already.
7. n. Sort; kind; style.
All manner of persons participate.
8. n. Standards of conduct cultured and product of mind.
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.
shepherds
1. n. plural of shepherd
2. v. third-person singular present indicative of shepherd
shepherd
1. n. A person who tends sheep, especially a grazing flock.
2. n. (figurative) Someone who watches over, looks after, or guides somebody.
3. n. (figurative) The pastor of a church; one who guides others in religion.
4. n. (poetic) A swain; a rustic male lover.
5. v. To watch over; to guide
6. v. (Australian rules football) For a player to obstruct an opponent from getting to the ball, either when a teammate has it or is going for it, or if the ball is about to bounce through the goal or out o
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.
poem
1. n. A literary piece written in verse.
2. n. A piece of writing in the tradition of poetry, an instance of poetry.
3. n. A piece of poetic writing, that is with an intensity or depth of expression or inspiration greater than is usual in prose.
in
1. prep. Used to indicate location, inclusion, or position within spatial, temporal or other limits.
2. prep. Contained by.
The dog is in the kennel.
3. prep. Within.
4. prep. Surrounded by.
We are in the enemy camp. Her plane is in the air.
5. prep. Part of; a member of.
One in a million. She's in band and orchestra.
6. prep. Pertaining to; with regard to.
What grade did he get in English?
Military letters should be formal in tone, but not stilted.
7. prep. At the end of a period of time.
They said they would call us in a week.
8. prep. Within a certain elapsed time
Are you able to finish this in three hours? The massacre resulted in over 1000 deaths in three hours.
9. prep. During (said of periods of time).
in the first week of December; Easter falls in the fourth lunar month; The country reached a high level of prosperity in his fi
10. prep. (grammar, phonetics, of sounds and letters) Coming at the end of a word.
English nouns in -ce form their plurals in -s.
11. prep. Into.
Less water gets in your boots this way.
12. prep. Used to indicate limit, qualification, condition, or circumstance.
In replacing the faucet washers, he felt he was making his contribution to the environment.
13. prep. Indicating an order or arrangement.
My fat rolls around in folds.
14. prep. Denoting a state of the subject.
He stalked away in anger. John is in a coma.
15. prep. Indicates, connotatively, a place-like form of someone's (or something's) personality, as his, her or its psychic and physical characteristics.
You've got a friend in me. He's met his match in her.
16. prep. Wearing (an item of clothing).
I glanced over at the pretty girl in the red dress.
17. prep. Used to indicate means, medium, format, genre, or instrumentality.
18. prep. (of something offered or given in an exchange) In the form of, in the denomination of.
Please pay me in cash — preferably in tens and twenties.
The deposit can be in any legal tender, even in gold.
Her generosity was rewarded in the success of its recipients.
19. prep. Used to indicate a language, script, tone, etc. of a text, speech, etc.
Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5" in C minor is among his most popular.
His speech was in French, but was simultaneously translated into eight languages.
When you write in cursive, it's illegible.
20. v. (obsolete, transitive) To enclose.
21. v. (obsolete, transitive) To take in; to harvest.
22. adv. (not comparable) Located indoors, especially at home or the office, or inside something.
Is Mr. Smith in?
23. adv. Moving to the interior of a defined space, such as a building or room.
Suddenly a strange man walked in.
24. adv. (sports) Still eligible to play, e.g. able to bat in cricket and baseball.
He went for the wild toss but wasn't able to stay in.
25. adv. (UK) Abbreviation of in aid of.
What's that in?
26. adv. After the beginning of something.
27. n. A position of power or a way to get it.
His parents got him an in with the company
28. n. (sport) The state of a batter/batsman who is currently batting – see innings
29. n. A re-entrant angle; a nook or corner.
30. adj. In fashion; popular.
Skirts are in this year.
31. adj. Incoming.
the in train
32. adj. (nautical, of the sails of a vessel) Furled or stowed.
33. adj. (legal) With privilege or possession; used to denote a holding, possession, or seisin.
in by descent; in by purchase; in of the seisin of her husband
34. adj. (cricket) Currently batting.
35. n. Inch.
which
1. det. (interrogative) What, of those mentioned or implied.
Which song made the charts?
2. det. (relative) The one or ones that.
Show me which one is bigger.
They couldn't decide which song to play.
3. det. (relative) The one or ones mentioned.
He once owned a painting of the house, which painting would later be stolen.
For several seconds he sat in silence, during which time the tea and sandwiches arrived.
I'm thinking of getting a new car, in which case I'd get a red one.
4. pron. (interrogative) What one or ones (of those mentioned or implied).
Which is bigger?; Which is which?
5. pron. (relative) Who; whom; what (of those mentioned or implied).
He walked by a door with a sign, which read: PRIVATE OFFICE.
We've met some problems which are very difficult to handle.
He had to leave, which was very difficult.
No art can be properly understood apart from the culture of which it is a part.
6. pron. (relative, archaic) Used of people (now generally who, whom or that).
7. n. An occurrence of the word which.
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.
Speakers
1. n. plural of Speaker
2. n. plural of speaker
speaker
1. n. One who speaks.
A native English speaker.
2. n. Loudspeaker.
3. n. Speakerphone.
4. n. (politics) The chair or presiding officer of certain legislative bodies, such as the U.K. House of Commons or the U.S. House of Representatives.
5. n. One who makes a speech to an audience.
The company hired a motivational speaker to boost morale.
6. n. (US) A book containing passages of text for use in speeches.
7. n. (linguistics) The producer of a given utterance, whether actually spoken or not.
8. n. (music) A key on a woodwind instrument of the clarinet family (cf octave key on other instruments) which induces the instrument to overblow.
assume
1. v. to authenticate by means of belief; to surmise; to suppose to be true, especially without proof
We assume that, as her parents were dentists, she knows quite a bit about dentistry.
2. v. to take on a position, duty or form
Mr. Jones will assume the position of a lifeguard until a proper replacement is found.
3. v. to adopt a feigned quality or manner
4. v. to receive, adopt
5. v. to adopt an idea or cause
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.
character
1. n. A being involved in the action of a story.
2. n. A distinguishing feature; characteristic; trait; phene.
(genetics) A single locus governing the petal colour character was detected on the linkage group A2.
3. n. A complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person or a group.
A study of the suspect's character and his cast iron alibi ruled him out.
4. n. Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; moral strength.
He has a great deal of character.
"You may not like to eat liver," said Calvin's father, "but it builds character.".
5. n. A unique or extraordinary individual; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits, especially charisma.
Julius Caesar is a great historical character.
That bloke is such a character.
6. n. A written or printed symbol, or letter.
7. n. (dated) Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the particular form of letters used by a person or people.
an inscription in the Runic character
8. n. (dated) A secret cipher; a way of writing in code.
9. n. (computing) One of the basic elements making up a text file or string: a code representing a printing character or a control character.
10. n. (informal) A person or individual, especially one who is unknown or raises suspicions.
We saw a shady character slinking out of the office with some papers.
11. n. (mathematics) A complex number representing an element of a finite Abelian group.
12. n. Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty.
in the miserable character of a slave
in his character as a magistrate
13. n. (dated) The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation.
a man's character for truth and veracity
Her actions give her a bad character.
14. n. (dated) A reference given to a servant, attesting to his/her behaviour, competence, etc.
15. v. (obsolete) To write (using characters); to describe.
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.
shepherds
1. n. plural of shepherd
2. v. third-person singular present indicative of shepherd
shepherd
1. n. A person who tends sheep, especially a grazing flock.
2. n. (figurative) Someone who watches over, looks after, or guides somebody.
3. n. (figurative) The pastor of a church; one who guides others in religion.
4. n. (poetic) A swain; a rustic male lover.
5. v. To watch over; to guide
6. v. (Australian rules football) For a player to obstruct an opponent from getting to the ball, either when a teammate has it or is going for it, or if the ball is about to bounce through the goal or out o
an
1. art. Form of a used before a vowel sound
2. art. (now quite rare) Form of a used before 'h' in an unstressed syllable
3. art. (nonstandard) Form of a used before 'h' in a stressed syllable
4. conj. (archaic) If
5. conj. (archaic) So long as.
An it harm none, do what ye will.
6. conj. (archaic) As if; as though.
7. n. The first letter of the Georgian alphabet, ა (Mkhedruli), Ⴀ (Asomtavruli) or ⴀ (Nuskhuri).
8. prep. In each; to or for each; per.
I was only going twenty miles an hour.
idyll
1. n. Any poem or short written piece composed in the style of Theocritus' short pastoral poems, the Idylls.
2. n. An episode or series of events or circumstances of pastoral or rural simplicity, fit for an idyll; a carefree or lighthearted experience.
3. n. (music) A composition, usually instrumental, of a pastoral or sentimental character, e.g. Siegfried Idyll by Richard Wagner.
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.
bucolic
1. adj. Rustic, pastoral, country-styled.
2. adj. Relating to the pleasant aspects of rustic country life.
3. adj. Pertaining to herdsmen or peasants.
4. n. A pastoral poem.
5. n. A rustic, peasant.

Dictionary entries from Wiktionary