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. | |
sound |
1. adj. Healthy. | |
He was safe and sound. | |
In horse management a sound horse is one with no health problems that might affect its suitability for its intended work. | |
2. adj. Complete, solid, or secure. | |
Fred assured me the floorboards were sound. | |
3. adj. (mathematics, logic) Having the property of soundness. | |
4. adj. (UK, slang) Good; acceptable; decent. | |
"How are you?" - "I'm sound.". | |
That's a sound track you're playing. | |
See that man over there? He's sound. You should get to know him. | |
5. adj. (of sleep) Quiet and deep. Sound asleep means sleeping peacefully, often deeply. | |
Her sleep was sound. | |
6. adj. Heavy; laid on with force. | |
a sound beating | |
7. adj. Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective. | |
a sound title to land | |
8. adv. Soundly. | |
9. interj. (UK, slang) Yes; used to show agreement or understanding, generally without much enthusiasm. | |
- I found my jacket.- Sound. | |
10. n. A sensation perceived by the ear caused by the vibration of air or some other medium. | |
He turned when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Nobody made a sound. | |
11. n. A vibration capable of causing such sensations. | |
12. n. (music) A distinctive style and sonority of a particular musician, orchestra etc | |
13. n. Noise without meaning; empty noise. | |
14. n. earshot, Earshot, distance within which a certain noise may be heard. | |
Stay within the sound of my voice. | |
15. v. (intransitive) To produce a sound. | |
When the horn sounds, take cover. | |
16. v. (copulative) To convey an impression by one's sound. | |
He sounded good when we last spoke. | |
That story sounds like a pack of lies! | |
17. v. (intransitive) To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to convey intelligence by sound. | |
18. v. (intransitive, obsolete) To resound. | |
19. v. (intransitive, legal, often, with in) To arise or to be recognizable as arising in or from a particular area of law. | |
20. v. To cause to produce a sound. | |
Sound the alarm! | |
He sounds the instrument. | |
21. v. (transitive, phonetics, of a vowel or consonant) To pronounce. | |
The "e" in "house" isn't sounded. | |
22. n. (geography) A long narrow inlet, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean. | |
Puget Sound; Owen Sound | |
23. n. The air bladder of a fish. | |
Cod sounds are an esteemed article of food. | |
24. n. A cuttlefish. | |
25. v. (intransitive) Dive downwards, used of a whale. | |
The whale sounded and eight hundred feet of heavy line streaked out of the line tub before he ended his dive. | |
26. v. To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts, motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try; to test; to probe. | |
When I sounded him, he appeared to favor the proposed deal. | |
27. v. Test; ascertain the depth of water with a sounding line or other device. | |
Mariners on sailing ships would sound the depth of the water with a weighted rope. | |
28. v. (medicine) To examine with the instrument called a sound or sonde, or by auscultation or percussion. | |
to sound a patient, or the bladder or urethra | |
29. n. (medicine) An instrument for probing or dilating; a sonde. | |
30. n. A long, thin probe for sounding body cavities or canals such as the urethra. | |
setting |
1. v. present participle of set | |
2. n. The time, place and circumstance in which something (such as a story or picture) is set; context; scenario. | |
3. n. The act of setting. | |
the setting of the sun | |
the setting, or hardening, of moist plaster of Paris | |
4. n. A piece of metal in which a precious stone or gem is fixed to form a piece of jewelry. | |
5. n. A level or placement that a knob or control is set to. | |
the volume setting on a television | |
6. n. The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does. | |
7. n. Hunting with a setter. | |
8. n. Something set in, or inserted. | |
9. n. A piece of vocal or choral music composed for particular words (set to music). | |
10. n. The mounting of a play, etc., for the stage. | |
11. n. The direction of a current of wind. | |
12. adj. that disappears below the horizon | |
the setting sun | |
set |
1. v. To put (something) down, to rest. | |
Set the tray there. | |
2. v. To attach or affix (something) to something else, or in or upon a certain place. | |
I have set my heart on running the marathon. | |
3. v. To put in a specified condition or state; to cause to be. | |
4. v. (transitive, dated) To cause to stop or stick; to obstruct; to fasten to a spot. | |
to set a coach in the mud | |
5. v. To determine or settle. | |
to set the rent | |
6. v. To adjust. | |
I set the alarm at 6 a.m. | |
7. v. To punch (a nail) into wood so that its head is below the surface. | |
8. v. To arrange with dishes and cutlery, to set the table. | |
Please set the table for our guests. | |
9. v. To introduce or describe. | |
I’ll tell you what happened, but first let me set the scene. | |
10. v. To locate (a play, etc.); to assign a backdrop to. | |
He says he will set his next film in France. | |
11. v. To compile, to make (a puzzle or challenge). | |
This crossword was set by Araucaria. | |
12. v. To prepare (a stage or film set). | |
13. v. To fit (someone) up in a situation. | |
14. v. To arrange (type). | |
It was a complex page, but he set it quickly. | |
15. v. To devise and assign (work) to. | |
The teacher set her students the task of drawing a foot. | |
16. v. (transitive, volleyball) To direct (the ball) to a teammate for an attack. | |
17. v. (intransitive) To solidify. | |
The glue sets in four minutes. | |
18. v. To render stiff or solid; especially, to convert into curd; to curdle. | |
to set milk for cheese | |
19. v. (intransitive) Of a heavenly body, to disappear below the horizon of a planet, etc, as the latter rotates. | |
The moon sets at eight o'clock tonight. | |
20. v. (transitive, bridge) To defeat a contract. | |
21. v. (obsolete, now followed by "out", as in set out) To begin to move; to go forth. | |
22. v. (transitive, botany) To produce after pollination. | |
to set seed | |
23. v. (intransitive, of fruit) To be fixed for growth; to strike root; to begin to germinate or form. | |
24. v. (intransitive, Southern US, Midwestern US, dialects) To sit (be in a seated position). | |
He sets in that chair all day. | |
25. v. To hunt game with the aid of a setter. | |
26. v. (hunting, ambitransitive) Of a dog, to indicate the position of game. | |
The dog sets the bird. | |
Your dog sets well. | |
27. v. (obsolete) To apply oneself; to undertake earnestly; to set out. | |
28. v. To fit music to words. | |
29. v. To place plants or shoots in the ground; to plant. | |
to set pear trees in an orchard | |
30. v. To become fixed or rigid; to be fastened. | |
31. v. To have a certain direction of motion; to flow; to move on; to tend. | |
The current sets to the north; the tide sets to the windward. | |
32. v. To place or fix in a setting. | |
to set a precious stone in a border of metal | |
to set glass in a sash | |
33. v. To put in order in a particular manner; to prepare. | |
to set (that is, to hone) a razor | |
to set a saw | |
34. v. To extend and bring into position; to spread. | |
to set the sails of a ship | |
35. v. To give a pitch to, as a tune; to start by fixing the keynote. | |
to set a psalm | |
36. v. To reduce from a dislocated or fractured state. | |
to set a broken bone | |
37. v. (masonry) To lower into place and fix solidly, as the blocks of cut stone in a structure. | |
38. v. (obsolete) To wager in gambling; to risk. | |
39. v. To adorn with something infixed or affixed; to stud; to variegate with objects placed here and there. | |
40. v. (obsolete) To value; to rate; used with at. | |
41. v. To establish as a rule; to furnish; to prescribe; to assign. | |
to set a good example; to set lessons to be learned | |
42. v. (Scotland) To suit; to become. | |
It sets him ill. | |
43. n. A punch for setting nails in wood. | |
nail set | |
44. n. A device for receiving broadcast radio waves (or, more recently, broadcast data); a radio or television. | |
television set | |
45. n. (alt form, sett): a hole made and lived in by a badger. | |
46. n. (alt form, sett): pattern of threads and yarns. | |
47. n. (alt form, sett): piece of quarried stone. | |
48. n. (horticulture) A small tuber or bulb used instead of seed, particularly onion sets and potato sets. | |
49. n. The amount the teeth of a saw protrude to the side in order to create the kerf. | |
50. n. (obsolete, rare) That which is staked; a wager; hence, a gambling game. | |
51. n. (engineering) Permanent change of shape caused by excessive strain, as from compression, tension, bending, twisting, etc. | |
the set of a spring | |
52. n. (piledriving) A piece placed temporarily upon the head of a pile when the latter cannot otherwise be reached by the weight, or hammer. | |
53. n. (printing, dated) The width of the body of a type. | |
54. n. A young oyster when first attached. | |
55. n. Collectively, the crop of young oysters in any locality. | |
56. n. A series or group of something. (Note the similar meaning in Etymology 2, Noun) | |
57. n. (colloquial) The manner, state, or quality of setting or fitting; fit. | |
the set of a coat | |
58. n. The camber of a curved roofing tile. | |
59. adj. Fixed in position. | |
60. adj. Rigid, solidified. | |
61. adj. Ready, prepared. | |
on your marks, get set, go!; on your marks, set, go! | |
62. adj. Intent, determined (to do something). | |
set on getting to his destination | |
63. adj. Prearranged. | |
a set menu | |
64. adj. Fixed in one’s opinion. | |
for |
1. conj. (dated) Because. | |
2. prep. Towards. | |
The astronauts headed for the moon. | |
3. prep. Directed at, intended to belong to. | |
I have something for you. | |
4. prep. In honor of, or directed towards the celebration or event of. | |
We're having a birthday party for Janet. | |
The cake is for Tom and Helen's anniversary. | |
The mayor gave a speech for the charity gala. | |
5. prep. Supporting. | |
All those for the motion raise your hands. | |
6. prep. Because of. | |
He wouldn't apologize; and just for that, she refused to help him. | |
(UK usage) He looks better for having lost weight. | |
She was the worse for drink. | |
7. prep. Over a period of time. | |
I've lived here for three years. | |
They fought for days over a silly pencil. | |
8. prep. Throughout an extent of space. | |
9. prep. On behalf of. | |
I will stand in for him. | |
10. prep. Instead of, or in place of. | |
11. prep. In order to obtain or acquire. | |
I am aiming for completion by the end of business Thursday. | |
He's going for his doctorate. | |
Do you want to go for coffee? | |
People all over Greece looked to Delphi for answers. | |
Can you go to the store for some eggs? | |
I'm saving up for a car. | |
Don't wait for an answer. | |
What did he ask you for? | |
12. prep. In the direction of: marks a point one is going toward. | |
Run for the hills! | |
He was headed for the door when he remembered. | |
13. prep. By the standards of, usually with the implication of those standards being lower than one might otherwise expect. | |
Fair for its day. | |
She's spry for an old lady. | |
14. prep. Despite, in spite of. | |
15. prep. Used to indicate the subject of a to-infinitive. | |
For that to happen now is incredibly unlikely. (=It is incredibly unlikely that that will happen now.) | |
All I want is for you to be happy. (=All I want is that you be happy.) | |
16. prep. (chiefly US) Out of; used to indicate a fraction, a ratio | |
In term of base hits, Jones was three for four on the day | |
17. prep. (cricket) Used as part of a score to indicate the number of wickets that have fallen. | |
At close of play, England were 305 for 3. | |
18. prep. To be, or as being. | |
19. prep. (obsolete) (Indicating that in prevention of which, or through fear of which, anything is done.) | |
20. prep. Used to construe various verbs (see the entries for individual phrasal verbs). | |
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. | |
musical |
1. adj. Of or relating to music. | |
2. adj. Gifted or skilled in music. | |
3. adj. Pleasing to the ear. | |
Her voice had a musical quality. | |
4. adj. Pertaining to a class of games in which players move while music plays, but have to take a fixed position when it stops; by extension, any situation where people repeatedly change positions. | |
5. n. A stage performance, show or film that involves singing, dancing and musical numbers performed by the cast as well as acting. | |
synthesizer |
1. n. (music) An electronic instrument that creates its sounds with electronics and has a keyboard. | |
2. n. (music) An electronic instrument module that creates its sounds with electronics and does not have any keyboard. | |
3. n. (electronics) An electronic circuit that generates an electronic signal oscillation with accurate timing from a reference oscillator. | |
4. n. (electronics) An electronic device that generates electronic signal patterns to test an electronic circuit. | |
originally |
1. adv. (not comparable) As it was in the beginning. | |
Originally, this paper was white, but over the years it has yellowed with age. | |
2. adv. In an original manner. | |
They had to think originally to come up with those creative ideas. | |
selected |
1. adj. That have been selected or chosen. | |
2. v. simple past tense and past participle of select | |
select |
1. adj. Privileged, specially selected. | |
Only a select few were allowed into the premiere. | |
2. adj. Of high quality; top-notch. | |
This is a select cut of beef. | |
3. v. To choose one or more elements of a set, especially a set of options. | |
He looked over the menu, and selected the roast beef. | |
The program computes all the students' grades, then selects a random sample for human verification. | |
4. v. (databases) To obtain a set of data from a database using a query. | |
by |
1. prep. Near or next to. | |
The mailbox is by the bus stop. | |
2. prep. At some time before (the given time), or before the end of a given time interval. | |
Be back by ten o'clock! We will send it by the first week of July. | |
3. prep. Indicates the actor in a clause with its verb in the passive voice: Through the action or presence of. | |
The matter was decided by the chairman. The boat was swamped by the water. He was protected by his body armour. | |
4. prep. Indicates the creator of a work: Existing through the authorship etc. of. | |
There are many well-known plays by William Shakespeare | |
5. prep. Indicates the cause of a condition or event: Through the action of, caused by, responsibility for; by dint of. | |
6. prep. Indicates a means: Involving/using the means of. | |
I avoided the guards by moving only when they weren't looking. | |
7. prep. Indicates a source of light used as illumination. | |
The electricity was cut off, so we had to read by candlelight. | |
8. prep. Indicates an authority, rule, or permission followed. | |
I sorted the items by category. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. | |
9. prep. Indicates the amount of some progression: With a change of. | |
Our stock is up by ten percent. | |
10. prep. In the formulae X by X and by Xs, indicates a steady progression, one X after another. | |
We went through the book page by page. We crawled forward by inches. | |
11. prep. Indicates a referenced source: According to. | |
He cheated by his own admission. | |
12. prep. Indicates an oath: With the authority of. | |
By Jove! I think she's got it! By all that is holy, I'll put an end to this. | |
13. prep. Used to separate dimensions when describing the size of something. | |
It is easy to invert a 2-by-2 matrix. The room was about 4 foot by 6 foot. The bricks used to build the wall measured 10 by 20 by 30 cm. | |
14. prep. (horse breeding) Designates a horse's male parent (sire); cf. out of. | |
She's a lovely little filly, by Big Lad, out of Damsel in Distress. | |
15. adv. Along a path which runs by the speaker. | |
I watched as it passed by. | |
16. adv. In the vicinity, near. | |
There was a shepherd close by. | |
The shop is hard by the High Street. | |
17. adv. To or at a place, as a residence or place of business. | |
I'll stop by on my way home from work. | |
We're right near the lifeguard station. Come by before you leave. | |
18. adv. Aside, away. | |
The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring. | |
19. adj. Out of the way, subsidiary. | |
20. n. (card games) A pass | |
21. interj. alternative spelling of bye | |
means |
1. n. plural of mean | |
2. n. An instrument or condition for attaining a purpose. | |
She treated him as a means to an end. | |
A car is a means of transport. | |
3. n. Resources; riches. | |
a person of means; independent means | |
He was living beyond his means. | |
4. v. third-person singular present indicative of mean | |
mean |
1. v. To intend. | |
2. v. To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention. | |
I didn't mean to knock your tooth out. | |
I mean to go to Baddeck this summer. | |
I meant to take the car in for a smog check, but it slipped my mind. | |
3. v. (intransitive) To have intentions of a given kind. | |
Don't be angry; she meant well. | |
4. v. (transitive, usually in passive) To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate; to predestine. | |
Actually this desk was meant for the subeditor. | |
Man was not meant to question such things. | |
5. v. To convey meaning. | |
6. v. To convey (a given sense); to signify, or indicate (an object or idea). | |
The sky is red this morning—does that mean we're in for a storm? | |
7. v. Of a word, symbol etc: to have reference to, to signify. | |
What does this hieroglyph mean? | |
8. v. Of a person (or animal etc): to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude. | |
I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean. | |
He is a little different, if you know what I mean. | |
9. v. To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says). | |
Does she really mean what she said to him last night? | |
Say what you mean and mean what you say. | |
10. v. To result in; to bring about. | |
One faltering step means certain death. | |
11. v. To be important (to). | |
My home life means a lot to me. | |
12. v. (Ireland, UK regional) To lament. | |
13. adj. (obsolete) Common; general. | |
14. adj. Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble. | |
a man of mean parentage / a mean abode | |
15. adj. Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby. | |
a mean appearance / mean dress | |
16. adj. Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base. | |
a mean motive | |
17. adj. Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable. | |
18. adj. (chiefly UK) Ungenerous; stingy; tight-fisted. | |
He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his children. | |
19. adj. Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating; small. | |
20. adj. Selfish; acting without consideration of others; unkind. | |
It was mean to steal the girl's piggy bank, but he just had to get uptown and he had no cash of his own. | |
21. adj. Causing or intending to cause intentional harm; bearing ill will towards another; cruel; malicious. | |
Watch out for her, she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she punched me in the nose. | |
22. adj. Powerful; fierce; harsh; damaging. | |
It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town. | |
23. adj. Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with. | |
Your mother can roll a mean cigarette. | |
He hits a mean backhand. | |
24. adj. (informal, often, childish) Difficult, tricky. | |
This problem is mean! | |
25. adj. Having the mean (see noun below) as its value. | |
26. adj. (obsolete) Middling; intermediate; moderately good, tolerable. | |
27. n. (now chiefly in the plural) A method or course of action used to achieve some result. | |
28. n. (obsolete, in the singular) An intermediate step or intermediate steps. | |
29. n. Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium. | |
30. n. (music, now historical) The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument. | |
31. n. (statistics) The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms; the arithmetic mean. | |
32. n. (mathematics) Any function of multiple variables that satisfies certain properties and yields a number representative of its arguments; or, the number so yielded; a measure of central tendency. | |
33. n. (mathematics) Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6. | |
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. | |
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. | |
patch |
1. n. A piece of cloth, or other suitable material, sewed or otherwise fixed upon a garment to repair or strengthen it, especially upon an old garment to cover a hole. | |
His sleeves had patches on the elbows where different fabric had been sewn on to replace material that had worn away. | |
2. n. A small piece of anything used to repair damage or a breach; as, a patch on a kettle, a roof, etc. | |
I can't afford to replace the roof, which is what it really needs. I'll have the roofer apply a patch. | |
3. n. A repair intended to be used for a limited time; (differs from previous usage in that it is intended to be a temporary fix and the size of the repair is irrelevant). This usage can mean that the repai | |
Before you can fix a dam, you have to apply a patch to the hole so that everything can dry off.or that it is temporary because it is not meant to last long or will be removed as soon as a prope | |
"This patch should hold until you reach the city," the mechanic said as he patted the car's hood. | |
4. n. A small, usually contrasting but always somehow different or distinct, part of something else (location, time, size) | |
The world economy had a rough patch in the 1930s. | |
To me, a normal cow is white with black patches, but Sarah's from Texas and most of the cows there have solid brown, black, or red coats. | |
Doesn't that patch of clouds looks like a bunny? | |
When ice skating, be sure to stay away from reeds: there are always thin patches of ice there, and you could fall through. | |
I never get first place because on track eight, right after you pass the windmill, there's a patch of oil in the road that always gets me. | |
5. n. (specifically) A small area, a small plot of land or piece of ground. | |
Scattered patches of trees or growing corn. | |
6. n. An area of professional responsibility | |
7. n. (historical) A small piece of black silk stuck on the face or neck to heighten beauty by contrast, worn by ladies in the 17th and 18th centuries; an imitation beauty mark. | |
8. n. (medicine) A piece of material used to cover a wound. | |
9. n. (medicine) An adhesive piece of material, impregnated with a drug, which is worn on the skin, the drug being slowly absorbed over a period of time. | |
Many people use a nicotine patch to wean themselves off of nicotine. | |
10. n. (medicine) A cover worn over a damaged eye, an eyepatch. | |
He had scratched his cornea so badly that his doctor told him to wear a patch. | |
11. n. A block on the muzzle of a gun, to do away with the effect of dispart, in sighting. | |
12. n. (computing) A patch file, a file used for input to a patch program or that describes changes made to a computer file or files, usually changes made to a computer program that fix a programming bug. | |
13. n. A small piece of material that is manually passed through a gun barrel to clean it. | |
14. n. A piece of greased cloth or leather used as wrapping for a rifle ball, to make it fit the bore. | |
15. n. (often, patch cable, patch cord etc.; see also patch panel) A cable connecting two pieces of electrical equipment. | |
16. n. A sound setting for a musical synthesizer (originally selected by means of a patch cable). | |
17. v. To mend by sewing on a piece or pieces of cloth, leather, or the like | |
MY coat needs patching. | |
18. v. To mend with pieces; to repair by fastening pieces on. | |
19. v. To make out of pieces or patches, like a quilt. | |
20. v. To join or unite the pieces of; to patch the skirt. | |
21. v. A temporary, removable electronic connection, as one between two components in a communications system. | |
22. v. (generally with the particle "up") To repair or arrange in a hasty or clumsy manner | |
a truce has been patched up. | |
23. v. (computing) To make the changes a patch describes; to apply a patch to the files in question. Hence: | |
24. v. To fix or improve a computer program without a complete upgrade. | |
25. v. To make a quick and possibly temporary change to a program. | |
26. v. To connect two pieces of electrical equipment using a cable. | |
I'll need to patch the preamp output to the mixer. | |
27. n. (archaic) A paltry fellow; a rogue; a ninny; a fool. | |
cable |
1. n. (material) A long object used to make a physical connection. | |
2. n. A strong, large-diameter wire or rope, or something resembling such a rope. | |
3. n. An assembly of two or more cable-laid ropes. | |
4. n. An assembly of two or more wires, used for electrical power or data circuits; one or more and/or the whole may be insulated. | |
5. n. (nautical) A strong rope or chain used to moor or anchor a ship. | |
6. n. (communications) A system for transmitting television or Internet services over a network of coaxial or fibreoptic cables. | |
I tried to watch the movie last night but my cable was out. | |
7. n. Short for cable television, broadcast over the above network, not by antenna. | |
8. n. A telegram, notably when sent by (submarine) telegraph cable. | |
9. n. (nautical) A unit of length equal to one tenth of a nautical mile. | |
10. n. (unit, chiefly nautical) 100 fathoms, 600 imperial feet, approximately 185 m. | |
11. n. (finance) The currency pair British Pound against United States Dollar. | |
12. n. (architecture) A moulding, shaft of a column, or any other member of convex, rounded section, made to resemble the spiral twist of a rope. | |
13. v. To provide with cable(s) | |
14. v. To fasten (as if) with cable(s) | |
15. v. To wrap wires to form a cable | |
16. v. To send a telegram by cable | |
17. v. (intransitive) To communicate by cable | |
18. v. (architecture, transitive) To ornament with cabling. | |