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. | |
winning |
1. v. present participle of win | |
Our horse was winning the race, but fell back just before the finish line. | |
2. adj. That constitutes a win. | |
the winning entry in the competition | |
the winning lotto numbers | |
3. adj. That leads to success. | |
a winning formula, strategy, etc. | |
4. adj. Attractive. | |
a winning smile | |
5. n. The act of obtaining something, as in a contest or by competition. | |
6. n. (chiefly in the plural) The money, etc., gained by success in competition or contest, especially in gambling. | |
7. n. (mining) A new opening. | |
8. n. The portion of a coalfield out for working. | |
win |
1. v. (obsolete, transitive) To conquer, defeat. | |
2. v. (transitive, intransitive) To reach some destination or object, despite difficulty or toil (now usually intransitive, with preposition or locative adverb). | |
3. v. To triumph or achieve victory in (a game, a war, etc.). | |
4. v. To gain (a prize) by succeeding in competition or contest. | |
to win the jackpot in a lottery; to win a bottle of wine in a raffle | |
5. v. To obtain (someone) by wooing; to make an ally or friend of (frequently with over). | |
6. v. (intransitive) To achieve victory. | |
Who would win in a fight between an octopus and a dolphin? | |
7. v. To obtain (something desired). | |
The company hopes to win an order from the government worth over 5 million dollars. | |
8. v. To cause a victory for someone. | |
The success of the economic policies should win Mr. Smith the next elections. | |
The policy success should win the elections for Mr. Smith. | |
9. v. (transitive, mining) To extract (ore, coal, etc.). | |
10. n. gain; profit; income | |
11. n. wealth; owndom; goods | |
12. n. an individual victory (opposite of a loss) | |
Our first win of the season put us in high spirits. | |
13. n. (slang) a feat, an (extraordinary) achievement (opposite of a fail) | |
14. n. (Scotland) Pleasure; joy; delight. | |
15. v. (transitive, Scotland) To dry by exposure to the wind. | |
dog |
1. n. A mammal, Canis lupus familiaris, that has been domesticated for thousands of years, of highly variable appearance due to human breeding. | |
The dog barked all night long. | |
2. n. A male dog, wolf or fox, as opposed to a bitch (often attributive). | |
3. n. (slang) A dull, unattractive girl or woman. | |
She’s a real dog. | |
4. n. (slang) A man (derived from definition 2). | |
You lucky dog! | |
He's a silly dog. | |
5. n. (slang) A coward. | |
Come back and fight, you dogs! | |
6. n. (derogatory) Someone who is morally reprehensible. | |
You dirty dog. | |
7. n. (slang) A sexually aggressive man (cf. horny). | |
8. n. Any of various mechanical devices for holding, gripping, or fastening something, particularly with a tooth-like projection. | |
9. n. A click or pallet adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchet-wheel, to restrain the back action; a click or pawl. (See also: ratchet, windlass) | |
10. n. A metal support for logs in a fireplace. | |
The dogs were too hot to touch. | |
11. n. (cartomancy) The eighteenth Lenormand card. | |
12. n. A hot dog. | |
13. n. (poker slang) Underdog. | |
14. n. (slang) Foot. | |
My dogs are barking! - My feet hurt! | |
15. n. (Cockney rhyming slang) (from "dog and bone") Phone or mobile phone. | |
My dog is dead. - My mobile-phone battery has run out of charge and is no longer able to function. | |
16. n. One of the cones used to divide up a racetrack when training horses. | |
17. v. To pursue with the intent to catch. | |
18. v. To follow in an annoying or harassing way. | |
The woman cursed him so that trouble would dog his every step. | |
19. v. (transitive, nautical) To fasten a hatch securely. | |
It is very important to dog down these hatches... | |
20. v. (intransitive, emerging usage in British) To watch, or participate, in sexual activity in a public place. | |
I admit that I like to dog at my local country park. | |
21. v. (intransitive, transitive) To intentionally restrict one's productivity as employee; to work at the slowest rate that goes unpunished. | |
A surprise inspection of the night shift found that some workers were dogging it. | |
brings |
1. v. third-person singular present indicative of bring | |
bring |
1. v. To transport toward somebody/somewhere. | |
Waiter, please bring me a single malt whiskey. | |
2. v. (transitive, figuratively) To supply or contribute. | |
The new company director brought a fresh perspective on sales and marketing. | |
3. v. To raise (a lawsuit, charges, etc.) against somebody. | |
4. v. To persuade; to induce; to draw; to lead; to guide. | |
5. v. To produce in exchange; to sell for; to fetch. | |
What does coal bring per ton? | |
6. v. (baseball) To pitch, often referring to a particularly hard thrown fastball. | |
The closer Jones can really bring it. | |
7. interj. The sound of a telephone ringing. | |
8. interj. cln, en, basic words, irregular verbs, onomatopoeias | |
lots |
1. n. plural of lot | |
The men cast lots. | |
They purchased all of the adjacent lots. | |
2. n. (colloquial) A lot; a great deal; tons; loads. | |
Lots of the ways you can help are really easy. | |
Don't worry, my family has lots of money. | |
She made lots of new friends. | |
3. adv. (colloquial) A great deal; very much. | |
I feel lots better about it now that we've talked. | |
I care lots about the humane treatment of animals. | |
lot |
1. n. A large quantity or number; a great deal. | |
to spend a lot of money; lots of people think so | |
2. n. A separate portion; a number of things taken collectively. | |
a lot of stationery | |
3. n. One or more items auctioned or sold as a unit, separate from other items. | |
4. n. (informal) A number of people taken collectively. | |
a sorry lot; a bad lot | |
5. n. A distinct portion or plot of land, usually smaller than a field. | |
a building lot in a city | |
6. n. That which happens without human design or forethought; chance; accident; hazard; fortune; fate. | |
7. n. Anything (as a die, pebble, ball, or slip of paper) used in determining a question by chance, or without human choice or will. | |
to cast lots; to draw lots | |
8. n. The part, or fate, that falls to one, as it were, by chance, or without his planning. | |
9. n. A prize in a lottery. | |
10. n. Allotment; lottery. | |
11. n. (definite, the lot) All members of a set; everything. | |
The table was loaded with food, but by evening there was nothing but crumbs; we had eaten the lot. | |
If I were in charge, I'd fire the lot of them. | |
12. n. An old unit of weight used in many European countries from the Middle Ages, often defined as 1/30 or 1/32 of a (local) pound. | |
13. v. (transitive, dated) To allot; to sort; to apportion. | |
14. v. (US, informal dated) To count or reckon (on or upon). | |
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. | |
kudos |
1. n. Praise; accolades. | |
The talented, young playwright received much kudos for his new drama. | |
2. n. Credit for one's achievements. | |
3. n. plural of kudo | |
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. | |
coverage |
1. n. An amount by which something or someone is covered. | |
Don't go to lunch if we don't have enough coverage for the help-desk phones. | |
Before laying sod on that clay, the ground needs two inches of coverage with topsoil. | |
The enemy fire is increasing – can we get some immediate coverage from those bunkers? | |
There are overlapping coverages on your insurance policies. | |
2. n. The amount of space or time given to an event in newspapers or on television. | |
3. n. (genetics) The average number of reads representing a given nucleotide in the reconstructed sequence. | |
4. n. The area covered by a mobile phone (cellphone) or other radio network | |
5. n. The signal strength, reception of a radio signal. | |
Mobile phone coverage is poor in some areas. | |
6. n. (sports) Defense | |
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. | |
magazines |
1. n. plural of magazine | |
magazine |
1. n. A non-academic periodical publication, generally consisting of sheets of paper folded in half and stapled at the fold. | |
2. n. An ammunition storehouse. | |
3. n. A chamber in a firearm enabling multiple rounds of ammunition to be fed into the firearm. | |
4. n. A reservoir or supply chamber for a stove, battery, camera, typesetting machine, or other apparatus. | |
5. n. (dated) A country or district especially rich in natural products. | |
6. n. (dated) A city viewed as a marketing center. | |
7. n. (dated) A store, or shop, where goods are kept for sale. | |
to |
1. part. A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive. | |
I want to leave. | |
He asked me what to do. | |
I don’t know how to say it. | |
I have places to go and people to see. | |
2. part. As above, with the verb implied. | |
"Did you visit the museum?" "I wanted to, but it was closed.". | |
If he hasn't read it yet, he ought to. | |
3. part. A particle used to create phrasal verbs. | |
I have to do laundry today. | |
4. prep. Indicating destination: In the direction of, and arriving at. | |
We are walking to the shop. | |
5. prep. Used to indicate purpose. | |
He devoted himself to education. | |
They drank to his health. | |
6. prep. Used to indicate result of action. | |
His face was beaten to a pulp. | |
7. prep. Used after an adjective to indicate its application. | |
similar to ..., relevant to ..., pertinent to ..., I was nice to him, he was cruel to her, I am used to walking. | |
8. prep. (obsolete,) As a. | |
With God to friend (with God as a friend); with The Devil to fiend (with the Devil as a foe); lambs slaughtered to lake (lambs slaughtered as a sacrifice); t | |
9. prep. (arithmetic) Used to indicate a ratio or comparison. | |
one to one = 1:1 | |
ten to one = 10:1. | |
I have ten dollars to your four. | |
10. prep. (arithmetic) Used to indicate that the preceding term is to be raised to the power of the following value; indicates exponentiation. | |
Three squared or three to the second power is nine. | |
Three to the power of two is nine. | |
Three to the second is nine. | |
11. prep. Used to indicate the indirect object. | |
I gave the book to him. | |
12. prep. (time) Preceding. | |
ten to ten = 9:50; We're going to leave at ten to (the hour). | |
13. prep. Used to describe what something consists of or contains. | |
Anyone could do this job; there's nothing to it. | |
There's a lot of sense to what he says. | |
14. prep. (Canada, UK, Newfoundland, West Midlands) At. | |
Stay where you're to and I'll come find you, b'y. | |
15. adv. Toward a closed, touching or engaging position. | |
Please push the door to. | |
16. adv. (nautical) Into the wind. | |
17. adv. misspelling of too | |
say |
1. v. To pronounce. | |
Please say your name slowly and clearly. | |
2. v. To recite. | |
Martha, will you say the Pledge of Allegiance? | |
3. v. To tell, either verbally or in writing. | |
He said he would be here tomorrow. | |
4. v. To indicate in a written form. | |
The sign says it’s 50 kilometres to Paris. | |
5. v. (impersonal) To have a common expression; used in singular passive voice or plural active voice to indicate a rumor or well-known fact. | |
They say "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", which means "behave as those around you do.". | |
6. v. (informal, imperative) Suppose, assume; used to mark an example, supposition or hypothesis. | |
A holiday somewhere warm – Florida, say – would be nice. | |
Say he refuses. What do we do then? | |
Say your family is starving and you don't have any money, is it ok to steal some food? | |
7. v. (intransitive) To speak; to express an opinion; to make answer; to reply. | |
8. v. (transitive, informal, of a possession, especially money) To bet as a wager on an outcome; by extension, used to express belief in an outcome by the speaker. | |
9. n. A chance to speak; the right or power to influence or make a decision. | |
10. adv. For example; let us assume. | |
Pick a color you think they'd like, say, peach. | |
He was driving pretty fast, say, fifty miles per hour. | |
11. interj. (colloquial) Used to gain one's attention before making an inquiry or suggestion | |
Say, what did you think about the movie? | |
12. n. A type of fine cloth similar to serge. | |
13. v. To try; to assay. | |
14. n. Trial by sample; assay; specimen. | |
15. n. Tried quality; temper; proof. | |
16. n. Essay; trial; attempt. | |
17. n. (Scotland) A strainer for milk. | |
nothing |
1. pron. Not any thing; no thing. | |
2. pron. An absence of anything, including empty space, brightness, darkness, matter, or a vacuum. | |
3. n. Something trifling, or of no consequence or importance. | |
- What happened to your face?- It's nothing. | |
4. n. A trivial remark (especially in the term sweet nothings). | |
5. n. A nobody (insignificant person). | |
You're nothing to me now! | |
6. adv. (archaic) Not at all; in no way. | |
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. | |
big |
1. adj. Of great size, large. | |
Elephants are big animals, and they eat a lot. | |
2. adj. (of an industry or other field) Thought to have undue influence. | |
There were concerns about the ethics of big pharma. | |
3. adj. Popular. | |
That style is very big right now in Europe, especially among teenagers. | |
4. adj. (informal) Adult. | |
Kids should get help from big people if they want to use the kitchen. | |
5. adj. (informal) Fat. | |
Gosh, she is big! | |
6. adj. (informal) Important or significant. | |
What's so big about that? I do it all the time. | |
7. adj. (informal, with on) Enthusiastic (about). | |
I'm not big on the idea, but if you want to go ahead with it, I won't stop you. | |
8. adj. (indtr, en, of) (informal) Mature, conscientious, principled; generous. | |
That's very big of you, thank you! | |
I tried to be the bigger person and just let it go, but I couldn't help myself. | |
9. adj. (informal) Well-endowed, possessing large breasts in the case of a woman or a large penis in the case of a man. | |
Whoa, Nadia has gotten pretty big since she hit puberty. | |
10. adj. (sometimes figurative) Large with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce. | |
She was big with child. | |
11. adj. (informal) Used as an intensifier, especially of negative-valence nouns | |
You are a big liar. Why are you in such a big hurry? | |
12. adj. (of a city) populous | |
13. adj. (informal, slang) old, mature. Used to imply that somebody is too old for something, or acting immaturely. | |
Imagine still watching Pokemon at your big age. | |
14. adj. topics, en, Size | |
15. adv. In a loud manner. | |
16. adv. In a boasting manner. | |
He's always talking big, but he never delivers. | |
17. adv. In a large amount or to a large extent. | |
He won big betting on the croquet championship. | |
18. adv. On a large scale, expansively. | |
You've got to think big to succeed at Amalgamated Plumbing. | |
19. adv. Hard. | |
He hit him big and the guy just crumpled. | |
20. n. Someone or something that is large in stature | |
21. n. An important or powerful person; a celebrity; a big name. | |
22. n. (as plural) The big leagues, big time. | |
23. n. (BDSM, slang) The participant in ageplay who acts out the older role. | |
24. v. To praise, recommend, or promote. | |
25. v. (transitive, archaic, or UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) to inhabit; occupy | |
26. v. (reflexive, archaic, or UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) to locate oneself | |
27. v. (transitive, archaic, or UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) to build; erect; fashion | |
28. v. (intransitive, archaic, or UK dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) to dwell; have a dwelling | |
29. n. One or more kinds of barley, especially six-rowed barley. | |
shiny |
1. adj. Reflecting light. | |
2. adj. Emitting light. | |
3. adj. (colloquial) Excellent; remarkable. | |
4. adj. (obsolete) Bright; luminous; clear; unclouded. | |
5. n. (informal) Anything shiny; a trinket. | |
6. n. (slang) Contraction of disparaging term "shiny arses", originating during World War Two, to describe a desk worker. | |
cup |
1. n. A concave vessel for drinking from, usually made of opaque material (as opposed to a glass) and with a handle. | |
Pour the tea into the cup. | |
2. n. The contents of said vessel; a cupful. | |
I drank two cups of water but still felt thirsty. | |
3. n. A customary unit of measure | |
4. n. (US) A US unit of liquid measure equal to 8 fluid ounces (1/16 of a US gallon; 236.5882365 mL) or 240 mL. | |
5. n. (Canada) A Canadian unit of measure equal to 8 imperial ounces (1/20 imperial gallon; 227.3 mL) or 250 mL. | |
6. n. (dated) A British unit of measure equal to 0.5 imperial pints (10 imperial ounces; 284 mL) or 300mL. | |
7. n. A trophy in the shape of an oversized cup. | |
The World Cup is awarded to the winner of a quadrennial football tournament. | |
8. n. A contest for which a cup is awarded. | |
The World Cup is the world's most widely watched sporting event. | |
9. n. (association football) The main knockout tournament in a country, organised alongside the league. | |
10. n. (golf) A cup-shaped object placed in the target hole. | |
The ball just misses the cup. | |
11. n. (in combination) Any of various sweetened alcoholic drinks. | |
cider cup; gin cup; claret cup | |
12. n. (US, Canada) A rigid concave protective covering for the male genitalia. (for UK usage see box) | |
Players of contact sports are advised to wear a cup. | |
13. n. One of the two parts of a brassiere which each cover a breast, used as a measurement of size. | |
The cups are made of a particularly uncomfortable material. | |
14. n. (mathematics) The symbol\cup denoting union and similar operations (confer cap). | |
15. n. A suit of the minor arcana in tarot, or one of the cards from the suit. | |
16. n. (ultimate frisbee) A defensive style characterized by a three player near defense cupping the thrower; or those three players. | |
17. n. A flexible concave membrane used to temporarily attach a handle or hook to a flat surface by means of suction (suction cup). | |
18. n. Anything shaped like a cup. | |
the cup of an acorn | |
19. n. (medicine, historical) A cupping glass or other vessel or instrument used to produce the vacuum in cupping. | |
20. n. That which is to be received or indured; that which is allotted to one; a portion. | |
21. v. To form into the shape of a cup, particularly of the hands. | |
Cup your hands and I'll pour some rice into them. | |
22. v. To hold something in cupped hands. | |
He cupped the ball carefully in his hands. | |
23. v. (transitive, obsolete) To supply with cups of wine. | |
24. v. (transitive, surgery, archaic) To apply a cupping apparatus to; to subject to the operation of cupping. | |
25. v. (transitive, engineering) To make concave or in the form of a cup. | |
to cup the end of a screw | |