English Sentence Analyser

Use this page to analyse and learn English text. You can copy text into the box below or get a random sentence from our database. Press the Analyse button to get translations of the text and words.

can
1. v. (auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to.
She can speak English, French, and German. I can play football. Can you remember your fifth birthday?
2. v. (modal auxiliary verb, defective, informal) May; to be permitted or enabled to.
You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework. Can I use your pen?
3. v. (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have the potential to; be possible.
Can it be Friday already?
Teenagers can really try their parents' patience.
Animals can experience emotions.
4. v. (auxiliary verb, defective) Used with verbs of perception.
Can you hear that?.
I can feel the baby moving inside me.
5. v. (obsolete, transitive) To know.
6. n. A more or less cylindrical vessel for liquids, usually of steel or aluminium, but sometimes of plastic, and with a carrying handle over the top.
7. n. A container used to carry and dispense water for plants (a watering can).
8. n. A tin-plate canister, often cylindrical, for preserved foods such as fruit, meat, or fish.
9. n. (archaic) A chamber pot, now (US, slang) a toilet or lavatory.
Shit or get off the can.
Bob's in the can. You can wait a few minutes or just leave it with me.
10. n. (US, slang) Buttocks.
11. n. (slang) Jail or prison.
Bob's in the can. He won't be back for a few years.
12. n. (slang) Headphones.
13. n. (archaic) A drinking cup.
14. n. (nautical) A cube-shaped buoy or marker used to denote a port-side lateral mark
15. n. A chimney pot.
16. v. To preserve, by heating and sealing in a can or jar.
They spent August canning fruit and vegetables.
17. v. to discard, scrap or terminate (an idea, project, etc.).
He canned the whole project because he thought it would fail.
18. v. To shut up.
Can your gob.
19. v. (US, euphemistic) To fire or dismiss an employee.
The boss canned him for speaking out.
you
1. pron. (object pronoun) The people spoken, or written to, as an object.
2. pron. (reflexive pronoun, now US colloquial) (To) yourselves, (to) yourself.
3. pron. (object pronoun) The person spoken to or written to, as an object. (Replacing thee; originally as a mark of respect.)
4. pron. (subject pronoun) The people spoken to or written to, as a subject. (Replacing ye.)
Both of you should get ready now.
You are all supposed to do as I tell you.
5. pron. (subject pronoun) The person spoken to or written to, as a subject. (Originally as a mark of respect.)
6. pron. (indefinite personal pronoun) Anyone, one; an unspecified individual or group of individuals (as subject or object).
7. det. The individual or group spoken or written to.
Have you gentlemen come to see the lady who fell backwards off a bus?
8. det. Used before epithets for emphasis.
You idiot!
9. v. To address (a person) using the pronoun you, rather than thou, especially historically when you was more formal.
really
1. adv. (literal) In a way or manner that is real, not unreal.
2. adv. (modal) Actually; in fact; in reality.
"He really is a true friend." / "Really? What makes you so sure?".
3. adv. (informal, as an intensifier) Very (modifying an adjective); very much (modifying a verb).
But ma, I really, really want to go to the show!
4. interj. Indicating surprise at, or requesting confirmation of, some new information; to express skepticism.
A: He won the Nobel Prize yesterday.
B: Really?
5. interj. (colloquial, sarcastic, typically exaggerated question.) Indicating that what was just said was obvious and unnecessary; contrived incredulity
A: I've just been reading Shakespeare - he's one of the best authors like, ever!
B: Really.
6. interj. (colloquial, chiefly US) Indicating affirmation, agreement.
A: That girl talks about herself way too much.
B: Really. She's a nightmare.
7. interj. Indicating displeasure at another person's behaviour or statement.
Well, really! How rude.
8. v. Alternative form of re-ally
manipulate
1. v. To move, arrange or operate something using the hands
2. v. To influence, manage, direct, control or tamper with something
3. v. (transitive, medicine) To handle and move a body part, either as an examination or for a therapeutic purpose
4. v. To influence or control someone in order to achieve a specific purpose, especially one that is unknown to the one being manipulated and beneficial to the manipulator; to use
5. v. (intransitive, dated) To use the hands, especially in scientific experiments.
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.
thought
1. n. Form created in the mind, rather than the forms perceived through the five senses; an instance of thinking.
2. n. The process by which such forms arise or are manipulated; thinking.
3. n. A way of thinking (associated with a group, nation or region).
"Eastern thought".
4. v. simple past tense and past participle of think
think
1. v. To ponder, to go over in one's head.
Idly, the detective thought what his next move should be.
2. v. (intransitive) To communicate to oneself in one's mind, to try to find a solution to a problem.
I thought for three hours about the problem and still couldn’t find the solution.
3. v. (intransitive) To conceive of something or someone (usually followed by of; infrequently, by on).
I tend to think of her as rather ugly.
4. v. To be of the opinion (that); to consider, judge, regard, or look upon (something) as.
At the time I thought his adamant refusal to give in right.
I hope you won’t think me stupid if I ask you what that means.
I think she is pretty, contrary to most people.
5. v. To guess; to reckon.
I think she’ll pass the examination.
6. v. To plan; to be considering; to be of a mind (to do something).
7. v. To presume; to venture.
8. n. (chiefly UK) An act of thinking; consideration (of something).
I'll have a think about that and let you know.
9. v. (obsolete except in methinks) To seem, to appear.
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.
behavior
1. n. Human conduct relative to social norms.
2. n. The way a living creature behaves or acts generally.
3. n. (informal) A state of probation about one's conduct.
He was on his best behavior when her family visited.
4. n. An instance of the way a living creature behaves.
5. n. (biology, psychology) Observable response produced by an organism.
6. n. The way a device or system operates.
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.
people
1. n. Used as plural of person; a body of human beings considered generally or collectively; a group of two or more persons.
Why do so many people commit suicide?
2. n. Persons forming or belonging to a particular group, such as a nation, class, ethnic group, country, family, etc; folk; a community.
3. n. A group of persons regarded as being employees, followers, companions or subjects of a ruler.
4. n. One's colleagues or employees.
5. n. A person's ancestors, relatives or family.
My people lived through the Black Plague and the Thirty Years War.
6. n. The mass of a community as distinguished from a special class (elite); the commonalty; the populace; the vulgar; the common crowd; the citizens.
7. n. plural of person.
8. v. To stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate.
9. v. (intransitive) To become populous or populated.
10. v. To inhabit; to occupy; to populate.
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
using
1. v. present participle of use
2. n. use; utilization
use
1. n. The act of using.
the use of torture has been condemned by the United Nations; there is no use for your invention
2. n. (followed by "of") Usefulness, benefit.
What's the use of a law that nobody follows?
3. n. A function; a purpose for which something may be employed.
This tool has many uses.
4. n. Occasion or need to employ; necessity.
I have no further use for these textbooks.
5. n. (obsolete, rare) Interest for lent money; premium paid for the use of something; usury.
6. n. (archaic) Continued or repeated practice; usage; habit.
7. n. (obsolete) Common occurrence; ordinary experience.
8. n. (religion) The special form of ritual adopted for use in any diocese.
the Sarum, or Canterbury, use; the Hereford use; the York use; the Roman use; etc.
9. n. (forging) A slab of iron welded to the side of a forging, such as a shaft, near the end, and afterward drawn down, by hammering, so as to lengthen the forging.
10. v. To utilize or employ.
11. v. To employ; to apply; to utilize.
Use this knife to slice the bread.
We can use this mathematical formula to solve the problem.
12. v. (transitive, often with up) To expend; to consume by employing.
I used the money they allotted me.
We should use up most of the fuel.
She used all the time allotted to complete the test.
13. v. To exploit.
You never cared about me; you just used me!
14. v. To consume (alcohol, drugs, etc), especially regularly.
He uses cocaine. I have never used drugs.
15. v. (intransitive) To consume a previously specified substance, especially a drug to which one is addicted.
Richard began experimenting with cocaine last year; now he uses almost every day.
16. v. (transitive, with auxiliary "could") To benefit from; to be able to employ or stand.
I could use a drink. My car could use a new coat of paint.
17. v. To accustom; to habituate. (Now common only in participial form. Note: This usage uses the nounal pronunciation of the word rather than the typically verbal one.)
soldiers who are used to hardships and danger (still common)
to use the soldiers to hardships and danger (now rare)
18. v. (reflexive, obsolete, with "to") To become accustomed, to accustom oneself.
19. v. (intransitive, now rare, literary) To habitually do; to be wont to do.
20. v. (intransitive, now rare, literary) To habitually employ; to be wont to employ.
21. v. (intransitive, past tense with infinitive) To habitually do. See used to.
I used to get things done.
22. v. (dated) To behave toward; to act with regard to; to treat.
to use an animal cruelly
23. v. (reflexive, obsolete) To behave, act, comport oneself.
subliminal
1. adj. (of a stimulus) Below the threshold of conscious perception, especially if still able to produce a response.
messages
1. n. plural of message
2. n. (Ireland, Scotland, and Northern England) Shopping, groceries, errands.
3. v. third-person singular present indicative of message
message
1. n. A communication, or what is communicated; any concept or information conveyed.
We've just received an urgent message from the President.
2. n. An underlying theme or conclusion to be drawn from something.
The main message of the novel is that time heals all wounds.
3. n. (Ireland) An errand.
4. v. To send a message to; to transmit a message to, e.g. as text via a cell phone.
Just message me for directions.
I messaged her about the concert.
5. v. To send (something) as a message; usually refers to electronic messaging.
She messaged me the information yesterday.
Please message the final report by fax.
6. v. (intransitive) To send a message or messages; to be capable of sending messages.
We've implemented a new messaging service.
The runaway computer program was messaging non-stop.
7. v. (obsolete) To bear as a message.

Dictionary entries from Wiktionary