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. | |
accomplishments |
1. n. plural of accomplishment | |
accomplishment |
1. n. The act of accomplishing; completion; fulfillment | |
the accomplishment of an enterprise, of a prophecy, etc - | |
2. n. That which completes, perfects, or equips thoroughly; acquirement; attainment; that which constitutes excellence of mind, or elegance of manners, acquired by education or training. | |
3. n. Something accomplished; an achievement. | |
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. | |
every |
1. det. All of a group (considered individually), without exception. | |
Every person in the room stood and cheered. | |
2. det. Used with ordinal numbers to denote those items whose position is divisible by the corresponding cardinal number, or a portion of equal size to that set. | |
Every third bead was red, and the rest were blue. The sequence was thus red, blue, blue, red, blue, blue etc. | |
Decimation originally meant the execution of every tenth soldier in a unit. | |
civil |
1. adj. (uncomparable) Having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion. | |
She went into civil service because she wanted to help the people. | |
2. adj. (comparable) Behaving in a reasonable or polite manner. | |
It was very civil of him to stop the argument. | |
3. adj. (legal) Relating to private relations among citizens, as opposed to criminal matters. | |
a civil case | |
4. adj. (theology) Naturally good, as opposed to good through regeneration. | |
rights |
1. n. plural of right | |
2. v. third-person singular present indicative of right | |
right |
1. adj. (archaic) Straight, not bent. | |
a right line | |
2. adj. (geometry) Of an angle, having a size of 90 degrees, or one quarter of a complete rotation; the angle between two perpendicular lines. | |
The kitchen counter formed a right angle with the back wall. | |
3. adj. (geometry) Of a geometric figure, incorporating a right angle between edges, faces, axes, etc. | |
a right triangle, a right prism, a right cone | |
4. adj. Complying with justice, correctness or reason; correct, just, true. | |
I thought you'd made a mistake, but it seems you were right all along. | |
It's not right that one person gets all the credit for the group's work. | |
5. adj. Appropriate, perfectly suitable; fit for purpose. | |
Is this the right software for my computer? | |
6. adj. Healthy, sane, competent. | |
I'm afraid my father is no longer in his right mind. | |
7. adj. Real; veritable (used emphatically). | |
You've made a right mess of the kitchen! | |
8. adj. (Australia) All right; not requiring assistance. | |
9. adj. (dated) Most favourable or convenient; fortunate. | |
10. adj. Designating the side of the body which is positioned to the east if one is facing north. This arrow points to the right: → | |
After the accident, her right leg was slightly shorter than her left. | |
11. adj. Designed to be placed or worn outward. | |
the right side of a piece of cloth | |
12. adj. (politics) Pertaining to the political right; conservative. | |
13. adv. On the right side. | |
14. adv. Towards the right side. | |
15. adv. Exactly, precisely. | |
The arrow landed right in the middle of the target. | |
Luckily we arrived right at the start of the film. | |
16. adv. Immediately, directly. | |
Can't you see it? It's right beside you! | |
Tom was standing right in front of the TV, blocking everyone's view. | |
17. adv. (UK, US, dialect) Very, extremely, quite. | |
I made a right stupid mistake there, didn't I? | |
I stubbed my toe a week ago and it still hurts right much. | |
18. adv. According to fact or truth; actually; truly; really. | |
19. adv. In a correct manner. | |
Do it right or don't do it at all. | |
20. adv. (dated, still used in some titles) To a great extent or degree. | |
Sir, I am right glad to meet you … | |
Members of the Queen's Privy Council are styled The Right Honourable for life. | |
The Right Reverend Monsignor Guido Sarducci. | |
21. interj. Yes, that is correct; I agree. | |
22. interj. I agree with whatever you say; I have no opinion. | |
23. interj. Signpost word to change the subject in a discussion or discourse. | |
- After that interview, I don't think we should hire her.- Right — who wants lunch? | |
24. interj. Used to check agreement at the end of an utterance. | |
You're going, right? | |
25. interj. Used to add seriousness or decisiveness before a statement. | |
26. n. That which complies with justice, law or reason. | |
We're on the side of right in this contest. | |
27. n. A legal, just or moral entitlement. | |
You have no right to go through my personal diary. | |
see also in right of | |
28. n. The right side or direction. | |
The pharmacy is just on the right past the bookshop. | |
29. n. The right hand. | |
30. n. (politics) The ensemble of right-wing political parties; political conservatives as a group. | |
The political right holds too much power. | |
31. n. The outward or most finished surface, as of a piece of cloth, a carpet, etc. | |
32. v. To correct. | |
Righting all the wrongs of the war immediately will be impossible. | |
33. v. To set upright. | |
The tow-truck righted what was left of the automobile. | |
34. v. (intransitive) To return to normal upright position. | |
When the wind died down, the ship righted. | |
35. v. To do justice to; to relieve from wrong; to restore rights to; to assert or regain the rights of. | |
to right the oppressed | |
movement |
1. n. Physical motion between points in space. | |
I saw a movement in that grass on the hill. | |
2. n. (engineering) A system or mechanism for transmitting motion of a definite character, or for transforming motion, such as the wheelwork of a watch. | |
3. n. The impression of motion in an artwork, painting, novel etc. | |
4. n. A trend in various fields or social categories, a group of people with a common ideology who try together to achieve certain general goals | |
The labor movement has been struggling in America since the passage of the Taft-Hartley act in 1947. | |
5. n. (music) A large division of a larger composition. | |
6. n. (aviation) An instance of an aircraft taking off or landing. | |
Albuquerque International Sunport serviced over 200,000 movements last year. | |
7. n. (baseball) The deviation of a pitch from ballistic flight. | |
The movement on his cutter was devastating. | |
8. n. An act of emptying the bowels. | |
9. n. (obsolete) Motion of the mind or feelings; emotion. | |
could |
1. v. simple past tense of can | |
Before I was blind, I could see very well. | |
2. v. conditional of can | |
3. v. Used as a past subjunctive (contrary to fact). | |
I think he could do it if he really wanted to. | |
I wish I could fly! | |
4. v. Used to politely ask for permission to do something. | |
Could I borrow your coat? | |
5. v. Used to politely ask for someone else to do something. | |
Could you proofread this email? | |
6. v. Used to show the possibility that something might happen. | |
We could rearrange the time if you like. | |
7. v. Used to suggest something. | |
You could try adding more salt to the soup. | |
8. n. Something that could happen, or could be the case, under different circumstances; a potentiality. | |
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. | |
be |
1. v. (intransitive, now literary) To exist; to have real existence. | |
2. v. (with there, or dialectally it, as dummy subject) To exist. | |
There is just one woman in town who can help us. (or, dialectally:) It is just one woman in town who can help us. | |
3. v. (intransitive) To occupy a place. | |
The cup is on the table. | |
4. v. (intransitive) To occur, to take place. | |
When will the meeting be? | |
5. v. (intransitive, in perfect tenses, without predicate) Elliptical form of "be here", "go to and return from" or similar. | |
The postman has been today, but my tickets have still not yet come. | |
I have been to Spain many times. | |
Moscow, huh? I've never been, but it sounds fascinating. | |
6. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to indicate that the subject and object are the same. | |
Knowledge is bliss. | |
Hi, I’m Jim. | |
7. v. (transitive, copulative, mathematics) Used to indicate that the values on either side of an equation are the same. | |
3 times 5 is fifteen. | |
8. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to indicate that the subject plays the role of the predicate nominal. | |
François Mitterrand was president of France from 1981 to 1995. | |
9. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to connect a noun to an adjective that describes it. | |
The sky is blue. | |
10. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to indicate that the subject has the qualities described by a noun or noun phrase. | |
The sky is a deep blue today. | |
11. v. (transitive, auxiliary) Used to form the passive voice. | |
The dog was drowned by the boy. | |
12. v. (transitive, auxiliary) Used to form the continuous forms of various tenses. | |
The woman is walking. | |
I shall be writing to you soon. | |
We liked to chat while we were eating. | |
13. v. (archaic, auxiliary) Used to form the perfect aspect with certain intransitive verbs, most of which indicate motion. Often still used for "to go". | |
14. v. (transitive, auxiliary) Used to form future tenses, especially the future periphrastic. | |
I am to leave tomorrow. | |
I would drive you, were I to obtain a car. | |
15. v. (transitive, copulative) Used to link a subject to a measurement. | |
This building is three hundred years old. | |
I am 75 kilograms. | |
He’s about 6 feet tall. | |
16. v. (transitive, copulative, with a cardinal numeral) Used to state the age of a subject in years. | |
I’m 20. (= I am 20 years old.) | |
17. v. (with a dummy subject) it Used to indicate the time of day. | |
It is almost eight. (= It is almost eight o’clock.) | |
It’s 8:30 read eight-thirty in Tokyo. | |
What time is it there? It’s night. | |
18. v. (With since) Used to indicate passage of time since the occurrence of an event. | |
It has been three years since my grandmother died. (similar to My grandmother died three years ago, but emphasizes the intervening period) | |
It had been six days since his departure, when I received a letter from him. | |
19. v. (often, impersonal, with it as a dummy subject) Used to indicate weather, air quality, or the like. | |
It is hot in Arizona, but it is not usually humid. | |
Why is it so dark in here? | |
20. v. (dynamic/lexical "be", especially in progressive tenses, conjugated non-suppletively in the present tense, see usage notes) To exist or behave in a certain way. | |
"What do we do?" "We be ourselves.". | |
Why is he being nice to me? | |
turned |
1. v. simple past tense and past participle of turn | |
turn |
1. v. to make a non-linear physical movement.: | |
2. v. (intransitive) Of a body, person, etc, to move around an axis through itself. | |
the Earth turns; turn on the spot | |
3. v. To change the direction or orientation of, especially by rotation. | |
Turn the knob clockwise. | |
4. v. (intransitive) to change one's direction of travel. | |
She turned right at the corner. | |
5. v. (intransitive, figuratively) to change the course of. | |
6. v. To shape (something) symmetrically by rotating it against a stationary cutting tool, as on a lathe. | |
She turned the table legs with care and precision. | |
7. v. (by extension) To give form to; to shape or mould; to adapt. | |
8. v. To position (something) by folding it, or using its folds. | |
turn the bed covers; turn the pages | |
9. v. (transitive, figuratively) To navigate through a book or other printed material. | |
turn to page twenty; turn through the book | |
10. v. (transitive, cricket) Of a bowler, to make (the ball) move sideways off the pitch when it bounces. | |
11. v. (intransitive, cricket) Of a ball, to move sideways off the pitch when it bounces. | |
| |
12. v. (heading, intransitive) To change condition or attitude. | |
13. v. (copulative) To become (begin to be). | |
The leaves turn brown in autumn. When I asked him for the money, he turned nasty. | |
14. v. To change the color of the leaves in the autumn. | |
The hillside behind our house isn't generally much to look at, but once all the trees turn it's gorgeous. | |
15. v. To change fundamentally; to metamorphose. | |
Midas made everything turn to gold. He turned into a monster every full moon. | |
16. v. # (intransitive) To sour or spoil; to go bad. | |
# This milk has turned; it smells awful. | |
17. v. # To make acid or sour; to ferment; to curdle. | |
# to turn cider or wine | |
18. v. To reach a certain age. | |
Charlie turns six on September 29. | |
19. v. To hinge; to depend. | |
The decision turns on a single fact. | |
20. v. To rebel; to go against something formerly tolerated. | |
The prisoners turned on the warden. | |
21. v. To change personal condition. | |
22. v. # (professional wrestling) To change personalities, such as from being a face (good guy) to heel (bad guy) or vice versa. | |
23. v. # To become giddy; said of the head or brain. | |
24. v. # To sicken; to nauseate. | |
# The sight turned my stomach. | |
25. v. # To be nauseated; said of the stomach. | |
26. v. #: | |
27. v. (obsolete, reflexive) To change one's course of action; to take a new approach. | |
28. v. (transitive, usually with over) To complete. | |
They say they can turn the parts in two days. | |
29. v. (transitive, soccer) Of a player, to go past an opposition player with the ball in one's control. | |
30. v. To undergo the process of turning on a lathe. | |
Ivory turns well. | |
31. v. (obstetrics) To bring down the feet of a child in the womb, in order to facilitate delivery. | |
32. v. (printing, dated) To invert a type of the same thickness, as a temporary substitute for any sort which is exhausted. | |
33. v. (archaic) To translate. | |
to turn the Iliad | |
34. v. (transitive, role-playing games) To magically or divinely attack undead. | |
35. n. A change of direction or orientation. | |
Give the handle a turn, then pull it. | |
36. n. A movement of an object about its own axis in one direction that continues until the object returns to its initial orientation. | |
37. n. (geometry) A unit of plane angle measurement based on this movement. | |
38. n. A single loop of a coil. | |
39. n. A chance to use (something) shared in sequence with others. | |
They took turns playing with the new toy. | |
40. n. The time allotted to a person in a rota or schedule. | |
I cooked tonight, so it's your turn to do the dishes. | |
41. n. One's chance to make a move in a game having two or more players. | |
42. n. A figure in music, often denoted ~, consisting of the note above the one indicated, the note itself, the note below the one indicated, and the note itself again. | |
43. n. (also turnaround) The time required to complete a project. | |
They quote a three-day turn on parts like those. | |
44. n. A fit or a period of giddiness. | |
I've had a funny turn. | |
45. n. A change in temperament or circumstance. | |
She took a turn for the worse. | |
46. n. (cricket) A sideways movement of the ball when it bounces (caused by rotation in flight). | |
47. n. (poker) The fourth communal card in Texas hold 'em. | |
48. n. (poker, obsolete) The flop (the first three community cards) in Texas hold 'em. | |
49. n. A deed done to another. | |
One good turn deserves another. | |
I felt that the man was of a vindictive nature, and would do me an evil turn if he found the opportunitynb.... | |
50. n. (rope) A pass behind or through an object. | |
51. n. Character; personality; nature. | |
52. n. (soccer) An instance of going past an opposition player with the ball in one's control. | |
53. n. (circus, theatre, especially, physical comedy) A short skit, act, or routine. | |
back |
1. adj. (not comparable) Near the rear. | |
Go in the back door of the house. | |
2. adj. (not comparable) Not current. | |
I’d like to find a back issue of that magazine. | |
3. adj. (not comparable) Far from the main area. | |
They took a back road. | |
4. adj. (not comparable) In arrear; overdue. | |
They still owe three months' back rent. | |
5. adj. (not comparable) Moving or operating backward. | |
back action | |
6. adj. (comparable, phonetics) Pronounced with the highest part of the body of the tongue toward the back of the mouth, near the soft palate (most often describing a vowel). | |
The vowel of smallcaps - lot has a back vowel in most dialects of England. | |
7. adv. (not comparable) To or in a previous condition or place. | |
He gave back the money. He needs his money back. He was on vacation, but now he’s back. The office fell into chaos when you left, but now order is back. | |
8. adv. Away from the front or from an edge. | |
Sit all the way back in your chair. | |
Step back from the curb. | |
9. adv. In a manner that impedes. | |
Fear held him back. | |
10. adv. In a reciprocal manner. | |
If you hurt me, I'll hurt you back. | |
11. adv. Earlier, ago. | |
many years back | |
12. n. The rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly. | |
Could you please scratch my back? | |
13. n. The spine and associated tissues. | |
I hurt my back lifting those crates. | |
14. n. (slang) Large and attractive buttocks. | |
15. n. (figurative) The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back. | |
I still need to finish the back of your dress. | |
16. n. The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back. | |
Can you fix the back of this chair? | |
17. n. (obsolete) That part of the body that bears clothing. (Now used only in the phrase clothes on one's back.) | |
18. n. That which is farthest away from the front. | |
He sat in the back of the room. | |
19. n. The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side. | |
Turn the book over and look at the back. | |
20. n. # The edge of a book which is bound. | |
# The titles are printed on the backs of the books. | |
21. n. # (printing) The inside margin of a page. | |
22. n. # The side of a blade opposite the side used for cutting. | |
# Tap it with the back of your knife. | |
23. n. The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen. | |
I hung the clothes on the back of the door. | |
24. n. Area behind, such as the backyard of a house. | |
We'll meet out in the back of the library. | |
25. n. The part of something that goes last. | |
The car was near the back of the train. | |
26. n. (sports) In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team. | |
The backs were lined up in an I formation. | |
27. n. (figuratively) Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back. | |
The small boat raced over the backs of the waves. | |
28. n. A support or resource in reserve. | |
29. n. (nautical) The keel and keelson of a ship. | |
The ship's back broke in the pounding surf. | |
30. n. (mining) The roof of a horizontal underground passage. | |
31. n. (slang) Effort, usually physical. | |
Put some back into it! | |
32. n. A non-alcoholic drink (often water or a soft drink), to go with hard liquor or a cocktail. | |
Could I get a martini with a water back? | |
33. n. Among leather dealers, one of the thickest and stoutest tanned hides. | |
34. v. (intransitive) To go in the reverse direction. | |
the train backed into the station; the horse refuses to back | |
35. v. To support. | |
I back you all the way; which horse are you backing in this race? | |
36. v. (nautical, of the wind) To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere. | |
37. v. (nautical, of a square sail) To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship. | |
38. v. (nautical, of an anchor) To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power. | |
39. v. (of a hunting dog) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed. | |
40. v. To push or force backwards. | |
to back oxen | |
The mugger backed her into a corner and demanded her wallet. | |
41. v. (transitive, obsolete) To get upon the back of; to mount. | |
42. v. (transitive, obsolete) To place or seat upon the back. | |
43. v. To make a back for; to furnish with a back. | |
to back books | |
44. v. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of. | |
45. v. To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement. | |
to back a letter; to back a note or legal document | |
46. v. (legal, of a justice of the peace) To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender). | |
47. v. To row backward with (oars). | |
to back the oars | |
48. n. A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc. | |
49. n. A ferryboat. | |
quickly |
1. adv. Rapidly; with speed; fast. | |
2. adv. Very soon. | |
If we go this way, we'll get there quickly. | |
if |
1. conj. Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that; used to introduce a condition or choice. | |
If it rains, I shall get wet. | |
2. conj. (computing) In the event that a statement is true (a programming statement that acts in a similar manner). | |
If A, then B, else C. | |
3. conj. Supposing that; used with past or past perfect subjunctive indicating that the condition is closed. | |
I would prefer it if you took your shoes off. | |
I would be unhappy if you had not talked with me yesterday. | |
If I were you, I wouldn't go there alone. | |
4. conj. Supposing that; given that; supposing it is the case that. | |
If that's true, we had better get moving! | |
5. conj. Although; used to introduce a concession. | |
He was a great friend, if a little stingy at the bar. | |
6. conj. (sometimes proscribed) Whether; used to introduce a noun clause, an indirect question, that functions as the direct object of certain verbs. | |
I don't know if I want to go or not. | |
7. conj. (usually hyperbolic) Even if; even in the circumstances that. | |
8. conj. Introducing a relevance conditional. | |
I have leftover cake if you want some. | |
9. n. (informal) An uncertainty, possibility, condition, doubt etc. | |
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. | |
get |
1. v. (ditransitive) To obtain; to acquire. | |
I'm going to get a computer tomorrow from the discount store. | |
Lance is going to get Mary a ring. | |
2. v. To receive. | |
I got a computer from my parents for my birthday. | |
You need to get permission to leave early. | |
He got a severe reprimand for that. | |
3. v. (transitive, in a perfect construction, with present-tense meaning) To have. (See usage notes.) | |
I've got a concert ticket for you. | |
4. v. (copulative) To become. | |
I'm getting hungry; how about you? | |
Don't get drunk tonight. | |
5. v. To cause to become; to bring about. | |
That song gets me so depressed every time I hear it. | |
I'll get this finished by lunchtime. | |
I can't get these boots off upright - (or on'upright,). | |
6. v. To fetch, bring, take. | |
Can you get my bag from the living-room, please? | |
I need to get this to the office. | |
7. v. To cause to do. | |
Somehow she got him to agree to it. | |
I can't get it to work. | |
8. v. (intransitive, with various prepositions, such as into, over, or behind; for specific idiomatic senses see individual entries get into, get over, etc.) To adopt, assume, arrive at, or progress towards | |
The actors are getting into position. | |
When are we going to get to London? | |
I'm getting into a muddle. | |
We got behind the wall. | |
9. v. To cover (a certain distance) while travelling. | |
to get a mile | |
10. v. To cause to come or go or move. | |
11. v. To cause to be in a certain status or position. | |
12. v. (intransitive) To begin (doing something). | |
We ought to get moving or we'll be late. | |
After lunch we got chatting. | |
13. v. To take or catch (a scheduled transportation service). | |
I normally get the 7:45 train. | |
I'll get the 9 a.m. flight to Boston. | |
14. v. To respond to (a telephone call, a doorbell, etc). | |
Can you get that call, please? I'm busy. | |
15. v. (intransitive, followed by infinitive) To be able, permitted (to do something); to have the opportunity (to do something). | |
I'm so jealous that you got to see them perform live! | |
The finders get to keep 80 percent of the treasure. | |
16. v. (transitive, informal) To understand. (compare get it) | |
Yeah, I get it, it's just not funny. | |
I don't get what you mean by "fun". This place sucks! | |
I mentioned that I was feeling sad, so she mailed me a box of chocolates. She gets me. | |
17. v. (transitive, informal) To be told; be the recipient of (a question, comparison, opinion, etc.). | |
"You look just like Helen Mirren." / "I get that a lot.". | |
18. v. (informal) To be. Used to form the passive of verbs. | |
He got bitten by a dog. | |
19. v. To become ill with or catch (a disease). | |
I went on holiday and got malaria. | |
20. v. (transitive, informal) To catch out, trick successfully. | |
He keeps calling pretending to be my boss—it gets me every time. | |
21. v. (transitive, informal) To perplex, stump. | |
That question's really got me. | |
22. v. To find as an answer. | |
What did you get for question four? | |
23. v. (transitive, informal) To bring to reckoning; to catch (as a criminal); to effect retribution. | |
The cops finally got me. | |
I'm gonna get him for that. | |
24. v. To hear completely; catch. | |
Sorry, I didn't get that. Could you repeat it? | |
25. v. To getter. | |
I put the getter into the container to get the gases. | |
26. v. (now rare) To beget (of a father). | |
27. v. (archaic) To learn; to commit to memory; to memorize; sometimes with out. | |
to get a lesson; to get out one's Greek lesson | |
28. v. (imperative, informal) Used with a personal pronoun to indicate that someone is being pretentious or grandiose. | |
Get her with her new hairdo. | |
29. v. (informal, mostly, imperative) Go away; get lost. | |
30. v. (euphemism) To kill. | |
They’re coming to get you, Barbara. | |
31. v. (intransitive, obsolete) To make acquisitions; to gain; to profit. | |
32. n. (dated) Offspring. | |
33. n. Lineage. | |
34. n. (sports) A difficult return or block of a shot. | |
35. n. Something gained. | |
36. n. (UK, regional) A git. | |
37. n. (Judaism) A Jewish writ of divorce. | |
complacent |
1. adj. Uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's achievements; smug. | |
2. adj. Apathetic with regard to an apparent need or problem. | |