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. | |
amount |
1. n. The total, aggregate or sum of material (not applicable to discrete numbers or units or items in standard English). | |
The amount of atmospheric pollution threatens a health crisis. | |
2. n. A quantity or volume. | |
Pour a small amount of water into the dish. | |
The dogs need different amounts of food. | |
3. n. (nonstandard, sometimes proscribed) The number (the sum) of elements in a set. | |
4. v. (intransitive, followed by to) To total or evaluate. | |
It amounts to three dollars and change. | |
5. v. (intransitive, followed by to) To be the same as or equivalent to. | |
He was a pretty good student, but never amounted to much professionally. | |
His response amounted to gross insubordination | |
6. v. (obsolete, intransitive) To go up; to ascend. | |
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. | |
water |
1. n. A substance (of molecular formula H₂O) found at room temperature and pressure as a clear liquid; it is present naturally as rain, and found in rivers, lakes and seas; its solid form is ice and its gas | |
By the action of electricity, the water was resolved into its two parts, oxygen and hydrogen. | |
2. n. (in particular) The liquid form of this substance: liquid H₂O. | |
May I have a glass of water? | |
Your plants need more water. | |
3. n. A serving of liquid water. | |
4. n. (alchemy, philosophy) The aforementioned liquid, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy. | |
He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God. | |
5. n. (or in the plural) Water in a body; an area of open water. | |
The boat was found within the territorial waters. | |
These seals are a common sight in the coastal waters of Chile. | |
6. n. (poetic, archaic, or dialectal) A body of water, almost always a river. | |
7. n. A combination of water and other substance(s). | |
8. n. (sometimes ) Mineral water. | |
Perrier is the most popular water in this restaurant. | |
9. n. (often, in the plural) Spa water. | |
Many people visit Bath to take the waters. | |
10. n. (pharmacy) A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance. | |
ammonia water | |
11. n. Urine. | |
12. n. Amniotic fluid; used only in the plural in the UK but often also in the singular in North America, especially to avoid cacophony, as in this example: ( | |
Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s water breaks. (North America) | |
Before your child is born, your water(s) will break. (North America) | |
Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s waters break. (UK) | |
13. n. (colloquial, medicine) Fluids in the body, especially when causing swelling. | |
He suffers from water on the knee. | |
14. n. (figuratively, in the or in the singular) A state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition. | |
The rough waters of change will bring about the calm after the storm. | |
15. n. (colloquial, figuratively) A person's intuition. | |
I know he'll succeed. I feel it in my waters. | |
16. n. (dated, finance) Excess valuation of securities. | |
17. n. The limpidity and lustre of a precious stone, especially a diamond. | |
a diamond of the first water is perfectly pure and transparent | |
18. n. A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc. | |
19. v. To pour water into the soil surrounding (plants). | |
20. v. To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate. | |
21. v. To provide (animals) with water for drinking. | |
I need to go water the cattle. | |
22. v. (intransitive) To get or take in water. | |
The ship put into port to water. | |
23. v. (transitive, colloquial) To urinate onto. | |
Nature called, so I stepped into the woods and watered a tree. | |
24. v. To dilute. | |
Can you water the whisky, please? | |
25. v. (transitive, dated, finance) To overvalue (securities), especially through deceptive accounting. | |
26. v. (intransitive) To fill with or secrete water. | |
Chopping onions makes my eyes water. | |
The smell of fried onions makes my mouth water. | |
27. v. To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines. | |
to water silk | |
vapour |
1. n. Cloudy diffused matter such as mist, steam or fumes suspended in the air. | |
2. n. The gaseous state of a substance that is normally a solid or liquid. | |
3. n. (obsolete) Wind; flatulence. | |
4. n. Something unsubstantial, fleeting, or transitory; unreal fancy; vain imagination; idle talk; boasting. | |
5. n. (archaic, in the plural) Hypochondria; melancholy; the blues; hysteria, or other nervous disorder. | |
6. n. (dated) Any medicinal agent designed for administration in the form of inhaled vapour. | |
7. v. (intransitive) To become vapour; to be emitted or circulated as vapour. | |
8. v. To turn into vapour. | |
to vapour away a heated fluid | |
9. v. (intransitive) To use insubstantial language; to boast or bluster. | |
10. v. To emit vapour or fumes. | |
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. | |
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. | |
air |
1. n. (meteorology) The substance constituting earth's atmosphere, particularly: | |
I'm going outside to get some air. | |
2. n. (historical, philosophy, alchemy) understood as one of the four elements of the ancient Greeks and Romans. | |
3. n. (historical, medical) understood as a particular local substance with supposed effects on human health. | |
There was a tension in the air which made me suspect an approaching storm. | |
4. n. (physics) understood as a gaseous mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and various trace gases. | |
5. n. (usually with the) The apparently open space above the ground which this substance fills, (historical) formerly thought to be limited by the firmament but (meteorology) now considered surrounded by th | |
The flock of birds took to the air. | |
6. n. A breeze; a gentle wind. | |
7. n. A feeling or sense. | |
to give it an air of artistry and sophistication | |
8. n. A sense of poise, graciousness, or quality. | |
9. n. (usually plural) Pretension; snobbishness; pretence that one is better than others. | |
putting on airs | |
10. n. (music) A song, especially a solo; an aria. | |
11. n. (informal) Nothing; absence of anything. | |
12. n. An air conditioner or the processed air it produces. Can be a mass noun or a count noun depending on context; similar to hair. | |
Could you turn on the air? | |
Hey, did you mean to leave the airs on all week while you were on vacation? | |
13. n. (obsolete, chemistry) Any specific gas. | |
14. n. (snowboarding, skateboarding, motor sports) A jump in which one becomes airborne. | |
15. n. A television or radio signal. | |
16. v. To bring (something) into contact with the air, so as to freshen or dry it. | |
17. v. To let fresh air into a room or a building, to ventilate. | |
It's getting quite stuffy in this room: let's open the windows and air it. | |
18. v. To discuss varying viewpoints on a given topic. | |
19. v. To broadcast, as with a television show. | |
20. v. (UK, MLE, slang) to ignore | |