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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.
gimmicks
     1. n. plural of gimmick
     2. v. third-person singular present indicative of gimmick
     gimmick
          1. n. A trick or device used to attain some end.
                The box had a gimmick to make the coin appear to vanish.
          2. n. A clever ploy or strategy.
                The contest was a gimmick to get people to sign up for their mailing list.
          3. n. (electronics) A gimmick capacitor.
          4. v. To rig or set up with a trick or device.
                The magician's box was gimmicked with a wire that made it appear to open on its own.
intended
     1. adj. Planned.
     2. adj. (obsolete) Made tense; stretched out; extended; forcible; violent.
     3. n. Fiancé or fiancée.
     4. v. simple past tense and past participle of intend
     intend
          1. v. (intransitive, usually followed by the particle "to") To fix the mind upon (something to be accomplished); be intent upon
                he intends to go to university
                we intend that she shall remain
          2. v. To fix the mind on; attend to; take care of; superintend; regard.
          3. v. (obsolete) To stretch to extend; distend.
          4. v. To strain; make tense.
          5. v. (obsolete) To intensify; strengthen.
          6. v. To apply with energy.
          7. v. To bend or turn; direct, as one’s course or journey.
          8. v. To design mechanically or artistically; fashion; mold.
          9. v. To pretend; counterfeit; simulate.
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
encourage
     1. v. To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
           I encouraged him during his race.
     2. v. To spur on, strongly recommend.
           We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.
     3. v. To foster, give help or patronage
           The royal family has always encouraged the arts in word and deed
Us
     1. n. plural of U
     2. pron. (personal) Me and at least one other person; the objective case of we.
     3. pron. (colloquial) Me.
           Give us a look at your paper.
           Give us your wallet!
     4. pron. (Northern England) Our.
           We'll have to throw us food out.
     5. det. The speakers/writers, or the speaker/writer and at least one other person.
           It's not good enough for us teachers.
     6. n. plural of u
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
Vote
     1. n. A person from Votia or of Votic descent.
     2. n. A formalized choice on matters of administration or other democratic activities.
           The city council decided the matter should go to public vote.
           Parliament will hold a vote of confidence regarding the minister.
     3. n. An act or instance of participating in such a choice, e.g., by submitting a ballot.
           The Supreme Court upheld the principle of one person, one vote.
     4. n. (obsolete) An ardent wish or desire; a vow; a prayer.
     5. v. (intransitive, transitive) To cast a vote; to assert a formalized choice in an election.
           The depository may vote shares on behalf of investors who have not submitted instruction to the bank.
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.
increasingly
     1. adv. increasing in amount or intensity
pointless
     1. adj. Having no point or sharp tip; terminating squarely or in a rounded end.
           a pointless sword
           a pointless knife
     2. adj. Having no prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.
           a pointless remark
           The sequel to the film was even more pointless than the original
     3. adj. Having no purpose; purposeless; unable to effect an aim.
           Since the decision has already been made, further discussion seems pointless.
     4. adj. (mathematics) Without points.
           a pointless topology
ballots
     1. n. plural of ballot
     2. v. third-person singular present indicative of ballot
     ballot
          1. n. Originally, a small ball placed in a container to cast a vote; now, by extension, a piece of paper or card used for this purpose, or some other means used to signify a vote.
          2. n. The process of voting, especially in secret; a round of voting.
          3. n. The total of all the votes cast in an election.
          4. n. (chiefly US) A list of candidates running for office; a ticket.
          5. v. To vote or decide by ballot.
                to ballot for a candidate
          6. v. To draw lots.
Will
     1. n. (American football) A weak-side linebacker.
     2. v. (rare, transitive) To wish, desire (something).
           Do what you will.
     3. v. (rare, intransitive) To wish or desire (that something happen); to intend (that).
     4. v. (auxiliary) To habitually do (a given action).
     5. v. (auxiliary) To choose to (do something), used to express intention but without any temporal connotations (+ bare infinitive).
     6. v. (auxiliary) Used to express the future tense, sometimes with some implication of volition when used in the first person. Compare shall.
     7. v. (auxiliary) To be able to, to have the capacity to.
           Unfortunately, only one of these gloves will actually fit over my hand.
     8. n. One's independent faculty of choice; the ability to be able to exercise one's choice or intention.
           Of course, man's will is often regulated by his reason.
     9. n. One's intention or decision; someone's orders or commands.
           Eventually I submitted to my parents' will.
     10. n. The act of choosing to do something; a person’s conscious intent or volition.
           Most creatures have a will to live.
     11. n. (law) A formal declaration of one's intent concerning the disposal of one's property and holdings after death; the legal document stating such wishes.
     12. n. (archaic) That which is desired; one's wish.
     13. n. (archaic) Desire, longing. (Now generally merged with later senses.)
           He felt a great will to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
     14. v. (archaic) To wish, desire.
     15. v. (transitive, intransitive) To instruct (that something be done) in one's will.
     16. v. To try to make (something) happen by using one's will (intention).
           All the fans were willing their team to win the game.
     17. v. To bequeath (something) to someone in one's will (legal document).
           He willed his stamp collection to the local museum.
engender
     1. v. (obsolete, transitive) To beget (of a man); to bear or conceive (of a woman).
     2. v. To give existence to, to produce (living creatures).
     3. v. To bring into existence (a situation, quality, result etc.); to give rise to, cause, create.
     4. v. (intransitive) To assume form; to come into existence; to be caused or produced.
     5. v. (obsolete, intransitive) To copulate, to have sex.
     6. v. (critical theory) To endow with gender; to create gender or enhance the importance of gender.
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.
very
     1. adj. True, real, actual.
           The fierce hatred of a very woman.  The very blood and bone of our grammar.  He tried his very best.
     2. adj. The same; identical.
           He proposed marriage in the same restaurant, at the very table where they first met.  That's the very tool that I need.
     3. adj. With limiting effect: mere.
     4. adv. To a great extent or degree; extremely; exceedingly.
           You’re drinking very slowly.
           That dress is very you.
     5. adv. True, truly.
     6. adv. (with superlatives) (ngd, Used to firmly establish that nothing else surpasses in some respect.)
           He was the very best runner there.
cynicism
     1. n. a distrustful attitude
           David T Wolf: "Idealism is what precedes experience; cynicism is what follows.".
     2. n. an emotion of jaded negativity, or a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of other people. Cynicism can manifest itself by frustration, disillusionment and distrust in regard to orga
     3. n. a skeptical, scornful or pessimistic comment or act
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.
government
     1. n. The body with the power to make and/or enforce laws to control a country, land area, people or organization.
     2. n. (grammar, linguistics) The relationship between a word and its dependents
     3. n. A group of people who hold a monopoly on the legitimate use of force in a given territory.
     4. n. The state and its administration viewed as the ruling political power.
     5. n. The management or control of a system.
     6. n. The tenure of a chief of state.
claims
     1. n. plural of claim
     2. v. third-person singular present indicative of claim
     claim
          1. n. A demand of ownership made for something (e.g. claim ownership, claim victory).
          2. n. A new statement of something one believes to be the truth, usually when the statement has yet to be verified or without valid evidence provided.
          3. n. A demand of ownership for previously unowned land (e.g. in the gold rush, oil rush)
          4. n. (legal) A legal demand for compensation or damages.
          5. v. To demand ownership of.
          6. v. To state a new fact, typically without providing evidence to prove it is true.
          7. v. To demand ownership or right to use for land.
          8. v. (legal) To demand compensation or damages through the courts.
          9. v. (intransitive) To be entitled to anything; to deduce a right or title; to have a claim.
          10. v. (archaic) To proclaim.
          11. v. (archaic) To call or name.
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
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?
contesting
     1. v. present participle of contest
     contest
          1. n. Controversy; debate.
                no contest
          2. n. Struggle for superiority; combat.
          3. n. A competition.
                The child entered the spelling contest.
          4. v. (intransitive) To contend.
                I will contest for the open seat on the board.
          5. v. To call into question; to oppose.
                The rival contested the dictator's re-election because of claims of voting irregularities.
          6. v. To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend.
                The troops contested every inch of ground.
          7. v. (legal) To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a suit; to dispute or resist, as a claim, by course of law; to controvert.
Dictionary entries from Wiktionary