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 | |
deprive |
1. v. To take something away from (someone) and keep it away; to deny someone something. | |
2. v. To degrade (a clergyman) from office. | |
3. v. To bereave. | |
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. | |
strength |
1. n. The quality or degree of being strong. | |
It requires great strength to lift heavy objects. | |
2. n. The intensity of a force or power; potency. | |
He had the strength of ten men. | |
3. n. The strongest part of something; that on which confidence or reliance is based. | |
4. n. A positive attribute. | |
We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. | |
5. n. (obsolete) Armed force, body of troops. | |
6. n. (obsolete) A strong place; a stronghold. | |
7. v. (obsolete) To give strength to; to strengthen. | |
or |
1. conj. Connects at least two alternative words, phrases, clauses, sentences, etc. each of which could make a passage true. In English, this is the "inclusive or." The "exclusive or" is formed by "either(...) | |
In Ohio, anyone under the age of 18 who wants a tattoo or body piercing needs the consent of a parent or guardian. | |
He might get cancer, or be hit by a bus, or God knows what. | |
2. conj. (logic) An operator denoting the disjunction of two propositions or truth values. There are two forms, the inclusive or and the exclusive or. | |
3. conj. Counts the elements before and after as two possibilities. | |
4. conj. Otherwise (a consequence of the condition that the previous is false). | |
It's raining! Come inside or you'll catch a cold! | |
5. conj. Connects two equivalent names. | |
The country Myanmar, or Burma | |
6. n. (logic, electronics) alternative form of OR | |
7. n. (tincture) The gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms. | |
8. adj. (tincture) Of gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms. | |
9. adv. (obsolete) Early (on). | |
10. adv. (obsolete) Earlier, previously. | |
11. prep. (now archaic, or dialect) Before; ere. | |
efficacy |
1. n. Ability to produce a desired effect under ideal testing conditions. | |
2. n. Degree of ability to produce a desired effect. | |
make |
1. v. To create. | |
2. v. To build, construct, or produce. | |
We made a bird feeder for our yard. | |
I'll make a man out of him yet. | |
3. v. To write or compose. | |
I made a poem for her wedding. | |
He made a will. | |
4. v. To bring about; to effect or produce by means of some action. | |
make war | |
They were just a bunch of ne'er-do-wells who went around making trouble for honest men. | |
5. v. (religious) To create (the universe), especially (in Christianity) from nothing. | |
God made earth and heaven. | |
6. v. (intransitive, now mostly colloquial) To behave, to act. | |
To make like a deer caught in the headlights. | |
They made nice together, as if their fight never happened. | |
He made as if to punch him, but they both laughed and shook hands. | |
7. v. (intransitive) To tend; to contribute; to have effect; with for or against. | |
8. v. To constitute. | |
They make a cute couple. | |
This makes the third infraction. | |
One swallow does not a summer make. | |
9. v. 1995, Harriette Simpson Arnow: Critical Essays on Her Work, p.46: | |
10. v. To add up to, have a sum of. | |
Two and four make six. | |
11. v. (intransitive, construed with of typically interrogative) To interpret. | |
I don’t know what to make of it. | |
12. v. (transitive, usually stressed) To bring into success. | |
This company is what made you. | |
She married into wealth and so has it made. | |
13. v. (ditransitive, second object is an adjective or participle) To cause to be. | |
The citizens made their objections clear. | |
This might make you a bit woozy. | |
Did I make myself heard? | |
Scotch will make you a man. | |
14. v. To cause to appear to be; to represent as. | |
15. v. (ditransitive, second object is a verb) To cause (to do something); to compel (to do something). | |
You're making her cry. | |
I was made to feel like a criminal. | |
16. v. (ditransitive, second object is a verb, can be stressed for emphasis or clarity) To force to do. | |
The teacher made the student study. | |
Don’t let them make you suffer. | |
17. v. (ditransitive, of a fact) To indicate or suggest to be. | |
His past mistakes don’t make him a bad person. | |
18. v. (transitive, of a bed) To cover neatly with bedclothes. | |
19. v. (transitive, US slang) To recognise, identify. | |
20. v. (transitive, colloquial) To arrive at a destination, usually at or by a certain time. | |
We should make Cincinnati by 7 tonight. | |
21. v. (intransitive, colloquial) To proceed (in a direction). | |
They made westward over the snowy mountains. | |
Make for the hills! It's a wildfire! | |
They made away from the fire toward the river. | |
22. v. To cover (a given distance) by travelling. | |
23. v. To move at (a speed). | |
The ship could make 20 knots an hour in calm seas. | |
This baby can make 220 miles an hour. | |
24. v. To appoint; to name. | |
25. v. (transitive, slang) To induct into the Mafia or a similar organization (as a made man). | |
26. v. (intransitive, colloquial, euphemistic) To defecate or urinate. | |
27. v. To earn, to gain (money, points, membership or status). | |
They hope to make a bigger profit. | |
He didn't make the choir after his voice changed. | |
She made ten points in that game. | |
28. v. To pay, to cover (an expense); chiefly used after expressions of inability. | |
29. v. (obsolete, intransitive) To compose verses; to write poetry; to versify. | |
30. v. To enact; to establish. | |
31. v. To develop into; to prove to be. | |
She'll make a fine president. | |
32. v. To form or formulate in the mind. | |
make plans | |
made a questionable decision | |
33. v. To perform a feat. | |
make a leap | |
make a pass | |
make a u-turn | |
34. v. (obsolete) To act in a certain manner; to have to do; to manage; to interfere; to be active; often in the phrase to meddle or make. | |
35. v. (obsolete) To increase; to augment; to accrue. | |
36. v. (obsolete) To be engaged or concerned in. | |
37. v. (now archaic) To cause to be (in a specified place), used after a subjective what. | |
38. v. (transitive, euphemism) To take the virginity of. | |
39. v. To have sexual intercourse with. | |
40. n. (often of a car) Brand or kind; often paired with model. | |
What make of car do you drive? | |
41. n. How a thing is made; construction. | |
42. n. Origin of a manufactured article; manufacture. | |
The camera was of German make. | |
43. n. Quantity produced, especially of materials. | |
44. n. (dated) The act or process of making something, especially in industrial manufacturing. | |
45. n. A person's character or disposition. | |
46. n. (bridge) The declaration of the trump for a hand. | |
47. n. (physics) The closing of an electrical circuit. | |
48. n. (computing) A software utility for automatically building large applications, or an implementation of this utility. | |
49. n. (slang) Recognition or identification, especially from police records or evidence. | |
50. n. (slang) Past or future target of seduction (usually female). | |
51. n. (slang) A promotion. | |
52. n. A home-made project | |
53. n. (basketball) A made basket. | |
54. n. (dialectal) Mate; a spouse or companion. | |
55. n. (Scotland, Ireland, Northern England, now rare) A halfpenny. | |
useless |
1. adj. Without use or possibility to be used. | |
This fork has prongs that are bent. It's useless now. | |
2. adj. Unhelpful, not useful; pointless (of an action). | |
I think it's useless to keep this discussion going. It's like talking to a wall. | |
I tried my best to make him quit smoking, but my efforts were useless. He now smokes six packs a day. | |
3. adj. (pejorative, of a person) good-for-nothing; not dependable. | |
Bill never mows the lawn, takes out the trash or anything. He's useless, but I love him anyways. | |
4. adj. (colloquial, of a person) unable to do well at a particular task or thing. Useless is mildly insulting. | |
My brother is useless at most computer games, but he is an awesome PS2 player. | |
Why do you keep trying? You're obviously useless at it. | |
or |
1. conj. Connects at least two alternative words, phrases, clauses, sentences, etc. each of which could make a passage true. In English, this is the "inclusive or." The "exclusive or" is formed by "either(...) | |
In Ohio, anyone under the age of 18 who wants a tattoo or body piercing needs the consent of a parent or guardian. | |
He might get cancer, or be hit by a bus, or God knows what. | |
2. conj. (logic) An operator denoting the disjunction of two propositions or truth values. There are two forms, the inclusive or and the exclusive or. | |
3. conj. Counts the elements before and after as two possibilities. | |
4. conj. Otherwise (a consequence of the condition that the previous is false). | |
It's raining! Come inside or you'll catch a cold! | |
5. conj. Connects two equivalent names. | |
The country Myanmar, or Burma | |
6. n. (logic, electronics) alternative form of OR | |
7. n. (tincture) The gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms. | |
8. adj. (tincture) Of gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms. | |
9. adv. (obsolete) Early (on). | |
10. adv. (obsolete) Earlier, previously. | |
11. prep. (now archaic, or dialect) Before; ere. | |
worthless |
1. adj. Not having worth and use, without value, inconsequential. | |
Lies are as important as truth, for without lies, the truth is worthless. | |
The committee's decision is worthless and not going to be acted upon. | |
Don't be a worthless slouch! Go get yourself a job. | |