why |
1. adv. For what cause, reason, or purpose (interrogative adverb). | |
2. adv. Introducing a complete question. | |
Why is the sky blue? | |
Why did you do that? | |
I don’t know why he did that | |
Tell me why the moon changes phase. | |
3. adv. Introducing a verb phrase (bare infinitive clause). | |
Why spend money on something you already get for free? | |
Why not tell him how you feel? | |
4. adv. Introducing a noun or other phrase. | |
Why him? Why not someone taller? | |
5. adv. For which cause, reason, or purpose (relative adverb). | |
That's the reason why I did that. | |
6. n. reason | |
A good article will cover the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how. | |
7. interj. An exclamation used to express indignation, mild surprise, or impatience. | |
8. n. (dialect) A young heifer. | |
can't |
1. v. Cannot (negative auxiliaryArnold M. Zwicky and Geoffrey K. Pullum, , Language 59 (3), 1983, pp. 502-513); is unable to; does not have the ability to. | |
I can’t quite get it to work. | |
2. v. Is forbidden to; is not permitted to. | |
You can’t enter the hall without a ticket. | |
3. v. Often with be: is logically impossible. | |
The butler can’t be the murderer because he was in London that evening. | |
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. | |
not |
1. adv. Negates the meaning of the modified verb. | |
Did you take out the trash? No, I did not. | |
Not knowing any better, I went ahead. | |
2. adv. To no degree. | |
That is not red; it's orange. | |
3. conj. And not. | |
I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken. | |
He painted the car blue and black, not solid purple. | |
4. interj. (slang) Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically. | |
I really like hanging out with my little brother watching Barney... not! | |
Sure, you're perfect the way you are... not! | |
5. n. Unary logical function NOT, true if input is false, or a gate implementing that negation function. | |
You need a not there to conform with the negative logic of the memory chip. | |
6. contraction. (obsolete) Contraction of ne wot, wot not; know not; knows not. | |
you |
1. pron. (object pronoun) The people spoken, or written to, as an object. | |
2. pron. (reflexive pronoun, now US colloquial) (To) yourselves, (to) yourself. | |
3. pron. (object pronoun) The person spoken to or written to, as an object. (Replacing thee; originally as a mark of respect.) | |
4. pron. (subject pronoun) The people spoken to or written to, as a subject. (Replacing ye.) | |
Both of you should get ready now. | |
You are all supposed to do as I tell you. | |
5. pron. (subject pronoun) The person spoken to or written to, as a subject. (Originally as a mark of respect.) | |
6. pron. (indefinite personal pronoun) Anyone, one; an unspecified individual or group of individuals (as subject or object). | |
7. det. The individual or group spoken or written to. | |
Have you gentlemen come to see the lady who fell backwards off a bus? | |
8. det. Used before epithets for emphasis. | |
You idiot! | |
9. v. To address (a person) using the pronoun you, rather than thou, especially historically when you was more formal. | |
just |
1. adj. Factually right, correct; factual. | |
It is a just assessment of the facts. | |
2. adj. Rationally right, correct. | |
3. adj. Morally right; upright, righteous, equitable; fair. | |
It looks like a just solution at first glance. | |
4. adj. Proper, adequate. | |
5. adv. Only, simply, merely. | |
Plant just a few tomatoes, unless you can freeze or dry them. | |
He calls it vermilion, but it's just red to me. | |
6. adv. (sentence adverb) Used to reduce the force of an imperative; simply. | |
Just follow the directions on the box. | |
7. adv. (speech act) Used to convey a less serious or formal tone | |
I just called to say "hi". | |
8. adv. (speech act) Used to show humility. | |
Lord, we just want to thank You and praise Your Name. | |
9. adv. (degree) absolutely, positively | |
It is just splendid! | |
10. adv. Moments ago, recently. | |
They just left, but you may leave a message at the desk. | |
11. adv. By a narrow margin; closely; nearly. | |
The fastball just missed my head! | |
The piece just might fit. | |
12. adv. Exactly, precisely, perfectly. | |
He wants everything just right for the big day. | |
13. interj. (slang) Expressing dismay or discontent. | |
14. n. A joust, tournament. | |
15. v. To joust, fight a tournament. | |
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. | |
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 | |
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. | |
point |
1. n. A discrete division of something. | |
2. n. An individual element in a larger whole; a particular detail, thought, or quality. | |
The Congress debated the finer points of the bill. | |
3. n. A particular moment in an event or occurrence; a juncture. | |
There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up. | |
At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda. | |
4. n. (archaic) Condition, state. | |
She was not feeling in good point. | |
5. n. A topic of discussion or debate; a proposition. | |
I made the point that we all had an interest to protect. | |
6. n. A focus of conversation or consideration; the main idea. | |
The point is that we should stay together, whatever happens. | |
7. n. A purpose or objective, which makes something meaningful. | |
Since the decision has already been made, I see little point in further discussion. | |
8. n. (obsolete) The smallest quantity of something; a jot, a whit. | |
9. n. (obsolete) A tiny amount of time; a moment. | |
10. n. A specific location or place, seen as a spatial position. | |
We should meet at a pre-arranged point. | |
11. n. (mathematics, science) A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions; something considered to have position | |
12. n. A full stop or other terminal punctuation mark. | |
13. n. (music) A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time. In ancient music, it distinguished or characterized certain tones or styles (points of p | |
14. n. (by extension) A note; a tune. | |
15. n. A distinguishing quality or characteristic. | |
Logic isn't my strong point. | |
16. n. Something tiny, as a pinprick; a very small mark. | |
The stars showed as tiny points of yellow light. | |
17. n. (now only in phrases) A tenth; formerly also a twelfth. | |
Possession is nine points of the law. | |
18. n. Each of the marks or strokes written above letters, especially in Semitic languages, to indicate vowels, stress etc. | |
19. n. (sports) A unit of scoring in a game or competition. | |
The one with the most points will win the game | |
20. n. (mathematics) A decimal point (now especially when reading decimal fractions aloud). | |
10.5 ("ten point five"; = ten and a half) | |
21. n. (economics) A unit used to express differences in prices of stocks and shares. | |
22. n. (typography) a unit of measure equal to 1/12 of a pica, or approximately 1/72 of an inch (exactly 1/72 of an inch in the digital era). | |
23. n. (UK) An electric power socket. | |
24. n. (navigation, nautical) A unit of bearing equal to one thirty-second of a circle, i.e. 11.25°. | |
Ship ahoy, three points off the starboard bow! | |
25. n. (UK) A unit of measure for rain, equal to 0.254 mm or 0.01 of an inch. | |
26. n. A sharp extremity. | |
27. n. The sharp tip of an object. | |
Cut the skin with the point of the knife. | |
28. n. Any projecting extremity of an object. | |
29. n. An object which has a sharp or tapering tip. | |
His cowboy belt was studded with points. | |
30. n. (backgammon) Each of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played. | |
31. n. A peninsula or promontory. | |
32. n. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force. | |
33. n. Each of the main directions on a compass, usually considered to be 32 in number; a direction. | |
34. n. (nautical) The difference between two points of the compass. | |
to fall off a point | |
35. n. Pointedness of speech or writing; a penetrating or decisive quality of expression. | |
36. n. (railroads, UK, in the plural) A railroad switch. | |
37. n. (usually in the plural) An area of contrasting colour on an animal, especially a dog; a marking. | |
The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable. | |
38. n. A tine or snag of an antler. | |
39. n. (fencing) A movement executed with the sabre or foil. | |
tierce point | |
40. n. (heraldry) One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. | |
41. n. (nautical) A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. | |
42. n. (historical) A string or lace used to tie together certain garments. | |
43. n. Lace worked by the needle. | |
point de Venise; Brussels point | |
44. n. (US, slang) An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer. | |
45. n. The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game. | |
The dog came to a point. | |
46. n. (falconry) The perpendicular rising of a hawk over the place where its prey has gone into cover. | |
47. n. The act of pointing, as of the foot downward in certain dance positions. | |
48. n. The gesture of extending the index finger in a direction in order to indicate something. | |
49. n. (medicine, obsolete) A vaccine point. | |
50. n. In various sports, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player occupying that position. | |
51. n. (cricket) A fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover. | |
52. n. (lacrosse, ice hockey) The position of the player of each side who stands a short distance in front of the goalkeeper. | |
53. n. (baseball) The position of the pitcher and catcher. | |
54. n. (hunting) A spot to which a straight run is made; hence, a straight run from point to point; a cross-country run. | |
55. v. (intransitive) To extend the index finger in the direction of something in order to show where it is or to draw attention to it. | |
It's rude to point at other people. | |
56. v. (intransitive) To draw attention to something or indicate a direction. | |
The arrow of a compass points north | |
The skis were pointing uphill. | |
The arrow on the map points towards the entrance | |
57. v. (intransitive) To face in a particular direction. | |
58. v. To direct toward an object; to aim. | |
to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort | |
59. v. To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end. | |
to point a dart, a pencil, or (figuratively) a moral | |
60. v. (intransitive) To indicate a probability of something. | |
61. v. (ambitransitive, masonry) To repair mortar. | |
62. v. (transitive, masonry) To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface. | |
63. v. (stone-cutting) To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool. | |
64. v. To direct or encourage (someone) in a particular direction. | |
If he asks for food, point him toward the refrigerator. | |
65. v. (transitive, mathematics) To separate an integer from a decimal with a decimal point. | |
66. v. To mark with diacritics. | |
67. v. (dated) To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate. | |
to point a composition | |
68. v. (transitive, computing) To direct the central processing unit to seek information at a certain location in memory. | |
69. v. (transitive, Internet) To direct requests sent to a domain name to the IP address corresponding to that domain name. | |
70. v. (intransitive, nautical) To sail close to the wind. | |
Bear off a little, we're pointing. | |