keep

keep (canonical)
keeps (third-person singular)
kept (past)
kept (past participle)
keeping (present participle)

When you keep something for someone, you make something safe.

I will keep your money for you.

When you keep something, you do not give it back.

Keep the change.

When you keep safe, happy, quiet, etc, you stay that way.

Keep quiet.


keep

A keep is a special safe area of a castle.

The king lived in the keep during the battle.


price

The amount of money you need to pay to buy something.

The price of this book is ten dollars.


price

price (canonical)
prices (third-person singular)
priced (past)
priced (past participle)
pricing (present participle)

:
 This short section needs someone to add to it.


crime

A crime is an act that is against the law and for which you can go to jail.

Murder is a crime.

New York has a lot of crime.

Letting that puppy die is a crime.


September

September is the ninth month of the year.

There are 30 days in September.


future

The future is the time of something that hasn't happen yet. The study of the future is known as futurology.

I will be more careful in the future.

You have a great future ahead of you.

A future event is one that hasn't happened yet but will happen.


against

I am against that proposal. I think it is a bad idea.

The vote for the suspension of the party was 283 in favour with 29 against.

He held her head against his chest.


contract

A contract is a legal agreement to trade goods, services and/or property. It's usually written down.

If you would just sign this contract, the car will be yours.

In Japan, most worker's employment contracts last until the age of sixty.

My father's employment contract is for forty years.

You must look over the contract before you sign it.


contract

contract (canonical)
contracts (third-person singular)
contracted (past)
contracted (past participle)
contracting (present participle)

If something contracts, it gets smaller.

As the wood dries out, it contracts.

If you contract someone to do a job, you enter into a contract with them.

We've contracted a cleaning company to take care of the office.

When there's too much work, there are a number of small firms to which we will contract it out.

If you contract a disease, you become sick with it.

It's hard to understand why people risk contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

He contracted the flu.


plough

A tool used to cut ground before planting.

He took the plough out of the shed.


plough

plough (canonical)
ploughs (third-person singular)
ploughed (past)
ploughed (past participle)
ploughing (present participle)

He will plough the field by sundown.


on account of

If you do x on account of y, you do x because of y. It explains the reason you do something.

He couldn't read it on account of his bad eyes.

She was late on account of having missed the bus.


conclusion

conclusion (singular)
conclusions (plural)

A writer or speaker's conclusions are the ideas that they have after thinking about all the important information.

The study's main conclusion is that more money will not solve the problem.

At the conclusion of the story, we still don't know why he did it.


adjustment

adjustment (singular)
adjustments (plural)

If you're gaining weight, you need to make slight adjustments to your food and exercise programme.


evidence

Evidence is facts or observations that support an idea.

The gun is evidence that professor Pickle killed Mr. Mustard.

If there is clear evidence for lying, he/she should be punished.

The police are still seeking evidence to find out who the murderer is.

In a courtroom, evidence refers to anything that is shown to the judge that is related to the case during a trial.


evidence

evidence (canonical)
evidences (third-person singular)
evidenced (past)
evidenced (past participle)
evidencing (present participle)

When you evidence something, you provide evidence or the truth of an event.

Something good must have happened to her, as evidenced by the smile on her face.


security

Traditionally, Japanese workers have had good job security. In fact, they usually had a job for life.

Since the attack, many Americans have lost their feeling of security.

Security is the people and things that keep you safe.

After the bombing, the airport increased security.

If you see a problem, please call security.

A security is a proof of ownership of stocks and other investments.


after

"B" comes after "A" in the alphabet.

He came home after Jane did.

The year after she had finished college she spent abroad.

The doctor came after the patient had died.


addition

The part of arithmetic where numbers are added together.

He learned addition quickly.

An example of addition is 2+2=4.

The addition of 5 more topics will make the meeting very long and boring.

He put an addition on the house.


basin

A container that is wider than it is deep.

The people living in the Amazon basin depend on the river.


human

human (positive)
more human (comparative)
most human (superlative)

Human rights, life, nature, etc. belong or relate to people, not machines or animals.

Every person has human rights.

My dog doesn't like dog food, he likes to eat human food, such as meat, like us.


human

A human is a person; a member of the Homo sapiens species.

What effect are we humans having on the natural world?


about

You use about to say what subject something is related to.

Let's not talk about her problems.

If something moves about, it moves in many directions.

He walked about the place, looking everywhere.

Having to do with, concerning, regarding.

I will talk about dogs.

They're about the same.

We're here just about every week.

About two years ago, I started skiing.


about

If something is about to happen, it will happen very soon.

Please be seated. We're about to begin.


ordinary

ordinary (positive)
more ordinary (comparative)
most ordinary (superlative)

If something is ordinary, it is normal and not special.

Today is an ordinary day, just like the last 256.


portmanteau word

A portmanteau word is a word that is made by putting two words together.

"Pokémon" is a portmanteau word made from "pocket" and "monster".

"Smog" is a portmanteau word made from "smoke" and "fog".


noun

A noun is a kind of word that is usually the name of a person, place, thing, quality, or idea. In English, nouns can be the subject or object of a sentence. They can be singular or plural.

The words "cat", "home", "bread", "Sue" and "sunshine" are nouns.


approval

Approval is when you formally allow something to happen.

The treaty requires approval by Parliament.

I can do whatever I want, I don't need your approval.

In spite of objections, the committee granted approval for the project.


violent

violent (positive)
more violent (comparative)
most violent (superlative)

If someone is violent, they act physically to hurt people or break things.

Police said he had a history of violent behavior.

The violent wind took the roof off of the house.


issue

An issue is a particular topic or subject, often one that people are discussing and/or is a problem.

The students raised an important issue in my last class, and I hope we can discuss it today.

We'd like to hire you, but there are some legal issues that we have to consider first.

An issue of a magazine, newspaper, etc. is the version that is published at one time.

The March issue of The Walrus has an interesting article on healthcare.


issue

issue (canonical)
issues (third-person singular)
issued (past)
issued (past participle)
issuing (present participle)

If you issue something, such as a statement, guidelines or an order, you officially publish it.

The governments of Canada and the United States jointly issued a statement about the recent crash.


let

let (canonical)
lets (third-person singular)
let (past)
let (past participle)
letting (present participle)

When you let someone do something, you allow them to do it.

I let him come with me.

When you let a building or a space in a building, you rent it.

I will let my extra room to him.


before

If x happens before y, x happens first and y happens second.

He worked in a gas station before he became famous.

Put out the fire before the house burns down.

I have not been there before.

She finished before me.

She stood before him, looking into his eyes.

It took a few moments before I realized that she was joking.


tend

tend (canonical)
tends (third-person singular)
tended (past)
tended (past participle)
tending (present participle)

If something tends to be true, it is often or usually true.

The streets are very confusing in Tokyo and people tend to get lost.

A clearly typed paper does tend to get a better mark.

If we can't understand something, we tend to ignore it.

Of course, millions of dollars in targeted advertising does tend to increase sales.

If you tend something, you watch and take care of it.

The children often help with chores, including cutting the grass and tending the garden.

My artwork tends towards the modern.

If you tend bar, you work at a bar selling drinks.

If something tends in a particular direction, you generally moves in that direction.

The price of gold has tended upward for about three years.


end

end (canonical)
ends (third-person singular)
ended (past)
ended (past participle)
ending (present participle)

The movie ends after this scene.


end

The last one of a group. Or, the last part of a thing, the place where it stops.

I tied a knot in the end of the rope.


religion

Religion is when a person or persons believe in a God or Gods.

Religion is a set of beliefs about a God or Gods.

His religion is Christianity. Mine is Buddhism.


insect

A type of small animal with an external skeleton and six legs.

I killed a large insect in the bathroom.

crickets, ants, ladybugs, and flies are insects.

The mayor thought of her as a mere insect.


able

able (positive)
abler (comparative)
ablest (superlative)

If someone is able to do something, he can do it.

I'm busy tomorrow, so I won't be able to see you.

If a person is able, he is good or skillful at what he does.

She is an able teacher.


between

If x is between y and z, y is on one side of x and z is on the other side.

Georgia is between North Carolina and Florida.


berry

A small, round fruit that grows on some plants and trees.

The tree had bright red berries growing on it.


legislation

legislation (singular)
legislations (plural)

Legislation is the official laws and rules of a government.

City council is planning new legislation regarding recycling.

This new crime law is a very important piece of legislation.

The legislation in Taiwan says that to be legally married the couple will need to be above the age of eighteen.'.

Congress approved several pieces of legislation.

Legislation is the process of making and passing laws.

The government has the power of legislation.


invention

invention (singular)
inventions (plural)

Nowadays, we can buy new inventions as soon as they are made.

It took quite a bit of invention to come up with the toothbrush.


normal

normal (positive)
more normal (comparative)
most normal (superlative)

A normal thing, or situation, is one that is not special.

A normal computer has a keyboard, and a screen.

When someone is back to normal, he is healthier and no longer sick.

I am glad he is back to normal after one week of the flu.


home

Where a person lives. Usually, where people keep their things that they are not carrying, and where they sleep.


home

If you go home, you go to the place where you live.

He brought the money straight home to his mother.

If you are home, you are in the place where you live.

I'm home all evening, so give me a call.


benefit

A benefit is something good that comes from something else.

It was her idea, but she received no benefit from the new program.

With the new job comes many new benefits, such as dental and medical insurance.


benefit

benefited (past)
benefited (past participle)
benefiting (present participle)
benefit (canonical)
benefits (third-person singular)
benefitted (past)
benefitted (past participle)
benefitting (present participle)

If you benefit from something, you get something good from it.

My health has really benefited from all the exercise I'm getting.


bell

A bell is an object that is shaped like a cup that makes a ringing sound when hit.

The church bell is ringing.


narrow

narrow (positive)
narrower (comparative)
narrowest (superlative)

If something is narrow, it is not wide; it is thin.

The bridge was narrow.

She has a narrow waist.

He has a narrow knowledge of math.


narrow

narrow (canonical)
narrows (third-person singular)
narrowed (past)
narrowed (past participle)
narrowing (present participle)

If something is narrowed, it becomes thinner; it becomes narrower.

He narrowed his eyes in anger.

The road narrows near the lake.


acquisition

acquisition (singular)
acquisitions (plural)

Acquisition is the act of getting something, often by buying it.

The judge ruled that the acquisition of XYZ company by Acme Inc. was illegal.

Studies of language acquisition show that it's easier for children to learn language than for adults.

A recent acquisition in my life that I can live without are clothes because sometimes I buy them just because they are beautiful.

An acquisition is something that you got.

The zoo's last acquisition was three elephants.


centimetre

centimetre (singular)
centimetres (plural)

A hundreth of a metre; 100 centimetres is one metre

This pencil is 18 centimetres long.


occur

occur (canonical)
occurs (third-person singular)
occurred (past)
occurred (past participle)
occurring (present participle)

Over the summer a change occurred in my friend’s behaviour.

If something occurs to you, you suddenly think of it.

It occurred to me that I was in trouble.


belief

A belief is an idea that is thought to be true.

It is a widely-accepted belief that the Earth revolves around the Sun.


daughter

A daughter is a female child of someone.

I am her father and she is my daughter.


piano

A piano is a large musical instrument that has hammers connected to 88 keys.


possible

possible (positive)
more possible (comparative)
most possible (superlative)

If something is possible, it is able to be done; doable; not impossible.

Life on other planets is possible.

If something is possible, it is acceptable.

Zero is one possible solution.

Is that possible?


brass

The brass chest only has one key.

The brass is the group of musical instruments that are made of brass.

The brass family of instruments includes tubas, trombones, and trumpets.


leather

He took the leather and made a coat from it.


section

A section of a thing or place is a part of it.

The police closed one section of the road because of the accident.


section

section (canonical)
sections (third-person singular)
sectioned (past)
sectioned (past participle)
sectioning (present participle)

If you section something, you divide it into parts.


subtraction

subtraction (singular)
subtractions (plural)

Subtraction is the act or operation when you subtract something.

My son is learning subtraction in grade 1 math class.

e.g., 27 – 14 = 13


most

many
more (comparative)
most (superlative)

She does the most cleaning, but the least cooking.

Bob knows the most about cooking.


most

Having the largest amount of a characteristic in a group.

You must ask yourself what is most important.

Tony is the most successful.

That is most unusual.


zero

Zero is a count of nothing. It is often written 0.

It's zero degrees.

I have zero coffee left.


zero

zero (singular)
zeros or zeroes (plural)

The symbol for the number zero, that is "0."

The new job added a zero to my pay, from $20,000 to $200,000.

A person or thing that is worth nothing.

I'm not inviting him, he's total zero.


zero

zero (canonical)
zeroes (third-person singular)
zeroed (past)
zeroed (past participle)
zeroing (present participle)

To zero is to make a small change to reset a piece of equipment.

I had to zero the counter on my tape player.

To zero in is to make small changes that bring you closer to something.

I was able to zero in on the source of bad smell in the shed.


seek

seek (canonical)
seeks (third-person singular)
sought (past)
sought (past participle)
seeking (present participle)

If you seek something, you want it and search for it.

If you are not sure if this is right for your child, then seek advice from your doctor, a child psychologist or health visitor, or from other parents.


injury

An injury is a place on a person or animal that is hurt or broken because of a cut, hit, fall, etc.

She suffered serious injuries to her face and chest in the car crash.

In law, injury also includes loss of money or bad feelings.

Our client is suing for injury arising from breach of contract.


billion

ordinal billionth) The number 1,000,000,000 (or 1,000,000,000,000 in old British usage).

In 2006, China had about 1.3 billion people.


billion

Billions of dollars have been spent on the war in Iraq.


consumer

A consumer is someone who buys or uses goods or services.

Consumer demand for large cars has dropped with the increase in gasoline prices.

Selling goods to consumers is known as retail.


brick

A brick is a small, rectangular block used for building things.


kettle

A container for boiling liquids or cooking food.

William cooked the beans in a kettle.

A container for boiling water for tea; a teakettle.

Stick the kettle on and we'll have a nice cup of tea.

The collective noun for a group of airborne hawks.


male

A person, animal, or plant that is male produces sperm or pollen. Boys and men are male people.

The male dog is usually larger than the female.

If something is male, it is of, for, or about men or boys.

The boys can change in the male change room over there.

This movie is good for a male audience.


male

A male is a person, animal, or plant that cannot have babies or eggs.

In humans males are called men or boys

Three adult males left the bank at 2:14.


operation

operation (singular)
operations (plural)

An operation is a medical process, often opening the human body.

The doctors performed the operation in three hours.

An operation is an action of a group of people working for a goal (often military).

The Army operation was a success.

An operation is part or all of a business. (often plural)

The company's East Coast operation was bigger than its West Coast operation.

An operation is a symbol that is used to perform a specific operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division) in maths.

The plus symbol is used to perform a specific operation in maths which is addition.

/ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən/

/ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/


nutshell

The shell that surrounds the kernel (the hard part in the center) of a nut

Because nutshells are very hard, it takes a lot of time to crack them open.


basketball

basketball (singular)
basketballs (plural)

A ball game with two teams of five players. A goal is scored when a player throws the ball into a net (attached to a hoop) at each end of the court.

I play on my school's basketball team.

Throw the basketball to me.


diction

Your choice of words; the style or way you speak.

The diction in this story is lively.

His diction makes it clear that he is well-educated.


beer

Beer is an alcoholic drink that is made from barley, wheat or other types of cereal grains.

We like to drink beer in the bar.


involved

involve (canonical)
involves (third-person singular)
involved (past)
involved (past participle)
involving (present participle)

The past tense and past participle of involve.

The processes involved in word recognition are rather different for spoken and printed words.


involved

involved (positive)
more involved (comparative)
most involved (superlative)

If X is involved (in Y), X does Y or is connected to Y

My teacher's very involved in politics.

If something is involved, it is complicated.

I can't explain it. It's all rather involved.


light bulb

light bulb (singular)
light bulbs (plural)

A bulb-shaped object usually made of glass and metal that gives off light when given electricity.

Jane changed the light bulb to make the room brighter.


fewest

few
fewer (comparative)
fewest (superlative)

The superlative form of few; most few. Smallest in number.

How can you say that in the fewest words?

I don't have many but you have the fewest.


portmanteau

portmanteau (singular)
portmanteaus or portmanteaux (plural)

Pokémon is a portmanteau of "pocket" and "monster".

A large case usually made of leather made of two parts.


multiplication

multiplication (singular)
multiplications (plural)

The process of multiplying numbers by each other.

We studied multiplication in grade 3.

e.g., 9 x 11 = 99

Each measurement is an average over ten multiplications.


latter

The latter half, case, etc. is the second of two.

The price of oil could reach $150 by the latter half of the decade.

We used soap rather than shampoo even though I prefer the latter. (here "latter" refers to shampoo, "former" would refer to soap)

The latter part of a period of time is the part near the end.

The Internet only became well known in the latter part of the 20th century.


in a nutshell

If an editor says something in a nutshell, he or she is putting it simply or giving a summary using few words.

The proposal was a hundred pages long, but it meant, in a nutshell, that a new park would be made.


interpretation

interpretation (singular)
interpretations (plural)

An interpretation is an attempt to understand something.

Weather forecasters use a lot of data, but the interpretation of the data is very difficult.

In our interpretation the output data in Table 2 is an acceptable variation of that in Table 1.

An interpretation is one meaning that something might have, or one way that one person understands something.

I don't think your interpretation is what the writer meant.

One interpretation of the poem "Cross" by Langston Hughes is that "Cross" symbolize the speaker's mixed race.

The hospital offers interpretation services between English and French, Spanish, and Punjabi.

An interpretation expresses an individual’s opinion about artistic work.

One interpretation of "Alive" is that people will do anything to survive.


basket

A basket is something like a bucket but with many holes like a net, made of soft sticks or grass or other long, thin material. People put things in the basket.

A basket is a net on a metal circle used in playing basketball.

A basket is a container that is used to hold items that you are wanting to purchase in a store.

She put the soup that she took off the shelf in the store into the basket.


happy

happier (comparative)
happiest (superlative)
happy (positive)
more happy (comparative)
most happy (superlative)

When you feel happy, you feel good, usually because something nice has happened.

He was happy.

A happy situation or event makes people happy.

It's such a happy day when we can be together again.

It was a happy chance that they met there.


poor

poor (positive)
poorer (comparative)
poorest (superlative)

Someone who is poor has little or no money.

He is very poor.

The painting was a poor job.

You use poor before someone's name or a pronoun when you feel bad for that person.

Tom is all alone. Poor Tom!

Oh, poor you! I can't believe that happened.

The poor are a group of people who have little or no money.

This work is to help the poor.


agreement

agreement (singular)
agreements (plural)

An agreement is where everybody has the same feelings about something; when everyone has the same ideas; saying "yes".

We have an agreement with our teacher. If we do our homework we can go home early.


gray

One of the colors people can see. It is halfway between black and white.

I like the darker color of gray.

They look out into the gray.


gray

gray (positive)
grayer (comparative)
grayest (superlative)

That is a gray whale.


gray

gray (canonical)
grays (third-person singular)
grayed (past)
grayed (past participle)
graying (present participle)

My hair is starting to gray.


construction

construction (singular)
constructions (plural)

Construction is the act of building something.

The workers began construction of the new hospital last week.

The recent downturn in the economy is causing a lot of pain in the construction industry with few new homes being built.

Construction is the way that something is made.

The stone construction of these buildings makes them very cold in the winter.

In language, a construction is a combination of form and meaning.

Spoken English doesn't use as many passive constructions as written English.

A construction is a particular way that something is understood.

In this book, the meaning of "man" is not a simple natural thing; it is a social construction.

A construction is a building, bridge, tower, model, or large piece of art.

A large and unusual construction stood just outside town.


final

final (positive)
more final (comparative)
most final (superlative)

Today is the final day to register for university.


final

Last week Brazil beat Germany in the semi-final. Tonight they play Italy in the final.


metre

One metre is a length. It is exactly 100 centimetres long.

This table is 2 metres wide.


install

install (canonical)
installs (third-person singular)
installed (past)
installed (past participle)
installing (present participle)

If you install a piece of hardward or software, you connect, set up or prepare it to be used.

I haven't installed the new operating system yet because of all the bugs.

If you install someone in an office, rank or position, you officially place them there.

He was installed as Chancellor of the University.

If you install yourself somewhere, you establish yourself there or settle in.

I installed myself in my usual chair by the fire.


consequence

consequence (singular)
consequences (plural)

A consequence is a result of an action, decision, etc., often a bad result.

As a consequence of your bad behavior, you must stay after school.

The consequences of lying to your parents are usually bad.


fewer

The comparative form of few; more few. Smaller in number.

There are fewer people here today than yesterday.

My new job has fewer hours and better pay.

I see fewer of them than I did before.

I've got fewer than you.


behavior

Behavior refers to the way that you behave. That is, the kind of things you do.

His behavior is bad.

She must improve her behavior to stay in school.

Something that you do; when you do a certain thing that is a behavior.

Cleaning is a common behavior in monkeys.


secret

Can you keep a secret?


secret

secret (positive)
more secret (comparative)
most secret (superlative)

We found her secret diary.


investment

investment (singular)
investments (plural)

Investment is the use of money, time, or effort to make a profit.

The economic Development Board, set up in 1961 to promote foreign investment in Singapore, has attracted money from around the world.

Your investment is the money, time, or effort you use to make a profit.

Often you'll have to wait for years before you can get even part of your investment back.

Buying an old laptop is a bad investment because a new technology is better.


pipe

A tube; a round, hollow piece of metal, plastic, or wood.

I will fix the pipe.

A musical instrument made of a pipe; a flute.

He plays the pipe.

He smokes a pipe.


pipe

pipe (canonical)
pipes (third-person singular)
piped (past)
piped (past participle)
piping (present participle)

He pipes the oil to his house.


dictionaries

dictionary (singular)
dictionaries (plural)

The plural form of dictionary; more than one (kind of) dictionary.

I always keep two dictionaries nearby in case I need to look up the definition of a word.


behaviour

behaviour (singular)
behaviours (plural)

Behaviour refers to the way that you behave. That is, the kind of things you do.

His behaviour is bad.

She must improve her behaviour to stay in school.

Something that you do; when you do a certain thing that is a behaviour.

Cleaning is a common behaviour in monkeys.


aspect

An aspect is a view of something, often something non-physical, such as an idea or a problem.

In Chapter 2 we look at processor size. In Chapter 3 we consider other aspects of processor design.

In English grammar, aspect is expressed as the form of a verb group showing the speaker's view of whether the situation the clause describes is complete or happens again and again.

I go and I'm going are both in the present tense, but I'm going is in the progressive aspect as well.


plow

A tool used to cut ground before planting.

An old plow was stuck in the field.


plow

plow (canonical)
plows (third-person singular)
plowed (past)
plowed (past participle)
plowing (present participle)

Aaron plowed the field in the spring.


population

population (singular)
populations (plural)

The population of a place is the people or animals that live there.

The population of a city is higher than that of a town.

The growth of population on earth may lead to much hunger.


could

can (present)
could (past)
couldn't (negative)

If you could do something, you were able to do it.

When I was younger, I could run a five-minute mile.

If you could something, but you don't know if you want to, you have the option of doing do it.

She could do her math or go to the game.


former

A former x (e.g., president, country, wife) used to be the x but is not anymore.

Former president Clinton was giving a speech at the school.

The former is the first of two things that have already been talked about.

I've taught in high school and university. The former (i.e., high school) is more exciting, but university is less stressful.


Christianity

Christianity is a religion whose followers believe that Jesus was the son of God or an important prophet of God, or believe in Jesus' ideas about what is right or wrong.

He believes in Christianity.


player

Tom watched as the players walked on to the field.

Someone who makes music on a musical instrument.

The piano player had long fingers.

An actor, in particular on a theatre stage.

The players are all on the stage.

A machine that plays music recordings or movies.

The record player is broken

This CD player was expensive.

Peter bought a DVD player yesterday.


least

little
less (comparative)
least (superlative)

She does the most cleaning, but the least cooking.

No German, least of all the East Germans, wanted Soviet troops to stay.

There are at least four problems with the idea.

Nobody works hard, but she does the least.


least

Having the smallest amount of a characteristic in a group.

People are least likely to live in the far north.

The phone always rings just when you least expect it.


least

The least is the smallest amount, importance, duration, etc.

The power is least in this case.

The least difference is still important.

He was not the least bit interested my ideas.

This accident is the least of our problems.


awake

awake (positive)
more awake (comparative)
most awake (superlative)

It was 1:00 AM and Gerard was still awake.


awake

awake (canonical)
awakes (third-person singular)
awoke (past)
awoken (past participle)
awaking (present participle)

She awoke with the dawn.

If something awakes a feeling, it makes it happen.

He awoke their resentment.


bulb

A solid object that has one large, round end and another thin end.

Can you change that bulb, please? It's broken.

The bulb-shaped part of the root of a plant.

People can buy tulip bulbs and grow them at home.


leave

leave (canonical)
leaves (third-person singular)
left (past)
left (past participle)
leaving (present participle)

When you leave a place, you go away from it.

I left the building.

Something you leave remains where it was.

Two cakes are left.


bend

bend (canonical)
bends (third-person singular)
bent (past)
bent (past participle)
bending (present participle)

To change the shape of an object so that it is not straight.

The trees were bending in the wind.


bend

There's a bend in the road up ahead.


bent

bent (positive)
more bent (comparative)
most bent (superlative)

With one part going in one direction and another part going in another direction.

Someone pushed and pulled the metal rod so much that it is now bent -- though it is not broken.


bent

The past tense and past participle of bend.


chapter

We read chapter five in the blue textbook.

A chapter is a local part of a larger organisation.

The Toronto chapter of the Red Cross is collecting blood today.


leaf

A big, flat part of a plant, often green.

The leaves turn red and yellow in the fall.

I study the leaves of the book carefully.


leaf

leaf (canonical)
leafs (third-person singular)
leafed (past)
leafed (past participle)
leafing (present participle)

She leafed through the book.

The trees leafed in early spring.


kindergarten

kindergarten (singular)
kindergartens (plural)

Kindergarten is a place (or school) where young children learn (usually for five- and six-year-olds).


evaluation

evaluation (singular)
evaluations (plural)

Evaluation is the process of making a judgement.

If a teacher doesn't know the student well, it makes the evaluation of the student's level very difficult.

After the problem was found, we began an internal evaluation of the management.

Lamont Library’s 24-hour service received a positive evaluation this past spring.


sub rosa

From the Latin word sub (meaning "under") + the ablative of rosa (meaning "rose"). Literally meaning "under a rose" or "under the rose".

He made a sub rosa attempt to steal the cake.


sub rosa

He stole the cake sub rosa.


far

He got tired after walking so far.

He lives too far from here to walk home.

Not far from here, the rivers come together.


far

farther (comparative)
farthest (superlative)
far (positive)
further (comparative)
furthest (superlative)

I saw her at the far side of the room.


far

He's not just a little bit better; he's far better.


quack

The duck went "quack quack".

That doctor is nothing but a lousy quack!


quack

quack (canonical)
quacks (third-person singular)
quacked (past)
quacked (past participle)
quacking (present participle)

The more bread I threw on the ground, the more they quacked.

Do you hear the ducks quacking?

There are ducks quacking in a farm.


dark

dark (positive)
darker (comparative)
darkest (superlative)

The cave is very dark.

If something is dark, it is scary or not pleasant.

World War II was a dark time in world history.


dark

Most humans are afraid of the dark.

Late in the day, especially after sunset.

Go and play with your friends, but be back before dark!

Darks are clothes that are not light in color.


greeting

A greeting is something you do or say when you meet someone.

He noticed Karelius, raised a hand in greeting, and dismounted to lead his horse through to the stables. A minute later he entered the bar, tapping frozen mud from his boots at the door-post. "Karelius, my dear fellow. Hope I'm not late."


greeting

greet (canonical)
greets (third-person singular)
greeted (past)
greeted (past participle)
greeting (present participle)


five

We have five toes on each foot.


five

two plus three is five.


over

Something is over when it has finished, usually referring to an event.

When the movie was over we left the movie theater.


over

He stepped over the dog.

They went over the bridge.

Eight over two is four.

If you do something over, you do it again.

That looks really bad. I think we need to do it over.

If you invite someone over, you invite them to your house.

They had him over for tea.


over

An over in a cricket match is six balls bowled from one end.

The captain told me I would have to bowl the next over.


bread

Bread is food made from mixing flour, water, and yeast.

Small children love eating bread and butter.


leaves

The plural form of leaf; more than one (kind of) leaf.

The leaves fall in autumn.


leaves

The third-person singular form of leave.

The train leaves the station at 11:00.


countries

The plural form of country; more than one (kind of) country.


fourth

The fourth thing is something that is number four (4) in order.


fourth

A fourth of something is one of four equal parts of that thing; a quarter.

Three is one fourth of twelve.


subtract

subtract (canonical)
subtracts (third-person singular)
subtracted (past)
subtracted (past participle)
subtracting (present participle)

If something is subtracted, then it is taken away from something else.

You must subtract your expenses from your income.

One of the basic operations in mathematics.


world

Our world needs to be cared for.

I love you more than anybody else in the world.

They were in their own world as they talked about trains nobody else knew about.

I wonder if there is life on other worlds.


prejudiced

prejudiced (positive)
more prejudiced (comparative)
most prejudiced (superlative)

Someone who is prejudiced has prejudice against somebody.

Sarah is the most prejudiced person I have ever met.


prejudiced

prejudice (canonical)
prejudices (third-person singular)
prejudiced (past)
prejudiced (past participle)
prejudicing (present participle)

The past tense and past participle of prejudice.


relevant

relevant (positive)
more relevant (comparative)
most relevant (superlative)

If something is relevant, it is connected to a topic in a meaningful way.

The second priority is to provide all relevant information to the employee about his job such as: skills, resources and how flexible he can be; factors affecting performance (limits of responsibility, work targets); factors affecting the environment of the job;

Our schools must aim to increase the quality of education and become more relevant to the needs of young people in modern society.

The police officers discovered the truth while examining a pile of relevant documents.


story

A story is a piece of text that tells someone who reads it about a real or fictional (made up) event.

This story is about a little girl who is eaten by a wolf.

The film is based on a true story.

Mother told me to stop telling stories.

A story is a floor or level in a building.

My room is five stories up.


anaesthetic

anaesthetic (singular)
anaesthetics (plural)

An anaesthetic is a gas that is used by a doctor or nurse to make a person feel no pain or to put a person to sleep.

They used an anaesthetic on him before performing the surgery.

/ˌænəsˈθɛtɪk/


such

Such a person or thing is that same kind that was mentioned before.

There are times when the father is unknown. One such case happened recently. (= "when the father is unknown")

A good teacher can usually be recognized as such. (= "as a good teacher")

You use such as or such ... as to give one or more examples.

We always had pets, such as cats, dogs, and birds.

This includes such costs as bus tickets, groceries, and restaurant meals.

You use such to emphasize a description.

My son had a party. You've never seen such a nice group of kids.


evaluate

evaluate (canonical)
evaluates (third-person singular)
evaluated (past)
evaluated (past participle)
evaluating (present participle)

If you evaluate someone or something, you judge it.

It is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of the LINK programme, but we believe it has been useful.


labour

Labour is the work that people do, usually lifting, moving, building, etc. rather than desk work.

The cost of labour is higher than the cost of building materials.

Labour is the people who do this kind of work.

There's a big labour shortage in the construction industry.

Labour is the name of a big political party in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

Labour won the election.


labour

labour (canonical)
labours (third-person singular)
laboured (past)
laboured (past participle)
labouring (present participle)

He laboured over the food all afternoon to get ready for dinner.

If you labour the point, you keep talking about it after people understand it well.


attack

attack (canonical)
attacks (third-person singular)
attacked (past)
attacked (past participle)
attacking (present participle)

To try to destroy, especially with words.


attack

An attack is the act of trying to hurt somebody or break something.


more

many
much
more (comparative)
most (superlative)

He does more work than I do.

A lot more than twenty people came to the meeting.

You can have a little more money.

More than one glass was broken.

I want more soup.


more

If something is more likely, common, difficult, etc. than something else, it is likelier, commoner, harder, etc.

It's more likely to cool at night.

He runs more quickly than his brother.


if

If it rains, I will get wet.

I'd prefer it if you took your shoes off.

He was a great friend, if a little strange.

When ... occurs (a programming statement).

If A, then B, else C.


if

If is used to report questions and things that are unknown.

She asked if they had arrived yet.

I don't know if I want to go or not.

It doesn't matter if you have money or not.


if

There are many ifs we need to consider before we start on the plan.


amount

A total of things; a measure of how much.

Pour a small amount of water into the dish.


amount

amount (canonical)
amounts (third-person singular)
amounted (past)
amounted (past participle)
amounting (present participle)

What will your life amount to? Will you become successful?


new

new (positive)
newer (comparative)
newest (superlative)

They had a new car.

In 1900, the idea was very new.

If somebody is new, they are not experienced.

They hired a new worker.


brake

The part of an object that makes it slow down.

The crash was caused by the car's brakes failing.


brake

brake (canonical)
brakes (third-person singular)
braked (past)
braked (past participle)
braking (present participle)

To make an object slow down using brakes.

Jimmy braked to avoid hitting the cat.


boiling

boil (canonical)
boils (third-person singular)
boiled (past)
boiled (past participle)
boiling (present participle)


boot

I love my special hiking boots.

He put his shopping bags in the boot.


boot

boot (canonical)
boots (third-person singular)
booted (past)
booted (past participle)
booting (present participle)

If you boot someone, you force somebody to leave someplace.

Billy got booted off of the train after the captain found out that he had no ticket.


hunger

Hunger is the feeling when wanting food when your stomach is empty.

When I have hunger then I want to have some food.

He suffered from hunger and thirst.

Even after the war, people are dying of poverty and hunger.


late

late (positive)
later (comparative)
latest (superlative)

An event is late if it happens after a specified time.

He was late to his appointment.

If something is late in a period of time, it is towards the end of that time.

You come in the late afternoon.

It was a late meeting.

A late relative, president, colleague, etc is dead.

I loved my late husband.


late

He came five minutes late.

We stayed late and went home in the dark.


add

add (canonical)
adds (third-person singular)
added (past)
added (past participle)
adding (present participle)

If you add x to y, you put x and y together.

Cook for five minutes, then add the remaining spices to the soup.

If you add time, or price, you increase it.

A new kitchen would add value to the home.

We need to add five more waiters by next week.

If you add something to what you've said, you say something more.

I paused for a moment, then added, "Would you mind if I had some pudding?"


stole

steal (canonical)
steals (third-person singular)
stole (past)
stolen (past participle)
stealing (present participle)

The burglar stole the painting.


stole

A stole is a piece of clothing that is worn over robes in churches.

A stole is a piece of clothing that is like a scarf and is often made of fur.


trumpet

A trumpet is a metal instrument that makes noise when you blow into it. The person playing the trumpet can press different buttons to change the musical note that is being played.


trumpet

trumpet (canonical)
trumpets (third-person singular)
trumpeted (past)
trumpeted (past participle)
trumpeting (present participle)

When you trumpet something, usually something you are proud of, you tell everyone about it.

When an elephant trumpets, it makes a loud sound.


sought

seek (canonical)
seeks (third-person singular)
sought (past)
sought (past participle)
seeking (present participle)

The past tense and past participle of seek.

When she ran into problems, Pam sought advice from an expert.


jump

jump (canonical)
jumps (third-person singular)
jumped (past)
jumped (past participle)
jumping (present participle)

If you jump, you leave the ground completely.

He jumped for joy.

She jumped to her death from the bridge.

The children jumped the water to get to the other side.

If you jump something, you make it leave the ground.

He loved jumping his bicycle.

If you jump, you move suddenly because you are surprised.

I scared her and she jumped.

If you jumpstart a car, you use the battery power from another car.

We used his car to jump ours.


jump

A jump is a movement from the ground to the air.

She took a run before the big jump over the water.

He went off the jump at full speed.

A jump is a jolt or shock used to start a car.

He used his car to give me a jump.

A jump is a sudden movement of surprise.

It seems I surprised her, because she gave a little jump.


argument

When two or more people are discussing an idea that they do not agree on, they are having an argument. Often arguments are loud or angry.

I thought we should buy the red car. She thought we should buy the blue car. We had an argument about it.

An argument can be the reasons behind an idea.

An argument for buying a red car is that it would look cooler than a blue one.

An argument is an element that is assigned a semantic role in a proposition.

An argument is the independent variable of a function.


steal

If you steal, you take somebody's money or things without their permission.

The thief stole the diamond ring.

If you steal a base you run to it before the ball was hit.


steal

A steal is a good deal. It is when you pay so little money you almost did not pay.

At just $2 each these T-shirts as a real steal.

A steal is when someone runs to a base before the ball is hit.


prejudice

prejudice (singular)
prejudices (plural)

an unreasonable hatred for a group, usually a race or a religion, etc.

John had prejudice against Muslims.

a belief, usually negative, that you have about something, before you know that it is actually right

an idea or preference you have towards something before you actually experience the thing


prejudice

prejudice (canonical)
prejudices (third-person singular)
prejudiced (past)
prejudiced (past participle)
prejudicing (present participle)

Prejudicing means to cause a prejudice or to commit prejudiced judgement.


Muslim

Muhammad is a Muslim.


Muslim

There are several Muslim beliefs.


bright

bright (positive)
brighter (comparative)
brightest (superlative)

If something is bright it gives out or fills with much light.

The sun is very bright during summer.

The bright room had a lot of windows.

A person who is bright is clever and intelligent.

Tom is a bright child.


dust

Dust is a thin powder that can be seen in the air or on a surface.

The old building was filled with dust.


dust

dust (canonical)
dusts (third-person singular)
dusted (past)
dusted (past participle)
dusting (present participle)

If you dust something, you remove dust from it.

Sally dusted her house to prepare it for a party.


near

The end is near.

She lives near me.

The house is near the beach.


near

near (positive)
nearer (comparative)
nearest (superlative)

It was a near miss, but the car didn't hit us.

The nearest thing to me is my family.

We'll be meeting again in the near future.


near

near (canonical)
nears (third-person singular)
neared (past)
neared (past participle)
nearing (present participle)

We neared the beach.


usual

usual (positive)
more usual (comparative)
most usual (superlative)

It is usual for me to read the newspaper in the morning.


text

Text is written language (often academic).

The text is OK, but we need to change the graphics before we publish.

You can see the text of what they are saying there at the bottom of the screen.

A text is a textbook (American English).

Did you buy the text for the accounting course?

I'll give you a text on your phone about tonight's concert.


text

text (canonical)
texts (third-person singular)
texted (past)
texted (past participle)
texting (present participle)

If you text someone, you send them a text message on their cell phone.

Will you text me tomorrow?


acid

An acid is a liquid with a high number of hydrogen ions in it that can burn things.

Fruit often has a little acid in it.

The acid burned the table.

Acids taste sour but bases taste bitter.


acid

acid (positive)
more acid (comparative)
most acid (superlative)

If something is acid, it is like an acid, from an acid, or acidic.

The factories nearby have made the lake more acid.

If something has an acid taste, it is sour.

If something said or done to you was acid, it was hurtful.

Their acid comments are painful.


approach

approach (canonical)
approaches (third-person singular)
approached (past)
approached (past participle)
approaching (present participle)

If you approach something, you move closer to it.

We're now approaching the last bus stop. Please move towards the door.

It's now approaching six o'clock. When you hear the beep, it will be exactly six o'clock.

If you approach a problem, or a job you try to deal with it.

We've got a difficult situation here, and I'm not sure how to approach it.


approach

An approach is a way of doing something.

We need children and adults to take a proactive approach to reducing gun violence.

Most students benefit from a hands-on approach to learning.

He had an innovative approach to solving mechanical problems.

All of those things together provide a balanced approach that will get the economy this moving again.

The president appears to have adopted this new approach.

Research has emphasized a family-based approach to coping with the illness.

Such programs employ a one-on-one approach where parents work with the doctor.

But many economists advocate a far simpler approach.

Private and public schools differ in their approaches to students.

We found a need for additional study before implementing this approach.

An approach is movement towards something.

And he made a cautious approach to the boat.

An approach is the road or path that leads to a place.

There were cameras on all approaches to the house.


might

may (present)
might (past)
mightn't (negative)

Used to show possible actions. If you might do something, it is possible that you will do it. If something might happen, it is possible that it will happen.

I might go to the party, but I haven't decided yet.


might

The power, strength, force or influence of a person or group.


oil

Oil is a liquid that is burned to create heat or used in machines to make them run well.

Gas and oil are essential to running a car.

Oil is a liquid made of fat that is used for cooking.

Cook the potatoes in oil.


oil

oil (canonical)
oils (third-person singular)
oiled (past)
oiled (past participle)
oiling (present participle)

If you oil something, you put clear oil on a machine to make it run well.

She oiled the parts of the gun.


boil

boil (canonical)
boils (third-person singular)
boiled (past)
boiled (past participle)
boiling (present participle)

To get to a temperature that a liquid lets out bubbles and gas at.

Water boils at 100°C.

Anne boiled the water in the kettle.


boil

If you bring something to a boil, you heat it to 100 °C.

A swelling on the skin that is filled with pus.

Lots of boils started appearing on his skin.


attempt

An attempt is a try at something, usually something difficult

It's broken and no attempt has been made to fix it.


attempt

attempt (canonical)
attempts (third-person singular)
attempted (past)
attempted (past participle)
attempting (present participle)

If you get something in your eye, do not attempt to remove it yourself.


brush

A brush is a tool with many thin pieces of plastic to smooth hair and wool.


brush

brush (canonical)
brushes (third-person singular)
brushed (past)
brushed (past participle)
brushing (present participle)

If you brush something, you clean it with a brush.

I forgot to brush my teeth before going to bed.


but

You use but to join two ideas and show that they are not the same.

I would take you there, but I do not have my car.

The changes were small but important.

"Do you speak French?" "No, but I speak Spanish."

It says this not in words but in pictures.

I understand. And I'm sorry. But there is nothing I can do about it now.

And that's important, but another thing that has changed is the location.


but

He ate everything but the meat.

Any day but tomorrow would be fine.

I forgot my bag. I guess there's nothing to do but go back.

There are very few rules of grammar but have exceptions.

I had no choice but to sign the contract.

There is no one but is interested in it.


but

There is but one sun and one earth to live on.


quite

The dog was quite little.

She was quite good to me.

The evening was quite dark and I saw a small frog jump across the road.


quite

"Is the answer correct?" "Quite!"


iron

An element with the symbol Fe and the atomic number 26.

A way to melt iron at very high temperatures to make steel was developed in Sri Lanka in 300 BC.

About 20% of women have low levels of iron in their blood.

An object that has iron in it is attracted to magnets.

That door is made of iron.

A tool which uses heat to remove wrinkles from cloth.

She used the iron on her skirt.


iron

iron (canonical)
irons (third-person singular)
ironed (past)
ironed (past participle)
ironing (present participle)

He irons his shirts.


stomach

The place in the body where food is digested.


stomach

stomach (canonical)
stomachs (third-person singular)
stomached (past)
stomached (past participle)
stomaching (present participle)

To be able to tolerate something emotionally, physically, or mentally; to be able to stand or handle something.

I really can’t stomach jobs involving that much paperwork, but some people seem to tolerate them.

I can't stomach her cooking.


paint

Paint is a liquid used to colour something

There were all sorts of paints at the shop – green, red, and blue.

Sarah used pink paint to decorate the wall.


paint

paint (canonical)
paints (third-person singular)
painted (past)
painted (past participle)
painting (present participle)

John painted the wall brown.

The child painted a picture of a flower.


tax

The city is raising taxes again.


tax

tax (canonical)
taxes (third-person singular)
taxed (past)
taxed (past participle)
taxing (present participle)

If you tax someone, you make them pay a tax.

Some people say governments tax poor people too much.

If an activity is taxing, it causes difficulty or makes you tired.


land

Land is the part of the Earth that is not water

The Earth is 70% water, and 30% land.

Land is an area of ground that can be used for farming, making buildings, etc.

All this land belongs to me.


land

land (canonical)
lands (third-person singular)
landed (past)
landed (past participle)
landing (present participle)

When you land, you fall onto the ground.

He jumped off the wall and landed on his feet.

When an airplane lands, it comes down from the air onto the ground.

The plane landed in Chicago.

When you land an airplane, you use the controls to bring it down on the ground.

The pilot landed the big plane.


band

A band is a group of people working together]

Those in the army who fought closely together in the war were called a band of brothers.

A band is a group of people who play different instruments together. It can be of any size.

The band played loud music.

A band is piece of material, often metal, with the shape of a circle.

A band was placed around the box to prevent it from breaking open.

The man gave his wife a band of gold at the wedding.


band

band (canonical)
bands (third-person singular)
banded (past)
banded (past participle)
banding (present participle)

To band together is to get together in a group.

The friends banded together in school.


cake

Natasha's mum baked her a cake for her birthday.

Would you like some cake for dessert?

A cake is a food that is made into a flat, usually round, shape.

At that time of year, we make small Japanese rice cakes called mochi.

A cake of soap or ice, is a hard piece of it.

He took a cake of soap and started to wash.

If something is a piece of cake, it's very easy.

Yesterday's test was a piece of cake. I got twenty out of twenty.


cake

cake (canonical)
cakes (third-person singular)
caked (past)
caked (past participle)
caking (present participle)

If something is caked, then it is coated with a layer of some material.

His shoes are caked with mud.


branch

A part of a tree that grows out from the trunk (center).

Sally scraped her arm on a branch when she fell out of a tree.

A part of something that acts like a branch does to its tree.

The study of electricity is a branch of physics.

One of a series of shops that are owned by the same company in business.

McDonalds has many branches spread throughout the country.


branch

branch (canonical)
branches (third-person singular)
branched (past)
branched (past participle)
branching (present participle)

:
 This short section needs someone to add to it.


rock

A hard substance that forms naturally in the Earth's surface.

A form of music often played with guitars and drums.

Rock music had direct influences from blues and rhythm and blues.


rock

rock (canonical)
rocks (third-person singular)
rocked (past)
rocked (past participle)
rocking (present participle)

The boat rocked in the strong wind.


broken

broken (positive)
more broken (comparative)
most broken (superlative)

Something that is broken is not as it should be because it has been damaged or injured

The broken cup lay in pieces on the floor.

After the crash his arm seemed broken.

A broken stone is apart(in more than one piece).

If something in a game, such as a gun, is broken, it is overpowered


broken

break (canonical)
breaks (third-person singular)
broke (past)
broken (past participle)
breaking (present participle)

The cup was broken when it fell to the floor.

His arm was broken during the crash.

If my computer hadn't broken, I would have had money to go to the concert instead of paying to get it fixed.


equal

equal (positive)
more equal (comparative)
most equal (superlative)

If two things are equal, they are the same in shape, size, or number.

The number of people inside of the store is equal to the number of people outside of the store.


equal

Someone who has the same rights as somebody else.

I'm your teacher, not your equal.


equal

equal (canonical)
equals (third-person singular)
equaled (past)
equaled (past participle)
equaling (present participle)

If x equals y, x and y have the same value.

Two plus two equals four.


Christian

Christian (singular)
Christians (plural)

A Christian is a person who believes in salvation from sin through Jesus of Nazareth, called Jesus Christ or Jesus the Christ.

He is a conservative Christian.

To some religions, a Christian is someone who has a certain spiritual way of being. This is said to be from being spiritually born with the help of Jesus Christ. This is someone who has been saved from sin.

The Baptist preacher said that most Baptists are not really Christians.


Christian

Hans Christian Andersen is famous for writing books of fairy tales.


Christian

If you are Christian then you are a Christian. (See noun above.)

Yes, she is Christian.

If something is Christian, it has to do with Christianity.

Being saved from sin by Christ is a Christian idea.

Christmas is a Christian holiday.

They went to a Christian church.

If something you do is Christian it something Christians are supposed to do.

The way you forgave them was very Christian.

It is not Christian to steal from people.


answer

An answer is something that someone says after another person asks (says) a question.

The answer to your question is "no".

Question: "How old are you?"

Answer: "I'm 12 years old."

I found the answer to the mathematics exercise immediately.


answer

answer (canonical)
answers (third-person singular)
answered (past)
answered (past participle)
answering (present participle)

He answers all my questions.


field

A field is an open area of land that can be used for many different things, from sports to crop-growing.

He was an expert in the field of American history.


field

field (canonical)
fields (third-person singular)
fielded (past)
fielded (past participle)
fielding (present participle)

If you field something, you answer it; you address it.

If you field the team, you place them in the game.


would

Would is used to show your past plan or decision.

He said he would be seeing Mr Moi in Bonn on Monday.

Would is used to show that in the past you expected something to happen.

It would soon be time to go home, but I didn't want to leave.

It looked like it would rain soon.

Would is used to show that something happened regularly in the past but not now.

Every summer we would go to the lake for a few weeks.

When I was in Ottawa, the snow would be so deep you couldn't walk.

Would is used to talk about unreal, unlikely, or conditional situations.

You wouldn't like it if you had to see it every day.

If I could choose I would go to bed at about two o'clock in the morning.

I think if he wanted you he would have come to you, don't you?

"Y equals 5x. If x equals two, what would Y be?" "Y would be ten."

Would is used to ask politely for something.

Would you please explain that to me?

Would you mind if I had a party while you were away?

Would is used to offer something politely.

Would you like to go out for lunch then?

Would you have some bread?

I would go back and talk to him about it.

Would is used to show that something is typical, usually when you are unhappy about it. In this case, it's always stressed.

He would come just when we were leaving.


man

He was a young man with blue eyes.

God cares for all races and all man

God made man in his own image

Scientists and biologists think that man and animals evolved over the years, and that man evolved from a "human" species such as "homo erectus" or "neanderthals" and that man first stood up, millions of years ago, but this isn't true


man

You use man to show your surprise or disappointment.

Oh man, I wanted to do the dishes!


man

man (canonical)
mans (third-person singular)
manned (past)
manned (past participle)
manning (present participle)

If something is manned, it has people to look after it.

The ship was manned with a small crew.

If you man something, you take up position to operate it.

Man the machine guns!


bit

A bit is an amount, usually a small amount.

There's quite a bit of money. Where did it all come from?

There was a little bit of blood when she brushed her teeth.

Her mouth opened just a tiny bit.

I'm a little bit nervous.

She saw the shop a bit farther up the road.

She slowed down a little and then a bit more until someone saw her.

I see him quite a bit.

At the second practice, I was a little bit more ready.

He felt quite a bit older.

Try not to have bits of cake on the floor when you eat.

He listened to her as Mary told bits and pieces of her story.

Scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot.

The car was blown to bits by the bomb.

I'm going to relax for a bit.

A bit is the amount of information coded by a 1 or a 0 in a computer.

Even the best 24-bit scanners suffer from noise.

A bit is a sharp tool that spins to make holes.

Drill a hole slightly smaller than your hook with a 1/16-inch drill bit.

Slide the router bit into the slot, turn on the motor and guide the tool along the jig.

A bit is a metal bar that people put in a horse's mouth to control it.


bit

bite (canonical)
bites (third-person singular)
bit (past)
bitten (past participle)
biting (present participle)


indicate

indicate (canonical)
indicates (third-person singular)
indicated (past)
indicated (past participle)
indicating (present participle)

If someone indicates something, they point it out or they point to it; they bring your attention to something.

Brian indicated to his girlfriend the restaurant they were going to on the map.

He indicated on the map how to get to the police station.

If someone indicates something, they show signs of something; they show it.

A driver has to turn on the signal in order to indicated that he will turn right.

The shaking of his body indicated to the audience that he was nervous about performing in front of them.

Jake's nervous expression on his face indicated that he knew more about the topic than he said already.

If something indicates something, it shows it through measurements; it makes something known.

The turn signal indicates that a driver will turn.

The thermostat on the wall indicates that the air conditioning is on in the house.

Dark clouds indicate rain is coming.

If someone indicate something, they express it, usually in a short or general way; they signal it.

Hailey indicated that she was sick to her friends, but would not say any more about it.

If a symptom indicates something, it points out a remedy that would help to cure that symptom.


rest

You need to take a rest.

A mark in music showing counts that are not played.

That quarter-note is followed by three rests.

I will take the rest of the money.

You need rest.

A rest is a place where you can put something, often your arm.


rest

rest (canonical)
rests (third-person singular)
rested (past)
rested (past participle)
resting (present participle)

He rested for five minutes.

The statue rests on the mantle.

He rested his foot on the stair.

The baby is resting.

Rest in peace.

She is resting in Jesus.

Karen rests in a tomb.


burn

burned (past)
burned (past participle)
burn (canonical)
burns (third-person singular)
burnt (past)
burnt (past participle)
burning (present participle)

If something has been cooked too much, then it is burned.

Mother burned the pie when she forgot that it was cooking in the oven.

When part of your body is injured because of the heat, then it has been burned.

If you touch a hot pan of water, you can burn yourself.

The house next door is burning.

A person is burned if someone else successfully insults him.


burn

A burn is an injury caused when you burn yourself.

The burn on my arm hurts.


nose

The part of the face that sticks out and is used for breathing and smelling things.

His nose is very big.


nose

nose (canonical)
noses (third-person singular)
nosed (past)
nosed (past participle)
nosing (present participle)

The ship nosed through the minefield.

She was nosing around other people’s business.

If you nose something, you push it with your nose.


first

Happening or coming before all other similar things or people.

I don't like the job much at first.

She always puts her children first.

I have no older brothers. I was the first child.

Your first duty is to your family.


first

She regarded herself, first and last, as a musician.

He does a little teaching, but first and foremost he's a writer.

First (of all), I should say that we're happy to see you all here today.

First off, let's see how much it'll cost.

He was the fastest in class and usually finished everything first.

I first went to Japan in 1994.

When we were first married, everything was wonderful.


first

A first is something that has not happened before.

A dog walking on stilts? Well, that is a first.


by

The mailbox is by the bus stop.

Be back by ten o'clock!

if something is done by somebody, it is done through their action

The matter was decided by the chairman.

The boat was swamped by the water.

He was protected by his body armour.

if something is created by somebody, they are the creator, author, etc.

There are many well-known plays by William Shakespeare.

I avoided the guards by moving only when they weren't looking.

I sorted the items by category.

with a change of. In this case, by shows how much something has changed.

Our stock is up by ten percent.

shows how slowly, or how quickly, someone does something (used in the form "X by X" or "by Xs")

We went through the book page by page.

We crawled forward by inches.

When measuring the width and depth of something, by is used between the lengths of the two sides.

The window is 45 cm by 60 cm.

If you multiply x by y, you multiply x × y.

Five multiplied by seven is 35.

If you divide x by y, you find how many ys are in x.

35 divided by seven is five.


request

A request the act of asking for something (sometimes in a formal way).

We didn't hear his request that we be quiet.


request

request (canonical)
requests (third-person singular)
requested (past)
requested (past participle)
requesting (present participle)

If you request something, you ask somebody to do something or to give you something.

He requested your presence.


function

Something or someone's function is its purpose or its job.

The army sometimes performs a policing function.

I met Sylvia at a church function last week.

If X is a function of Y, then X exists because of or is affected by Y

The speed of the computer is a function of its main processor.

When you see, Y=f(X), you read it, "Y is a function of X". Here the value of Y depends on the value assigned to the variable X.


function

function (canonical)
functions (third-person singular)
functioned (past)
functioned (past participle)
functioning (present participle)

If something is functioning, it is working and is not completely broken.

Her heart stopped, but her brain continued to function.

If something functions as X, it does the job of X.

In this sentence, "sentence" functions as the subject.


positive

positive (positive)
more positive (comparative)
most positive (superlative)

If something is positive, it is good, happy, or wanted.

A balanced diet, exercise, and a positive attitude are all things that give you a sense of well being.

After using the new skin cream for four weeks, most women showed positive results, reporting that their skin felt smoother and softer and looked better.

The changes in the prices were all positive.

If you are positive about something, you are sure that you are not mistaken.

The guard at Euston was positive that on that particular day he had locked the door.

If a test result is positive, the test found what it was testing for.

I'm sorry, the HIV test is positive.

A positive electrical charge is one carried by a proton.

Attach the wire to the positive pole of the battery.

A positive number or value is more than zero.

A positive number multiplied by a negative number results in a negative.

The Kelvin scale of temperature is absolute since only positive temperatures are possible.

A positive symptom is one where something is there that should not be. Usually this is for schizophrenia.

His positive symptoms included hearing voices of people that were not there.

Based on something being there or being true, in some other way.

I tie-bleached my shirt to make a negative image, then tie-dyed it to add a positive image.

There were negative rules, telling us what not to do, as well as positive ones telling us what to do.


positive

A positive is a good thing or part of something.

It's been a bad week, but at least the sun is one positive.


institute

institute (singular)
institutes (plural)

An institute is an organisation such as a school or hospital that does teaching or research.

This is the conclusion of the National Institute of Economic & Social Research and London Business School.

William Wallace is deputy director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

An institute is an organization that has a particular purpose such such as scientific or educational work, or the building is based Or to introduce or start a system, rule, legal process etc..

I think that the new WWW rule should not be Instituted because the old program provided a great opportunity for students to lean about other nation's culture, religion, and to socialize and appreciate the people.

An institute is an important system of organization in society that has existed for a long time.


institute

institute (canonical)
institutes (third-person singular)
instituted (past)
instituted (past participle)
instituting (present participle)

He instituted the new policy of having children walk through a metal detector to enter school.

We have no choice but to institute court proceedings against the airline.


bath

A long, high basin that you put water in and go in to wash your body.

Jane put in water up to the top of the bath.

George takes a bath every day.


bath

bath (canonical)
baths (third-person singular)
bathed (past)
bathed (past participle)
bathing (present participle)

When you bath someone, you wash them in a bath.


own

If something is your own it belongs to you or is about you (often used for emphasis).

I wish I had my own home.

I bought it in my own name.

The toy began to move as though it had a life of its own.

accidents happen, and often in your very own home.

If you are on your own, you are by yourself, there is no body else with you. This can also mean there is no one helping you.

I was on my own in the woods.

If you try to do that you're on your own - or at least I won't help you!


own

own (canonical)
owns (third-person singular)
owned (past)
owned (past participle)
owning (present participle)

If you own something it belongs to you, it is yours.

Yes, I own a car.

I plan to build a house on the land I own.

If you "own up" to something, you admit you did it.

I had to own up to lying about our relationship.


parallel

When a line is parallel to another line, the two lines do not meet and they are the same distance from each other at every point.

The two cars ran parallel to each other.

trains run along parallel rails.


parallel

I see a parallel between John and Beth – they both like to play with toy cars.


parallel

paralleled (past)
paralleled (past participle)
paralleling (present participle)
parallel (canonical)
parallels (third-person singular)
parallelled (past)
parallelled (past participle)
parallelling (present participle)

John parallels Beth when he plays with toy cars.

To be the same distant apart from each other at every point.

Line A parallels line B.


up

The flag is up.

The balloon went up.

If a task or result is up to you, it means you are in charge of deciding or doing it.

The outcome of the game is up to the players.

It is up to you to choose the restaurant for dinner .

If you are up to something, you are doing or planning it.

What are you up to this evening?

We had better make sure he's not up to something stupid again.

She's always up to some kind of trouble.


up

It was an up day.

He is feeling up.

What’s up?

They act like something is up.

Something is up with him.

It is all up with them.


up

Life has its ups and downs.


up

up (canonical)
ups (third-person singular)
upped (past)
upped (past participle)
upping (present participle)

We upped the dosage.


country

A land that is controlled by a government.

Russia is the largest country in the world.

Places outside or far from cities; the type of place where farms are. The countryside.

We live way out in the country.

I come from the country, so I don't like the busy city.

You're in Nascar country now.

We're away from civilization and in God's country.

A kind of (mostly American) music started by people who lived far from cities. Short for country music.

I've been listening to a lot of country this month.


country

country (positive)
more country (comparative)
most country (superlative)

We were driving down a country road, with trees all around.

Typical of farms or places away from cities. Typical of country people.

His way seeing the world is so country.

Her appartment looks very country.

Chewing tobacco is a such a country thing to do.

I love country cooking, especially fried chicken.


second

The second thing is the one that is number two (2) in order.

I only have one older brothers and one younger brother. I'm the second child.


second

A second is 1/60 of a minute. Sixty seconds is one minute.

The winner won the race by five seconds.


second

second (canonical)
seconds (third-person singular)
seconded (past)
seconded (past participle)
seconding (present participle)

If you second a nomination, you support it and it will be voted.

So moved. Do we have a second?


calm

calm (positive)
calmer (comparative)
calmest (superlative)

If a person, place or situation is calm, it is peaceful and quiet.

There's no wind and the lake is calm.

I was angry a minute ago, but now I am calm.


calm

I felt a calm come over me.

The calm before a storm.


calm

calm (canonical)
calms (third-person singular)
calmed (past)
calmed (past participle)
calming (present participle)

He was yelling and running around but I calmed him.

The lake calmed after the storm.


number

A symbol that that is used to describe quantity; a numeral.

2, 5589, and 0 are all numbers.

She has a number of dictionaries--four or five, I think.

A musical, theatrical, or literary selection or production.

She chose a number from "Swan Lake" for her dance recital.


number

number (canonical)
numbers (third-person singular)
numbered (past)
numbered (past participle)
numbering (present participle)

Number the baskets so that we can find them easily.

I don’t know how many books are in the library, but they must number in the thousands.


number

numb (positive)
number (comparative)
numbest (superlative)

The comparative form of numb; more numb.

My hand feels number than it did before.


bathing

bath (canonical)
baths (third-person singular)
bathe (canonical)
bathes (third-person singular)
bathed (past)
bathed (past participle)
bathing (present participle)

She was bathing the baby.

Bathing is common in the West Sea.

This basin is useful for bathing.

/ˈbeɪˌðɪŋ(ɡ)/


business

Business is the buying and selling of things or services.

I am in the business of catching fish and selling them.

The tax changes will be hard for small business.

It's difficult to learn good business practices on your own.

The company is a leader in the banking business.

A business is a group that does business; a company.

Many businesses use computers.

Darren became half owner of the family business.

He was a silent partner in the printing business.

It was the perfect place for a start-up business.

Business is the things that you have to do.

They went on with business as usual.

We have one more piece of unfinished business to look at before we leave.


primary

Primary education covers infant schooling from the ages of 5–7 or 8, then junior schooling concluding at the ages of 10 or 11.

Most patients are managed in primary care but the vast majority of research publications derive from hospitals.

The company had shops in buildings whose primary purpose was as office space.

The primary colors are red, blue, and yellow.


primary

A primary is a kind of election held by a political party to choose the people it prefers for public office.

Arlen Specter defeated Pat Toomey in the Republican primary election for U.S. Senate.

Primary means the first grade in an elementary school.

Primary means a base, something that is irreducible.


use

use (canonical)
uses (third-person singular)
used (past)
used (past participle)
using (present participle)

I use oil to cook.

This hammer is used to hit the nails.

To treat as unimportant, abuse; used about people.

She only uses him to do the house chores.


use

A way to apply something; an application.

They put it to good use.

This battery will last for 2000 uses.


change

change (canonical)
changes (third-person singular)
changed (past)
changed (past participle)
changing (present participle)

If you change something, you make it different than before.

Ellen changed the sentence so that it was correct.


change

A change is when something becomes different.

The building plan required some small changes.

When you get change for a bill, you get smaller bills or coins that equal the amount of the original bill. For example, if you get change for a $5 bill, you may get five $1 bills or you may get four $1 bills and coins that add up to $1 or you may get some other combination of bills and coins.

Can I get change for this $100 bill please?

I brought a change of clothes, just in case.


site

He was working on a building site in Alton when a concrete mixer rolled back and hit him.


site

site (canonical)
sites (third-person singular)
sited (past)
sited (past participle)
siting (present participle)

If something is sited somewhere, it was put or built there.

The house is sited on the corner of Portland Street and Langham Street.


regular

regular (positive)
more regular (comparative)
most regular (superlative)

A regular event repeats after a similar amount of time or space.

The best way to keep everyone happy is to have regular meetings.

I call home on a regular basis.

She lost all that weight through regular exercise.

He rested at regular intervals throughout the day.

The staff knows all the regular customers.

There are rest stops at regular intervals along the trail.

The colors were arranged in a regular pattern.

A regular thing is the usual or common one, not special or different.

They met at their regular time.

These special students are in regular education classrooms but need extra help.

This is the last regular-season game before the playoffs.

Maybe if he acted more like regular people, he wouldn't have these problems.

I don’t like regular flavor.

A regular coffee or "coffee, regular" usually means with one milk and one sugar, but it means different things in different places.

Regular gasoline has an octane rating between 85 and 88.

The price of regular gas went up about 5 cents a litre over the weekend.

A regular word follows the normal rules for marking tense, number, etc.

In English, jump is a regular verb because it's past tense is -ed, but go is irregular.

A regular shape has all angles and all sides equal.

A stop sign is a regular octagon.

If someone is regular, they defecate or menstruate at predictable times.

You say X is a regular Y, to suggest that X is very much like Y in some important way, even though X is not actually Y.

He's a regular jackass. (he's foolish)

She's a regular Sherlock Holmes. (she's good at solving mysteries)

According to his wife, he's a regular Olympian at the little games they play. (he wins all the games)


regular

A regular is a customer who comes often.

He is a regular at the restaurant. He comes every day after work.


account

An account is an arrangement with a bank or other company to do business.

I opened a bank account when I moved into town.

The internet company cancelled my e-mail account.

The records of the money that is paid or received. (often plural)

The accounts show that your bill has already been paid.

The account that he gave didn't match the story that was in the newspaper.

If you take something into account, you think about it when you decide something.

Effective leaders have to take account of everyone's feelings.


account

account (canonical)
accounts (third-person singular)
accounted (past)
accounted (past participle)
accounting (present participle)

If x accounts for some part of y, x makes up that part of y.

Payments to employees account for 73% of our budget.

If x accounts for y, it explains why y happens or exists.

Oh, she was sick. Well, that accounts for her poor test score.


canvasses

canvas (singular)
canvasses or canvases (plural)

The plural form of canvas; more than one (kind of) canvas.

Many canvasses lined the wall.


canvasses

canvass (canonical)
canvasses (third-person singular)
canvassed (past)
canvassed (past participle)
canvassing (present participle)

The third-person singular form of canvass.


sail

A sail is a large piece of fabric (cloth) to catch wind, used on a boat or a ship.

They folded the sail.


sail

sail (canonical)
sails (third-person singular)
sailed (past)
sailed (past participle)
sailing (present participle)

If you sail, you move by catching the wind, usually by ship on water.

They sail around the world every year in their boat.

If you sail, you travel on a boat or ship.

We sailed across the Atlantic to reach Spain.

We sailed the ship to the east of the island.


box

A box is a square container, usually with four sides, a top and a bottom.

We had big cardboard boxes filled with the stuff.

I gave my seat to an old woman with a chicken in a wooden box.

It was always fun to open my lunch box and see what my mom had packed.

Jack Ferguson found a box containing his son's personal papers,

After the party, there were empty pizza boxes everywhere.

UPS had delivered a stack of boxes.

The address was a local post office box, not a physical address.

My cell phone was in the glove box of the car.

A box is a square area with lines around it in a magazine, book, or computer screen.

It's especially important to speak to your doctor if you belong to this group (see box on page 118).

Right-click in any Explorer window or any Open or Save dialog box.

A box is an electronic device such as a television, radio, or computer.

We'd brought a boom box out back and played the only radio station that came in.

More TVs get connected to the Internet, either directly or through set-top boxes.


box

box (canonical)
boxes (third-person singular)
boxed (past)
boxed (past participle)
boxing (present participle)

If you box, you fight someone for sport by punching them.

If you box something (up), you put it in a box.

He boxed his old belongings up.

If you box something on a page, you draw a square around it.


range

A range of X is a number of different kinds of Xs

We offer you a whole range of clothes, from socks to hats.

The range is area between an upper and lower limit.

Most accidents affect children in the seven to 10 age range.

Something's range is the distance that it can travel.

The company's newest airplane has a range of 10,556 km.

In statistics, the range of results is highest result minus the lowest result.

The test results in the study had a range of 63; the highest was 100 and the lowest 37.

A (mountain) range is a group of mountains.

A shooting range is a place to practice using a gun.

A range is a large grassy area for farm animals to walk about freely.


range

range (canonical)
ranges (third-person singular)
ranged (past)
ranged (past participle)
ranging (present participle)

If something ranges from X to Y, it includes a number of different things and X and Y are different examples of those.

The police had stopped him for a variety of things ranging from stealing a book to having a gun.

If something ranges around an area, it moves around it.


base

Something's base is its lower part; the solid part that touches the floor or touches the earth and keeps the other parts of the thing up.

Something's base is its most important part.

A base is a building for military personnel and material.

An base is a chemical that releases hydroxide ions in water, and has a high pH.

ammonia is a weak base.


base

base (positive)
baser (comparative)
basest (superlative)

The people who make those sex videos are really base.


base

base (canonical)
bases (third-person singular)
based (past)
based (past participle)
basing (present participle)

When something or someone is based in a place, they do most of their work in that place.

The airline is based in Toronto, but flies all over the world.

If you base x on y, you build or make x on, using, or to be like y.

The movie is based on the book.


feature

A feature is a special or noticeable part of something.

One unusual feature of the town is the river in the middle of mainstreet.

A feature is a useful part or function of a product.

In computers, a CD drive used to be a special feature. Now you can't buy a computer without one.

A feature is a special newspaper or magazine article or radio or television program that is not published regularly.

The Star is running a special feature about homelessness.

A feature is a movie playing at a cinema.

Today's feature will appear right after these commercials.


feature

feature (canonical)
features (third-person singular)
featured (past)
featured (past participle)
featuring (present participle)

If you feature something, you have it as a noticeable and positive part.

This restaurant features the most famous chefs in France.

Jazz and Blues feature prominently in the magazine.

If you feature something, you consider (or imagine) it.

I cannot feature that happening.


left

One of the two directions, the opposite of right. This arrow is pointing left: ←

turn left at the next corner.

Three apples are left.


left

The shop is on your left.

Take two lefts and a right and then you'll be there.


left

leave (canonical)
leaves (third-person singular)
left (past)
left (past participle)
leaving (present participle)

The past tense and past participle of leave.


verse

Words that use rhythm and good sounds, like the words of a song but with no music.

It was a book of verse.

That is found in the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse sixteen.


verse

verse (canonical)
verses (third-person singular)
versed (past)
versed (past participle)
versing (present participle)

If you verse, then you study a subject in depth.

He has become well versed in the classics.


button

A button is a round object that can be pushed through clothing so that the clothing stays on.

Sarah's sweater doesn't work anymore because the buttons popped off.

A button is a switch that is turned on by pressing it.

I pressed the button to turn on the television.

A button is a badge that can be worn of clothing and is put onto the clothing with a pin to hold it in place.

I have a "Vote for Bush" button.

If a poker player has the button, he is the last person to act on that hand.


button

button (canonical)
buttons (third-person singular)
buttoned (past)
buttoned (past participle)
buttoning (present participle)

If you button something, you fasten it with a button.

Button up your coat!


commission

commission (singular)
commissions (plural)

A commission is a group of people who work together to research or manage something for a government.

She was recently appointed to head the European commission on climate change.

A commission is money that a salesperson receives for each sale.

You may have to pay commission to convert the dollars into local currency on your travels.

The official appointment of an officer in a nation's armed forces.

Brummell resigned his commission when his regiment was posted to Manchester.

A commission is a task to be undertaken.

My commission was only to deliver this message.


commission

commission (canonical)
commissions (third-person singular)
commissioned (past)
commissioned (past participle)
commissioning (present participle)

If you commission someone to do or create something, you formally ask them to do it.

The report commissioned by the Department of Health in 1989, contains guidelines on how best to manage and organise waiting lists.


cut

cut (canonical)
cuts (third-person singular)
cut (past)
cut (past participle)
cutting (present participle)

If you make something shorter or divide it in pieces, you cut it.

Jared cut the meat using his knife and fork.

In the lumber mill, the logs are then cut into boards.

I cut my hand.

They cut the electricity.

The film was cut by ten minutes.

If you remove something to put it somewhere else, you cut it.

Ben cut the text from the Word document and pasted it into another.

If the picture changes from one scene to another, the scene cuts to another.


cut

A scratch, opening in the skin or a surface.

She had a cut on her arm.

There was a cut in prices.

A small piece removed by cutting is a cut.

I will take a cut of beef.


canvases

The plural form of canvas; more than one (kind of) canvas.

Many canvases lined the wall.


canvases

canvas (canonical)
canvases (third-person singular)
canvased (past)
canvased (past participle)
canvasing (present participle)

The third-person singular form of canvas.


board

A board is a group of people who govern something.

The school board has chosen new textbooks for all the schools.

Bret Stephens is a member of the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal.

School boards are supposed to make sure students get the best education possible.

Copies also should be sent to the chairman of the licensing board.

I have a meeting coming up with the Community Advisory Board.

The outside of the house was made of wooden boards.

The knives should be used on a wooden cutting board only.

He pinned his poster in the center of the bulletin board.

There were two diving boards at the deep end of the pool.

If something is true across the board, it is true in all cases.

He was number one across the board. Nobody was better.

If something is on the drawing board, it is being planned.

The designs for the car is still on the drawing board.

I think those students need to go back to the drawing board.

A message board is a place for people to share ideas publicly, often over the internet.

These days churches are using e-mail, message boards, and blogs to communicate.

A circuit board is flat, usually green, piece of electronic equipment.

He opened the computer so we could get a look at the circuit board.

A sounding board is a person or group of people who will listen to your ideas and tell you if they're good or not.

I often discuss company matters with him, and use him as a sounding board.


board

board (canonical)
boards (third-person singular)
boarded (past)
boarded (past participle)
boarding (present participle)

If you board a boat, plane, train, or other vehicle, you get onto it.

Sarah boarded the plane.

If a boat, plane, train, or other vehicle is boarding, passengers are allowed to get on it.

Flight AC002 is now boarding at gate two.

If you board in a school or in someone's house, you pay to live there.

In Paris, I boarded with a nice family in Le Alle.

If you board a building or a business up, you close it for a long time.

Number 1 Strand Street was finally cleaned out, boarded up, and offered for sale by the city.


canvas

A canvas is a type of hard, rough cloth used for making sails, tents, and painted on.

John prepared the canvas for the sail.

Canvas that is stretched out on a frame to be painted on.

A good artist chooses his or her own canvas.

Canvas is something that is a basis for a creative work.

The life in rural France served as a canvas for Ted F. Adams' Around the Tree.


canvas

If you canvas something, you cover an area or object with canvas.


regulation

regulation (singular)
regulations (plural)

The company has recently imposed new safety rules and regulations to reduce accidents.

Regulation is the process of controlling something, usually with rules.

The government is reducing regulation of the airlines.

/ˌrɛɡjʊˈleɪʃən/


regulation

If something is regulation, it is made or done according to the rules.

This isn't a regulation soccer ball. It's too small.

/ˌrɛɡjʊˈleɪʃən/


carriage

A vehicle on wheels, usually pulled by a horse.

Jack Hampton rode on his carriage to the wedding.

Sarah said that she would be on the third carriage of the train.

His noble carriage made nobody suspect that he was a poor pauper.


freezing level

freezing level (singular)
freezing levels (plural)

The freezing level is the height where the air is 0 degrees Celsius (0 °C) or 32 degrees Fahrenheit (32 °F). Higher than the freezing level, the air is colder. Lower than the freezing level, the air is warmer.

Now the weather is colder and the freezing level is lower than it was in the summer.


snow level

snow level (singular)
snow levels (plural)

The snow level is like the freezing level. The snow level is a measure of how high up on a mountain snow or ice is able to be. Lower than the snow level, the mountain is warmer and no snow is there.

In the summer, the snow level is near the top of this mountain.


stereophonic

stereophonic (positive)
more stereophonic (comparative)
most stereophonic (superlative)

Using two headphones with almost the same sound so the sound seems to be coming from a direction.

This stereophonic machine is very good! It seems as if the music is coming from this room!


through

from one end or side of something to the other

The ink went through the paper and made the table wet.

The thief came in through the window.

She pushed the thread through the hole in the needle.


cultural

cultural (positive)
more cultural (comparative)
most cultural (superlative)

A cultural background, difference, identity etc. relates or belongs to a particular group of people.

Teachers should think about the cultural background of their students.

The difference between the cities are both cultural and economic.

Cultural things are related to art, music, books, etc.

The new art museum has become the cultural center of the town.


beauty

Beauty is the quality of being nice to look at.

Beauty makes things attractive.

There is a beauty in the night sky that is hard to explain.

A beauty is something or someone that is good to look at.

She is a beauty.


participation

participation (singular)
participations (plural)

Participation is the act of joining together with other people to do something.

After the injury, he was removed from active participation in the war.


mass

A measure of how much material is in something.

The Earth has much more mass than the moon.

The spacesuit weighed 75 pounds on Earth but here in outer space it weighed nothing, although its mass was exactly the same.

A mass of dirty branches stopped the river.

A Christian ceremony in memory of the Last Supper.

He goes to mass every Sunday.

A mass of protesters gathered at city hall.


put

put (canonical)
puts (third-person singular)
put (past)
put (past participle)
putting (present participle)

When you put a thing someplace, you move a thing to a place.

I always put my books on the table when I get home from school.

The past tense and past participle of put.

The person stopped reading the book and put it on the table.


sexual intercourse

Sexual intercourse is an act done usually by a male and a female and usually to make babies.

Most men in our survey say they definitely would not have sexual intercourse with a new partner without using a condom.


fornication

fornication (singular)
fornications (plural)

Fornication is sexual intercourse between two people who are not married.