join

join (canonical)
joins (third-person singular)
joined (past)
joined (past participle)
joining (present participle)

If someone joins two or more things, they bring them together.

Their lives were joined.

They joined hands.

If someone joins someone else, they do something together.

I will join you on your walk.

Hey, James! Come and join in. We're having fun.

If someone joins a club, school, etc. they become a member.

Would you like to join our club?

If someone joins two or more things, they make a connection between them.

The new building is joined to the school by a short hallway.


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.


distribution

distribution (singular)
distributions (plural)

Distribution is sending or giving out things to several people, companies, places, etc.

The distribution of the mail was slowed by the snow storm.

The increase in profits was followed by a cash distribution to the investors.

Distribution is the way that things are spread (often used in statistics).

The distribution of the new iPad was very fast because Apple had invested a lot on advertisement.

The distribution of power in the company is very narrow, with just a few managers controlling almost everything.

The test scores averaged 50% and had a normal distribution.


kindergarten

kindergarten (singular)
kindergartens (plural)

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


February

There are 28 days in February.


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.


heliocentric

Copernicus' model of the universe was heliocentric.


time

"What time do you finish work?" "At four o'clock (4:00)."

I don't have time to talk to you right now. Can we do it later?

If you do something one time, you do it once.


time

time (canonical)
times (third-person singular)
timed (past)
timed (past participle)
timing (present participle)

If you time something, you measure how long it takes in seconds, minutes, hours, etc.

Take out your watch and time yourself during the test.


nation

A nation is a country or a political entity.

Mexico is a nation of emigrants.

The Canadian government is working with the Mohawk nation.


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.


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.


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.


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.


exciting

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

If something is exciting, it makes you feel happy and very awake.

The first time I went on a plane, it was so exciting that I almost couldn't breathe.

Star Wars is the most exciting movie ever.


exciting

excite (canonical)
excites (third-person singular)
excited (past)
excited (past participle)
exciting (present participle)


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.


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?


science

The study of finding how things work. Some kinds of science are mathematics, biology, physics and chemistry.

biology is a kind of science.


science

The sciences are the group of science subjects. These are mathematics, biology, physics and chemistry.


work

work (canonical)
works (third-person singular)
worked (past)
worked (past participle)
working (present participle)

If you work, you do a job, usually for money.

My father works at Microsoft.

I got to work at 7:30 each morning.

If you work you are doing something that needs effort.

I worked on my school paper all night long.

If somethings works it has done what it was supposed to do.

If my computer didn't work I couldn't type this.

I'm glad our plan worked.

How something works is how it does what it does.

I would like to know more about how cars work.

The rules here just do not work that way.


work

Work is effort it takes to do something. That is, its what makes you tired when you do something hard.

Moving heavy logs takes a lot of work.

Work is force through a distance (force times distance). This is how much energy you used to move something.

A work is the product of something, the result of working on it. That is, its something someone has made.

The painting was a great work of art.

Shakespeare wrote many literary works.


say

say (canonical)
says (third-person singular)
said (past)
said (past participle)
saying (present participle)

When you say something, you share it in words.

He says he is hungry.


both

When there are two things, both is the first thing and the second thing.

Jim took both the apple and the orange.

Both Anne and Jane agreed to eat the pear.

Give me one. You can't have both.

Both of my parents were from Canada.

They found problems at both the schools.

The room had windows at both ends.

Working in the city and living in the country, you get the best of both worlds.

There were cars coming from both directions.


diverse

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

A diverse group of things is a group in which the things are very different from each other.

Toronto has one of the most culturally diverse populations in the world.


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.


lip

The edge of an opening, especially, the human mouth (often plural).

She climbed over the lip of the hole.

John licked his lips.

The window had a wide lip below it that collected dust.

Don't give me any lip.


opinion

An opinion is a personal idea, a person’s thoughts on a topic.

You gave your opinion of the case.


sad

sad (positive)
sadder (comparative)
saddest (superlative)

When someone feels sad, they have a bad feeling because of a loss or other problem. They are not happy.

The sad girl cried.

When something is sad, it makes you feel unhappy.

It was a sad movie.

Death is a very sad thing.


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.


leather

He took the leather and made a coat from it.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


basin

A container that is wider than it is deep.

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


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.


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!


factor

A factor is one of a number of things that causes a result.

The main factor in the success of our program is our excellent teachers.

The factor is a number that is multiplied with another to form a larger number.

2 x 3 = 6; 2 and 3 are factors of 6.


factor

factor (canonical)
factors (third-person singular)
factored (past)
factored (past participle)
factoring (present participle)

If you factor a number, you find all of its factors.


trillion

(US, modern British and Australian, short scale) Trillion refers to the number 1,000,000,000,000 (10¹²)

There are about one trillion (10¹²) bacteria on the surface of the human body.

(older British and Australian, long scale) The number 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 (10¹⁸).

There are about one trillion (10¹⁸) insects on Earth.


trillion

(US, modern British and Australian, short scale) The number 1,000,000,000,000

In the United States, one million millions is a trillion.

(older British and Australian, long scale) The number 1,000,000,000,000,000,000.

In the long scale, one million millions is a billion. One million billions is a trillion.

A British trillion used to be one million American trillions, but they are mostly the same now.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


each

Come here you two. I'll give each of you a toy.

More and more problems happened each year.

We have to treat each individual case differently.

They each have good points and bad points.

Sara looked at each of the three bedrooms.

The price is $6 each.


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.


communication

communication (singular)
communications (plural)

Communication is the process of sending and receiving ideas between two or more people.

Teachers must regularly practice their communication skills to make sure students understand them easily.

Communications are the ways of sending and receiving information.

The army is setting up a new communications network to improve communication.

Each time he sent a communication to Bidault it was held up by d'Argenlieu.


bell

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

The church bell is ringing.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


Thursday

The fifth day of the week, fourth of the work week.

I will see a movie this Thursday.


value

Something's value is how good or important it is; how much money someone will exchange a thing for; an amount of money.

The value for me of this food is $100.

Human life has very much value.

Your values are your ideas about which things are good.

He has strong values.


value

value (canonical)
values (third-person singular)
valued (past)
valued (past participle)
valuing (present participle)

If you value someone or something, you think that they are good and you don't want to lose them.

I value your help.

If you value something judge how good or important it is.

They valued it at $600.


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.


face

His face was red with embarrassment.

He made a face at the bitter medicine.

A dodecahedron has twelve faces.


face

face (canonical)
faces (third-person singular)
faced (past)
faced (past participle)
facing (present participle)

If x faces y, the front of x is pointing in the direction of y.

Please face me when I speak to you.

The store faces the bank.

It's hard to face the fact that his wife is gone.

You have to face the bully.


knot

He put a knot in the rope.


knot

knot (canonical)
knots (third-person singular)
knotted (past)
knotted (past participle)
knotting (present participle)

To create a tied place in a cord or rope.

They knotted the ends of the rope together.


leg

Your legs are the two long parts of your body that you move to walk, or a similar body part on an animal.

I lost a leg in the war.

The footballer broke a leg during the game.

The bus stopped and everybody went out to stretch their legs.

A leg is part of a piece of furniture, such as a table, on which the furniture stands.

I can see an ant crawling up the leg of the table.

The band had to cancel the German leg of their European tour.


invite

invite (canonical)
invites (third-person singular)
invited (past)
invited (past participle)
inviting (present participle)

If you invite someone to something, you ask them to be there.

Rasheed invited me to his house on Friday, but I don't think I can go.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


assume

assume (canonical)
assumes (third-person singular)
assumed (past)
assumed (past participle)
assuming (present participle)

If you assume something, you think or believe something without having enough information to know that it's true.

Oh, hello. I assume you're the new student, are you?

If I saw a man dressed all in black, holding a gun, and walking toward me, I would assume that the man is really a dangerous guy and I would run away from him.

I saw your car in the garage, so I assumed you were at home.

If you assume a role of office, you take on a new position that has more power or responsibility.


important

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

That is an important point.


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.


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.


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.


jewel

Mary keeps her jewels in a safe.


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


brick

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


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.


bread

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

Small children love eating bread and butter.


tool

A tool is an object that you use to do a specific job, such as a hammer.

I used to fix my own car, but I sold all my tools.

A tool is a person being used by another person or organization.

He is such a tool. He should think for himself, instead of doing everything they tell him to do.


tool

tool (canonical)
tools (third-person singular)
tooled (past)
tooled (past participle)
tooling (present participle)

:
 This short section needs someone to add to it.


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.


metre

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

This table is 2 metres wide.


judge

A judge is a person who decides or chooses.

The judge decides cases.

Samson was a judge of Israel.


judge

judge (canonical)
judges (third-person singular)
judged (past)
judged (past participle)
judging (present participle)

He judged in favor of the defendant.

To evaluate (decide if something is good or bad).

They judged the beauty pageant.

I would judge that the lake holds a million gallons.


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.


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.


this

You use this to show which thing or idea you are talking about. You use it when the thing or idea is close to you.

This trip was a great idea.

Which book is yours, this one or that one?

The thing indicated without mentioning the noun.

This is my hand.

You use this in stories, jokes etc to introduce a person or thing into the story.

So this guy walks up to me and asked if I have any fish.


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.


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.


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.


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.


Sunday

The first day of the week. The last day of the weekend, and for many Christians, the day of rest.

I will go out this Sunday.


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?


centimetre

centimetre (singular)
centimetres (plural)

A hundreth of a metre; 100 centimetres is one metre

This pencil is 18 centimetres long.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


very

Much; quite. Using very makes the adjective or adverb stronger.

He was very young.


very

It was the very boy who helped me.

This man is the very one for the job.


boiling

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


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

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

The past tense and past participle of bend.


adjective

adjective (singular)
adjectives (plural)

An adjective is a type of word which usually tells about the properties of people, things, and other nouns (e.g., new, small, red, & bad are adjectives). Usually it can be used before the noun or after a linking verb. It can usually be graded and described by adverbs.

He uses many adjectives in his stories to give us a clear picture.

Some combinations of adjective and noun are quite common.


Tuesday

The third day of the week, the second day of the work week.

I have Tuesday night off.


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.


September

September is the ninth month of the year.

There are 30 days in September.


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.


knee

Part of the leg between the thigh and the shin.

I hurt my knee in football.


knee

knee (canonical)
knees (third-person singular)
kneed (past)
kneed (past participle)
kneeing (present participle)

To hit someone or something with the knee.

He kneed me in the leg.


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.


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.


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.


bend

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.


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.


fewer

few
fewer (comparative)
fewest (superlative)

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.


blow

blow (canonical)
blows (third-person singular)
blew (past)
blown (past participle)
blowing (present participle)

The wind is blowing and the trees are moving.

The wind blew the paper down the street.

His hat blew off.

I could see some grass where the snow had blown away.

Her gray hair blew across her face in the wind.

Last fall, a storm blew through this town tearing up trees.

If you blow, you push air out of your mouth or nose.

She blew her nose into a tissue.

He put his mouth in the water and blew bubbles for a few seconds.

He hopes to celebrate his 25th birthday by blowing out the candles.

If a horn, whistle, etc. blows, it makes a sound.

When the final whistle blew, Arsenal had won the game 2 -- 0.

The car blew up as it drove over the bomb.

If something blows you away, it surprises or impresses you.

We were blown away. We couldnt believe that a ten-year-old could do that.

I dropped the cake and she totally blew up on me.

Can you blow that picture up a bit more? I can't see it clearly.

If something is blown off, away, or out, apart, etc., it is damaged by an explosion or a bullet.

BANG! The shot blew off one of his fingers.

The truck he was driving was blown apart by a roadside bomb.

They put the guns to their heads and blew their brains out.

The blast had blown a hole in the wall.

If you blow something, you do not do it successfully.

I can't believe it. You almost had it, but you blew it.

If you blow money, you spend it, often without being careful.

If a piece of equipment blows, it stops working because there is an electrical problem.

If a tire blows, it gets a hole, letting out its air quickly.

His little joke had been blown out of proportion and he'd gotten in a lot of trouble.

The car blew a tire on the way to our campsite.

If something is blown out of proportion, it is exaggerated.

If you blow by something, you move past it very quickly.

If you blow someone, you perform oral sex on them.


blow

He spent two days in hospital after a serious blow to the head.

The thought struck like a blow to the chest.

The team was dealt a terrible blow when goalie Ryan Francis was killed.

The final blow came when his wife left.

To soften the blow, the government will send one-time payments to everyone involved.

The town suffered a severe blow when the car factory shut down.

He gave a quick blow on the whistle.


wrong

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

If something is wrong, it is not right. If something is wrong it may be incorrect, not true, or bad.

That answer is wrong.

"2 + 2 = 5" is wrong.

What you did was wrong.


wrong

wrong (canonical)
wrongs (third-person singular)
wronged (past)
wronged (past participle)
wronging (present participle)

If you wrong someone, you do something that hurts a person.

He wrongs you by his actions.


wrong

They accused him of wrongs against humanity.


kind

Bread is a kind of food.


kind

kind (positive)
kinder (comparative)
kindest (superlative)

I admired them for being so kind, helping me when no one else would.


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.


ink

Ink is a tint, often black, used to write.

The ink on the paper has dried.


ink

ink (canonical)
inks (third-person singular)
inked (past)
inked (past participle)
inking (present participle)

If someone inks something, they make a mark or write using ink.

He inked his name.

If someone inks things like a pen, they fill with ink.

She inks her pen.


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.


wind

The wind blows so strongly now that a person's hair goes in the person's face.


wind

wind (canonical)
winds (third-person singular)
wound (past)
wound (past participle)
winding (present participle)

If you wind something you wrap it around and make it tight.

You need to wind the string around the stick.

If you wind a clock or watch you tighten a spring inside it. This is done by turning knob. The spring powers the clock or watch as it unwinds (stops being tight).

If something winds it twists around in different directions.

The road winds for miles.

If something winds down, it runs out of power and gets slower. (Like a watch that is unwinding.)

How something winds up is how it becomes in the end or after something happens.

I wound up lost after I made the wrong turn.


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.


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.


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.


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.


either

I can write with either hand.

You can drink either tea or coffee.

They can be used either alone or in groups.

Few people liked it; most either ignored it or hated it.

The room has a door at either end.

People were walking on either side of the road.

I can't find either shoe. I have lost both shoes.

I have a blue coat and a green coat. Either will keep me warm.

There will still be problems in either of the following two cases.


either

Used in negative statements to mean too or also.

I don't like him and I don't like her either.

I can't sing and I can't dance either.

No other country has any real friends either.


countries

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


leaves

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

The leaves fall in autumn.


leaves

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

The third-person singular form of leave.

The train leaves the station at 11:00.


leave

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.


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.


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.


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.


fewest

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.


almost

Very nearly; about 98% of something; not the same, but near to being the same.

I am almost ready to go. I will be ready very soon.


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.


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.


wing

A wing is the long flat part of a bird, insect or other flying thing. It is used to fly.

This bird can fly very high very quickly because the bird uses strong wings with many feathers.

He looked out the window of the plane and saw the sun shining on the wing.

A wing is part of a building, usually not the main part.


wing

wing (canonical)
wings (third-person singular)
winged (past)
winged (past participle)
winging (present participle)

If you wing it you do not have a plan—you are making up what you do while you do it.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


cyan

Cyan is my favorite color.


cyan

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

Something that is cyan is light blue in color.

She was wearing cyan boots.


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.


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.


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.


army

The people and organisation, normally in a government, which fights wars.

The army fought in Iraq.

He joined the army when he was 19.

A large number of people working towards the same thing.

It took an army of people to build that bridge.


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.


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.


Muslim

Muhammad is a Muslim.


Muslim

There are several Muslim beliefs.


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.


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)


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.


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.


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.


quality

This cloth is full of quality.

Quality is how good something is, as opposed to how much of something there is.

The meat was of poor quality.

A quality is something about a person or thing, like intelligence, beauty or transparency.

Being truthful is his best quality.


quality

Here is a quality computer.


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

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


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.


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.


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.


Wednesday

The fourth day of the week, third and middle day of the work week.


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.


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.


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.


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)


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.


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.


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.


usual

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

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


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.


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)/


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.


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/


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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)


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.


foot

The lowest part of the leg, below the ankle; the part of the body used to stand on.

He hurt his foot playing football.

We meet at the foot of the hill.

A length of 12 inches; three feet is almost one meter. The foot is used mostly in the United States, but was common in Europe a long time ago.

There are about 30 centimeters in one foot.

My friend is six feet tall.


foot

foot (canonical)
foots (third-person singular)
footed (past)
footed (past participle)
footing (present participle)

He foots it to work every day.


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.


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.


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.


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.


distinction

distinction (singular)
distinctions (plural)

A distinction is a difference that you have noticed or decided is important. Often used to separate things.

Before we discuss how you can develop your creative powers, we need to make a distinction between two different but related activities --; THINKING and LEARNING.

There is, in other words, no neat or clear distinction to be drawn between political equality and social and economic equality.

If something is done with distinction, it is done to a high level and other people recognise that.

We only wanted to take athletes of distinction; no one is going just for the trip.


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.


berry

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

The tree had bright red berries growing on it.


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.


on

positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above

The apple is on the table.

Tim was born on the 4th of July.

I turned the television on.

Shall we stop for lunch or shall we drive on?

I have a book on history.

There was a World Summit on the Information Society a few weeks ago.

I have no money on me at the moment.

I would like to eat the fruit on the trees.

He was arrested on suspicion of bribery.

I contacted Joanne on a hunch that she would know about it.

The stock price increased on news of a new product.

If something is on, it is active, functioning or operating.

The television is on.

The lights are on, so it is very bright.


decision

A decision is a sudden thought, with purpose, before someone does something. After a person makes a decision, the person has knowledge about a thing the person will do.

After much thought, the person made a decision to go to the meeting.

A person sees two roads. The person needs to go on one road or the other. The person makes a decision and goes on one of the roads.

A decision is the end of a process in a committee. After a committee makes a decision, a record in writing says the important thing.

After much discussion, the committee made an important decision about insurance.


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.


even

You use even to focus on the most surprising or unlikely case.

Even in peaceful countries, there are problems.

She felt a lot of pain walking even though she was only in her thirties.

They told us the manager isn't there, even though we can see her through the window.

Even if they don't know you, they will still talk to you.

I never liked chocolate, not even when I was young.

Even with Denver's slow start, they are likely to win.

Everyone walks to school here, even the teachers.

Not even the world's fastest runner can run that fast.

Even a quick look tells you there's a lot to learn.

Anyone with even basic Internet search skills can find you.

She didn't tell me about it and I expect she wasn't even aware of it.

This is not a small problem, and it will likely become even more important in the near future.

I just hope I don't get lost, and I'm not even really sure of my bus number.

The last few years have been difficult, but now she may face an even greater challenge.

It will be very difficult for him, even dangerous.

Our progress was not rewarded. In fact, it was not even mentioned.

I don't even know who you are.

It's so cheap, you don't even have to bring money.

He can't even go back and look for it.

We might even make some money if we work hard.

He won't lose his job, not even temporarily.

I hid it in the books where nobody would look. Even so, I worried about it all evening.


even

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

If things are even, the top or surface of each is as high as the others.

The top of the wall is even because the bricks are all the same size.

If a number is even, it can be divided into 2 equal parts.

2, 4, 6 and 8 are even numbers. 1, 3, 5 and 7 are not even numbers; they are odd numbers.


even

even (canonical)
evens (third-person singular)
evened (past)
evened (past participle)
evening (present participle)

If you even something (out/up), you reduce the ups and downs; you make it smooth or equal.

India was leading 2-1, but Australia evened the score in the last minute.

The makeup evens out your skin tone without adding color.

If you even a problem out, you solve it.

I went down and evened it all out. Everyone's happy now.


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.


five

We have five toes on each foot.


five

two plus three is five.


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.


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.


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.


canvases

canvas (singular)
canvasses or canvases (plural)

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.


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.


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?


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.


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.


chronology

chronology (singular)
chronologies (plural)

Chronology is the science of finding out what events came in what order

Chronology can help historians find out why an old empire ended.

Chronology is text or graphics that show what events happened in what order

The chronology at the back of the book shows the Kings and Queens of England.


equation

An equation is a mathematical statement in which both sides are of equal value.

Find x, in the equation x+2y=3y.

Using equation (2.1) from above, we can now solve for x.

An equation is how everything works together to create a situation.

Money plays a big part in the political equation.

The equation of x with y, is the act of thinking about them as the same or as belonging together.

The equation of women with maids and cooks must stop.


canvasses

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.


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.


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.


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.


ventriloquist

ventriloquist (singular)
ventriloquists (plural)

A ventriloquist is a person who does a trick to make the person's voice seem to be coming from a different direction. The ventriloquist talks but does not move the mouth. People think the ventriloquist is not talking and they think a thing or an animal or a different person is talking.

People laughed when the ventriloquist made a shoe talk to a hat.


flow

flow (canonical)
flows (third-person singular)
flowed (past)
flowed (past participle)
flowing (present participle)

If something flows, it moves in a smooth and regular way.

The river flows gently to the sea.


flow

A flow is a smooth regular movement of a liquid, gas, etc.

A major accident is blocking the flow of traffic on Yonge St., just north of Queen.


wise

wise (positive)
wiser (comparative)
wisest (superlative)

a wise person has much knowledge and makes good decisions.

Say your question to the old woman, because she is wise and will tell you good ideas about things to do.


wise

wise (canonical)
wises (third-person singular)
wised (past)
wised (past participle)
wising (present participle)

If you wise up, you get informed; you learn something.


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.


whistle

A whistle is a sound like music. A person makes a whistling sound by blowing air when the person's mouth is in a little circle.

The whistle of the wind in trees was low and sad.

A whistle is a little instrument made of wood, metal or other material. A person puts the instrument in the person's mouth and blows air to make a loud whistling sound.

When you are in danger, blow your whistle loudly and someone will run and help you.


whistle

whistle (canonical)
whistles (third-person singular)
whistled (past)
whistled (past participle)
whistling (present participle)

To whistle is to make a whistling sound with one's mouth.

A happy person is able to whistle and work at the same time.


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.


wire

A wire is a long, thin metal thing, mostly for the purpose of making a connection from electric power to a machine.

A person cut the electric wire and all the machines in the building stopped.


wire

wire (canonical)
wires (third-person singular)
wired (past)
wired (past participle)
wiring (present participle)

They wired up all the machines in the building.