English

English is a language spoken by around 800 million people. The main places where English is spoken include:

The United Kingdom and Ireland

The United States and Canada

India, Pakistan, Australia and all the other countries of the old British Empire.


English

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

The English refers to the people who live in England.

The English don't care for people like that.

Something that is English is related to England, its people or its culture.

I prefer the English accent.

I am English.


dictionary

A dictionary is a book that tells you what words mean, and how to spell them. A lot of dictionaries will also tell you about etymology (where words come from) and pronunciation (how to speak them).

You are reading an online dictionary right now.

The words in a printed dictionary are in alphabetical order.

I looked up the dictionary to find the meaning of the word business.


encyclopedia

encyclopedia
encyclopedias or encyclopediae (plural)

An encyclopedia is a type of book that has information about various things. Often, an encyclopedia is a set of many books and can either be about a specific subject or a range of subjects.

Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia and is the world's largest.

I went to the library to find an encyclopedia on chemistry.


a

A is used when you don't expect your listener to identify which thing you mean.

Compare "A book I saw on the shelf" and "The book I gave you yesterday".


a

The letter "a" comes before "b".

In some schools, an A is a very high grade.

Ron got an A on his earth science test.


simple

simple (positive)
simpler (comparative)
simplest (superlative)

A simple task is easy to do and easy to understand.

Baking this cake is very simple as it only has 3 steps.

It's a simple book for learners to read and understand.

Something that is simple is basic and not complicated.

She was poor and only had a simple dress.

Their plan was very simple.

A simple person is not intelligent (we sometimes use this in a bad way)

He isn't a bad boy, he's just a little simple.

In grammar, the simple aspect is used when the speaker sees the situation as complete (compare progressive aspect).

"I run" is the present simple; "I'm running" is the present progressive.


simple

A simple is a medicine that is prepared only from one plant.


simple

simple (canonical)
simples (third-person singular)
simpled (past)
simpled (past participle)
simpling (present participle)

When you simple things (especially herbs), you are trying to gather simples.


word

Words are the smallest meaningful pieces of a language that can be used on their own.

Do you even understand the words I am saying?!

Class, if you are not sure on any word, be sure to check the dictionary.

Can I have a word with you, John?

Mr. Gambini, a word with you, please?

She gave him her word that she would pay him the money on Tuesday.

You have my word for it that the work will be finished before the weekend.

Send word to John that Mary is here.

The word is that Mary stole some money from John.

When Christians speak about the Bible, they sometimes call it the Word.


word

word (canonical)
words (third-person singular)
worded (past)
worded (past participle)
wording (present participle)

When you word something, you are trying to say or write it using certain words and to phrase it in a certain way.

The mayor's speech was carefully worded to avoid offending the angry protesters.


when

"When did you start learning English?" – "Three years ago."

"When does the film start?" – "At seven o'clock."

When was the last time you went to your local library?

She phoned me when I was in the bath.

It was the year 1996 when I met John.

When I get up, I always drink a cup of coffee.


belong

belong (canonical)
belongs (third-person singular)
belonged (past)
belonged (past participle)
belonging (present participle)

The umbrella belongs to John; it's his.

If someone belongs to something like a club, they are a member.

Mary belongs to Greenpeace.

What does it cost to belong to the library?

English belongs to the Indo-European language family.

If something belongs, it is in the right place.

That dog doesn't belong in the kitchen.

Where does this book belong?

I'm a simple girl; I don't belong in this rich house.


does

do (canonical)
do (present)
does (third-person singular)
did (past)
don't (present negative)
doesn't (third-person singular negative)
didn't (past negative)

Your answer does not help me.


does

do (canonical)
does (third-person singular)
did (past)
done (past participle)
doing (present participle)

Who does the washing up? Daddy does.

Annie does her homework in the afternoon.


does

The plural form of doe; more than one (kind of) doe. A female deer.

We saw three does at the zoo.


do

Do is an auxiliary verb. It is used in questions, negative statements, short answers, and for emphasis when there is no other auxiliary.

Questions

Short answer

Negative statements

Emphasis (do not use this too much)

We sometimes use do in place of a different verb, such as when we do not know what an activity is, or we do not want to say it again:

What is he doing?

Mary eats more than John does.


do

When you do something, you perform, complete or work on a task.

Mary is doing her homework.

We all did the cleaning together.

I've got a lot to do.

"What do you do?" - "I'm a baker."

"How did John do in the tennis match?" - "He lost."

"How is your leg doing?" - "Oh, it feels much better, thank you."

To write or draw something, usually in a short time

He did a picture of a tree.

He did an essay on Shakespeare.


do

She came to work with a new do.

Correct actions. (almost always in plural and generally with "don'ts")

Willy will tell you all the dos and don'ts.


rainbow

A rainbow is an arch of colors in the sky that you can see in the rain when the sun is at your back.

Traditionally, the colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, but in real life, it's actually a continuous spectrum.


rainbow

When something is rainbow, it is made up of many colors.


rainbow

rainbow (canonical)
rainbows (third-person singular)
rainbowed (past)
rainbowed (past participle)
rainbowing (present participle)

When you rainbow something, you make it into something that has many colors, just like a rainbow.


is

be (canonical)
am, is, are (present)
was, were (past)
been (past participle)
being (present participle)

A form of the verb be when talking about someone or something else.

He is late for class.

Is it hot in here?


be

This verb tells us that a thing is present, or in a place.

The book is on the table.

There was someone in the room.

Were you at the party?

The party was on Saturday.

The next meeting will be here.

Go somewhere; visit someone (only in the perfect tense).

I've never been to Disneyland.

The book is blue.

They were sad about losing the match.

John is 35 years old this year.

I'm fine.

He'd like to be a doctor.

The film was terrible!

The book is 5 euro.

Look, Mummy! I'm being a dog! Woof, woof!

We use a form of be and a gerund-participle to make progressive aspect.

He is sitting on the chair.

I've been waiting for half an hour.

They will be leaving on Tuesday.


am

A form of the verb be used about the person speaking

I am hungry. Is there any food around?

Am I right?


are

A present-tense form of the verb be used about the person or people you are talking to.

Hello John, how are you?

Are you all hungry?

A present-tense form of the verb be used about more than one person.

We are all happy.

Are we there yet?

John and Mary are playing.


was

A form of the verb be used to talk about yourself, or another person in the past.

I was singing in the shower.

Who was that girl you were talking to?


were

A form of the verb be used about the person you are talking to.

Only you were doing it right.

A form of the verb be used about more than one person.

We were going home.

You all were staying late.

They were all playing in the band.

A form of the verb be used with the word if.

If I were rich, I would retire.

A form of the verb be used about things you wish for.

I wish it were the weekend.


been

We have been to the Zoo.

We had been there before.

After one more trip, we will have been there five times.


being

Being happy is my favorite state.

I hope you are all being good.


being

You are a human being.


being

You use being to show the reason for something.

The mother is very happy, being that her son has become a college student.


doing

What are you doing?

Doing nothing can get you into trouble.


doing

A doing refers to something that someone has done, a deed.

This mess is your doing.


done

Who has done their homework?

What have you done?


done

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

When something is done, it is completed and finished.

The work is done.

When something is done, it is fully cooked.

How done do you like your steak to be?

When the potatoes are done we can eat.


did

Sally did her homework.

Who did this?


did

The past tense of do as an auxiliary verb.

Where did you go for your holiday?

She did not like the movie.


fiction

Fiction refers to things that were made up and are not true.

A story that is invented instead of being based on facts.

The events in that story did not happen so it is fiction.


morning

It was cold when the Sun rose in the morning, but after lunch it became warm.


morning

A clipping of good morning. Morning can be a greeting, similar to hello. Morning should only used in the morning.

Morning, Kath!


book

A book is a lot of paper joined together with writing and pictures printed on them for you to read or write in.

I borrow books from the library, and keep them in a bookcase.

A book is a group of stamps, matches, tickets, etc., held together inside a paper cover.

A company's books are its money records.

An outside accountant kept the books and signed the checks until he joined the company.


book

book (canonical)
books (third-person singular)
booked (past)
booked (past participle)
booking (present participle)

If you book something or someone, you reserve them for a certain time.

I want to book a hotel room for tomorrow night.

I can book tickets for the concert next week.

If you book someone, you officially put their name in police records for a crime.

The police booked him for driving too fast.


baby

A baby is a very young child, less than two years old, who has not yet learned how to speak.

I used to be a baby but now I am an adult.

A baby cat is called a kitten.


baby

baby (canonical)
babies (third-person singular)
babied (past)
babied (past participle)
babying (present participle)

If you baby someone, you treat them like a baby; you treat them gently and pamper them.

Mom, don't baby me - I can do it myself!


Antarctica

Antarctica is the most southern continent on the Earth; it contains the South Pole.

Penguins live in Antarctica.


page

A page is one side of a sheet of paper in a book, newspaper, etc.

The picture of the accident was on page one of the morning's paper.

A page is a sheet of paper in a book, newspaper, etc.

This book has one page missing.

A page is the part of a document that you can see at one time on a computer screen.

A web page is a computer document that can be accessed over the internet.

This site has some of the most visited pages on the web.

A page is a young person whose job is to help important people like knights, or members of parliament.

The pages passed out copies of the new law.


page

page (canonical)
pages (third-person singular)
paged (past)
paged (past participle)
paging (present participle)

If you page someone, make an announcement or send them a message asking them to contact you.

Paging Dr. Horvat! Please, contact the nursing station.

If you need me, just have them page me at the restaurant.

If you page forward, back, through, etc. something with pages, you move from one page to another.

I paged through the magazine, just looking at the pictures.

Use the mouse to page down to the next screen.


duck

A duck is a bird that swims and says "quack!". It has a flat bill and webbed feet.

We saw three ducks in the park lake.

Sound of ducks:

Duck refers to the meat that comes from a duck.

We just had duck for dinner.

In a game of cricket, if a person scores duck, they scored zero runs.


duck

duck (canonical)
ducks (third-person singular)
ducked (past)
ducked (past participle)
ducking (present participle)

If you duck, you lower your head so that you do not get hit by something.

Remember to duck when the boat goes under the bridge.

When you duck a task, you avoid doing it.


bird

A bird is a warm-blooded animal that has feathers and wings and lays eggs. Most birds can fly.

A sparrow is a bird and so is a penguin, even though it cannot fly.

When you give someone the bird, you give a vulgar hand gesture where only the middle finger is up.

While I was driving along the highway, someone turned into my lane suddenly, nearly causing an accident. I immediately gave him the bird to show my anger.


bird

bird (canonical)
birds (third-person singular)
birded (past)
birded (past participle)
birding (present participle)

When you bird, you try to catch or shoot birds.

When you bird, you look for wild birds in their natural home and try to identify them.


language

A language is all the words used by a group of people, and grammar (the rules for making them into sentences). People who speak the same language can understand each other; people speaking different languages cannot understand each other.

The English language has easy grammar but difficult spelling and pronunciation.

Language is the usage of words in a specific subject, the vocabulary of the subject.

This document is written in legal language, only lawyers can understand it.

There is a special chemistry language that you need to use when answering questions in the chemistry examinations.

Language is the special usage of words in a passage of text.

The language in this document is very offensive and biased.

A language refers to computer language, a group of code that tells a computer or machine what to do.

There are many programming languages out there, it really depends on what kind of software that you are trying to create.

Language is vulgarities and profanities.

Please mind your language! It is very rude to talk to people like that!

A language is a flat plate in or below the flue pipe of an organ, a languet.


language

language (canonical)
languages (third-person singular)
languaged (past)
languaged (past participle)
languaging (present participle)

When you language with someone, you talk to the person using a language.


paper

Paper is a material for writing and drawing on and is made from wood pulp.

A notebook is made of sheets of paper.

She made a paper airplane.

A paper is a newspaper, magazine, newsletter, etc. Something that is used to inform people about the news.

Is there anything interesting in today's paper?

The interview I had with the press was published in today's paper.

Paper is wallpaper, paper that is pasted onto a wall to decorate the place.

We've put up new paper in the dining room to make the place look prettier.

Paper is wrapping paper, paper used to wrap things such as presents.

The parcel was wrapped in brown paper.

A paper is a written document that reports scientific or academic research.

While in university, the professor had written many papers to publish his research in physics.

A paper is a written document. It is usually shorter than a book and is mainly written for the government.

The population white paper was published to explain the government's plan in managing the increase in the population.

Paper is the documents that a person carries when going to another country or crossing borders.

The corrupted officers took away his papers and was held in the airport for 48 hours.


paper

Supermarkets now use paper bags instead of plastic bags to save the environment.

When someone is paper, it means that the person is good in theory (on paper), but bad in practice or reality.

That person is a paper general. Even though he has received many awards, he has never fought a single war before.


paper

paper (canonical)
papers (third-person singular)
papered (past)
papered (past participle)
papering (present participle)

When you paper something, you hang paper (especially wallpaper) onto it.

I shall paper the dining room tomorrow.


cat

A cat is a domestic animal often kept as a pet; it has whiskers and likes to chase mice.

Our pet cat has just had kittens.

Cats refers to the family of many different wild animals that are related to the domestic cat.

Lions and tigers are big cats.

A cat refers to a person who is a prostitute.

The cat command, a Unix computer program used to read one or more files and output its contents.

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-cat.wav


cat

cat (canonical)
cats (third-person singular)
catted (past)
catted (past participle)
catting (present participle)

If you cat an anchor, you lift it onto the cathead.

When you cat, you apply the cat command on a Unix computer.


cat

When something is cat, it is terrible and not good.

The weather these few days has been cat, so we decided to cancel our outing to the beach.


kitten

Our cat has just had kittens.

The kitten is playing with its mother.

A kitten is a young rabbit, rat, squirrel, fox or badger.


kitten

kitten (canonical)
kittens (third-person singular)
kittened (past)
kittened (past participle)
kittening (present participle)

When a cat kittens, it gives birth to kittens.


and

You use and to talk about two things at once.

I like singing and reading.

Mary and Jane went on a holiday together.

You use and when you are listing a few things and you are now on your last item of the list.

I like singing, reading, cycling and playing soccer.

I used to like this girl from my class as she is pretty, gentle and caring.

And is used when you are putting some sentences together.

She came into the store, shouted at the cashier, and left.

Used to show what happened after something else.

The alarm went off and I woke up.

And is used to join certain numbers together.

Two hundred and thirty-five people went missing after the earthquake.


why

Why did you say that?

Why did you try to steal money from this shop?

Used to talk about the reason for something.

I wonder why he did that.

Used to give more information about the reason for something.

Can you tell me the reason why he did that?


why

Used to show a person's surprise or impatience about something.

Why! Thank you for the present.


why

Whenever you begin to write an essay, please do not forget to talk about the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how.

(plural: whies) (UK) A why is a young cow or woman.


the

Used when your listener will know which one you mean.

Compare "I went into a room." and "I went into the kitchen."

Used with a stress, to show that the word following is special.

Are you the John Smith that I went to school with?

Used with an adjective that acts like a noun to mean all of the people or things concerned.

The poor need our help.

Used with superlatives forms of adjectives and adverbs.

You are the best.

The is used before a comparative to make a pair with another comparative, showing that as one changes, the other changes (the X-er, the Y-er).

The bigger, the better.

The more you read, the more you learn.

The sooner we start, the sooner we finish.


an

An is used when you don't expect your listener to identify which thing you mean.

I just ate an apple.

It is indeed an honor to have met you today.


in

Used to show that something is inside something else.

The cat is in the box.

Used to show that someone is at home, or is available.

Is John in?

The Doctor is now in.

Used to show movement towards the inside.

The rain came in through the window.

Used to introduce an explanation or clarification of the previous statement with a that clause.

Toronto is a little different, in that it's not quite as cold.


that

Used to show which thing we are talking about; used with things that are not close to the speaker.

Give me that book, not this one.

Give me that, not this.

That dog is hungry.


that

You use that to mark a clause as subordinate.

You said that you liked me.

Give me the book that I dropped.

That it won't work is clear.

Fool that she was, Mary didn't accept John's proposal.


i

The ninth letter or the alphabet; previous H, next J. I is a vowel.


he

A male person or animal without identifying or describing him. The person is normally identified or described earlier in the text or sentence.

The man with the beard played the trumpet. He didn't play very well.

William Shakespeare was an English writer, but he is long dead.

A person or animal that we do not know the gender of.

Kill that spider, before he gets away!.


he

He is the name of the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets such as Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others.


she

A female person or animal without identifying or describing her. The person is normally identified or described earlier in the text or sentence.

The woman with the glasses played the trumpet. She didn't play very well.

Agatha Christie was an English writer, but she is now dead.

She is one of the largest ships you can ever find in this port.

I bought this car 5 years ago, but she is still working well.


she

Alice is definitely a she.


free

free (positive)
freer (comparative)
freest (superlative)

If something is free, it does not cost money to buy.

This loaf of bread is free. It costs $0.

The government provides free healthcare for people who cannot afford it.

If something is free, it is able to go (move) anywhere easily.

A wild bird is free to go where it likes.

If someone or something is free, it is carefree; it does not have any responsibilities.

When she is not at work, she is free.

If something is free, it is not blocked.

The drain was free of anything blocking it.

If something or someone is free, it is not in use.

This chair does not have anyone sitting in it. It is free.

When something is free, it has no conditions or limitations to using or being in it.

This is a free country. You can have your own freedom of speech here.


free

free (canonical)
frees (third-person singular)
freed (past)
freed (past participle)
freeing (present participle)

If you free something or someone, you release it.

She frees the birds because they do not belong in a cage.

We officially free you from jail. You may go.


dog

A dog is a domestic mammal, related to wolves and foxes, that is often kept as a pet.

My pet dog is called "Rover".


dog

dog (canonical)
dogs (third-person singular)
dogged (past)
dogged (past participle)
dogging (present participle)

If you dog someone, you follow them while being annoying.

If you dog something or someone, you follow them to try to catch them.


puppy

My new puppy is so cute and playful.


grammar

Grammar is the rules about how to speak and write well in a language. Grammar includes syntax (what order to put words in), morphology (how to make different forms of a word) and conjugation (what form of a word to use).


color

The image caused by light in your eyes, due to light of various wavelengths hitting your retina.

My favorite color is blue.

The color of a person's skin, especially as an indicator of their race or ethnicity


color

color (canonical)
colors (third-person singular)
colored (past)
colored (past participle)
coloring (present participle)

Rose colored the drawing with a pencil.


b

"b" comes after "a" but before "c"

In some schools, a B is a fairly high grade.

Charles got a B in his maths test.


ant

An ant is an insect that walks and goes in groups.

Don't step on those ants.


cow

A common farm animal, the female cattle.

Milk comes from cows.

The female of several other kinds of animal, such an elephant cow or a whale cow.


arm

One of the upper limbs people have; arms start at the shoulder and go down to the wrist, sometimes the hand is included.


arm

arm (canonical)
arms (third-person singular)
armed (past)
armed (past participle)
arming (present participle)

To give or sell weapons to a person, group, or country.

Our taxes pay to arm the military.

To get a tool or a weapon ready for action; to activate.

Remember to arm the alarm system.


automatic

If something is automatic, it works by itself.

A washing machine is automatic.

/ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk/

/ˌɔtəˈmætɪk/


automatic

A car that changes the gear by itself is called an automatic.

The car is not manual shift, it is automatic.

A gun that continues to fire while the trigger is pressed is called an automatic.

That machine gun is an automatic.

/ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk/

/ˌɔtəˈmætɪk/


mountain

A natural rise of the Earth's surface having considerable mass

We visited that mountain last year. The scenery was beautiful.


black

The darkest color; with no light; the color of the sky at night.

He stood away in the black of the night.

Blacks are people of a race with dark coloured skin.

There were many whites, some blacks and native Americans, and a few Asians.

If a company is in the black, it is making a profit. (opposite = in the red)

It took a year for the restaurant to get in the black.


black

black (positive)
blacker (comparative)
blackest (superlative)

The black bunny was the color of night.

If someone is black, they belong to a race with dark-coloured skin.

It's still difficult for a black person to become a manager.

About 30 percent of Southfield's 80,000 citizens are black.

More and more universities are offering courses in black history.

The day the war started was a black day in history.


black

black (canonical)
blacks (third-person singular)
blacked (past)
blacked (past participle)
blacking (present participle)

If you black something, you color it black.

He blacked his boots before the party.

They blacked out the windows so the light would not be seen outside.

A number of lines in the report were blacked out.

If you black out, you quit seeing and hearing anything around you and you fall down.

After his tenth beer, he blacked out and we couldn't wake him up.


air

Air is a mixture of gases. It has no color or odor (smell)

We breathe air to live.

You put on airs when you act arrogantly.

The woman put on the airs in front of her friends.


air

air (canonical)
airs (third-person singular)
aired (past)
aired (past participle)
airing (present participle)

If you air something, you broadcast it, either over the radio, or on television.

Hurry! You'll miss the story about homeless children that is about to air on the local news!


blue

The sky was a deep blue above her and golden yellow beyond the village.

The wall was a mix of watery blues and greens.


blue

blue (positive)
bluer (comparative)
bluest (superlative)

He had blue eyes.

He was very blue that day.

It was a blue day at school when he failed the test.

If a film, story or joke is blue, it has sexual or pornographic content.


red

Red is a color of blood, a rose, an apple, and so on.


red

red (positive)
redder (comparative)
reddest (superlative)


yellow

yellow (positive)
yellower (comparative)
yellowest (superlative)

The yellow car moves fast.

His yellow hair shines in the sun.

He wants to date her, but he does not ask because he is yellow.


green

green (positive)
greener (comparative)
greenest (superlative)

The grass is green.

A fruit that is not ripe (ready to eat).

The banana was still green.

He was a new journalist and quite green.

She turned green when she saw my dress.

Something that protects the environment.

Saving that tree was a green thing to do.


purple

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


orange

One of the colors people can see. It is lighter than red but darker than yellow.

A fruit with a thick skin and a juicy inside.


orange

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

The construction workers wear orange shirts so that drivers can easily see them.


brown

Brown is one of the colors people can see


brown

brown (positive)
browner (comparative)
brownest (superlative)


brown

brown (canonical)
browns (third-person singular)
browned (past)
browned (past participle)
browning (present participle)

If you brown something, you cook it until it turns brown.

Brown the onions in a large frying pan.


white

White is one of the colors people can see

The white or clear colored part inside an egg.

A person with fair (light)-colored skin. Usually this means people of the race that began in Europe, especially Northern Europe.


white

white (positive)
whiter (comparative)
whitest (superlative)

Of a race with light skin or the race that began in Europe, especially northern Europe.


egg

An egg is a common food that is ball-shaped and can have a baby animal inside, such as a chicken, a fish, a snake, etc.

I had a boiled egg for breakfast.

An egg is a cell in the female's body that can become a baby when it is joined by a male cell.


egg

egg (canonical)
eggs (third-person singular)
egged (past)
egged (past participle)
egging (present participle)

On Halloween, naughty children egg houses.


cry

cry (canonical)
cries (third-person singular)
cried (past)
cried (past participle)
crying (present participle)

To shed tears; to let water come from your eyes, usually while making a sound, usually when you feel sad.

He started to cry because he was so upset.

I cried when my brother died.

They cried for us to stop.


cry

She gave a little cry of fear.

He had a good cry.


debt

An item or money which belongs to another, and which will be repaid (given back) in the future.

She must give the bank £100 to clear (remove) her debt.

If you are in debt, you owe money (normally to a bank).


hour

There are 60 minutes in one hour.

There are 24 hours in one day.


fat

fat (positive)
fatter (comparative)
fattest (superlative)

If a person or animal is fat, it is big and heavy because it has too much fat.

I got really fat when I was in university because I ate every meal at McDonalds.


fat

Fat is animal tissue with a high oil content.

Let's get the light cheese. It only has 15% fat. The regular cheese has 35%.


day

Period between midnight to next midnight.


pink

Pink is the color that you get when you mix red and white.

A pink is a type of plant that grows flowers. Pinks are related to carnations.


pink

pink (positive)
pinker (comparative)
pinkest (superlative)


may

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

To be allowed to; to have permission to do something

"May I sit here?" "Yes, go ahead. The seat is empty."

You may not smoke, this area is "no smoking".

If you say something may happen or may be true, you mean there is a chance that it is true.

He may be lying, but I'm not sure.

It may rain today.


year

A measure of the time taken for the earth to circle the sun - any 12 month period

There are 12 months in one year

There are 365 days in a year and 366 days in leap years.

The 12 month period between one January and the next. In the western world, years are numbered from the birth of Christ, starting at 1.

Simple English Wiktionary was started in the year 2005.


month

A measure of time, approximately equal to the time taken for the moon to circle the earth.

There are between 28 and 31 days in one month.

There are 12 months in one year.


week

A week is a period of time that lasts seven days.

There are seven days in one week.


bitter

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

The taste of black coffee and many medicines is bitter. This is the taste of a chemical base.

Yuk! That tastes bitter.

A bitter person is angry for a long time.

She still feels bitter towards him because of something he did last year.

A bitter situation, it is very unpleasant and difficult to deal with.

There's a bitter wind.


bitter

"I'd like a pint of bitter please, barman."


taste

Taste is the sense linked to the tongue, usually when eating food. The taste is how people can enjoy their food.

The main tastes are sweet, sour, salty and bitter.

Wow, these chicken wings taste really good, I want some more!.

Someone's taste, is the kind of food, books, clothing, etc. that they like.

She has great taste in clothes, but I don't understand her taste in men.


taste

taste (canonical)
tastes (third-person singular)
tasted (past)
tasted (past participle)
tasting (present participle)

The way something tastes is the sense you get when you put it in your mouth.

This milk tastes strange. I think it's bad.

This meat tastes like chicken. What is it?

If you taste something, you put it in your mouth to see if you like it.

Here, taste this soup and tell me if it needs more salt.


pain

He was in pain, because his leg was broken.

He wouldn't go away and was a real pain.


pain

pain (canonical)
pains (third-person singular)
pained (past)
pained (past participle)
paining (present participle)

It pains him to have to say goodbye.


responsibility

A responsibility is any action which somebody trusts or expects that another person will do. Responsibilities are normally given or taken.

He took that responsibility upon himself.

Looking after that pet is a big responsibility.


it

Used to refer to an object that might have been described earlier in the text.

The house was very big. It had many rooms.

It is very hot today.

I'm staying in because it is raining.

Used to describe a situation in general.

I don't like it when people tell me to do something.

It is hard to find a job.

It wasn't easy knowing where the ball would go.


it

Information Technology, i.e. the use of computers.


action

An action is something that you do, or something that happens, especially with motion.

At 3 am, just west of the building, the plan was put into action.

There was a huge difference between my thoughts and my actions.

What they did was clearly wrong, but their actions were understandable.

The Health Authority is preparing to take legal action against the restaurants that fail to follow the regulations.


act

act (canonical)
acts (third-person singular)
acted (past)
acted (past participle)
acting (present participle)

If you act in some way, you do something that makes people think you are that way.

When he must do something, he acts quickly.

Don't do anything strange. Just act normal.

She acted the fool when she saw him.

If you act, you perform in a film or a play.

Daniel Radcliffe acts in the Harry Potter films.


act

Going into the house on fire to help a child was a brave act.

The UK's Freedom of Information Act was passed in 2004. It lets people ask questions of the government.

An act is when you do something to make people believe something other than the truth.

Susan seems nice, but it's all an act.

An act is a part of a play, opera, ballet, musical, film, or other theatrical piece. An act is sometimes divided into scenes.

The curtain comes down at the end of each act.


advertisement

An advertisement is a public notice which advertises something; pictures and writing from a company which many people can see.

There was an advertisement for fruit on the wall. It had a big picture of an apple.


c

"b" comes before "c"

In some schools, an C is the passing grade.

Albert only just passed the exam; he got a C.


colour

The image caused by light in your eyes, due to light of various wavelengths hitting your retina.

My favorite colour is blue.

The colour of a person's skin, especially as an indicator of their race or ethnicity


colour

colour (canonical)
colours (third-person singular)
coloured (past)
coloured (past participle)
colouring (present participle)

Rose coloured the drawing with a pencil.


dry

dry (positive)
drier (comparative)
driest (superlative)

If something is dry, it has no water or liquid on it.

The Sahara desert is dry.


dry

dry (canonical)
dries (third-person singular)
dried (past)
dried (past participle)
drying (present participle)

The clothes dried in the sun.

I dried myself after my bath.


dries

You can put on my robe while your shirt dries.

She dries her hair with a blowdryer because she doesn't like how her hair looks when she dries it with a towel.


any

some or even the smallest amount or number

Do you want any coffee?

There aren't any pencils left, not even one.

Don't tell me. I don't want to hear any more about it.

Are you sure there's some here? I don't see any.

Slow down. I can't go any faster.

It doesn't look any different to me.

Please ask me. I can answer any question.

There was no problem of any kind.

I would say the same thing to any person.

Any information that you have would be helpful.

In any case, it doesn't really matter.

It doesn't matter. I'll take any that's left over.


d

"c" comes before "d"

Liam did not pass this exam because he got a D.


e

E is the fifth letter of the alphabet, and is the most common vowel and letter used in the English language.

"d" comes before "e"

The constant e is a real number that has formula e= lim _(n→∞)(1+1/n)ⁿ, and is approximately 2.718281828.


f

"e" comes before "f"

In some schools, an F is a grade that shows that you have failed completely.

This student has not made any attempt in the exam; he only got an F.


g

G is the seventh letter of the alphabet.

"f" comes before "g"


g

This can has 150g of corn.


h

"g" comes before "h"


j

"j" comes after "h" and before "k"


k

The eleventh (11th) letter of the alphabet.

"k" comes after "j" and before "l"


l

The twelfth (12th) letter of the alphabet.

"l" comes after "k" and before "m"


m

The thirteenth (13th) letter of the alphabet.

"m" comes after "l" and before "n".

This is the Roman numeral for thousand (1,000). It may be written as M or m.


m

The bank reported a profit of $50m this year.


n

The fourteenth (14th) letter of the alphabet.

"n" comes after "m" and before "o"


o

The fifteenth (15th) letter of the alphabet. It is a vowel.

"o" comes after "n" and before "p"


p

The sixteenth (16th) letter of the alphabet.

"p" comes after "o" and before "q"


p

Meet me at 4:30pm.

She wrote her homework in her notebook: "read p 60 – 80".

This quote is from Moby Dick by Herman Melville (p119).


q

The seventeenth (17th) letter of the alphabet. Most words with q have a u as the next letter, for example aqua.

"q" comes after "p" and before "r"


r

The eighteenth (18th) letter of the English alphabet.

"r" comes after "q" and before "s"


s

The nineteenth (19th) letter of the alphabet.

"s" comes after "r" and before "t"


t

The twentieth (20th) letter of the alphabet. It is the second most used letter, after e.

"t" comes after "s" and before "u"


v

The twenty-second (22nd) letter of the alphabet.

"v" comes after "u" and before "w"

This is the Roman numeral for five (5). It can be written as V or v.


w

The twenty-third (23rd) letter of the alphabet.

"w" comes after "v" and before "x"


x

X is the twenty-fourth (24th) letter of the alphabet.

"x" comes after "w" and before "y"

This is the Roman numeral for ten (10). It may be written as X or x.


x

x (canonical)
xes (third-person singular)
xed (past)
xed (past participle)
xing (present participle)

to x (sth) means to write or draw a cross on something


y

Y is the twenty-fifth (25th) letter of the alphabet.

"y" comes after "x" and before "z"


z

Z is the twenty-sixth (26th), and last letter of the alphabet.

"z" comes after "y"


vowel

A vowel is one of the letters a, e, i, o and u. All the other letters are consonants. Sometimes y is also considered to be a vowel.

A vowel is a sound in the middle of a syllable. It is louder and longer than consonant sounds.

English has more than 15 vowel sounds, but only five vowel letters!

Your mouth is more open when you say a vowel than when you say a consonant.


letter

A letter is a symbol which makes up part of a word.

The word fly has 3 letters: f, l and y.

I received a letter through the post.


arch

A semi-circle shape, like an inverted "U".

Robert drew an arch on the paper.

Any object having the shape of an arch, from stone bridges and doorways to bows.

They went through the arch into the church.

A part of the foot, on the bottom, which is shaped like an arch.

She stepped on a nail and hurt the arch of her foot.


arch

arch (canonical)
arches (third-person singular)
arched (past)
arched (past participle)
arching (present participle)

The cat arched its back.


arch

Arch added to the start of a word signifies it is important or the most important

An archbishop is a senior bishop.

Comic-book villains may be an arch-enemy.


bed

At night, I go to bed.

The fish was so far down in the water that it was touching the river's bed.


bed

bed (canonical)
beds (third-person singular)
bedded (past)
bedded (past participle)
bedding (present participle)

By the next week, Josh had bedded Tina and Holly.


X-ray

X-rays are a type of invisible light beyond ultra-violet. They pass through skin and tissue, but not bone, making it useful in medicine. X-rays are a type of radiation.

When John broke his arm, he had an X-ray taken.

X-ray represents the letter X in the ICAO spelling alphabet.


X-ray

X-ray (canonical)
X-rays (third-person singular)
X-rayed (past)
X-rayed (past participle)
X-raying (present participle)

To X-ray is to take a photograph of an X-ray

The doctor X-rayed the patient's leg


X-ray

Something that is X-ray is something to do with X-rays.

The airport had an X-ray scanner.


his

If you say something is his thing, you mean it belongs to a particular man or boy.

It is his book, not mine.

His is used, instead of the name of an object, to refer to something belonging to a man or boy.

It isn't my book, it is his.


with

With is used to show the other people or things present when something happened.

I went to school with my brother.

With is used to describe something added to something else.

The cat has a collar with a bell on it.

With is used to show what thing is used to do something.

He hit the nail with a hammer.

With the children so sick, we weren't able to get much work done.


for

For is used to show that something belongs to something else, or has a specific function.

This cake is for you.

This is a net for catching fish.

For is used to show the reason for something.

He was angry, for he had never been called such terrible names before.


for

For is used to introduce the predicand of a to-infinitival clause.

It's not good for you to be too relaxed.


as

A word that is used to compare two things that are equal.

As you know, we need more workers.

I baked the cake as my mother used to.

Nothing is the same as it used to be.

The room looks just as before.

The speech, as he remembered it, was very powerful.

The measures as taken by the government were effective.

The company might end up dragging its feet and leaving the matter unsettled, as it used to be.

A word that is used to show that two things happened at the same time.

Just as I went out, it started to rain.

We sleep as the world turns in darkness.

A word that is used to show why something happens.

As I couldn't understand French, I didn't watch the film.

A word that is used to express concession.

Interesting as it seems, I don't think I'll get it.

The house was reported as being in excellent condition.

The police do not regard him as being dangerous.

Several pupils were designated as having moderate or severe learning difficulties.

I always think of you as one of the family.

She rates his work as creative.


as

You are younger than I am, but nearly as tall.

This is not as good as it was last time.

It remained as much a chimera as ever.


had

have (canonical)
has (third-person singular)
had (past)
had (past participle)
having (present participle)

The past tense and past participle of have.

We had a good time at the zoo.

But we have had better times in the park.


had

have (canonical)
have (present)
has (third-person singular)
had (past)
having (present participle)
haven't (present negative)
hasn't (third-person singular negative)
hadn't (past negative)


you

Used instead of the name of the person being spoken to; it is a second-person pronoun.

You are my best friend.

Can I go to the shops with you?

You have to be at least 18 years old to see that film.

She has problems with her eyes, and can't see you properly.


you

Used before a word that means the person or people someone is talking to.

You guys can leave now.


ear

A part of the head (or face) used for hearing.

My rabbit has two big ears.

Your shouting hurts my ears!


gold

Gold is a metal, which can be used to make coins and rings. It costs a lot of money to buy. Its symbol is Au on the periodic table and its atomic number is 79.

I keep my gold in a safe.

This is a gold ring


absorption

Absorption is taking in a gas or liquid through very small holes.

Good water absorption properties make sponges useful for soaking up water.

Absorption is the state of being completely occupied by something.

Sam's absorption in his book made him forget to eat dinner.


anesthetic

An anesthetic 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 anesthetic on him before performing the surgery.

/ˌænəsˈθɛtɪk/


asset

A thing that has value. It may be worth money, but may just be useful.

One asset was his car and another was his house.

Jimmy's skills have been a real asset to the team.


drink

A drink is a liquid that you take in through your mouth.

He served her a hot drink and some cake.


drink

drink (canonical)
drinks (third-person singular)
drank (past)
drunk (past participle)
drinking (present participle)

If you drink something, usually a liquid, you take it in through your mouth.

I drink coffee in the morning.


information

Information is facts, details, numbers, names, and other forms of knowledge.

The nurse can provide you with more information about healthy eating.

Computers make it easy to save and search for the information you need.

/ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃən/


liquid

A basic state of things that is similar to water. Not solid or gas.

She put the liquid in a glass.


liquid

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

A thing that is in the form of a liquid.

He added liquid nitrogen.


water

Water is a clear liquid of the chemical compound H₂O that all living things need in order to live.

The dog drank the water from his dish

Can I please have a glass of water?

Your plant needs more water as it is about to die.

A water is a bottle or glass serving of water.

"I want to order two waters, waiter".

Water is one of the four basic elements.

Water is one of the five basic elements (see Wikipedia article on the Classical elements).

Right before the woman went into labor, her water broke.


water

water (canonical)
waters (third-person singular)
watered (past)
watered (past participle)
watering (present participle)

If you water something, you add water to soil around plants.

He waters the plants.

If you water something, you give water to animals.

He waters the horses.

If something waters, it fills with water; it secretes water.

His eyes watered as he cut up the onion.


mammal

A mammal is one member of a large group of animals with warm blood, fur, and milk production abilities.


ice

A gas or liquid, normally water, which has been frozen (made solid)

When water is cooled below 0°C, it freezes into ice.

Ice is the solid state of water.


ice

ice (canonical)
ices (third-person singular)
iced (past)
iced (past participle)
icing (present participle)

If you ice something, you cool it by putting ice or something else very cold on it.

I iced my knee after I hurt it in soccer.

If you ice a cake, you cover with icing.

I iced this cake.


camera

An object that takes pictures digitally or on film.

I took a picture of the mountain with my camera.

A machine that records or broadcasts moving pictures.

The shooting was caught on camera.

A Latin word meaning room and used in English only for rooms where laws are discussed


tongue

The part of the body that tastes food. It is pink or red and is inside the mouth.

He spoke in his native tongue.


tongue

tongue (canonical)
tongues (third-person singular)
tongued (past)
tongued (past participle)
tonguing (present participle)

:
 This short section needs someone to add to it.


night

During the day we usually go hiking in the mountain. Then at night, we come back to the hotel to get some sleep.

We woke up at night because of the thunder.


night

A clipping of good night. It is a shorter way for people who get along well to say "good night".


sun

The sun is the star that can be seen during the day from the Earth. In the sky, it looks like a yellow circle.

The sun is very hot.


sun

A star, especially a star that is at the center of a solar system.

Scientists have found other suns with planets around them.


bee

A bee is a black and yellow striped insect with wings that makes honey. It has a stinger.

That bee is flying to the flower.


honey

Honey is a sweet, thick liquid that is made by bees. It is usually golden or brown.

Add some honey to make it taste good.

Honey, I only love you.

We need to find some honeys.

Honey is a pale yellow to brownish-yellow color that looks like (the sweet substance) honey.


reptile

A reptile is a cold-blooded animal with scales (such as crocodiles or lizards).

A gecko is a type of reptile.


amphibian

An amphibian is an animal that lives on land and in water.

Frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and gymnophiona are all examples of amphibians, since they can live on land and in the water.

/ˈæmˌfɪbɪən/


apple

An apple is a sweet, red, yellow or green fruit.

I gave my teacher an apple.

I went to the Big Apple.


yes

A word that is used to agree or accept; to mean the same thing that the other person said.

Yes, I do eat fish.

A word used to not agree with a negative sentence or question.

You are not tall. Yes, I am tall.

You do not want it, do you? Yes, I do.

Isn't William your brother? Yes, he is my brother.


yes

I won! Yes!


yes

A yes is an answer that agrees or accepts.

She gave him a yes.

The vote count was six "yesses" and one "no."


yesterday

Yesterday, I went to the store.

Victor chaired the meeting yesterday.

His clothes are like yesterday's fashion.

I met her yesterday morning.

He remembered all his yesterdays.


young

young (positive)
younger (comparative)
youngest (superlative)

If you are young, you have not lived a long time.

She was only a young girl.

The young lion plays with his brothers and sisters.

He is very young.

They were friends from his young manhood.


young

The lion caught a gnu to feed its young.

The lion's young are curious.


at

Used to say where something is, or when saying something's position

I am at home.

Let's meet at the pub!

Used to say the time at which something happened or will happen

Breakfast is at 9 o'clock.

At 5pm we went home.

Used to direct attention towards a state, event, or detail

Look at how lucky we are.

At half price!

Water boils at high temperatures.


at

support@microsoft.com is an email address.

Apples @ £1.50 per kilogram.


o'clock

When saying a time, this means that it is zero minutes past the hour. O'clock is almost always given after the number of hours. It is short for of the clock.

"What time is it?" "It is 6 o'clock."

The train leaves at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.


pub

A place which serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and sometimes food. Pub is a short for public house, which is less commonly used.

We went to the pub for a beer.


cloud

A cloud is a collection of condensed water vapor floating in the sky that sometimes makes rain.

Those dark storm clouds are quickly getting closer.

A cloud is a group or swarm of something.

The cloud of locusts flew closer to the corn.


cloud

cloud (canonical)
clouds (third-person singular)
clouded (past)
clouded (past participle)
clouding (present participle)

If something is clouded, it becomes foggy or gloomy; it becomes blocked from sight.

The sky clouded over.

If something is clouded, it becomes obscure.

Don't cloud the issue.


wiki

A wiki is a type of website where anyone can change the contents of pages.

Simple English Wiktionary is a type of wiki.


discuss

discuss (canonical)
discusses (third-person singular)
discussed (past)
discussed (past participle)
discussing (present participle)

They discussed the issue.


talk

talk (canonical)
talks (third-person singular)
talked (past)
talked (past participle)
talking (present participle)

to speak; any sound from a person's mouth.

He talks with him daily.


talk

I liked the talk he gave to the students.

His talk is meaningless.


web

A web is a series of lines, ideas, or thoughts connected.

Her web of thoughts is complex.

The spider is spinning a very large web.

Simple English Wiktionary is my favorite place on the web.


web

web (canonical)
webs (third-person singular)
webbed (past)
webbed (past participle)
webbing (present participle)

If you web something, you cover it with a web.

Spiders web their prey and then eat them.


IP address

An IP address is a number that is used to identify a computer. It is short for Internet Protocol address.

The IP address is 123.45.678.9.


speak

speak (canonical)
speaks (third-person singular)
spoke (past)
spoken (past participle)
speaking (present participle)

He speaks with him daily.


sound

sound (positive)
sounder (comparative)
soundest (superlative)


sound

any noise; something that can be heard by the ears.

There was a loud sound.


sound

sound (canonical)
sounds (third-person singular)
sounded (past)
sounded (past participle)
sounding (present participle)

If something sounds a particular way, you think it is that way when you hear or read about it.

The restaurant sounds great.


person

She is a very nice person.

In grammar, the system of person is related to who is involved in the conversation.

The pronoun I is first person, you is second person, and most other nouns are third person.

A person is an individual with a mind and rights.

The court is trying to decide if an elephant is a legal person.


human

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

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

Every person has human rights.

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


human

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

What effect are we humans having on the natural world?


species

A species is the most specific level in the scientific tree.

Humans belong to the species Homo sapiens.


mouth

a part of the face used for eating and talking

He opened his mouth to speak.


mouth

mouth (canonical)
mouths (third-person singular)
mouthed (past)
mouthed (past participle)
mouthing (present participle)

To silently speak; to form words with your mouth without making a sound.

He mouthed the answers to her.


daily

used to describe something done every day.

He kept a daily diary.


daily

He showers daily.


lines

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


lines

line (canonical)
lines (third-person singular)
lined (past)
lined (past participle)
lining (present participle)


ideas

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

I had two ideas that day.

He told me his ideas on conservation.


quiet

quiet (positive)
quieter (comparative)
quietest (superlative)

Not loud; making no sound or making very little sound.

This young person is very quiet now because she is reading a book.

You should be quiet in a library or a movie theater.


quiet

quiet (canonical)
quiets (third-person singular)
quieted (past)
quieted (past participle)
quieting (present participle)

She quieted the cries of her baby.

The manager quieted their protest with a few words.

Her presence quiets his fears.


quiet

You like the quiet.


kitchen

A kitchen is a room used for cooking food.

My mother made the dinner in the kitchen.

Bring me a kitchen knife.


island

An island is a piece of ground that is completely surrounded by water.

The fisherman lived alone on a small island in James Bay.

An island of an object, person, or place, is one surrounded by things very different from itself.

An island of peace and silence in a noisy city.

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God

God is the single god of a religion and the maker of the earth and everything that exists.

In Hinduism, the followers believe in numerous gods. In Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, the followers believe in only one God.

The Bible says that God created the world in six days and rested the seventh day.

I love God and the Bible and I know he's real, because of everything and everyone that he created.


God

"God" is used when a person is surprised. Some people do not like to use this phrase, as they think this is blasphemy (an insult to God).

Oh God, not that again!


alphabet

An alphabet is a list of the letters used to spell words by representing phonemes.

The first 3 letters of the alphabet are A, B and C.


earth

I planted some roses in this patch of earth.

Anything made up mostly of rock, sand or soil.

Here is some earth.

There is earth in this box.

Earth is the third planet from the sun, where we live.

The Earth is a planet.

He came from a different earth.

Earth is dry and hot.


Earth

The planet on which we live – the third planet of the Solar System.

The moon goes around the Earth.


May

May is the fifth (5th) month of the year.

There are 31 days in May.

May fell down and hurt her knee.


god

The gods come from several powerful supernatural beings, according to some religions.

The Ancient Greeks believed in many gods. They had a god for thunder, a god for love, and many other gods.

When someone is called a god of something, then that person is very skillful and famous for one thing, as in a god of sport

Wayne Gretzky is sometimes called a god of ice hockey.


god

Used when somebody is surprised or unhappy about something. Some people do not like to use this phrase, as they think this is blasphemy (an insult to God).

My god, not that again!


isn't

be (canonical)
am, is, are (present)
was, were (past)
been (past participle)
being (present participle)

He isn't my brother. He is my uncle.

It isn't raining; it's sunny.


not

"Not" makes a phrase have the opposite meaning.

I was not there.

I am not fat!

The item before "not" is more correct or better than the item after "not".

I wanted tea, not coffee!

It's stupid, not funny.


not

Used to indicate the sentence before is sarcastic or ironic. This means that the sentence has the opposite meaning.

I like doing lots of boring homework. Not!


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.


astronomer

An astronomer is a person who studies stars, galaxies and space; a person who studies astronomy.

The astronomer stayed up all night, but saw nothing because it was cloudy.


nothing

I bought nothing in the shop, because it was closed.

Empty. An area has nothing in it if it has no objects in it.

An empty cup has nothing in it.

I looked for the book, but I could see nothing.


million

ordinal millionth) The number 1,000,000.

In 2006, Canada had about 32.6 million people.


million

One thousand thousand is a million.

In the US, there are one thousand millions in a billion.

In the UK, there are one million millions in a billion.


alphabetical

In the order of the letters of the alphabet or related to the alphabet.

He made the list of names alphabetical.


adjective

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.


blues

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

Those two blues go well together.

I have the blues.

The blues is a type of music, created by African Americans.

He can play blues or jazz.


Main page


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.


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.


violet

Violet is one of my favorite colors.

Maria sells violets.


violet

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

He wears a violet tie.


January

January is the first (1st) month in the year.

There are 31 days in January.


February

February
Februaries or Februarys (plural)

The fourteenth (14th) month in the year.

There are 30 days in February.


March

There are 31 days in March.


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.


march

A formal, rhythmic way of walking. A march is usually done by soldiers, bands and in ceremonies.

Any song in the genre of music written for marching (see Wikipedia's article on this type of music)

The march of time.


march

march (canonical)
marches (third-person singular)
marched (past)
marched (past participle)
marching (present participle)

To walk with long, regular strides, like a soldier does.

We saw the guards marching at Buckingham Palace.

To go to war; to make military advances.


angry

angry (positive)
angrier (comparative)
angriest (superlative)

He embarrassed her, so she was angry.

He had an angry wound.


danger

A danger is something that can hurt or kill a person.

He was a danger to those around him. I am glad he was sent to jail.

If someone or something is in danger, it means someone or something is under threat and can be hurt or killed.

She is in danger of being buried by that avalanche.


umbrella

An umbrella is a tool to keep you dry when it rains. You hold it over your head.

I use my umbrella when it rains.

An umbrella company is an organization that controls other organizations.

The store was under the company umbrella.


under

In the same place as another thing, but lower.

They ate under the trees.

He was under the leader of the organization.

In the middle of a process; experiencing.

The idea is under the committee's judgement (judging).


unit

One of a measure of something; the amount of something that is counted as "one".

Measure five units to the left.

$4 is the unit price.

A pound is a useful unit for thinking about amounts of butter.

I prefer metric units.

Item, used when no other word for something exists.

He set up the A/C unit.


secret

Can you keep a secret?


secret

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

We found her secret diary.


key

A key is a small instrument, usually metal used to open locks.

I put my key in the lock and turned it.

Type your name and hit the ENTER key.

A key is the part of a keyboard instrument you press with your fingers to play a sound.

The piano has a pattern of black and white keys.

The key in music is the tonal centre of a piece of music.

Mozart's Symphony No.40 is written in the key of G minor.


key

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

Something that is key, is an important or a main thing.

Accuracy is a key part of playing music.


key

key (canonical)
keys (third-person singular)
keyed (past)
keyed (past participle)
keying (present participle)

To key is to lock something with key, or like using a key.

The locksmith was called in to key the building for better security.

To key is to enter information into a computer.

He keyed in all the data from the survey.


up

The flag is up.

The balloon went up.

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

The outcome of the game is up to the players.

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

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

What are you up to this evening?

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

She's always up to some kind of trouble.

It was an up day.

He is feeling up.

What’s up?

They act like something is up.

Something is up with him.

It is all up with them.


up

Life has its ups and downs.


up

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

We upped the dosage.


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.


jelly

Fruit juice mixed with sugar, then canned; especially grape.

I like jelly on my toast.

The children celebrated by eating bowls of jelly.

It turned into jelly.


use

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

I use oil to cook.

This hammer is used to hit the nails.

To treat as unimportant, abuse; used about people.

She only uses him to do the house chores.


use

A way to apply something; an application.

They put it to good use.

This battery will last for 2000 uses.


violent

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

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

Police said he had a history of violent behavior.

The violent wind took the roof off of the house.


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.


voice

His voice was deep and clear.

She had a lot of voice in the company.

You spoke in a low voice so that they would not hear.

Tells if the subject does or receives the action.

That sentence is in passive voice.


voice

voice (canonical)
voices (third-person singular)
voiced (past)
voiced (past participle)
voicing (present participle)

The president voiced her disagreement.


view

He had a view of the fight.

My window has a great view of the ocean.

They had a narrow view on marriage.


view

view (canonical)
views (third-person singular)
viewed (past)
viewed (past participle)
viewing (present participle)

I view your changes with suspicion.

He views movies for content.

They viewed the rescue from the street.


kettle

A container for boiling liquids or cooking food.

William cooked the beans in a kettle.

A container for boiling water for tea; a teakettle.

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

The collective noun for a group of airborne hawks.


didn't

do (canonical)
do (present)
does (third-person singular)
did (past)
don't (present negative)
doesn't (third-person singular negative)
didn't (past negative)

He didn't help her.

You didn't tell me you're going on vacation next month. How exciting!


April

April is the fourth (4th) month of the year.

There are 30 days in April.


June

June is the sixth (6th) month of the year.

There are 30 days in June.

June went to school with David.


July

There are 31 days in July.


August

There are 31 days in August.


September

September is the ninth month of the year.

There are 30 days in September.


October

There are 31 days in October.


November

November is the eleventh month of the year.

There are 30 days in November.


December

December is the twelfth month of the year.

There are 31 days in December.


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.


Monday

The second day of the week. The first day of the work week.

I hate Mondays.


Tuesday

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

I have Tuesday night off.


Wednesday

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

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Thursday

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

I will see a movie this Thursday.


Friday

The sixth day of the week, fifth and last of the secular and Christian work week, and the day of rest for Muslims. Friday afternoon is the beginning of the weekend.

We went to the mosque on Friday.


Saturday

The seventh and last day of the week, first day of the weekend, and for Jews and some Christians, the day of rest.

Tomorrow is Saturday.


Christianity

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

He believes in Christianity.


Christian

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

He is a conservative Christian.

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

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


Christian

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


Christian

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

Yes, she is Christian.

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

Being saved from sin by Christ is a Christian idea.

Christmas is a Christian holiday.

They went to a Christian church.

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

The way you forgave them was very Christian.

It is not Christian to steal from people.


atheism

Atheism is the belief that there is no God.

Most atheists say atheism is not a religion.

Atheism is lacking a belief that God exists.

He explained that his view on god was atheism because there was no evidence of god's existence.


mass noun

A mass noun is a noun that refers to an amount, not an item.

"Water" is a mass noun, but "scissors" is not.


noun

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

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


domestic

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

Domestic issues relate to issues inside one country, not affecting other countries.

He believes the public is ready for change in domestic and foreign policy.

Domestic issues related to the issues inside one home.

He does his domestic chores.

The level of domestic violence against women and children is very high.

Domestic animals are animals usually kept by humans.

Diseases from domestic animals will often kill wild animals.


desire

She has a desire to win.

Love is my desire.


desire

desire (canonical)
desires (third-person singular)
desired (past)
desired (past participle)
desiring (present participle)

To wish for something, to want something.

I desire your company.


or

A word used to link two alternative choices.

Would you like tea or coffee?


again

They didn't understand the answer, so they asked again.


knife

He ate with his knife and fork.

He worked with a putty knife.


knife

knife (canonical)
knifes (third-person singular)
knifed (past)
knifed (past participle)
knifing (present participle)

If you knife someone, you stab someone with a knife; you make a hole in them.

The gang knifed him sixteen times.


A/C

AC is a short version of "air conditioning" (cooling).

He turned on the AC to help cool the room.

AC is also a short version of alternating current.


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.


measurement

Measurement is the act of measuring something.

Measurement is the amount of something which is found by measuring it.

The measurement of flour you need is four cups.


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.


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.


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.


knowledge

He shared his knowledge with you.


thing

She sent her things to New York.


things

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

I packed my things.


plough

A plough is a tool used to cut ground before planting.

He took the plough out of the shed.


plough

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

He will plough the field by sundown.


plow

A plow is a tool used to cut ground before planting.

An old plow was stuck in the field.


plow

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

Aaron plowed the field in the spring.


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.


opinion

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

You gave your opinion of the case.


start

The beginning of something in place or time.

We went back to the start.

I surprised him and he gave a start.

She gave him quite a start.


start

start (canonical)
starts (third-person singular)
started (past)
started (past participle)
starting (present participle)

To begin; to do something for the first time.

They started the race in first place.

I will start the car.

When I touched his arm, he started.


gray

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

I like the darker color of gray.

They look out into the gray.


gray

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

That is a gray whale.


gray

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

My hair is starting to gray.


grey

I like the darker color of grey.

They look out into the grey.


grey

grey (positive)
greyer (comparative)
greyest (superlative)

That is a grey whale.


grey

grey (canonical)
greys (third-person singular)
greyed (past)
greyed (past participle)
greying (present participle)

My hair is starting to grey.


heliocentric

Copernicus' model of the universe was heliocentric.


awake

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

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


awake

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

She awoke with the dawn.

If something awakes a feeling, it makes it happen.

He awoke their resentment.


daughter

A daughter is a female child of someone.

I am her father and she is my daughter.


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.


jewel

Mary keeps her jewels in a safe.


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.


bridge

Anything which avoids something which blocks a path, usually water, by going over the top of it.

The Golden Gate Bridge connects the two sides of California.

The bridge let cars go over the road, to avoid the traffic.


bridge

bridge (canonical)
bridges (third-person singular)
bridged (past)
bridged (past participle)
bridging (present participle)

:
 This short section needs someone to add to it.


vessel

She poured the milk into another vessel.

It was the best vessel in the water.


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.

"Do you know this song?" Mr. Akello said.


able

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

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

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

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

She is an able teacher.


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.


iron

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

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

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

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

That door is made of iron.

A tool which uses heat to remove wrinkles from cloth.

She used the iron on her skirt.

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iron

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

He irons his shirts.


kiss

The act of placing your lips on something, usually to show love or affection.

She gave him a long kiss on the lips.

A cone-shaped piece of chocolate made by Hershey.

I will give you a chocolate kiss.


kiss

kiss (canonical)
kisses (third-person singular)
kissed (past)
kissed (past participle)
kissing (present participle)

To place your lips on something to show love or affection.

The man and the woman kissed each other.

His car kissed the bumper of the car in front of him.


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.


man

He was a young man with blue eyes.

Two men waited at the bus stop.

The old man smiled at the child.

Four men carried the heavy box upstairs.

Man landed on the Moon in 1969.

Early man painted pictures on cave walls.

Has man changed the climate of the Earth?

Do you think man will live on Mars one day?


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!


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.


about

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

Let's not talk about her problems.

If something moves about, it moves in many directions.

He walked about the place, looking everywhere.

Having to do with, concerning, regarding.

I will talk about dogs.

They're about the same.

We're here just about every week.

About two years ago, I started skiing.


about

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

Please be seated. We're about to begin.


across

I walked across the bridge.

I can see him across the street.

The bridge is across the stream.


cut

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

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

Jared cut the meat using his knife and fork.

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

I cut my hand.

They cut the electricity.

The film was cut by ten minutes.

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

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

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


cut

A scratch, opening in the skin or a surface.

She had a cut on her arm.

There was a cut in prices.

A small piece removed by cutting is a cut.

I will take a cut of beef.


fact

A fact is a piece of information that is true.

That is not just my idea, it is a fact.

He collects little-known facts.


idea

It was a good idea.

An idea is something abstract (not concrete).

Love is just an idea.

An idea is a way to see something, a view.

He changed her ideas on religion.


insect

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

I killed a large insect in the bathroom.

Crickets, ants, ladybugs, and flies are insects.

The mayor thought of her as a mere insect.


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.


important

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

That is an important point.


ill

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

Sick, not well. If you are ill, you have bad health, you might have a disease.

One boy died and the other is seriously ill in the hospital.

If you are ill you are angry or disturbed.

You are making me ill with your attacks.


ill

:
 This short section needs someone to add to it.


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.


sail

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

They folded the sail.


sail

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

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

They sail around the world every year in their boat.

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

We sailed across the Atlantic to reach Spain.

We sailed the ship to the east of the island.


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.


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.


kick

I gave the door a kick.

I get a kick out of talking to her.


kick

kick (canonical)
kicks (third-person singular)
kicked (past)
kicked (past participle)
kicking (present participle)

If you kick someone or something, you attack or hit it with your foot.

She kicked the door down.

She was kicked in the face.


journey

Timothy left on a long journey.


journey

journey (canonical)
journeys (third-person singular)
journeyed (past)
journeyed (past participle)
journeying (present participle)

If you journey to somewhere, you travel there.

We journeyed from town to town.


jump

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

If you jump, you leave the ground completely.

He jumped for joy.

She jumped to her death from the bridge.

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

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

He loved jumping his bicycle.

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

I scared her and she jumped.

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

We used his car to jump ours.


jump

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

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

He went off the jump at full speed.

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

He used his car to give me a jump.

A jump is a sudden movement of surprise.

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


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.


narrow

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

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

The bridge was narrow.

She has a narrow waist.

He has a narrow knowledge of math.


narrow

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

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

He narrowed his eyes in anger.

The road narrows near the lake.


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.


question

Something someone says to have someone else say an answer.

The question is: "How much money do we have?"

It was a question of right and wrong.


question

question (canonical)
questions (third-person singular)
questioned (past)
questioned (past participle)
questioning (present participle)

To say questions to someone; to ask someone questions.

She questioned him fully.

To have an idea that something may be true or may not be true.

They questioned whether he was right .


verse

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

It was a book of verse.

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


verse

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

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

He has become well versed in the classics.


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.


quick

quick (positive)
quicker (comparative)
quickest (superlative)

Using very little time; moving far in little time.

You are able to run very quickly.

I will wash quickly.

He learns quickly.


quick

quick (positive)
quicker (comparative)
Superlativequickest

He finished quick.


quite

The dog was quite little.

She was quite good to me.

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


quite

"Is the answer correct?" "Quite!"


billion

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

In 2006, China had about 1.3 billion people.


billion

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


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.


sugar

Sugar is a small white powder. It looks like salt, but it tastes sweet. Some people put it in tea.

This cookie recipe says you should use two cups of sugar, but I think that will be too sweet. One cup is enough.


sugar

sugar (canonical)
sugars (third-person singular)
sugared (past)
sugared (past participle)
sugaring (present participle)

:
 This short section needs someone to add to it.


profit

A profit is money made that is over the total amount spent on the thing being sold.


profit

profit (canonical)
profits (third-person singular)
profited (past)
profited (past participle)
profiting (present participle)

If someone profits from something, they benefit from it; they gain from it.


bad

bad (positive)
worse (comparative)
worst (superlative)

The man who killed his wife was very bad.

Skipping school is a bad thing to do.

Debts can go bad when a debtor has gone bankrupt.

Could things get any worse than this?

This is the worst time I've had all year!


door

A piece of a wall that can be opened (leaving a hole in the wall to walk through) or closed (covering the hole). Some doors are on hinges; others slide.

Please open the door for him. His hands are full.


down

What goes up on earth must fall down.

Towards a smaller price, number, amount, etc.

I'm going to buy a computer once prices go down.


down

Down is soft feathers or a covering of soft feathers.

That pillow is full of down.


down

down (canonical)
downs (third-person singular)
downed (past)
downed (past participle)
downing (present participle)

If you down a liquid, normally an alcoholic drink, it means you drink it very quickly.

Harry downed a glass of beer in five seconds.


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)


spell

spelled (past)
spelled (past participle)
spell (canonical)
spells (third-person singular)
spelt (past)
spelt (past participle)
spelling (present participle)

C, A and T spell cat.

To say or write all the letters that make up a word, in the right order.

Jack says: "Spell cat for me, Jill."

Jill says: "C-A-T."

To spell all the words in a language correctly.

Jack says: I thought cat was spelled K-A-T.

Jill says: That is because you cannot spell very well.


spell

He stayed in his house for quite a spell.

We've had a bad spell of weather.

Words supposed to have a magical power, or the effect they are supposed to have.

He cast a spell on us.

The witch cast an evil spell on the princess.


weather

The weather in a place is the air temperature, the number of clouds, and the amount of wind and rain or snow.

The weather conditions at the airport are bad. I don't think the plane will be able to fly.

The radio says the hot summer weather is going to continue for a few more days.


weather

weather (canonical)
weathers (third-person singular)
weathered (past)
weathered (past participle)
weathering (present participle)

To weather is to be changed by the effects of sun, wind, ice or rain.

The old house had weathered badly.


rain

Drops of water that fall out of clouds in the sky.

I do not like going outside in the rain.


rain

rain (canonical)
rains (third-person singular)
rained (past)
rained (past participle)
raining (present participle)

If it is raining, water is falling from the sky.


tax

The city is raising taxes again.


tax

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

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

Some people say governments tax poor people too much.

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


city

A city is large area where many people live and work, larger than a town.

Tokyo and New York are two of the world's largest cities.

There's too much crime in this city.

The city is the government that has power over a city.

A city usually builds roads and parks, and keeps them in good shape.

The city has its offices in a building called a city hall.

The mayor asked city council to reduce taxes.

The city is the people who live in the city.

The city is afraid of the change.


car

A car is a small passenger vehicle with four wheels, moved by an engine.

I just drive around in my car all day.

The garage was full so she parked her poor little car on the street.

Three fire trucks and two police cars arrived at the scene of the car accident.

Tony got in the driver's seat and started the car.

We flew into Miami and got a rental car.

Her son crashed the family car, but nobody was hurt.

Sheldon had offered to buy Nicki a used car, a Honda or Toyota, something reliable.

They stopped us at a red light and stole our car.

Us kids made $20 washing the cars in the driveway in front of our parents' house.

I loaded my suitcase and bag in the trunk of my car.

The salesperson at the car dealer tried to sell me a used BMW.

Are we going to be driving Chinese electric cars in a few years?

When the car was going 150 km/h, she took her hands off the wheel and closed her eyes.

Mr. Marquez was known for flashy clothes and jewelry, luxury cars and even a few boats.

A car is one large part of a train that can be added or taken away.


building

A building consists of walls, a foundation and a roof that together close in some space.

I work in the Chrysler Building.


building

build (canonical)
builds (third-person singular)
built (past)
built (past participle)
building (present participle)

He is building a skyscraper.


home

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


home

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

He brought the money straight home to his mother.

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

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


verb

A verb is a kind of word that usually tells about an action or a state and is the head of a sentence. In English, verbs are the only kind of word that changes to show past or present tense. See verb examples.

In the sentence My father works on a farm, the verb is works.


verb

verb (canonical)
verbs (third-person singular)
verbed (past)
verbed (past participle)
verbing (present participle)

To verb a word is to turn it into a verb.

The word "access" used to just be a noun, but then it got verbed.


farm

A piece of land where people work growing plants and animals. Usually, a farm makes food for its owners to eat or sell.

We grow cows and apples on our farm.

A farm is a group of coordinated servers.

A server farm.


farm

farm (canonical)
farms (third-person singular)
farmed (past)
farmed (past participle)
farming (present participle)

To grow plants or animals on a piece of land.

My father farms on a large parcel of land for a living.

If you farm in an online game, you engage in repetitive activity for a particular item.