cstr/en-wiktionary-extracted-all huggingface dataset:
shoe
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: enpr: sho͞o
ipa: /ˈʃuː/
ipa: /ˈʃu/
rhymes: -uː
homophone: chou
homophone: shoo
homophone: shew
homophone: SHU
Forms: form: shoes
form: shoeing
form: shod
form: shoed
form: shodden
form: shod
form: shoed
Etymology: From Middle English scho, sho, from Old English sċōh (“shoe”), from Proto-West Germanic *skōh, from Proto-Germanic *skōhaz (“shoe”), of unclear etymology; possibly a derivation from *skehaną (“to move quickly”), from Proto-Indo-European *skek- (“to move quickly, jump”). Eclipsed non-native Middle English sabatine, sabatoun (“shoe”) from Medieval Latin sabatēnum, sabatum (“shoe, slipper”) (compare Old Occitan sabatō, Spanish zapato (“shoe”), French sabot (“wooden shoe, clog”), Italian ciabatta). The archaic plural shoon is from Middle English shon, from Old English scōn, scōum (“shoes”, dative plural) and scōna (“shoes'”, genitive plural); it is cognate with Scots shuin (“shoes”). See also Scots shae, West Frisian skoech, Low German Schoh, Dutch schoen, German Schuh, Bavarian Schuach, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish sko, Tocharian B skāk (“balcony”).
Senses: examples: text: Men and women clothed and shod for the ascent.
ref: 1995, Michel Potay, The Gospel Delivered in Arès, 26:6:
glosses: To put shoes on one's own feet.
examples: text: "Old Jimmy Harris only shoed her last week, and I'd swear to his make among ten thousand."
ref: 1874, Thomas Hardy, chapter XXXII, in Far from the Madding Crowd:
glosses: To put shoes on someone or something else's feet, especially to put horseshoes on a horse.
examples: text: The billiard cue stick was shod in silver.
text: And they had been made by the same brand of tire as that which shod the car I sat in!
ref: 1930, Sax Rohmer, The Day the World Ended, published 1969, page iv. 38:
glosses: To cover an object with a protective layer of material.
raw_tags: as past participle
Synonyms: sense: to put shoes on
word: calceate
Derived terms: unshod
unshoe
Related terms: beshoe
shoe-goose
polyedron
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: polyedrons
Senses: glosses: Dated form of polyhedron.
polyedrous
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Senses: glosses: Obsolete spelling of polyhedrous.
polyeidic
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Etymology: From poly- + Ancient Greek εἶδος (eîdos, “form”) + -ic.
Senses: topics: biology
natural-sciences
zoology
glosses: Passing through several distinct larval forms; having several distinct kinds of young.
Related terms: eidolon
i.e.
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌaɪˈiː/
ipa: /ɪd ɛst/
rhymes: -iː
Forms: form: i. e.
form: ie
Etymology: From Latin i. e., a Latinistic abbreviation of id est (“that is”).
Senses: examples: text: While the final episode was made, the show itself was immediately cancelled after the penultimate episode i.e. the final episode never aired.
text: [N]o drunkard (i.e.) no Habituall, Impenitent drunkard, ſhall come into Gods Kingdome.
ref: 1658, Thomas Hall, “[Chap. 3.] Verse 2. For men shall be lovers of themselves, Covetous, Boasters, Proud, Blasphemers, disobedient to Parents, unthankfull, unholy, &c.”, in A Practical and Polemical Commentary: Or, Exposition upon the Third and Fourth Chapters of the Latter Epistle of Saint Paul to Timothy. […], London: Printed by E. Tyler, for John Starkey, […], →OCLC, [https://books.google.com/books?id=LvwqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA95 page [95]]:
glosses: That is, namely, in other words, that is to say.
e.g.
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌiːˈdʒiː/
ipa: /fɔːɹ‿ɪɡˈzɑːmpəl/
ipa: /ˌiˈd͡ʒi/
ipa: /fɔɹ‿ɪɡˈzæmpəl/
rhymes: -iː
rhymes: -ɑːmpəl
Forms: form: eg
form: e. g.
form: e. gr.
form: ex. gr.
Etymology: The adverb is a terser form of ex. gr., both abbreviating Latin exemplī grātiā (“for the sake of an example”); e.g. was also used as an abbreviation in Latin.
The noun is derived from the adverb.
Senses: examples: text: Continents (e.g., Asia) contain many large bodies of water (e.g., lakes and inland seas) and many large flowing streams of water (i.e., rivers).
text: For though all is not to be done that is to be believed, yet all muſt be believed to be lavvful and duty vvhich muſt be done as ſuch: e. g. VVe cannot love God, vvorſhip him, hear and read his VVord, &c. as by Divine obedience, unleſs vve believe it to be our duty by a Divine command.
ref: 1682, Richard Baxter, “Mr. [Henry] Dodwell’s Leviathan, or Absolute Destructive Prelacy, […]. Chapter III. The Consequence of Mr. Dodwell’s foresaid Doctrine.”, in An Answer to Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Sherlocke; Confuting an Universal Humane Church— […], London: […] Thomas Parkhurst, […], →OCLC, § 14, page 23:
text: Stated in technical linguistic terms, in this treatise pœcilonymy is avoided; e. g., instead of tænia hippocampi in one place, corpus fimbriatum in another, and fimbria in a third, the last is consistently employed and the others given as synonyms.
ref: 1889 July 18, The Nation; quoted in “Dr. [Joseph] Leidy’s Anatomy”, in William Pepper [et al.], editors, The University Medical Magazine, volume II, number 1, Philadelphia, Pa.: A. L. Hummel, October 1889, →OCLC, page 45:
text: Might he become a gentleman farmer of field produce and live stock? Not impossibly, with 1 or 2 stripper cows, 1 pike of upland hay and requisite farming implements, e. g., an end-to-end churn, a turnip pulper etc.
ref: 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 17: Ithaca]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part III [Nostos], page 668:
text: The social status of the husband devolved on his wife, as implied in Pāṇini’s sūtra (Puṁyogād ākhyāyām, IV. 1. 48), i. e. a designation derived from her husband; e. g. mahāmātrī (ministrix), wife of a mahāmātra, a high government official, and gaṇakī, wife of a gaṇaka (accountant).
ref: 1963, V[asudeva] S[harana] Agrawala, “Social Life”, in India as Known to Pāṇini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashṭādhyāyī, 2nd edition, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: Prithvi Kumar, Prithivi Prakashan, →OCLC, section 3 (Marriage), page 88:
text: Cities were not infrequently named after the era name in which they were founded (e.g., Shaoxing 紹興 in Zhejiang, after the Shaoxing era, 1131–62).
ref: 2000, Endymion Wilkinson, “Geography”, in Chinese History: A New Manual (Harvard–Yenching Institute Monograph Series; 52), revised edition, Cambridge, Mass.; London: Harvard University Asia Center for the Harvard–Yenching Institute, →ISBN, page 135:
glosses: An initialism used to introduce an illustrative example or short list of examples: for the sake of an example; for example.
e.g.
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌiːˈdʒiː/
ipa: /fɔːɹ‿ɪɡˈzɑːmpəl/
ipa: /ˌiˈd͡ʒi/
ipa: /fɔɹ‿ɪɡˈzæmpəl/
rhymes: -iː
rhymes: -ɑːmpəl
Etymology: The adverb is a terser form of ex. gr., both abbreviating Latin exemplī grātiā (“for the sake of an example”); e.g. was also used as an abbreviation in Latin.
The noun is derived from the adverb.
Senses: examples: text: Lemurs are an e.g. of a non-simian primate.
glosses: An example.
et cetera
Language: English
Part of speech: phrase
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌɛt ˈsɛt(ə)ɹə/
ipa: /ˌɛkˈsɛt(ə)ɹə/
ipa: /ɪt ˈsɛt(ə)ɹə/
ipa: /ɪkˈsɛt(ə)ɹə/
Forms: form: & cetera
form: ekcetera
form: ekcetra
form: excetera
form: exetera
form: et caetera
form: et cætera
form: etcetera
form: et ceteræ
Etymology: From Middle English et cetera, from Latin et cētera (“and the other things; and the rest of the things”).
Senses: glosses: The full form of etc.: and so forth, and the rest.
et cetera
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌɛt ˈsɛt(ə)ɹə/
ipa: /ˌɛkˈsɛt(ə)ɹə/
ipa: /ɪt ˈsɛt(ə)ɹə/
ipa: /ɪkˈsɛt(ə)ɹə/
Forms: form: et ceteras
form: & cetera
form: ekcetera
form: ekcetra
form: excetera
form: exetera
form: et caetera
form: et cætera
form: etcetera
form: et ceteræ
Etymology: From Middle English et cetera, from Latin et cētera (“and the other things; and the rest of the things”).
Senses: glosses: Something in addition, which can easily be understood.
spelled
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈspɛld/
rhymes: -ɛld
Forms: form: spelt
Senses: glosses: simple past and past participle of spell
spelt
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈspɛlt/
rhymes: -ɛlt
Forms: form: spelled
Etymology: From spell + -t. See spell.
Senses: examples: text: Yes, yes; he teaches boys the hornbook. What is a, b, spelt / backward with the horn on his head?
ref: c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
glosses: simple past and past participle of spell
spelt
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈspɛlt/
rhymes: -ɛlt
Forms: form: spelts
Etymology: From Middle English spelt, from Old English spelt (“spelt, corn”), from Old Saxon spelta (“spelt”); or from Late Latin spelta (“spelt”), from Frankish *spelta (“spelt”); all from Proto-Germanic *spiltaz (“spelt”).
Senses: synonyms: dinkel
hypernyms: hulled wheat
coordinate_terms: emmer
einkorn wheat
glosses: A grain, considered either a subspecies of wheat, Triticum aestivum subsp. spelta, or a separate species Triticum spelta or Triticum dicoccon.
spelt
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈspɛlt/
rhymes: -ɛlt
Forms: form: spelts
Etymology: The noun is from Middle English spelt, from Old English spelt, connected with the verb. Compare speld and German Spelze (“husk”).
The adjective is from Middle English spelt, probably a contraction of spelked, past participle of spelken (“to bruise (beans)”), itself of obscure origin. Compare Scots spilkings (“split peas”), the later verb, and perhaps also splet.
The verb is probably from the adjective. Compare earlier spald, speld.
Senses: glosses: A thin piece of wood or metal; a splinter.
topics: arts
crafts
engineering
hobbies
lifestyle
metallurgy
metalworking
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: Spelter.
spelt
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈspɛlt/
rhymes: -ɛlt
Etymology: The noun is from Middle English spelt, from Old English spelt, connected with the verb. Compare speld and German Spelze (“husk”).
The adjective is from Middle English spelt, probably a contraction of spelked, past participle of spelken (“to bruise (beans)”), itself of obscure origin. Compare Scots spilkings (“split peas”), the later verb, and perhaps also splet.
The verb is probably from the adjective. Compare earlier spald, speld.
Senses: examples: text: [H]alfe an houre after give him a pottell of Oates and a pinte of ſpelt Beanes, then a ſmall bottel of Hay: […]
ref: 1631, Garvase Markham, “The Third Booke: Of Feeding, Breeding, and Curing. of Cattell. […]”, in The Whole Art of Husbandry Contained in Foure Bookes. […], London: […] T. C. for Richard More, […], →OCLC, page 226:
text: The next day very early as may be, firſt feed, then dreſſe, after cloath and ſaddle, then ayre him abroad, and water him as hath been before ſhewed, after bring him home, and feed him with oats, ſpelt beans, and bread, as was laſt of all declared, onely very little Hay, […]
ref: a. 1638, G[ervase] Markam, “Ordering of the Horse after His Scowring”, in The Complete Farriar, or The Kings High-Way to Horsmanship. […], London: […] I. D[awson] for R. Young, and are sold by P[hilip] Nevill […], published 1639, →OCLC, page 53:
text: Theſe loaves baked and cooled, after three days cut off the Cruſt, and with Oats well dryed and rubbed between your hands, being alſo winnowed and ſifted, and a quantity of the beſt ſpelt Beans; […]
ref: 1684, “Rules to be Observed in the Fourth or Last Fortnights Keeping, as Well in Relation to His Dyet as Usage”, in The Experienced Jocky, Compleat Horseman; or Gentlemans Delight. […], London: […] Will[iam] Whitwood, […], →OCLC, page 72:
text: In Summer, in Choleric Fevers eſpecially, let him feed upon things effectually cold, as Vine-buds, Willow-leaves, Pond-reeds, Dog-graſs, Endive and Lettuce; in the Winter, Hay ſprinkl’d with Honey, Spelt Beans, and Oates, never giving ’em either Barly or Straw in Fevers, which will but harden the dung, and make it difficult to paſs through the Bowels.
ref: 1687, F. M., “Of a Fever”, in The Jockey’s Guide, and Farrier’s Companion: […], London: […] Henry Rhodes, […], →OCLC, page 76:
glosses: Of dried beans: pounded, crushed, or split.
spelt
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈspɛlt/
rhymes: -ɛlt
Forms: form: spelts
form: spelting
form: spelted
form: spelted
Etymology: The noun is from Middle English spelt, from Old English spelt, connected with the verb. Compare speld and German Spelze (“husk”).
The adjective is from Middle English spelt, probably a contraction of spelked, past participle of spelken (“to bruise (beans)”), itself of obscure origin. Compare Scots spilkings (“split peas”), the later verb, and perhaps also splet.
The verb is probably from the adjective. Compare earlier spald, speld.
Senses: examples: text: spelted Beans
ref: 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC:
glosses: To grind or crush (grain or pulses).
speak
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /spiːk/
enpr: spēk
ipa: /spik/
rhymes: -iːk
Forms: form: speaks
form: speake
form: speke
Etymology: From Middle English speken (“to speak”), from Old English specan (“to speak”). This is usually taken to be an irregular alteration of earlier sprecan (“to speak”), from Proto-West Germanic *sprekan, from Proto-Germanic *sprekaną (“to speak, make a sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *spreg- (“to make a sound, utter, speak”). Finding this proposed loss of r from the stable cluster spr unparalleled, Hill instead sets up a different root, Proto-West Germanic *spekan (“to negotiate”) from Proto-Indo-European *bʰégʾ-e- (“to distribute”) with *s-mobile, which collapsed in meaning with *sprekan ("to speak" < "to crackle, prattle") and so came to be seen as a free variant thereof.
Cognates
Cognate with West Frisian sprekke, Low German spreken (“to speak”), Dutch spreken (“to speak”), German sprechen (“to speak”), and also with Albanian shpreh (“to utter, voice, express”) through Indo-European.
Senses: examples: text: corporate speak; IT speak
text: We'll go into more depth with all the specs shortly so anyone less well versed in espresso speak will understand what I'm harping on about, but firstly let's just talk about using the machine.
ref: 2025 May 3, Kev, “Rocket Appartamento TCA Review”, in Coffee Blog:
glosses: Language, jargon, or terminology used uniquely in a particular environment or group.
glosses: Speech, conversation.
examples: text: We will deduct speaks for hesitation.
glosses: Clipping of speaker point.
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: artspeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: cyberspeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: diplomat-speak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: diplospeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: doublespeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: Frogspeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: lawyerspeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: leetspeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: medspeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: Newspeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: newspeak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: speak-box
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: therapy-speak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: Twitch-speak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: uwu speak
sense: Terms derived from speak (noun)
word: weather speak
speak
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /spiːk/
enpr: spēk
ipa: /spik/
rhymes: -iːk
Forms: form: speaks
form: speake
form: speke
Etymology: From Middle English speken (“to speak”), from Old English specan (“to speak”). This is usually taken to be an irregular alteration of earlier sprecan (“to speak”), from Proto-West Germanic *sprekan, from Proto-Germanic *sprekaną (“to speak, make a sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *spreg- (“to make a sound, utter, speak”). Finding this proposed loss of r from the stable cluster spr unparalleled, Hill instead sets up a different root, Proto-West Germanic *spekan (“to negotiate”) from Proto-Indo-European *bʰégʾ-e- (“to distribute”) with *s-mobile, which collapsed in meaning with *sprekan ("to speak" < "to crackle, prattle") and so came to be seen as a free variant thereof.
Cognates
Cognate with West Frisian sprekke, Low German spreken (“to speak”), Dutch spreken (“to speak”), German sprechen (“to speak”), and also with Albanian shpreh (“to utter, voice, express”) through Indo-European.
Senses: glosses: a low class bar, a speakeasy.
substance
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsʌbstəns/
ipa: [ˈsʌbstənts]
rhymes: -ʌbstəns
Forms: form: substances
form: substancing
form: substanced
form: substanced
form: substaunce
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English substance, from Old French substance, from Latin substantia (“substance, essence”), from substāns, present active participle of substō (“exist”, literally “stand under”), from sub + stō (“stand”). Displaced native Old English andweorc.
Senses: examples: text: If life were nothing but what gets phrased and substanced, the world might as well be rolled up and laid away again in darkness.
ref: 1873, Adeline Dutton Train Whitney, The Other Girls, page 335:
text: The calm ruminating / Reverie, substancing / Intellect into emotion, / Is shelter enough for love / Unhumiliated by faith.
ref: 1982, Dhupaty V. K. Raghavacharyulu, The Song of the Red Rose and Other Poems, page 78:
glosses: To give substance to; to make real or substantial.
Related terms: style
straight
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Pronunciation: ipa: /stɹeɪt/
ipa: /stɹaɪt/
rhymes: -eɪt
homophone: strait
Forms: form: more straight
form: most straight
form: streight
Etymology: From Middle English streight, streght, streiȝt, the past participle of strecchen (“to stretch”), from Old English streċċan (past participle ġestreaht, ġestreht), from Proto-West Germanic *strakkjan (“to stretch”). Doublet of straught. Equivalent to stretch + -ed.
Senses: examples: text: The door will be straight ahead of you.
text: Go straight back.
glosses: Of a direction relative to the subject, precisely; as if following a direct line.
examples: text: On arriving at work, he went straight to his office.
text: Tartarian theeues,
That lie in ambuſh, waiting for a pray:
What ſhould we doe but bid them battel ſtraight,
And rid the world of thoſe deteſted troopes?
ref: c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:
text: I know thy generous temper well; / Fling but the appearance of dishonour on it, / It straight takes fire, and mounts into a blaze.
ref: 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 1:
glosses: Directly; without pause, delay or detour.
examples: text: He claims he can hold his breath for three minutes straight.
glosses: Continuously; without interruption or pause.
examples: text: "By ginger, Mudgy, you do go off the handle over nothing. I tell you straight, I was damned annoyed with you this afternoon, going pop like that at a man over nothing."
ref: 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC:
glosses: Of speech or information, without prevarication or holding back; directly; straightforwardly; plainly.
Derived terms: shoot someone straight
straight ahead
straight-from-the-shoulder
straight off
straight out
straight out of the gate
think straight
straight
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /stɹeɪt/
ipa: /stɹaɪt/
rhymes: -eɪt
homophone: strait
Forms: form: straights
form: straighting
form: straighted
form: straighted
form: streight
Etymology: From Middle English streight, streght, streiȝt, the past participle of strecchen (“to stretch”), from Old English streċċan (past participle ġestreaht, ġestreht), from Proto-West Germanic *strakkjan (“to stretch”). Doublet of straught. Equivalent to stretch + -ed.
Senses: examples: text: One man draws out the wire , another straights it , a third cuts it , a fourth points it , a fifth grinds it at the top for receiving the head
ref: 1776, Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations:
glosses: To straighten.
hamstring
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈhæmstɹɪŋ/
rhymes: -æmstɹɪŋ
Forms: form: hamstrings
Etymology: From ham (“region back of the knee joint”) + string.
Senses: topics: anatomy
medicine
sciences
glosses: One of the great tendons situated in each side of the ham, or space back of the knee, and connected with the muscles of the back of the thigh.
examples: text: Developing muscle around both sides of a joint (think biceps and triceps, abs and low back, quads and hamstrings) should be one of your primary training considerations because strength on each side leads to lower injury rates.
ref: 2010, Adam Garett, “Fried Hams”, in Reps!, 17:23:
synonyms: hams
hammy
hammie
glosses: The biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus muscles.
hamstring
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈhæmstɹɪŋ/
rhymes: -æmstɹɪŋ
Forms: form: hamstrings
form: hamstringing
form: hamstrung
form: hamstrung
form: hamstringed
form: hamstringed
Etymology: From ham (“region back of the knee joint”) + string.
Senses: synonyms: hock
hough
hox
glosses: To lame or disable by cutting the tendons of the ham or knee; to hough.
examples: text: So have they hamstrung the valor of the subject by seeking to effeminate us all at home.
ref: 1641 May, John Milton, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Cavses that hitherto have Hindred it. […], [London]: […] Thomas Vnderhill, →OCLC; republished in (Please provide a date or year):
text: Its trademark policies of privatization, deregulation, tax cuts and free trade deals: these have liberated corporations to accumulate enormous profits and treat the atmosphere like a sewage dump, and hamstrung our ability, through the instrument of the state, to plan for our collective welfare.
ref: 2017 July 17, Martin Lukacs, “Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals”, in The Guardian:
synonyms: cripple
incapacitate
disable
glosses: To cripple; to incapacitate; to disable.
Hypernyms: disable
Derived terms: hamstringer
unvisibly
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Forms: form: more unvisibly
form: most unvisibly
Etymology: From unvisible + -ly.
Senses: glosses: invisibly.
unvitiated
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ʌnˈvɪʃieɪtɪd/
Forms: form: more unvitiated
form: most unvitiated
Etymology: From un- + vitiated.
Senses: examples: text: Tashtego's long, lean, sable hair, his high cheek bones, and black rounding eyes— […] all this sufficiently proclaimed him an inheritor of the unvitiated blood of those proud warrior hunters, who, in quest of the great New England moose, had scoured, bow in hand, the aboriginal forests of the main.
ref: 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Knights and Squires”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 131:
glosses: Not vitiated; pure.
unvoluntary
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Forms: form: more unvoluntary
form: most unvoluntary
Etymology: From un- + voluntary.
Senses: examples: text: […] may their Mistake herein be as freely forgiven them, as I hope and desire that the Charitable Reader will with his Pardon meet those unvoluntary Errours, which in this Work by me shall be committed.
ref: 1655, Thomas Fuller, “I. Century”, in The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI), page 2:
glosses: Involuntary.
thunder
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈθʌndə/
enpr: thŭn′dər
ipa: /ˈθʌndɚ/
rhymes: -ʌndə(ɹ)
Forms: form: thunders
form: thundering
form: thundered
form: thundered
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: thunder
form: thunder
form: thundered
form: thunder
form: thunderest
form: thundered
form: thunderedst
form: thunders
form: thundereth
form: thundered
form: thunder
form: thundered
form: thunder
form: thundered
form: thunder
form: -
form: thundering
form: thundered
Etymology: From Middle English thunder, thonder, thundre, thonre, thunnere, þunre, from Old English þunor (“thunder”), from Proto-West Germanic *þunr, from Proto-Germanic *þunraz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ten-, *(s)tenh₂- (“to thunder”).
Compare astound, astonish, stun. Germanic cognates include West Frisian tonger, Dutch donder, German Donner, Old Norse Þórr (English Thor), Danish torden, Norwegian Nynorsk tore. Other cognates include Persian تندر (tondar), Latin tonō, detonō, Ancient Greek στένω (sténō), στενάζω (stenázō), στόνος (stónos), Στέντωρ (Sténtōr), Irish torann, Welsh taran, Gaulish Taranis. Doublet of donner, Thunor, and Thor.
Senses: examples: text: It thundered continuously.
glosses: To produce thunder; to sound, rattle, or roar, as a discharge of atmospheric electricity.
examples: text: The train thundered along the tracks.
glosses: To make a noise like thunder.
examples: text: Senseless years thunder by / Millions are willing to give their lives for you / Does nothing live on?
ref: 1983, “Forbidden Colours”, in David Sylvian (lyrics), Ryuichi Sakamoto (music), Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, performed by David Sylvian:
glosses: To (make something) move very fast (with loud noise).
examples: text: "Get back to work at once!", he thundered.
glosses: To say (something) with a loud, threatening voice.
examples: text: Just as it appeared Arsenal had taken the sting out of the tie, Johnson produced a moment of outrageous quality, thundering a bullet of a left foot shot out of the blue and into the top left-hand corner of Wojciech Szczesny's net with the Pole grasping at thin air.
ref: 2011 January 19, Jonathan Stevenson, “Leeds 1 - 3 Arsenal”, in BBC:
glosses: To produce something with incredible power.
Derived terms: sense: to say something with a loud, threatening voice
word: thunderer
word: thundering herd problem
Related terms: thundering
secretary
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsɛk.ɹə.tə.ɹi/
ipa: /ˈsɛk.ɹə.tɹi/
enpr: sĕk'rətĕrē
ipa: /ˈsɛk.(ɹ)əˌtɛɹ.i/
ipa: [ˈsɛk.(ɹ)əˌtʰɛɹ.i]
Forms: form: secretaries
form: secretarie
Etymology: From Medieval Latin secrētārius (“one entrusted with secrets”), from Latin secrētus (“private, secret”), past participle of secernere (“to separate, set apart”), from se- (“apart”) + cernere (“to separate”).
Senses: examples: text: I have a personal secretary to help me organize my clients.
text: The secretary at the school is in charge of communication between parents, students, and staff.
text: None of us can type, Minister. Mrs. McKay types (laugh track). She's the secretary (laugh track).
ref: 1980 February 25, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, “Open Government”, in Yes Minister, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne):
glosses: A person who keeps records, takes notes and handles general clerical work.
examples: text: Well briefly, sir, I am the Permanent Under Secretary of State, known as the Permanent Secretary.
ref: 1980 February 25, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, “Open Government”, in Yes Minister, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne):
glosses: The head of a department of government.
examples: text: Ban Ki-Moon was a secretary general of the United Nations.
glosses: A managerial or leading position in certain non-profit organizations, such as political parties, trade unions, international organizations.
glosses: A type of desk, secretary desk; a secretaire.
glosses: A secretary bird, a bird of the species Sagittarius serpentarius.
qualifier: original sense
glosses: Someone entrusted with a secret; a confidant.
examples: text: "Do not give yourself any uneasiness about one so utterly unworthy of a thought! Sir George Kingston is without one grain of either honour or real feeling! The fact is, I have, for some months past, been his secretary, and wrote for him the letters which were sent you!"
ref: 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Letters Restored”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 220:
glosses: Someone employed as a scribe for personal correspondence.
Synonyms: word: administrator
word: assistant
word: administrative assistant
word: amanuensis
word: clerk
word: scribe
word: scrivener
word: seneschal
Derived terms: class secretary
foreign secretary
general secretary
Home Secretary
press secretary
secretarial
secretary bird
secretary desk
secretaryess
Secretary General
secretary hand
secretaryless
secretarylike
secretary problem
secretaryship
secretary spread
social secretary
undersecretary
Related terms: word: secret
word: secretion
word: secretive
word: secretory
word: secretariat
word: stenographer
word: tabellion
secretary
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsɛk.ɹə.tə.ɹi/
ipa: /ˈsɛk.ɹə.tɹi/
enpr: sĕk'rətĕrē
ipa: /ˈsɛk.(ɹ)əˌtɛɹ.i/
ipa: [ˈsɛk.(ɹ)əˌtʰɛɹ.i]
Forms: form: secretaries
form: secretarying
form: secretaried
form: secretaried
form: secretarie
Etymology: From Medieval Latin secrētārius (“one entrusted with secrets”), from Latin secrētus (“private, secret”), past participle of secernere (“to separate, set apart”), from se- (“apart”) + cernere (“to separate”).
Senses: glosses: To serve as a secretary of.
statement
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsteɪtm(ə)nt/
ipa: /ˈsteɪtmənt/
rhymes: -eɪtmənt
Etymology: From state + -ment.
Senses: examples: text: Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic late winner as Arsenal earned a statement victory over defending Premier League champions Manchester City at Emirates Stadium.
ref: 2023 October 8, Phil McNulty, “Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City”, in BBC Sport:
glosses: Decisive.
statement
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsteɪtm(ə)nt/
ipa: /ˈsteɪtmənt/
rhymes: -eɪtmənt
Forms: form: statements
form: statementing
form: statemented
form: statemented
Etymology: Back-formation from statementing or back-formation from statemented.
Senses: glosses: To provide an official document of a proposition, especially in the UK, a Statement of Special Educational Needs.
involuntary
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɪnˈvɒl.ən.tɹi/
note: of Canada
ipa: /ɪnˈvɑ.lənˌtɛɹ.i/
note: of the US
ipa: /ɪnˈvɒl.ənˌtɛɹ.i/
ipa: /ɪnˈvɔl.ən.tɹi/
Forms: form: more involuntary
form: most involuntary
Etymology: From in- + voluntary, from Late Latin involontarius, from in + volontarius.
Senses: glosses: Without intention; unintentional.
examples: text: He found himself the involuntary witness in the trial.
glosses: Not voluntary or willing; contrary or opposed to explicit will or desire; unwilling.
Synonyms: sense: without intention
word: inadvertent
word: unintended
word: unintentional
sense: not voluntary
word: unbewised
word: unvoluntary
word: compulsory
Derived terms: incel
involuntarily
involuntariness
involuntary manslaughter
involuntary movement
involuntary muscle
involuntary park
involuntary sculpture
Related terms: volunteer
invisibly
Language: English
Part of speech: adv
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɪnˈvɪzɪbli/
Forms: form: more invisibly
form: most invisibly
Etymology: From invisible + -ly.
Senses: examples: text: These beings have some very extraordinary and useful properties; they can, for instance, go about invisibly, or turn themselves into any shape; they can foresee future events; they can confer prosperity, or the contrary, on a family[.]
ref: 1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 96:
glosses: In a way that can not be seen; in an invisible manner.
Synonyms: hiddenly
latently
Related terms: invisibility
invisible
invisibleness
ye
Language: English
Part of speech: pron
Pronunciation: enpr: yē
ipa: /jiː/
ipa: [jɪi]
ipa: [ji(ː)]
rhymes: -iː
Etymology: From Middle English ye, ȝe, from Old English ġē (“ye”), the nominative case of the second-person plural personal pronoun, from Proto-West Germanic *jiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *jīz, a North-West variant of Proto-Germanic *jūz (“ye”), from Proto-Indo-European *yúHs (“ye”), plural of *túh₂. Cognate with Scots ye (“ye”), Saterland Frisian jie, Dutch gij, ge, jij, je (“ye”), Low German ji, jie (“ye”), German ihr (“ye”), Danish and Swedish I (“ye”), Icelandic ér (“ye”), Latvian jūs (“ye”), Sanskrit यूयम् (yūyám, “ye”). See also you.
Senses: examples: text: My liefe (ſayd ſhe) ye know, that long ygo, / Whileſt ye in durance dwelt, ye to me gaue / A little mayde, the which ye chylded tho ; / The ſame againe if now ye liſt to haue, / The ſame is yonder Lady, whom high God did ſaue.
ref: 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, stanza 17, page 512:
text: Queſtion me then no more; whate'er ye want, / Ask in my Name, and God ſhall ſurely grant. / You've asked nothing yet for Jesus sake : / Ask and receive, and of my joyes partake.
ref: 1671, Elisha Coles, chapter 6, in ΧΡΙΣΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ: Or, a Metrical Paraphraſe on the Hiſtory of Our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt : Dedicated to His Univerſal Church:
text: Know Ye that We have declared and by these Presents do declare our Will and Pleasure as follows—[…]
ref: 1995, Elizabeth II, “Legal Notice 247 of 1996”, in Hong Kong Government Gazette, page B1096:
qualifier: archaic outside Northern England; Ottawa Valley; archaic outside Northern England; Ottawa Valley
glosses: You (the people being addressed).
examples: text: Know ye now, Bulkington? Glimpses do ye seem to see of that mortally intolerable truth; that all deep, earnest thinking is but the intrepid effort of the soul to keep the open independence of her sea; [...]
ref: 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick, chapter 23:
glosses: You (the singular person being addressed).
Synonyms: word: y'all
Derived terms: abandon hope, all ye who enter here
all hope abandon ye who enter here
come-all-ye
d'ye
hear ye
how do ye do
oh ye of little faith
O ye of little faith
seek and ye shall find
thank ye
thank ye so very much
ye'd
ye gods
ye gods and little fishes
ye'll
ye of little faith
yere
y'ere
ye're
yeres
ye've
ye
Language: English
Part of speech: article
Pronunciation: enpr: yē
ipa: /jiː/
ipa: [jɪi]
ipa: [ji(ː)]
rhymes: -iː
ipa: /jiː/
enpr: yē
ipa: /jiː/
ipa: [jɪi]
ipa: [ji(ː)]
rhymes: -iː
Forms: form: yͤ
Etymology: From Middle English þe. Early press typographies in late 15th century lacked the letter þ (“thorn”), for which the letter y was substituted due to their resemblance in blackletter hand (etymological y was for a while distinguished by a dot, ẏ (14th c.–15th c.)). Short form yͤ continued long after the digraph th had replaced þ elsewhere.
"Ye" for "þe" continued in manuscripts through the 18th century. The practice was revived in the United Kingdom in the 19th century as a deliberate antiquarianism in shop names, thus the Ye Olde ... Shoppe construction.
Senses: examples: text: Now vnto yͤ king eternal, immortall, inuiſible, the onely wiſe God, be honour and glory for euer ⁊ euer. Amen.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Timothy 1:17, column 2:
text: It being one cheife proiect of yᵉ ould deluder, Satan, to keepe men from the knowledge of Scriptures, as in formʳ times by keeping yᵐ in an unknowne tongue, so in these lattʳ times by perswading from yᵉ use of tongues, yᵗ so at least yᵉ true sence & meaning of yᵉ originall might be clouded by false glosses of saint seeming deceivers, yᵗ learning may not be buried in yᵉ church and commonwealth, the Lord assisting oʳ endeavoʳs,
ref: 1647, The old deluder, Satan, Act. (cited in American Public School Law, K. Alexander, M. Alexander, 1995)
text: Ye Olde Medicine Shoppe (pseudoarchaic)
glosses: The.
Derived terms: ye olde
ye
Language: English
Part of speech: intj
Pronunciation: enpr: yē
ipa: /jiː/
ipa: [jɪi]
ipa: [ji(ː)]
rhymes: -iː
ipa: /jiː/
ipa: /jə/
ipa: [jɐ]
ipa: [jɪ]
enpr: yē
ipa: /jiː/
ipa: [jɪi]
ipa: [ji(ː)]
rhymes: -iː
ipa: /jiː/
Etymology: Shortened from yes or yeah.
Senses: glosses: Yes, yeah.
ye
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: yē
ipa: /jiː/
ipa: [jɪi]
ipa: [ji(ː)]
rhymes: -iː
ipa: /jiː/
ipa: /jə/
ipa: [jɐ]
ipa: [jɪ]
Forms: form: yes
Etymology: From Russian е (je).
Senses: glosses: The Cyrillic letter Е, е, featured in various Slavic and Turkic languages.
thy
Language: English
Part of speech: det
Pronunciation: enpr: thī
ipa: /ðaɪ/
rhymes: -aɪ
Etymology: From Middle English þi, apocopated variant of þin, from Old English þīn, from Proto-West Germanic *þīn, from Proto-Germanic *þīnaz, from Proto-Indo-European *téynos (“thy; thine”), from Proto-Indo-European *túh₂ (“thou”). See thou.
Senses: synonyms: thine
glosses: Possessive form of thou: that which belongs to thee; which belongs to you (singular).
Derived terms: beggar-thy-neighbor
Related terms: thee
thine
thou
thyself
your
thy
Language: English
Part of speech: conj
Pronunciation: enpr: thī
ipa: /ðaɪ/
rhymes: -aɪ
Senses: examples: text: For-thy it round and hollow shaped was, Like to the world itselfe, and seem'd aworld of glass.
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene:
text: Wallace knew well the Englishmen would flee, For thy he thrusted in the thickest to be, Hewing full fast on whomsoever he fought, Against his dint fine steel availed nought.
ref: 1713, Robert Sanders, transl., The Life and Acts of Sir William Wallace:
text: For thy it bring: us nearer to the Godhead is nonsense, Daya, if not blasphemy.
ref: 1791, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, William TAYLOR (of Norwich.), Nathan the Wise. A dramatic poem, page 24:
glosses: Only used in for thy, for-thy, which is an alternative form of forthy (“because, therefore”).
Related terms: why
forwhy
thine
Language: English
Part of speech: det
Pronunciation: enpr: thīn
ipa: /ðaɪn/
rhymes: -aɪn
Etymology: From Middle English thyn, þyn, from Old English þīn, from Proto-West Germanic *þīn, from Proto-Germanic *þīnaz. Cognate to German dein, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian din, Faroese tín and Icelandic þinn.
Senses: examples: text: Thine oxe shall be slaine before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine asse shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shal not be restored to thee: thy sheepe shall bee giuen vnto thine enemies, and thou shalt haue none to rescue them.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 28:31:
text: Thine alabaster cities gleam / Undimmed by human tears!
ref: 1895, “America the Beautiful”, Katharine Lee Bates (lyrics), Samuel A. Ward (music):
glosses: Second-person singular prevocalic possessive determiner (preconsonantal form: thy).
Derived terms: to thine own self be true
thine
Language: English
Part of speech: pron
Pronunciation: enpr: thīn
ipa: /ðaɪn/
rhymes: -aɪn
Etymology: From Middle English thyn, þyn, from Old English þīn, from Proto-West Germanic *þīn, from Proto-Germanic *þīnaz. Cognate to German dein, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian din, Faroese tín and Icelandic þinn.
Senses: examples: text: But if I finish all of my chores and you finish thine / Then tonight we're gonna party like it's 1699
ref: 1996, Weird Al Yankovic, “Amish Paradise”, in Bad Hair Day:
glosses: Second-person singular possessive pronoun; yours.
Related terms: thee
thou
thy
your
yours
discombobulation
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: discombobulations
Etymology: From discombobulate + -ion.
Senses: examples: text: Prophet of o'er-population, your ingenious calculation,
Causeth discombobulation only in the anxious mind
ref: 1890 September 20, “The Ravenstein”, in Punch; or, The London Charivari, page 138:
text: This quality or state of not having your act quite together lacks its own word in the dictionary. It is something short of discombobulation, but the mild, mental chafing is irritating enough to demand a remedy.
ref: 2012 June 8, Ron Lieber, “Planning a Financial Tuneup”, in The New York Times:
glosses: An embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused.
examples: text: What has changed since the time of Looney Tunes is the discombobulation of characters' faces. Eyeballs constantly bulge beyond normal proportion to show shock or jubilation; cheeks shrink, sag or even bend in shame, fatigue or anger. Each emotion is heightened, overemphasized with cubist contortions.
ref: 2005 July 8, Ned Martel, “Manically Happy Campers and Rich but Vicious Cats”, in The New York Times:
glosses: A confused or disorderly state.
Derived terms: pericombobulation
bug
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: enpr: bŭg
ipa: /bʌɡ/
rhymes: -ʌɡ
Forms: form: bugs
form: bugging
form: bugged
form: bugged
form: bugg
Etymology: First attested in this form around 1620 (referring to a “bedbug”), from earlier bugge (“beetle”), from Middle English bugge (“scarecrow, hobgoblin”) which is traced alternatively to:
* a Celtic root found in Scots bogill (“goblin, bugbear”) and obsolete Welsh bwg (“ghost, hobgoblin”); compare Welsh bwgwl (“threat, fear”) and Middle Irish bocanách (“supernatural being”).
* Proto-Germanic *bugja- (“swollen up, thick”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-, *bu- (“to swell”); compare Norwegian bugge (“big man”), dialectal Low German Bögge (“goblin, snot”).
* or to a word related to buck and originally referring to a goat-shaped spectre.
For the “insect” meaning the assonance with Middle English budde (“beetle”), from Old English budda, from Proto-Germanic *buddô, *buzdô, from the same ultimate source as above, might have played a role. Compare Low German Budde (“louse, grub”), Norwegian budda (“newborn domestic animal”). More at bud. But ultimately this convergence of meaning doesn't prove a conflation of the two terms, they might have existed in parallel since PIE times with similar meanings, even if unnoticed by literary sources.
The term is used to refer to technical errors and problems at least as early as the 19th century, predating the commonly known story of a moth being caught in a computer.
Senses: examples: text: Don’t bug me, I’m busy!
glosses: To annoy.
examples: text: I'm worried about Wallace. He's been buggin' all week.
glosses: To act suspiciously or irrationally, especially in a way that annoys others.
examples: text: We need to know what’s going on. We’ll bug his house.
glosses: To install an electronic listening device or devices in.
examples: text: I well remember the combination of excitement and apprehension with which I tentatively entered my first "rap." My eyes bugged open. There must have been 25 women in the room. I don't think I had ever seen so many lesbians all together in one place before.
ref: 1979 April 28, Lois H. Johnson, “Ten Years of Boston DOB: A Personal Memoir”, in Gay Community News, page 8:
glosses: To bulge or protrude.
raw_tags: of eyes
examples: text: You (or the autopilot) are still steering to the bugged heading […]
ref: 1996 April 5, Tom Horne, “Engage FD, and follow the bars”, in AOPA Turbine Pilot:
glosses: To represent (a value) using a bug on an instrument.
Derived terms: bug down
bug in
bug out
bug up
Graham bread
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: Graham breads
Etymology: Eponymously from Sylvester Graham, a lecturer on dietetics.
Senses: glosses: Bread baked from graham flour, a type of unsifted wheat flour.
glosses: A Graham cracker.
graham cracker
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: graham crackers
form: Graham cracker
Etymology: Named after Sylvester Graham, a lecturer on dietetics.
Senses: glosses: A specific cracker made of graham flour, developed in the nineteenth century.
glosses: A sweet rectangular cracker, usually made of graham flour and sweetened with honey (and often spiced with cinnamon) and perforated down the middle.
Derived terms: graham-crackery
Graham biscuit
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: Graham biscuits
form: Graham cracker
form: Graham bread
Etymology: Eponymously from Sylvester Graham, a lecturer on dietetics.
Senses: glosses: Bread made of unbolted wheat flour.
wikipedia: Sylvester Graham
Grahamite
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: Grahamites
Etymology: From Graham + -ite.
Senses: glosses: One who follows the dietetic system of Sylvester Graham
brief
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: enpr: brēf
ipa: /bɹiːf/
rhymes: -iːf
Forms: form: briefer
form: more brief
form: briefest
form: most brief
Etymology: From Middle English breef, breve, bref, from Old French brief, bref, from Latin brevis (“short”), from Proto-Indo-European *mréǵʰus (“short, brief”). Doublet of breve and merry.
Senses: examples: text: Her reign was brief but spectacular.
text: Some, how briefe the Life of man / runs his erring pilgrimage, / That the ſtretching of a ſpan, / buckles in his ſumme of age.
ref: c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
text: It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
ref: 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
text: That brief moment after the election four years ago, when many Americans thought Mr. Obama’s election would presage a new, less fractious political era, now seems very much a thing of the past.
ref: 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times:
glosses: Of short duration; happening quickly.
examples: text: His speech of acceptance was brief but moving.
text: The briefe ſtyle is that which expreſſeth much in little.
ref: a. 1637, Ben Jonson, “Discoveries”, in The Works of Ben Jonson, volume 2, London: Richard Bishop, published 1641:
text: She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creature, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry. His wooing had been brief but incisive.
ref: 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
text: If Demandt's essay served as a strident example of the German desire for normalcy, a more subtle example was provided by a brief allohistorical depiction of a Nazi victory in World War II written by German historian Michael Salewski in 1999.
ref: 2005 May 23, Gavriel D. Rosenfeld, The World Hitler Never Made: Alternate History and the Memory of Nazism, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 182:
glosses: Concise; taking few words.
examples: text: Her skirt was extremely brief but doubtless cool.
text: On the beach he always wore a straw hat with a red band and a brief pair of leopard print trunks.
ref: 1983, Robert Drewe, The Bodysurfers, Penguin, published 2009, page 17:
glosses: Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short.
glosses: Rife; common; prevalent.
Derived terms: briefen
briefie
briefish
briefly
briefness
overbrief
Related terms: brevi-
brevitic
brevity