cstr/en-wiktionary-extracted-all huggingface dataset:
scurf
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /skɜː(ɹ)f/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)f
Forms: form: scurfs
Etymology: From scurf (“skin disease causing scabs or scales; flakes of skin that fall off due to a skin disease, etc.”), from Old English scurf, from Proto-Germanic *skurf- (“to gnaw”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut off, sever; to divide, separate”). Cognate with Dutch schurft, German Schorf, Danish skurv, Swedish skorv.
Senses: glosses: A skin disease.
synonyms: dandruff
glosses: The flakes of skin that fall off as a result of a skin disease.
examples: text: There ſtood a Hill not far whoſe frieſly top / Belch'd fire and rowling ſmoak; the reſt entire / Shon with a gloſſie ſcurff, undoubted ſign / That in his womb was hid metallic Ore,
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 670–673:
glosses: Any crust-like formations on the skin, or in general.
examples: text: The Scurf is worn away, of each committed Crime
ref: 1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 392, line 1011:
synonyms: scum
glosses: The foul remains of anything adherent.
topics: biology
botany
natural-sciences
glosses: Minute membranous scales on the surface of some leaves, as in the goosefoot.
glosses: A low, mean person.
Derived terms: scurvy
sea scurf
Related terms: english: possibly related
translation: possibly related
word: scarf
english: related
translation: related
word: scarf
scurf
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /skɜː(ɹ)f/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)f
Forms: form: scurfs
Senses: glosses: A grey bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus).
gimcrack
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈd͡ʒɪmkɹæk/
Forms: form: jimcrack
Etymology: Unknown.
Senses: examples: text: For years past this branch of art-manufacture had been entrusted to those whose taste, if it may be called taste at all, can be no more referred to correct principles of design than the gimcrack decorations of a wedding-cake could be tested by any standard of sculpturesque beauty.
ref: 1869, Charles L[ocke] Eastlake, “The Entrance Hall”, in Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery and Other Details, 2nd edition, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 48:
text: It was cocking her up with gimcrack notions about ladies till she'd be ashamed to look at her own hands after she had done a day's work with them.
ref: 1876 May – 1877 July, Anthony Trollope, “‘Wonderful Bird!’”, in The American Senator […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1877, →OCLC, page 282:
text: 'The Rape of the Lock' was 'gimcrack,' if you care to call it so; but it was a delicate brilliant work; and so, I repeat, was Maltby's 'Ariel'.
ref: 1919, Sir Max Beerbohm, Seven Men, page 80:
text: “He scribbled something on a message pad, tore, folded, gave” and “ ‘G-Gay?’ puzzled Bev” are fair examples of Mr. Burgess’s gimcrack contortions.
ref: 1978 November 19, Martin Amis, “A Stoked‐Up 1976”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
text: The movie burnishes the image of this visionary C.E.O. [Steve Jobs] even as it tries to peek behind the curtain at the gimcrack machinery of omnipotence.
ref: 2015 October 8, A[nthony] O[liver] Scott, “Review: 'Steve Jobs,' Apple's visionary C.E.O. dissected [print version: Apple's visionary C.E.O. is dissected, International New York Times, 13 October 2015, page 9]”, in The New York Times:
glosses: Showy but of poor quality; worthless.
gimcrack
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈd͡ʒɪmkɹæk/
Forms: form: gimcracks
form: jimcrack
Etymology: Unknown.
Senses: examples: text: [H]er miſlike of my Dreſs confirms me, this muſt be ſome levvd London Gimcrack, ſome Play-houſe haunting Couſin; […]
ref: [1703], Tho[mas] d’Urfey, The Old Mode & the New, or, Country Miss with Her Furbeloe. A Comedy. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott, and sold by Samuel Clark, […], Francis Faucet […], and Lucas Stowkey […], →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, pages 51–52:
text: […] he came home to find […] honest Swartz in her favourite amber-coloured satin, with turquoise bracelets, countless rings, flowers, feathers, and all sorts of tags and gimcracks, about as elegantly decorated as a she chimney-sweep on May-day.
ref: 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:
text: Any little absurd gewgaw or gimcrack they had they disposed in such a way as to make it attract attention most readily.
ref: 1999, Hilton Obenzinger, American Palestine: Melville, Twain, and the Holy Land Mania:
text: We finds the place after awhile, a lodgin'-house all lorn and loony, set down all by itself in the middle o' some real estate extension like a tepee in a 'barren'—a crazy 'modern' house all gimcrack and woodwork and frostin', with never another place in so far as you could hear a coyote yelp.
ref: 2012, Frank Norris, A Deal in Wheat and Other Stories of the New and Old West:
glosses: Something showy but worthless; a bauble or gimmick.
Derived terms: gimcrackery
gimcrack
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈd͡ʒɪmkɹæk/
Forms: form: gimcracks
form: gimcracking
form: gimcracked
form: gimcracked
form: jimcrack
Etymology: Unknown.
Senses: examples: text: Actually the book is a series of related images (some fresh and sharp) and fragmentary sketches (a few vividly effective), gimcracked together with a semblance of plot and allegory,
ref: 1950, Herbert David Croly, The New Republic - Volume 122, page 20:
text: That page, written fifteen years before by Land Recorder Frederic Prigg, was an imprecise description of land without benefit of any survey, and was more eyeball than ciphers, with measures gimcracked together by a claimant and a recorder who barely understood each other.
ref: 2005, Ronald B. Lansing, Nimrod: Courts, Claims, and Killing on the Oregon Frontier, page 244:
text: He led only a handful of record dates and some of these were gimcracked round a desire to feature the bass as a solo instrument, often rather artificially so.
ref: 2010, Brian Morton, Richard Cook, The Penguin Jazz Guide:
text: I wos gimcracked right inta the middle o' these murders like a puppet on a string an' I'm the one ta wrap that string around the puppetmaster's neck.
ref: 2015, William J. Palmer, The Highwayman and Mr. Dickens:
glosses: To put together quickly and without much care; to bodge.
examples: text: Furthermore many of the peripheral characters and myths that the Disney interests have appropriated over the years have been gimcracked to death, so that they have none of their original integrity .
ref: 1976, James William Johnson, Prose in Practice: A Rhetorical Reader, page 100:
text: It was a small café, gimcracked with atmosphere, the usual red-checkered tablecloths, and candles dribbling down the sides of old wine bottles.
ref: 2015, Dorothy B. Hughes, The Davidian Report:
text: Merle the Pearl, Juicy Fruit, Latigo, Slippery Will Carothers and Star Fontaine, this gimcracked stripper who had no qualms about taking her dentures out at the bar—they were all still there, mechanically drinking like toy dipping birds in the Blue Curaçao gloom.
ref: 2015, Kris Saknussemm, Private Midnight:
glosses: To embellish with gimcracks.
flakes
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈfleɪks/
rhymes: -eɪks
Senses: glosses: plural of flake
flakes
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈfleɪks/
rhymes: -eɪks
Senses: glosses: third-person singular simple present indicative of flake
ingrate
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈɪnɡɹeɪt/
Forms: form: more ingrate
form: most ingrate
Etymology: First attested in 1393, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English ingrat, from Latin ingrātus (“disagreeable”), from in- (“not”) + grātus (“pleasing”). Cognate with French ingrat.
Senses: examples: text: Many of theſe might ſeem ingrate and unkind children, that vvill no better acknovvledge and recogniſe their parents in vvords and outvvard pretence, but abrenounce and caſt them off, as though they hated them as dogs and ſerpents.
ref: 1536 June 16 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “Sermon II. Master Latimer’s Discourse on the Same Day in the Afternoon [Preached to the Convocation of the Clergy, before the Parliament Began, the Sixth Day of June, the Twenty Eighth Year of the Reign of the Late King Henry VIII].”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, Master Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester. […], volume I, London: […] J. Scott, […], published 1758, →OCLC, page 24:
text: Yet in his mind malitious and ingrate
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
text: But I will lift the down-trod Mortimer / As high in the air as this unthankful king, / As this ingrate and canker'd Bolingbroke.
ref: c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
text: The causes of that which is pleasing , or ingrate to the hearing , may receive light by that which is pleasing or ingrate to the sight
ref: 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
text: Who, for ſo many benefits receiv'd, / Turn'd recreant to God, ingrate and falſe, / And ſo of all true good himſelf deſpoil'd, […]
ref: 1671, John Milton, “The Third Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 61:
text: thou art among the stars / of highest Heaven: to the rolling spheres / Thou sweetly singest: naught thy hymning mars, / Above the ingrate world and human fears.
ref: c. 1820, John Keats, Sonnet to Chatterton; published 1901 in The Poetical Works of John Keats in "The World's Classics", reprinted (New edition) 1927, London: Oxford University Press, p. 261
glosses: Ungrateful.
glosses: Unfriendly; unpleasant.
Derived terms: ingrateful
ingrately
ingrate
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈɪnɡɹeɪt/
Forms: form: ingrates
Etymology: First attested in 1393, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English ingrat, from Latin ingrātus (“disagreeable”), from in- (“not”) + grātus (“pleasing”). Cognate with French ingrat.
Senses: examples: text: But Mr Pecksniff, dismissing all ephemeral considerations of social pleasure and enjoyment, concentrated his meditations on the one great virtuous purpose before him, of casting out that ingrate and deceiver, whose presence yet troubled his domestic hearth, and was a sacrilege upon the altars of his household gods.
ref: 1842 December – 1844 July, Charles Dickens, The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1844, →OCLC:
text: "Speak the truth, you ingrate!" cried Miss Havisham
ref: 1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, Great Expectations […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, […], published October 1861, →OCLC:
text: Out of my sight, ingrate!
ref: 1893, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, Utopia, Limited; […]:
text: The consensus—certainly among the great and the good of Cambridge, Massachusetts—was that he was an ultranationalist, a reactionary, and, above all, an ingrate.
ref: 2024 February 20, Eliot A. Cohen, “Solzhenitsyn’s Warning”, in The Atlantic:
glosses: An ungrateful person.
formations
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Senses: glosses: plural of formation
showy
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈʃəʊ.i/
ipa: /ˈʃoʊ.i/
rhymes: -əʊi
homophone: showie
Forms: form: showier
form: showiest
form: shewey
form: shewy
Etymology: From show (noun) + -y.
Senses: glosses: Calling attention; flashy; standing out to the eye.
examples: text: showy flowers
glosses: Making a striking or aesthetically pleasing display.
examples: text: I think my problem with it is that it's
a) a little "telly" not "showy" in comparison to the rest […]
ref: 1999 November 21, sophie, “Squealer : first revision”, in alt.arts.poetry.comments (Usenet):
text: There's a way to make this more showy and less telly. It's like you're in a hurry to get on with the rest of the story.
ref: 2003 September 19, Patrick Null, “Failed Sept Challenge? (1409 words)”, in alt.fiction.original (Usenet):
text: story is too, too telly; need at least 3 showy scenes to improve showing:telling ratio
ref: 2009 May 18, @kimmcgowan, Twitter, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2024:
text: Six of Crows is very telly and little showy. You are constantly getting info dumps and mini-flashbacks to the characters past.
ref: 2016 February 12, Kelly, “Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo”, in Diva Booknerd, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2024:
text: The ending felt rushed to me, and I wish it would have been more showy and less telly.
ref: 2024 July 1, pinkjamie, “Well...”, in BookishFirst, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2024:
glosses: Inclined to showing (by conveying an impression so that events are described in the narrative), instead of telling (by explicitly stating facts).
raw_tags: of a literary work
Synonyms: gaudy
Hyponyms: slutty
Derived terms: showily
showiness
showy goatsbeard
showy mistletoe
showy orchis
showy sundew
ungrateful
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ʌnˈɡɹeɪtfəl/
Forms: form: more ungrateful
form: most ungrateful
Etymology: From un- + grateful.
Senses: examples: text: Near-synonyms: unappreciative, unthankful
text: “It seems to delight you to think that you are to leave Paris, and that we shall not see each other for months, perhaps. Tarzan, you are a most ungrateful beast!” and D’Arnot laughed.
ref: 1913 June–December, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “A Duel”, in The Return of Tarzan, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, […], published March 1915, →OCLC, pages 84–85:
antonyms: grateful
glosses: Not grateful; not expressing gratitude.
examples: text: If any care for what is here
⁠Survive in spirits render’d free,
⁠Then are these songs I sing of thee
Not all ungrateful to thine ear.
ref: 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXVIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 59:
glosses: Disagreeable, repellent, unpleasant.
Synonyms: ingrate
Related terms: ingrateful
ungrateful
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ʌnˈɡɹeɪtfəl/
Forms: form: ungratefuls
Etymology: From un- + grateful.
Senses: glosses: A person who fails to show gratitude; an ingrate.
worthless
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈwɝθləs/
ipa: /ˈwɝθlɪs/
ipa: /ˈwɜːθləs/
Forms: form: more worthless
form: worthlesser
form: most worthless
form: worthlessest
form: worthlesse
form: wuffless
Etymology: From Middle English *worthles, from Old English weorþlēas (“worthless”), equivalent to worth + -less. Cognate with Dutch waardeloos (“worthless”), German wertlos (“worthless”), Swedish värdelös (“worthless”).
Senses: examples: text: Don’t be a worthless slouch! Go get yourself a job.
text: Lies are as important as truth, for without lies, the truth is worthless.
text: The committee’s decision is worthless and not going to be acted upon.
synonyms: word: inconsequential
word: miserable
word: priceless
word: useless
word: valueless
antonyms: precious
useful
valuable
worthful
worthy
glosses: Having no worth or use; without value.
Synonyms: word: for the birds
word: good-for-naught
word: good-for-nothing
word: not worth a damn
word: not worth a dime
word: not worth a plug nickel
word: not worth a brass farthing
word: not worth a cent
word: not worth a cress
word: not worth a curse
word: not worth a Continental
word: not worth a farthing
word: not worth a nickel
word: not worth a penny
word: not worth salt
word: not worth a whistle
word: of no value
word: otiose
word: valueless
word: null
word: worthless
word: worth nothing
word: wutless
Hypernyms: word: lacking
Derived terms: worthlessly
worthlessness
Related terms: word: low-value
word: almost worthless
word: nearly worthless
word: next to worthless
word: near-worthless
word: of little value
word: of very little value
word: of low value
word: useless
word: unhelpful
word: cheap
word: a dime a dozen
word: ten a penny
word: low-grade
word: low-quality
word: junk
word: junky
word: unnecessary
word: futile
word: pointless
word: meaningless
word: insignificant
word: unusable
word: unprofitable
word: barren
word: not worth the paper it is printed on
word: better than nothing
word: worth
word: value
word: price
word: use
word: utility
word: benefit
word: profit
word: quality
word: excellence
word: trash
word: trifle
word: worthless person
word: that and a nickel will buy you a cup of coffee
word: Appendix:Roget MICRA thesaurus/Class V § 812b. Worthlessness
ingrateful
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Forms: form: more ingrateful
form: most ingrateful
Etymology: From ingrate (“unfriendly”) + -ful, from Latin ingrātus (“disagreeable”), from in- (“not”) + grātus (“pleasing”).
Senses: examples: text: Ingrateful Eve
ref: 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost:
text: […] under change of times, / And condemnation of the ingrateful multitude.
ref: 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes:
glosses: ungrateful; not grateful
examples: text: Therefore what he gives / (Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part / Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found / No ingrateful food
ref: 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost:
glosses: unpleasing to the sense; distasteful
Derived terms: ingratefully
ingratefulness
Related terms: ingrate
hexameter
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: hexameters
form: hexametre
Etymology: From Ancient Greek ἑξάμετρος (hexámetros). Equivalent to hexa- + meter.
Senses: examples: text: The date of composition is pretty certainly about 1590, a date suggested by the burlesque hexameters of Huanebango.
ref: 1908, Walter Wilson Greg, “[Preface]”, in G[eorge] P[eele], The Old Wives Tale, 1595, [Oxford, Oxfordshire]: […] [F]or the Malone Society by Horace Hart […], at the Oxford University Press, published 1965, →OCLC, page vi:
glosses: A line in a poem having six metrical feet.
glosses: A poetic metre in which each line has six feet.
Synonyms: word: sexameter
Derived terms: hexametrist
Related terms: hexametral
hexametric
hexametrize
pentameter
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /pɛnˈtæmɪtə(ɹ)/
Forms: form: pentameters
form: pentametre
Etymology: PIE word
 *pénkʷe
From Middle French pentamètre, by surface analysis, penta- + meter.
Senses: examples: text: The best verses, more especially pentameters, are written on the principle of attracting and fixing the attention to their close.
ref: 1822, Robert Bland, Elements of Latin Hexameters and Pentameters, third edition, London: John Robinson, page vi:
topics: communications
journalism
literature
media
poetry
publishing
writing
glosses: A line in a poem having five metrical feet.
topics: communications
journalism
literature
media
poetry
publishing
writing
glosses: Poetic metre in which each line has five feet.
Derived terms: elegiac pentameter
iambic pentameter
Related terms: pentametric
tetrameter
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: tetrameters
form: tetrametre
Etymology: From tetra- + meter.
Senses: topics: communications
journalism
literature
media
poetry
publishing
writing
glosses: A line in a poem having four metrical feet.
topics: human-sciences
linguistics
phonology
prosody
sciences
glosses: A poetic metre in which each line has four feet.
Derived terms: iambic tetrameter
trimeter
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈtɹɪmɪtəɹ/
ipa: /ˈtɹaɪmɪtəɹ/
ipa: /ˈtɹɪmɪtə(ɹ)/
ipa: /ˈtɹaɪmɪtə(ɹ)/
rhymes: -ɪmɪtə(ɹ)
Forms: form: trimeters
form: trimetre
Etymology: From tri- + meter.
Senses: glosses: A line in a poem having three metrical feet.
glosses: a poetic metre in which each line has three feet.
Related terms: trimetric
trimetrical
dimeter
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈdɪmɪtəɹ/
ipa: /ˈdɪmɪtə(ɹ)/
rhymes: -ɪmɪtə(ɹ)
Forms: form: dimeters
Etymology: From di- (“two”) + -meter.
Senses: topics: communications
journalism
literature
media
poetry
publishing
writing
glosses: A line in a poem having two metrical feet.
topics: communications
journalism
literature
media
poetry
publishing
writing
glosses: A poetic metre in which each line has two feet.
poetic
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /pəʊˈɛtɪk/
ipa: /poʊˈɛtɪk/
ipa: /poʊˈetɪk/
rhymes: -ɛtɪk
Forms: form: more poetic
form: most poetic
form: poetick
form: poëtic
form: poetical
Etymology: From Middle French poetique, from Latin poeticus, from Ancient Greek ποιητικός (poiētikós) from ποιέω (poiéō, “make”). Doublet of poietic.
Senses: examples: text: Iambics are one form of poetic meter.
text: Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.
ref: 2013 July-August, Sarah Glaz, “Ode to Prime Numbers”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4, archived from the original on 07 Sep 2013:
glosses: Relating to poetry.
glosses: Characteristic of poets; romantic, imaginative, etc.
glosses: Connecting to the soul of the beholder.
Derived terms: antipoetic
ecopoetic
ethnopoetic
extrapoetic
impoetic
musicopoetic
mythopoetic
nonpoetic
poetically
poetic bent
poeticise
poeticism
poeticity
poeticization
poeticize
poetic justice
poeticky
poetic licence
poeticness
protopoetic
pseudopoetic
semipoetic
sociopoetic
theopoetic
unpoetic
wax poetic
Related terms: poem
poet
poetics
poetry
poem
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈpəʊ.ɪm/
ipa: [ˈpʰəwɪm]
ipa: /ˈpəʊ.əm/
ipa: /ˈpɔːɪm/
ipa: /ˈpoʊ.əm/
ipa: /ˈpəʊ.ɪm/
ipa: /poʊm/
ipa: [ˈpʰo(ʊ̯)əm]
ipa: [ˈpʰo(ʊ̯)m̩]
ipa: [ˈpʰo(ʊ̯)m]
ipa: /ˈpoː.ɪm/
ipa: /poː(ə)m/
ipa: /ˈpoː.ɛm/
ipa: /ˈpɔʊ(ə)m/
note: Indic
ipa: /po.ĕm/
note: North India: linking W
ipa: [poːʋɪm]
note: Tanglish, Kerala, Sri Lanka: linking Y
ipa: [poːjɐm]
ipa: /ˈpojəm/
note: Ghana
ipa: /pɔɪm/
rhymes: -əʊɪm
rhymes: -əʊəm
rhymes: -əʊɛm
rhymes: -əʊm
rhymes: -ɔːɪm
rhymes: -ɔɪm
Forms: form: poems
form: poëm
form: poeme
Etymology: From Middle French poème, from Latin poēma, from Ancient Greek ποίημα (poíēma), from ποιέω (poiéō, “I make”). Displaced native Old English lēoþ.
Senses: examples: text: Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.
ref: 2013 July-August, Sarah Glaz, “Ode to Prime Numbers”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
glosses: A literary piece written in verse.
glosses: A piece of writing in the tradition of poetry, an instance of poetry.
glosses: A piece of poetic writing, that is with an intensity or depth of expression or inspiration greater than is usual in prose.
Derived terms: altar poem
antipoem
blackout poem
concrete poem
cyberpoem
diamante poem
diamond poem
echo poem
ecopoem
erasure poem
figure poem
holopoem
hyperpoem
metapoem
micropoem
mythopoem
piem
poemette
poemless
poemlet
poemlike
prose poem
rune poem
shape poem
slam poem
story-poem
symphonic poem
tone poem
ur-poem
visual poem
Related terms: poet
poetic
poetics
poetry
merits
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: mĕrʹĭts
ipa: /ˈmɛɹ.ɪts/
Senses: glosses: plural of merit
examples: text: I was the boss's pet project, but was rejected on the merits.
glosses: Intrinsic advantages, as opposed to political or procedural advantages.
examples: text: The merits of the case favored the plaintiffs, but their procedural blunders set them back.
topics: law
glosses: Substance, distinguished from form or procedure.
Derived terms: on its merits
merits
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: enpr: mĕrʹĭts
ipa: /ˈmɛɹ.ɪts/
Senses: glosses: third-person singular simple present indicative of merit
intensity
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɪnˈtɛnsɪti/
Forms: form: intensities
Etymology: From intense + -ity. Cf. also Medieval Latin intensitas.
Senses: glosses: The quality of being intense.
examples: text: The painting’s dislocated, unformed features are the very opposite of the hard, painted dolls of the other portrait, and, where they are dead and ready to topple, this unknown man’s eyes are full of intensity and life.
ref: 1980, Ann Jefferson, “[Character and the age of suspicion] Unforgettable figures: Portrait d’un inconnu and Le voyeur”, in The Nouveau Roman and the Poetics of Fiction, Cambridge, Cambs: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 66:
text: Fagus sylvatica (European beech) and Acer saccharum (sugar maple, from North America) are very tolerant of deep shade, while Betula spp. (birches) and Populus spp. (poplars) grow best under high light intensities.
ref: 2011, Peter A. Thomas, “General Forest Ecological Processes: Chapter 10 from Trees and Forests, a Color Guide”, in Arnoldia, volume 68, number 3, Boston, MA: Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, page 22:
glosses: The degree of strength.
topics: natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: Time-averaged energy flux (the ratio of average power to the area through which the power "flows"); irradiance.
topics: engineering
natural-sciences
optics
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: Can mean any of radiant intensity, luminous intensity or irradiance.
topics: astronomy
natural-sciences
glosses: Synonym of radiance.
synonyms: word: radiance
topics: geography
geology
natural-sciences
glosses: The severity of an earthquake in terms of its effects on the earth's surface, and buildings. The value depends on the distance from the epicentre, and is not to be confused with the magnitude.
Derived terms: archaeointensity
high-intensity interval training
high intensity training
hyperintensity
hypointensity
immunointensity
isointensity
light intensity
luminous intensity
Mercalli intensity
overintensity
palaeointensity
paleointensity
photointensity
serointensity
superintensity
Related terms: intense
poets
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈpoʊ.ɪts/
ipa: /ˈpəʊ.ɪts/
Senses: glosses: plural of poet
poetry
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈpəʊɪtɹi/
ipa: /ˈpoʊətɹi/
ipa: /ˈpoːə̯ʈɾi/
note: Tanglish, Kerala
ipa: /poˈjɛt̺ri/
note: Tanglish, Kerala
ipa: /poˈʋɛt̺ri/
Forms: form: poetries
form: poëtry
Etymology: From Middle English poetrye, poetrie, a borrowing from Old French pöeterie, pöetrie, from Medieval Latin poētria, from poēta (“poet”), from Ancient Greek ποιητής (poiētḗs, “poet; author; maker”). Displaced native Old English lēoþcræft.
Senses: examples: text: More people write poetry than read it.
ref: 2004, George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 263:
synonyms: word: poesy
word: verse
antonyms: prose
glosses: Literature composed in verse or language exhibiting conscious attention to patterns and rhythm.
glosses: A poet's literary production.
examples: text: That 'Swan Lake' choreography is poetry in motion, fitting the musical poetry of Tchaikovski's divine score well beyond the literary inspiration.
glosses: An artistic quality that appeals to or evokes the emotions, in any medium; something having such a quality.
Derived terms: antipoetry
blackout poetry
concrete poetry
cyberpoetry
dub poetry
ecopoetry
epic poetry
erasure poetry
found poetry
graveyard poetry
hyperpoetry
Instapoetry
jazzetry
jazz poetry
lyric poetry
magnetic poetry
Martian poetry
metapoetry
micropoetry
mythopoetry
nonpoetry
onomatopoetry
performance poetry
poetry in motion
poetryless
poetrylike
poetry reading
poetry slam
shape poetry
slam poetry
sound poetry
spoetry
visual poetry
Related terms: poet
poetess
poetic
poeticize
poetics
poetize
syllables
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsɪləbl̩z/
Senses: glosses: plural of syllable
syllables
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsɪləbl̩z/
Senses: glosses: third-person singular simple present indicative of syllable
deserving
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /dɪˈzɝvɪŋ/
ipa: /dɪˈzɜːvɪŋ/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)vɪŋ
Forms: form: more deserving
form: most deserving
Senses: examples: text: the deserving poor
glosses: Worthy of reward or praise; meritorious.
examples: text: In the midst of a world war many centenaries pass unnoticed, but one which fell on August 2, namely, the opening of Fenchurch Street station, is deserving of record.
ref: 1941 September, “Notes and News: The London & Blackwall Cable Railway”, in Railway Magazine, pages 424–425:
glosses: Meriting, worthy (reward, punishment etc.)
Derived terms: deservingly
deservingness
nondeserving
undeserving
deserving
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /dɪˈzɝvɪŋ/
ipa: /dɪˈzɜːvɪŋ/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)vɪŋ
Forms: form: deservings
Senses: examples: text: I here understand that value which every man puts upon his own deservings from the publick
ref: 1711, Jonathan Swift, The Examiner, Number 30:
glosses: desert, merit
deserving
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /dɪˈzɝvɪŋ/
ipa: /dɪˈzɜːvɪŋ/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)vɪŋ
Senses: glosses: present participle and gerund of deserve
poet
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈpəʊ.ɪt/
ipa: /ˈpəʊ.ət/
ipa: /ˈpɔː.ɪt/
ipa: /ˈpoʊ.ət/
ipa: /ˈpoʊ.ɪt/
ipa: [ˈpʰoʊ̯ɪ̈(ʔ)t̚]
ipa: /ˈpoː.ɪt/
ipa: /poː(ə)t/
ipa: /ˈpoː.ɛt/
rhymes: -əʊɪt
rhymes: -əʊət
rhymes: -əʊɛt
rhymes: -ɔːɪt
Forms: form: poets
form: poët
form: poete
form: poëte
Etymology: From Middle English poete, from Old French poete, from Latin poēta (“poet, author”), from Ancient Greek ποιητής (poiētḗs, “creator, maker, author, poet”), from ποιέω (poiéō, “to make, compose”). Displaced native Old English sċop. Doublet of piyyut.
Senses: glosses: A person who writes poems.
glosses: A person with a creative or romantic imagination.
Hyponyms: word: poetess
word: versifier
Derived terms: antipoet
arch-poet
be a poet and not know it
concrete poet
cyberpoet
cyclic poet
ecopoet
I'm a poet and I didn't even know it
Instapoet
jazz poet
Lake poet
metapoet
mythopoet
nonpoet
parcel-poet
poetaster
poet blouse
poetcraft
poetdom
poetese
poetesque
poetess
poetette
poethood
poetical
poeticule
poetise
poetism
poetist
poetize
poet laureate
poetless
poetlike
poetling
poetly
poetolatry
poetress
poetship
poet shirt
poet sleeve
poetwise
pylon poet
sacrificial poet
slam poet
centime
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: rhymes: -iːm
Forms: form: centimes
Etymology: Borrowed from French centime. Doublet of centim, centimo, and santim.
Senses: glosses: A former subunit of currency equal to one-hundredth of the franc.
glosses: A coin having face value of one centime.
Derived terms: Algerian centime
Haitian centime
metrical
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈmɛtɹɪkl̩/
Forms: form: more metrical
form: most metrical
Etymology: From New Latin metricus + -al.
Senses: glosses: Relating to poetic meter.
glosses: Having a regular rhythm.
glosses: Of or pertaining to measurement.
Derived terms: allometrical
chemometrical
extrametrical
extrametricality
hexametrical
immetrical
metrical foot
metrically
metrical structure
monometrical
multimetrical
nanometrical
nonmetrical
osteometrical
prosimetrical
trimetrical
unmetrical
Related terms: metric
worthy
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈwɜːði/
enpr: wûrthē
ipa: /ˈwɝði/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)ði
Forms: form: worthies
Etymology: From Middle English worthy, wurthi, from Old English *weorþiġ (“worthy”), equivalent to worth + -y. Cognate with Dutch waardig (“worthy”), Middle Low German werdig (“worthy”), German würdig (“worthy”), Swedish värdig (“worthy”), Icelandic verðugt (“worthy”).
Senses: examples: text: That worthy one day, in our absence, being caught in the act of culpable talpicide, was rebuked by his mistress for disobeying his master's orders.
ref: 1867, Journal of Agriculture, page 108:
glosses: A distinguished or eminent person.
examples: Confucius and Mencius are revered as the Sages and Worthies of Confucianism.
qualifier: Confucianism
glosses: a good, wise and virtuous person.
Related terms: -worthy
unworthy
worthy
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈwɜːði/
enpr: wûrthē
ipa: /ˈwɝði/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)ði
Forms: form: worthies
form: worthying
form: worthied
form: worthied
Etymology: From Middle English worthien, wurthien, from Old English weorþian (“to esteem, honor, worship, distinguish, celebrate, exalt, praise, adorn, deck, enrich, reward”), from Proto-Germanic *werþōną (“to be worthy, estimate, appreciate, appraise”), from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to turn, wind”). Cognate with German werten (“to rate, judge, grade, score”), Swedish värdera (“to evaluate, rate, size up, assess, estimate”), Icelandic virða (“to respect, esteem”).
Senses: examples: text: And put upon him such a deal of man,
That worthied him, got praises of the king […]
ref: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
text: After having duly paid his addresses to it, he generally spends some time on the marble slab in front of the looking-glass, but without showing the slightest emotion at the sight of his own reflection, or worthying it with a song.
ref: 1880, Sir Norman Lockyer, Nature:
text: And it is a poor daub besides," the Emperor rejoined scornfully, as he stalked out of the gallery without worthying the artist with a look.
ref: 1908, Edward Arthur Brayley Hodgetts, The court of Russia in the nineteenth century:
text: No henchman he worthied by weapons, if witness his features, his peerless presence!
ref: 1910, Charles William Eliot, The Harvard classics: Beowulf:
glosses: To render or treat as worthy; exalt; revere; honour; esteem; respect; value; reward; adore.
Derived terms: worthier
worthying
on its merits
Language: English
Part of speech: prep_phrase
Senses: examples: text: The proposal should be discussed on its merits.
glosses: Considering only intrinsic good points and bad points, without prejudice or other considerations, such as procedural ones.
behoove
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /bɪˈhuːv/
ipa: /bɪˈhuːv/
rhymes: -uːv
Forms: form: behooves
form: behooving
form: behooved
form: behooved
form: behooven
Etymology: See behove.
Senses: examples: text: It ill behooves my mother to complain.
text: Straighter he stood, and had achieved some praise / In other exercise, much more behooving / A soldier's taste than merely dirt removing.
ref: 1874, Bret Harte, “Cadet Grey”, in The Poetical Works of Bret Harte, complete edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company; The Riverside Press, Cambridge [Mass.], →OCLC, canto II, stanza XX, page 369:
text: I think it ill behooves the Government of Canada, let alone all the people like us in Canada, to pretend that there are not these distinctions in how each of us approaches questions of security.
ref: 2002 May 9, Douglas Roche, “Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Evidence [37th Parliament, 1st session, meeting 82]”, in standing committee proceedings (House of Commons of Canada), archived from the original on 06 Apr 2018:
text: “Behooves”? said Danny. / “Becomes necessary, Mr. Hupfer,” said Mrs. Baker, “as in ‘It behooves us to raise our hands before we ask a question’. Now, can anyone tell me what the adjectival form would be?”
ref: 2007, Gary D. Schmidt, “May”, in The Wednesday Wars, New York, N.Y.: Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Company, →ISBN, page 208:
text: […] Thor and Iron Man pushed the [Avengers] Mansion back roughly 35 feet from Fifth Avenue in order to give the Mansion a front yard (and the privacy that comes along with it). Let's face it—it wouldn't behoove Earth's Mightiest Heroes to have to put those ugly wrought-iron bars on their ground-floor windows in order to prevent petty theft.
ref: 2015, Dan Casey, “Avengers Mansion”, in 100 Things Avengers Fans Should Know & Do before They Die, Chicago, Ill.: Triumph Books, →ISBN, page 185:
glosses: To befit, be appropriate or necessary to somebody. Alternative form of behove.
examples: text: It behooved that the Sonne of God suld descend unto us, and tak himselfe a bodie of our bodie, flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones, and so become the Mediator betwixt God and man, giving power to so many as beleeve in him, to be the sonnes of God; […]
ref: 1560, [John Knox et al.], “Confessio Fidei Scoticana I. The Scotch Confession of Faith. A.D. 1560.”, in The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes. … In Three Volumes, 4th revised and enlarged edition, volume III (The Evangelical Protestant Creeds, with Translations), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, Franklin Square, published 1877, →OCLC, Art. VIII (Of Election), page 445, column 1:
text: Now, while discoursing of sperm, it behooves to speak of other things akin to it, in the business of preparing the sperm whale for the try-works.
ref: 1851, Herman Melville, “XCIV A Squeeze of the Hand”, in Moby-Dick^(https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Moby-Dick_(1851)_US_edition/Chapter_94):
glosses: To be fitting.
Derived terms: behoovable
befit
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /bɪˈfɪt/
rhymes: -ɪt
Forms: form: befits
form: befitting
form: befitted
form: befitted
form: befit
form: befit
Etymology: From be- + fit.
Senses: examples: text: His conduct was not befitting an officer of his station.
text: Clarke's side roared back with courage and belief befitting a team who had held their nerve in two shootouts to get here.
ref: 2021 June 14, Scott Mullen, “Scotland 0-2 Czech Republic”, in BBC Sport:
glosses: to be fit for
Synonyms: behoove
Derived terms: unbefit
first women
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Senses: glosses: plural of first woman
decorative
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈdɛk.ə.ɹə.tɪv/
ipa: /ˈdɛk.ɹə.tɪv/
ipa: /ˈdɛk.ə.ɹə.tɪv/
ipa: [ˈdɛk.ə.ɹə.ɾɪv]
ipa: /ˈdɛk.ɹə.tɪv/
ipa: [ˈdɛk.ɹə.ɾɪv]
ipa: /ˈdek.ə.ɹə.tɪv/
Forms: form: more decorative
form: most decorative
Etymology: From Latin decorātus + -ive. Cognate with French décoratif.
Senses: examples: text: Elegant brick and stone buildings, with iron and glass canopies and decorative wooden scalloping and fencing—all evidencing care on the part of the architect to produce a pleasing, well-planned building—were submerged beneath a profusion of ill-conceived additions and camouflaged by vulgar paint schemes; and the original conception was lost.
ref: 1962 October, Brian Haresnape, “Focus on B.R. passenger stations”, in Modern Railways, pages 250–251:
text: The parsnip, stilton and chestnut combination may taste good, but it's not terribly decorative. In fact, dull's the word, a lingering adjectival ghost of nut roasts past that I'm keen to banish from the table.
ref: 2011 December 15, Felicity Cloake, “How to cook the perfect nut roast”, in Guardian:
text: And I’ll be honest. I’ll be honest, seeing stories like that is enough to make me glad that the Queen of England is mostly decorative now. In fact, the most relevant thing she’s done recently was announced that this week, she’s going to visit the Game of Thrones set.
ref: 2014, Tim Carvell [et al.], “Dr. Oz and Nutritional Supplements”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 1, episode 8, John Oliver (actor), Warner Bros. Television, via HBO:
glosses: That serves to decorate
Derived terms: decorative arts
decoratively
decorativeness
nondecorative
overdecorative
undecorative
decorative
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈdɛk.ə.ɹə.tɪv/
ipa: /ˈdɛk.ɹə.tɪv/
ipa: /ˈdɛk.ə.ɹə.tɪv/
ipa: [ˈdɛk.ə.ɹə.ɾɪv]
ipa: /ˈdɛk.ɹə.tɪv/
ipa: [ˈdɛk.ɹə.ɾɪv]
ipa: /ˈdek.ə.ɹə.tɪv/
Forms: form: decoratives
Etymology: From Latin decorātus + -ive. Cognate with French décoratif.
Senses: examples: text: Analysts said the company’s results were in line, but noted that organic growth at the decoratives business was slightly weaker than expected.
ref: 2007 October 24, The Associated Press, “Dutch Maker of Chemicals Reports Drop in Earnings”, in New York Times:
glosses: A plant, tile, etc. intended for use as decoration.
decorate
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈdɛkəɹeɪt/
Forms: form: decorates
form: decorating
form: decorated
form: decorated
Etymology: From Middle English decorat (“adorned”), from Latin decorātus, perfect passive participle of decorō (“to adorn, distinguish, honor”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from decus (“ornament, grace, dignity, honor”, decor- in compounds), akin to decor (“elegance, grace, beauty, ornament”), from decet (“adorn, befit”).
Senses: examples: text: We decorated the Christmas tree with tinsel and baubles.
glosses: To furnish with decorations.
examples: text: There's some paint left over from when we decorated the guest bedroom.
text: We moved in over a month ago but we still haven't gotten started on decorating.
glosses: To improve the appearance of an interior of, as a house, room, or office.
qualifier: By putting paint or wallpaper on the walls.
examples: text: People tend to decorate for the holidays or special events.
glosses: To improve the appearance of an interior of, as a house, room, or office.
qualifier: By adding adornments to the interior space.
examples: text: He was a decorated soldier who served in three wars.
glosses: To honor by providing a medal, ribbon, or other adornment.
examples: text: It makes sure that the field name argument is not empty, and that the field specified there is an actual existing field in the class which declares the method decorated with this attribute.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
programming
sciences
glosses: To extend a method, etc. by attaching some further code item.
Synonyms: word: adorn
word: apparel
word: array
word: detail
word: beautify
word: bedeck
word: betrim
word: decorate
word: decore
word: deck
word: deck out
word: do up
word: dress up
word: dub
word: embellish
word: garnish
word: grace
word: ornament
word: prettify
word: pretty up
Hyponyms: word: applique
word: becross
word: bedaub
word: bedizen
word: befrill
word: bejewel
word: beset
word: bestar
word: boss
word: brocade
word: caparison
word: chase
word: coffer
word: depaint
word: do out
word: emboss
word: emblazon
word: embroider
word: enamel
word: enchase
word: enlimn
word: feague
word: festoon
word: filigree
word: fledge
word: flint
word: flounce
word: fringe
word: gaud
word: goth up
word: hang
word: illuminate
word: impearl
word: mat
word: overdecorate
word: pimp up
word: pink
word: pipe
word: purfle
word: purl
word: quill
word: redecorate
word: redress
word: ribbon
word: swag
word: trim
word: tuft
word: varnish
word: wainscot
word: window-dress
Derived terms: decoratable
decorative
decorator
decoratress
decoratrix
decorin
immunodecorate
misdecorate
overdecorate
redecorate
undecorate
Related terms: word: decoration
word: beautiful
decorate
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈdɛkəɹeɪt/
Forms: form: more decorate
form: most decorate
Etymology: From Middle English decorat (“decorated, adorned”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. Originally also used as the past participle of decorate; compare generate or communicate.
Senses: glosses: decorated, adorned
decorations
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌdɛkəˈɹeɪʃənz/
Senses: glosses: plural of decoration
striking
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈstɹaɪkɪŋ/
rhymes: -aɪkɪŋ
Forms: form: more striking
form: most striking
Senses: examples: text: He looked quite striking in his new suit and tie.
text: This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking. In complexion fair, and with blue or gray eyes, he was tall as any Viking, as broad in the shoulder.
ref: 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
text: This worrisome tendency was on display in recent weeks as Israelis reacted with striking vehemence to remarks by UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, and US ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro.
ref: 2016 February 6, “Israel’s prickliness blocks the long quest for peace”, in The National, retrieved 08 Feb 2016:
synonyms: arresting
glosses: Making a strong impression.
examples: text: a striking employee
antonyms: non-striking
nonstriking
glosses: On strike, taking part in industrial action.
striking
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈstɹaɪkɪŋ/
rhymes: -aɪkɪŋ
Senses: glosses: present participle and gerund of strike
striking
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈstɹaɪkɪŋ/
rhymes: -aɪkɪŋ
Forms: form: strikings
Senses: examples: text: We've observed plenty of strikings followed by lightings, so even if we should not say that the strikings cause the lightings, isn't it at least reasonable to predict, and to believe, that the next time we strike a match in similar conditions, it will be followed by a lighting?
ref: 2012, Andrew Pessin, Uncommon Sense, page 142:
glosses: The act by which something strikes or is struck.
Derived terms: striking clock
striking distance
striking plate
striking range
wonder-striking
impression
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɪmˈpɹɛʃən/
rhymes: -ɛʃən
Forms: form: impressions
form: impressioning
form: impressioned
form: impressioned
Etymology: From Old French impression, from Latin impressio. Equivalent to impress + -ion.
Senses: examples: text: The trick in impressioning a key is to remove only a small amount of the blank, by filing or cutting, from the pin positions where impressions have been left.
ref: 2007, Graham Pulford, High-Security Mechanical Locks: An Encyclopedic Reference, page 55:
glosses: To manipulate a blank key within a lock so as to mark it with impressions of the shape of the lock, which facilitates creation of a duplicate key.