Word: paper Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English paper, from Anglo-Norman paper, from Old Catalan paper, borrowed from Latin papȳrus (and given the Catalan suffix -er), from Ancient Greek πάπυρος (pápuros). Pronunciation: /ˈpeɪ̯.pə/, /ˈpeɪ̯.pəɹ/, [ˈpʰeɪ̯.pɚ], /ˈpæɪ̯.pə/, /ˈpe.pəɹ/ 1. A sheet material typically used for writing on or printing on (or as a non-waterproof container), usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Draw on the paper! Not on the walls! Example: The paper mill on the south side of town makes various grades of paper and employs hundreds of people. 2. Ellipsis of newspaper; anything used as such (such as a newsletter or listing magazine). Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable Example: Read all about it in this morning's paper! Example: In those days, the Reporter Dispatch was the paper of record around here, and everyone who was anyone took the paper [was a subscriber]. 3. Ellipsis of wallpaper. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable Example: The paperhangers had just finished hanging the paper in the dining room when the interior decorator walked in and exclaimed that it was the wrong color. Example: There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls. 4. Ellipsis of wrapping paper. Labels: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable Example: In those days, you asked the butcher for a block of cheese, and he wrapped it up in paper for you. Example: The kids could hardly wait to tear the paper off their Christmas gifts. 5. An open hand (a handshape resembling a sheet of paper), that beats rock and loses to scissors. It loses to lizard and beats Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock. Labels: countable, uncountable 6. A written document, generally shorter than a book; usually written as a school assignment or a government report. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Near-synonym: report Example: I can't go out tonight. I have a paper due tomorrow, and I need to finish it tonight. 7. A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal (as a journal article or the manuscript for one) or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting (such as a conference, workshop, or symposium). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Their team published a paper in the leading journal of their field, and its widespread impact elevated the reputation of their university department. Example: This paper surveys the research methods and approaches used in the multidisciplinary field of applied language studies or language education over the last fourty^([sic]) years. Drawing on insights gained in psycho- and sociolinguistics, educational linguistics and linguistic anthropology with regard to language and culture, it is organized around five major questions that concern language educators. 8. A set of examination questions to be answered at one session. Labels: Hong-Kong, UK, countable, uncountable 9. Money. Labels: countable, slang, uncountable 10. Any financial assets other than specie, including paper money, commercial paper, and others. Labels: uncountable Example: Why might not a Government annuity, the Principal of which was originally invested in Paper since the Cash suspension in 1797, be constituted the guarantee of Paper Money, emendating from that investiture and suspension, and the Parliament authority transferred to its security, as it has been to its creation, in preference to all others, while Paper continues our general Medium. Example: That great, rich institution,[…]has three millions and a half specie in its vaults, and nearly six millions invested in paper, loans, discounts, pledges—suddenly turned up the other day[…]. 11. A university course. Labels: New-Zealand, countable Example: a paper in ology Example: She's taking four papers this semester: two in psychology and two in sociology. 12. A paper packet containing a quantity of items. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: a paper of pins, tacks, opium, etc. 13. A medicinal preparation spread upon paper, intended for external application. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: cantharides paper 14. A substance resembling paper secreted by certain invertebrates as protection for their nests and eggs. Labels: countable, uncountable 15. Free passes of admission to a theatre, etc. Labels: countable, dated, uncountable 16. The people admitted by free passes. Labels: broadly, countable, dated, uncountable