The meaning of Meaning

verb

Point or direct (a weapon or camera) at a target.

Usage examples:

Aim the camcorder at some suitable object

noun

A purpose or intention; a desired outcome.

Usage examples:

Our primary aim is to achieve financial discipline

abbreviation

Alternative investment market (a subsidiary market of the london stock exchange that allows small companies to be traded without the expense of a full market listing).

verb

Direct one's hopes or ambitions towards achieving something.

Usage examples:

We never thought that we might aspire to those heights

verb

(of an event or circumstance) portend a good or bad outcome.

Usage examples:

The end of the cold war seemed to augur well

noun

(in ancient rome) a religious official who observed natural signs, especially the behaviour of birds, interpreting these as an indication of divine approval or disapproval of a proposed action.

Usage examples:

In the case of the augurs or haruspices of rome, the animal was sacrificed to permit contemplation …

verb

To be a sign of especially good or bad things in the future

Usage examples:

The company's sales figures for the first six months augur well for the rest of the year., do you t…

verb

Be a sign of.

Usage examples:

She wondered if his cold, level gaze betokened indifference or anger

verb

To mean something or be a sign of something

verb

Be a portent of a particular outcome.

Usage examples:

Their argument did not bode well for the future

noun

A person or thing that gives rise to an action, phenomenon, or condition.

Usage examples:

The cause of the accident is not clear

verb

Make (something, especially something bad) happen.

Usage examples:

This disease can cause blindness

conjunction

Short for because.

noun

An idea or feeling which a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

Usage examples:

The word ‘discipline’ has unhappy connotations of punishment and repression

noun

A feeling or idea that is suggested by a word in addition to its basic meaning, or something suggested by an object or situation

Usage examples:

"resolute" means stubborn, but with a more positive connotation.

verb

(of a word) imply or suggest (an idea or feeling) in addition to the literal or primary meaning.

Usage examples:

The term ‘modern science’ usually connotes a complete openness to empirical testing

verb

Look thoughtfully for a long time at.

Usage examples:

He contemplated his image in the mirrors

verb

To spend time considering a possible future action, or to consider one particular thing for a long time in a serious way

Usage examples:

[ t ] the owner of the team contemplated moving his football club to another city., [ t ] sharon is…

verb

Transport or carry to a place.

Usage examples:

Pipes were laid to convey water to the house

noun

A statement of the exact meaning of a word, especially in a dictionary.

Usage examples:

A dictionary definition of the verb

noun

A statement that explains the meaning of a word or phrase

Usage examples:

What is the definition of “mood”?, the tape recorded conversation lacked definition – there was too…

noun

The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.

Usage examples:

Beyond their immediate denotation, the words have a connotative power

noun

The main meaning of a word, not including the feelings or ideas that people may connect with the word

verb

Be a sign of; indicate.

Usage examples:

This mark denotes purity and quality

verb

To represent or mean something

Usage examples:

His angry tone denoted extreme displeasure.

noun

A plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is made.

Usage examples:

He has just unveiled his design for the new museum

verb

Decide upon the look and functioning of (a building, garment, or other object), by making a detailed drawing of it.

Usage examples:

A number of architectural students were designing a factory

verb

The act of working out the form of something

verb

Appoint (someone) to a specified office or post.

Usage examples:

He was designated as prime minister

adjective

Appointed to an office or post but not yet installed.

Usage examples:

The director designate

verb

To choose someone or something for a special job or purpose, or to state that something has a particular character or purpose

Usage examples:

The chairman designated his daughter as his successor., north-south streets are designated by numbe…

noun

A strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.

Usage examples:

He resisted public desires for choice in education

verb

Strongly wish for or want (something).

Usage examples:

He never achieved the status he so desired

noun

A strong feeling of wanting something, or something you want

Usage examples:

[ u ] he claims to have no desire for wealth., [ c ] she expressed a desire to speak with her attor…

noun

A change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.

Usage examples:

The lethal effects of hard drugs

verb

Cause (something) to happen; bring about.

Usage examples:

The prime minister effected many policy changes

noun

The result of a particular influence; something that happens because of something else

Usage examples:

[ c ] the medicine had the effect of making me sleepy., [ c ] cold water slows hurricane growth, bu…

adjective

Fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing.

Usage examples:

An eloquent speech

adjective

Using language to express ideas or opinions clearly and well, so that they have a strong effect on others

Usage examples:

When required, he could be an eloquent speaker, but preferred talking to small groups., the picture…

noun

Explanation that makes something clear; clarification.

Usage examples:

Work that led to the elucidation of the structure of proteins

noun

The act of explaining something or making something clear

Usage examples:

These figures need elucidation., a diagram was provided for further elucidation.

verb

Cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition).

Usage examples:

The issue engendered continuing controversy

verb

To cause something to come into existence

Usage examples:

Your book has engendered much controversy.

verb

Involve (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence.

Usage examples:

A situation which entails considerable risks

noun

A limitation of the inheritance of property to certain heirs over a number of generations.

Usage examples:

The damage being done in england by entails

verb

To involve or make something necessary

Usage examples:

Any investment entails risk.

verb

Regard (something) as likely to happen.

Usage examples:

It's as well to expect the worst

verb

To think or believe that something will happen, or that someone will arrive

Usage examples:

[ t ] we are expecting about 100 people for the lecture., [ t ] his plane is expected to land at ab…

noun

A statement or account that makes something clear.

Usage examples:

The birth rate is central to any explanation of population trends

noun

The details or other information that someone gives to make something clear or easy to understand

Usage examples:

[ c ] she gave a detailed explanation of the administration’s health-care proposal., [ c ] he had n…

noun

The process of analysing and developing an idea or principle in detail.

Usage examples:

This term is meaningless without further explication and analysis

noun

The act of explaining something in detail, especially a piece of writing or an idea

Usage examples:

His explication of each side's strategies and tactics is gripping., there's too much explication in…

verb

Convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct.

Usage examples:

He expressed complete satisfaction

adjective

Operating at high speed.

Usage examples:

Executives have their own express lift direct to floor 42

adverb

By express train or delivery service.

Usage examples:

I got my wife to send my gloves express to the hotel

adjective

Effectively conveying thought or feeling.

Usage examples:

She has big expressive eyes

adjective

Showing your feelings in your voice, behavior, or appearance

Usage examples:

His singing was beautiful and expressive.

adjective

Situated or placed in front.

Usage examples:

The fore and hind pairs of wings

noun

The front part of something, especially a ship.

Usage examples:

Sonia climbed regally out of her stateroom in the fore of the ship.

exclamation

Called out as a warning to people in the path of a golf ball.

verb

Be a warning or indication of (a future event).

Usage examples:

Other new measures are foreshadowed in the white paper

verb

(of a past event) to suggest the happening of a future event

Usage examples:

Low unemployment may foreshadow wage and price increases.

verb

Predict (the future or a future event).

Usage examples:

A seer had foretold that the earl would assume the throne

verb

To say what is going to happen in the future

Usage examples:

[ + question word ] he was a 16th-century prophet who foretold how the world would end.

verb

Be a sign of (something to come).

Usage examples:

A shiver in the night air foretokening december

noun

A sign of something to come.

Usage examples:

A foretoken of problems that lay ahead

noun

An official employed to oversee state ceremonial, precedence, and the use of armorial bearings, and (historically) to make proclamations, carry official messages, and oversee tournaments.

Usage examples:

The following day she was proclaimed by heralds with flourishes of trumpets at various places in lo…

verb

Be a sign that (something) is about to happen.

Usage examples:

The speech heralded a change in policy

verb

To announce or signal that something is approaching

Usage examples:

The trade agreement heralded a new era of economic development.

verb

Indicate the truth or existence of (something) by suggestion rather than explicit reference.

Usage examples:

Salesmen who use jargon to imply superior knowledge

verb

To suggest something without saying it directly, or to involve something as a necessary part or condition

Usage examples:

[ + (that) clause ] he implied (that) the error was mine., democracy implies free elections.

verb

Point out; show.

Usage examples:

Dotted lines indicate the text's margins

verb

To show or signal a direction or warning, or to make something clear

Usage examples:

[ t ] these statistics might indicate quality problems., [ + that clause ] she did not move or indi…

verb

To show something, point to something, or make something clear

Usage examples:

Indicate sth to sb retailers should indicate to the consumer the exact weight of the produce., the …

verb

Suggest or hint (something bad) in an indirect and unpleasant way.

Usage examples:

He was insinuating that i had no self-control

verb

To express but not directly state something

Usage examples:

What exactly are you insinuating?, [ + (that) clause ] she insinuated (that) i’m getting fat., [ c …

verb

Have (a course of action) as one's purpose or intention; plan.

Usage examples:

The company intends to cut 400 jobs

verb

To have as a plan or purpose

Usage examples:

[ + to infinitive ] we intend to go to australia next year to visit our daughter., [ t ] the remark…

noun

The action of explaining the meaning of something.

Usage examples:

The interpretation of data

noun

An explanation or opinion of what something means

Usage examples:

[ c ] we had different interpretations of the survey results., [ c ] masur’s interpretation of the …

adjective

Closely acquainted; familiar.

Usage examples:

Intimate friends

noun

A very close friend.

Usage examples:

His circle of intimates

verb

State or make known.

Usage examples:

Mr hutchison has intimated his decision to retire

verb

Have or include (something) as a necessary or integral part or result.

Usage examples:

My job involves a lot of travelling

verb

To include someone or something in an activity

Usage examples:

The accident involved two cars and a truck., the operation involves inserting a small tube into the…

adjective

Having meaning.

Usage examples:

Meaningful elements in a language

adjective

Important or valuable

Usage examples:

She found it difficult to form meaningful relationships.

verb

Make (something) necessary as a result or consequence.

Usage examples:

A cut which necessitated eighteen stitches

verb

To make something necessary

Usage examples:

An important meeting necessitates my being in houston on friday.

noun

A detailed proposal for doing or achieving something.

Usage examples:

The un peace plan

verb

Decide on and make arrangements for in advance.

Usage examples:

They were planning a trip to egypt

verb

A series of steps to be carried out or goals to be achieved

adjective

Having a sharpened or tapered tip or end.

Usage examples:

His face tapers to a pointed chin

verb

Direct someone's attention towards something by extending one's finger or something held in one's hand.

Usage examples:

The lads were nudging each other and pointing at me

adjective

Intending criticism

Usage examples:

He made a pointed remark about her unwillingness to volunteer.

verb

Be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen.

Usage examples:

The eclipses portend some major events

verb

To be a sign that something is likely to happen in the future

Usage examples:

It was a major scandal whose full exposure portended the end of a popular presidential reign.

adjective

(of a woman or female animal) having a child or young developing in the uterus.

Usage examples:

She was heavily pregnant with her second child

verb

Be a sign or warning of (an imminent event, typically an unwelcome one).

Usage examples:

The heavy clouds above the moorland presaged snow

noun

An omen or portent.

Usage examples:

The fever was a sombre presage of his final illness

verb

To show or suggest that something, often something unpleasant, will happen

Usage examples:

But still the economy is not showing signs of any of the excesses that normally presage a recession.

verb

Make or manufacture from components or raw materials.

Usage examples:

The company have just produced a luxury version of the aircraft

noun

Agricultural and other natural products collectively.

Usage examples:

Dairy produce

verb

Bring forth or yield

noun

A declaration or assurance that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen.

Usage examples:

What happened to all those firm promises of support?

verb

Assure someone that one will definitely do something or that something will happen.

Usage examples:

He promised to forward my mail

verb

Put forward (a plan or suggestion) for consideration by others.

Usage examples:

He proposed a new nine-point peace plan

verb

To suggest or state (a possible plan or action) for consideration

Usage examples:

[ + to infinitive ] she proposed to keep the schools open all summer., [ + that clause ] it has oft…

verb

To give someone a plan or idea to consider

Usage examples:

She proposed a tax reform designed to make basic insurance more affordable., propose to do sth he i…

verb

Appear to be or do something, especially falsely.

Usage examples:

She is not the person she purports to be

noun

The meaning or sense of something, typically a document or speech.

Usage examples:

I do not understand the purport of your remarks

verb

To claim that something is true, but without proof

Usage examples:

The story purports to explain the origin of the game of chess.

noun

The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

Usage examples:

The purpose of the meeting is to appoint a trustee

verb

Have as one's intention or objective.

Usage examples:

God has allowed suffering, even purposed it

verb

Be entitled or appointed to act or speak for (someone), especially in an official capacity.

Usage examples:

For purposes of litigation, an infant can and must be represented by an adult

verb

Be a delegate or spokesperson for

adjective

Making interesting or significant information known, especially of a personal nature.

Usage examples:

A revealing radio interview

verb

Make (previously unknown or secret information) known to others.

Usage examples:

Brenda was forced to reveal robbie's whereabouts

adjective

Showing more than is usual

Usage examples:

The dress code bans revealing clothing., the book provides a revealing glimpse of how the organizat…

noun

A faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus; one of the faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.

Usage examples:

The bear has a keen sense of smell which enables it to hunt at dusk

verb

Perceive by a sense or senses.

Usage examples:

With the first frost, they could sense a change in the days

verb

The faculty through which the external world is apprehended

phrasal verb

Begin a journey.

Usage examples:

We set out from new york on friday for egypt

phrasal verb

Arrange or display something in a particular order or position.

Usage examples:

They had a picnic by the river where there was a jetty and rustic tables and chairs set out

phrasal verb

To start a journey

Usage examples:

What time will we have to set off for grandma's house tomorrow?, jenny set off down the road on her…

verb

Allow or cause (something) to be visible.

Usage examples:

A white blouse will show the blood

noun

A spectacle or display, typically an impressive one.

Usage examples:

Spectacular shows of bluebells

verb

Make visible or noticeable

noun

A gesture, action, or sound that is used to convey information or instructions, typically by prearrangement between the parties concerned.

Usage examples:

The firing of the gun was the signal for a chain of beacons to be lit

verb

Convey information or instructions by means of a gesture, action, or sound.

Usage examples:

Hold your fire until i signal

adjective

Striking in extent, seriousness, or importance; outstanding.

Usage examples:

Their signal failure to achieve a satisfactory solution to the problem

adjective

Sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy.

Usage examples:

A significant increase in sales

adjective

Important, large, or great, esp. in leading to a different result or to an important change

Usage examples:

This election reaffirms a significant shift of the center of power., marriage is a significant comm…

verb

Be an indication of.

Usage examples:

This decision signified a fundamental change in their priorities

verb

To mean something, or be a sign of

Usage examples:

In this picture, red represents sulfur and green signifies hydrogen., [ i ] all those in favor, ple…

noun

The action of conveying information or expressing one's feelings in speech.

Usage examples:

Clear thinking aids clear speaking

adjective

Used for or engaged in speech.

Usage examples:

You have a clear speaking voice

noun

The act or skill of giving a speech at a public event

Usage examples:

She looks on public speaking as an opportunity to share information., he has several speaking engag…

phrasal verb

Speak the letters that form a word in sequence.

Usage examples:

He spelled out his name for the clerk

phrasal verb

To say or show letters

Usage examples:

They spelled out the letters y, m, c, and a with their arms and bodies., the mayor has so far refus…

verb

Put forward for consideration.

Usage examples:

I suggest that we wait a day or two

verb

To mention an idea, possible plan, or action for other people to consider

Usage examples:

They were wondering where to hold the office party and i suggested the italian restaurant on main s…

adjective

Tending to suggest an idea.

Usage examples:

There were various suggestive pieces of evidence

adjective

Causing you to think about something

Usage examples:

They said they had no intention of hiding the facts, but their behavior was suggestive of the oppos…

verb

Be a symbol of.

Usage examples:

The ceremonial dagger symbolizes justice

verb

To represent something

Usage examples:

The lighting of the olympic torch symbolizes peace and friendship.

adjective

Revealing, indicating, or betraying something.

Usage examples:

The telltale bulge of a concealed weapon

noun

A person, especially a child, who reports others' wrongdoings or reveals their secrets.

Usage examples:

I don't recommend this because it is a one-way process that can't be undone and nobody likes tellta…

phrase

Devise or invent

phrasal verb

Have a specified opinion of something.

Usage examples:

She did not think highly of modern art

phrasal verb

To have a particular opinion of something or someone

Usage examples:

What do you think of the new manager?, audiences did not think much of the movie.

verb

Have a desire to possess or do (something); wish for.

Usage examples:

I want an apple

noun

A lack or deficiency of something.

Usage examples:

Victorian houses which are in want of repair

The state of needing something that is absent or unavailable

verb

Feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that cannot or probably will not happen.

Usage examples:

We wished for peace

noun

A desire or hope for something to happen.

Usage examples:

The union has reiterated its wish for an agreement