The meaning of Things

verb

Take action; do something.

Usage examples:

They urged washington to act

noun

A thing done; a deed.

Usage examples:

A criminal act

abbreviation

Advance corporation tax.

noun

The fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim.

Usage examples:

Ending child labour will require action on many levels

verb

Take action on; deal with.

Usage examples:

Your request will be actioned

noun

The process of doing something, or something done, esp. for a particular purpose

Usage examples:

[ u ] quick action in calling the fire department saved many lives., [ c ] it was a reckless action…

noun

The condition in which things are happening or being done.

Usage examples:

There has been a sustained level of activity in the economy

noun

The doing of something, or something that you are doing, have done, or could do

Usage examples:

[ c ] there were lots of activities for children at the museum., [ c ] her favorite activity is vis…

noun

A situation in which a lot of things are happening or being done

Usage examples:

Business/commercial/economic activity any conflict has the potential to disrupt business activity.,…

noun

An object made by a human being, typically one of cultural or historical interest.

Usage examples:

Gold and silver artefacts

noun

An object that has been made by a person, such as a tool or a decoration, especially one that is of historical interest

Usage examples:

The museum's collection includes artefacts dating back to prehistoric times., the house displays a …

noun

A particular item or object.

Usage examples:

Small household articles

verb

A piece of writing included with others in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication.

Usage examples:

An article about middle-aged executives

noun

A piece of writing on a particular subject in a newspaper or magazine

Usage examples:

An article on chinese art, the police want a description of each missing article.

noun

The physical structure, including the bones, flesh, and organs, of a person or an animal.

Usage examples:

It's important to keep your body in good condition

verb

Give material form to something abstract.

Usage examples:

He bodied forth the traditional prussian remedy for all ills

noun

A routine task, especially a household one.

Usage examples:

The early risers were up and about, doing their chores

noun

A job or piece of work that needs to be done regularly

Usage examples:

By the time he’d finished all the household chores it was mid-afternoon., it was a real chore tryin…

noun

A verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction.

Usage examples:

You asked for comments on the new proposals

verb

Express an opinion or reaction in speech or writing.

Usage examples:

The company would not comment on the venture

verb

To express an opinion

Usage examples:

The lawyer won’t comment publicly on the case., [ c ] one of his comments had to do with the state …

noun

A raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper or coffee.

Usage examples:

Commodities such as copper and coffee

noun

Anything that can be bought and sold

Usage examples:

The goal is to raise the productivity of basic food commodities such as grains.

noun

A substance or a product that can be traded in large quantities, such as oil, metals, grain, coffee, etc.

Usage examples:

One big commodity that canada exports is oil., higher commodities prices boosted first-quarter prof…

noun

An abstract idea.

Usage examples:

Structuralism is a difficult concept

noun

A principle or idea

Usage examples:

He introduced the concept of selling books via the internet.

noun

An idea for a new product or a way to sell a product

Usage examples:

The finished product was very different from the original concept., this course will acquaint you w…

noun

The action of conceiving a child or of one being conceived.

Usage examples:

An unfertilized egg before conception

noun

An idea or a particular way you understand or think about something, or a basic understanding of a situation or principle

Usage examples:

[ u ] most children have no conception of time.

verb

Relate to; be about.

Usage examples:

The story concerns a friend of mine

noun

Anxiety; worry.

Usage examples:

Carole gazed at her with concern

verb

To trouble someone with feelings of anxiety; worry

Usage examples:

The loss didn’t bother him, but his team’s confidence concerns him., this is an issue that should c…

noun

The use of skill to create or bring about something, especially with a consequent effect of artificiality.

Usage examples:

The requirements of the system, by happy chance and some contrivance, can be summed up in an acronym

noun

An action that is performed intentionally or consciously.

Usage examples:

Doing good deeds

verb

Convey or transfer (property or rights) by legal deed.

Usage examples:

They deeded their property to their children

noun

An intentional act, esp. a very bad or very good one

Usage examples:

[ c ] whatever his motives, the deed did save a hundred thousand lives., according to the deed, she…

noun

A thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment.

Usage examples:

A measuring device

noun

An object or machine that has been invented to fulfill a particular purpose

Usage examples:

A handheld device, a safety device, electronic/mechanical devices, he invented a device for measuri…

noun

An object or machine which has been invented for a particular purpose

Usage examples:

Biotech and medical devices, you should not use any personal electronic device, such as a cell phon…

noun

A thing with distinct and independent existence.

Usage examples:

Church and empire were fused in a single entity

noun

Something that exists apart from other things, having its own independent existence

Usage examples:

Although the two buildings are in separate locations, the museum they are part of is a single entity.

noun

An organization or a business that has its own separate legal and financial existence

Usage examples:

Nearly 90 entities, mainly private companies, mint gold in bars., a commercial/corporate entity, a …

verb

Make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).

Usage examples:

500 companies sprang up to exploit this new technology

noun

A bold or daring feat.

Usage examples:

Despite a series of colourful exploits, his agents obtained little intelligence of value

noun

A brave, interesting, or unusual act

Usage examples:

Daredevil exploits, he is not content to limit himself to his exploits on the basketball court., th…

noun

A thing that is known or proved to be true.

Usage examples:

He ignores some historical and economic facts

noun

Something known to have happened or to exist

Usage examples:

No one disputes the fact that the accident could have been avoided.

noun

An achievement that requires great courage, skill, or strength.

Usage examples:

The new printing presses were considerable feats of engineering

noun

An act that shows skill, strength, or bravery

Usage examples:

A feat of unusual strength, getting the house painted was quite a feat.

noun

Something difficult needing a lot of skill, strength, courage, etc. to achieve it

Usage examples:

Feat of the eiffel tower is a remarkable feat of engineering., she performed remarkable feats of or…

noun

A small mechanical or electronic device or tool, especially an ingenious or novel one.

Usage examples:

A variety of kitchen gadgets

noun

A small device or machine with a particular purpose

Usage examples:

This handy gadget separates egg yolks from whites.

noun

A small machine or piece of electronic equipment that has a particular purpose

Usage examples:

Latest/modern/new gadgets with competition heating up, the latest gadgets have added features to se…

noun

A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.

Usage examples:

The idea of linking pay to performance has caught on

noun

A tool, utensil, or other piece of equipment that is used for a particular purpose.

Usage examples:

Garden implements

verb

Put (a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect.

Usage examples:

The scheme to implement student loans

A piece of equipment or a tool used for a specific purpose

noun

A tool or implement, especially one for precision work.

Usage examples:

A surgical instrument

verb

Equip (something) with measuring instruments.

Usage examples:

Engineers have instrumented rockets to study the upper atmosphere

noun

An object, such as a piano, guitar, or flute, which is played to produce musical sounds

Usage examples:

He plays saxophone, trumpet, and several other instruments., surgical instruments

noun

An important topic or problem for debate or discussion.

Usage examples:

The issue of racism

verb

Supply or distribute (something) for use or sale.

Usage examples:

Licences were issued indiscriminately to any company

noun

A subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about

Usage examples:

There continues to be a great deal of debate over the property tax issue., isn’t the need to hire m…

noun

An individual article or unit, especially one that is part of a list, collection, or set.

Usage examples:

The items on the agenda

adverb

Used to introduce each item in a list.

Usage examples:

Item two statute books … item two drums

noun

One thing that is a part of a list or a collection of things

Usage examples:

There were several more items on the agenda., a news item in this morning’s newspaper, basic food i…

noun

A paid position of regular employment.

Usage examples:

The scheme could create 200 jobs

verb

Do casual or occasional work.

Usage examples:

He left school and jobbed around as a car parts salesman, warehouseman, and removal man

noun

An act of prodding, thrusting, or wrenching.

noun

Physical substance in general, as distinct from mind and spirit; (in physics) that which occupies space and possesses rest mass, especially as distinct from energy.

Usage examples:

The structure and properties of matter

verb

Be important or significant.

Usage examples:

It doesn't matter what the guests wear

noun

A situation or subject that is being dealt with or considered

Usage examples:

Her arrival complicates matters even further., i think this is a matter best left to the mayor to d…

noun

A conception of or belief about something.

Usage examples:

Children have different notions about the roles of their parents

noun

A belief or idea

Usage examples:

Nast helped form the american notion of santa claus.

noun

A material thing that can be seen and touched.

Usage examples:

He was dragging a large object

verb

Say something to express one's opposition to or disagreement with something.

Usage examples:

Residents object to the volume of traffic

noun

A thing that can be seen, held, or touched, usually not a living thing

Usage examples:

Distant objects look blurry to me., the object of the game of chess is to checkmate your opponent.,…

noun

The tapered, sharp end of a tool, weapon, or other object.

Usage examples:

The point of his dagger

verb

A fielding position on the off side near the batsman.

noun

The state or condition of being preoccupied or engrossed with something.

Usage examples:

He began to overcome his preoccupation with germs

noun

The thing you think about most

Usage examples:

[ u ] his preoccupation with sports is affecting his grades.

noun

A matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome.

Usage examples:

They have financial problems

adjective

Denoting or relating to people whose behaviour causes difficulties to themselves and others.

Usage examples:

Practitioners help families develop strategies for managing problem behaviour in teens

noun

Something that causes difficulty or that is hard to deal with

Usage examples:

Financing the camp’s athletic program is a problem., he has a serious health problem., i’m having p…

verb

Say something as a comment; mention.

Usage examples:

‘tom's looking peaky,’ she remarked

noun

A written or spoken comment.

Usage examples:

I decided to ignore his rude remarks

verb

To give a spoken statement of an opinion or thought

Usage examples:

[ + (that) clause ] she remarked (that) she’d be home late., [ i ] all his friends remarked on the …

noun

A definite or clear expression of something in speech or writing.

Usage examples:

Do you agree with this statement?

verb

Officially assess (a child) as having special educational needs.

Usage examples:

A reassessment of statemented children

noun

Something that is said, esp. formally and officially

Usage examples:

The candidate made a statement to the press., a fashion statement, they wore the armbands as a poli…

abbreviation

Imperial or metric ton(s).

Usage examples:

Lithuania produced 512,000 t of sulphuric acid in 1989

contraction

The word ‘it’, attached to the end of a verb, especially in the transcription of regional spoken use.

Usage examples:

I'll never do’t again

suffix

Equivalent to -est2 (as in shalt ).

noun

A piece of work to be done or undertaken.

Usage examples:

A new manager was given the task of developing the club's talent

verb

Assign a task to.

Usage examples:

Nato troops are tasked with separating the warring parties

noun

A person or thing whose name one has forgotten, does not know, or does not wish to mention.

Usage examples:

It is difficult to know what to make of these complicated thingummies

noun

A word used, especially in spoken english, when the name of an object has been forgotten

Usage examples:

I need one of those red thingamabobs for this - do you have one?

noun

An idea or opinion produced by thinking, or occurring suddenly in the mind.

Usage examples:

Maggie had a sudden thought

verb

Past and past participle of think.

verb

Have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or something.

Usage examples:

She thought that nothing would be the same again

noun

A device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.

Usage examples:

Gardening tools

verb

Impress a design on (leather, especially a leather book cover).

Usage examples:

Volumes bound in green leather and tooled in gold

noun

A piece of equipment that you use to help you do a job, esp. something that you use with your hands to make or repair something

Usage examples:

The only tools you need for this job are a hammer and a screwdriver., we believe the new law will b…

noun

A formal pledge or promise to do something.

Usage examples:

I give an undertaking that we shall proceed with the legislation

noun

The action of catching up with and passing another vehicle while travelling on the inside.

Usage examples:

The highway code discourages undertaking on motorways

verb

Commit oneself to and begin (an enterprise or responsibility); take on.

Usage examples:

A firm of builders undertook the construction work

noun

A tool, container, or other article, especially for household use.

Usage examples:

Kitchen utensils

noun

An implement for practical use

noun

A device or tool having a particular use, esp. in a kitchen

Usage examples:

We packed plates, cups, napkins, and eating utensils for the picnic.

noun

A spoken word, statement, or vocal sound.

Usage examples:

He whispered, as if to lend his utterances an added confidentiality

noun

Something that someone says

Usage examples:

The senator's recent utterances were promptly rebutted by three of his colleagues on monday., she h…

noun

(used when you cannot remember or do not know the name of something) an object

Usage examples:

My whatchamacallit is broken – the thing that controls the oven temperature.

noun

Any object or person whose name you have temporarily forgotten or do not know

Usage examples:

Where's the whatsit that you change channels with?, you'd better tell whatsit - what's his name - t…

verb

Feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.

Usage examples:

He worried about his soldier sons in the war

noun

The state of being anxious and troubled over actual or potential problems.

Usage examples:

He's demented with worry

verb

To think about problems or unpleasant things that make you anxious, or to make someone feel anxious

Usage examples:

[ i ] if you get a monthly train ticket, you won’t have to worry about buying a ticket every day., …