Words that can be either a noun, verb adjective or adverb II

Some time ago I posted a list of 54 words each of which can be either a noun, verb, adjective or adverb. Recently, I managed to extend this list by two words to 56. The amended list is included below along with the definitions of each word. A presentation made from some of the words in this list is available on slideshare.

back
best
better
bitter
broadside
clean
clear
close
cod
collect
counter
crisscross
damn
double
down
even
express
fair
fast
fine
firm
flush
forward
free
full
home
jolly
last
light
low
o.k.
okay
out
pat
plain
plumb
plump
pop
prompt
quiet
right
rough
round
second
short
solo
square
steady
still
tiptoe
true
upstage
well
wholesale
worst
wrong
zigzag

BACK

NOUN

the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine; “his back was nicely tanned”
the side that goes last or is not normally seen; “he wrote the date on the back of the photograph”
the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer; “he stood at the back of the stage”; “it was hidden in the rear of the store”
(football) a person who plays in the backfield
the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord; “the fall broke his back”
the protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book; “the book had a leather binding”
the part of a garment that covers the back of your body; “they pinned a `kick me’ sign on his back”
a support that you can lean against while sitting; “the back of the dental chair was adjustable”
(American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage

VERB

be behind; approve of; “He plumped for the Labor Party”; “I backed Kennedy in 1960”
travel backward; “back into the driveway”; “The car backed up and hit the tree”
give support or one’s approval to; “I’ll second that motion”; “I can’t back this plan”; “endorse a new project”
cause to travel backward; “back the car into the parking spot”
support financial backing for; “back this enterprise”
be in back of; “My garage backs their yard”
place a bet on; “Which horse are you backing?”; “I’m betting on the new horse”
shift to a counterclockwise direction; “the wind backed”
establish as valid or genuine; “Can you back up your claims?”
strengthen by providing with a back or backing

ADJECTIVE

related to or located at the back; “the back yard”; “the back entrance”
located at or near the back of an animal; “back (or hind) legs”; “the hinder part of a carcass”
of an earlier date; “back issues of the magazine”

ADVERB

in or to or toward a former location; “she went back to her parents’ house”
at or to or toward the back or rear; “he moved back”; “tripped when he stepped backward”; “she looked rearward out the window of the car”
in or to or toward an original condition; “he went back to sleep”
in or to or toward a past time; “set the clocks back an hour”; “never look back”; “lovers of the past looking fondly backward”
in reply; “he wrote back three days later”
in repayment or retaliation; “we paid back everything we had borrowed”; “he hit me and I hit him back”; “I was kept in after school for talking back to the teacher”

BEST

NOUN

the supreme effort one can make; “they did their best”
the person who is most outstanding or excellent; someone who tops all others; “he could beat the best of them”
Canadian physiologist (born in the United States) who assisted F. G. Banting in research leading to the discovery of insulin (1899-1978)

VERB

get the better of; “the goal was to best the competition”

ADJECTIVE

(superlative of `good’) having the most positive qualities; “the best film of the year”; “the best solution”; “the best time for planting”; “wore his best suit”
(comparative and superlative of `well’) wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable; “it would be better to speak to him”; “the White House thought it best not to respond”

ADVERB

in a most excellent way or manner; “he played best after a couple of martinis”
it would be sensible; “you’d best stay at home”
from a position of superiority or authority; “father knows best”; “I know better.”

BETTER

NOUN

something superior in quality or condition or effect; “a change for the better”
someone who bets
a superior person having claim to precedence; “the common man has been kept in his place by his betters”
the superior one of two alternatives; “chose the better of the two”

VERB

surpass in excellence; “She bettered her own record”; “break a record”
to make better; “The editor improved the manuscript with his changes”
get better; “The weather improved toward evening”

ADJECTIVE

(comparative of `good’) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another; “You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din”; “a better coat”; “a better type of car”; “a suit with a better fit”; “a better chance of success”; “produced a better mousetrap”; “she’s better in math than in history”
(comparative of `good’) changed for the better in health or fitness; “her health is better now”; “I feel better”
(comparative and superlative of `well’) wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable; “it would be better to speak to him”; “the White House thought it best not to respond”
more than half; “argued for the better part of an hour”

ADVERB

comparative of `well’; in a better or more excellent manner or more advantageously or attractively or to a greater degree etc.; “She had never sung better”; “a deed better left undone”; “better suited to the job”
from a position of superiority or authority; “father knows best”; “I know better.”

BITTER

NOUN

English term for a dry sharp-tasting ale with strong flavor of hops (usually on draft)
the taste experience when quinine or coffee is taken into the mouth
the property of having a harsh unpleasant taste

VERB

make bitter

ADJECTIVE

marked by strong resentment or cynicism; “an acrimonious dispute”; “bitter about the divorce”
very difficult to accept or bear; “the bitter truth”; “a bitter sorrow”
harsh or corrosive in tone; “an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose”; “a barrage of acid comments”; “her acrid remarks make her many enemies”; “bitter words”; “blistering criticism”; “caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics”; “a sulfurous denunciation”; “a vitriolic critique”
expressive of severe grief or regret; “shed bitter tears”
proceeding from or exhibiting great hostility or animosity; “a bitter struggle”; “bitter enemies”
causing a sharp and acrid taste experience;”quinine is bitter”
causing a sharply painful or stinging sensation; used especially of cold; “bitter cold”; “a biting wind”

ADVERB

extremely and sharply; “it was bitterly cold”; “bitter cold”

BROADSIDE

NOUN

an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution; “he mailed the circular to all subscribers”
a speech of violent denunciation
all of the armament that is fired from one side of a warship
the whole side of a vessel from stem to stern; “the ship was broadside to the dock”
the simultaneous firing of all the armament on one side of a warship

VERB

collide with the broad side of; “her car broad-sided mine”

ADJECTIVE

toward a full side; “a broadside attack”

ADVERB

with a side facing an object; “the train hit the truck broadside”; “the wave caught the canoe broadside and capsized it”

CLEAN

NOUN

a weightlift in which the barbell is lifted to shoulder height and then jerked overhead

VERB

make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from; “Clean the stove!”; “The dentist cleaned my teeth”
remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits; “Clean the turkey”
clean and tidy up the house; “She housecleans every week”
clean one’s body or parts thereof, as by washing; “clean up before you see your grandparents”; “clean your fingernails before dinner”
be cleanable; “This stove cleans easily”
deprive wholly of money in a gambling game, robbery, etc.; “The other players cleaned him completely”
remove all contents or possession from, or empty completely; “The boys cleaned the sandwich platters”; “The trees were cleaned of apples by the storm”
remove while making clean; “Clean the spots off the rug”
remove unwanted substances from
remove shells or husks from; “clean grain before milling it”

ADJECTIVE

free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits; “children with clean shining faces”; “clean white shirts”; “clean dishes”; “a spotlessly clean house”; “cats are clean animals”
free of restrictions or qualifications; “a clean bill of health”; “a clear winner”
(of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims; “efforts to obtain a clean bass in orchestral recordings”; “clear laughter like a waterfall”; “clear reds and blues”; “a light lilting voice like a silver bell”
free from impurities; “clean water”; “fresh air”
(of a record) having no marks of discredit or offense; “a clean voting record”; “a clean driver’s license”
ritually clean or pure
not spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination; “a clean fuel”; “cleaner and more efficient engines”; “the tactical bomb is reasonably clean”
(of behavior or especially language) free from objectionable elements; fit for all observers; “good clean fun”; “a clean joke”
free from sepsis or infection; “a clean (or uninfected) wound”
morally pure; “led a clean life”
(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections; “fair copy”; “a clean manuscript”
(of a surface) not written or printed on; “blank pages”; “fill in the blank spaces”; “a clean page”; “wide white margins”
exhibiting or calling for sportsmanship or fair play; “a clean fight”; “a sporting solution of the disagreement”; “sportsmanlike conduct”
without difficulties or problems; “a clean test flight”
thorough and without qualification; “a clean getaway”; “a clean sweep”; “a clean break”
not carrying concealed weapons
free from clumsiness; precisely or deftly executed; “he landed a clean left on his opponent’s cheek”; “a clean throw”; “the neat exactness of the surgeon’s knife”
free of drugs; “after a long dependency on heroin she has been clean for 4 years”

ADVERB

completely; used as intensifiers; “clean forgot the appointment”; “I’m plumb (or plum) tuckered out”
in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating; “they played fairly”

CLEAR

NOUN

the state of being free of suspicion; “investigation showed that he was in the clear”
a clear or unobstructed space or expanse of land or water; “finally broke out of the forest into the open”

VERB

rid of obstructions; “Clear your desk”
make a way or path by removing objects; “Clear a path through the dense forest”
become clear; “The sky cleared after the storm”
grant authorization or clearance for; “Clear the manuscript for publication”; “The rock star never authorized this slanderous biography”
remove; “clear the leaves from the lawn”; “Clear snow from the road”
go unchallenged; be approved; “The bill cleared the House”
be debited and credited to the proper bank accounts; “The check will clear within 2 business days”
go away or disappear; “The fog cleared in the afternoon”
pass by, over, or under without making contact; “the balloon cleared the tree tops”
make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear; “Could you clarify these remarks?”; “Clear up the question of who is at fault”
free from payment of customs duties, as of a shipment; “Clear the ship and let it dock”
clear from impurities, blemishes, pollution, etc.; “clear the water before it can be drunk”
yield as a net profit; “This sale netted me $1 million”
make as a net profit; “The company cleared $1 million”
earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages; “How much do you make a month in your new job?”; “She earns a lot in her new job”; “this merger brought in lots of money”; “He clears $5,000 each month”
sell; “We cleared a lot of the old model cars”
pass an inspection or receive authorization; “clear customs”
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges; “The suspect was cleared of the murder charges”
settle, as of a debt; “clear a debt”; “solve an old debt”
make clear, bright, light, or translucent; “The water had to be cleared through filtering”
rid of instructions or data; “clear a memory buffer”
remove (people) from a building; “clear the patrons from the theater after the bomb threat”
remove the occupants of; “Clear the building”
free (the throat) by making a rasping sound; “Clear the throat”

ADJECTIVE

readily apparent to the mind; “a clear and present danger”; “a clear explanation”; “a clear case of murder”; “a clear indication that she was angry”; “gave us a clear idea of human nature”
free from confusion or doubt; “a complex problem requiring a clear head”; “not clear about what is expected of us”
affording free passage or view; “a clear view”; “a clear path to victory”; “open waters”; “the open countryside”
allowing light to pass through; “clear water”; “clear plastic bags”; “clear glass”; “the air is clear and clean”
free from contact or proximity or connection; “we were clear of the danger”; “the ship was clear of the reef”
characterized by freedom from troubling thoughts (especially guilt); “a clear conscience”; “regarded her questioner with clear untroubled eyes”
(of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims; “efforts to obtain a clean bass in orchestral recordings”; “clear laughter like a waterfall”; “clear reds and blues”; “a light lilting voice like a silver bell”
(especially of a title) free from any encumbrance or limitation that presents a question of fact or law; “I have clear title to this property”
clear and distinct to the senses; easily perceptible; “as clear as a whistle”; “clear footprints in the snow”; “the letter brought back a clear image of his grandfather”; “a spire clean-cut against the sky”; “a clear-cut pattern”
accurately stated or described; “a set of well-defined values”
free from clouds or mist or haze; “on a clear day”
free of restrictions or qualifications; “a clean bill of health”; “a clear winner”
free from flaw or blemish or impurity; “a clear perfect diamond”; “the clear complexion of a healthy young woman”
clear of charges or deductions; “a clear profit”
easily deciphered
freed from any question of guilt; “is absolved from all blame”; “was now clear of the charge of cowardice”; “his official honor is vindicated”
characterized by ease and quickness in perceiving; “clear mind”; “a percipient author”

ADVERB

completely; “read the book clear to the end”; “slept clear through the night”; “there were open fields clear to the horizon”
in an easily perceptible manner; “could be seen clearly under the microscope”; “She cried loud and clear”

CLOSE

NOUN

the temporal end; the concluding time; “the stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell”; “the market was up at the finish”; “they were playing better at the close of the season”
the last section of a communication; “in conclusion I want to say…”
the concluding part of any performance

VERB

move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut; “Close the door”; “shut the window”
become closed; “The windows closed with a loud bang”
cease to operate or cause to cease operating; “The owners decided to move and to close the factory”; “My business closes every night at 8 P.M.”; “close up the shop”
finish or terminate (meetings, speeches, etc.); “The meeting was closed with a charge by the chairman of the board”
come to a close; “The concert closed with a nocturne by Chopin”
complete a business deal, negotiation, or an agreement; “We closed on the house on Friday”; “They closed the deal on the building”
be priced or listed when trading stops; “The stock market closed high this Friday”; “My new stocks closed at $59 last night”
engage at close quarters; “close with the enemy”
cause a window or an application to disappear on a computer desktop
change one’s body stance so that the forward shoulder and foot are closer to the intended point of impact
come together, as if in an embrace; “Her arms closed around her long lost relative”
draw near; “The probe closed with the space station”
bring together all the elements or parts of; “Management closed ranks”
bar access to; “Due to the accident, the road had to be closed for several hours”
fill or stop up; “Can you close the cracks with caulking?”
unite or bring into contact or bring together the edges of; “close the circuit”; “close a wound”; “close a book”; “close up an umbrella”
finish a game in baseball by protecting a lead; “The relief pitcher closed with two runs in the second inning”

ADJECTIVE

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other; “close to noon”; “how close are we to town?”; “a close formation of ships”
close in relevance or relationship; “a close family”; “we are all…in close sympathy with…”; “close kin”; “a close resemblance”
not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances; “near neighbors”; “in the near future”; “they are near equals”; “his nearest approach to success”; “a very near thing”; “a near hit by the bomb”; “she was near tears”; “she was close to tears”; “had a close call”
rigorously attentive; strict and thorough; “close supervision”; “paid close attention”; “a close study”; “kept a close watch on expenditures”
marked by fidelity to an original; “a close translation”; “a faithful copy of the portrait”; “a faithful rendering of the observed facts”
(of a contest or contestants) evenly matched; “a close contest”; “a close election”; “a tight game”
crowded; “close quarters”
lacking fresh air; “a dusty airless attic”; “the dreadfully close atmosphere”; “hot and stuffy and the air was blue with smoke”
of textiles; “a close weave”; “smooth percale with a very tight weave”
strictly confined or guarded; “kept under close custody”
confined to specific persons; “a close secret”
fitting closely but comfortably; “a close fit”
used of hair or haircuts; “a close military haircut”
giving or spending with reluctance; “our cheeseparing administration”; “very close (or near) with his money”; “a penny-pinching miserly old man”
inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information; “although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it”

ADVERB

near in time or place or relationship; “as the wedding day drew near”; “stood near the door”; “don’t shoot until they come near”; “getting near to the true explanation”; “her mother is always near”; “The end draws nigh”; “the bullet didn’t come close”; “don’t get too close to the fire”
in an attentive manner; “he remained close on his guard”

COD

NOUN

the vessel that contains the seeds of a plant (not the seeds themselves)
lean white flesh of important North Atlantic food fish; usually baked or poached
major food fish of Arctic and cold-temperate waters

VERB

fool or hoax; “The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone”; “You can’t fool me!”
harass with persistent criticism or carping; “The children teased the new teacher”; “Don’t ride me so hard over my failure”; “His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie”

ADJECTIVE

payable by the recipient on delivery; “a collect call”; “the letter came collect”; “a COD parcel”

ADVERB

collecting the charges upon delivery; “mail a package C.O.D.”

COLLECT

NOUN

a short prayer generally preceding the lesson in the Church of Rome or the Church of England

VERB

get or gather together; “I am accumulating evidence for the man’s unfaithfulness to his wife”; “She is amassing a lot of data for her thesis”; “She rolled up a small fortune”
call for and obtain payment of; “we collected over a million dollars in outstanding debts”; “he collected the rent”
assemble or get together; “gather some stones”; “pull your thoughts together”
get or bring together; “accumulate evidence”
gather or collect; “You can get the results on Monday”; “She picked up the children at the day care center”; “They pick up our trash twice a week”

ADJECTIVE

payable by the recipient on delivery; “a collect call”; “the letter came collect”; “a COD parcel”

ADVERB

make a telephone call or mail a package so that the recipient pays; “call collect”; “send a package collect”

COUNTER

NOUN

table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
game equipment (as a piece of wood, plastic, or ivory) used for keeping a count or reserving a space in various card or board games
a calculator that keeps a record of the number of times something happens
a piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room; has shelves and drawers
a person who counts things
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one); “it brought a sharp rejoinder from the teacher”
(computer science) a register whose contents go through a regular series of states (usually states indicating consecutive integers)
a piece of leather forming the back of a shoe or boot; “a counter may be used to stiffen the material around the heel and to give support to the foot”
a return punch (especially by a boxer)

VERB

speak in response; “He countered with some very persuasive arguments”
act in advance of; deal with ahead of time

ADJECTIVE

indicating opposition or resistance

ADVERB

in the opposite direction; “run counter”

CRISSCROSS

NOUN

a marking that consists of lines that cross each other

VERB

cross in a pattern, often random
mark with or consist of a pattern of crossed lines; “wrinkles crisscrossed her face”
mark with a pattern of crossing lines; “crisscross the sheet of paper”

ADJECTIVE

marked with crossing lines

ADVERB

crossing one another in opposite directions

DAMN

NOUN

something of little value; “his promise is not worth a damn”; “not worth one red cent”; “not worth shucks”

VERB

wish harm upon; invoke evil upon; “The bad witch cursed the child”

ADJECTIVE

used as expletives; “oh, damn (or goddamn)!”
expletives used informally as intensifiers; “he’s a blasted idiot”; “it’s a blamed shame”; “a blame cold winter”; “not a blessed dime”; “I’ll be damned (or blessed or darned or goddamned) if I’ll do any such thing”; “he’s a damn (or goddam or goddamned) fool”; “a deuced idiot”; “an infernal nuisance”

ADVERB

extremely; “you are bloody right”; “Why are you so all-fired aggressive?”

DOUBLE

NOUN

a base hit on which the batter stops safely at second base; “he hit a double to deep centerfield”
a stand-in for movie stars to perform dangerous stunts; “his first job in Hollywood was as a double for Clark Gable”
someone who closely resembles a famous person (especially an actor); “he could be Gingrich’s double”; “she’s the very image of her mother”
a quantity that is twice as great as another; “36 is the double of 18”
raising the stakes in a card game by a factor of 2; “I decided his double was a bluff”

VERB

increase twofold; “The population doubled within 50 years”
hit a two-base hit
bend over or curl up, usually with laughter or pain; “He doubled and vomited violently”
do double duty; serve two purposes or have two functions; “She doubles as his wife and secretary”
bridge: make a demand for (a card or suit)
make or do or perform again; “He could never replicate his brilliant performance of the magic trick”

ADJECTIVE

having more than one decidedly dissimilar aspects or qualities; “a double (or dual) role for an actor”; “the office of a clergyman is twofold; public preaching and private influence”- R.W.Emerson; “every episode has its double and treble meaning”-Frederick Harrison
consisting of or involving two parts or components usually in pairs; “an egg with a double yolk”; “a double (binary) star”; “double doors”; “dual controls for pilot and copilot”; “duple (or double) time consists of two (or a multiple of two) beats to a measure”
twice as great or many; “ate a double portion”; “the dose is doubled”; “a twofold increase”
used of flowers having more than the usual number of petals in crowded or overlapping arrangements; “double chrysanthemums have many rows of petals and are usually spherical or hemispherical”
used of homologous chromosomes associated in pairs in synapsis
large enough for two; “a double bed”; “a double room”
having two meanings with intent to deceive; “a sly double meaning”; “spoke with forked tongue”

ADVERB

downward and forward; “he was bent double with pain”
two together; “some people sleep better double”
to double the degree; “she was doubly rewarded”; “his eyes were double bright”

DOWN

NOUN

soft fine feathers
(American football) a complete play to advance the football; “you have four downs to gain ten yards”
English physician who first described Down’s syndrome (1828-1896)
(usually plural) a rolling treeless highland with little soil
fine soft dense hair (as the fine short hair of cattle or deer or the wool of sheep or the undercoat of certain dogs)

VERB

drink down entirely; “He downed three martinis before dinner”; “She killed a bottle of brandy that night”; “They popped a few beer after work”
eat immoderately; “Some people can down a pound of meat in the course of one meal”
bring down or defeat (an opponent)
shoot at and force to come down; “the enemy landed several of our aircraft”
cause to come or go down; “The policeman downed the heavily armed suspect”; “The mugger knocked down the old lady after she refused to hand over her wallet”
improve or perfect by pruning or polishing; “refine one’s style of writing”

ADJECTIVE

being or moving lower in position or less in some value; “lay face down”; “the moon is down”; “our team is down by a run”; “down by a pawn”; “the stock market is down today”
extending or moving from a higher to a lower place; “the down staircase”; “the downward course of the stream”
becoming progressively lower; “the down trend in the real estate market”
being put out by a strikeout; “two down in the bottom of the ninth”
understood perfectly; “had his algebra problems down”
lower than previously; “the market is depressed”; “prices are down”
shut; “the shades were down”
not functioning (temporarily or permanently); “we can’t work because the computer is down”
filled with melancholy and despondency ; “gloomy at the thought of what he had to face”; “gloomy predictions”; “a gloomy silence”; “took a grim view of the economy”; “the darkening mood”; “lonely and blue in a strange city”; “depressed by the loss of his job”; “a dispirited and resigned expression on her face”; “downcast after his defeat”; “feeling discouraged and downhearted”

ADVERB

spatially or metaphorically from a higher to a lower level or position; “don’t fall down”; “rode the lift up and skied down”; “prices plunged downward”
away from a more central or a more northerly place; “was sent down to work at the regional office”; “worked down on the farm”; “came down for the wedding”; “flew down to Florida”
paid in cash at time of purchase; “put ten dollars down on the necklace”
from an earlier time; “the story was passed down from father to son”
to a lower intensity; “he slowly phased down the light until the stage was completely black”
in an inactive or inoperative state; “the factory went down during the strike”; “the computer went down again”

EVEN

NOUN

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall); “he enjoyed the evening light across the lake”

VERB

make level or straight; “level the ground”
become even or more even; “even out the surface”
make even or more even

ADJECTIVE

divisible by two
equal in degree or extent or amount; or equally matched or balanced; “even amounts of butter and sugar”; “on even terms”; “it was a fifty-fifty (or even) split”; “had a fifty-fifty (or even) chance”; “an even fight”
being level or straight or regular and without variation as e.g. in shape or texture; or being in the same plane or at the same height as something else (i.e. even with); “an even application of varnish”; “an even floor”; “the road was not very even”; “the picture is even with the window”
symmetrically arranged; “even features”; “regular features”; “a regular polygon”
occurring at fixed intervals; “a regular beat”; “the even rhythm of his breathing”
of the score in a contest; “the score is tied”

ADVERB

used as an intensive especially to indicate something unexpected; “even an idiot knows that”; “declined even to consider the idea”; “I don’t have even a dollar!”
in spite of; notwithstanding; “even when he is sick, he works”; “even with his head start she caught up with him”
to a greater degree or extent; used with comparisons; “looked sick and felt even worse”; “an even (or still) more interesting problem”; “still another problem must be solved”; “a yet sadder tale”
to the full extent; “loyal even unto death”

EXPRESS

NOUN

mail that is distributed by a rapid and efficient system
public transport consisting of a fast train or bus that makes only a few scheduled stops; “he caught the express to New York”
rapid transport of goods

VERB

give expression to; “She showed her disappointment”
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise; “She expressed her anger”; “He uttered a curse”
serve as a means for expressing something; “The painting of Mary carries motherly love”; “His voice carried a lot of anger”
indicate through a symbol, formula, etc.; “Can you express this distance in kilometers?”
manifest the effects of (a gene or genetic trait); “Many of the laboratory animals express the trait”
obtain from a substance, as by mechanical action; “Italians express coffee rather than filter it”
send by rapid transport or special messenger service; “She expressed the letter to Florida”

ADJECTIVE

not tacit or implied; “her express wish”
without unnecessary stops; “an express train”; “an express shipment”

ADVERB

by express; “please send the letter express”

FAIR

NOUN

a traveling show; having sideshows and rides and games of skill etc.
gathering of producers to promote business; “world fair”; “trade fair”; “book fair”
a competitive exhibition of farm products; “she won a blue ribbon for her baking at the county fair”
a sale of miscellany; often for charity; “the church bazaar”

VERB

join so that the external surfaces blend smoothly

ADJECTIVE

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules; “a fair referee”; “fair deal”; “on a fair footing”; “a fair fight”; “by fair means or foul”
not excessive or extreme; “a fairish income”; “reasonable prices”
very pleasing to the eye; “my bonny lass”; “there’s a bonny bay beyond”; “a comely face”; “young fair maidens”
(of a baseball) hit between the foul lines; “he hit a fair ball over the third base bag”
lacking exceptional quality or ability; “a novel of average merit”; “only a fair performance of the sonata”; “in fair health”; “the caliber of the students has gone from mediocre to above average”; “the performance was middling at best”
attractively feminine; “the fair sex”
(of a manuscript) having few alterations or corrections; “fair copy”; “a clean manuscript”
gained or earned without cheating or stealing; “an honest wage”; “an fair penny”
free of clouds or rain; “today will be fair and warm”
(used of hair or skin) pale or light-colored; “a fair complexion”;

ADVERB

in conformity with the rules or laws and without fraud or cheating; “they played fairly”
without favoring one party, in a fair evenhanded manner; “deal fairly with one another”

FAST

NOUN

abstaining from food

VERB

abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons; “Catholics sometimes fast during Lent”
abstain from eating; “Before the medical exam, you must fast”

ADJECTIVE

acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly; “fast film”; “on the fast track in school”; “set a fast pace”; “a fast car”
(used of timepieces) indicating a time ahead of or later than the correct time; “my watch is fast”
at a rapid tempo; “the band played a fast fox trot”
(of surfaces) conducive to rapid speeds; “a fast road”; “grass courts are faster than clay”
resistant to destruction or fading; “fast colors”
unrestrained by convention or morality; “Congreve draws a debauched aristocratic society”; “deplorably dissipated and degraded”; “riotous living”; “fast women”
hurried and brief; “paid a flying visit”; “took a flying glance at the book”; “a quick inspection”; “a fast visit”
securely fixed in place; “the post was still firm after being hit by the car”
unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; “a firm ally”; “loyal supporters”; “the true-hearted soldier…of Tippecanoe”- Campaign song for William Henry Harrison; “fast friends”
(of a photographic lens or emulsion) causing a shortening of exposure time; “a fast lens”

ADVERB

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form); “how fast can he get here?”; “ran as fast as he could”; “needs medical help fast”; “fast-running rivers”; “fast-breaking news”; “fast-opening (or fast-closing) shutters”
firmly or closely; “held fast to the rope”; “her foot was stuck fast”; “held tight”

FINE

NOUN

money extracted as a penalty

VERB

issue a ticket or a fine to as a penalty; “I was fined for parking on the wrong side of the street”; “Move your car or else you will be ticketed!”

ADJECTIVE

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition; “an all-right movie”; “the passengers were shaken up but are all right”; “is everything all right?”; “everything’s fine”; “things are okay”; “dinner and the movies had been fine”; “another minute I’d have been fine”
minutely precise especially in differences in meaning; “a fine distinction”
thin in thickness or diameter; “a fine film of oil”; “fine hairs”; “read the fine print”
characterized by elegance or refinement or accomplishment; “fine wine”; “looking fine in her Easter suit”; “a fine gentleman”; “fine china and crystal”; “a fine violinist”; “the fine hand of a master”
of textures that are smooth to the touch or substances consisting of relatively small particles; “wood with a fine grain”; “fine powdery snow”; “fine rain”; “batiste is a cotton fabric with a fine weave”; “covered with a fine film of dust”
free from impurities; having a high or specified degree of purity; “gold 21 carats fine”

ADVERB

an expression of agreement normally occurring at the beginning of a sentence
in a delicate manner; “finely shaped features”; “her fine drawn body”

FIRM

NOUN

the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments; “he worked for a brokerage house”

VERB

become taut or tauter; “Your muscles will firm when you exercise regularly”; “the rope tautened”
make taut or tauter; “tauten a rope”

ADJECTIVE

marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable; “firm convictions”; “a firm mouth”; “steadfast resolve”; “a man of unbendable perseverence”; “unwavering loyalty”
not soft or yielding to pressure; “a firm mattress”; “the snow was firm underfoot”; “solid ground”
strong and sure; “a firm grasp”; “gave a strong pull on the rope”
not subject to revision or change; “a firm contract”; “a firm offer”
(of especially a person’s physical features) not shaking or trembling; “his voice was firm and confident”; “a firm step”
not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall; “stocks are still firm”
securely established; “holds a firm position as the country’s leading poet”
possessing the tone and resiliency of healthy tissue; “firm muscles”
securely fixed in place; “the post was still firm after being hit by the car”
unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; “a firm ally”; “loyal supporters”; “the true-hearted soldier…of Tippecanoe”- Campaign song for William Henry Harrison; “fast friends”

ADVERB

with resolute determination; “we firmly believed it”; “you must stand firm”

FLUSH

NOUN

the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
a rosy color (especially in the cheeks) taken as a sign of good health
sudden brief sensation of heat (associated with menopause and some mental disorders)
a poker hand with all 5 cards in the same suit
the swift release of a store of affective force; “they got a great bang out of it”; “what a boot!”; “he got a quick rush from injecting heroin”; “he does it for kicks”
a sudden rapid flow (as of water); “he heard the flush of a toilet”; “there was a little gush of blood”; “she attacked him with an outpouring of words”
sudden reddening of the face (as from embarrassment or guilt or shame or modesty)

VERB

turn red, as if in embarrassment or shame; “The girl blushed when a young man whistled as she walked by”
flow freely; “The garbage flushed down the river”
glow or cause to glow with warm color or light; “the sky flushed with rosy splendor”
make level or straight; “level the ground”
rinse, clean, or empty with a liquid; “flush the wound with antibiotics”; “purge the old gas tank”
irrigate with water from a sluice; “sluice the earth”
cause to flow or flood with or as if with water; “flush the meadows”

ADJECTIVE

of a surface exactly even with an adjoining one, forming the same plane; “a door flush with the wall”; “the bottom of the window is flush with the floor”
having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value; “an affluent banker”; “a speculator flush with cash”; “not merely rich but loaded”; “moneyed aristocrats”; “wealthy corporations”

ADVERB

squarely or solidly; “hit him flush in the face”
in the same plane; “set it flush with the top of the table”

FORWARD

NOUN

the person who plays the position of forward in certain games, such as basketball, soccer, or hockey
a position on a basketball, soccer, or hockey team

VERB

send or ship onward from an intermediate post or station in transit; “forward my mail”

ADJECTIVE

at or near or directed toward the front; “the forward section of the aircraft”; “a forward plunge down the stairs”; “forward motion”
used of temperament or behavior; lacking restraint or modesty; “a forward child badly in need of discipline”
of the transmission gear causing forward movement in a motor vehicle; “in a forward gear”
moving forward

ADVERB

at or to or toward the front; “he faced forward”; “step forward”; “she practiced sewing backward as well as frontward on her new sewing machine”; (`forrad’ and `forrard’ are dialectal variations)
forward in time or order or degree; “from that time forth”; “from the sixth century onward”
toward the future; forward in time; “I like to look ahead in imagination to what the future may bring”; “I look forward to seeing you”
in a forward direction; “go ahead”; “the train moved ahead slowly”; “the boat lurched ahead”; “moved onward into the forest”; “they went slowly forward in the mud”
near or toward the bow of a ship or cockpit of a plane; “the captain went fore (or forward) to check the instruments”

FREE

NOUN

people who are free; “the home of the free and the brave”

VERB

grant freedom to; free from confinement
relieve from; “Rid the house of pests”
remove or force out from a position; “The dentist dislodged the piece of food that had been stuck under my gums”; “He finally could free the legs of the earthquake victim who was buried in the rubble”
grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to; “She exempted me from the exam”
make (information) available for publication; “release the list with the names of the prisoners”
free from obligations or duties
free or remove obstruction from; “free a path across the cluttered floor”
let off the hook; “I absolve you from this responsibility”
part with a possession or right; “I am relinquishing my bedroom to the long-term house guest”; “resign a claim to the throne”
release (gas or energy) as a result of a chemical reaction or physical decomposition
make (assets) available; “release the holdings in the dictator’s bank account”

ADJECTIVE

able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint; “free enterprise”; “a free port”; “a free country”; “I have an hour free”; “free will”; “free of racism”; “feel free to stay as long as you wish”; “a free choice”
unconstrained or not chemically bound in a molecule or not fixed and capable of relatively unrestricted motion; “free expansion”; “free oxygen”; “a free electron”
costing nothing; “complimentary tickets”; “free admission”
not occupied or in use; “a free locker”; “a free lane”
not fixed in position; “the detached shutter fell on him”; “he pulled his arm free and ran”
not held in servitude; “after the Civil War he was a free man”
not taken up by scheduled activities; “a free hour between classes”; “spare time on my hands”
completely wanting or lacking; “writing barren of insight”; “young recruits destitute of experience”; “innocent of literary merit”; “the sentence was devoid of meaning”
not literal; “a loose interpretation of what she had been told”; “a free translation of the poem”

ADVERB

without restraint; “cows in India are running loose”

FULL

NOUN

the time when the Moon is fully illuminated; “the moon is at the full”

VERB

beat for the purpose of cleaning and thickening; “full the cloth”
make (a garment) fuller by pleating or gathering
increase in phase; “the moon is waxing”

ADJECTIVE

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal; “a full glass”; “a sky full of stars”; “a full life”; “the auditorium was full to overflowing”
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete; “an entire town devastated by an earthquake”; “gave full attention”; “a total failure”
complete in extent or degree and in every particular; “a full game”; “a total eclipse”; “a total disaster”
filled to satisfaction with food or drink; “a full stomach”
(of sound) having marked deepness and body; “full tones”; “a full voice”
having the normally expected amount; “gives full measure”; “gives good measure”; “a good mile from here”
being at a peak or culminating point; “broad daylight”; “full summer”
having ample fabric; “the current taste for wide trousers”; “a full skirt”

ADVERB

to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (`full’ in this sense is used as a combining form); “fully grown”; “he didn’t fully understand”; “knew full well”; “full-grown”; “full-fledged”

HOME

NOUN

where you live at a particular time; “deliver the package to my home”; “he doesn’t have a home to go to”; “your place or mine?”
housing that someone is living in; “he built a modest dwelling near the pond”; “they raise money to provide homes for the homeless”
the country or state or city where you live; “Canadian tariffs enabled United States lumber companies to raise prices at home”; “his home is New Jersey”
(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score; “he ruled that the runner failed to touch home”
the place where you are stationed and from which missions start and end
place where something began and flourished; “the United States is the home of basketball”
an environment offering affection and security; “home is where the heart is”; “he grew up in a good Christian home”; “there’s no place like home”
a social unit living together; “he moved his family to Virginia”; “It was a good Christian household”; “I waited until the whole house was asleep”; “the teacher asked how many people made up his home”
an institution where people are cared for; “a home for the elderly”

VERB

provide with, or send to, a home
return home accurately from a long distance; “homing pigeons”

ADJECTIVE

used of your own ground; “a home game”
relating to or being where one lives or where one’s roots are; “my home town”
inside the country; “the British Home Office has broader responsibilities than the United States Department of the Interior”; “the nation’s internal politics”

ADVERB

at or to or in the direction of one’s home or family; “He stays home on weekends”; “after the game the children brought friends home for supper”; “I’ll be home tomorrow”; “came riding home in style”; “I hope you will come home for Christmas”; “I’ll take her home”; “don’t forget to write home”
on or to the point aimed at; “the arrow struck home”
to the fullest extent; to the heart; “drove the nail home”; “drove his point home”; “his comments hit home”

JOLLY

NOUN

a happy party
a yawl used by a ship’s sailors for general work

VERB

be silly or tease one another; “After we relaxed, we just kidded around”

ADJECTIVE

full of or showing high-spirited merriment; “when hearts were young and gay”; “a poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company”- Wordsworth; “the jolly crowd at the reunion”; “jolly old Saint Nick”; “a jovial old gentleman”; “have a merry Christmas”; “peals of merry laughter”; “a mirthful laugh”

ADVERB

to a moderately sufficient extent or degree; “pretty big”; “pretty bad”; “jolly decent of him”; “the shoes are priced reasonably”; “he is fairly clever with computers”

LAST

NOUN

the temporal end; the concluding time; “the stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell”; “the market was up at the finish”; “they were playing better at the close of the season”
the last or lowest in an ordering or series; “he was the last to leave”; “he finished an inglorious last”
a person’s dying act; the final thing a person can do; “he breathed his last”
the time at which life ends; continuing until dead; “she stayed until his death”; “a struggle to the last”
a unit of weight equal to 4,000 pounds
a unit of capacity for grain equal to 80 bushels
the concluding parts of an event or occurrence; “the end was exciting”; “I had to miss the last of the movie”
holding device shaped like a human foot that is used to fashion or repair shoes

VERB

persist for a specified period of time; “The bad weather lasted for three days”
continue to live through hardship or adversity; “We went without water and food for 3 days”; “These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America”; “The race car driver lived through several very serious accidents”; “how long can a person last without food and water?”

ADJECTIVE

immediately past; “last Thursday”; “the last chapter we read”
coming after all others in time or space or degree or being the only one remaining; “the last time I saw Paris”; “the last day of the month”; “had the last word”; “waited until the last minute”; “he raised his voice in a last supreme call”; “the last game of the season”; “down to his last nickel”
occurring at or forming an end or termination; “his concluding words came as a surprise”; “the final chapter”; “the last days of the dinosaurs”; “terminal leave”
most unlikely or unsuitable; “the last person we would have suspected”; “the last man they would have chosen for the job”
occurring at the time of death; “his last words”; “the last rites”
conclusive in a process or progression; “the final answer”; “a last resort”; “the net result”
highest in extent or degree; “to the last measure of human endurance”; “whether they were accomplices in the last degree or a lesser one was…to be determined individually”
not to be altered or undone; “the judge’s decision is final”; “the arbiter will have the last say”
lowest in rank or importance; “last prize”; “in last place”

ADVERB

most_recently; “I saw him last in London”
the item at the end; “last, I’ll discuss family values”

LIGHT

NOUN

(physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation; “the light was filtered through a soft glass window”
any device serving as a source of illumination; “he stopped the car and turned off the lights”
a particular perspective or aspect of a situation; “although he saw it in a different light, he still did not understand”
the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light; “its luminosity is measured relative to that of our sun”
an illuminated area; “he stepped into the light”
a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination; “follow God’s light”
the visual effect of illumination on objects or scenes as created in pictures; “he could paint the lightest light and the darkest dark”
a person regarded very fondly; “the light of my life”
having abundant light or illumination; “they played as long as it was light”; “as long as the lighting was good”
mental understanding as an enlightening experience; “he finally saw the light”; “can you shed light on this problem?”
merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance; “he had a sparkle in his eye”; “there’s a perpetual twinkle in his eyes”
public awareness; “it brought the scandal to light”
a divine presence believed by Quakers to enlighten and guide the soul
a visual warning signal; “they saw the light of the beacon”; “there was a light at every corner”
a device for lighting or igniting fuel or charges or fires; “do you have a light?”

VERB

make lighter or brighter; “This lamp lightens the room a bit”
begin to smoke; “After the meal, some of the diners lit up”
to come to rest, settle; “Misfortune lighted upon him”
cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat; “Great heat can ignite almost any dry matter”; “Light a cigarette”
fall to somebody by assignment or lot; “The task fell to me”; “It fell to me to notify the parents of the victims”
alight from (a horse)

ADJECTIVE

of comparatively little physical weight or density; “a light load”; “magnesium is a light metal–having a specific gravity of 1.74 at 20 degrees C”
(used of color) having a relatively small amount of coloring agent; “light blue”; “light colors such as pastels”; “a light-colored powder”
of the military or industry; using (or being) relatively small or light arms or equipment; “light infantry”; “light cavalry”; “light industry”; “light weapons”
not great in degree or quantity or number; “a light sentence”; “a light accent”; “casualties were light”; “light snow was falling”; “light misty rain”; “light smoke from the chimney”
psychologically light; especially free from sadness or troubles; “a light heart”
characterized by or emitting light; “a room that is light when the shutters are open”; “the inside of the house was airy and light”
(used of vowels or syllables) pronounced with little or no stress; “a syllable that ends in a short vowel is a light syllable”; “a weak stress on the second syllable”
easily assimilated in the alimentary canal; not rich or heavily seasoned; “a light diet”
(used of soil) loose and large-grained in consistency; “light soil”
(of sound or color) free from anything that dulls or dims; “efforts to obtain a clean bass in orchestral recordings”; “clear laughter like a waterfall”; “clear reds and blues”; “a light lilting voice like a silver bell”
moving easily and quickly; nimble; “the dancer was light and graceful”; “a lightsome buoyant step”; “walked with a light tripping step”
demanding little effort; not burdensome; “light housework”; “light exercise”
of little intensity or power or force; “the light touch of her fingers”; “a light breeze”
(physics, chemistry) not having atomic weight greater than average; “light water is ordinary water”
weak and likely to lose consciousness; “suddenly felt faint from the pain”; “was sick and faint from hunger”; “felt light in the head”; “a swooning fit”; “light-headed with wine”; “light-headed from lack of sleep”
very thin and insubstantial; “thin paper”; “light summer dresses”
marked by temperance in indulgence; “abstemious with the use of adverbs”; “a light eater”; “a light smoker”; “ate a light supper”
less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so; “a light pound”; “a scant cup of sugar”; “regularly gives short weight”
having little importance; “losing his job was no light matter”
intended primarily as entertainment; not serious or profound; “light verse”; “a light comedy”
silly or trivial; “idle pleasure”; “light banter”; “light idle chatter”
designed for ease of movement or to carry little weight; “light aircraft”; “a light truck”
having relatively few calories; “diet cola”; “light (or lite) beer”; “lite (or light) mayonnaise”; “a low-cal diet”
(of sleep) easily disturbed; “in a light doze”; “a light sleeper”; “a restless wakeful night”
casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior; “her easy virtue”; “he was told to avoid loose (or light) women”; “wanton behavior”

ADVERB

with few burdens; “experienced travellers travel light”

LOW

NOUN

an air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation; “a low moved in over night bringing sleet and snow”
British political cartoonist (born in New Zealand) who created the character Colonel Blimp (1891-1963)
a low level or position or degree; “the stock market fell to a new low”
the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving

VERB

make a low noise, characteristic of bovines

ADJECTIVE

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount; “low prices”; “the reservoir is low”
literal meanings; being at or having a relatively small elevation or upward extension; “low ceilings”; “low clouds”; “low hills”; “the sun is low”; “low furniture”; “a low bow”
very low in volume; “a low murmur”; “the low-toned murmur of the surf”
unrefined in character; “low comedy”
used of sounds and voices; low in pitch or frequency
of the most contemptible kind; “abject cowardice”; “a low stunt to pull”; “a low-down sneak”; “his miserable treatment of his family”; “You miserable skunk!”; “a scummy rabble”; “a scurvy trick”
low or inferior in station or quality; “a humble cottage”; “a lowly parish priest”; “a modest man of the people”; “small beginnings”
no longer sufficient; “supplies are low”; “our funds are depleted”
subdued or brought low in condition or status; “brought low”; “a broken man”; “his broken spirit”
filled with melancholy and despondency ; “gloomy at the thought of what he had to face”; “gloomy predictions”; “a gloomy silence”; “took a grim view of the economy”; “the darkening mood”; “lonely and blue in a strange city”; “depressed by the loss of his job”; “a dispirited and resigned expression on her face”; “downcast after his defeat”; “feeling discouraged and downhearted”

ADVERB

in a low position; near the ground; “the branches hung low”

O.K.

NOUN

an endorsement; “they gave us the O.K. to go ahead”

VERB

give sanction to; “I approve of his educational policies”

ADJECTIVE

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition; “an all-right movie”; “the passengers were shaken up but are all right”; “is everything all right?”; “everything’s fine”; “things are okay”; “dinner and the movies had been fine”; “another minute I’d have been fine”

ADVERB

in a satisfactory or adequate manner; “she’ll do okay on her own”; “held up all right under pressure”; (`alright’ is a nonstandard variant of `all right’)

OKAY

NOUN

an endorsement; “they gave us the O.K. to go ahead”

VERB

give sanction to; “I approve of his educational policies”

ADJECTIVE

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition; “an all-right movie”; “the passengers were shaken up but are all right”; “is everything all right?”; “everything’s fine”; “things are okay”; “dinner and the movies had been fine”; “another minute I’d have been fine”

ADVERB

in a satisfactory or adequate manner; “she’ll do okay on her own”; “held up all right under pressure”; (`alright’ is a nonstandard variant of `all right’)

OUT

NOUN

(baseball) a failure by a batter or runner to reach a base safely in baseball; “you only get 3 outs per inning”

VERB

to state openly and publicly one’s homosexuality; “This actor outed last year”
reveal (something) about somebody’s identity or lifestyle; “The gay actor was outed last week”; “Someone outed a CIA agent”
be made known; be disclosed or revealed; “The truth will out”

ADJECTIVE

not allowed to continue to bat or run; “he was tagged out at second on a close play”; “he fanned out”
being out or having grown cold; “threw his extinct cigarette into the stream”; “the fire is out”
not worth considering as a possibility; “a picnic is out because of the weather”
out of power; especially having been unsuccessful in an election; “now the Democrats are out”
excluded from use or mention; “forbidden fruit”; “in our house dancing and playing cards were out”; “a taboo subject”
directed outward or serving to direct something outward; “the out doorway”; “the out basket”
no longer fashionable; “that style is out these days”
outside or external; “the out surface of a ship’s hull”
outer or outlying; “the out islands”
knocked unconscious by a heavy blow

ADVERB

away from home; “they went out last night”
moving or appearing to move away from a place, especially one that is enclosed or hidden; “the cat came out from under the bed”;
from one’s possession; “he gave out money to the poor”; “gave away the tickets”

PAT

NOUN

the sound made by a gentle blow
a light touch or stroke

VERB

pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
hit lightly; “pat him on the shoulder”

ADJECTIVE

having only superficial plausibility; “glib promises”; “a slick commercial”
exactly suited to the occasion; “a pat reply”

ADVERB

completely or perfectly; “he has the lesson pat”; “had the system down pat”

PLAIN

NOUN

extensive tract of level open land; “they emerged from the woods onto a vast open plain”; “he longed for the fields of his youth”
a basic knitting stitch

VERB

express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness; “My mother complains all day”; “She has a lot to kick about”

ADJECTIVE

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment; “the effects of the drought are apparent to anyone who sees the parched fields”; “evident hostility”; “manifest disapproval”; “patent advantages”; “made his meaning plain”; “it is plain that he is no reactionary”; “in plain view”
not elaborate or elaborated; simple; “plain food”; “stuck to the plain facts”; “a plain blue suit”; “a plain rectangular brick building”
lacking patterns especially in color
not mixed with extraneous elements; “plain water”; “sheer wine”; “not an unmixed blessing”
free from any effort to soften to disguise; “the plain and unvarnished truth”; “the unvarnished candor of old people and children”
lacking embellishment or ornamentation; “a plain hair style”; “unembellished white walls”; “functional architecture featuring stark unornamented concrete”
lacking in physical beauty or proportion; “a homely child”; “several of the buildings were downright homely”; “a plain girl with a freckled face”

ADVERB

unmistakably (`plain’ is often used informally for `plainly’); “the answer is obviously wrong”; “she was in bed and evidently in great pain”; “he was manifestly too important to leave off the guest list”; “it is all patently nonsense”; “she has apparently been living here for some time”; “I thought he owned the property, but apparently not”; “You are plainly wrong”; “he is plain stubborn”

PLUMB

NOUN

the metal bob of a plumb line

VERB

measure the depth of something
weight with lead
examine thoroughly and in great depth
adjust with a plumb line so as to make vertical

ADJECTIVE

exactly vertical; “the tower of Pisa is far out of plumb”

ADVERB

completely; used as intensifiers; “clean forgot the appointment”; “I’m plumb (or plum) tuckered out”
conforming to the direction of a plumb line
exactly; “fell plumb in the middle of the puddle”

PLUMP

NOUN

the sound of a sudden heavy fall

VERB

drop sharply; “The stock market plummeted”
set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise; “He planked the money on the table”; “He planked himself into the sofa”
make fat or plump; “We will plump out that poor starving child”
give support (to) or make a choice (of) one out of a group or number; “I plumped for the losing candidates”

ADJECTIVE

sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure; “a chubby child”; “pleasingly plump”;

ADVERB

straight down especially heavily or abruptly; “the anchor fell plump into the sea”; “we dropped the rock plump into the water”

POP

NOUN

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
a sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring; “in New England they call sodas tonics”
a sharp explosive sound as from a gunshot or drawing a cork
music of general appeal to teenagers; a bland watered-down version of rock’n’roll with more rhythm and harmony and an emphasis on romantic love

VERB

bulge outward; “His eyes popped”
hit a pop-fly; “He popped out to shortstop”
make a sharp explosive noise; “The cork of the champagne bottle popped”
fire a weapon with a loud explosive noise; “The soldiers were popping”
cause to make a sharp explosive sound; “He popped the champagne bottle”
appear suddenly or unexpectedly; “The farm popped into view as we turned the corner”; “He suddenly popped up out of nowhere”
put or thrust suddenly and forcefully; “pop the pizza into the microwave oven”; “He popped the petit-four into his mouth”
release suddenly; “pop the clutch”
hit or strike; “He popped me on the head”
drink down entirely; “He downed three martinis before dinner”; “She killed a bottle of brandy that night”; “They popped a few beer after work”
take drugs, especially orally; “The man charged with murder popped a valium to calm his nerves”
cause to burst with a loud, explosive sound; “The child popped the balloon”
burst open with a sharp, explosive sound; “The balloon popped”; “This popcorn pops quickly in the microwave oven”

ADJECTIVE

(of music or art) new and of general appeal (especially among young people)

ADVERB

like a pop or with a pop; “everything went pop”

QUIET

NOUN

a period of calm weather; “there was a lull in the storm”
an untroubled state; free from disturbances
the absence of sound; “he needed silence in order to sleep”; “the street was quiet”
a disposition free from stress or emotion

VERB

become quiet or quieter; “The audience fell silent when the speaker entered”
make calm or still; “quiet the dragons of worry and fear”

ADJECTIVE

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity; “a quiet life”; “a quiet throng of onlookers”; “quiet peace-loving people”; “the factions remained quiet for almost 10 years”
free of noise or uproar; or making little if any sound; “a quiet audience at the concert”; “the room was dark and quiet”
not showy or obtrusive; “clothes in quiet good taste”
in a softened tone; “hushed voices”; “muted trumpets”; “a subdued whisper”; “a quiet reprimand”
(of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves; “a ribbon of sand between the angry sea and the placid bay”; “the quiet waters of a lagoon”; “a lake of tranquil blue water reflecting a tranquil blue sky”; “a smooth channel crossing”; “scarcely a ripple on the still water”; “unruffled water”
of the sun characterized by a low level of surface phenomena like sunspots e.g.

ADVERB

with little or no activity or no agitation (`quiet’ is a nonstandard variant for `quietly’); “her hands rested quietly in her lap”; “the rock star was quietly led out the back door”; “sit here as quiet as you can”

RIGHT

NOUN

an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature; “they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”; “Certain rights can never be granted to the government but must be kept in the hands of the people”- Eleanor Roosevelt; “a right is not something that somebody gives you; it is something that nobody can take away”
location near or direction toward the right side; i.e. the side to the south when a person or object faces east; “he stood on the right”
the piece of ground in the outfield on the catcher’s right
those who support political or social or economic conservatism; those who believe that things are better left unchanged
the hand that is on the right side of the body; “he writes with his right hand but pitches with his left”; “hit him with quick rights to the body”
a turn toward the side of the body that is on the south when the person is facing east; “take a right at the corner”
anything in accord with principles of justice; “he feels he is in the right”; “the rightfulness of his claim”
(frequently plural) the interest possessed by law or custom in some intangible thing; “mineral rights”; “film rights”

VERB

make reparations or amends for; “right a wrongs done to the victims of the Holocaust”
put in or restore to an upright position; “They righted the sailboat that had capsized”
regain an upright or proper position; “The capsized boat righted again”
make right or correct; “Correct the mistakes”; “rectify the calculation”

ADJECTIVE

being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the east when facing north; “my right hand”; “right center field”; “a right-hand turn”; “the right bank of a river is the bank on your right side when you are facing downstream”
free from error; especially conforming to fact or truth; “the correct answer”; “the correct version”; “the right answer”; “took the right road”; “the right decision”
socially right or correct; “it isn’t right to leave the party without saying goodbye”; “correct behavior”
in conformance with justice or law or morality; “do the right thing and confess”
correct in opinion or judgment; “time proved him right”
appropriate for a condition or purpose or occasion or a person’s character, needs; “everything in its proper place”; “the right man for the job”; “she is not suitable for the position”
of or belonging to the political or intellectual right
in or into a satisfactory condition; “things are right again now”; “put things right”
intended for the right hand; “a right-hand glove”
in accord with accepted standards of usage or procedure; “what’s the right word for this?”; “the right way to open oysters”
having the axis perpendicular to the base; “a right angle”
(of the side of cloth or clothing) facing or intended to face outward; “the right side of the cloth showed the pattern”; “be sure your shirt is right side out”
most suitable or right for a particular purpose; “a good time to plant tomatoes”; “the right time to act”; “the time is ripe for great sociological changes”
precisely accurate; “a veracious account”

ADVERB

precisely, exactly; “stand right here!”
immediately; “she called right after dinner”
exactly; “he fell flop on his face”
toward or on the right; also used figuratively; “he looked right and left”; “the party has moved right”
in the right manner; “please do your job properly!”; “can’t you carry me decent?”
an interjection expressing agreement
completely; “she felt right at home”; “he fell right into the trap”
(Southern regional intensive) very; to a great degree; “the baby is mighty cute”; “he’s mighty tired”; “it is powerful humid”; “that boy is powerful big now”; “they have a right nice place”; “they rejoiced mightily”
in accordance with moral or social standards; “that serves him right”; “do right by him”
in an accurate manner; “the flower had been correctly depicted by his son”; “he guessed right”

ROUGH

NOUN

the part of a golf course bordering the fairway where the grass is not cut short

VERB

prepare in preliminary or sketchy form

ADJECTIVE

having or caused by an irregular surface; “trees with rough bark”; “rough ground”; “rough skin”; “rough blankets”; “his unsmooth face”
(of persons or behavior) lacking refinement or finesse; “she was a diamond in the rough”; “rough manners”
not quite exact or correct; “the approximate time was 10 o’clock”; “a rough guess”; “a ballpark estimate”
full of hardship or trials; “the rocky road to success”; “they were having a rough time”
violently agitated and turbulent; “boisterous winds and waves”; “the fierce thunders roar me their music”- Ezra Pound; “rough weather”; “rough seas”
unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound; “a gravelly voice”
ready and able to resort to force or violence; “pugnacious spirits…lamented that there was so little prospect of an exhilarating disturbance”- Herman Melville; “they were rough and determined fighting men”
of the margin of a leaf shape; having the edge cut or fringed or scalloped
causing or characterized by jolts and irregular movements; “a rough ride”
not shaped by cutting or trimming; “an uncut diamond”; “rough gemstones”
not carefully or expertly made; “managed to make a crude splint”; “a crude cabin of logs with bark still on them”; “rough carpentry”
not perfected; “a rough draft”; “a few rough sketches”
unpleasantly stern; “wild and harsh country full of hot sand and cactus”; “the nomad life is rough and hazardous”
unkind or cruel or uncivil; “had harsh words”; “a harsh and unlovable old tyrant”; “a rough answer”

ADVERB

with roughness or violence (`rough’ is an informal variant for `roughly’); “he was pushed roughly aside”; “they treated him rough”
with rough motion as over a rough surface; “ride rough”

ROUND

NOUN

a charge of ammunition for a single shot
an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs; “the never-ending cycle of the seasons”
a regular route for a sentry or policeman; “in the old days a policeman walked a beat and knew all his people by name”
(often plural) a series of professional calls (usually in a set order); “the doctor goes on his rounds first thing every morning”; “the postman’s rounds”; “we enjoyed our round of the local bars”
the activity of playing 18 holes of golf; “a round of golf takes about 4 hours”
the usual activities in your day; “the doctor made his rounds”
(sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive
the course along which communications spread; “the story is going the rounds in Washington”
a serving to each of a group (usually alcoholic); “he ordered a second round”
a cut of beef between the rump and the lower leg
a partsong in which voices follow each other; one voice starts and others join in one after another until all are singing different parts of the song at the same time; “they enjoyed singing rounds”
an outburst of applause; “there was a round of applause”
a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
any circular or rotating mechanism; “the machine punched out metal circles”

VERB

wind around; move along a circular course; “round the bend”
make round; “round the edges”
pronounce with rounded lips
attack in speech or writing; “The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker”
bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state; “polish your social manners”
express as a round number; “round off the amount”
become round, plump, or shapely; “The young woman is fleshing out”

ADJECTIVE

having a circular shape
(of sounds) full and rich; “orotund tones”; “the rotund and reverberating phrase”; “pear-shaped vowels”
(mathematics) expressed to the nearest integer, ten, hundred, or thousand; “in round numbers”

ADVERB

from beginning to end; throughout; “It rains all year round on Skye”; “frigid weather the year around”

SECOND

NOUN

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d’Unites
an indefinitely short time; “wait just a moment”; “in a mo”; “it only takes a minute”; “in just a bit”
the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed near the second of the bases in the infield
a particular point in time; “the moment he arrived the party began”
following the first in an ordering or series; “he came in a close second”
a 60th part of a minute of arc; “the treasure is 2 minutes and 45 seconds south of here”
the official attendant of a contestant in a duel or boxing match
a speech seconding a motion; “do I hear a second?”
the gear that has the second lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; “he had to shift down into second to make the hill”
merchandise that has imperfections; usually sold at a reduced price without the brand name

VERB

give support or one’s approval to; “I’ll second that motion”; “I can’t back this plan”; “endorse a new project”
transfer an employee to a different, temporary assignment; “The officer was seconded for duty overseas”

ADJECTIVE

coming next after the first in position in space or time or degree or magnitude
a part or voice or instrument or orchestra section lower in pitch than or subordinate to the first; “second flute”; “the second violins”

ADVERB

in the second place; “second, we must consider the economy”

SHORT

NOUN

the location on a baseball field where the shortstop is stationed
accidental contact between two points in an electric circuit that have a potential difference
the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed between second and third base

VERB

cheat someone by not returning him enough money
create a short circuit in

ADJECTIVE

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration; “a short life”; “a short flight”; “a short holiday”; “a short story”; “only a few short months”
(primarily spatial sense) having little length or lacking in length; “short skirts”; “short hair”; “the board was a foot short”; “a short toss”
low in stature; not tall; “he was short and stocky”; “short in stature”; “a short smokestack”; “a little man”
not sufficient to meet a need; “an inadequate income”; “a poor salary”; “money is short”; “on short rations”; “food is in short supply”; “short on experience”
(of memory) deficient in retentiveness or range; “a short memory”
not holding securities or commodities that one sells in expectation of a fall in prices; “a short sale”; “short in cotton”
of speech sounds or syllables of relatively short duration; “the English vowel sounds in `pat’, `pet’, `pit’, `pot’, putt’ are short”
less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so; “a light pound”; “a scant cup of sugar”; “regularly gives short weight”
lacking foresight or scope; “a short view of the problem”; “shortsighted policies”; “shortsighted critics derided the plan”; “myopic thinking”
tending to crumble or break into flakes due to a large amount of shortening; “shortbread is a short crumbly cookie”; “a short flaky pie crust”
marked by rude or peremptory shortness; “try to cultivate a less brusque manner”; “a curt reply”; “the salesgirl was very short with him”

ADVERB

quickly and without warning; “he stopped suddenly”
without possessing something at the time it is contractually sold; “he made his fortune by selling short just before the crash”
clean across; “the car’s axle snapped short”
at some point or distance before a goal is reached; “he fell short of our expectations”
so as to interrupt; “She took him up short before he could continue”
at a disadvantage; “I was caught short”
in a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner; “he told me curtly to get on with it”; “he talked short with everyone”; “he said shortly that he didn’t like it”

SOLO

NOUN

any activity that is performed alone without assistance
a musical composition for one voice or instrument (with or without accompaniment)
a flight in which the aircraft pilot is unaccompanied

VERB

fly alone, without a co-pilot or passengers
perform a piece written for a single instrument

ADJECTIVE

composed or performed by a single voice or instrument; “a passage for solo clarinet”

ADVERB

without anybody else or anything else; “the child stayed home alone”; “the pillar stood alone, supporting nothing”; “he flew solo”

SQUARE

NOUN

(geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon; “you can compute the area of a square if you know the length of its sides”
the product of two equal terms; “nine is the second power of three”; “gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance”
an open area at the meeting of two or more streets
something approximating the shape of a square
someone who doesn’t understand what is going on
a formal and conservative person with old-fashioned views
any artifact having a shape similar to a plane geometric figure with four equal sides and four right angles; “a checkerboard has 64 squares”
a hand tool consisting of two straight arms at right angles; used to construct or test right angles; “the carpenter who built this room must have lost his square”

VERB

make square; “Square the circle”; “square the wood with a file”
raise to the second power
cause to match, as of ideas or acts
position so as to be square; “He squared his shoulders”
be compatible with; “one idea squares with another”
pay someone and settle a debt; “I squared with him”
turn the paddle; in canoeing
turn the oar, while rowing

ADJECTIVE

having four equal sides and four right angles or forming a right angle; “a square peg in a round hole”; “a square corner”
characterized by honesty and fairness; “straight dealing”; “a square deal”
providing abundant nourishment; “a hearty meal”; “good solid food”; “ate a substantial breakfast”; “four square meals a day”
leaving no balance; “my account with you is now all square”
without evasion or compromise; “a square contradiction”; “he is not being as straightforward as it appears”
rigidly conventional or old-fashioned

ADVERB

in a straight direct way; “looked him squarely in the eye”; “ran square into me”
in a square shape; “a squarely cut piece of paper”; “folded the sheet of paper square”
firmly and solidly; “hit the ball squarely”; “the bat met the ball squarely”; “planted his great bulk square before his enemy”

STEADY

NOUN

a person loved by another person

VERB

make steady; “steady yourself”
support or hold steady and make steadfast, with or as if with a brace; “brace your elbows while working on the potter’s wheel”

ADJECTIVE

not subject to change or variation especially in behavior; “a steady beat”; “a steady job”; “a steady breeze”; “a steady increase”; “a good steady ballplayer”
not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall; “stocks are still firm”
securely in position; not shaky; “held the ladder steady”
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable; “firm convictions”; “a firm mouth”; “steadfast resolve”; “a man of unbendable perseverence”; “unwavering loyalty”
relating to a person who does something regularly; “a regular customer”; “a steady drinker”
not easily excited or upset; “steady nerves”

ADVERB

in a steady manner; “he could still walk steadily”

STILL

NOUN

a static photograph (especially one taken from a movie and used for advertising purposes); “he wanted some stills for a magazine ad”
(poetic) tranquil silence; “the still of the night”
an apparatus used for the distillation of liquids; consists of a vessel in which a substance is vaporized by heat and a condenser where the vapor is condensed
a plant and works where alcoholic drinks are made by distillation

VERB

make calm or still; “quiet the dragons of worry and fear”
cause to be quiet or not talk; “Please silence the children in the church!”
lessen the intensity of or calm; “The news eased my conscience”; “still the fears”
make motionless

ADJECTIVE

not in physical motion; “the inertia of an object at rest”
marked by absence of sound; “a silent house”; “soundless footsteps on the grass”; “the night was still”
(of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves; “a ribbon of sand between the angry sea and the placid bay”; “the quiet waters of a lagoon”; “a lake of tranquil blue water reflecting a tranquil blue sky”; “a smooth channel crossing”; “scarcely a ripple on the still water”; “unruffled water”
used of pictures; of a single or static photograph not presented so as to create the illusion of motion; or representing objects not capable of motion; “a still photograph”; “Cezanne’s still life of apples”
not sparkling; “a still wine”; “still mineral water”
free from noticeable current; “a still pond”; “still waters run deep”

ADVERB

with reference to action or condition; without change, interruption, or cessation; “it’s still warm outside”; “will you still love me when we’re old and grey?”
despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession); “although I’m a little afraid, however I’d like to try it”; “while we disliked each other, nevertheless we agreed”; “he was a stern yet fair master”; “granted that it is dangerous, all the same I still want to go”
to a greater degree or extent; used with comparisons; “looked sick and felt even worse”; “an even (or still) more interesting problem”; “still another problem must be solved”; “a yet sadder tale”
without moving or making a sound; “he sat still as a statue”; “time stood still”; “they waited stock-still outside the door”; “he couldn’t hold still any longer”

TIPTOE

NOUN

the tip of a toe

VERB

walk on one’s toes

ADJECTIVE

walking on the tips of ones’s toes so as to make no noise; “moving with tiptoe steps”

ADVERB

on tiptoe or as if on tiptoe; “standing tiptoe”

TRUE

NOUN

proper alignment; the property possessed by something that is in correct or proper alignment; “out of true”

VERB

make level, square, balanced, or concentric; “true up the cylinder of an engine”

ADJECTIVE

consistent with fact or reality; not false; “the story is true”; “it is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true”- B. Russell; “the true meaning of the statement”
accurately placed or thrown; “his aim was true”; “he was dead on target”
devoted (sometimes fanatically) to a cause or concept or truth; “true believers bonded together against all who disagreed with them”
expressing or given to expressing the truth; “a true statement”; “gave truthful testimony”; “a truthful person”
conforming to definitive criteria; “the horseshoe crab is not a true crab”; “Pythagoras was the first true mathematician”
worthy of being depended on; “a dependable worker”; “an honest working stiff”; “a reliable sourcSFLe of information”; “he was true to his word”; “I would be true for there are those who trust me”
not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed; “genuine emotion”; “her interest in people was unfeigned”; “true grief”
rightly so called; “true courage”; “a spirit which true men have always admired”; “a true friend”
determined with reference to the earth’s axis rather than the magnetic poles; “true north is geographic north”
having a legally established claim; “the legitimate heir”; “the true and lawful king”
in tune; accurate in pitch; “a true note”
accurately fitted; level; “the window frame isn’t quite true”

ADVERB

as acknowledged; “true, she is the smartest in her class”

UPSTAGE

NOUN

the rear part of the stage

VERB

treat snobbishly, put in one’s place
move upstage, forcing the other actors to turn away from the audience
steal the show, draw attention to oneself away from someone else; “When the dog entered the stage, he upstaged the actress”

ADJECTIVE

of the back half of a stage; “she crossed to the upstage chair forcing the lead to turn his back to the audience”
remote in manner; “stood apart with aloof dignity”; “a distant smile”; “he was upstage with strangers”

ADVERB

at or toward the rear of the stage; “the dancers were directed to move upstage”

WELL

NOUN

a deep hole or shaft dug or drilled to obtain water or oil or gas or brine
a cavity or vessel used to contain liquid
an abundant source; “she was a well of information”
an open shaft through the floors of a building (as for a stairway)
an enclosed compartment in a ship or plane for holding something as e.g. fish or a plane’s landing gear or for protecting something as e.g. a ship’s pumps

VERB

come up, as of a liquid; “Tears well in her eyes”; “the currents well up”

ADJECTIVE

in good health especially after having suffered illness or injury; “appears to be entirely well”; “the wound is nearly well”; “a well man”; “I think I’m well; at least I feel well”
resulting favorably; “it’s a good thing that I wasn’t there”; “it is good that you stayed”; “it is well that no one saw you”; “all’s well that ends well”
wise or advantageous and hence advisable; “it would be well to start early”

ADVERB

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (`good’ is a nonstandard dialectal variant for `well’); “the children behaved well”; “a task well done”; “the party went well”; “he slept well”; “a well-argued thesis”; “a well-seasoned dish”; “a well-planned party”; “the baby can walk pretty good”
thoroughly or completely; fully; often used as a combining form; “The problem is well understood”; “she was well informed”; “shake well before using”; “in order to avoid food poisoning be sure the meat is well cooked”; “well-done beef”, “well-satisfied customers”; “well-educated”
indicating high probability; in all likelihood; “I might well do it”; “a mistake that could easily have ended in disaster”; “you may well need your umbrella”; “he could equally well be trying to deceive us”
(used for emphasis or as an intensifier) entirely or fully; “a book well worth reading”; “was well aware of the difficulties ahead”; “suspected only too well what might be going on”
to a suitable or appropriate extent or degree; “the project was well underway”; “the fetus has well developed organs”; “his father was well pleased with his grades”
favorably; with approval; “their neighbors spoke well of them”; “he thought well of the book”
to a great extent or degree; “I’m afraid the film was well over budget”; “painting the room white made it seem considerably (or substantially) larger”; “the house has fallen considerably in value”; “the price went up substantially”
with great or especially intimate knowledge; “we knew them well”
with prudence or propriety; “You would do well to say nothing more”; “could not well refuse”
with skill or in a pleasing manner; “she dances well”; “he writes well”
in a manner affording benefit or advantage; “she married well”; “The children were settled advantageously in Seattle”
in financial comfort; “They live well”; “she has been able to live comfortably since her husband died”
without unusual distress or resentment; with good humor; “took the joke well”; “took the tragic news well”

WHOLESALE

NOUN

the selling of goods to merchants; usually in large quantities for resale to consumers

VERB

sell in large quantities

ADJECTIVE

ignoring distinctions; “sweeping generalizations”; “wholesale destruction”

ADVERB

at a wholesale price; “I can sell it to you wholesale”
on a large scale without careful discrimination; “I buy food wholesale”

WORST

NOUN

the least favorable outcome; “the worst that could happen”
the greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable; “the invaders did their worst”; “so pure of heart that his worst is another man’s best”
the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of; “it was the worst he had ever done on a test”

VERB

defeat thoroughly; “He mopped up the floor with his opponents”

ADJECTIVE

(superlative of `bad’) most wanting in quality or value or condition; “the worst player on the team”; “the worst weather of the year”

ADVERB

to the highest degree of inferiority or badness; “She suffered worst of all”; “schools were the worst hit by government spending cuts”; “the worst dressed person present”

WRONG

NOUN

that which is contrary to the principles of justice or law; “he feels that you are in the wrong”
any harm or injury resulting from a violation of a legal right

VERB

treat unjustly; do wrong to

ADJECTIVE

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth; “an incorrect calculation”; “the report in the paper is wrong”; “your information is wrong”; “the clock showed the wrong time”; “found themselves on the wrong road”; “based on the wrong assumptions”
contrary to conscience or morality or law; “it is wrong for the rich to take advantage of the poor”; “cheating is wrong”; “it is wrong to lie”
not appropriate for a purpose or occasion; “said all the wrong things”
not functioning properly; “something is amiss”; “has gone completely haywire”; “something is wrong with the engine”
based on or acting or judging in error; “it is wrong to think that way”
not in accord with established usage or procedure; “the wrong medicine”; “the wrong way to shuck clams”; “it is incorrect for a policeman to accept gifts”
used of the side of cloth or clothing intended to face inward; “socks worn wrong side out”
badly timed; “an ill-timed intervention”; “you think my intrusion unseasonable”; “an untimely remark”; “it was the wrong moment for a joke”
characterized by errors; not agreeing with a model or not following established rules; “he submitted a faulty report”; “an incorrect transcription”; the wrong side of the road”

ADVERB

in an inaccurate manner; “he decided to reveal the details only after other sources had reported them incorrectly”; “she guessed wrong”

ZIGZAG

NOUN

an angular shape characterized by sharp turns in alternating directions

VERB

travel along a zigzag path; “The river zigzags through the countryside”

ADJECTIVE

having short sharp turns or angles

ADVERB

in a zigzag course or on a zigzag path; “birds flew zigzag across the blue sky”

35 thoughts on “Words that can be either a noun, verb adjective or adverb II”

Jules

June 12, 2014 at 2:16 pm Reply

This list is great but some of them are grammatically pretty flaky. For example, bitter as an adjective or a noun is compelling and correct, but I’m pretty sure there is no real verb “to bitter” and the example for adverb of “bitterly cold” or “bitter cold” doesn’t work as cold is a noun (or adjective, or possibly even an adverb informally, but not a verb).
1. John Doyle
  
  July 12, 2019 at 1:55 pm Reply
  
  The word “pretty” can also be included.
  1. Langtech
    
    November 13, 2019 at 1:05 pm
    
    Thanks for the suggestion. I missed this one!
Andrew Ritz

July 28, 2014 at 3:10 pm Reply

Jules, thanks for your comments. The classifications are based on Wordnet and in some cases do not correspond to my intuitions about English and obviously yours. I left them there just in case our intuitions are wrong!
anitha

October 31, 2014 at 3:26 pm Reply

useful and good
NorthEastQueen

November 10, 2014 at 3:29 am Reply

What about barbecue?
samamedia2013

September 11, 2015 at 1:46 pm Reply

I like the 56 words you chose and I highlighted a lot of sentences. I appreciate your work.
T.J.

July 8, 2016 at 12:31 am Reply

Thank you so much for your arcane and wonderful list. I’m a poet, and this list answers a question I’ve silently asked for, literally, decades. Love the internet! — really love this list!
T.J.

July 8, 2016 at 6:34 pm Reply

“lead” should also be on this list: “lead diplomat,” “to lead the class,” and “take the lead.”
1. Andrew Ritz
  
  June 27, 2017 at 3:15 pm Reply
  
  I can’t find lead listed anywhere as an adverb
KFW

November 8, 2016 at 1:52 am Reply

O.K. and okay are duplicates, and so should not be counted separately. Only 55, not 56.
1. Andrew Ritz
  
  June 27, 2017 at 3:08 pm Reply
  
  56 with prompt!!!
  1. Andrew Ritz
    
    December 17, 2017 at 2:31 pm
    
    You are so right!
pjlazos

March 17, 2017 at 2:44 am Reply

I have another one: prompt! Love the list!
Are there words in the English language that have the same form (adjective, noun, verb, etc.)? - Quora

March 24, 2017 at 1:04 am Reply

[…] https: //onweb3.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/663/ […]
Marty

March 26, 2017 at 12:35 am Reply

Recently, you managed “to extend this list”, not manage. Sad to see typographical errors in a language blog!
1. Andrew Ritz
  
  June 27, 2017 at 3:07 pm Reply
  
  Thanks!
David

June 25, 2017 at 9:10 pm Reply

There is at least one more word; namely ‘prompt’.
1. Andrew Ritz
  
  June 27, 2017 at 3:07 pm Reply
  
  Thanks for that one!
Andrew Ritz

June 27, 2017 at 3:08 pm Reply

Thanks for pointing that out!
Matthew A Bennett

September 8, 2018 at 7:47 pm Reply

buffalo fits this list 🙂 the sentence Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. (so buffalo from Buffalo can buffalo other buffalo from Buffalo)
1. Langtech
  
  November 13, 2019 at 1:11 pm Reply
  
  Thanks for the suggestion.
Thomas

October 12, 2018 at 6:27 am Reply

how about “paint”
1. Langtech
  
  November 13, 2019 at 1:13 pm Reply
  
  Not sure about this one.
Rupert Larkin

October 1, 2019 at 11:07 am Reply

N: Center, Adj: center, V: to center, Adv: centrally
Aidan Phipps

April 13, 2020 at 2:32 pm Reply

Foul
1. Langtech
  
  May 17, 2020 at 11:50 am Reply
  
  Thanks, I missed that one!
  1. Matt
    
    December 10, 2020 at 6:56 pm
    
    ‘Mum’
  2. Langtech
    
    February 2, 2021 at 4:11 pm
    
    I’m not sure about to mum!
  3. Langtech
    
    February 2, 2021 at 4:12 pm
    
    Thanks but there is no noun or verb.
Katherine Stewart

October 16, 2020 at 10:16 pm Reply

What about including “sound” in this list?
1. Langtech
  
  February 2, 2021 at 4:10 pm Reply
  
  Thanks for your suggestion but I don’t think there is an adverb.
Tom Hurley

December 27, 2020 at 6:56 pm Reply

How about Open?

Truly appreciate your work.
1. Langtech
  
  February 2, 2021 at 4:09 pm Reply
  
  Thanks for your suggestion but there is no adverb as far as I can see.
  1. Jules
    
    February 2, 2021 at 5:10 pm
    
    Open serves as an adverb in “break open”.
    
    E.g. “This is the Police! Open the door or we’ll break open the door!” The Police will break (verb) the door (noun), and how will they break the door – to be open (adverb).