Search results for 'tag:Synonyms tag:Pronunciation' matching tags 'Synonyms' and 'Pronunciation'

Re: I Want To Be Fluent English Speaker How Please?

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:58:38 GMT

Hello to all,

I believe that to learn English depends of the interest of individual and depending of the English knowledge you wanted to learn. like for instance, if you want to speak English all you have to do is to listen very carefully to some tools such as CD, DVD, tapes etc. either audio or video, any kinds of topics as long as educational and knowledgeable and while you are listening just follow and speak what they are talking this is a training of the tongue or tongue twisting trying to develop proper accent, pronunciation, intonation etc, if any words you donât understand have your dictionary besides you and open it. next step just prepare any topics as guidelines [ prepare the main topics, sub topics and conclusion] prolong, elongate and expound the topics you wanted to discuss make it in English version at first you might have the difficulty to speak but try and try until your English would connect and connect at this point your trying to bridge the gap. What is needed in English is that at least you have many words to know {synonym and antonyms} is what i mean.

The basic training of English is that you have to speak English by any topics. I understand that for a person who lived {not speaking country have the difficulty to speak English} on my behalf, English education must start first on basic like for instance if you need English conversation find a person who could talk with you English, or else speak and talk English with yourself even if someone listening at you and say something you are a fool forget it. What is needed is you learn something and speak English. if you have the difficulty to write English just read books literatures etc at this point you can get many ideas and your vocabulary broadens, watch the period, punctuation, commas, etc, if you are not a good English listener try to listen English teachings, news whatever that could improve your English, the four pillars of English are: reading. Speaking, writing and listening, if you have this all then you can speak English although not fluent as what others did but at least you can communicate via reading, writing, listening and speak. Fluent English would follow donât give up keep trying until success.

I am a Filipino not an English speaker, writer, etc but in terms of communication i could communicate. For to me to learn English depends on individual. If we have the basic then we have to improve, have the desire, act on it, and apply no need a tutor individual interest is vital here. Donât be shy to speak English if the English is crooked and someone laughs at you accept it consider yourself that you are not an English person, perhaps the person who laughs at you donât know how to speak English and even to communicate with. Thereâs a saying goes: a noisy person have little knowledge than a silent one. in this world what is important is communication regardless of races, nationality and religion. a crooked English is better than nothing, a crooked or a carabao English has the opportunity to become fluent rather than nothing. but if you have nothing at all nobody blames except yourself, your making your own fate and destiny donât blame your parents and the government its your own decision for what you are now, your right decision now will be your future someday but if you donât plan or decision today do you think you have something to expect in the future. To speak English needs perseverance, long patience and determination to reach the goal this is fundamental requirements. people who cannot speak English has less opportunity to go abroad particularly in the open country, and thatâs the reason why I wanted to learn English even basic for this is my only tool to go to other countries if opportunities permit.

From Philippines,

Rene

Re: "i have been cheated on."

Grammar Geek — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:52:45 GMT

Most dictionaries should tell you whether it's transitive or intransitive, but the good online ones surely do.

Here is the entire section from the online www.m-w.com first entry for cheat:

Main Entry: ¹cheat
Pronunciation: 'chEt
Function: verb
Etymology: ²cheat
transitive verb
1 : to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud
2 : to influence or lead by deceit, trick, or artifice
3 : to elude or thwart by or as if by outwitting <cheat death>
intransitive verb
1 a : to practice fraud or trickery b : to violate rules dishonestly <cheat at cards> <cheating on a test>
2 : to be sexually unfaithful -- usually used with on <was cheating on his wife>
3 : to position oneself defensively near a particular area in anticipation of a play in that area <the shortstop was cheating toward second base>
- cheatÂ·er noun
synonyms CHEAT, COZEN, DEFRAUD, SWINDLE mean to get something by dishonesty or deception. CHEAT suggests using trickery that escapes observation <cheated me out of a dollar>. COZEN implies artful persuading or flattering to attain a thing or a purpose <always able to cozen her grandfather out of a few dollars>. DEFRAUD stresses depriving one of his or her rights and usually connotes deliberate perversion of the truth <defrauded of her inheritance by an unscrupulous lawyer>. SWINDLE implies large-scale cheating by misrepresentation or abuse of confidence <swindled of their savings by con artists>.

a couple of questions

Chevy Bel Air 01 — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:14:36 GMT

Why are the fat written words wrong?

Firstly, I want to enlarge upon the common reason. = to elaborate

On the morrow day=The following day

There are lots of worthless and baseless cruel murders. = groundless

Both of the main characters= the two main characters

Lead led led= this leads to another problems.

See sentences in red!

SYLLABICATION:

enÂ·large

PRONUNCIATION:

hapes="_x0000_i1035" border="0" height="21" width="13"> hapes="_x0000_i1036" align="absbottom" border="0" height="15" width="7">n-lÃ¤rj hapes="_x0000_i1037" align="absbottom" border="0" height="22" width="4">

VERB:

Inflected forms: enÂ·larged, enÂ·largÂ·ing, enÂ·largÂ·es

TRANSITIVE VERB:

1. To make larger; add to. 2. To give greater scope to; expand. See synonyms at increase.

INTRANSITIVE VERB:

1. To become larger; grow. 2. To speak or write at greater length or in greater detail; elaborate: enlarged upon the plan.

ETYMOLOGY:

Middle English enlargen, from Old French enlargier : en-, causative pref.; see enâ¹ + large, large; see large.

OTHER FORMS:

enÂ·larg hapes="_x0000_i1038" align="absbottom" border="0" height="22" width="4">er âNOUN

SYLLABICATION:morÂ·row

PRONUNCIATION: hapes="_x0000_i1025" border="0" height="21" width="13"> mÃ´r hapes="_x0000_i1026" align="absbottom" border="0" height="22" width="4"> hapes="_x0000_i1027" align="absbottom" border="0" height="14" width="6">, m hapes="_x0000_i1028" align="absbottom" border="0" height="15" width="7">r hapes="_x0000_i1029" align="absbottom" border="0" height="22" width="4"> hapes="_x0000_i1030" align="absbottom" border="0" height="14" width="6">

NOUN:1. The following day: resolved to set out on the morrow. 2. The time immediately subsequent to a particular event. 3. Archaic The morning.

ETYMOLOGY: Middle English morwe, morow, variant of morwen, from Old English morgen, morning.

SYLLABICATION:baseÂ·less

PRONUNCIATION: hapes="_x0000_i1031" border="0" height="21" width="13"> b hapes="_x0000_i1032" align="absbottom" border="0" height="15" width="7">s hapes="_x0000_i1033" align="absbottom" border="0" height="22" width="4">l hapes="_x0000_i1034" align="absbottom" border="0" height="15" width="7">s

ADJECTIVE: Having no basis or foundation in fact; unfounded.

SYNONYMS:baseless, groundless, idle, unfounded, unwarranted These adjectives mean being without a basis or foundation in fact: a baseless accusation; groundless rumors; idle gossip; unfounded suspicions; unwarranted jealousy.

From a book

S.6 âWho is this murderer who vexes me so? Why has he killed me in such a surprising way? Be curious and mindful of theses matters. You say the world is full of base and worthless criminals?â

sincerly,

Cevy Bel Air 01

Re: Communicative English

Titithi — Wed, 16 May 2007 16:02:50 GMT

I think Communicative approach has a relation with other methods. When I began to learn English, my teacher used to explain vocabulary and grammar from a text, then we mimick her to read it. Before teaching, she had an introduction which was very interesting. She had a good accent of a speaker of the BBC. One day, I noticed that she pronounced /f/ in Athens in the title: The Acropolis of Athens.I asked her the reason,she answered me:" Today, people pronounce like this". In that day, I don't know anything about Received pronunciation, Cokneys accent etc.. I thought she read so fast that she made mistake. It's OK. I went on to mimick her but I avoided this mistake.
When I was a teacher, I used to introduce the dialogue by comparing to our real-life. For example: Can I help you? I conveyed to my students:What do you want to buy? You should be nice! Don't chase away your customer:" If you don't buy anything, go away!" It's very rude. You need to show all pens that you have had. What would you like the red pen or the blue one?I show the red pen: It's a little too bright but it's very beautiful. The girl chooses the blue pen: It's very nice, I'll take it. Pictures, gestures, real objects, explanation in simple English, antonym, synonym,family words...It's up to you. The most important thing is your students should understand. After listening the tape many times, we play the role of Mary and the shop assistant by pair work. Sometimes, we divide our class into four groups, the most fluently speakers will etablish the dialogue in front of the class. Pair work and group work play an important role in communicative approach. Any teaching practice that help students to develop their communicative competence is acceptable. Mr Joe has just given us some examples about them.
In our new programme (with the aid of Belgian experts), we should use communicative approach method to teach. If you follow entirely all of the lessons., it means you have used TLC in your class. One thing I like most is the introduction, getting started.Usually, we begin our lesson by the warm -up step. You can direct your students to sing, to play games or to do some easy and interesting exercises to introduce your new lesson such as true-false, matching, gap-fill, multiple choice....and it doesn't need to correct them. There is a mixing of the3 steps warm -up, review the previous lesson and introduce the new lesson. When playing games or doing these exercises, we should do in pair or group in order learning by teaching and use English to exchange. We should encourage our students to speak English. If the teacher doesn't understand what the students say,don't tell them at once. We need to pretend that we don't know anything and react like the wrong that students say. They will conclude there is something wrong. Mistake is OK. That's the best way to encourage learners to develop their confidence to speak English.

Re: keen (adj)

Marius Hancu — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 13:46:38 GMT

Van Khanh wrote:
Hi all,

keen to do sg = champing at the bits to start doing something

champing at the bit (= chomping at the bit =to be eager to do sth), not champing at the bits

They're synonyms in this case:
-----------

chomp

Pronunciation:chÃ¤mp, chmp

Function:verb
Etymology:alteration of champ

transitive verb : to chew or bite on : CHAMP
intransitive verb : to chew or bite on something

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com
-------------------
champ

intransitive verb

1 : to make biting or gnashing movements or gestures : BITE <a race horse champing behind a barrier -- Upton Sinclair> <little caterpillars ... champing on leaves -- Peggy Bennett>

2 : to show restive impatience of delay or restraint <for years industrial phychologists had been champing to apply scientific methods -- W.H.Whyte>

- champ at the bit or champ the bit 1 of a horse : to bite or gnash a bit in unruliness or impatience <the mustang snorted and champed the bit ... ready to bolt -- Zane Grey> 2 : to be impatient of restraint or inactivity <Gaul may champ the bit and foam in fetters -- Lord Byron>

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com
------------

Re: self-dejection

Marius Hancu — Sun, 07 May 2006 19:56:35 GMT

I don't think there is and this is the reason:

Main Entry:deÂ·jecÂ·tion
Pronunciation:djekshn, d-
Function:noun
Inflected Form(s):-s
Etymology:Middle English dejeccioun, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin dejection-, dejectio act of lowering or pulling down, abject condition, humiliation, from Latin, purging, ejection, degradation, from dejectus + -ion-, -io -ion
1 obsolete a : the act of lowering or the condition of being lowered in rank, estate, or circumstances : ABASEMENT, HUMILIATION b : a lowering of strength : diminution especially of appetite
2 : lowness of spirits : DEPRESSION, MELANCHOLY <slumped down on the wall, the picture of dejection -- O.E.RÃ¶lvaag>
3 [probably from French, from Middle French, from Latin] a : DEFECATION b : ***, EXCREMENT
synonym see SADNESS
M-W unabridged

As you can see the current usage is mostly related to depression, and I don't think you can say self-depression

However, in some of the obsolete definitions such as ABASEMENT, you can have that, but not with dejection directly:

Main Entry:self-abasement
Pronunciation:||
Function:noun
: a humiliation of oneself based on feelings of inferiority, guilt, or shame <continual ups and downs of rapture and depression, arrogance and self-abasement -- Edith Wharton>

Re: Concept, conception, conceit

Grammar Geek — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 22:02:34 GMT

Have you looked them up in the dictionary?

http://www.m-w.com/

Main Entry: conÂ·cept
Pronunciation: 'kÃ¤n-"sept
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin conceptum, neuter of conceptus, past participle of concipere to conceive -- more at CONCEIVE
1 : something conceived in the mind : THOUGHT, NOTION
2 : an abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances
synonym see IDEA

Main Entry: conÂ·cepÂ·tion
Pronunciation: k&n-'sep-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English concepcioun, from Old French conception, from Latin conception-, conceptio, from concipere

1 a (1) : the process of becoming pregnant involving fertilization or implantation or both (2) : EMBRYO, FETUS b : BEGINNING <joy had the like conception in our eyes -- Shakespeare>
2 a : the capacity, function, or process of forming or understanding ideas or abstractions or their symbols b : a general idea : CONCEPT c : a complex product of abstract or reflective thinking d : the sum of a person's ideas and beliefs concerning something
3 : the originating of something in the mind
synonym see IDEA

****

But really, you could have done that

Main Entry: ¹conÂ·ceit
Pronunciation: k&n-'sEt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from conceiven
1 a (1) : a result of mental activity : THOUGHT (2) : individual opinion b : favorable opinion; especially : excessive appreciation of one's own worth or virtue
2 : a fancy article
3 a : a fanciful idea b : an elaborate or strained metaphor c : use or presence of such conceits in poetry d : an organizing theme or concept <found his conceit for the film early -- Peter Wilkinson>

Definition of Dogmatic - Can it apply to a person's tone of speech?

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 03:48:09 GMT

Can tone of speech, words, etc. of a person be characterized as dogmatic? If so, what is the reasoning behind your answer?

I have a friend who informed me today that tone can not be characterized as dogmatic because "dogmatic refers to principles or written rules and not people or their traits etc" and that " using it (the word dogmatic) as an adjective is possible
BUT not to refer to tone"

I disagree, but am at a loss as to why I feel I'm right besides that:

Tone
3. general quality: the general quality or character of something as an indicator of the attitude or view of the person who produced it: the optimistic tone of the report
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featur...fid=1861720787

Tone
The writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject, the audience, or herself or himself; the emotional coloring,or emotional meaning, of a work.
http://www.hearts-ease.org/cgi-bin/t...brary&letter=t

And if dogmatic means (according to dictionary.com) -

dogÂ·matÂ·ic ( P Pronunciation Key (dÃ´g-mtk, dg-)
adj.

Relating to, characteristic of, or resulting from dogma.
Characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproved or unprovable principles. See Synonyms at dictatorial

and then going to the synonym dictatorial, I am given...

dicÂ·taÂ·toÂ·riÂ·al ( P Pronunciation Key (dkt-tÃ´r-l, -tr-)
adj.

Tending to dictate; domineering.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of a dictator or dictatorship; autocratic.

dictaÂ·toriÂ·alÂ·ly adv.

Synonyms: dictatorial, authoritarian, dogmatic, doctrinaire, imperious, overbearing
These adjectives mean asserting or tending to assert one's authority or to impose one's will on others. Dictatorial stresses the highhanded, peremptory manner characteristic of a dictator: ordered the staff about in her usual dictatorial manner. Authoritarian implies the expectation of unquestioning obedience: the timid child of authoritarian parents. Dogmatic suggests the imposing of one's will or opinion as though these were beyond challenge: âWhen people are least sure, they are often most dogmaticâ (John Kenneth Galbraith). Doctrinaire implies the imposition of one's theories, beliefs, or doctrines: âThey didn't know the facts... and I don't think it would've mattered in the slightest if they had. Very doctrinaireâ (George V. Higgins). Imperious suggests the arrogant manner of one accustomed to commanding: dismissed my opinion with an imperious gesture. Overbearing implies a tendency to be oppressively or rudely domineering: an overbearing customer demanding to see the manager.

It would appear to me that someone through the tone of their words, speech, etc can be characterized as dogmatic. But hey, I could surely be wrong, so if someone has an answer to this, any comments would be greatly appreciated!!

Re: Adjectives ending in ly

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 02:50:51 GMT

i've recently encountered an interesting quandary that has been driving me up the wall ever since i started trying to solve it.

the word "cowardly": what is it? all the dictionaries say it is an adjective AND an adverb, but all evidence points to only adjective. A few examples:

to act cowardly is correct, but in that case "cowardly" is a predicate adjective. it's describing you, by way of the linking verb "act"
to run cowardly is wrong, so it can't be used as an adjective in the direct sense.

take the synonym of cowardly, pusillanimous, and put it in the same sentences
to act pusillanimous- "pusillanimous" is obviously not an adverb. it is not in any use.
to run pusillanimous- this is wrong as well

same with any other -ly adjective. take friendly, for instance. you can act friendly, but you can't shake someone's hand friendly. you can't greet someone friendly. friendly is obviously not an adverb.
why, then, is cowardly an adverb? according to merriam-webster online :
Main Entry: ¹cowÂ·ardÂ·ly
Pronunciation: -lE
Function: adverb
: in a cowardly manner

THERE IS NO VERB IN THAT EXAMPLE. how can an adverb modify a verb that isn't there? that example right there is enough to put me off merriam-webster for life.

Re: Which is the best desk dictionary?

Bismarck — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 05:05:19 GMT

If you're not a native English speaker, I suggest you get one of these:

LONGMAN ADVANCED AMERICAN DICTIONARY ( with CD-ROM ) -- American English

LONGMAN DICTIONARY OF CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH ( with CD-ROM ) -- British English

I have collections of dictionaries (more than 100), and I find the most accurate on what I want, for they also have useful notes on usage (social use of a word, difference between synonyms, culture and grammar notes).

And also try these free online dictionaries at:

www.dictionary.com (unabridged dictionary)

www.yourdictionary.com (there are also a lot of technical dictionaries)

http://dictionary.msn.com (with audio pronunciation)