used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
AdamnounUS /ˈædəm/
(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology; the first man and the husband of Eve and the progenitor of the human race
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
definitionnounUS /ˌdefəˈnɪʃən/
a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
drownedverbUS /draʊnd/
past form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
existsverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪsts/
third-person singular of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
FrenchmannounUS /ˈfrentʃmæn/
a person of French nationality
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
mother-in-lawnounUS /ˈmʌðərɪnlɔː/
the mother of your spouse
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
MOTHERS-IN-LAWnounUS /ˈmʌðərzɪnlɔː/
plural of “mother-in-law” — the mother of your spouse
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
not any; not one
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
on one occasion
From this reading I once heard a Frenchman give the following definition of the difference that exists between an accident and a misfortune.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
express in words
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
hit with a missile from a weapon
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
spoilverbUS /spɔɪl/
make a mess of, destroy or ruin
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
express a supposition
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Adam, they say, must have been a happy man: he had no mother-in-law.
a special situation
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading If she should fall into the water and be drowned, it is an accident; if she fall into the water and be pulled out alive, it is a misfortune.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
in the company of; together with
From this reading ON MOTHERS-IN-LAW How to deal with them--Difference between a misfortune and an accident--'That will spoil the whole thing'--Shoot her!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Suppose you walk along the bank of a river in the company of your mother-in-law.
