Chapter V · Static Electricity

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

gotten through environmental forces

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

an administrative unit of government

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

a deep yellow color

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

-ing form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)

From this reading The use of amber begins with the dawn of civilization.

plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

plural of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)

From this reading The use of amber begins with the dawn of civilization.

the first light of day

From this reading The use of amber begins with the dawn of civilization.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

remove the dust from

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

a physical phenomenon associated with stationary or moving electrons and protons

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Amber was the first substance found to possess this property.

a soft light woolen fabric; used for clothing

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

at a previous time

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

set up or found

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

and nothing more

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

(physics) a device that attracts iron and produces a magnetic field

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

come together

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

of an obscure nature

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

as follows

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

above and across; more than

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

a separate part of a whole

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

possession of controlling influence

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

bring forth or yield

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

a long thin implement made of metal or wood

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

move over something with pressure

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists

From this reading Amber was the first substance found to possess this property.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

carry out

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

the act of using

From this reading The use of amber begins with the dawn of civilization.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Amber was the first substance found to possess this property.

look attentively

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Hold such a rod over some small bits of paper and watch them jump up to meet it, just as if the glass rod were a magnet attracting small pieces of iron instead of paper.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

in the company of; together with

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading The agency at work to produce this mysterious power is called _electricity_, from the Greek word "Elektron," which means _amber_.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you take a glass rod and rub it with a piece of flannel or silk, it will be found to have acquired a property which it did not formerly possess: namely, the power of attracting to itself such light bodies as dust or bits of thread and paper.