Pronunciation guide: IPA symbols, stress and word endings
Vowels
| iː | see | ɪ | sit | e / ɛ | bed | æ | cat |
| ɑː | father | ɒ | hot (UK) | ɔː | law | ʊ | put |
| uː | too | ʌ | cup | ɜː | bird | ə | about |
| eɪ | day | aɪ | my | ɔɪ | boy | aʊ | now |
| əʊ / oʊ | go (UK / US) | ɪə | near | eə | hair | ʊə | tour |
Consonants that look unusual
| θ | thin | ð | this | ʃ | she | ʒ | measure |
| tʃ | church | dʒ | judge | ŋ | sing | j | yes |
p b t d k g f v s z h m n l r w sound as in ordinary English spelling.
Marks
- ˈ main stress, before the stressed syllable: /ˈwɔːtə/ water · ˌ lighter (secondary) stress: /ˌʌndəˈstænd/ understand
- ː a long vowel · (r) an r said only in accents that pronounce it (most American, Scottish, Irish)
Common word endings
- -s / -es (plurals; he/she form of verbs): /s/ after voiceless sounds (cats), /z/ after voiced (dogs), /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch, j sounds (buses, watches). Spelling: -es after s, x, z, ch, sh; consonant + y → -ies (city → cities).
- -ed (past): /t/ after voiceless sounds (walked), /d/ after voiced (played), /ɪd/ after t or d (wanted). Spelling: love → loved, stop → stopped, carry → carried.
- -ing: make → making, run → running, see → seeing.
- Irregular: go, went, gone · be, was, been · see, saw, seen · man → men · child → children · mouse → mice.
- Older (King James) forms: -eth = -s (he loveth = he loves) · -est with “thou” (thou lovest) · spake = spoke.
English Dictionary · 107,383 entries · Sources & licences
Results for “a joke”
- take a joke verb(idiomatic) To accept a joke at one's expense.
- booby prize noun(idiomatic) A prize or status, often unwelcome, awarded as a joke or disincentive to the loser of a contest or for poor performance.
- bristle up verb(intransitive) To become bristly; to stand on end
- callback nounThe return of a situation to a previous position or state; a reference to such a position or state.
- chat verb, noun, interjection, proper nounTo be engaged in informal conversation.
- chestnut noun, adjective, proper noun(countable) An edible nut (technically a fruit) of the Spanish chestnut or sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa); also (chiefly preceded by…
- cod noun, adjective, verbA sea fish of the family Gadidae which are sold as "cod", as haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), and whiting (usually Merlangius merlangus).
- comic adjective, nounPertaining to comedy, as a literary genre.
- dirty joke nounA joke with a morally objectionable or obscene punchline.
- drollery nounComical quality.
- funny adjective, noun, adverbAmusing; humorous; comical.
- gag noun, verbA device to restrain speech, such as a rag in the mouth secured with tape or a rubber ball threaded onto a cord or strap.
- gammon noun, verb, adjective, proper nounA cut of quick-cured pork leg.
- gig noun, verbOriginally (music), a performing engagement by a musician or musical group; (by extension, film, television, theater) a job or role for a p…
- ha-ha interjection, noun, verbAn approximation of the sound of laughter.
- in play prepositional phraseAs a joke.
- in-joke nounSynonym of inside joke (“a joke that is understood or meant to be understood only by certain people who are aware of the details”).
- jape noun, verbA joke or quip.
- jest noun, verb(archaic, typically uncountable) An act performed for amusement; a joke.
- joke noun, verbAn amusing story.
- joker noun, proper nounA person who makes jokes.
- jokester nounA person who tells jokes; a joker.
- kid noun, verb(informal) A child, adolescent, or (loosely) a young adult.
- laugh off verb(transitive) To respond to (a negative situation) lightheartedly, as though it were a joke.
- leg-pull noun(informal) A joke, fib or tease.
- levity nounA lightness of manner or speech, frivolity; flippancy; a lack of appropriate seriousness; an inclination to make a joke of serious matters.
- meme noun, verb(originally) Any unit of (originally cultural) information, such as a practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action …
- muck about verb(informal, intransitive) To do random unplanned work or spend time idly
- non sequitur noun(narratology) Any abrupt and inexplicable transition or occurrence.
- one numeral, pronoun, noun, adjective, determiner, verb, particleThe number represented by the Arabic numeral 1; the numerical value equal to that cardinal number.
- play along verb(idiomatic) To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.
- prat noun, adjective(now Scotland) A cunning or mischievous trick; a prank, a joke.
- pun verb, noun, proper noun(transitive, obsolete) To beat; strike with force; to ram; to pound, as in a mortar; reduce to powder, to pulverize.
- punch line nounThe final part of a joke; the word, sentence, or exchange of sentences that is intended to be funny and provokes laughter from the listener…
- quad noun, adjective, verb, proper noun(letterpress typography) A blank metal block used to fill short lines of type.
- sick joke noun(informal) A joke in poor or inconsiderate taste.
- timing noun(countable, obsolete) An occurrence or event.
- too soon adverb, interjectionUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see too, soon.
- topical adjective, nounRelating to a particular topic or subject.
- topper noun, proper nounSomething that is on top.