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 touch”
- collywobbles nounA stomach ache or an upset stomach.
- continuum nounA continuous series or whole, no part of which is noticeably different from its adjacent parts, although the ends or extremes of it are ver…
- conversion nounThe act of converting something or someone.
- extra point noun(American football) A point scored after a touchdown by kicking the ball through the goal posts or by advancing to the end zone.
- field goal noun(American football, Canadian football) A kick of the ball through the uprights and over the crossbar (not after a touchdown). It scores 3 p…
- flick noun, verb, proper nounA short, quick movement, especially a brush, sweep, or flip.
- gesture noun, verbA motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech.
- handling nounA touching, controlling, managing, using, taking care of, etc., with the hand or hands, or as with the hands.
- kiss verb, noun, proper noun(transitive) To touch with the lips or press the lips against, usually to show love or affection or passion, or as part of a greeting.
- madison noun, proper noun(cycle racing) A track cycling relay race in which team members take turns while racing round the track for the largest number of laps, and…
- major adjective, noun, verb, proper nounGreater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.
- octopus noun, verb(countable, loosely) Any of several marine molluscs of the order Octopoda, having no internal or external protective shell or bone (unlike …
- six numeral, noun, proper nounA numerical value equal to 6; the number following five and preceding seven. This number of dots: (••••••).
- slate noun, adjective, verb, proper nounA piece of such stone, usually cut into a rectangular shape, used as a tile for flooring, roofing, etc.; (uncountable) such tiles collectiv…
- stricture noun(usually in the plural) A rule restricting behaviour or action.
- stylus noun(writing) An ancient writing implement consisting of a small rod with a pointed end for scratching letters on clay, wax-covered tablets or …
- swipe verb, noun(intransitive) To grab or bat quickly.
- tincture noun, verb(obsolete) A pigment or other substance that colours or dyes; specifically, a pigment used as a cosmetic. [15th–19th c.]
- touch verb, noun(transitive) To make physical contact with; to bring the hand, finger or other part of the body into contact with.
- touch down verb(aviation) To land an aircraft or spacecraft.
- touch-typist nounA person who can type on a keyboard, of a computer or typewriter, without looking; normally using all ten fingers.
- toucher nounOne who touches.
- touchily adverbIn a touchy manner.
- touching adjective, preposition, nounProvoking sadness and pity; that can cause sadness or heartbreak among witnesses to a sad event or situation.
- touchingly adverbIn a touching manner.
- try verb, noun, adjectiveTo attempt; to endeavour. Followed by infinitive.