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 “at play”
- arginine nounAn amino acid found in animal foods that plays an important role in several physiological processes.
- at work prepositional phraseUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see at, work. At one's workplace.
- B vitamin nounAny of a class of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism and synthesis of red blood cells.
- ball noun, verb, interjection, proper nounA solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
- bandy verb, adjective, noun, proper noun(transitive) To give and receive reciprocally; to exchange.
- bass adjective, noun, verb, proper nounOf sound, a voice or an instrument, low in pitch or frequency.
- CD player noun(consumer electronics) An electronic device that plays compact discs.
- chess player nounA human or computer that plays the game of chess.
- conference noun, verbThe act of consulting together formally; serious conversation or discussion; interchange of views.
- cutthroat noun, adjectiveA murderer who slits the throats of victims.
- get onto verbTo contact a person or organisation about a particular matter.
- immunoglobulin A noun(immunology) An antibody that plays a crucial role in the immune function of mucous membranes.
- in play prepositional phraseAs a joke.
- interested adjectiveHaving or showing interest (attention or curiosity).
- jazz band noun(music, jazz) A musical band that plays jazz music.
- jukebox noun, verbA coin-operated machine that plays recorded music, with push-buttons to make selections.
- king noun, verb, proper noun(countable) A male monarch; a man who heads a monarchy; in an absolute monarchy, the supreme ruler of his nation.
- lap noun, verbThe loose part of a coat; the lower part of a garment that plays loosely; a skirt; an apron.
- leukocyte noun(hematology, cytology, immunology) Any of a class of blood cells that play various roles in cell-mediated immunity.
- mariachi adjective, nounOf or pertaining to a traditional form of Mexican music, either sung or purely instrumental.
- minor league noun, adjectiveAn association of sports teams that plays at a level below the major leagues of a sport.
- mischief noun, verb(uncountable) Conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance.
- musical box noun(music) Any of various devices that play tunes by means of pins, on a rotating disk or revolving drum, that strike or pluck metal teeth; a …
- odd man out nounA street or public-house game with three or more players, where each tosses a coin, and if only one player gets heads or tails, that player…
- outfielder noun(cricket, baseball) A player that plays in the outfield, which is the outer portion of the field.
- play verb, noun, proper noun(intransitive) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
- player noun, proper nounOne who plays any game or sport.
- process noun, verbA series of events leading to a result or product.
- rabbit noun, verb, proper nounA mammal of most genera of the family Leporidae, with long ears, long hind legs and a short, fluffy tail. (Those of the larger kind are ins…
- sandlot nounA vacant lot where children play.
- substantia nigra noun(anatomy) A brain structure located in the mesencephalon (midbrain) that plays an important role in reward, addiction, and movement, damage…
- techno noun(music) A repetitive style of music originally produced for use in a continuous DJ set. The central rhythmic component is most often in com…
- vibist noun(US, slang) A vibraphone player; someone that plays the vibraphone.
- victrola nounAny upright or console model phonograph from the early 1900s, usually with a wooden cabinet body and an interior horn for the projection of…
- wedding band noun(music) A band that plays wedding gigs.