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 “to fail”
- abdicate verb(transitive, obsolete) To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
- assert verb, nounTo declare with assurance or plainly and strongly; to state positively.
- backfire noun, verbA premature explosion in the cylinder of a gas or oil engine during the exhaust or the compression stroke, tending to drive the piston in t…
- bail noun, verb, proper noun(countable, uncountable) Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person's …
- barf noun, verb, interjection(US, colloquial) Vomit.
- beef noun, verb, adjective(uncountable) The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults.
- blow up verbUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see blow, up.
- bollocks noun, verb, interjectionThe testicles.
- bollocks up verb(UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Commonwealth, vulgar, slang) To fail to do correctly; to make a mess of.
- bolo noun, verb, proper nounA long, heavy, single-edged machete.
- bomb noun, verb, adjectiveAn explosive device used or intended as a weapon, especially, one dropped from an aircraft.
- bomb out verb(intransitive, idiomatic) To fail; to produce no or very poor results; to drop out of or be eliminated from a competition.
- bounce verb, noun(intransitive) To change the direction of motion after hitting an obstacle.
- break down verb(intransitive, of a machine, computer, vehicle, etc.) To stop functioning.
- brickle verb(Canada, dialect) To fail spectacularly.
- bulletproof adjective, verb, noun(of a material) Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.
- bunk noun, verb, adjective, proper nounOne of a series of berths or beds placed in tiers.
- burn off verb(intransitive) To dissipate as the result of heat.
- cease verb, noun, proper noun(formal, intransitive) To stop.
- clash noun, verb(onomatopoeia) A loud sound, like the crashing together of metal objects; a crash.
- collapse verb, noun(intransitive) To break apart and fall down suddenly; to cave in.
- conflate verb, adjective, nounTo combine or mix together.
- confound verb, nounTo perplex or puzzle.
- conk noun, verbThe shelf- or bracket-shaped fruiting body of a bracket fungus (also called a shelf fungus), i.e. a mushroom growing off a tree trunk.
- contravene verb(transitive) To act contrary to an order; to fail to conform to a regulation or obligation.
- crawl verb, noun(intransitive) To move by dragging one's body along or close to a surface, like a worm or insect, or on one's hands and knees, like a human…
- cut away verb(recorded media) To fail to show something; to stop before showing something; to leave a scene; to switch to a different scene quickly.
- dead duck noun(idiomatic) One who is in serious danger or trouble.
- decay noun, verb(biology) Rot; any processes or result of organic matter being gradually decomposed, especially by microbial action.
- default noun, verb(finance) The condition of failing to meet an obligation.
- disaccord noun, verbThe absence or reverse of accord.
- disagree verb(intransitive) To fail to agree; to have a different opinion or belief.
- disappoint verb(transitive) To sadden or displease (someone) by underperforming, or by not delivering something promised or hoped for.
- discord noun, verb, proper nounLack of concord, agreement, harmony; disaccord.
- displease verb(transitive) To make not pleased; to cause a feeling of disapprobation or dislike in; to be disagreeable to; to vex slightly.
- dissatisfy verbTo fail to satisfy; to displease.
- draw a blank verb(idiomatic) To be unable to recall a required piece of information.
- drop behind verb(transitive or intransitive) To suddenly do worse than others; to become out-of-date or to fail to keep up with others.
- drop the ball verb(idiomatic) To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very ne…
- dysfunction noun, verb(chiefly medicine) A failure to function in an expected or complete manner. Usually refers to a disorder in a bodily organ (e.g. erectile d…