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 “Bul”
- bulb noun, verbThe bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant such as a tulip, consisting of a shortened stem and many fleshy scale leaves, from which the…
- bulk noun, adjective, verbSize, specifically, volume.
- bull noun, adjective, verb, proper nounSpecifically, one that is uncastrated.
- bulge noun, verbAn object which is sticking out from a surface; a swelling, protuberant part; a bending outward, especially when caused by pressure.
- bulgy adjectiveHaving one or more bulges; bulging
- bulky adjectiveBeing large in size, mass, or volume; big, fat or muscular.
- bulla noun, proper noun(biology, medicine) A blister, vesicle, or other thin-walled cavity or lesion, as:
- bully noun, verb, adjective, interjectionA person who is intentionally physically or emotionally cruel to others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of l…
- bulbar adjectiveRelating to, or having the form of, a bulb; used especially of the medulla oblongata.
- bulbed adjectiveShaped like a bulb.
- bulbil noun(botany) A bulb-shaped bud in the place of a flower or in a leaf axil.
- bulbul nounAny of several passerine songbirds, of the family Pycnonotidae (currently, 27 genera recognized), native to Africa and Eurasia.
- bulgur nounWheat grains that have been steamed, dried, and crushed; a staple of Middle Eastern cooking.
- bullet noun, verbA projectile, usually of metal, shot from a gun at high speed.
- bulblet noun(botany) Synonym of bulbil.
- bulbous adjectiveHaving the shape of or resembling a bulb, bloated.
- bulghur nounAlternative form of bulgur (prepared wheat grains)
- bulging nounThe shape or motion of something that bulges.
- bulimia noun(pathology) A chronic eating disorder characterized by a binge-and-purge cycle: extreme overeating followed by self-induced vomiting.
- bulimic adjective, nounSuffering from bulimia nervosa.
- bullace nounA small European plum (Prunus interstitia, syn. Prunus domestica subsp. insititia).
- bullate adjective, noun(medicine) Resembling a bulla or blister; inflated; blistered; bulliform.
- bullbat nounA New World bird, common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor).
- bulldog noun, verb, proper nounA breed of dog developed in England by the crossing of the bullbaiting dog and the Pug to produce a ladies' companion dog, having a very sm…
- bullion noun, proper nounA bulk quantity of precious metal, usually gold or silver, assessed by weight and typically cast as ingots.
- bullish adjectiveHaving a muscular physique, built ‘like a bull’.
- bullock noun, verb, proper noun(archaic) A young bull.
- bullpen nounAn enclosed area used to hold bulls.
- bulrush noun(biblical) A plant referred to in the story of Moses as growing along the banks of the Nile, which is believed to be the papyrus (Cyperus p…
- bulwark noun, verbA defensive wall or rampart.
- Bulawayo proper nounThe second-largest city in Zimbabwe.
- bulblike adjectiveResembling a bulb.
- Bulgaria proper nounA country in Southeastern Europe. Official name: Republic of Bulgaria. Capital and largest city: Sofia.
- bulkhead noun(nautical) A vertical partition dividing the hull into separate compartments; often made watertight to prevent excessive flooding if the sh…
- bull run noun, proper noun(bullfighting) An event in which people run with bulls in the streets.
- bulldoze verbTo destroy with a bulldozer.
- bulletin noun, verb, interjectionA short report, especially one released through official channels to be immediately broadcast or publicized.
- bullfrog noun, proper nounAny of various frogs having a croak that resembles the bellow of a cow or bull.
- bullhead noun(Canada, US) The black bullhead, Ameiurus melas.
- bullhorn noun(chiefly US) A megaphone which electronically amplifies a person’s natural voice.
- bullnose noun(construction) A rounded ceramic trim, especially in masonry and ceramic tile.
- bullocky noun(Australia and New Zealand colloquial, now historical) A person (usually a man) who drives a cart pulled by a team of bullocks.
- bullring nounAlternative form of bull ring (“area where a bullfight takes place”).
- bullrush noun, verb(colloquial) A headlong rush into something, heedless of danger.
- bullshit noun, adjective, verb, interjection(vulgar, literally) Feces produced by a bull.
- bullshot nounA cocktail made from vodka and beef bouillon.
- bullyboy nounAlternative form of bully boy.
- bullying nounAn act of intimidating a person to do something, especially such repeated coercion.
- bullyrag verb(transitive) To harass, badger, taunt, or abuse verbally.
- bulnesia nounpalo santo