of many words

Variant of word

word definition

word (wʉrd)

noun

    1. a speech sound, or series of them, serving to communicate meaning and consisting of at least one base morpheme with or without prefixes or suffixes; unit of language between the morpheme and the sentence
    2. a letter or group of letters representing such a unit of language, written or printed usually in solid or hyphenated form
  2. a brief expression, statement, remark, etc. a word of advice
  3. a promise, affirmation, or assurance to give a person one's word
  4. news; information; tidings no word from home; what's the good word?
    1. a password or signal
    2. a command, order, or authorization waiting for the word to go ahead
    1. talk; speech
    2. the lyrics, text, libretto, etc. of a musical composition that is sung
  7. a quarrel; dispute; argument
  8. Archaic a saying; proverb
  9. Comput. a basic unit of storage in a memory, consisting of a certain number of bits

Etymology: ME < OE, akin to Ger wort < IE *werdh- (extension of base *wer-, to speak, say) > Gr eirein, to speak, L verbum, word

transitive verb

to express in words; phrase
word Idioms

a good word

a favorable comment, or commendation

at a word

in quick response to a request or command; immediately

be as good as one's word

to live up to one's promises

break one's word

to fail to keep one's promise

hang on someone's words

to listen to someone eagerly

have a word with

to have a brief conversation with

have no words for

to be incapable of describing

have words with

to argue angrily with

in a word

in short; briefly

in so many words

exactly and plainly

man (or woman) of his (or her) word

a person who keeps his (or her) promises

of many (or few) words

talkative (or not talkative)

take someone at his word

or take someone at her word
to take someone's words literally or seriously and, often, act accordingly

take the words (right) out of someone's mouth

to say just what someone (else) was about to say

the Word

  1. Logos
  2. gospel (sense )

(upon) my word!

indeed!really!: an exclamation of surprise, irritation, etc.

word for word

in precisely the same words; exactly; verbatim

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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