View synonyms for the

the

[ stressed thee; unstressed before a consonant thuh; unstressed before a vowel thee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

definite article

(used, especially before a noun, with a specifying or particularizing effect, as opposed to the indefinite or generalizing force of the indefinite article a or an ):
the book you gave me; Come into the house.
(used to mark a proper noun, natural phenomenon, ship, building, time, point of the compass, branch of endeavor, or field of study as something well-known or unique):
the sun; the Alps; the Queen Elizabeth; the past; the West.
(used with or as part of a title):
the Duke of Wellington; the Reverend John Smith.
(used to mark a noun as indicating the best-known, most approved, most important, most satisfying, etc.):
the skiing center of the U.S.; If you're going to work hard, now is the time.
(used to mark a noun as being used generically):
The dog is a quadruped.
(used in place of a possessive pronoun, to note a part of the body or a personal belonging):
He won't be able to play football until the leg mends.
(used before adjectives that are used substantively, to note an individual, a class or number of individuals, or an abstract idea):
to visit the sick; from the sublime to the ridiculous.
(used before a modifying adjective to specify or limit its modifying effect):
He took the wrong road and drove miles out of his way.
(used to indicate one particular decade of a lifetime or of a century):
the sixties; the Gay Nineties.
(one of many of a class or type, as of a manufactured item, as opposed to an individual one):
Did you listen to the radio last night?
enough:
He saved until he had the money for a new car.
She didn't have the courage to leave.
(used distributively, to note any one separately) for, to, or in each; a or an:
at one dollar the pound.

the

[ before a consonant thuh; before a vowel thee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adverb

(used to modify an adjective or adverb in the comparative degree and to signify “in or by that,” “on that account,” “in or by so much,” or “in some or any degree”):
He's been on vacation and looks the better for it.
(used in correlative constructions to modify an adjective or adverb in the comparative degree, in one instance with relative force and in the other with demonstrative force, and signifying “by how much … by so much” or “in what degree … in that degree”):
the more the merrier; The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

the-

variant of theo- before a vowel:
thearchy.

the-

combining_form

See theo-
a variant of theo-

the

/ ðə; ðɪ /

adverb

often foll by for used before comparative adjectives or adverbs for emphasis
she looks the happier for her trip
used correlatively before each of two comparative adjectives or adverbs to indicate equality
the sooner you come, the better
the more I see you, the more I love you

the

/ ðɪ; ðiː; ðə /

determiner

See a
used preceding a noun that has been previously specified Compare a 1
the man then opened the door
the pain should disappear soon
See a
used with a qualifying word or phrase to indicate a particular person, object, etc, as distinct from others Compare a 1
give me the blue one
ask the man standing outside
used preceding certain nouns associated with one's culture, society, or community
to go to the doctor
watch the television
listen to the news
used preceding present participles and adjectives when they function as nouns
the dead salute you
the singing is awful
used preceding titles and certain uniquely specific or proper nouns, such as place names
the Chairman
the Honourable Edward Brown
the moon
the United States
used preceding a qualifying adjective or noun in certain names or titles
William the Conqueror
Edward the First
used preceding a noun to make it refer to its class generically
the white seal is hunted for its fur
to play the piano
this is good for the throat
used instead of my, your, her, etc, with parts of the body
take me by the hand
usually stressed the best, only, or most remarkable
Harry's is the club in this town
used with proper nouns when qualified
written by the young Hardy
another word for per, esp with nouns or noun phrases of cost
fifty pence the pound
facetious.
my; our
the wife goes out on Thursdays
used preceding a unit of time in phrases or titles indicating an outstanding person, event, etc
player of the year
match of the day

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Pronunciation Note

As shown above, the pronunciation of the definite article the changes, primarily depending on whether the following sound is a consonant or a vowel. Before a consonant sound the pronunciation is [th, uh]: the book, the mountain [th, uh, -book, th, uh, -, moun, -tn]. Before a vowel sound it is usually [th, ee], sometimes [th, i]: the apple, the end [th, ee, or, th, i-, ap, -, uh, l, th, ee, or, th, i-end]. As an emphatic form (“I didn't say a book—I said the book.”) or a citation form (“The word the is a definite article.”), the usual pronunciation is [th, ee], although in both of these uses of the stressed form, [th, ee] is often replaced by [th, uh], especially among younger speakers.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of the¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English, uninflected stem of the demonstrative pronoun; that none

Origin of the²

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English thē, thȳ, instrumental case of demonstrative pronoun; that, lest

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Word History and Origins

Origin of the¹

Old English thī, thӯ, instrumental case of the ¹and that ; related to Old Norse thī, Gothic thei

Origin of the²

Middle English, from Old English thē, a demonstrative adjective that later superseded sē (masculine singular) and sēo, sio (feminine singular); related to Old Frisian thi, thiu, Old High German der, diu

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Example Sentences

France 24 is providing live, round-the-clock coverage of both scenes as they progress.

From The Daily Beast

Sands was involved in a scandalous-for-the-time romance with the carpenter and there were rumors she was pregnant with his child.

From The Daily Beast

Three on-the-record stories from a family: a mother and her daughters who came from Phoenix.

From The Daily Beast

The Dallas Cowboys sell out their state-of-the art football stadium.

From The Daily Beast

The Daily Beast spoke to a jubilant League on Tuesday about the behind-the-scenes battle to get The Interview to movie theaters.

From The Daily Beast

Sleek finds it far harder work than fortune-making; but he pursues his Will-o'-the-Wisp with untiring energy.

From Project Gutenberg

You never know when you are going to stumble upon a jewel in the most out-of-the-way corner.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Slocum was not educated in a university, and his life has been in by-paths, and out-of-the-way places.

From Project Gutenberg

I drew back from the rim of Writing-On-the-Stone, that set of whispered phrases echoing in my ears.

From Project Gutenberg

Besides the districts mentioned, tobacco is grown largely in that of Frankfort-on-the Oder.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

every

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