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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Jerry in Omaha who wrote (13578)12/10/2001 5:39:15 PM
From: Rascal  Respond to of 281500
 
Safire has been fascinating lately! What a surprise.

nytimes.com
December 10, 2001
ESSAY
Reading Putin's Mind
By WILLIAM SAFIREOCKBA -- Last week, I induced the 19 NATO countries to count themselves as 20. That makes Russia officially part of the NATO military organization set up to defend Europe from Russia. We will soon have access to all the West's defense plans, and a strong say (in reality, a veto, though they cannot yet admit it) in every action it plans to take.

That also transforms the West's military alliance into a boiled-cabbage political bureaucracy that I can "consult" into impotence. No more attacks on Serbs over our objections — we'll consult nyet and disrupt the consensus.

I read in The New York Times that my friend George and my friend Colin agreed to this Russian diplomatic triumph despite the protest of the warrior Rumsfeld. (Why doesn't George shut down that paper? I would in a minute. Revelation of internal struggle encourages opposition.)

Now I will permit NATO to welcome the Baltic states. I will pretend this is against the desires of my generals (hmm — maybe that Rumsfeld protest was a trick) and by so approving, solidify my unwritten veto power. Of course, the other 19 nations don't need my approval, but the useful idiots of the West don't realize that.

That came on top of what my generals call "Bush's Surrender at Crawford." The strategic deal I had agreed to with Bush beforehand in Shanghai was this: George would reduce his missiles all the way down to the number we could afford to equal, and in return, I would let him amend the ABM treaty so he could test a limited antimissile system.

But at his ranch in Texas, smiling through all the strange food, I got the U.S. to cut its missile force down below 2,000 — but didn't give the Americans an inch on ABM. I blamed my generals, which was disinformation, but how could Colin complain publicly? Wasn't I letting the Americans fly over Russia to get to Uzbekistan in our joint war on terror?

Ah, the war. The world now forgives me for wiping out our Chechens because all those Muslims are terrorists. And didn't I score yet another personal triumph by sending our people into Kabul just after it surrendered, ahead of the Americans and British? The Russian people, who saw our return on TV, now believe we finally won our war in Afghanistan, with a little U.S. help at the end.

But George had better not carry this antiterror business too far by attacking Primakov's friend in Baghdad. Iraq owes us $8 billion for our arms shipments, and we'll never get that money if Saddam is out of power. Currently he's paying us for new weapons out of his oil smuggling, and if he uses our SAM's to bring down American gunships, that's not my fault.

Oil. That has been the key to my economic success. After the Saudis, we are the world's largest producer of oil and gas, and have never been part of OPEC. George was so happy to see us pumping away, breaking the monopoly and bringing down prices. This fall's drop in oil prices was equivalent to a huge tax cut, helping stimulate the U.S. out of its recession.

But last week, I made a deal with OPEC to cut our production by a symbolic 150,000 barrels a day, and we're ready to reduce our output much more to help our Arab friends push up world prices. As the capitalists taught us: Sorry, George, business is business.

I felt I could do that without troubling the new personal trust between George and me. At the Crawford summit, he complained a little about my sale of nuclear materials to Iran, and he wished we would stop sending the best and hungriest Russian scientists to help the Iranians develop their bomb and multiple-stage rockets. I sympathize, but why stop? The ayatollahs pay in cash, and if Iran and Iraq — and Israel — want to fight wars, let them be equals.

Nothing beats an antiterrorist pose. I crushed my media critics. I neutralized NATO. My obliteration of Grozny is forgotten. I'm bringing prosperity to Russia by arming America's enemies and fixing prices with the oil cartel.

My friend George may be a little ahead of me in our nations' popularity polls, but I have this advantage: he's not president for life.



To: Jerry in Omaha who wrote (13578)12/10/2001 8:36:19 PM
From: BirdDog  Read Replies (3) | Respond to of 281500
 
Jerry....
Thank ( Main Entry: thank
Pronunciation: 'tha[ng]k
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English thancian; akin to Old English thanc gratitude -- more at THANKS
Date: before 12th century
1 : to express gratitude to <thanked her for the present> -- used in the phrase thank you usually without a subject to politely express gratitude <thank you for your consideration> -- used in such phrases as thank God, thank goodness usually without a subject to express gratitude or s often only the speaker's or writer's pleasure or satisfaction in something
2 : to hold responsible <had only himself to thank for his loss>
- thank·er noun )
you (Main Entry: you
Pronunciation: 'yü, y& also yE
Function: pronoun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English Eow, dat. & accus. of gE you; akin to Old High German iu, dative of ir you, Sanskrit yuyam you
Date: before 12th century
1 : the one or ones being addressed -- used as the pronoun of the second person singular or plural in any grammatical relation except that of a possessive <you may sit in that chair> <you are my friends> <can I pour you a cup of tea> -- used formerly only as a plural pronoun of the second person in the dative or accusative case as direct or indirect object of a verb or as object of a preposition; compare THEE, THOU, YE, YOUR, YOURS
2 : ONE 2a )
for (Main Entry: 1for
Pronunciation: f&r, (')for, Southern also (')fär
Function: preposition
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Latin per through, prae before, pro before, for, ahead, Greek pro, Old English faran to go -- more at FARE
Date: before 12th century
1 a -- used as a function word to indicate purpose <a grant for studying medicine> b -- used as a function word to indicate an intended goal <left for home> <acted for the best> c -- used as a function word to indicate the object or recipient of a perception, desire, or activity <now for a good rest> <run for your life> <an eye for a bargain>
2 a : as being or constituting <taken for a fool> <eggs for breakfast> b -- used as a function word to indicate an actual or implied enumeration or selection <for one thing, the price is too high>
3 : because of <can't sleep for the heat>
4 -- used as a function word to indicate suitability or fitness <it is not for you to choose> <ready for action>
5 a : in place of <go to the store for me> b (1) : on behalf of : REPRESENTING <speaks for the court> (2) : in favor of <all for the plan>
6 : in spite of -- usually used with all <for all his large size, he moves gracefully>
7 : with respect to : CONCERNING <a stickler for detail> <heavy for its size>
8 a -- used as a function word to indicate equivalence in exchange <$10 for a hat>, equality in number or quantity <point for point>, or correspondence or correlation <for every one that works, you'll find five that don't> b -- used as a function word to indicate number of attempts <0 for 4>
9 -- used as a function word to indicate duration of time or extent of space <gone for two days>
10 : in honor of : AFTER <named for her grandmother> )
showing (Main Entry: show·ing
Pronunciation: 'shO-i[ng]
Function: noun
Date: before 12th century
1 : an act or an instance of putting something (as an artist's work) on view : DISPLAY
2 : PERFORMANCE, RECORD <made a good showing in competition>
3 a : a statement or presentation of a case b : APPEARANCE, EVIDENCE )
me (Main Entry: me
Pronunciation: 'mE
Function: pronoun, objective case of I
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English mE; akin to Old High German mIh me, Latin me, Greek me, Sanskrit mA
usage Me is used in many constructions where strict grammarians prescribe I. This usage is not so much ungrammatical as indicative of the shrinking range of the nominative form: me began to replace I sometime around the 16th century largely because of the pressure of word order. I is now chiefly used as the subject of an immediately following verb. Me occurs in every other position: absolutely <who, me?>, emphatically <me too>, and after prepositions, conjunctions, and verbs, including be <come with me> <you're as big as me> <it's me>. Almost all usage books recognize the legitimacy of me in these positions, especially in speech; some recommend I in formal and especially written contexts after be and after as and than when the first term of the comparison is the subject of a verb. )
the error (Main Entry: er·ror
Pronunciation: 'er-&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English errour, from Middle French, from Latin error, from errare
Date: 13th century
1 a : an act or condition of ignorant or imprudent deviation from a code of behavior b : an act involving an unintentional deviation from truth or accuracy c : an act that through ignorance, deficiency, or accident departs from or fails to achieve what should be done: as (1) : a defensive misplay other than a wild pitch or passed ball made by a baseball player when normal play would have resulted in an out or prevented an advance by a base runner (2) : the failure of a player (as in tennis) to make a successful return of a ball during play d : a mistake in the proceedings of a court of record in matters of law or of fact
2 a : the quality or state of erring b Christian Science : illusion about the nature of reality that is the cause of human suffering : the contradiction of truth c : an instance of false belief
3 : something produced by mistake; especially : a postage stamp exhibiting a consistent flaw (as a wrong color) in its manufacture
4 a : the difference between an observed or calculated value and a true value; specifically : variation in measurements, calculations, or observations of a quantity due to mistakes or to uncontrollable factors b : the amount of deviation from a standard or specification
5 : a deficiency or imperfection in structure or function <an error of metabolism>
- er·ror·less /'er-&r-l&s/ adjective
synonyms ERROR, MISTAKE, BLUNDER, SLIP, LAPSE mean a departure from what is true, right, or proper. ERROR suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this <procedural errors>. MISTAKE implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than error <dialed the wrong number by mistake>. BLUNDER regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame <diplomatic blunders>. SLIP stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes <a slip of the tongue>. LAPSE stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause <a lapse in judgment>. )
of (Main Entry: 1of
Pronunciation: &v, before consonants also &; '&v, 'äv
Function: preposition
Etymology: Middle English, off, of, from Old English, adverb & preposition; akin to Old High German aba off, away, Latin ab from, away, Greek apo
Date: before 12th century
1 -- used as a function word to indicate a point of reckoning <north of the lake>
2 a -- used as a function word to indicate origin or derivation <a man of noble birth> b -- used as a function word to indicate the cause, motive, or reason <died of flu> c : BY <plays of Shakespeare> d : on the part of <very kind of you>
3 -- used as a function word to indicate the component material, parts, or elements or the contents <throne of gold> <cup of water>
4 a -- used as a function word to indicate the whole that includes the part denoted by the preceding word <most of the army> b -- used as a function word to indicate a whole or quantity from which a part is removed or expended <gave of his time>
5 a : relating to : ABOUT <stories of her travels> b : in respect to <slow of speech>
6 a -- used as a function word to indicate belonging or a possessive relationship <king of England> b -- used as a function word to indicate relationship between a result determined by a function or operation and a basic entity (as an independent variable) <a function of x> <the product of two numbers>
7 -- used as a function word to indicate something from which a person or thing is delivered <eased of her pain> or with respect to which someone or something is made destitute <robbed of all their belongings>
8 a -- used as a function word to indicate a particular example belonging to the class denoted by the preceding noun <the city of Rome> b -- used as a function word to indicate apposition <that fool of a husband>
9 a -- used as a function word to indicate the object of an action denoted or implied by the preceding noun <love of nature> b -- used as a function word to indicate the application of a verb <cheats him of a dollar> or of an adjective <fond of candy>
10 -- used as a function word to indicate a characteristic or distinctive quality or possession <a woman of courage>
11 a -- used as a function word to indicate the position in time of an action or occurrence <died of a Monday> b : BEFORE <quarter of ten>
12 archaic : ON <a plague of all cowards -- Shakespeare> )
my (Main Entry: my
Pronunciation: 'mI, m&
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English mIn, from mIn, suppletive genitive of ic I; akin to Old English mE me
Date: 12th century
1 : of or relating to me or myself especially as possessor, agent, or object of an action <my car> <my promise> <my injuries>
2 -- used interjectionally to express surprise and sometimes reduplicated <my oh my> -- used also interjectionally with names of various parts of the body to express doubt or disapproval <my foot> )
ways (Main Entry: -ways
Function: adverb suffix
Etymology: Middle English, from ways, genitive of way
: in (such) a way, course, direction, or manner <sideways> ).
This
(Main Entry: 1this
Pronunciation: '[th]is, [th]&s
Function: pronoun
Inflected Form(s): plural these /'[th]Ez/
Etymology: Middle English, pronoun & adjective, from Old English thes (masculine), this (neuter); akin to Old High German dese this, Old English thæt that
Date: before 12th century
1 a (1) : the person, thing, or idea that is present or near in place, time, or thought or that has just been mentioned <these are my hands> (2) : what is stated in the following phrase, clause, or discourse <I can only say this: it wasn't here yesterday> b : this time or place <expected to return before this>
2 a : the one nearer or more immediately under observation or discussion <this is iron and that is tin> b : the one more recently referred to )
in spite (Main Entry: 1spite
Pronunciation: 'spIt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, short for despite
Date: 14th century
1 : petty ill will or hatred with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart
2 : an instance of spite
synonym see MALICE
- in spite of : in defiance or contempt of : without being prevented by )
of (Main Entry: 1of
Pronunciation: &v, before consonants also &; '&v, 'äv
Function: preposition
Etymology: Middle English, off, of, from Old English, adverb & preposition; akin to Old High German aba off, away, Latin ab from, away, Greek apo
Date: before 12th century
1 -- used as a function word to indicate a point of reckoning <north of the lake>
2 a -- used as a function word to indicate origin or derivation <a man of noble birth> b -- used as a function word to indicate the cause, motive, or reason <died of flu> c : BY <plays of Shakespeare> d : on the part of <very kind of you>
3 -- used as a function word to indicate the component material, parts, or elements or the contents <throne of gold> <cup of water>
4 a -- used as a function word to indicate the whole that includes the part denoted by the preceding word <most of the army> b -- used as a function word to indicate a whole or quantity from which a part is removed or expended <gave of his time>
5 a : relating to : ABOUT <stories of her travels> b : in respect to <slow of speech>
6 a -- used as a function word to indicate belonging or a possessive relationship <king of England> b -- used as a function word to indicate relationship between a result determined by a function or operation and a basic entity (as an independent variable) <a function of x> <the product of two numbers>
7 -- used as a function word to indicate something from which a person or thing is delivered <eased of her pain> or with respect to which someone or something is made destitute <robbed of all their belongings>
8 a -- used as a function word to indicate a particular example belonging to the class denoted by the preceding noun <the city of Rome> b -- used as a function word to indicate apposition <that fool of a husband>
9 a -- used as a function word to indicate the object of an action denoted or implied by the preceding noun <love of nature> b -- used as a function word to indicate the application of a verb <cheats him of a dollar> or of an adjective <fond of candy>
10 -- used as a function word to indicate a characteristic or distinctive quality or possession <a woman of courage>
11 a -- used as a function word to indicate the position in time of an action or occurrence <died of a Monday> b : BEFORE <quarter of ten>
12 archaic : ON <a plague of all cowards -- Shakespeare>
) the (Main Entry: 1the
Pronunciation: before consonants usually [th]&, before vowels usually [th]E, esp Southern before vowels also [th]&; for emphasis before titles and names or to suggest uniqueness often '[th]E
Function: definite article
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English thE, masc. demonstrative pronoun & definite article, alteration (influenced by oblique cases -- as thæs, genitive -- & neuter, thæt) of sE; akin to Greek ho, masculine demonstrative pronoun & definite article -- more at THAT
Date: before 12th century
1 a -- used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is definite or has been previously specified by context or by circumstance <put the cat out> b -- used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is a unique or a particular member of its class <the President> <the Lord> c -- used as a function word before nouns that designate natural phenomena or points of the compass <the night is cold> d -- used as a function word before a noun denoting time to indicate reference to what is present or immediate or is under consideration <in the future> e -- used as a function word before names of some parts of the body or of the clothing as an equivalent of a possessive adjective <how's the arm today> f -- used as a function word before the name of a branch of human endeavor or proficiency <the law> g -- used as a function word in prepositional phrases to indicate that the noun in the phrase serves as a basis for computation <sold by the dozen> h -- used as a function word before a proper name (as of a ship or a well-known building) <the Mayflower> i -- used as a function word before the plural form of a numeral that is a multiple of ten to denote a particular decade of a century or of a person's life <life in the twenties> j -- used as a function word before the name of a commodity or any familiar appurtenance of daily life to indicate reference to the individual thing, part, or supply thought of as at hand <talked on the telephone> k -- used as a function word to designate one of a class as the best, most typical, best known, or most worth singling out <this is the life> <the Pill> -- sometimes used before a personal name to denote the most prominent bearer of that name
2 a (1) -- used as a function word with a noun modified by an adjective or by an attributive noun to limit the application of the modified noun to that specified by the adjective or by the attributive noun <the right answer> <Peter the Great> (2) -- used as a function word before an absolute adjective or an ordinal number <nothing but the best> <due on the first> b (1) -- used as a function word before a noun to limit its application to that specified by a succeeding element in the sentence <the poet Wordsworth> <the days of our youth> <didn't have the time to write> (2) -- used as a function word after a person's name to indicate a characteristic trait or notorious activity specified by the succeeding noun <Jack the Ripper>
3 a -- used as a function word before a singular noun to indicate that the noun is to be understood generically <the dog is a domestic animal> b -- used as a function word before a singular substantivized adjective to indicate an abstract idea <an essay on the sublime>
4 -- used as a function word before a noun or a substantivized adjective to indicate reference to a group as a whole <the elite> )
fact (Main Entry: fact
Pronunciation: 'fakt
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin factum, from neuter of factus, past participle of facere
Date: 15th century
1 : a thing done: as a obsolete : FEAT b : CRIME <accessory after the fact> c archaic : ACTION
2 archaic : PERFORMANCE, DOING
3 : the quality of being actual : ACTUALITY <a question of fact hinges on evidence>
4 a : something that has actual existence <space exploration is now a fact> b : an actual occurrence <prove the fact of damage>
5 : a piece of information presented as having objective reality
- in fact : in truth )
that (Main Entry: 1that
Pronunciation: '[th]at, [th]&t
Function: pronoun
Inflected Form(s): plural those /'[th]Oz/
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English thæt, neut. demonstrative pronoun & definite article; akin to Old High German daz, neuter demonstrative pronoun & definite article, Greek to, Latin istud, neuter demonstrative pronoun
Date: before 12th century
1 a : the person, thing, or idea indicated, mentioned, or understood from the situation <that is my father> b : the time, action, or event specified <after that I went to bed> c : the kind or thing specified as follows <the purest water is that produced by distillation> d : one or a group of the indicated kind <that's a cat -- quick and agile>
2 a : the one farther away or less immediately under observation or discussion <those are maples and these are elms> b : the former one
3 a -- used as a function word after and to indicate emphatic repetition of the idea expressed by a previous word or phrase <he was helpful, and that to an unusual degree> b -- used as a function word immediately before or after a word group consisting of a verbal auxiliary or a form of the verb be preceded by there or a personal pronoun subject to indicate emphatic repetition of the idea expressed by a previous verb or predicate noun or predicate adjective <is she capable? She is that>
4 a : the one : the thing : the kind : SOMETHING, ANYTHING <the truth of that which is true> <the senses are that whereby we experience the world> <what's that you say> b plural : some persons <those who think the time has come>
- all that : everything of the kind indicated <tact, discretion, and all that>
- at that 1 : in spite of what has been said or implied 2 : in addition : 2BESIDES )
America (Main Entry: Amer·i·ca
Pronunciation: &-'mer-&-k&
Usage: geographical name
1 either continent (N. America or S. America) of the western hemisphere
2 or the Amer·i·cas /-k&z/ the lands of the western hemisphere including N., Central, & S. America & the W. Indies
3 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA )
has (Main Entry: has
present third singular ofHAVE )
managed (
Main Entry: 1man·age
Pronunciation: 'ma-nij
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): man·aged; man·ag·ing
Etymology: Italian maneggiare, from mano hand, from Latin manus
Date: 1561
transitive senses
1 : to handle or direct with a degree of skill: as a : to make and keep compliant <can't manage her child> b : to treat with care : HUSBAND <managed his resources carefully> c : to exercise executive, administrative, and supervisory direction of <manage a business> <manage a bond issue>
2 : to work upon or try to alter for a purpose <manage stress>
3 : to succeed in accomplishing : CONTRIVE <managed to escape from prison>
4 : to direct the professional career of <an agency that manages entertainers>
intransitive senses
1 a : to direct or carry on business or affairs; also : to direct a baseball team b : to admit of being carried on
2 : to achieve one's purpose
synonym see CONDUCT )
to (Main Entry: 1to
Pronunciation: t&, tu, 'tü
Function: preposition
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English tO; akin to Old High German zuo to, Latin donec as long as, until
Date: before 12th century
1 a -- used as a function word to indicate movement or an action or condition suggestive of movement toward a place, person, or thing reached <drove to the city> <went back to the original idea> b -- used as a function word to indicate direction <a mile to the south> <turned his back to the door> <a tendency to silliness> c -- used as a function word to indicate contact or proximity <applied polish to the table> <put her hand to her heart> d (1) -- used as a function word to indicate the place or point that is the far limit <100 miles to the nearest town> (2) -- used as a function word to indicate the limit of extent <stripped to the waist> e -- used as a function word to indicate relative position <perpendicular to the floor>
2 a -- used as a function word to indicate purpose, intention, tendency, result, or end <came to our aid> <drink to his health> b -- used as a function word to indicate the result of an action or a process <broken all to pieces> <go to seed> <to their surprise, the train left on time>
3 -- used as a function word to indicate position or relation in time: as a : BEFORE <five minutes to five> b : TILL <from eight to five> <up to now>
4 -- used as a function word to indicate addition, attachment, connection, belonging, possession, accompaniment, or response <the key to the door> <danced to live music> <comes to her call>
5 -- used as a function word (1) to indicate the extent or degree (as of completeness or accuracy) <loyal to a man> <generous to a fault> or the extent and result (as of an action or a condition) <beaten to death> (2) to indicate the last or an intermediate point of a series <moderate to cool temperatures>
6 a -- used as a function word (1) to indicate a relation to one that serves as a standard <inferior to her earlier works> (2) to indicate similarity, correspondence, dissimilarity, or proportion <compared him to a god> b -- used as a function word to indicate agreement or conformity <add salt to taste> <to my knowledge> c -- used as a function word to indicate a proportion in terms of numbers or quantities <400 to the box> <odds of ten to one>
7 a -- used as a function word (1) to indicate the application of an adjective or a noun <agreeable to everyone> <attitude to friends> <title to the property> (2) to indicate the relation of a verb to its complement or to a complementary element <refers to the traditions> <refers us to the traditions> (3) to indicate the receiver of an action or the one for which something is done or exists <spoke to his mother> <gives a dollar to the man> and often used with a reflexive pronoun to indicate exclusiveness (as of possession) or separateness <had the house to themselves> <thought to herself> b -- used as a function word to indicate agency <falls to his opponent's blows>
8 -- used as a function word to indicate that the following verb is an infinitive <wants to go> and often used by itself at the end of a clause in place of an infinitive suggested by the preceding context <knows more than she seems to> )
completely (Main Entry: 1com·plete
Pronunciation: k&m-'plEt
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): com·plet·er; -est
Etymology: Middle English complet, from Middle French, from Latin completus, from past participle of complEre
Date: 14th century
1 a : having all necessary parts, elements, or steps <complete diet> b : having all four sets of floral organs c of a subject or predicate : including modifiers, complements , or objects
2 : brought to an end : CONCLUDED <a complete period of time>
3 : highly proficient <a complete artist>
4 a : fully carried out : THOROUGH <a complete renovation> b : TOTAL, ABSOLUTE <complete silence>
5 of insect metamorphosis : characterized by the occurrence of a pupal stage between the motile immature stages and the adult -- compare INCOMPLETE 1b
6 of a metric space : having the property that every Cauchy sequence of elements converges to a limit in the space
synonym see FULL
- complete·ly adverb
- com·plete·ness noun
- com·ple·tive /-'plE-tiv/ adjective
- complete with : made complete by the inclusion of <a birthday cake complete with candles> )
bastardize (Main Entry: bas·tard·ize
Pronunciation: 'bas-t&r-"dIz
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -ized; -iz·ing
Date: 1587
1 : to reduce from a higher to a lower state or condition : DEBASE
2 : to declare or prove to be a bastard
3 : to modify especially by introducing discordant or disparate elements
- bas·tard·i·za·tion /"bas-t&r-d&-'zA-sh&n/ noun )
the (Main Entry: 1the
Pronunciation: before consonants usually [th]&, before vowels usually [th]E, esp Southern before vowels also [th]&; for emphasis before titles and names or to suggest uniqueness often '[th]E
Function: definite article
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English thE, masc. demonstrative pronoun & definite article, alteration (influenced by oblique cases -- as thæs, genitive -- & neuter, thæt) of sE; akin to Greek ho, masculine demonstrative pronoun & definite article -- more at THAT
Date: before 12th century
1 a -- used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is definite or has been previously specified by context or by circumstance <put the cat out> b -- used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is a unique or a particular member of its class <the President> <the Lord> c -- used as a function word before nouns that designate natural phenomena or points of the compass <the night is cold> d -- used as a function word before a noun denoting time to indicate reference to what is present or immediate or is under consideration <in the future> e -- used as a function word before names of some parts of the body or of the clothing as an equivalent of a possessive adjective <how's the arm today> f -- used as a function word before the name of a branch of human endeavor or proficiency <the law> g -- used as a function word in prepositional phrases to indicate that the noun in the phrase serves as a basis for computation <sold by the dozen> h -- used as a function word before a proper name (as of a ship or a well-known building) <the Mayflower> i -- used as a function word before the plural form of a numeral that is a multiple of ten to denote a particular decade of a century or of a person's life <life in the twenties> j -- used as a function word before the name of a commodity or any familiar appurtenance of daily life to indicate reference to the individual thing, part, or supply thought of as at hand <talked on the telephone> k -- used as a function word to designate one of a class as the best, most typical, best known, or most worth singling out <this is the life> <the Pill> -- sometimes used before a personal name to denote the most prominent bearer of that name
2 a (1) -- used as a function word with a noun modified by an adjective or by an attributive noun to limit the application of the modified noun to that specified by the adjective or by the attributive noun <the right answer> <Peter the Great> (2) -- used as a function word before an absolute adjective or an ordinal number <nothing but the best> <due on the first> b (1) -- used as a function word before a noun to limit its application to that specified by a succeeding element in the sentence <the poet Wordsworth> <the days of our youth> <didn't have the time to write> (2) -- used as a function word after a person's name to indicate a characteristic trait or notorious activity specified by the succeeding noun <Jack the Ripper>
3 a -- used as a function word before a singular noun to indicate that the noun is to be understood generically <the dog is a domestic animal> b -- used as a function word before a singular substantivized adjective to indicate an abstract idea <an essay on the sublime>
4 -- used as a function word before a noun or a substantivized adjective to indicate reference to a group as a whole <the elite>)
english (Main Entry: 1En·glish
Pronunciation: 'i[ng]-glish, 'i[ng]-lish
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English englisc, from Engle (plural) Angles
Date: before 12th century
: of, relating to, or characteristic of England , the English people, or the English language
- En·glish·ness noun )
language (Main Entry: lan·guage
Pronunciation: 'la[ng]-gwij, -wij
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from langue tongue, language, from Latin lingua -- more at TONGUE
Date: 14th century
1 a : the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used and understood by a community b (1) : audible, articulate, meaningful sound as produced by the action of the vocal organs (2) : a systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs, sounds, gestures, or marks having understood meanings (3) : the suggestion by objects, actions, or conditions of associated ideas or feelings <language in their very gesture -- Shakespeare> (4) : the means by which animals communicate (5) : a formal system of signs and symbols (as FORTRAN or a calculus in logic) including rules for the formation and transformation of admissible expressions (6) : MACHINE LANGUAGE 1
2 a : form or manner of verbal expression; specifically : STYLE b : the vocabulary and phraseology belonging to an art or a department of knowledge c : PROFANITY
3 : the study of language especially as a school subject
[language table] ) .