English word with most definition - Word и Excel - помощь в работе с программами

Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have multiple meanings.

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Though the English language has many quirks, one of its most interesting is homographs: words that are spelled identically but have different meanings or definitions.
There are at least 10 words with hundreds of definitions each, like «go» and «put.»
«Run» is anticipated to have approximately 645 different meanings in the next Oxford English Dictionary, set for a 2037 release.

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The English language is, indeed, a quirky one: it’s notoriously difficult to learn, and often words have more than one meaning.

Some of these words are called homographs. They’re spelled identically but have vastly different definitions. «Go» has 368, for instance, and «set» has 430. The word «run» is anticipated to have approximately 645 different meanings in the next Oxford English Dictionary, set for a 2037 release.

Keep scrolling to see which 10 words in the English language have the most definitions.

Run: 645 definitions

«Running» can be a verb.

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Though there is some debate surrounding the first place position of «run,» as one of the top homographs it has (an anticipated) 645 different definitions, according to a New York Times article from 2011.

The word is widely used to describe various activities: a computer runs a program, a car runs on gas, a candidate runs for office, etc. Of course, as with the rest of the English language, the word continues to evolve.

Set: 430 definitions

TV «set.»

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Referred to as the «old chestnut» in the same New York Times article, «set» previously held the top position for the English word with the most definitions.

But «set» «hasn’t undergone as much development in the 20th and 21st centuries as has ‘run,'» Gilliver told the Times. Regardless, «set» holds strong at 430 definitions, per the 1989 O.E.D.

Go: 368 definitions

Green signifies «go.»

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«Go» is one of the most ubiquitous everyday words in the English language. Like many others on this list, it can be a noun, adjective, and verb. It clocked in at 368 definitions in 1989’s O.E.D.

Its top meaning as a verb is «to move from one place to another; travel,» but it can also be «said in various expressions when angrily or contemptuously dismissing someone.» Used in a sentence: «Go and get lost!»

Take: 343 definitions

Take out.

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The word «take» is described by Merriam-Webster as «to get into one’s hands or into one’s possession, power, or control.» But its meanings stretch across a vast terrain: to «take something in» could also mean «to consider or view in a particular relation.»

It comes in a close fourth place, roughly 20 definitions less than «go:» 343 in the 1989 O.E.D.

Get: 289 definitions

«Getting» dolled up.

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Like «go,» «getting» is one of those commonplace words that we use so much, we don’t even realize how much we use it. We «get» coffee.» We are «getting» dolled up for a date. We «got» a bad grade on that test.

According to the 1989 O.E.D., it has 289 definitions, to be exact.

Turn: 288 definitions

Figure skaters turning.

REUTERS/David Gray

The word «turn» is nestled closely behind, with only one less definition than «get.» It can take on many other meanings beyond «moving in a circular direction,» including «passing the age or time of» something. In a sentence: «I turned 40 last year.»

Put: 268 definitions

«Putting» lemon into a drink.

Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

«In terms of sheer size, the entry for ‘run’ is half as big again as that for ‘put,'» said the New York Times article. But that doesn’t make «put» any less impressive, with exactly 268 definitions in total.

«Put» also may be a reason for «set»‘s decline in popularity, as we tend to use the former in favor of the latter these days. For example: we «put» the drinking glass down, rather than «set» it down.

Fall: 264 definitions

A model «falling» on the runway.

Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Perhaps the most embarrassing of the list (in verb form, that is), «fall» clocks in at about 264 definitions in the O.E.D.

Though we all know fall’s most common definition as a verb — «to descend freely by the force of gravity» — it’s interesting to note that «fall» is also used to refer to lambs giving birth, according to Merriam-Webster.

A New Champion for Number of Definitions

Language doesn’t stand still. While «set» was the champion since the first edition of the OED in 1928 (when it had a meager 200 meanings), it has been overtaken by the word «run.» However, since the next edition of the OED won’t be out until 2037, it hasn’t made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the champion.

According to the OED’s chief editor, John Simpson, «run» has continued to evolve new meanings and had 645 as of 2011. In the interim, the word «put» has outpaced «set» in any case, and even replaces it in many usages. You might «put» something on a table rather than «set» it on a table.

How Should You Answer the Trivia Question?

This brings up a dilemma. How should you answer the question about which English word has the most definitions? If it’s possible to ask what authority has determined the answer, go with the word «set» if it is the second edition of the OED or the Guinness Book of World Records. If not, you may worry that the question is based on the New York Times interview with John Simpson in 2011 or a newer source.

Should You Use This Question in a Trivia Quiz?

If you are designing trivia or word game questions, it’s best just to drop this one as it is a moving target. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, «Modern English includes words from a wide variety of different sources around the world. Patterns of word-borrowing over time reflect the changing demography of its speakers; cultural and economic influences on Britain; the spread of English-speaking explorers, traders, and settlers; and encounters with other cultures.»

The English language has one of the largest vocabularies of all the languages of the world. The Oxford English Dictionary contains more than 600,000 words. They are all in a race to have more and more meanings. Even as new ones are added, older ones fall out of favor. You may not even recognize many of the uses of the words.

If you choose to use this as a question, you should cite which authority you are basing the answer on. Check the current Guinness World Record for a readily-accessible source.

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I am not a native speaker and it sometimes surprise me how many different meanings some words have. An example is the word call — when I was learning English I thought it was only «shout» or «to ring someone» but the list of meanings is almost endless: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/call .

What are some other such words so that I can be careful when interpreting their meaning? As if I could execute the query «give me a top ten list of words with most definition lines on TheFreeDictionary».

asked Sep 19, 2011 at 22:43

For a long time, «set» had the most meanings in the OED, but now it is «run». From the New York Times of 25th May 2011:

Which is the most lustrously complex word among the three quarters of
a million or so words and senses that make up this vast mongrel tongue
we know as the English language?

Well, according to the O.E.D.’s chief editor, John Simpson, we now
have a winner — and a winner that may well say something about the
current state of English-speaking humankind. For while in the first
edition of the O.E.D., in 1928, that richest-of-all-words was “set”
(75 columns of type, some 200 senses), the victor in today’s rather
more frantic and uncongenial world is, without a doubt, the
three-letter word “run.”

… Mr. Gilliver has finally calculated that there are for the verb-form alone of “run” no fewer than 645 meanings. A record.

In terms of sheer size, the entry for “run” is half as big again as that for “put,” a word on which Mr. Gilliver also worked some years ago. But more significantly still, “run” is also far bigger than the old chestnut “set,” a word that, says Mr. Gilliver, simply “hasn’t undergone as much development in the 20th and 21st centuries as has ‘run.’ ”

answered Sep 20, 2011 at 12:33

HugoHugo

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This is what I get using WRI curated data. Click to see a larger image.

For the record, the script used is:

r = SortBy[{Length[#[[2]]], #[[1]]}&/@({#, WordData[#]} & /@ DictionaryLookup[]), -First@# &]
BarChart[Transpose[r1][[1]], 
 ChartLabels -> 
  Placed[Text[Style[#, Italic, 24]] & /@ Transpose[r1][[2]], Center, Rotate[#, Pi/2] &]]

Edit

Just answering comments and other answers, here are the 76 meanings of break according to WRI.

1   Noun     Flight
2   Noun     Open Frame
3   Noun     Dash
4   Noun     Change Of Integrity
5   Noun     Holdup
6   Noun     Break Of Serve
7   Noun     Shot
8   Noun     Pause
9   Noun     Modification
10  Noun     Breach
11  Noun     Fortuity
12  Noun     Breakup
13  Noun     Occurrent
14  Noun     Crevice
15  Noun     Hurt
16  Noun     Interval
17  Verb     Weaken
18  Verb     Diminish
19  Verb     Injure
20  Verb     Fall
21  Verb     Domesticate
22  Verb     Change
23  Verb     Turn
24  Verb     Damage
25  Verb     Change Integrity
26  Verb     Divide
27  Verb     Check
28  Verb     Develop
29  Verb     Break Off
30  Verb     Interrupt
31  Verb     Deaden
32  Verb     Break Down
33  Verb     Change Voice
34  Verb     Go
35  Verb     Lick
36  Verb     Destroy
37  Verb     Diphthongize
38  Verb     Disrupt
39  Verb     Pause
40  Verb     Tell
41  Verb     Get Out
42  Verb     Outstrip
43  Verb     Penetrate
44  Verb     Become Punctured
45  Verb     Detach
46  Verb     Crumble
47  Verb     Bust
48  Verb     Disunite
49  Verb     Shoot
50  Verb     Modify
51  Verb     Exchange
52  Verb     Express Feelings
53  Verb     Trip The Light Fantastic Toe
54  Verb     Give Way
55  Verb     Founder
56  Verb     Appear
57  Verb     Scatter
58  Verb     Take Flight
59  Verb     Get Away
60  Verb     Change Direction
61  Verb     Impoverish
62  Verb     Designate
63  Verb     Split
64  Verb     Invalidate
65  Verb     Break Away
66  Verb     Ruin
67  Verb     Disrespect
68  Verb     Trespass
69  Verb     Come About
70  Verb     Emerge
71  Verb     Violate
72  Verb     Quit
73  Verb     Give Up Habit
74  Verb     Vary
75  Verb     Finish
76  Interjection

answered Sep 20, 2011 at 1:45

Dr. belisariusDr. belisarius

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This trivia has already been studied. The top five words in the list are:

set (464 definitions)
run (396 definitions)
go (368 definitions)
take (343 definitions)
stand (334 definitions)

answered Apr 24, 2012 at 5:45

BravoBravo

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I believe the answer is set. It has more than 200 definitions in the OED, organised thus:

To cause to sit, seat; to be seated, sit.
To sink, descend.
To put in a definite place (the manner of the action being implied either in the verb itself or in the context).
To place or cause to be in a position, condition, relation, or connection. (This group embraces a large number of uses in which the precise implication of sense depends mainly on the kind of construction employed.)
To appoint, prescribe, ordain, establish.
To arrange, fix, adjust.
To place mentally, suppose, estimate.
To put or come into a settled position or condition.
To put in the way of following a course, cause to take a certain direction.
Senses perhaps arising from reversal of construction or from ellipsis (their origin being often obscure).
With prepositions in specialized senses.
With adverbs in specialized senses.

This is just for the verb usage, set is also used as an adjective, noun, conjunction and comb. form.

answered Apr 24, 2012 at 4:52

J D OConalJ D OConal

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The most polysemous word in the OED is set.

answered Sep 20, 2011 at 4:57

ShoeShoe

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Just to concur with Shoe, I remember reading long long ago — in the Guinness Book of Records of all places — that set has the most (22) distinct different meanings in English.

Another common problem among non-native users of English are phrasal verbs which can appear very similar but have quite different meanings, eg set up, set out, set off, set about, set on, set down, etc. Often native speakers will use these verbs in an attempt to simplify their language when talking to non-native speakers (eg, by using «set up» instead of «establish»), often having the opposite effect.

answered Sep 20, 2011 at 12:13

MattMatt

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In practical usage rather than dictionary definitions, thingamy probably has the most different meanings — it can mean any noun, depending on context, and I think there are more nouns than other parts of speech. There are other four-letter words which also take multiple meanings depending on context.

Another word which can take multiple meanings is ‘buffalo’ which can act as a noun ( the animal ), and adjectival phrase ( pertaining to the city ) and a verb ( to harass ) so ‘Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo’ is possibly the longest sentence made of the same word repeated, parsed in a similar way to ‘London cats annoy London cats’

answered Dec 5, 2014 at 22:38

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This is a question whose answer surprised me when I first heard it many years ago. I was well aware that many words had more than one meaning, and could think of a few obvious examples. Still, the answer, though it certainly has a few obvious different meanings, was not what I was expecting.

The word is set.

Plain, simple, unassuming set. Seems odd, doesn’t it? Of course straight away you can probably think of a few different meanings for it. It can be a verb meaning to arrange or put in order. It can be a noun referring to a united group of entities, either in an abstract mathematical sense, or the more mundane sense of a chemistry set. And tennis matches are divided into sets. And you can set something aside, or down.

So yes, a few different meanings, but it probably still sounds surprising that the Second Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary contains 430 definitions for set, and most other dictionaries will have about the same number. Have a look for yourself if you have one to hand.

There are a few main reasons set has so many definitions. First, it’s a hot verb, meaning it doesn’t have one simple main definition, but can be used with many different meanings, depending on the context. Second, this also means it’s used a lot as a phrasal verb, e.g. set down, set out, set out to, set up, which all count as distinct definitions in the dictionary. Set also has the advantage of its ability to be used as a number of different types of words. It can, for example, be a verb (set your watch), a noun (a mathematical set), and an adjective (a set number of people).

Still, don’t get too used to set claiming the top spot. In fact, if you look in some modern editions of dictionaries, you might find that run and put take up more space. Officially though, the Second Edition of the OED is taken to be the definitive authority on words and their meanings. The problem is, it was published in 1989, and obviously things have evolved linguistically since then. Never fear though, the third edition is being worked on right now, and we can expect that once it’s published, set will have been replaced as the word with the most definitions. They’ve been working on it since 2000 and are about halfway through, so eh, not too long to wait now!

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José is in his third and final week with me on a home stay full immersion course and has come to the conclusion that the English Language is extremely confusing and frustrating! Especially when it comes to all those words that have multiple meanings. I have to confess that he has got a point.

Take the word “run” for example. It has 179 meanings according to Dictionary.com whilst the word “take” has 127 definitions! The following infographic that was compiled by Kaplan International together with Dictionary.com highlights the 10 English words with the most meanings in the English Language. You can view this infographic here on the Kaplan website.

Kaplan has taken each word and categorised them according to the different parts of speech, for example, verb, noun, adverb, adjective and so on as well as verb phrases and idioms. As this list is very long, I’ve decided to break this list in two parts.

Part 1 will deal with the first 5 words. I’ve shown some examples of the different verb and noun meanings and verb phrases for each word.

1. RUN

Verb

My dog loves to run about in the park (move quickly with legs)
She runs a very successful business (manages)
The bus company runs a regular weekend service (offer a service)
Don’t leave your car engine running/ try running the computer programme and see if it works (machine: working)

Noun

I always go for a 10k run in the mornings.
The play has had a successful run in the West End. (a period of time)
I do the school run every morning and my husband does it in the afternoon (a journey that a train, ship, car and so on does regularly)

Verb Phrases

Her withdrawal meant that her opponent was given a clear run for the nomination (you can progress without anyone stopping you)
He gave Tom a good run for his money (competing so well with someone that they cannot defeat you)
He is on the run from the law (trying to escape or hide from the police)

2. TAKE

Verb

Don’t forget to take an extra pair of shoes (move something or someone from one place to another)
Take a deep breath ◆ James took a sip of his drink ◆ I took a quick look at the audience (to perform an action or series of actions)
I took a course in origami at college ◆ I’ve taken my driving test three times (to study or take an exam in a particular subject)

Verb Phrases

I like chocolate but I can take it or leave it (to not care whether you have, see or do something – informal)
It takes all sorts (used for saying that you find someone’s behaviour surprising or strange but will accept it – spoken)
Take it from me, this restaurant is excellent. (used to emphasize that what you’re saying is true and people should believe it – spoken)

3. BREAK

Verb

Be careful that you don’t break those glasses (separate into pieces by dropping)
If you break the speed limit, the penalties are high ◆ break the law. (don’t obey rules or the law)
When the news first broke, he was no where to be found ◆ breaking news ( if news breaks, it becomes publicly known)
Why don’t we break now and meet again after lunch? (stop what you’re doing for a period of time)

Noun

Doctors and nurses often work very long hours without a break ◆ Let’s take/have a break.
This could be the lucky break he’s always wanted (an opportunity that helps you achieve success)
She decided to make the break from marketing after eighteen years (a time of major change in one’s life).

Verb Phrases

He’s been breaking his back getting the house ready in time for the baby’s arrival (working very hard)
I think we’ve broken the back of this project now. (British English – to finish the hardest part of a task)
In their first year, the company broke even. (when a company doesn’t make a profit or a loss)
I want to break free (as sung by Freddy Mercury – to escape from someone or something that is holding you or controls you)

4. TURN

Verb

She turned around and smiled at me (change position)
When you get to the junction, turn right (change direction)
She could not concentrate on her book. All she seemed to be doing was turning the pages without reading them.
After years as an amateur dancer, she turned professional ( change and do something different)
It has turned cold again ( change and become something else)

Noun

Oh no, is it my turn again to wash the dishes?! ◆ Is it my turn to roll the dice? (in a group and it’s your time to do something)
The debate over drugs in sport took an unexpected turn yesterday ◆ The situation took a turn for the better/worse (a change in a situation)
He took the wrong turn and that took him miles away from his destination (change of direction)

Verb Phrases

He was stopped at every turn by the rigid rules (wherever or whenever someone tries to do something)
He did her a good turn by offering her the job (an action that helps someone – also applies in the opposite “a bad turn”)
I hope I’m not speaking out of turn, but I preferred the original version (to say something that you shouldn’t say in case you offend someone or you have no right to say it)
The mansion was built at the turn of the century ( the time at the end of one century and the beginning of the next)

5. SET

Verb

“Tea is served,” he told them and set the tray on the table. (put something in a position)
I’ve set the alarm for 6am ◆ You can set the iPhone so that it does an automatic backup (to make equipment ready)
Have you set a date for the wedding? (to decide when something will happen)
The Bank of England sets the interest rate ◆ They set the price of the house too high. (to decide the price or value of something)
I have set the team three challenges/goals/objectives/tasks (to give someone something to achieve)

Noun

a set of keys ◆ a set of guidelines ◆ a complete set ◆ a chess set ( a group of things)
the literary set ◆ the jet set◆ a set of friends (a group of people that share the same interests)
a film set ◆ a stage set (theatre, film – place where a film or play is made)

Verb Phrases

The drivers’ demands were not met, setting the stage for a prolonged transport strike (create the conditions for something to happen)
They are a company that has set the standard for excellence in service (perform an activity to a level that other people need to achieve)
Dinner will be ready soon. Could you please set the table? (put cutlery and plates on the table)
After lunch I set to work on the mountain of paperwork on my desk (start working in a determined and enthusiastic way)

The above examples are just a few that I have selected here. Please do share with me any other meanings you know and use.

I will deal with the other five words in my next post (Part 2) so look out for it!

If you liked this post, please share it and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog if you don’t want to miss out on my posts.

Ciao for now

Shanthi

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