Important word meaning of english

From ‘How to Read a Page’ by I.A. Richards

Jonathan Knowles / Getty Images

This list of important words was drawn up by British rhetorician I.A. Richards, author of several books including «Basic English and Its Uses» (1943). However, these 100 words are not a part of the simplified version of the language that he and C.K. Ogden called Basic English.

Also, we’re not talking about the 100 most frequently used words in English (a list that contains far more prepositions than nouns).

And unlike the 100 words chosen by David Crystal to tell «The Story of English,» Richards’ words are primarily significant for their meanings, not their etymologies.

Richards introduced his list of words in the book «How to Read a Page: A Course in Effective Reading» (1942), and he called them «the most important words» for two reasons:

  1. They cover the ideas we can least avoid using, those which are concerned in all that we do as thinking beings.
  2. They are words we are forced to use in explaining other words because it is in terms of the ideas they cover that the meanings of other words must be given.

Here are those 100 important words:

  1. Amount
  2. Argument
  3. Art
  4. Be
  5. Beautiful
  6. Belief
  7. Cause
  8. Certain
  9. Chance
  10. Change
  11. Clear
  12. Common
  13. Comparison
  14. Condition
  15. Connection
  16. Copy
  17. Decision
  18. Degree
  19. Desire
  20. Development
  21. Different
  22. Do
  23. Education
  24. End
  25. Event
  26. Examples
  27. Existence
  28. Experience
  29. Fact
  30. Fear
  31. Feeling
  32. Fiction
  33. Force
  34. Form
  35. Free
  36. General
  37. Get
  38. Give
  39. Good
  40. Government
  41. Happy
  42. Have
  43. History
  44. Idea
  45. Important
  46. Interest
  47. Knowledge
  48. Law
  49. Let
  50. Level
  51. Living
  52. Love
  53. Make
  54. Material
  55. Measure
  56. Mind
  57. Motion
  58. Name
  59. Nation
  60. Natural
  61. Necessary
  62. Normal
  63. Number
  64. Observation
  65. Opposite
  66. Order
  67. Organization
  68. Part
  69. Place
  70. Pleasure
  71. Possible
  72. Power
  73. Probable
  74. Property
  75. Purpose
  76. Quality
  77. Question
  78. Reason
  79. Relation
  80. Representative
  81. Respect
  82. Responsible
  83. Right
  84. Same
  85. Say
  86. Science
  87. See
  88. Seem
  89. Sense
  90. Sign
  91. Simple
  92. Society
  93. Sort
  94. Special
  95. Substance
  96. Thing
  97. Thought
  98. True
  99. Use
  100. Way
  101. Wise
  102. Word
  103. Work

All these words carry multiple meanings, and they can say quite different things to different readers. For that reason, Richards’ list could just as well have been labeled «The 100 Most Ambiguous Words:»

The very usefulness which gives them their importance explains their ambiguity. They are the servants of too many interests to keep to single, clearly defined jobs. Technical words in the sciences are like adzes, planes, gimlets, or razors. A word like «experience,» or «feeling,» or «true» is like a pocketknife. In good hands it will do most things—not very well. In general we will find that the more important a word is, and the more central and necessary its meanings are in our pictures of ourselves and the world, the more ambiguous and possibly deceiving the word will be.

In an earlier book, «The Making of Meaning» (1923), Richards (and co-author C.K. Ogden) had explored the fundamental notion that meaning doesn’t reside in words themselves. Rather, meaning is rhetorical: It’s fashioned out of both a verbal context (the words surrounding the words) and the experiences of the individual reader. No surprise, then, that miscommunication is often the result when the «important words» come into play.

It’s this idea of miscommunicating through language that led Richards to conclude that all of us are developing our reading skills all the time: «Whenever we use words in forming some judgment or decision, we are, in what may be a painfully sharp sense, ‘learning to read'» («How to Read a Page.»)

There are actually 103 words on Richards’ top-100 list. The bonus words, he said, are meant «to incite the reader to the task of cutting out those he sees no point in and adding any he pleases, and to discourage the notion that there is anything sacrosanct about a hundred, or any other number.»

Your List

So with those thoughts in mind, it’s now time to create a list of what you think are the most important words.

Sources

  • Crystal, David. «The Story of English.» St. Martin’s Press, 2012, New York.
  • Richards, I.A. «Basic English and Its Uses.» W.W. Norton & Co., 1943, New York.
  • Richards, I.A. «How to Read a Page: A Course in Effective Reading.» Beacon Press, 1942, Boston.
  • Ogden, C.K. and Richards, I.A. «The Making of Meaning.» Harcourt, 1923, New York.
Источник


An important part of planning slurry utilization and management system is estimating the amount of nutrients available for land application.


The results of this paper can be important for the study of the behavior of laboratory and space plasmas, and also for diagnostic purposes.


Ownership of draught cattle is an important qualitative indicator of property size.


A second, perhaps more important reason, is that qualitative insights can be obtained.


The introduction sets out the background and methodology of the research and repeats some of the important caveats about qualitative attitude research.


Yet, soil fertility will be the most important constraint for organic rice production.


Further investigation is required, because the issues are too important for simply assuming that persistence and intractability necessarily imply an organic genesis.


This phonetic aspect is the main important difference between the two cases for other reasons as well.


For female pupils in this group this is slightly less important, but «fitting in to the group» is an additional factor for them.


These proscriptions, while useful in economics, may obfuscate important psychological phenomena.


Thus, it is important that explicit processes be developed to allow confidential data to be used, while protecting its confidentiality.


I think the ascetic world reinforced my feeling that they were important.


Second, and more important, the forecasting of events is much easier in terms of distal than proximal representations.


At the level of the situation model, it is important to maintain separate representations for each participant.


Although various internal representations are an important type of representations, they are typically compressed, segmented, and distorted forms of the represented entity but not emulations.

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Источник

By- Santosh Yadav

Important Word-Meanings of difficult words from the lesson- REACH FOR THE TOP

[PAGE 99] : Conquered = got victory over, फ़तेह करना ; regarded = considered,माना जाना ; blessing =boon, आशीर्वाद,वरदान ; curse = a bad omen, अभिशाप ; expecting =hoping, उम्मीद होना ; assumed = though,सोचा ; holy man = saint, साधु ; destiny = luck.भाग्य I

[PAGE 100] : Contentment = satisfaction,संतुष्टि ; determination = true resolution,दृढ़ निश्चय ; affluent  =rich/prosper, संपन्न ; afford = bear, वहन करना ; in line with = according to, का अनुसरण करते हुए; prevailing = the normal system, प्रचलित; the last thing = the least important thing, सबसे महत्वहीन बात; enrolled = got admission, दाखिला ले लिय ा; urge = desire, इच्छा I

[PAGE 101] : Vanishing = getting out of sight, आंखों से ओझल हो जाते हुए ;check out = find out,पता लगाना  ; affirmative = positive, सकारात्मक; motivated = inspired, प्रेरित किय ा; headed straight for = went toward,सीधा चला गया ; apology = forgiveness, क्षमा याचना ; expedition = risky job,  जोखिम पूर्ण कार्य ; rapidly = fastly, तेजी से ; resistance = opposite power, प्रतिरोधक शक्ति ; altitude = height, ऊंचाई ; equipped = furnished, सुसज्जित ; endurance = tolerance, सहनशक्ति ; culmination = top point, चरम बिंदु I

[PAGE 102] : Securing= getting, प्राप्त करते हुए ; unique = strange, अद् भुत ; annals = history, इतिहास; top honours = highest awards, सर्वोच्च पुरूस्कार; literally = in reality, सचमुच; enormity = hugeness, विशालत ा; held it aloft = held it up high, ऊंचा रखना ; fervent = strong and sincere feeling, सच्चा –पक्का ; garbage = rubbish, कूड़ा–कर्कट I

Vocabulary

Seale–climb; Twice—two times; Regard—to consider; Blessing—grace; Holy man—saint Assume—pretend; Surprise—an unexpected event; Nevertheless—in spite of that; notwithstanding; Contentment—a state of happiness and satisfaction; Traditional—related to customs; Terms—likes and dislikes; Prefer—choose; Beginning—starting; Determine—decide to do something of definitely; Rational—showing reason; Affluent—rich; Landowner—owner of land; Afford—be able; Prevailing—existing; Custom—tradition; System—setting; Pressure—force; Threaten—frighten; Enrol—to take admission; Proper—right; Refuse- deny; Politely—in peaceful manner; Agree—to have same opinion; Wish—desire; Bit more—little more; Urge—desire; Face—front; Vanish- to disappear; Decide—to choose something; Except— not including; Mountaineer— one who climbs mountain; Pleasant— enjoyable; Affirmative—to say `yes Motivate— to make someone wants to do something well; Institute— organisation; Supposed to be—it means an obligation; Apology- apologise; Permission— consent; Thereafter— after that time; Expedition— mission; Climbing— scale; Skills—ability to do an act; Mature-completely grew; Develop-grow; Remarkable-unusual; Iron will-strong determination; Amazing—surprising; Mental—relating to the mind; Toughness-strong and durable; Repeatedly—again and again; Culmination—the highest point of something; especially attained after a long time; Sincerity-truthfulness; Achieve-gain; Feat-something difficult; Concern-worry; Desire—wish; Fellow—companion; During-within a period of time; Mission-expedition; Provide—give; Special—not usual; Care—look after; Manage-to succeed in doing something; 

Want to Read More Check Below:-

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Reach for the Top Part-I- Introduction

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Reach for the Top Part-I- Characters

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Reach for the Top Part-I- Summary in Hindi – Full Text

Reach for the Top Part-I- Value Points of the Chapter

Reach for the Top Part-I- Comprehension

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Reach for the Top Part-I- Important Extra Questions- Very Short Answer Type

Reach for the Top Part-I- Important Extra Questions Short Answer Type

Reach for the Top Part-I- Important Extra Questions Long Answer Type

Reach for the Top Part-I- Quick Review of the Chapter

Источник

Collins

  
      adj  

1    of great significance or value; outstanding  
Voltaire is an important writer     

2    of social significance; notable; eminent; esteemed  
an important man in the town     

3    when postpositive, usually foll by: to   specially relevant or of great concern (to); valued highly (by)  
your wishes are important to me     

4       an obsolete word for     →
  importunate  
     (C16: from Old Italian importante, from Medieval Latin importare to signify, be of consequence, from Latin: to carry in; see import)  
♦
  importantly      adv  
The use of more importantly as in more importantly, the local council is opposed to this proposal has become very common, but many people still prefer to use more important  

all-important  
      adj   crucial; vital  

self-important  
      adj   having or showing an unduly high opinion of one’s own abilities, importance, etc.  
♦
  self-importantly      adv  
♦
  self-importance      n  

English Collins Dictionary — English Definition & Thesaurus  

Collaborative Dictionary     English Definition

portmanteau word

n.

a new word formed by joining together two others and combining their meanings. Examples: brunch, camcorder, carjack, motel, greenwash, smog, workaholic.

smackeroo

n.

colloquial word for a dollar

core

n.

the most important or central part of something

[US] The core of the book focuses on the period between 1660 and 1857.

charver

n.

charver is another word for chav

If you lived in Newcastle you would know it. Common in NE England

!

Momasita

n.

An endearing word for mom.

sound out (a word)

v.

to say, pronounce, speak

ex.: The child sounded out each word out loud as she read her book.

considerable

adj.

large enough to have an effect or be important

[US] The series has aroused considerable interest.

the f-word

n.

euphemism referring to the word «fuck»

!

kerned yoghourt

Conjugate

v.

kerned is a Somerset word meaning ‘thickened’

the n-word

n.

euphemism referring to the taboo word «nigger»

sit around

exp.

let the time go by without doing something important, relax, waste time

E.g.: It was a quite evening: we sat around chatting and watching TV.

get the jitters

v.

become very nervous or anxious especially before an important event or before having to do something difficult

[informal] Ex.: She always gets the jitters before going on stage.

signficant other

n.

person who is very important and dear without formally being the spouse

to get your knickers in a twist

exp.

to become very upset about something, usually something that is not important

Other expression: to get your knickers in a knot

ship

n.

An abbreviation of the word ‘relationship.’ The word describes fans’ approval of fictional or desired romances between characters or pop culture figures.

Example: I totally ship Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber.

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

n.

artificial long word coined to mean a lung disease known as silicosis, a type of pneumoconiosis caused by inhalation of ultra-microscopic particles of crystalline silica volcanic dust. It has the particularity of being the longest word in the English language published in a dictionary

Longer tech. terms exist (up to 189,819 letters!).The word, presumably coined in 1935 by E.M. Smith (pres. of the National Puzzlers’League) in imitation of very long medical terms, contains 45 letters

bung

n.

a colloquial word meaning a bribe: policemen accepting bungs from journalists

gazunder

n.

a humorous and old-fashioned word that means a chamber pot

Comes from the fact that the chamber pot ‘gazunder’ (= goes under) the bed

the c-word

n.

euphemism used to refer to the taboo word «cunt»

!

automagically

adv.

Supernaturally performed from force of habit or without conscious thought; a portmanteau word formed from «automatically» and «magically»

Wherever he went, flowers automagically materialized in the hands of all nearby women.

To add entries to your own vocabulary, become a member of Reverso community or login if you are already a member.
It’s easy and only takes a few seconds:

Источник

1

: marked by or indicative of significant worth or consequence : valuable in content or relationship

2

: giving evidence of a feeling of self-importance


Importantly vs. Important: Usage Guide

A number of commentators have objected to importantly as a sentence modifier (the use defined above at sense 1) and have recommended important instead. Actually, both the adverb and the adjective are in reputable standard use in this function. Important is always used with more or most.



had bronze weapons and composite bows; more important, they utilized the horse and war chariot


—Harry A. Gailey, Jr.



second and most important, the book contains no important woman character


—F. Scott Fitzgerald

Importantly is commonly used in similar contexts, but it is somewhat more flexible in not requiring more or most.



sticks and, just as importantly, unsticks easily


—Phoebe Hawkins



importantly, the leaven in the mixture is quality


—George O’Brien

Synonyms

Example Sentences



Diet and exercise are important for health.



In his editorial, he made several important points.



Scientists have made an important discovery.



Doing her job well is important to her.



He’s one of the most important scholars in his field.

Recent Examples on the Web

Wen: First, awareness is important.


—Katia Hetter, CNN, 4 Apr. 2023




Design focused on the driver is important in this scoring category.


—Brett Berk, Good Housekeeping, 4 Apr. 2023




Differentiation is important, and those who want to express themselves through fashion, want to do so in a distinct way that is their own.


—Kristina Rutkowski, Harper’s BAZAAR, 4 Apr. 2023




Practice Good Skincare Caring for your skin is important to prevent flares.


—Jessie Van Amburg, Health, 4 Apr. 2023




American political candidates routinely drum up support by warning voters that this election, really, is the most important of their lifetimes.


—Reid J. Epstein, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2023




But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it.


—Melody Chiu, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2023




Physical factors are the most important at first—especially water temperature and channel stability.


—Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2023




For millions living in the nation’s hurricane prone regions, the lives lost as a result of Ian’s massive storm surge and extreme rainfall are the most important lesson, said Daniel Noah, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Tampa Bay.


—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2023


See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘important.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English importante, from Medieval Latin important-, importans, present participle of importare to signify — more at import entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of important was
in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near important

Cite this Entry

“Important.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/important. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

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Last Updated:
6 Apr 2023
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WordReference Random House Learner’s Dictionary of American English © 2023

im•por•tant /ɪmˈpɔrtnt/USA pronunciation  
adj. 

  1. of much or great effect, significance, or consequence:an important event in history.[It + be + ~ + that clause]It’s important that you understand our position.
  2. of great distinction, rank, or power:an important scientist.

im•por•tant•ly, adv.  : She works well with others, but more importantly, her record is the best in the company.See -port-.

    important is an adjective, importance is a noun:You missed a very important meeting. Was anything of importance discussed there?


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2023

im•por•tant 
(im pôr′tnt),USA pronunciation adj. 

  1. of much or great significance or consequence:an important event in world history.
  2. mattering much (usually fol. by to):details important to a fair decision.
  3. entitled to more than ordinary consideration or notice:an important exception.
  4. prominent or large:He played an important part in national politics.
  5. of considerable influence or authority, as a person or position:an important scientist.
  6. having social position or distinction, as a person or family:important guests.
  7. pompous;
    pretentious:When speaking, he assumes an important attitude that offends his audience.
  8. [Obs.]importunate.
  • Medieval Latin important- (stem of importāns present participle of importāre to be of consequence, weigh, Latin: to carry in, import), equivalent. to im- im—1 + port- port5 + -ant- —ant; see import
  • 1580–90

im•por′tant•ly, adv. 

    Both more important and more importantly occur at the beginning of a sentence in all varieties of standard English:More important (or More importantly), her record as an administrator is unmatched. Today, more importantly is the more common, even though some object to its use on the grounds that more important is an elliptical form of «What is more important» and that the adverb importantly could not occur in such a construction. More importantly probably developed by analogy with other sentence-modifying adverbs, as curiously, fortunately, and regrettably.


Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

important /ɪmˈpɔːtənt/ adj

  1. of great significance or value; outstanding
  2. of social significance; notable; eminent; esteemed: an important man in the town
  3. (when postpositive,) usually followed by to: specially relevant or of great concern (to); valued highly (by): your wishes are important to me

Etymology: 16th Century: from Old Italian importante, from Medieval Latin importāre to signify, be of consequence, from Latin: to carry in; see import

imˈportantly adv USAGE
The use of more importantly as in more importantly, the local council is opposed to this proposal has become very common, but many people still prefer to use more important

‘important‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

Источник

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