Englishfor English speakers
the
Determiner
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Used, instead of a, to reference something specific, already known to exist.
Compare "I read a book." and "I read the book."
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Used with a stress, to show that the word following is special.
Are you the John Smith that I went to school with?
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Used with an adjective that acts like a noun to mean all of the people concerned
The poor are always with us.
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Used with superlatives forms of adjectives and adverbs.
You are the best.
sleeper
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noun
a rester who is sleeping
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noun
an unexpected achiever of success
the winner was a true sleeper--no one expected him to get it
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noun
a spy or saboteur or terrorist planted in an enemy country who lives there as a law-abiding citizen until activated by a prearranged signal
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noun
an unexpected hit
that movie was the sleeper of the summer
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noun
tropical fish that resembles a goby and rests quietly on the bottom in shallow water
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noun
a piece of furniture that can be opened up into a bed
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noun
pajamas with feet; worn by children
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noun
(= sleeping car)
a passenger car that has berths for sleeping
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noun
(= tie, railroad tie)
one of the cross braces that support the rails on a railway track
the British call a railroad tie a sleeper
awake
Adjective
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If you are awake, you are not asleep.
It was 1:00 AM and Gerard was still awake.
awake
Verb
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If someone awakes, they stop sleeping.
She awoke with the dawn.
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If something awakes a feeling, it makes it happen.
He awoke their resentment.