"It's sad to think of the unhappy fate that befell him.",
"The drought was only one of many hardships to befall the small country.",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"Legitimate responses to such hardship can feel hopelessly limited; become a survivalist, or sit around waiting for the next disaster to befall you. \u2014 Eleanor Cummins, The New Republic , 26 May 2022",
"At least one individual\u2019s implant has already failed with no way to repair it \u2014 a situation that could befall many others. \u2014 New York Times , 12 May 2022",
"Many Taiwanese are looking at Ukraine\u2019s current reality as something that could befall their homeland. \u2014 Chris Horton, The Atlantic , 6 May 2022",
"In the film, Shrimpton is the latest in a long line of Spinal Tap drummers who had all met with grisly or bizarre deaths and accidents, a fate which would befall Shrimpton who spontaneously combusts onstage while performing in Japan. \u2014 Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter , 3 May 2022",
"Four years ago, a group of employees at the Oregon State Treasury sat down and compiled a list of every conceivable disaster that could befall a government building. \u2014 New York Times , 8 Apr. 2022",
"Some experts fear this is a dark omen of a fate that could befall Kyiv. \u2014 Stephen Collinson, CNN , 21 Mar. 2022",
"As the episode\u2019s championship game approaches, Burns tempts the wrath of the softball gods by declaring there\u2019s no way misfortune could simultaneously befall all his ringers. \u2014 Washington Post , 14 Feb. 2022",
"Narrative tension is virtually nonexistent in a story animated by stakes that couldn\u2019t be lower, or more formulaic; the plot hums along smoothly, much like V\u00e9ra \u2019s battered VW that runs right on cue, no matter what misadventures befall it. \u2014 Washington Post , 13 Apr. 2022"
],
"first_known_use":{
"13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{
"Middle English befallen , going back to Old English befeallan (parallel to Old High German bifallan \"to fall\"), from be- be- + feallan \"to fall entry 1 \"":""
},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8f\u022fl",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"be",
"betide",
"chance",
"come",
"come about",
"come down",
"come off",
"cook",
"do",
"go down",
"go on",
"hap",
"happen",
"occur",
"pass",
"transpire"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-035450",
"type":[
"verb"
]
},
"befit":{
"antonyms":[],
"definitions":{
": to be proper or becoming to":[
"clothing that befits the occasion"
]
},
"examples":[
"She has a mind for serious inquiry, as befits a scientist.",
"spoke politely of the deceased, as befitted the occasion",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"Michael, though, not only lived up to his highest standard but showed a poise and maturity that truly befit the occasion. \u2014 Marissa Charles, PEOPLE.com , 17 June 2022",
"But even by the festival\u2019s own standards, Cruise received the sort of rapturous reception that could only befit one of Hollywood\u2019s most successful and globally renowned stars. \u2014 Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter , 18 May 2022",
"An Army veteran and lawyer before reaching Congress in 1969, Mr. Koch pushed progressive social policies that befit his job representing one of New York\u2019s bluest enclaves. \u2014 New York Times , 7 May 2022",
"Instead, it was elevated to befit the glamour of Tinseltown\u2019s biggest night out. \u2014 Vogue , 27 Mar. 2022",
"All things being equal, the common good allows mediating institutions to cooperate toward the advancement of a just society by experiencing the excellencies that befit their existence. \u2014 Andrew T. Walker, National Review , 28 Feb. 2022",
"As far as Halo lore is concerned, this trailer makes a few massive changes that befit a new, parallel timeline. \u2014 Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica , 31 Jan. 2022",
"The flow of energy, the establishment of tension and its subsequent release, through the seven movements of this nearly hour-long musical suite would equally befit a jazz club or a church-revival tent. \u2014 Larry Blumenfeld, WSJ , 22 Jan. 2022",
"But although American enthusiasts have been importing games from Japan for decades, the process is a quest multi-tiered enough to befit a Final Fantasy NPC. \u2014 Cecilia D'anastasio, Wired , 14 Jan. 2022"
],
"first_known_use":{
"15th century, in the meaning defined above":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8fit",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"beseem",
"do",
"fit",
"go",
"serve",
"suit"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220706-170117",
"type":[
"verb"
]
},
"befitting":{
"antonyms":[
"improper",
"inappropriate",
"incorrect",
"indecent",
"indecorous",
"indelicate",
"unbecoming",
"ungenteel",
"unseemly"
],
"definitions":{
": proper , decent":[],
": suitable , appropriate":[]
},
"examples":[
"many voters feel that the womanizing governor has not acted in a befitting manner for someone who serves as the state's chief executive",
"a befitting reply to a civil question",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"The scene captured by traffic cameras in Boynton Beach, Fla., is befitting of a Marvel flick. \u2014 Mar\u00eda Luisa Pa\u00fal, Washington Post , 12 May 2022",
"Covered in sequins and gold chains, the look is befitting of a finale. \u2014 Katie Bowlby, Country Living , 10 May 2022",
"Stringing together 12 singles amid 14 hits, the Dodgers connected plate appearances befitting of a team that a day earlier had received a lesson in unselfishness. \u2014 Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times , 14 Apr. 2022",
"Moreno's reaction to seeing her younger self was befitting of her status. \u2014 Olivia Jakiel, PEOPLE.com , 27 Mar. 2022",
"Throughout the music video, Dua and Megan wear an array of outfits befitting of witches who seduce their meals: ornate black gowns, pastel corsets, glittery bodysuits, and over-the-knee boots. \u2014 Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR , 11 Mar. 2022",
"Naomi Campbell gave the public a first look at her daughter in a way befitting of a supermodel \u2014 on the cover of Vogue. \u2014 Essence , 14 Feb. 2022",
"Leveling up In late 2007, Blizzard moved into a new headquarters more befitting its status as a gaming juggernaut. \u2014 Courtney Rubin, Fortune , 9 Feb. 2022",
"The Vatican\u2019s big fraud and extortion trial resumes Friday after exposing some unseemly realities of how the Holy See operates, with a new spy story taking center stage that is more befitting of a 007 thriller than the inner workings of a papacy. \u2014 Nicole Winfield, ajc , 17 Feb. 2022"
],
"first_known_use":{
"circa 1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8fi-ti\u014b",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"correct",
"de rigueur",
"decent",
"decorous",
"genteel",
"nice",
"polite",
"proper",
"respectable",
"seemly"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-050358",
"type":[
"adjective",
"adverb"
]
},
"befog":{
"antonyms":[
"clarify",
"clear (up)",
"illuminate"
],
"definitions":{
": confuse":[],
": fog , obscure":[]
},
"examples":[
"the professor's convoluted explanation only befogged the textbook's presentation of this scientific principle",
"the morning murk befogged our view of the harbor",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"But the Taycan's launch control hits harder than the Model S's, smacking us with 1.3 g's of initial acceleration long enough to befog our noggin. \u2014 Dave Vanderwerp, Car and Driver , 7 Feb. 2020",
"This is the point where accidentally interacting with passerby distracted by their smartphones, their attention equally befogged by another kind of augmented reality, could result in a very bad ending. \u2014 Matt Peckham, Time , 23 June 2017",
"The detective blames Nichols, the self-aggrandizing adviser who convinced the Cabazons to build a casino, for conjuring the intrigue that continued to befog the case long after his death. \u2014 Andrew Rice, WIRED , 4 Feb. 2011"
],
"first_known_use":{
"1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"-\u02c8f\u00e4g",
"b\u0113-",
"bi-\u02c8f\u022fg"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"becloud",
"blur",
"cloud",
"confuse",
"fog",
"muddy",
"obfuscate"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220706-181055",
"type":[
"verb"
]
},
"befogged":{
"antonyms":[
"clarify",
"clear (up)",
"illuminate"
],
"definitions":{
": confuse":[],
": fog , obscure":[]
},
"examples":[
"the professor's convoluted explanation only befogged the textbook's presentation of this scientific principle",
"the morning murk befogged our view of the harbor",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"But the Taycan's launch control hits harder than the Model S's, smacking us with 1.3 g's of initial acceleration long enough to befog our noggin. \u2014 Dave Vanderwerp, Car and Driver , 7 Feb. 2020",
"This is the point where accidentally interacting with passerby distracted by their smartphones, their attention equally befogged by another kind of augmented reality, could result in a very bad ending. \u2014 Matt Peckham, Time , 23 June 2017",
"The detective blames Nichols, the self-aggrandizing adviser who convinced the Cabazons to build a casino, for conjuring the intrigue that continued to befog the case long after his death. \u2014 Andrew Rice, WIRED , 4 Feb. 2011"
],
"first_known_use":{
"1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"-\u02c8f\u00e4g",
"b\u0113-",
"bi-\u02c8f\u022fg"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"becloud",
"blur",
"cloud",
"confuse",
"fog",
"muddy",
"obfuscate"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-100159",
"type":[
"verb"
]
},
"befool":{
"antonyms":[],
"definitions":{
": delude sense 1":[],
": to make a fool of":[]
},
"examples":[],
"first_known_use":{
"14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8f\u00fcl",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-045132",
"type":[
"verb"
]
},
"before":{
"antonyms":[
"afore",
"ahead of",
"ere",
"fore",
"'fore",
"of",
"previous to",
"prior to",
"to"
],
"definitions":{
": at an earlier time":[
"the night before",
"knew her before"
],
": at the disposal of":[
"the great sums placed before him"
],
": earlier than the time that":[
"call me before you go"
],
": forward of : in front of":[
"stood before the fire"
],
": in a higher or more important position than":[
"put quantity before quality"
],
": in advance : ahead":[
"marching on before"
],
": in store for":[
"got the whole summer before you"
],
": in the presence of":[
"speaking before the conference"
],
": or else":[
"get out of here before I call a cop"
],
": or else \u2026 not":[
"must be convicted before he can be removed from office"
],
": preceding in time : earlier than":[
"just before noon"
],
": rather or sooner than":[
"would starve before he'd steal"
],
": so that \u2026 do not":[
"get out of there before you get dirty"
],
": sooner or quicker than":[
"I'll be done before you know it"
],
": under the jurisdiction or consideration of":[
"the case before the court"
],
": until the time that":[
"miles to go before I sleep",
"\u2014 Robert Frost"
]
},
"examples":[
"Preposition",
"We arrived shortly before six o'clock.",
"He left just before sunrise.",
"I've never seen her so happy before now.",
"Call me before your arrival.",
"She arrived the day before yesterday.",
"Why haven't you ever helped me before now",
"Your name is listed before mine.",
"You'll see my house just before the bank and after the school.",
"The Great Plains stretched endlessly before them.",
"The championship fight took place before a crowd of thousands.",
"Conjunction",
"He left long before morning came.",
"Say goodbye before you go.",
"Call me before you arrive.",
"I finished the exam before he did.",
"It was not long before he arrived.",
"Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb or adjective",
"And when Pressly closed out it by getting Giancarlo Stanton on a harmless ground ball the Astros celebrated along with anyone in attendance who had never seen a no-hitter before . \u2014 Larry Fleisher, Forbes , 27 June 2022",
"That day\u2019s order was for about a thousand wedding guests, so preparation had begun the day before with the slaughter of 73 sheep to yield a ton and a half of mutton. \u2014 New York Times , 26 June 2022",
"On Sunday, the national average for gas was $4.90, slightly lower than the day before and 30 cents higher than the month before, according to AAA. \u2014 Talia Kaplan, Fox News , 26 June 2022",
"Suddenly, that boss who said no to a raise before has money in the budget, and matches the outside offer. \u2014 Sean Mcdonnell, cleveland , 26 June 2022",
"Vice President Kamala Harris led the way, as a cast of prominent Black Democrats (Jesse Jackson, President Barack Obama) and, in less partisan times, Republicans (President George W. Bush) had before . \u2014 Nathan Heller, Vogue , 22 June 2022",
"The PGA Tour faces a threat never before seen from the major American professional sports leagues. \u2014 Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com , 22 June 2022",
"Never before had a team trailed by so many runs in a World Series elimination game and come back to win. \u2014 Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times , 21 June 2022",
"Launched in 2019, Reign Pads touts their triple absorbency is like nothing customers have seen before . \u2014 Jasmine Browley, Essence , 21 June 2022",
"Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition",
"Among the evidence, the committee recently obtained footage of Trump and his inner circle taken both before and after Jan. 6 from British filmmaker Alex Holder. \u2014 Anchorage Daily News , 28 June 2022",
"Briefing documents from the companies and the FDA providing far more data on the vaccines will be made publicly available before the meeting, possibly as early as this weekend. \u2014 Matthew Herper, STAT , 28 June 2022",
"Medrano started out as a folk dancer in award-winning troupes before picking up the violin and joining the mariachi world. \u2014 Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone , 27 June 2022",
"The school tried to work out a solution so Kennedy could pray privately before or after the game. \u2014 Jessica Gresko, Chron , 27 June 2022",
"Among other investigative evidence, the committee recently obtained new footage of then-President Donald Trump and his inner circle taken both before and after Jan. 6, 2021 from British filmmaker Alex Holder. \u2014 Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune , 27 June 2022",
"Noem\u2019s office has said the plan was in the works before the meeting. \u2014 Stephen Groves, ajc , 27 June 2022",
"Russia launched the largest missile barrage on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in weeks early Sunday, hours before a Group of Seven meeting convened in Germany to discuss new economic measures to stop Moscow\u2019s invasion. \u2014 Alan Cullison, WSJ , 26 June 2022",
"Until a vote is made, city councilors can continue to submit budget change requests to the mayor\u2019s office before July 1, the deadline for final budget approval. \u2014 Heather Gann | Hgann@al.com, al , 25 June 2022"
],
"first_known_use":{
"13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)":"Conjunction",
"before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1":"Adverb or adjective",
"before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)":"Preposition"
},
"history_and_etymology":{
"Middle English before, beforen , from before, beforen , before entry 2":"Conjunction",
"Middle English before, beforen , going back to Old English beforan \u2014 more at before entry 1":"Preposition",
"Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English beforan , from be- + foran before, from fore":"Adverb or adjective"
},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8f\u022fr",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"afore",
"ahead",
"already",
"antecedently",
"anteriorly",
"beforehand",
"earlier",
"formerly",
"preliminarily",
"previously"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-050815",
"type":[
"adverb",
"adverb or adjective",
"conjunction",
"preposition"
]
},
"before bed":{
"antonyms":[],
"definitions":{
": before going to sleep":[
"The kids like to hear a story before bed ."
]
},
"examples":[],
"first_known_use":{},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220706-233219",
"type":[
"idiom"
]
},
"before long":{
"antonyms":[],
"definitions":{
": in the near future : soon":[]
},
"examples":[
"the painters ought to be done before long",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"Sure, tons of power and torque are easy to provide with a powerful battery and motor, but even three-seconds-to-60 acceleration starts to feel normal before long . \u2014 Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica , 17 June 2022",
"On a recent evening, after finishing her 12-hour shift at a hospital in Kingman, in the northwest corner of the state, Garcia considered the reality that, before long , the U.S. would surpass 1 million COVID-19 deaths. \u2014 Emily Baumgaertner, Los Angeles Times , 16 May 2022",
"One thing is certain: There will be plenty of Lotus EVs to choose from before long . \u2014 Bryan Hood, Robb Report , 18 Apr. 2022",
"The reemergence of inflation may be the economic story of the last year, but stagflation may well take over its relative\u2019s starring role before long . \u2014 Jonathan Bydlak, National Review , 13 June 2022",
"And like those players, the potential will likely shine through before long . \u2014 Andy Kostka, Baltimore Sun , 4 June 2022",
"But before long Floyd became a part of the family that was accepted by all, even the stubborn tortie! \u2014 cleveland , 20 May 2022",
"However, Americans spending on experiences may also tighten their pursestrings before long . \u2014 Nicol\u00e1s Rivero, Quartz , 18 May 2022",
"Faced with harsh economic and diplomatic wounds, Russia will start to creak and crumble, and before long its citizens will grow weary of his sclerotic, autocratic governance. \u2014 Jack Devine, WSJ , 2 Mar. 2022"
],
"first_known_use":{
"1585, in the meaning defined above":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"anon",
"by and by",
"directly",
"momentarily",
"presently",
"shortly",
"soon"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-013512",
"type":[
"adverb"
]
},
"before one can blink":{
"antonyms":[],
"definitions":{
": very quickly":[
"This may hurt a little, but it'll be over before you can blink ."
]
},
"examples":[],
"first_known_use":{},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-195927",
"type":[
"idiom"
]
},
"beforehand":{
"antonyms":[
"belatedly",
"late",
"tardily"
],
"definitions":{
": ahead of time : early":[],
": in advance":[],
": in anticipation":[]
},
"examples":[
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"Everyone attending and interacting with Xi and his delegation over the next two days has had to isolate beforehand because COVID-19 infections in Hong Kong are much higher than on the zero-COVID-adhering mainland. \u2014 Karson Yiu, ABC News , 30 June 2022",
"Establishing details beforehand is better than reworking the transcript or preparing the document again. \u2014 Beth Worthy, Forbes , 29 June 2022",
"In a break with its past five hearings this month, the panel provided no advance confirmation about the witness list Tuesday and members did not appear on television beforehand . \u2014 Arkansas Online , 29 June 2022",
"Maybe this warranted a little conversation beforehand ",
"Courts generally don\u2019t like to interfere with proceedings whose rules and processes were collectively bargained and agreed to beforehand by both sides. \u2014 Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY , 28 June 2022",
"Multiple protesters told The Republic at the scene there was no warning beforehand . \u2014 Lillian Boyd, The Arizona Republic , 26 June 2022",
"The video does not show what happened between Lugo and Rourke beforehand . \u2014 Washington Post , 26 June 2022",
"Lumumba\u2019s election as the independent DRC\u2019s first prime minister shortly beforehand brought hope that the break with colonialism would bring about a real democracy. \u2014 Helena Skinner, NBC News , 20 June 2022"
],
"first_known_use":{
"13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8f\u022fr-\u02cchand",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"early",
"inopportunely",
"precociously",
"prematurely",
"unseasonably"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-032440",
"type":[
"adverb",
"adverb or adjective"
]
},
"befoul":{
"antonyms":[
"clean",
"cleanse"
],
"definitions":{
": sully , soil , besmirch":[
"scandal befouled his reputation"
],
": to make foul (as with dirt or waste)":[]
},
"examples":[
"pollutants that befoul the air and water",
"unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"Hundreds of women will dress up against the cold on a gray November day to protest a pipeline that could befoul their water and will almost certainly lead to the final befouling of the planet. \u2014 Washington Post , 20 Apr. 2022",
"But dip even the most blood- befouled corset in a tub of warm water and swish, swish, swish \u2014 Lucy\u2019s lace nightgown, or a doctor\u2019s lab coat \u2014 is restored to its original snowy sheen. \u2014 Mary Carole Mccauley, baltimoresun.com , 24 Oct. 2019",
"The poison of authoritarianism is as pervasive as the cloud of sulfur dioxide that befouled the air in East Germany. \u2014 Kyle Smith, National Review , 26 Feb. 2020",
"Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct \u2013 befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street. \u2014 Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com , 6 Dec. 2019",
"But the country\u2019s blond-sand beaches are now scarred with plastic bottles and its mountain streams befouled by open dumps. \u2014 New York Times , 3 Dec. 2019",
"Microfibers from synthetic fabrics and other pollutants befoul our rivers and oceans. \u2014 BostonGlobe.com , 28 Nov. 2019",
"Whether that changes between now and whenever Democrats bring articles of impeachment to the House floor will depend on their ability to make the case that the president has not only befouled his office but must be removed from it. \u2014 Jonathan Allen, NBC News , 31 Oct. 2019",
"Ambrosino decries the garbage and neglect that have befouled places that could be developed into parks and other public resources. \u2014 BostonGlobe.com , 3 Oct. 2019"
],
"first_known_use":{
"12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"b\u0113-",
"bi-\u02c8fau\u0307(-\u0259)l"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"begrime",
"bemire",
"besmirch",
"blacken",
"daub",
"dirty",
"distain",
"foul",
"gaum",
"grime",
"mire",
"muck",
"muddy",
"smirch",
"smudge",
"soil",
"stain",
"sully"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-075510",
"type":[
"verb"
]
},
"befouled":{
"antonyms":[
"clean",
"cleanse"
],
"definitions":{
": sully , soil , besmirch":[
"scandal befouled his reputation"
],
": to make foul (as with dirt or waste)":[]
},
"examples":[
"pollutants that befoul the air and water",
"unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"Hundreds of women will dress up against the cold on a gray November day to protest a pipeline that could befoul their water and will almost certainly lead to the final befouling of the planet. \u2014 Washington Post , 20 Apr. 2022",
"But dip even the most blood- befouled corset in a tub of warm water and swish, swish, swish \u2014 Lucy\u2019s lace nightgown, or a doctor\u2019s lab coat \u2014 is restored to its original snowy sheen. \u2014 Mary Carole Mccauley, baltimoresun.com , 24 Oct. 2019",
"The poison of authoritarianism is as pervasive as the cloud of sulfur dioxide that befouled the air in East Germany. \u2014 Kyle Smith, National Review , 26 Feb. 2020",
"Michael Kuta, 26, of the 700 block of South Addison Avenue, Villa Park, was cited for disorderly conduct \u2013 befouling property at 1:15 a.m. Nov. 28 after he was observed urinating on bushes in the 100 block of South York Street. \u2014 Graydon Megan, chicagotribune.com , 6 Dec. 2019",
"But the country\u2019s blond-sand beaches are now scarred with plastic bottles and its mountain streams befouled by open dumps. \u2014 New York Times , 3 Dec. 2019",
"Microfibers from synthetic fabrics and other pollutants befoul our rivers and oceans. \u2014 BostonGlobe.com , 28 Nov. 2019",
"Whether that changes between now and whenever Democrats bring articles of impeachment to the House floor will depend on their ability to make the case that the president has not only befouled his office but must be removed from it. \u2014 Jonathan Allen, NBC News , 31 Oct. 2019",
"Ambrosino decries the garbage and neglect that have befouled places that could be developed into parks and other public resources. \u2014 BostonGlobe.com , 3 Oct. 2019"
],
"first_known_use":{
"12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"b\u0113-",
"bi-\u02c8fau\u0307(-\u0259)l"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"begrime",
"bemire",
"besmirch",
"blacken",
"daub",
"dirty",
"distain",
"foul",
"gaum",
"grime",
"mire",
"muck",
"muddy",
"smirch",
"smudge",
"soil",
"stain",
"sully"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-092737",
"type":[
"verb"
]
},
"befuddle":{
"antonyms":[],
"definitions":{
": confuse , perplex":[
"a problem that still befuddles the experts"
],
": to muddle or stupefy with or as if with drink":[
"\u2026 befuddled with drink all the time.",
"\u2014 Ellen Glasgow"
]
},
"examples":[
"most of the applicants were befuddled by the wording of one of the questions on the driving test",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"These are the ones that befuddle the mind and are more likely the source of fender-benders. \u2014 Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star , 23 Dec. 2021",
"The team hypothesizes that the rippling motion, which is often directed away from an approaching bird, may befuddle the predator. \u2014 Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American , 22 Dec. 2021",
"It was shot, in part, in Coronado and its title might befuddle even Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! \u2014 Diane Bell Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune , 13 Nov. 2021",
"The cars also appear to befuddle drivers in other situations, such as being slow to take its turn at a four-way stop. \u2014 Matt Mcfarland, CNN , 3 Nov. 2021",
"Here, however, The Economist is on surer ground: Green campaigners vie to befuddle the public with acronyms and jargon. \u2014 Andrew Stuttaford, National Review , 9 Oct. 2021",
"The Mountaineers most remember Colombi\u2019s ability to befuddle the defense with his legs. \u2014 Ryan Mainville, Dallas News , 1 Oct. 2021",
"Black Friday, at its best, is a chaotic affair that overflows with FOMO and can befuddle even the most grizzled of bargain hunters. \u2014 Chris Morris, Fortune , 28 Nov. 2019",
"The move mirrored a signature style that Nani has often used to befuddle defenders and break himself open, giving the captain his second goal of the season. \u2014 Julia Poe, orlandosentinel.com , 1 May 2021"
],
"first_known_use":{
"1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{
"be- + fuddle":""
},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8f\u0259-d\u1d4al",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"addle",
"baffle",
"bamboozle",
"beat",
"befog",
"bemuse",
"bewilder",
"buffalo",
"confound",
"confuse",
"discombobulate",
"disorient",
"flummox",
"fox",
"fuddle",
"get",
"gravel",
"maze",
"muddle",
"muddy",
"mystify",
"perplex",
"pose",
"puzzle",
"vex"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-103737",
"type":[
"noun",
"verb"
]
},
"befuddled":{
"antonyms":[
"clearheaded"
],
"definitions":{
": utterly confused or puzzled : deeply perplexed":[
"\u2026 somebody may be so befuddled and self-destructive as to miss the point entirely.",
"\u2014 Anne B. Fisher",
"I just asked her to please talk to my agent, who understood what was going on, not me. \u2026 frankly, I didn't know what to do, or whomto believe. I was totally befuddled .",
"\u2014 John Nichols"
]
},
"examples":[
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"Perhaps that global pecking order is part of the reason why U.S. skaters seemed more befuddled and sad than aggrieved or critical of the penalty decision. \u2014 Tom Schad, USA TODAY , 6 Feb. 2022",
"The military goes on high alert; the intelligence services spring into befuddled action. \u2014 Washington Post , 30 Nov. 2021",
"Oprah prodded, again acting as proxy for the befuddled American viewer. \u2014 Doreen St. F\u00e9lix, The New Yorker , 8 Mar. 2021",
"Parents, many of whom identify as liberals, are left befuddled and angry. \u2014 Paymon Rouhanifard, Time , 12 Apr. 2021",
"The film is a bit of a lightning rod in the Nolan canon, one that left many viewers a bit befuddled at the complexity, while one of the director\u2019s earlier films (like 2010\u2019s Inception) is a much more palatable and visually trippy experience. \u2014 Andy Meek, BGR , 25 Mar. 2021",
"It\u2019s one of Hopkins\u2019s finest performances, by turns wrathful and befuddled , helpless and defiant. \u2014 Michael Schulman, The New Yorker , 27 Feb. 2021",
"His reverse jam opened the scoring for Detroit, then swished a face-up jumper over a befuddled Jason Collins. \u2014 Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press , 20 May 2020",
"When Peter arrives at this week\u2019s rose ceremony, a group of women come at him like angry geese, creatures of pure and befuddled rage. \u2014 Emily Yahr, Washington Post , 28 Jan. 2020"
],
"first_known_use":{
"1838, in the meaning defined above":""
},
"history_and_etymology":{},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8f\u0259-d\u1d4ald",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"synonyms":[
"addle",
"addled",
"addlepated",
"bedeviled",
"befogged",
"bemused",
"bewildered",
"bushed",
"confounded",
"confused",
"dazed",
"distracted",
"dizzy",
"dopey",
"dopy",
"fogged",
"mixed-up",
"muddleheaded",
"muzzy",
"pixilated",
"pixillated",
"punch-drunk",
"punchy",
"raddled",
"shell-shocked",
"silly",
"slaphappy",
"spaced-out",
"spaced",
"spacey",
"spacy",
"stunned",
"stupefied",
"zonked",
"zonked-out"
],
"time_of_retrieval":"20220707-032951",
"type":[
"adjective"
]
},
"befuddlement":{
"antonyms":[],
"definitions":{
": confuse , perplex":[
"a problem that still befuddles the experts"
],
": to muddle or stupefy with or as if with drink":[
"\u2026 befuddled with drink all the time.",
"\u2014 Ellen Glasgow"
]
},
"examples":[
"most of the applicants were befuddled by the wording of one of the questions on the driving test",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"These are the ones that befuddle the mind and are more likely the source of fender-benders. \u2014 Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star , 23 Dec. 2021",
"The team hypothesizes that the rippling motion, which is often directed away from an approaching bird, may befuddle the predator. \u2014 Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American , 22 Dec. 2021",
"It was shot, in part, in Coronado and its title might befuddle even Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! \u2014 Diane Bell Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune , 13 Nov. 2021",
"The cars also appear to befuddle drivers in other situations, such as being slow to take its turn at a four-way stop. \u2014 Matt Mcfarland, CNN , 3 Nov. 2021",
"Here, however, The Economist is on surer ground: Green campaigners vie to befuddle the public with acronyms and jargon. \u2014 Andrew Stuttaford, National Review , 9 Oct. 2021",
"The Mountaineers most remember Colombi\u2019s ability to befuddle the defense with his legs. \u2014 Ryan Mainville, Dallas News , 1 Oct. 2021",
"Black Friday, at its best, is a chaotic affair that overflows with FOMO and can befuddle even the most grizzled of bargain hunters. \u2014 Chris Morris, Fortune , 28 Nov. 2019",
"The move mirrored a signature style that Nani has often used to befuddle defenders and break himself open, giving the captain his second goal of the season. \u2014 Julia Poe, orlandosentinel.com , 1 May 2021"
": in a very open and visible way so that someone can see it very clearly":[
"Technology is changing right before our eyes .",
"We were watching a disaster take place in front of our very eyes ."
]
},
"pronounciation":[],
"synonyms":[],
"antonyms":[],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"examples":[],
"history_and_etymology":{},
"first_known_use":{},
"time_of_retrieval":"20220710-062228"
},
"before one knows it":{
"type":[
"idiom"
],
"definitions":{
": very quickly or soon":[
"We'll be there before you know it .",
"The game was over before I knew it ."
]
},
"pronounciation":[],
"synonyms":[],
"antonyms":[],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"examples":[],
"history_and_etymology":{},
"first_known_use":{},
"time_of_retrieval":"20220710-124811"
},
"beforetime":{
"type":[
"adverb"
],
"definitions":{
": formerly":[]
},
"pronounciation":[
"b\u0113-",
"bi-\u02c8f\u022fr-\u02cct\u012bm"
],
"synonyms":[],
"antonyms":[],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"examples":[],
"history_and_etymology":{},
"first_known_use":{
"13th century, in the meaning defined above":""
},
"time_of_retrieval":"20220710-162718"
},
"beforeness":{
"type":[
"noun"
],
"definitions":{
": the condition of having existed previously : preexistence : the quality or state of having been before":[]
},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8f\u022fr-n\u0259d",
"b\u0113-"
],
"synonyms":[],
"antonyms":[],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"examples":[],
"history_and_etymology":{},
"first_known_use":{},
"time_of_retrieval":"20220710-181801"
},
"befriend":{
"type":[
"verb"
],
"definitions":{
": to become or act as a friend to":[
"befriended the new student"
]
},
"pronounciation":[
"bi-\u02c8frend"
],
"synonyms":[],
"antonyms":[],
"synonym_discussion":"",
"examples":[
"He befriended the new student.",
"Recent Examples on the Web",
"His arc across Season 6 also requires him to befriend devils\u2014most notably the fascists through Oswald Mosley. \u2014 Josh St. Clair, Men's Health , 10 June 2022",
"Oscar-winners Art Carney and Louise Fletcher play a couple who befriend Charlie and Andy, while Martin Sheen portrays the head of the Shop just a year after his performance in David Cronenberg's adaptation of King's The Dead Zone. \u2014 Clark Collis, EW.com , 14 May 2022",
"Some can even recognize and choose to befriend individuals outside their species, including humans. \u2014 Washington Post , 4 May 2022",
"The story continues Sonic\u2019s adventures on Earth following his arrival from a distant planet and his fumbling attempts to befriend a couple living in Montana. \u2014 Pamela Mcclintock, The Hollywood Reporter , 9 Apr. 2022",
"Along the way, D\u2019Artagnan meets three musketeers -- Athos, Porthos and Aramis -- who befriend him and take him under their wing. \u2014 cleveland , 2 May 2022",
"The role of the coach is to help the client see and befriend all the parts in relation to whatever goal or intention is important to them. \u2014 Julie Jungalwala, Forbes , 14 Apr. 2022",
"Despite the tribulations of their new circumstances, the children befriend travelers and staff of the nearby train station, helping friends in need, and ultimately managing to exonerate their father. \u2014 Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country , 17 Apr. 2022"
