What does change mean?

What does change mean?. The world's largest and most trusted free online dictionary: definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more.

What does change mean? - The Free Dictionary

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[n] an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another(the change was intended to increase sales this storm is certainly a change for the worse the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago)[v] cause to change; make different; ca

change

change - The Free Dictionary

[n] an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
(the change was intended to increase sales this storm is certainly a change for the worse the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago)

[v] cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
(The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue)

[n] a relational difference between states; especially between states before and after some event
(he attributed the change to their marriage)

[v] undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
(She changed completely as she grew older The weather changed last night)

[n] the action of changing something
(the change of government had no impact on the economy his change on abortion cost him the election)

[v] become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
(her mood changes in accordance with the weather The supermarket's selection of vegetables varies according to the season)

[n] the result of alteration or modification
(there were marked changes in the lining of the lungs there had been no change in the mountains)

[v] lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
(switch to a different brand of beer She switched psychiatrists The car changed lanes)

[n] the balance of money received when the amount you tender is greater than the amount due
(I paid with a twenty and pocketed the change)

[v] change clothes; put on different clothes
(Change before you go to the opera)

[n] a thing that is different
(he inspected several changes before selecting one)

[v] exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category
(Could you convert my dollars into pounds? He changed his name convert centimeters into inches convert holdings into shares)

[n] a different or fresh set of clothes
(she brought a change in her overnight bag)

[v] give to, and receive from, one another
(Would you change places with me? We have been exchanging letters for a year)

[n] coins of small denomination regarded collectively
(he had a pocketful of change)

[v] change from one vehicle or transportation line to another
(She changed in Chicago on her way to the East coast)

[n] money received in return for its equivalent in a larger denomination or a different currency
(he got change for a twenty and used it to pay the taxi driver)

[v] become deeper in tone
(His voice began to change when he was 12 years old Her voice deepened when she whispered the password)

[n] a difference that is usually pleasant
(he goes to France for variety it is a refreshing change to meet a woman mechanic)

[v] remove or replace the coverings of
(Father had to learn how to change the baby After each guest we changed the bed linens)

Other vocabulary

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Dictionary

A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged alphabetically (or by consonantal root for Semitic languages or radical and stroke for ideographic languages), which may include information on definitions, usage, etymologies, pronunciations, translation, etc. It is a lexicographical reference that shows inter-relationships among the data.

A broad distinction is made between general and specialized dictionaries. Specialized dictionaries include words in specialist fields, rather than a complete range of words in the language. Lexical items that describe concepts in specific fields are usually called terms instead of words, although there is no consensus whether lexicology and terminology are two different fields of study. In theory, general dictionaries are supposed[citation needed] to be semasiological, mapping word to definition, while specialized dictionaries are supposed to be onomasiological, first identifying concepts and then establishing the terms used to designate them. In practice, the two approaches are used for both types. There are other types of dictionaries that do not fit neatly into the above distinction, for instance bilingual (translation) dictionaries, dictionaries of synonyms (thesauri), and rhyming dictionaries. The word dictionary (unqualified) is usually understood to refer to a general purpose monolingual dictionary.

There is also a contrast between prescriptive or descriptive dictionaries; the former reflect what is seen as correct use of the language while the latter reflect recorded actual use. Stylistic indications (e.g. "informal" or "vulgar") in many modern dictionaries are also considered by some to be less than objectively descriptive.

The first recorded dictionaries date back to Sumerian times around 2300 BCE, in the form of bilingual dictionaries, and the oldest surviving monolingual dictionaries are Chinese dictionaries c. 3rd century BCE. The first purely English alphabetical dictionary was A Table Alphabeticall, written in 1604, and monolingual dictionaries in other languages also began appearing in Europe at around this time. The systematic study of dictionaries as objects of scientific interest arose as a 20th-century enterprise, called lexicography, and largely initiated by Ladislav Zgusta. The birth of the new discipline was not without controversy, with the practical dictionary-makers being sometimes accused by others of having an "astonishing" lack of method and critical-self reflection.