Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: In addition to the uses shown below, '~' is used in phrasal verbs such as ‘date ~’ and ‘grow away ~’.
1.
If something comes ~ a particular person or thing, or if you get something ~ them, they give it to you or they are the source of it.
He appealed for information ~ anyone who saw the attackers.
...an anniversary present ~ his wife...
The results were taken ~ six surveys...
The dirt ~ the fields drifted like snow.
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2.
Someone who comes ~ a particular place lives in that place or originally lived there. Something that comes ~ a particular place was made in that place.
Katy Jones is nineteen and comes ~ Birmingham.
...wines ~ Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence.
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3.
A person ~ a particular organization works for that organization.
...a representative ~ the Israeli embassy.
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4.
If someone or something moves or is moved ~ a place, they leave it or are removed, so that they are no longer there.
The guests watched as she fled ~ the room.
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5.
If you take one thing or person ~ another, you move that thing or person so that they are no longer with the other or attached to the other.
In many bone transplants, bone can be taken ~ other parts of the patient’s body...
Remove the bowl ~ the ice and stir in the cream.
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6.
If you take something ~ an amount, you reduce the amount by that much.
The ?103 is deducted ~ Mrs Adams’ salary every month...
Three ~ six leaves three.
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7.
From is used in expressions such as away ~ or absent ~ to say that someone or something is not present in a place where they are usually found.
Her husband worked away ~ home a lot...
Jo was absent ~ the house all the next day.
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8.
If you return ~ a place or an activity, you return after being in that place or doing that activity.
...a group of men travelling home ~ a darts match.
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9.
If you are back ~ a place or activity, you have left it and have returned to your former place.
Our economics correspondent, James Morgan, is just back ~ Germany...
One afternoon when I was home ~ school, he asked me to come to see a movie with him.
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10.
If you see or hear something ~ a particular place, you are in that place when you see it or hear it.
Visitors see the painting ~ behind a plate glass window...
PREP: PREP n, PREP prep, PREP adv
11.
If something hangs or sticks out ~ an object, it is attached to it or held by it.
Hanging ~ his right wrist is a heavy gold bracelet.
...large fans hanging ~ ceilings...
He saw the corner of a magazine sticking out ~ under the blanket.
PREP: v PREP n
12.
You can use ~ when giving distances. For example, if a place is fifty miles ~ another place, the distance between the two places is fifty miles.
The centre of the town is 4 kilometres ~ the station...
How far is it ~ here?
PREP: amount PREP n
13.
If a road or railway line goes ~ one place to another, you can travel along it between the two places.
...the road ~ St Petersburg to Tallinn.
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14.
From is used, especially in the expression made ~, to say what substance has been used to make something.
...bread made ~ white flour.
...a luxurious resort built ~ the island’s native coral stone.
= out of
PREP: v PREP n
15.
You can use ~ when you are talking about the beginning of a period of time.
Breakfast is available to fishermen ~ 6 a.m...
From 1922 till 1925 she lived in Prague.
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16.
You say ~ one thing to another when you are stating the range of things that are possible, or when saying that the range of things includes everything in a certain category.
Over 150 companies will be there, covering everything ~ finance to fixtures and fittings.
PREP: PREP n/-ing
17.
If something changes ~ one thing to another, it stops being the first thing and becomes the second thing.
The expression on his face changed ~ sympathy to surprise...
Unemployment has fallen ~ 7.5 to 7.2%...
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18.
You use ~ after some verbs and nouns when mentioning the cause of something.
The problem simply resulted ~ a difference of opinion...
He is suffering ~ eye ulcers, brought on by the intense light in Australia...
They really do get pleasure ~ spending money on other people...
Most of the wreckage ~ the 1985 quake has been cleared.
PREP: PREP n/-ing
19.
You use ~ when you are giving the reason for an opinion.
She knew ~ experience that Dave was about to tell her the truth...
He sensed ~ the expression on her face that she had something to say...
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20.
From is used after verbs with meanings such as ‘protect’, ‘free’, ‘keep’, and ‘prevent’ to introduce the action that does not happen, or that someone does not want to happen.
Such laws could protect the consumer ~ harmful or dangerous remedies...
300 tons of Peruvian mangoes were kept ~ entering France.
PREP