(~s, ~ing, ~ed, ~t)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: American English uses the form '~ed' as the past tense and past participle. British English uses either '~ed' or '~t'.
1.
If you ~ something, you obtain knowledge or a skill through studying or training.
Their children were going to ~ English...
He is ~ing to play the piano.
...~ing how to use new computer systems...
Experienced teachers help you ~ quickly.
VERB: V n, V to-inf, V wh, V, also V about n
~ing
...a bilingual approach to the ~ing of English.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
If you ~ of something, you find out about it.
It was only after his death that she ~ed of his affair with Betty...
It didn’t come as a shock to ~ that the fuel and cooling systems are the most common causes of breakdown...
...the Admiral, who, on ~ing who I was, wanted to meet me.
= find out
VERB: V of n, V that, V wh
3.
If people ~ to behave or react in a particular way, they gradually start to behave in that way as a result of a change in attitudes.
You have to ~ to face your problem...
We are ~ing how to confront death instead of avoiding its reality.
VERB: V to-inf, V wh to-inf
4.
If you ~ from an unpleasant experience, you change the way you behave so that it does not happen again or so that, if it happens again, you can deal with it better.
I am convinced that he has ~ed from his mistakes...
The company failed to ~ any lessons from this experience.
VERB: V from n, V n from n
5.
If you ~ something such as a poem or a role in a play, you study or repeat the words so that you can remember them.
He ~ed this song as an inmate at a Texas prison.
VERB: V n
6.
see also ~ed , ~ing
7.
to ~ something the hard way: see hard
to ~ the ropes: see rope