state
part of speech
noun (a state, states; the state); verb (state, states, stated, stating); adjective (state — of the government: state school)
meaning for a pupil
1) A state is the condition something or someone is in, like a state of mess or a calm state. tree →
2) A state is one of the parts that some countries, like the USA and Australia, are divided into, each with its own government. tree →
3) A state can mean a country and its government. tree →
4) To state something means to say or write it clearly and formally. tree →
5) In science, the states of matter are solid, liquid and gas. tree →
6) (casual, UK, Ireland) «In a state» means very upset or very messy; «the state of you!» or «look at the state of that» mocks how someone or something looks. tree →
7) (casual) «The States» means the USA. tree →
8) (formal, exam) «State» is a command word: «State the number of…» means write the answer, no working needed; «it is stated that» means you are told that. tree →
9) A state school is run by the government and is free (UK, Australia); in the USA it is a public school. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In Sefer Yetzirah it can mean a condition, or to say something. In the Writings it means the condition of something, such as flocks, or the proper form of a thing, as the Temple was set up "in its state." In Ecclesiastes "the state" means the country or its government. Interpretation: The book teaches that God made opposites, such as good and evil, in balance. It says the heart of man is like a king in his state, ruling the body. Ecclesiastes is read as teaching that when injustice is seen in government, one should remember that God watches above all rulers. In the primary lessons: In science «states of matter» is a key idea: ice (solid), water (liquid) and steam (gas) are the same stuff in different states, and heating or cooling changes the state. In geography the USA has 50 states and Australia has six states. In maths and writing, «state your answer» or «state the rule» means write it clearly. In everyday life «What a state your room is in!» means it is very messy, and «in a state» means upset or worried. In the exam voice «state» is one of the commonest command words: «State the cardinality of the set», «State whether…». Phrases: «state of matter», «change of state», «in a state», «state school», «head of state».
examples
- But Isaac Myer states that there are un- doubted traces of pointing in Hebrew MSS. of the second century. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
- And our God made the states of opposition, good and evil, good from the good, and evil from the evil. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
- Tali, the Dragon, is above the Universe, as a king on his throne; the sphere in the year as a king in his State, the Heart of man as a king in warfare. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
- Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds; (Writings PRO.27.23, JPS 1917) tree →
- So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set up the house of God in its state, and strengthened it. (Writings 2CH.24.13, JPS 1917) tree →
- If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they. (Writings ECC.5.7, JPS 1917) tree →
- Water can be a solid, a liquid or a gas: these are its three states. tree →
- Texas is a big state in the USA. tree →
- Australia has six states and two territories. tree →
- State your answer in centimetres. tree →
- Your bedroom is in a terrible state! tree →
- She was in a real state when she lost her keys. tree →
- The sign states that dogs must be kept on a lead. tree →
- When ice melts, it changes state from solid to liquid. tree →
- the state of this kitchen, who left 6 cups everywhere (casual, UK) tree →
- Look at the state of you, you're soaked! (casual) tree →
- State the cardinality of the set {2, 4, 6, 8}. (formal exam) tree →
- It is stated that a vessel contains 12 litres; state the quantity remaining upon the removal of 5. (formal exam) tree →
- In this hopeless state the winter passed. tree →
note
Countable when it means a part of a country (50 states) or a condition. «The States» informally means the USA. «State» as a verb is formal: «state» = say clearly. In an exam «state» asks only for the answer, «explain» asks for reasons, «show» asks for working. Do not confuse «state» (part of a country) with «city». In science, melting, freezing, evaporating and condensing are changes of state. «The state of you» (casual) is teasing, not a fact to count. «Cardinality» (formal) = how many members a set has.
In the corpora
- Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds;
- Lightning and glowing signs contain plasma, a fourth state: gas so hot or charged that its atoms lose electrons.
- Water can be ice, liquid water or invisible water vapour, and it moves between these states when it is heated or cooled.
- A persuasive letter states what the writer wants, gives reasons and evidence, and stays polite.
- In most US states the shelf price does not include sales tax, which is added at the till.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «state» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.