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Old March 22, 2012, 12:38 PM
pacomartin123 pacomartin123 is offline
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Most number of definitions

The English words with the most number of definitions (according to the Oxford English Dictionary) are listed below. The large number of definitions results from combining more than one Old English Word, or a Latin/French word with an OE word. In addition if a word is usable as a noun, adjective, adverb, and verb plus idiomatic expressions, the possible definitions increase.

SET -464 definitions
RUN - 396
GO - 368
TAKE - 343
STAND - 334
GET - 289
TURN - 288
PUT - 268
FALL - 264
STRIKE - 250
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This list is somewhat dated. The word 'run' has had it's definitions multiply to almost 700. I think run, put, and set are the new champions.
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My assumption is that Spanish does not have words with hundreds of meanings, but I can't prove it. Does anyone know what words in Spanish have the most number of definitions according to the Dictionary of the RAE?
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  #2  
Old March 22, 2012, 01:28 PM
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Perikles Perikles is offline
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I doubt that Spanish has anything like that number of different meanings for one word, because it is a different type of language. English has the basic characteristics of flexibility of function and openness of vocabulary, so that a word like set can be a noun, verb, and adjective. Because other languages are more inflected, they don't have this flexibility. Set and estar are very closely connected, by the way, from the root shown in Greek ἵστημι, but Spanish requires more variations.
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Old March 28, 2012, 06:35 PM
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Wow. I see "estar" only has 28 definitions in DRAE, and Moliner gives only 8... besides the many idioms for the word...

Interesting to know the answer to the question... (I don't know...)
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Old March 30, 2012, 11:04 AM
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Nor do I, so let's make a competition.

Poner: 44 definitions in DRAE (why not "in the DRAE"?)

I'm winning.
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Old March 30, 2012, 12:49 PM
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Not sure about taking up that gauntlet, but "hacer" has 58 in the DRAE...

Oopps! And "pasar" got 64!!
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Old March 30, 2012, 01:02 PM
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53 for "dar".
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Old April 02, 2012, 01:29 PM
pacomartin123 pacomartin123 is offline
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most number of definitions

Quote:
Originally Posted by JPablo View Post
And "pasar" got 64!!
Excellent find. That will be difficult to top.
The numbers I gave before have been updated. "Run" in OED is up to almost 700 definitions. "Correr" has 45 in the DRAE.
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Old April 03, 2012, 01:22 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JPablo View Post
Not sure about taking up that gauntlet, but "hacer" has 58 in the DRAE...

Oopps! And "pasar" got 64!!
Ganas tú: http://www.google.es/search?q=64+inurl:buscon.rae.es
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Old April 03, 2012, 01:32 AM
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Vale, pues me voy contento a la cama...
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