Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: FROM |
FROMPreposition1. Out of the neighborhood of; lessening or losing proximity to; leaving behind; by reason of; out of; by aid of; -- used whenever departure, setting out, commencement of action, being, state, occurrence, etc., or procedure, emanation, absence, separation, etc., are to be expressed. It is construed with, and indicates, the point of space or time at which the action, state, etc., are regarded as setting out or beginning; also, less frequently, the source, the cause, the occasion, out of which anything proceeds; -- the aritithesis and correlative of to; as, it, is one hundred miles from Boston to Springfield; he took his sword from his side; light proceeds from the sun; separate the coarse wool from the fine; men have all sprung from Adam, and often go from good to bad, and from bad to worse; the merit of an action depends on the principle from which it proceeds; men judge of facts from personal knowledge, or from testimony. |
Date "FROM" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Tips from 1870 | Usage: Of, From. "She had consumption and died from the disease." Say, "died of the disease." Usage: Differ with, From. We differ with a person in opinion or belief; we differ from him in appearance, in attainments, in wealth, in rank, etc. Usage: Of, From. "He was acquitted from the charge of larceny." Acquitted of the charge. Source: Slips of Speech. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
FROM | English | Fuseable Read Only Memory | Computing |
| FRIEND | English | Flow Regime from International,Experimental and Network Data | Computing |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Motive | Adverb: because, therefore; (cause); from this motive, from that motive; for this reason, for that reason; for; by reason of, for the sake of, count of; out of, from, as, forasmuch as. |
Pleasure | Be pleased; with; receive pleasure, derive pleasure; n. from; take pleasure; n. in; delight in, rejoice in, indulge in, luxuriate in; gloat over; (physical pleasure); enjoy, relish, like; love; take to, take a fancy to; have a liking for; enter into the spirit of. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | You got authorization from Aunt Jenny (A Few Good Men; writing credit: Aaron Sorkin) That's right, the same plants and flowers that saw you crawl from the primordial soup will reclaim the planet (Batman & Robin; writing credit: Akiva Goldsman) Would that include a bullet from this gun (The Matrix Reloaded; writing credit: Andy Wachowski; Larry Wachowski) You're 5 foot and nothin', a hundred and nothin', not one ounce of athletic ability, yet you hung in with the best college football team in the land and are gonna walk out of here with a degree from the University of Notre Dame (Rudy; writing credit: Angelo Pizzo) Drink from me and you will live forever (Interview With the Vampire; writing credit: Anne Rice) | |
Lyrics | And fly away from here (Fly Away From Here; performing artist: Aerosmith) Well baby I don't want to take advice from fools (TIL I HEAR IT FROM YOU; performing artist: Gin Blossoms) I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey (Kiss From A Rose; performing artist: Seal) And you're the answer to my prayers from up above (From This Moment On; performing artist: Shania Twain) The girl from Ipanema goes walking ("The Girl From Ipanema"; performing artist: Stan Getz/Astrud Gilberto) | |
Clever | He is now fast rising from affluence to poverty. (references; author: Mark Twain) Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. (references; author: W.C. Fields) He who buys what he doesn't need steals from himself. (references; author: Swedish Proverb) Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead. (references; author: Chinese Proverb) She is numb from her toes down. (references; author: unknown) | |
Tongue Twisters | Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from the big bazaar. (references; author: unknown) Few free fruit flies fly from flames. (references; author: unknown) Flee from fog to fight flu fast! (references; author: unknown) Sick thickets thwarted seven thin sinners from passing through. (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | View from the Top (2003) From Justin to Kelly (2003) Deliver Us from Eva (2003) The Lady from the Sea (1974) Up from the Ape (1974) | |
Song Titles | Park Avenue Beat (Theme From Perry Mason) (performing artist: Ray and his orchestra Conniff) Far From Over (performing artist: Frank Stallone) Hill Street Blues, Theme From (performing artist: Rodney Franklin) Til I Hear It From You (performing artist: Gin Blossoms) Can't Stay Away From You (performing artist: Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
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Books |
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Periodicals | |||
Theater & Movies |
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Music |
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High Tech |
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Consumer Goods | |||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | A 10 year-old white girl is pictured here with her father in a swimming pool. She was diagnosed at age three with a form of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) that did not respond to therapy. She is presently in long-term remission after an experimental bone marrow transplant was performed. She now suffers from chronic GVH (Graft Versus Host Disease) which is rare. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer). |  | A space-filling model of a taxol molecule was computer generated. Taxol, originally extracted from the pacific yew tree (taxus brevifolin), is used as chemotherapy for a variety of cancers. Credit: George McGregor (photographer). |
 | Child with sequelae of polio. Quote from Dr. Harry Hull. Credit: CDC. |  | Trypanosoma forms in blood smear from patient with African trypanosomiasis. Parasite. Credit: CDC. |
 | "2D Cross Section of a 5-Brane" (movie) by Bob Rutkiewicz. From Physics String Theory/M-Theory, a 5-brane equation that has the same number of holes as the full 10-brane. Use DPGraph's Scrollbar to vary A or B. |  | "Pretty Waves" (hi-res movie) by Tom Tredon. This is just one small clip from the movie. Use DPGraph's Scrollbar to vary A (the speed) and B (the whole graph's amplitude). |
 | Fall Foliage from Space. Credit: NASA. |  | Australia from Space in All Her Olympic Glory. Credit: NASA. |
 | Challenger as seen from SPAS. Credit: NASA. |  | Newman Waves at Camera from Unity Module. Credit: NASA. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
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| "Ocean view from my balcony" by Alcinoo Giandinoto Commentary: "Ocean view from my balcony, blue skies." | "Floral Photos from Scotland 4" by Chris Baugh Commentary: "Taken across Scotland in such locations as the Royal Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh and castle gardens." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Play | Caption | Play | Caption |
 | Very Michael MacDonald sounding tune from the mid-1980's. | | Typical country tune from the southern U.S. featuring a lap-steal guitar. |
| Gamelan orchestra from Bali. | | Drum styles from West Africa with synthesized flute melody typical of South America. |
| Typical excerpt from an action movie scene complete with flying arrows,. | | Excerpt from the "Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1" by Bach. |
| Driving rhythms from percussion and various synthesized flutes. | | Piece very typical of a Lionel Richie piece from the mid-1980's. |
| An excerpt from Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata". | | Quick changing harmonies from piano, guitar, and percussion creating a new age style. |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
Frank Lloyd Wright | Freedom is from within. |
Guillaume | Living from hand to mouth. |
Homer | A dream, too, is from Zeus. |
| Victory shifts from man to man. | |
Horace | Tear thyself from delay. |
| The pure in life and free from sin. | |
Menander | A god from the machine. |
Ovid | We can learn even from our enemies. |
Ralph Waldo Emerson | Fear always springs from ignorance. |
| Our best thoughts come from others. | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Author | Date | Quotation |
Magna Carta | 1215 | In like manner it shall be done concerning aids from the city of London. (reference) |
John Locke | 1690 | He by his labour does, as it were, inclose it from the common. (Second Treatise of Government) |
US Declaration of Independence | 1776 | We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. (reference) |
US Constitution | 1791 | Clause 5: No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State. (reference) |
Amendment to US Constitution | 1795-1992 | But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. (reference) |
Marbury v. Madison | 1803 | It prescribes, directly for them, a rule of evidence not to be departed from. (reference) |
Communist Manifesto | 1848 | We cannot take from them what they have not got. (reference) |
The Emancipation Proclamation | 1862 | And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all case when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages. (Abraham Lincoln) |
Abraham Lincoln | 1863 | It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth. (The Gettysburg Address) |
Treaty of Versailles | 1919 | Germany must keep these areas free from mines. (reference) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Title | Author | Quote |
Emma | Austen, Jane | Miss Fairfax knows it is not from the Campbells, or they would have been guessed at first |
Valley of the Shadow of Death | Carroll, Lewis | My son, it minds me of a day Left half a life behind, That I have prayed to put away For ever from my mind |
A Christmas Carol | Dickens, Charles | It comes from other regions, Ebenezer Scrooge, and is conveyed by other ministers, to other kinds of men. |
Scarlet Letter | Hawthorne, Nathaniel | Thou mayest cover up thy secret from the prying multitude |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | M. Myriel received from the government as bishop a salary of fifteen thousand francs |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | He told himself calmly that those words had absolutely no sense which had seemed to rise murmurously from the dark |
Time Enough for Love | Robert Heinlein | A fool kills from hate |
King Richard III | Shakespeare, William | If I thought that, I tell thee, homicide, These nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks |
Grapes of Wrath | Steinbeck, John | Beside a tent he saw a flash of orange fire seeping from the cracks in an old iron stove |
Gulliver's Travels | Swift, Jonathan | He understood the language of Balnibarbi, although it were different from that of his island |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Copies are available from ADEAR. (references) | |
To release urine from the bladder. (references) | ||
Do not use ice made from tap water. (references) | ||
Business | SIS is funded from the state budget. (references) | |
Most GHG comes from the energy sector. (references) | ||
A copy may be obtained from this office. (references) | ||
Children | Cambodia | Child mortality from preventable diseases is high. (references) |
Indonesia | These schools accept children from throughout the country. (references) | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | At times minority children are barred from attending school. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | Philippines | All had been precluded from refugee status. (references) |
Benin | These stations receive support from the ORTB. (references) | |
Belize | Most are Africans from Nigeria or Sierra Leone. (references) | |
Discrimination | Uganda | Most violations of Acholi rights resulted from LRA actions. (references) |
Papua New Guinea | Extreme geographic diversity prevents any one tribe or clan from dominating the country. (references) | |
Brazil | The entity gives free legal assistance to homosexuals suffering from discrimination or who are victims of verbal or physical hate crimes. (references) | |
Economic History | Uganda | Most radiate from Kampala. (references) |
Morocco | Deadlines range from 30 to 90 days. (references) | |
Central African Republic | Annual growth rate: 5.44% from 1999. (references) | |
Human Rights | El Salvador | He died from his injuries the same day. (references) |
Panama | Escapes from Coiba reportedly are common. (references) | |
India | Reddy was returning from a political rally. (references) | |
Indigenous People | Dominica | Building permits are obtained from the Carib Council. (references) |
Bangladesh | Part of the land would be taken from the Garo tribals. (references) | |
Japan | The Ainu are a people descended from the first inhabitants of the country. (references) | |
Minorities | Kyrgyz Republic | Converts from Islam at times faced discrimination. (references) |
Switzerland | All 13 were accepted, including 5 from the Balkans. (references) | |
Iran | Baha'is are prevented from enrolling in universities. (references) | |
Political Economy | ARGENTINA | The CET ranges from zero to 20 percent. (references) |
Western Sahara | Morocco withdrew from the OAU in protest. (references) | |
JORDAN | Re-invested profits are exempt from income tax. (references) | |
Political Rights | Singapore | The PAP does not suffer from this disadvantage. (references) |
Jordan | The voting age was lowered from 19 to 18 years. (references) | |
Burma | Women also are excluded from military leadership. (references) | |
Trade | Armenia | All exports from Armenia are duty free. (references) |
Netherlands | From the U.S., Phone: (31) 45 574 2700. (references) | |
Kuwait | Kuwait also prohibits imports from Israel. (references) | |
Travel | Sri Lanka | Dates change from year to year. (references) |
Norway | Speed limits vary from 60-90 km/hr. (references) | |
Cape Verde | Room rates range from CVE 3000 to 7000. (references) | |
Women | Tunisia | Battered women first seek help from family members. (references) |
Qatar | Muslim wives have the right to inherit from their husbands. (references) | |
Central African Republic | Only men are entitled to family subsidies from the Government. (references) | |
Worker Rights | Pakistan | Most are from Punjab or Sindh. (references) |
Cape Verde | Both unions suffer from a shortage of funds. (references) | |
India | These zones are not exempt from labor legislation. (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | WOMAN, n. An animal usually living in the vicinity of Man, and having a rudimentary susceptibility to domestication. It is credited by many of the elder zoologists with a certain vestigial docility acquired in a former state of seclusion, but naturalists of the postsusananthony period, having no knowledge of the seclusion, deny the virtue and declare that such as creation's dawn beheld, it roareth now. The species is the most widely distributed of all beasts of prey, infesting all habitable parts of the globe, from Greeland's spicy mountains to India's moral strand. The popular name (wolfman) is incorrect, for the creature is of the cat kind. The woman is lithe and graceful in its movement, especially the American variety (felis pugnans), is omnivorous and can be taught not to talk. Balthasar Pober |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
Art Linkletter | So losing two out of five. Suicide from having been given LSD and a son in an automobile accident. So I have had tragedies. |
Bill Maher | Oh, God. We could probably solve a lot of problems if we had that kind of money just from Woody Harrelson's house. |
David Berkowitz | Not a lot. Once in a while some people come up. I have a number of friends from the area who come by and visit. |
Dennis Miller | True confidence must come from the inside. |
Erin Runnion | Overwhelming. Overwhelming. The outpour from everyone, the love that people are showing us has just been incredible. |
John McCain | Yeah, but most of my life, I relive with enjoyment. And when you relive it, as you know, you learn from it. |
Rush Limbaugh | Freedoms and rights do not come from other men. |
Walter Cronkite | Good evening from Paris. Tonight, this broadcast originates from outside the United States for the first time. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
Thomas Jefferson | 1801-1809 | Protection from casual embarrassments, however, may sometimes be seasonably interposed. |
Herbert C. Hoover | 1929-1933 | Progress is born of cooperation in the community--not from governmental restraints. |
Harry S. Truman | 1945-1953 | Inflation results from psychological as well as economic conditions. |
Dwight Eisenhower | 1953-1961 | Thus may the weight of fear and the weight of arms be taken from the burdened shoulders of mankind. |
John F. Kennedy | 1961-1963 | However, the question is from where did they shoot. |
Richard Nixon | 1969-1974 | Government must learn to take less from people so that people can do more for themselves. |
Ronald Reagan | 1981-1989 | Let's be clear about where the deficit problem comes from. |
George Bush | 1989-1993 | Everywhere from the Far East to Eastern Europe. |
Bill Clinton | 1993-2001 | Tens of millions of Americans live from paycheck to paycheck. |
George W. Bush | 2001-2005 | It's hard to go from frustration and despair to achievement and pride. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "FROM" is generally used as a preposition (except "of") -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "FROM" is used about 413,097 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Preposition (except "of") | 100% | 413,094 | 28 |
| Total | 100.00% | 413,097 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "FROM" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
| Name | Usage/Gender | Usage per 100 million Persons | Rank in USA |
| From | Last name | 200 | 37,997 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits. | |||
| The following table summarizes names derived from the word "FROM". | |||
| Name | Gender | Language | Meaning |
| Zelpah | N/A | N/A | Distillation from the mouth |
| Zelpha | N/A | N/A | Distillation from the mouth |
| Abimael | N/A | Biblical | A father sent from God |
| Ellasar | N/A | Biblical | Revolting from God |
| Gergesenes | N/A | Biblical | Those who come from pilgrimage or fight |
| Girgashite | N/A | Biblical | Who arrives from pilgrimage |
| Hanameel | N/A | Biblical | The grace that comes from God |
| Magdalene | N/A | Biblical | A person from Magdala |
| Maharai | N/A | Biblical | From a hill |
| Mareshah | N/A | Biblical | From the beginning |
| Mizzah | N/A | Biblical | Defluxion from the head |
| Nimshi | N/A | Biblical | Rescued from danger |
| Ozias | N/A | Biblical | Strength from the Lord |
| Raamiah | N/A | Biblical | From the Lord |
| Shebaniah | N/A | Biblical | Recalls from captivity |
| Zilpah | N/A | Biblical | Distillation from the mouth |
| Magda | N/A | Czech | A person from Magdala |
| Magdalena | N/A | Czech | A person from Magdala |
| Magdalone | N/A | Danish | A person from Magdala |
| Malene | N/A | Danish | A person from Magdala |
| Magda | N/A | Dutch | A person from Magdala |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references.
| |||
| Country | Name |
| South Africa | Sweets From Heaven Holdings Ltd |
| (more examples...) |
Source: compiled by the editor from Icon Group International, Inc.
Expressions using "FROM": a bolt from the blue ♦ a brand from the burning ♦ a far cry from ♦ a Visit from St Nicholas ♦ abscond from justice ♦ absent oneself from ♦ abstain from ♦ abstain from comment ♦ abstain from voting ♦ abstention from voting ♦ accident on the way to and from work ♦ accrue from ♦ acquired from book ♦ across from ♦ act from mixed motives ♦ ad from hand to hand ♦ ad from information received ♦ adapted from ♦ admire smb. from a distance ♦ alien from ♦ alight from ♦ all children from one marriage ♦ aloof from ♦ amaurotic cat's eye blindness of one eye due to various intraocular conditions in which a bright reflection is observed at the pupil as it would appear from the tapetum lucidum of a cat ♦ an order from above ♦ apart from ♦ apart from that ♦ apart from the fact that ♦ appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober ♦ arise from ♦ arise from dead ♦ as distinct from ♦ as from ♦ as from now ♦ as per advice from ♦ aside from ♦ attack from marsh column ♦ attack from the line ♦ averse from ♦ away from ♦ away from home ♦ back down from ♦ back from ♦ balance brought forward from previous year ♦ balance carried forward from previous year ♦ balance carried over from last year ♦ balance of payment information from customer message ♦ bar from ♦ bar smb. from doing ♦ bastard Operator From Hell ♦ be a sufferer from ♦ be absent from school ♦ be away from ♦ be away from home ♦ be carried from one place to another ♦ be dead from the neck up ♦ be derived from ♦ be descended from ♦ be different from ♦ be distinct from ♦ be evident from ♦ be far from pleased ♦ be far removed from ♦ be free from care ♦ be graduated from ♦ be hidden from ♦ be only a few removes from ♦ be received from ♦ be recovered from ♦ be recruited from ♦ be responsible from ♦ be slung from ♦ beginning from monday ♦ benefit from ♦ blind from the birth ♦ blow from underneath ♦ blow the cobwebs from one's brain ♦ blowing in from bank ♦ bolt from the blue ♦ borrow from ♦ borrow from Peter to pay Paul ♦ borrowing of money from the bank ♦ branch from ♦ break away from ♦ break smb. from the habit ♦ breeze from sea ♦ broadcasting from satellites ♦ broom made from heath ♦ brought forward from preceding fiscal year ♦ budge from ♦ by smoke from the altar ♦ cadge smth. from smb. ♦ cakes from castor ♦ cakes from copra ♦ cakes from sesame ♦ cakes from soya ♦ call up spirits from the vasty deep ♦ came from ♦ camlet from Picardy ♦ change from ♦ check(starting from an edge). Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "FROM": from-ings, from-the, from-the-ground-up, from-the-heart, from-the-hip. | |
Ending with "FROM": made-from. | |
Containing "FROM": get-away-from-it-all, holy-place-from-over-the-great-water, home-from-home, second-from-bottom. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |