Indispensable

  

Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Indispensable

Definition: Indispensable

Indispensable

Adjective

1. Not to be dispensed with; essential; "foods indispensable to good nutrition".

2. Absolutely necessary; vitally necessary; "essential tools and materials"; "funds essential to the completion of the project"; "an indispensable worker".

3. Unavoidable; "the routine but indispensable ceremonies of state".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "indispensable" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1588. (references)

Etymology: Indispensable \In`dis*pen"sa*ble\, adjective. [Prefix in- not dispensable: compare to the French expression indispensable.]. (references)

 

Synonym: Indispensable

Synonym: essential (adj). (additional references)
Antonym: dispensable (adj). (additional references)

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Synonyms within Context: Indispensable

ContextSynonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).

Requirement

Adjective: required; Verb: requisite, needful, necessary, imperative, essential, indispensable, prerequisite; called for; in demand, in request.

Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

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Crosswords: Indispensable

English words defined with "indispensable": core, core groupEsentially, essentialhydrochloric acidIndispensablynecessary, necessity, nucleusrequirement, requisiteUndispensable. (references)
Specialty definitions using "indispensable": Ceremonial BehaviorGrande PassionHell ShoonMedicine Chests. (references)
Non-English Usage: "Indispensable" is also a word in the following languages with English translations in parentheses.

French (essential, indispensable), Spanish (essential, imperative, indispensable, necessary, requisite).

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Modern Usage: Indispensable

DomainUsage

Screenplays

If there's one thing I really despise, it's an indispensable woman (Two for the Road; writing credit: Frederic Raphael)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Commercial Usage: Indispensable

DomainTitle

Books

  • Good Carbs, Bad Carbs: An Indispensable Guide to Eating the Right Carbs for Losing Weight and Optimum Health (reference)

  • Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques: The Indispensable Reference Demonstrates over 700 Illustrated Techniques With 2,000 Photos and 200 recipe (reference)

  • The Essential Wine Book: An Indispensable Guide to the World of Wines (reference)

  • The Father's Almanac: From Pregnancy to Pre-school, Baby Care to Behavior, the Complete and Indispensable Book of Practical Advice and Ideas for Every Man Discovering the Fun and Challenge of Fatherhood (reference)

    (more book examples)

  

Music

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Photo Album: Indispensable

ThumbnailDescription & CreditThumbnailDescription & Credit

Figure 17. Model of the HIRONDELLE's winch. From the beginnings of Prince Albert I of Monaco's oceanographic explorations, he became occupied with equipping his vessels with basic indispensable deck equipment and tools includin g winches, reels of cable, etc. He gave the engineer Jules LeBlanc responsibili ty for this but became a principle collaborator in this area. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.

Equilibrez Vos Repas : L'Eau la seule boisson indispensable. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

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Familiar Quotations: Indispensable

AuthorQuotation

Daniel Webster

A solemn and religious regard to spiritual and eternal things is an indispensable element of all true greatness.

John Kenneth Galbraith

Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.

Mencius

In enacting laws, rigor is indispensable; in executing them, mercy.

Samuel Johnson

Labor, if it were not necessary for existence, would be indispensable for the happiness of man.

Theodore Parker

Self-denial is indispensable to a strong character, and the highest kind comes from a religious stock.

Theodore Roosevelt

The men with the muck-rake are often indispensable to the well-being of society, but only if they know when to stop raking the muck.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Historic Usage: Indispensable

AuthorDateQuotation

John Locke

1690

On the other side, honour and support, all that which gratitude requires to return for the benefits received by and from them, is the indispensable duty of the child, and the proper privilege of the parents. (Second Treatise of Government)

Treaty of Versailles

1919

On the expiration of two months from the coming into force of the present Treaty there must only exist in Germany the number of military schools which is absolutely indispensable for the recruitment of the officers of the units allowed. (reference)

Winston S. Churchill

1946

Special associations between members of the United Nations which have no aggressive point against any other country, which harbor no design incompatible with the Charter of the United Nations, far from being harmful, are beneficial and, as I believe, indispensable. ("Iron Curtain" Speech)

United Nations

1948

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality. (reference)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Use in Literature: Indispensable

TitleAuthorQuote

Les Miserables

Hugo, Victor

His glass bookcase was the only piece of furniture which he had preserved beyond what was indispensable.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Non-Fiction Usage: Indispensable

SubjectTopicQuote

Business

The latter is upgrading their technology, an indispensable step for expansion. (references)

Maintenance products and managerial know-how are indispensable to maintain the marinas. (references)

Local service and maintenance alliances are indispensable to penetration into the Argentine security and safety fields. (references)

Economic History

Georgia

A good local attorney is, therefore, indispensable for legal transaction. (references)

Saudi Arabia

Consequently, above average sales service and customer support are indispensable to win and maintain new clients. (references)

Japan

Japan is an indispensable partner on UN reform, and broadly supports the U.S. on nonproliferation and nuclear issues. (references)

Travel

Taiwan

There are numerous printers in Taiwan specializing in printing these indispensable business aids. (references)

Georgia

The appreciation of wine is an important part of Georgian culture, where it has been cultivated for 5,000 years, and wine is an indispensable part of any meal. (references)

Worker Rights

El Salvador

Minors, age 14 or older, may receive special Labor Ministry permission to work, but only where such employment is indispensable to the sustenance of the minor and his or her family. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

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Speeches: Indispensable

SpeakerTermPhrase(s)

George Washington

1789-1797To an active external commerce the protection of a naval force is indispensable.

Thomas Jefferson

1801-1809The distance, however, of some of them and indispensable previous arrangements may have retarded its commencement in some of its parts.

James Madison

1809-1817Because the Bill violates the equality which ought to be the basis of every law, and which is more indispensable, in proportion as the validity or expediency of any law is more liable to be impeached.

James Monroe

1817-1825Their civilization is indispensable to their safety, and this can be accomplished only by degrees.

Andrew Jackson

1829-1837This indispensable power thus surrendered by the States must be within the scope of the authority on the subject expressly delegated to Congress.

James Buchanan

1857-1861But be this as it may, it is the imperative and indispensable duty of the Government of the United States to secure to every resident inhabitant the free and independent expression of his opinion by his vote.

Richard Nixon

1969-1974Just as America's role is indispensable in preserving the world's peace, so is each nation's role indispensable in preserving its own peace.

Jimmy Carter

1977-1981Seapower is indispensable to our global position, in peace and also in war.

Bill Clinton

1993-2001America stands alone as the world's indispensable nation.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Usage Frequency: Indispensable

"Indispensable" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 99.56% of the time. "Indispensable" is used about 458 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 SpeechPercentUsage per
100 Million Words
Rank in English
Adjective (general or positive)99.56%45612,822
Noun (proper)0.44%2245,945
                    Total100.00%458N/A

Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

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Frequency of Internet Keywords: Indispensable

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.
 
ExpressionFrequency
per Day

indispensable network power today

29

indispensable

15

bac diplome indispensable

4

acid amino indispensable

3

100 file form form indispensable organizing over personal personal record

3

indispensable language not separate

2
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Modern Translation: Indispensable

Language Translations for "indispensable"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.

Albanian

  

i nevojshëm (due, essential, necessary, needful, required), i duhur (accordant, appropriate, befitting, comely, due, due to, fitting, necessary, needful, owing, proper, required, right), i domosdoshëm (imperatival, imperative, necessary, needful, obligate, prerequisite), i detyrueshëm (enforceable, inalienable, mandatory, necessary, oblatory, obligate, obligatory, obliging). (various references)

   

Arabic 

  

‏لازم لا مفر منه, ‏لا غنى عنه, ‏لا بديل له (irreplaceable), ‏حيوي (animated, athletic, bonny, dashing, lifeline, necessary, needful, pivotal, spirited, vital), ‏ضروري (must, necessary, needful, requisite, substantial), ‏أساسي (absolute, alkaline, basal, base, capital, cardinal, close, constitutional, formal, fundamental, imperative, innate, inward, leading, main, major, material, momentous, nub, organic, overriding, paramount, piece de resistance, primal, primary, principal, radical, right, staple, substantial, ultimate, underling). (various references)

   

Bulgarian 

  

крайно необходима вещ, крайно необходим човек, от първа необходимост, необходим (must, necessary, needful), належащ (imperious, urgent), задължителен (compulsory, forced, mandatory, must, obligatory, required). (various references)

   

Chinese 

  

不可缺少 . (various references)

   

Czech

  

nutný (essential, imperative, inescapable, necessary, needful, perquisite, requisite, urgent), nezbytný (basic, essential, imperative, inevitable, necessary, needful, urgent, vital), nepostradatelný. (various references)

   

Danish

  

uundværlig. (various references)

   

Dutch

  

onmisbaar. (various references)

   

Esperanto

  

nemalhavebla. (various references)

   

Farsi 

  

ناگزیر (Hobson'schoice, Incumbent, Inevitable, Needful, Perforce), چاره ناپذیر (Inescapable, Inevitable, Irremediable, Unavoidable), لازم الاجرا, واجب (Essential, Fundametal, Momentous, Necessary, Necessitous, Obligatory, Vital), حتمی (Categorical, Cocksure, Cretain, Emergence, Emergency, Imminent, Imperative, Very), ضروری (Immediate, Imperative, Must, Necessary, Needful, Obligate, Urgent), صرفنظرنکردنی . (various references)

   

Finnish

  

välttämätön (essential, imperative, inevitable, necessary, unavoidable), tarpeellinen (due, necessary, needful, required, requisite). (various references)

   

French

  

indispensable. (various references)

   

German

  

unentbehrlich (essential, indispensably). (various references)

   

Greek 

  

απαραίτητοσ (necessary, needful), ουσιώδης (essential, fundamental, vital). (various references)

   

Hebrew 

  

חיוני (essential, necessary, needful, objective, vital), הכרחי (essential, imperative, mandatory, must, necessary, obligatory, vital). (various references)

   

Hungarian

  

elengedhetetlen (necessary). (various references)

   

Indonesian

  

sangat diperlukan. (various references)

   

Italian

  

indispensabile (needful). (various references)

   

Japanese Kanji 

  

必要  (essential, necessary), 必要 (essential, necessary), 必須 (required), 必用 (essential, necessary), 不可欠 (essential). (various references)

   

Japanese Katakana 

  

ひつよう (essential, necessary), ひっす (required), ふかけつ (essential). (various references)

   

Korean 

  

불가결. (various references)

   

Manx

  

slane ymmyrchagh. (various references)

   

Norwegian

  

uunnværlig. (various references)

   

Pig Latin

  

indispensableay.(various references)

   

Portuguese

  

indispensvel, imprescindvel. (various references)

   

Romanian

  

indispensabil (needful), imperios (imperative, imperious, urgent, urgently), esenţial (capital, constituent, constitutive, elemental, essential, fundamental, main, meat, prime, principal, vital), de bazã (base, basic, Cardinal, principal). (various references)

   

Russian 

  

необходимый (necessary, needful, required, requisite). (various references)

   

Scottish

  

éiginneach (one in extremity, oppressive). (various references)

   

Serbo-Croatian

  

nužan (certain, necessary, needful, unavoidable), neophodan (necessary, required, requisite). (various references)

   

Spanish

  

indispensable (essential, imperative, necessary, requisite). (various references)

   

Swedish

  

oumbärlig. (various references)

   

Turkish

  

zorunlu (bound, bound to, coercible, compulsory, derigueur, enforced, essential, forced, forcedly, imperative, imperious, incumbent, irremissible, mandatory, necessary, obligatory, obliged, requisite, unavoidable, urgent), zaruri (material, requisite), mecburi (coercible, compulsory, enforced, enforcedly, forced, forcedly, imperative, imperious, obligatory), kaçınılmaz (fatal, fated, fateful, imperious, ineluctable, inevitable, inextricable, irremissible, unavoidable, urgent), gerekli (essential, imperative, material, necessary, needful, obligatory, ought, requisite, wanted), öncelikli (of first priority, of top priority, predecessor, preferential, preferred, prior, privileged, underlying). (various references)

   

Ukrainian

  

обов'язковий (canonic, canonical, mandatory, obligated, obligatory, required), необхідний (must, necessary, needed, needful, required, requisite, valuable, vital), незамінний (irreplaceable). (various references)

   

Vietnamese 

  

vật rất cần thiết, rất cần thiết, người rất cần thiết, không thể thiếu được bắt buộc. (various references)

   

Welsh

  

anhepgorol (essential), anhepgor (essential). (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

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Ancestral Language Translations: Indispensable

LanguagePeriodTranslations
Latin500 BCE-Modern

necesse. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Derivations & Misspellings: Indispensable

Derivations

Words beginning with "indispensable": indispensableness, indispensablenesses, indispensables. (additional references)


Misspellings

"Indispensable" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: indespensable, indespensible, indispensible, indspensable. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Rhyming with "Indispensable"

# of Phoneme MatchesPronunciationWord(s) rhyming with "indispensable" (pronounced i'nduspe"nsubul)
9-s p e" n s u b u ldispensable.
8-p e" n s u b u lcompensable.
7-e" n s u b u lindefensible, comprehensible, defensible, incomprehensible, ostensible, reprehensible, sensible.
6-n s u b u linvincible, irresponsible, responsible.
5-s u b u linexplicable, accessible, addressable, admissible, collapsible, crucible, Embraceable, enforceable, erasable, fixable, flexible, forcible, immiscible, impassable, impermissible, impossible, inaccessible, inadmissible, incompressible, submersible, taxable, inflexible, irascible, irreplaceable, irrepressible, irreversible, leasable, miscible, nontaxable, noticeable, passable, peaceable, permissible, possible, reducible, replaceable, reversible, serviceable, traceable, unenforceable, untraceable.
4-u b u lincurable, indefatigable, indefinable, indelible, indescribable, indestructible, indisputable, indistinguishable, indivisible, indomitable, inedible, ineffable, ineligible, inequitable, inescapable, inevitable, inexcusable, inexhaustible, inexorable, infallible, infeasible, inflammable, inflatable, acceptable, abominable, accountable, achievable, actionable, adaptable, adjustable, admirable, adoptable, adorable, advisable, affable, affordable, agreeable, allowable, amenable, amendable, amiable, amicable, analyzable, answerable, appealable, applicable, appreciable, approachable, approvable, arable, arguable, attainable, attributable, audible, available, avoidable, bankable, bearable, believable, billable, biodegradable, breakable, buildable, burnable, callable, cannibal, capable, changeable, chargeable, charitable, classifiable, collectible, Combinable, comfortable, commendable, communicable, comparable, compatible, conceivable, confirmable, considerable, constable, consumable, contemptible, contestable, controllable, convertible, copyrightable, countable, credible, creditable, culpable, curable, debatable, deductible, definable, degradable, delectable, deliverable, demonstrable, dependable, deplorable, deployable, depreciable, describable, desirable, despicable, detachable, detectable, determinable, developable, digestible, disagreeable, discernible, discountable, discoverable, dishonorable, disposable, disreputable, distinguishable, divisible, doable, drinkable, drivable, durable, eatable, edible, electable, eligible, employable, enjoyable, enviable, equable, equitable, erodible, estimable, exchangeable, excitable, excludable, excusable, execrable, exercisable, expandable, expendable, explainable, exportable, extendable, extendible, fallible, fashionable, fathomable, favorable, feasible, fissionable, flammable, foreseeable, forfeitable, forgettable, forgivable, formidable, fungible, fusible, gullible, habitable, harvestable, heritable, hon, honorable, horrible, hospitable, identifiable, illegible, imaginable, imitable, immovable, immutable, impeachable, impeccable, impenetrable, imperceptible, implacable, implantable, implausible, imponderable, impracticable, impregnable, impressionable, improbable, inadvisable, inalienable, inapplicable, inaudible, incalculable, incapable, incomparable, incompatible, inconceivable, incontrovertible, incorrigible, incredible, soluble, solvable, spendable, suggestible, suitable, supportable, survivable, susceptible, sustainable, syllable, talkable, tangible, teachable, tenable, terrible, inheritable, inhospitable, inimitable, injectable, innumerable, inoperable, insatiable, inscrutable, inseparable, insoluble, insufferable, insupportable, insurmountable, intangible, intelligible, interchangeable, interminable, interruptible, intolerable, intractable, invaluable, investable, inviolable, invisible, invulnerable, irreconcilable, irrefutable, irremediable, irreparable, irresistible, irrevocable, irritable, issuable, justifiable, knowledgeable, lamentable, laudable, laughable, legible, liable, likable, likeable, livable, lovable, malleable, manageable, mandible, maneuverable, marketable, measurable, memorable, microwavable, miserable, moldable, movable, navigable, negligible, negotiable, noncallable, nonconvertible, nondeductible, nondurable, nonrefundable, nonrenewable, nontransferable, notable, objectionable, observable, obtainable, operable, palatable, palpable, parable, patentable, payable, perceptible, perishable, permeable, personable, persuadable, pitiable, plausible, pleasurable, pliable, portable, potable, practicable, predictable, preferable, presentable, preventable, printable, probable, profitable, programmable, prosecutable, provable, punishable, questionable, quotable, reachable, readable, realizable, reasonable, receivable, rechargeable, recognizable, recordable, recoverable, recyclable, redeemable, redoubtable, refundable, regrettable, reliable, remarkable, removable, renewable, rentable, repairable, repayable, repeatable, reportable, reputable, resealable, resettable, respectable, retractable, returnable, reusable, revocable, ridable, salable, saleable, salvageable, seasonable, sizable, sizeable, sociable, tolerable, tractable, tradable, tradeable, trainable, transferable, transferrable, transmittable, transportable, treatable, tunable, typeable, unacceptable, unaccountable, unaffordable, unalienable, unalterable, unanswerable, unassailable, unattainable, unavailable, unavoidable, unbearable, unbeatable, unbelievable, unbuildable, uncollectible, uncomfortable, unconscionable, uncontrollable, undeniable, understandable, undesirable, undetectable, unelectable, unemployable, unenviable, unexplainable, unfashionable, unfathomable, unfavorable, unfeasible, unflappable, unforeseeable, unforgettable, unforgivable, ungovernable, unimaginable, unimpeachable, uninhabitable, uninsurable, unintelligible, unjustifiable, unknowable, unlivable, unmanageable, unmentionable, unmistakable, unobtainable, unpalatable, unpredictable, unprintable, unprofitable, unquestionable, unreachable, unreadable, unreasonable, unrecognizable, unreliable, unremarkable, unsalable, unshakable, unsinkable, unsolvable, unspeakable, unstoppable, unsuitable, unsupportable, unsustainable, untenable, unthinkable, untouchable, unusable, unverifiable, unwinnable, unworkable, usable, variable, vegetable, venerable, verifiable, veritable, viable, visible, voluble, vulnerable, washable, wearable, winnable, workable.
3-b u lable, amble, assemble, babble, Babel, bauble, bible, bramble, bubble, Bumble, cable, cobble, coble, corbel, crumble, cymbal, dabble, Dibble, disable, disassemble, dissemble, double, Drabble, dribble, enable, enfeeble, ennoble, ensemble, fable, feeble, foible, fumble, gable, gamble, Garble, global, gobble, Gribble, grumble, hardscrabble, herbal, hobble, humble, ignoble, immeasurable, immobile, squabble, Stabile, stable, stubble, stumble, symbol, table, intertribal, jumble, kibble, label, libel, marble, mislabel, mobile, mumble, nibble, nimble, noble, nonverbal, pebble, preamble, psychobabble, quibble, rabble, ramble, reassemble, rebel, redouble, relabel, resemble, Roble, rouble, roundtable, rubble, Ruble, rumble, sable, Scrabble, scramble, scribble, shamble, Sibyl, thimble, timetable, treble, tremble, tribal, trouble, tubal, tumble, turntable, umbel, unable, unscramble, unserviceable, unstable, valuable, verbal, wamble, wobble.

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

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Anagrams: Indispensable

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Words within the letters "a-b-d-e-e-i-i-l-n-n-p-s-s"

-2 letters: dispensable.

-3 letters: insensible.

-4 letters: alienness, baselines, biennales, biennials, blandness, blindness, dailiness, displease, idealises, penalised, penalises, penniless, pinelands, plainness, plebeians, sandpiles, sidelines, spendable.

-5 letters: abseiled, adenines, anilines, aniseeds, annelids, baldness, baseline, beladies, biennale, biennial, biplanes, blennies, delaines, deniable, deplanes, disables, dispense, enplaned, enplanes, idealess, idealise, idleness, inedible, leanness, lesbians, lindanes, linseeds, painless, paleness, passible, penalise.

 Words containing the letters "a-b-d-e-e-i-i-l-n-n-p-s-s"
 

+1 letter: indispensables.

 

+3 letters: indisputableness.

 

+4 letters: indispensableness.

 

+5 letters: indispensabilities, indisputablenesses.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.

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INDEX

1. Definition
2. Synonyms
3. Crosswords
4. Usage: Modern
5. Usage: Commercial
6. Images: Photo Album
7. Quotations: Familiar
8. Quotations: Historic
9. Quotations: Fiction
10. Quotations: Non-fiction
11. Quotations: Speeches
12. Usage Frequency
13. Expressions: Internet
14. Translations: Modern
15. Translations: Ancient
16. Derivations
17. Rhymes
18. Anagrams
19. Bibliography


  

Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.