Paul Simon on How Losing His Hearing Inspired Lyrics for “Seven Psalms”
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about
US / ə'baʊt /
•UK / əˈbaʊt /
- adverb
- To be ready to; going to
- Nearly; approximately; roughly
- Near; next to; close to
- In every direction; in the area of
- preposition
- Concerning or of (a topic)
again
US / ə'ɡen /
•UK / əˈɡɛn /
- adverb
- One more time, once more
even
US / 'i:vn /
•UK / ˈivən /
- adjecitve
- Being equal in influence, power, possibility etc.
- Being divided equally or fairly
- (Of teams/contest) with similar chances of success
- Smooth, level, or regular
- Can be divided by 2; ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0
- At a regular, equally steady manner
- Remaining steady and unchanging
- adverb
- (When this is surprising) as well; too
- (Used to compare two things/stress the difference)
- verb
- To make something level; to flatten
- To make something equal
like
US / laɪk /
•UK / laɪk /
- adjecitve
- Being equal in status or kind to something else
- Similar; the same
- adverb
- For example
- preposition
- Used as a filler; used to ad emphasis
- In a way similar to the way something is done
- Such as; for example
- verb
- To want to
- To find something pleasing; to prefer something
that
US / ðæt /
•UK / ðæt, ðət /
- adjecitve
- The person or thing being talked about
- Used to identify something both the speakers know
- adverb
- Used to reinforce adjectives and adverbs
- To such a degree
- conjunction
- Used to connect a noun clause
- Used to introduce an adverbial clause
- Used to introduce a noun clause
- determiner
- Used as a noun to refer to something
- pronoun
- Referring an object far away
- Used to refer to the relative pronoun ‘which’
what
US / wɒt /
•UK / hwɑt, hwʌt, wɔt, wʌt,hwət, wət /
- pronoun
- Thing or things that; the same kind as
- Used to emphasize something you are about to say
- adjecitve
- Used to refer to a particular amount, or number
- Used to place emphasis on a particular quality
- adverb
- To a certain degree
- determiner
- Question words used for asking for information
- exclamation
- Used to express excitement, shock, or surprise
- Used to ask people to repeat something they said
down
US / daʊn /
•UK / daʊn /
- adjecitve
- Being sad, sick, or unhappy
- Not operating, working, or functioning as expected
- adverb
- In a sitting or lying position
- Towards or on the ground, floor, or bottom
- Written or copied onto a piece of paper or book
- noun
- A period of play in American Football
- The soft, smooth hairs that cover a bird's body
- preposition
- Along something's path, course, or direction
- Going from a higher position to a lower position
- verb
- To eat or drink very quickly and without stopping
suppose
US / sə'pəʊz /
•UK / səˈpoʊz /
- conjunction
- What if
- verb
- To imagine or guess what might happen
then
US / ðen /
•UK / ðɛn /
- adverb
- A time that is not now
- Following another thing in time or arrangement
- Following on reasonably from what was just stated
- At that time, not now
first
US / fɜ:st /
•UK / fɚst /
- adjecitve
- 1st; Coming before all others in time or place
- noun
- Something that has not happened before
- Position of the winner of a competition
get
US / ɡet /
•UK / ɡɛt /
- verb
- To become affected by illness or disease
- To begin to feel or understand an emotion or idea
- To send or bring someone or something home, etc.
- To go somewhere to obtain something
- To (cause to) do a particular thing
- To obtain, receive or be given something
- To currently have
- To prepare for use
- To understand something being said or read
happen
US / 'hæpən /
•UK / ˈhæpən /
- verb
- To take place or occur
yeah
US / jeə /
•UK / ˈjɛə, ˈjæə, jɛ- /
- exclamation
- Another way of saying 'yes'
house
US / haʊs /
•UK / haʊs /
- noun
- Place where a specific activity or business occurs
- Building in which a family, person lives
- verb
- To give someone a place to live
- To contain or store something
right
US / raɪt /
•UK / raɪt /
- adjecitve
- Correct or true
- The south side of you looking at the rising sun
- adverb
- Exactly in a place or time
- Being appropriate for a particular event
- In a straight or direct manner
- noun
- Something you are legally or morally allowed to do
- Ideal of what is just and good
- Political view based on conservatism
- verb
- To fix something previously wrong or unjust
- To make upright, as a boat that has turned over
mean
US / mi:n /
•UK / min /
- adjecitve
- Being good at
- Nasty; unkind
- Not liking to spend money; cheap; stingy
- noun
- Average of a set of numbers
- verb
- To express a particular idea or thought
- To intend to do something in particular
- To have a particular meaning or value
five
US / faɪv /
•UK / faɪv /
- number
- 5
january
US / ˈdʒænjuəri /
•UK / ˈdʒænjueri /
- noun
- 1st month of the year
live
US / lɪv /
•UK / liv /
- adjecitve
- Being broadcast as events happen, not recorded
- Carrying electric current; able to give a shock
- Glowing because burning; hot
- Not yet killed (for food)
- adverb
- (Music, drama) as it is performed
- verb
- To be alive
- To experience a particular type of life
- To make your home in a house or town
kind
US / kaɪnd /
•UK / kaɪnd /
- adjecitve
- In a caring and helpful manner
- friendly and considerate
- noun
- One type of thing
you
US / jʊ /
•UK / ju /
- pronoun
- Person someone is speaking or writing to
- Person or people in general
play
US / pleɪ /
•UK / pleɪ /
- noun
- Loose, free movement between two objects
- Single action in a sports game
- Performance in which people act in a theater
- verb
- To act as a character in a movie, or on stage
- To perform music on an instrument
- To use a device, e.g. a video game
- To do something for enjoyment and fun
- To do or perform a game or sport
this
US / ðɪs /
•UK / ðɪs /
- adjecitve
- Used to indicate something already been discussed
- Used to indicate something happening around now
- adverb
- An indication by a physical motion or gesture
- A specific amount of
- determiner
- Person, thing, or idea near you
- pronoun
- Person, thing that has already been discussed
word
US / wɜ:d /
•UK / wɚd /
- noun
- Unit of language that has a meaning
- Promise
- Short remark or piece of information
- verb
- To express something by choosing particular words
parent
US / 'peərənt /
•UK / ˈpɛrənt, ˈpær- /
- noun
- Person's, animal's mother or father
- Something creating other things of the same kind
lyric
US / ˈlɪrɪk /
•UK / ˈlɪrɪk /
- adjecitve
- In a tone, or style similar to an emotional song
- noun
- The words of a song
the
US / ðə /
•UK / ðə /
- article
- Used to refer to something already mentioned
- Used to show there is only one of something
- determiner
- Used to describe all of a family
love
US / lʌv /
•UK / lʌv /
- noun
- Person's name
- A very strong feeling of affection
- The person you care very deeply about
- Strong, deep emotional and sexual attraction
- verb
- To care for and like someone very strongly, deeply
- To like doing very much; enjoy greatly
- To feel a strong emotional and romantic attraction
other
US / 'ʌðə(r) /
•UK / ˈʌðər /
- adjecitve
- A thing different from that mentioned
- determiner
- (Something) else; not the first (one)
- pronoun
- Being the one and only thing of that category
bad
US / bæd /
•UK / bæd /
- adjecitve
- Not good; wrong
- Lacking in good morals; evil
- No longer fresh; spoiled
nowhere
US / 'nəʊweə(r) /
•UK / ˈnoˌhwɛr, -ˌwɛr /
- adverb
- Not in or at any place; no place
way
US / weɪ /
•UK / we /
- adverb
- Used to emphasize the amount of something
- noun
- Particular aspect of something being thought about
- One of various choices that could be made
- Particular existing condition or state
- (Often long) distance or length of time
- How something is done
- Route to go to a place
- Small street
- Usual behavior, emotions or habits of someone
pleasant
US / 'pleznt /
•UK / ˈplɛzənt /
- adjecitve
- Causing a good feeling
- Being polite or friendly
all
US / ɔ:l /
•UK / ɔl /
- adverb
- Completely; totally
- determiner
- Being every one of something
- pronoun
- 100% of something; the complete amount
take
US / teɪk /
•UK / tek /
- noun
- Filming of a single scene for TV or the movies
- verb
- To accept something that is offered
- To use a method of traveling, e.g. a bus or train
- To use a camera to make (a photo)
- To pick up something and go away with it
- To study a subject in school
- To attempt to pass (an exam)
- To require a certain amount of time, money, space
look
US / lʊk /
•UK / lʊk /
- noun
- Person's beauty or physical attractiveness
- Particular style of dress, clothes, or appearance
- The way someone, something appears to be
- Act of searching for or examining something
- verb
- To appear to be; seem
nature
US / 'neɪtʃə(r) /
•UK / ˈnetʃɚ /
- noun
- Person's character or particular way of behaving
- Basic look, feel or function of something
- Physical world, including plants, animals, rocks
indulgence
US / ɪnˈdʌldʒəns /
•UK / ɪnˈdʌldʒəns /
- noun
- Act of letting someone do what he or she wants
- Treat that you allow yourself to have occasionally
blow
US / bləʊ /
•UK / blo /
- noun
- Something that causes you difficulty or sadness
- Act of making air come out of your mouth
- A hit or strike from an object
- verb
- To move something using air
- To make air come quickly out of your mouth
- To clear something by forcing air through it
mind
US / maɪnd /
•UK / maɪnd /
- noun
- One's opinion or way of thinking about something
- Part of humans that allows us to think or feel
- verb
- To be bothered or upset by something
- To take care of someone e.g. as a bodyguard
with
US / wɪð /
•UK / wɪð, wɪθ /
- preposition
- As an employee of a certain company
- Against something or someone
- By using something as a means
- Due to; because of
- Including
- Possessing as a feature
- Related to
- (Of the manner/attitude by which you do something)
- Used to express that people or things are together
almost
US / 'ɔ:lməʊst /
•UK / ˈɔlˌmost, ɔlˈmost /
- adverb
- Only a little less than, nearly, not quite
have
US / həv /
•UK / hæv /
- verb
- To drink, smoke, eat or use something
- To experience the effects of something
- To organize an event, or join in an activity
- To own, possess, or hold something
- To cause to happen or produce a particular effect
sixty
US / 'sɪkstɪ /
•UK / ˈsɪksti /
- number
- 60
hear
US / hɪə(r) /
•UK / hɪr /
- verb
- To be aware of sound; to perceive with the ear
- To be told or find out information or facts
- To consider or listen to a court case
loss
US / lɒs /
•UK / lɔ:s /
- noun
- Friend, family, or other loved person's death
- Decrease or decline in quantity or amount
- Experience or state of failing to have or keep
- A situation when you lose a game
- Process of failing to have or keep something
- Difficulty or trouble caused by someone's leaving
- Situation when more money is spent than is earned
scene
US / si:n /
•UK / sin /
- noun
- Incident where someone behaves angrily, badly
- View that looks like a picture
- Place where something particular happened
- Part of an act in a play
braid
US / breɪd /
•UK / breɪd /
- noun
- Hair separated into 3 strands laid over each other
know
US / nəʊ /
•UK / noʊ /
- verb
- To be familiar with a person or place, thing
- To feel sure or be convinced about something
- To discover or be aware of something
- To be able to distinguish
- To have knowledge of things
whoa
US / wəʊ /
•UK / woʊ /
- exclamation
- Tell someone to do something more slowly
away
US / ə'weɪ /
•UK / əˈwe /
- adjecitve
- Not present
- adverb
- Disappear completely
- Doing something with a lot of energy
- Not here; far from here; in a different direction
- To a different area, location
fifteenth
US / ˌfɪf'ti:nθ /
•UK / fɪfˈtinθ /
- noun
- 15th
out
US / aʊt /
•UK / aʊt /
- adverb
- No longer stylish (e.g. fashion)
- Away from home, business, or the usual place
- In a direction/movement away from inside or center
- noun
- Act when a batter cannot continue playing
- verb
- To tell people a secret
over
US / 'əʊvə(r) /
•UK / ˈovɚ /
- adverb
- Finished; no longer happening
- Towards the ground/away from a standing position
- noun
- A set of six consecutive balls bowled in cricket
- other
- Finished
- preposition
- Showing the relation when a thing is above another
- On or covering something
- Above or across something
- More than you need
- From one side to the other
- In the direction of; toward
and
US / ənd /
•UK / ənd, ən,ænd /
- conjunction
- Used to refer to two or more things
- Plus; in addition; on top of that
- Used to introduce an action that follows another
back
US / bæk /
•UK / bæk /
- adjecitve
- Farthest from the front e.g. in a classroom
- adverb
- Have returned to a place you were before
- noun
- The part of a chair that the upper body leans upon
- Location at the rear of something
- The reverse of side something
- Area on the rear of your body
- verb
- To bet money on something
- To go backwards in a car
- To support and encourage someone or some cause
major
US / 'meɪdʒə(r) /
•UK / ˈmedʒɚ /
- adjecitve
- Main league; esp. referring to American baseball
- Important, serious, or large in scope, size
- noun
- High-ranking officer in the army
- Main subject you study at university
- verb
- To study a particular subject at university
until
US / ənˈtɪl /
•UK / ʌnˈtɪl /
- conjunction
- Up to; to a time when something happens
- preposition
- Before (a specific time)
real
US / rɪəl /
•UK / ˈriəl, ril /
- adjecitve
- Actually existing or happening, not imagined
- Being important or special
riff
US / rɪf /
•UK / rɪf /
- noun
- Short series of repeated notes in music
leave
US / li:v /
•UK / liv /
- noun
- Permission to do something
- Vacation time; time off work
- verb
- To go away from; depart
- To gift property to someone after you die
- To allow something to continue happening
- To let something remain unused or available
- To let something or someone remain somewhere
where
US / hwɛə /
•UK / hwɛr, wɛr /
- conjunction
- At or in the place which
- In whatever place
- pronoun
- Word you use to ask the location of something
come
US / kʌm /
•UK / kʌm /
- verb
- To arrive at a place
- (Of mail) to be delivered
- To move toward someone; go with someone
- To reach a certain point or state
think
US / θɪŋk /
•UK / θɪŋk /
- verb
- To have an idea about something without certainty
- To have an idea, opinion or belief about something
two
US / tu: /
•UK / tu /
- number
- 2
kid
US / kɪd /
•UK / kɪd /
- adjecitve
- Made from young goat skin
- noun
- Child or young person
- Young goat
- verb
- To make fun of someone in a gentle way; to tease
nineteen
US / ˌnaɪnˈti:n /
•UK / naɪnˈtin /
- number
- 19
something
US / ˈsʌmθɪŋ /
•UK / ˈsʌmθɪŋ /
- adverb
- In some degree or measure
- noun
- a person or thing of some value or consequence
- pronoun
- Thing that is not yet known or named
- Approximately
dream
US / dri:m /
•UK / drim /
- noun
- A wish or hope for something to happen
- Imagination or image of something you want
- Images, thoughts, feelings experienced when asleep
- verb
- To wish for something to happen
- To experience thoughts, images while asleep
same
US / seɪm /
•UK / sem /
- adjecitve
- Being equal in quality and amount
- Identical; not different
- Not changing; constant
somebody
US / 'sʌmbədɪ /
•UK / ˈsʌmˌbɑdi, -ˌbʌdi, -bədi /
- noun
- Important well-respected person
- pronoun
- Person who is not known or named
deal
US / di:l /
•UK / dil /
- verb
- To cope with something - usually troubles
- To give (something bad e.g. news) to
- To buy and sell illegal drugs
- To give out (cards, etc.) to; distribute
- To do business with someone or to sell products
now
US / naʊ /
•UK / naʊ /
- adverb
- At the present time or moment
- Right away or in the next possible moment
- Used to refer to something that just happened
- Time between the present and a moment in the past
- conjunction
- Resulting from or because of something
not
US / nɒt /
•UK / nɑt /
- adverb
- Word indicating the negative
- (Used to form the negative of verbs)
seven
US / ˈsevn /
•UK / ˈsɛvən /
- number
- Number 7
but
US / bət /
•UK / bʌt,bət /
- conjunction
- Used before you say something different, opposite
english
US / ˈɪŋglɪʃ /
•UK / ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ /
- adjecitve
- Concerning the culture and people of England
- noun
- Language of the UK, USA, Nigeria and elsewhere
- Person's name
hook
US / hʊk /
•UK / hʊk /
- noun
- Bent tool used to catch fish or to hang things on
- The start of a story which catches your interest
- verb
- To make a bent or curved shape
- To catch your interest completely
- To catch, hang or attach something with a bent wire
life
US / laɪf /
•UK / laɪf /
- noun
- All the living things e.g. animals, plants, humans
- Period of time things live, from birth to death
can
US / kæn /
•UK / kən,kæn /
- noun
- A metal container for storing food
- other
- Able to; have the skill to; have the time to
- verb
- To have permission to
- To be possible to do
- To preserve food by sealing it in a metal container
really
US / ˈri:əli /
•UK / ˈriəˌli, ˈrili /
- adverb
- Used to stress something that is said; definitely
- In a true or accurate manner
- Very
for
US / fə(r) /
•UK / fɔr,fə /
- preposition
- Used to show the purpose, or need of something
time
US / taɪm /
•UK / taɪm /
- noun
- Speed at which music is played; tempo
- Point as shown on a clock, e.g. 3 p.m
- Number of hours, minutes needed to do something
- Occasion when something happens
- Period or occasion that something occurred
- Period in history or the past
- Something measured in minutes, hours, days, etc.
- How long an event takes; duration
- verb
- To check speed at which music is performed
- To choose a specific moment to do something
- To measure how long an event takes, e.g. a race
- To schedule something to occur at a specific moment
fact
US / fækt /
•UK / fækt /
- noun
- Something that is known or proved to be true
music
US / 'mju:zɪk /
•UK / ˈmjuzɪk /
- noun
- Sounds that are sung or played to give pleasure
- Academic study of rhythms and sounds
- Written symbols that represent musical sounds
strong
US / strɒŋ /
•UK / strɔŋ /
- adjecitve
- (Of tea or beer) dark or thick
- Having big muscles; physically powerful
specifically
US / spəˈsɪfɪkli /
•UK / spəˈsɪfɪkli /
- adverb
- As regards a particular thing; closely related to
- In particular
such
US / sʌtʃ /
•UK / sʌtʃ /
- determiner
- Being similar to
- (Thing) as previously stated or referred to
- adverb
- (Used to emphasize the quality of an adjective)
define
US / dɪ'faɪn /
•UK / dɪˈfaɪn /
- verb
- To explain the meaning of words
- To set or mark the limits of something
sweet
US / swi:t /
•UK / swit /
- adjecitve
- Having a gentle, likable nature
- Making one feel happy, pleased or content
- Cute in appearance
- Tasting like sugar; containing sugar
- noun
- Piece of candy, or other food containing sugar
just
US / dʒʌst /
•UK / dʒʌst /
- adjecitve
- Proper or appropriate; as is deserved
- Doing or being what is right or fair
- Legally correct; having enough evidence
- adverb
- Almost; nearly
- Exactly at the time of
- Exactly (the same as, like)
gradual
US / ˈgrædʒuəl /
•UK / ˈɡrædʒuəl /
- adjecitve
- Moving slowly by small amounts, over time
respond
US / rɪ'spɒnd /
•UK / rɪˈspɑnd /
- verb
- To answer something or someone
- To have a good reaction to e.g. medical treatment
sort
US / sɔ:t /
•UK / sɔrt /
- noun
- Group or class of similar things or people
- verb
- To organize things by putting them into groups
- To deal with things in an organized way
ever
US / 'evə(r) /
•UK / ˈɛvɚ /
- adverb
- At any time; at all times in the future
day
US / deɪ /
•UK / de /
- noun
- A period of 24 hours beginning at midnight
- The period of time when it is light outside
- Person's name
psalm
US / sɑːm /
•UK / sɑːm /
- noun
- Religious song or poem
lose
US / lu:z /
•UK / luz /
- verb
- To be unable to keep in check or control something
- To decrease in value or quantity (e.g. weight)
- To stop having certain qualities or abilities
- To stop having or being entitled to
- To fail to win something that is being contested
- To be unable to find something you once had
- To be dependent on someone (used with 'not')
describe
US / dɪ'skraɪb /
•UK / dɪˈskraɪb /
- verb
- To tell the appearance, sound, smell of something
thousand
US / ˈθaʊznd /
•UK / ˈθaʊzənd /
- number
- Number 1,000
listen
US / ˈlɪsn /
•UK / ˈlɪsən /
- verb
- To carefully consider what someone is saying
procedure
US / prəˈsi:dʒə(r) /
•UK / prəˈsidʒɚ /
- noun
- A medical operation
- Usual or standard steps taken to do something
too
US / tu: /
•UK / tu /
- adverb
- In addition, also; with emphasis
- Say that something is more than you want
four
US / fɔ:(r) /
•UK / fɔr, for /
- number
- 4
sorrow
US / 'sɒrəʊ /
•UK / ˈsɑro, ˈsɔro /
- noun
- Deep sadness caused by a loss
- verb
- To experience deep sadness
folk
US / fəʊk /
•UK / fok /
- adjecitve
- (Of ordinary people) not sophisticated
- noun
- Ordinary common people
write
US / raɪt /
•UK / raɪt /
- verb
- To compose letters and words on paper or a screen
- To invent or create a computer program
- To create a song or piece of music