Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A question to be considered, solved, or answered: math problems; the problem of how to arrange transportation.
- n. A situation, matter, or person that presents perplexity or difficulty: was having problems breathing; considered the main problem to be his boss. See Usage Note at dilemma.
- n. A misgiving, objection, or complaint: I have a problem with his cynicism.
- adj. Difficult to deal with or control: a problem child.
- adj. Dealing with a moral or social problem: a problem play.
- idiom. no problem Used to express confirmation of or compliance with a request.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A question proposed for decision or discussion; a matter for examination; any question involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty; also, a question with a discussion of it.
- n. Specifically In geometry, a proposition requiring some operation to be performed or construction to be executed, as to bisect a line, and the like. It differs from a theorem in that the latter requires something to be proved, a relation or identity to be shown or established. The Greek word is used in this sense by Pappus, in the third century after Christ.
- n. In English universities, a public disputation.
Wiktionary
- n. A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with.
- n. A question to be answered, schoolwork exercise.
- n. A puzzling circumstance.
- adj. Difficult to train or guide; unruly.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A question proposed for solution; a matter stated for examination or proof; hence, a matter difficult of solution or settlement; a doubtful case; a question involving doubt.
- n. (Math.) Anything which is required to be done; as, in geometry, to bisect a line, to draw a perpendicular; or, in algebra, to find an unknown quantity.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a source of difficulty
- n. a question raised for consideration or solution
- n. a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
Etymologies
- From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin problema, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (problema, "anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory"), from προβάλλω (proballo, "to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward"), from προ- (pro-, "in front of") + βάλλω (ballo, "to throw, to cast, to hurl"). (Wiktionary)
- Middle English probleme, from Old French, from Latin problēma, problēmat-, from Greek, from proballein, to throw before, put forward : pro-, before; see pro-2 + ballein, blē-, to throw. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“VIEW FAVORITES yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = 'Bush and Blair, Joined at the Hip, Sinking Together'; yahooBuzzArticleSummary = '"Never in modern history has the solution to one problem resulted in the creation of so many larger problems, especially since the initial \'problem\', Saddam Hussein\'s weapons of mass destruction, turned out to be non-existent, "writes Rupert Cornwell in London\'s The Independent. ”
OpEdNews - Quicklink: Bush and Blair, Joined at the Hip, Sinking Together
“The most influential arguments against the view that there is a genuine problem of transworld identity (or ˜problem of transworld identification™, to use Kripke's preferred terminology) are probably those presented by Plantinga (1973, 1974) and Kripke (1980).”
“One metaphysical problem concerns how change is possible (this has recently become known as the ˜problem of temporary intrinsics™).”
“That there is no solution to the race problem is a statement heard so often in America that it has become almost proverbial; that the solution is simple if our citizens would approach the problem fairly is an observation made less often; but that _there is no problem_ would seem to be either the flippant remark of one who dabbles in sociology or the profound utterance of a new seer.”
“The negro problem is one of many race problems which the United States has, but because it is the most pressing of all of our race problems it is frequently spoken of as _the race problem_.”
“Although there would have been plenty of muttering, nothing would have been done to interfere with the solution of the problem which I had devised, _until the solution was accomplished and the problem ceased to be a problem_.”
“_What is the precise constitution of the Subliminal_ -- such is the problem which deserves to figure in our Science hereafter as the _problem of”
“It is well known to most of my readers that woman is a problem; but it may not be as well known that now-a-days, she is a _mathematical problem_.”
“Just as astronomy, at bottom, is a mechanical problem, and physiology, likewise, a chemical problem, so is history, at bottom, a _problem of psychology_.”
Prefaces and Prologues to Famous Books with Introductions, Notes and Illustrations
“* This isn't a linux networking problem, per se, but it is a networking problem*”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘problem’.
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EU Buzz - ALL words and expressions
A combined list of
1. EU Buzz - single words
2. EU Buzz - collocations
3. EU Buzz - the 100 most active
collocation constituentsabsorption capacity, absorption rate, acceding country, accession candidate, accession countries, accession country, accession criteria, accession cycle, accession negotia..., accession partner..., accession priorities, accession treaty and 2650 more...
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Words starting with PRO
I've noticed many, many words start with PRO and this is just a collection of them.
professional, pronunciation, Prolagus, probable, prog, proximity, profit, procrastincate, prom, pronoun, promise, proactive and 206 more...
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POL - campaign tokenisms
Positive words and vague promises. THE words and expressions to use when you want to win over the masses or just don't know what to say.
"CAPITAL" stands for the administrative capital...grow, greatest country, greatest, grow the economy, great nation, great decisions, great, government, great NATIONAL su..., good times, good job, good and generous... and 751 more...
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Specifically
Being a list of words which have "specifically" in their definitions.
recompose, specifically, Dutch, abstinence, discipline, virtue, namely, opening, century, amalgamation, cup, second and 303 more...
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EU Buzz - single words (1+2+3)
1. Strictly EU terms with special European meaning used only in the EU
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2. Keywords central to the understanding of the EU (people working for the EU are usually able to give thematic...acceleration, action, additionality, administrator, agenda, agricultural, agri-environmental, agriflation, agri-food, applicant, approach, assent and 1325 more...
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no little thing
it bothers me when i hear someone who have experienced something life changing use the phrase: now i appreciate the little things. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY LITTLE THINGS. everything is EXTRAOR...
letters, living, understand, narrow, behavior, personal, need, meant, untamed, world, soldier, 'cause and 241 more...
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franky's Words
formitastic, human resources, cocktail, gravatar, tequila, twitter, moloko, gmail, beeb, mp3, cover art, thumbnail and 184 more...
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Basic English Vocabulary
Very basic words for ESL students.
a, abandon, ability, able, abortion, about, above, abroad, absence, absolute, absolutely, absorb and 4334 more...
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Mathaphors √
Concepts o' dem numblurs; polysemy mathematicalia.
integer, factor, ∮, geometric, exponential, equation, aboutequals, variable, obtuse, triangle, angle, circle and 92 more...
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The things they carried (List 2)
Listening to this as an audio book for the second time. Tim O'Brien uses simple words and phrases to great effect. Very few unfamilar and big words . The writing style reminds me of words from Joh...
The, Things, They, Carried, meant, fond, By necessity,, presented to him, far beyond, against the brick..., reaching, taut and 2940 more...
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Lizbt's Words
monkey, kitten, puppy, computer, screen, dalek, tardis, cute, dark, cotton, chocolate, sunshine and 125 more...
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WrightHandWords's Words
yclept, unction, prana, satya, abhyasa, vairagya, yoga, ashtanga, acronym, etymology, asana, widget and 286 more...
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Thrown - about tossed - Words
bal-; bol-; -bol; -ble and incau(gh)tious others
ballistic, ballad, symbol, bolide, ballet, problem, ball, parabola, parable, amphibole, boule, diabolical and 184 more...
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eloise's Words
embrace, perfect, imagine, dance, water, color, echo, hollow, sorrow, beauty, impossible, violet and 438 more...
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TN5 Lesson 55
computer, problem, Darn it!, because, article, finish, may, use, beard, available, typewriter, type and 12 more...
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TT1 Lesson 9
windshield, wiper, smear, out, barely, slick, nervous, pull off, pager, page, problem, dough and 2 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for problem.
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