the

(THē THə )

1. 1. Used before singular or plural nouns and noun phrases that denote particular, specified persons or things: the baby; the dress I wore.
   2. Used before a noun, and generally stressed, to emphasize one of a group or type as the most outstanding or prominent: considered Lake Shore Drive to be the neighborhood to live in these days.
   3. Used to indicate uniqueness: the Prince of Wales; the moon.
   4. Used before nouns that designate natural phenomena or points of the compass: the weather; a wind from the south.
   5. Used as the equivalent of a possessive adjective before names of some parts of the body: grab him by the neck; an infection of the hand.
   6. Used before a noun specifying a field of endeavor: the law; the film industry; the stage.
   7. Used before a proper name, as of a monument or ship: the Alamo; the Titanic.
   8. Used before the plural form of a numeral denoting a specific decade of a century or of a life span: rural life in the Thirties.
2. Used before a singular noun indicating that the noun is generic: The wolf is an endangered species.
3. 1. Used before an adjective extending it to signify a class and giving it the function of a noun: the rich; the dead; the homeless.
   2. Used before an absolute adjective: the best we can offer.
4. Used before a present participle, signifying the action in the abstract: the weaving of rugs.
5. Used before a noun with the force of per: cherries at $1.50 the box.

[Middle English, from Old English the, alteration (influenced by , th-, oblique case stem of demonstrative pron.) of se, masculine demonstrative pron..]

(THē THə )

1. Because of that. Used before a comparative: thinks the worse of you after this mistake.
2. To that extent; by that much: the sooner the better.
3. Beyond any other: enjoyed reading the most.

[Middle English, from Old English thȳ, thē, instrumental of thæt, neuter demonstrative pron..]