1.
denoting one or more
people or things already mentioned or assumed to be common
knowledge.
"what's the matter?"
used to refer to a person, place, or thing that is unique.
"the Queen"
INFORMAL•ARCHAIC
denoting a disease or affliction.
"I've got the flu"
(with a unit of time) the present; the current.
"dish of the day"
INFORMAL
used instead of a possessive to refer to someone with whom the speaker or person addressed is associated.
"I'm meeting the boss"
used with a surname to refer to a family or married couple.
"the Johnsons were not wealthy"
used before the surname of the
chief of a Scottish or
Irish clan.
"the O'Donoghue"
2.
used to point forward to a following qualifying or defining clause or phrase.
"the fuss that he made of her"
(chiefly with rulers and family members with the same name) used after a name to qualify it.
"George the Sixth"
3.
used to make a generalized reference to
something rather than identifying a particular instance.
"he taught himself to play the violin"
used with a singular noun to indicate that it represents a whole species or class.
"they placed the African
elephant on their endangered list"
used with an adjective to refer to those
people who are of the type described.
"the unemployed"
used with an adjective to refer to
something of the class or quality described.
"they are trying to accomplish the impossible"
used with the name of a unit to state a rate.
"they can do 120 miles to the gallon"
1. THE cow jumped over me.
2. A cow jumped over THE
moon
3. They’re basically all the same
thing, you just put “the” before a noun most of the time. (Or else it will be, “You know, kid that used
jar of money, took out money, and gave it to family next door.)