A more complete rule is:
"i" before "e" except
- after "c",
- in words where it sounds like long "a", or
- in words that are weird or foreign,
- and scientific words often do not follow the rules.
"i" goes before "e" in words like the following: believe, chief, field, niece, relief, sieve, and yield.
Some exceptions containing the long "a" are the usually-noted neighbor and weigh. Some more are: freight, vein, veil, geisha, sheik, and dreidel. The last three fall under the "foreign" clause even if you like to pronounce them with a long "e" sound.
The word weird is weird. 'nuff said.
The word foreign is, well, foreign. So are recent arrivals to the language, such as leisure and its ilk, from French*, and sheila, an Aussie slang word for "girl".
The word science doesn't follow the original "except after-c" rule. And caffeine, codeine, protein, and other words with the "-eine" or "-ein" ending and a long "e" sound are other scientific exceptions in the other direction.
* TheFreeDictionary notes that leisure comes from Middle English, from Norman French leisour, from Old French leisir meaning "to be permitted", from Latin licre. In terms of language, this is recent. At least, it is recent enough that the spelling has not changed to match the rule. Of course, you might be rightfully getting the impression that this rule is not much of a rule, given the hefty list of exceptions.
But then again, this is the English language. 'nuff said.
"i" before "e" except
- after "c",
- in words where it sounds like long "a", or
- in words that are weird or foreign,
- and scientific words often do not follow the rules.
"i" goes before "e" in words like the following: believe, chief, field, niece, relief, sieve, and yield.
Some exceptions containing the long "a" are the usually-noted neighbor and weigh. Some more are: freight, vein, veil, geisha, sheik, and dreidel. The last three fall under the "foreign" clause even if you like to pronounce them with a long "e" sound.
The word weird is weird. 'nuff said.
The word foreign is, well, foreign. So are recent arrivals to the language, such as leisure and its ilk, from French*, and sheila, an Aussie slang word for "girl".
The word science doesn't follow the original "except after-c" rule. And caffeine, codeine, protein, and other words with the "-eine" or "-ein" ending and a long "e" sound are other scientific exceptions in the other direction.
* TheFreeDictionary notes that leisure comes from Middle English, from Norman French leisour, from Old French leisir meaning "to be permitted", from Latin licre. In terms of language, this is recent. At least, it is recent enough that the spelling has not changed to match the rule. Of course, you might be rightfully getting the impression that this rule is not much of a rule, given the hefty list of exceptions.
But then again, this is the English language. 'nuff said.
by LaWeezel July 15, 2008
Get the i before e mug.The innocuous appearing, yet horribly contaminated, foreign-water cubes of misery that wreak holy-fucking-hell on unsuspecting Traveller bowels.
So, I didn't actually DRINK the water, or eat ANYTHING washed in water ... it was the E-coli cubes that took me down; never again!
by YAWA September 30, 2019
Get the E-coli cubes mug.The life of a computer hacker who puts food in their mouth through people who pay them for their services.
I'm living the E-thug life this shit is putting my kids through college and the feds can't do shit about it.
by Thuggish-ruggish-boner April 6, 2010
Get the E-thug life mug.slang taken from the Sardinian language, Minca and gua 'is an exclamation of amazement, usually said when there is something that is exaggerated, or excessively from the normal.
And it literally means: ''dick of horse''
minca= dick
guaddu= Horse
the G is pronounced like the word ''Good''
And it literally means: ''dick of horse''
minca= dick
guaddu= Horse
the G is pronounced like the word ''Good''
-Hey Bro i got your pizza here ( the pizza is way bigger than normal)
Minca e gua' what a pizza! ( he saw that the pizza is enormous)
Minca e gua' what a pizza! ( he saw that the pizza is enormous)
by xHak January 6, 2022
Get the Minca e gua' mug.by Steve-O June 21, 2004
Get the hex-e-naw mug.The F-B-E is a sexcellent kama sutra position where the man puts the woman's feet behind her ears, and penetrates her in the vagina and or buttocks...
Last night I gave Shaquanda the FBE...
Last night I gave Shaquanda the FBE...
by Hugh G Reckshen April 4, 2006
Get the F-B-E mug.Spanish for "hand-to-hand". Used most commonly for a competition between two people - often in hand to hand combat.
The phrase is often mistakenly thought by English speaking people to mean "man-to-man".
The phrase is often mistakenly thought by English speaking people to mean "man-to-man".
by gp26 December 6, 2010
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