First recorded in 1925–30
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
With a staff of assistants, he started a Basic English radio program for Latin America, produced a batch of Basic texts for Spaniards and Portuguese, helped Walt Disney make Basic educational shorts for the Army.
From Time Magazine Archive
All that Basic English could produce," reported Lockhart, "was 'blood, body water, and eyewash.'
From Time Magazine Archive
In far from Basic English, Winston Churchill gave Basic another boost,* this time in the House of Commons.
From Time Magazine Archive
Its most eloquent sponsor asked that Basic English be spread worldwide by British propaganda, diplomatic and commercial agents.
From Time Magazine Archive
You say the letter accompanying the first deposit, the one in Basic English, was apparently taken away by Kettle-Belly Sam Bonney.
From Lone Star Planet by Piper, H. Beam
He speaks basic English and has considered going to Canada, but friends told him it’s difficult as well to obtain asylum there.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2025
The training included technical language training, as the usual basic English level was insufficient, he said.
From Reuters ● Aug. 19, 2023
A sandy road leads to Merino’s small cement-floor home, where one wall displays a framed certificate showing that his son passed his basic English studies.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 4, 2022
Cesar could still not speak English - "I used to carry a little dictionary in my pocket," he says - and so began a basic English course at Ambassador House in Thornton Heath.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2021
NM: Word list of basic English, updating of all tables & census material. © 12Sep44; A182825.
From U.S. Copyright Renewals, 1971 July - December by Library of Congress. Copyright Office
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
