from

A letter from home sits on the kitchen table.

Definition

1. Preposition:
   • Indicating a starting point in space or time: "from" is used to show where something begins, whether in location, time, or sequence.
   • Indicating origin or source: It shows where someone or something comes from, or the cause of something.
   • Indicating separation or removal: It expresses movement away, removal, or distance.
   • Indicating difference: It is used to show distinction or contrast between two things.
   • Indicating material or composition: It shows what something is made of or derived from.

Usage Examples

• Starting point in space:
  • She traveled from London to Paris. (The journey began in London.)
• Starting point in time:
  • The shop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (The opening time begins at 9 a.m.)
• Origin or source:
  • This letter is from my grandmother. (The letter originated from her.)
  • He suffers from a rare disease. (The disease is the cause of his suffering.)
• Separation or removal:
  • Keep the dog from entering the garden. (Prevent the dog from entering.)
  • She took the book from the shelf. (She removed it.)
• Difference:
  • He is different from his brother. (He is not the same as his brother.)
• Material or composition:
  • Wine is made from grapes. (Grapes are the ingredient used.)

Advanced Usage

• "from ... to ...": used to indicate a range or span.
  • The temperature ranges from 10 to 30 degrees. (The span is between 10 and 30.)
• "from time to time": occasionally; sometimes.
  • He visits us from time to time. (He visits occasionally.)
• "from now on": starting at this moment and continuing into the future.
  • From now on, I will study harder. (Starting today, I will study more.)
• "from ... onwards": beginning at a specific point and continuing.
  • From the 20th century onwards, technology advanced rapidly. (Starting in the 20th century and continuing.)

Variants and Related Words

• None. "From" is a standalone preposition with no common derived forms (e.g., no adjective or noun variants). It is a function word, not a content word.

Synonyms

• Starting at: used to indicate the beginning of a range.
  • The store is open starting at 9 a.m. (Equivalent to "from 9 a.m." in some contexts.)
• Out of: indicating origin or source.
  • This gift is out of love. (Equivalent to "from love" in meaning.)
• Away from: indicating separation or distance.
  • Stay away from the fire. (Equivalent to "Keep from the fire.")

Related Idioms

• From scratch: starting from the very beginning, with no existing resources.
  • She built the house from scratch. (She started with nothing and created it entirely.)
• From the bottom of one's heart: with sincere feeling.
  • I thank you from the bottom of my heart. (I am deeply grateful.)
• From A to Z: covering everything completely.
  • He knows the subject from A to Z. (He knows it thoroughly.)
• From day one: since the very beginning.
  • He has been loyal from day one. (He has been loyal since the start.)