from — English Dictionary

Preposition

1. Used to indicate source or provenance.

   Examples

   Paul is from New Zealand.

   I got a letter from my brother.

   More examples (4)

   You can't get all your news from the Internet.

   Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out.[…]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.

   There were many wooden chairs for the bulk of his visitors, and two wicker armchairs with red cloth cushions for superior people. From the packing-cases had emerged some Indian clubs,[…], and all these articles[…]made a scattered and untidy decoration that Mrs. Clough assiduously dusted and greatly cherished.

   Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.

2. Originating at (a year, time, etc.)

   Examples

   This manuscript is from the 1980s.

3. Used to indicate a starting point or initial reference.

   Examples

   He had books piled from floor to ceiling.

   He departed yesterday from Chicago.

   More examples (3)

   This figure has been changed from a one to a seven.

   Face away from the wall!

   The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.

4. Used to indicate a starting point or initial reference. Indicating a starting point in time.

   Examples

   The working day runs from 9 am to 5 pm.

   Tickets are available from 17th July.

   More examples (1)

   The store will be open from nine in the morning, but I’ll be at home from Wed. evening (on).

5. Used to indicate a starting point or initial reference. Indicating a starting point on a range or scale.

   Examples

   Rate your pain from 1 to 10.

   Start counting from 1.

6. Used to indicate a starting point or initial reference. Indicating a starting point on an array or gamut of conceptual variations.

   Examples

   You can study anything from math to literature.

7. Used to indicate a starting point or initial reference. With reference to the location or position of a speaker or other observer or vantage point.

   Examples

   It's hard to tell from here.

   Try to see it from his point of view.

   More examples (2)

   The bomb went off just 100 yards from where they were standing.

   From the top of the lighthouse you can just see the mainland.

8. Used to indicate a starting point or initial reference. Indicates a starting state of the predicament of the subject. Synonym of since being.

   Usage

   • Multicultural-London-English

   Examples

   I’ve been doing this from pickney.

   I’ve been a bad boy from a little youth.

9. Indicating removal or separation.

   Examples

   After twenty minutes, remove the cake from the oven.

   The general was ousted from power.

   More examples (1)

   He knuckled the sleep from his eyes.

10. Indicating removal or separation. Denoting a subtraction operation.

    Usage

    • UK usage
    • not in formal use

    Examples

    20 from 31 leaves 11.

11. Indicating exclusion.

    Examples

    She was barred from entering.

    A parasol protects from the sun.

12. Indicating differentiation.

    Examples

    Your opinions differ from mine.

    He knows right from wrong.

    More examples (1)

    In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.

13. Produced with or out of (a substance or material).

    Examples

    It's made from pure gold.

14. Used to indicate causation; because of, as a result of.

    Examples

    Too many people die from breast cancer.