The

1. a. Used before singular or plural nouns and noun phrases that denote particular, specified persons or things. b. Used before a noun, and generally stressed, to emphasize one of a group or type as the most outstanding or prominent. c. Used to indicate uniqueness. d. Used before nouns that designate natural phenomena or points of the compass. e. Used as the equivalent of a possessive adjective before names of some parts of the body. f. Used before a noun specifying a field of endeavor. g. Used before a proper name, as of a monument or ship. h. Used before the plural form of a numeral denoting a specific decade of a century or of a life span. i. Used before a singular noun indicating that the noun is generic. 2. a. Used before an adjective extending it to signify a class and giving it the function of a noun. b. Used before an absolute adjective. c. Used before a present participle, signifying the action in the abstract. d. Used before a noun with the force of per.