used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
AlfrednounUS /ˈælfrəd/
king of Wessex; defeated the Vikings and encouraged writing in English (849-899)
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
apologizeverbUS /əˈpɑːlədʒaɪz/
acknowledge faults or shortcomings or failing
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
-ing form of “consider” — deem to be
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
counting-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading What are you going to do with yourself, Cousin Alfred?"
cousinsnounUS /ˈkʌzənz/
plural of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
accept an excuse for
From this reading So excuse me if I say to you, as I used to say to him.
a social unit living together
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
the act of departing
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
only a very short time before
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading So excuse me if I say to you, as I used to say to him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
issuedverbUS /ˈɪʃuːd/
past form of “issue” — prepare and issue for public distribution or sale
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading So excuse me if I say to you, as I used to say to him.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
OrleansnounUS /ˈɔːrliənz/
a city on the Loire river in north central France; site of the siege of Orleans by the English (1428-1429)
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
by chance
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
be fully aware or cognizant of
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
resembleverbUS /rɪˈzembəl/
appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
RoyaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/
of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
express in words
From this reading So excuse me if I say to you, as I used to say to him.
shortnessnounUS /ˈʃɔːrtnəs/
the property of being of short spatial extent
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
not in physical motion
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading It used to be a joke with us that we must be cousins, since he was a King and I was of the Royal family.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading "What are you going to do with yourself this evening, Alfred?" said Mr. Royal to his companion, as they issued from his counting-house in New Orleans.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading "Perhaps I ought to apologize for not calling you Mr. King, considering the shortness of our acquaintance; but your father and I were like brothers in our youth, and you resemble him so much, I can hardly realize that you are not he himself, and I still a young man.
