used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
From this reading I had to live myself in the moment, in America as it was, as it was becoming.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I had to live myself in the moment, in America as it was, as it was becoming.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
according with custom or propriety
From this reading I had to live myself in the moment, in America as it was, as it was becoming.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
brought into existence
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
BrooksnounUS /brʊks/
United States literary critic and historian (1886-1963)
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
culturaladjectiveUS /ˈkʌltʃərəl/
of or relating to the arts and manners that a group favors
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
Englanders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
HowellsnounUS /ˈhaʊəlz/
United States writer and editor (1837-1920)
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I had to live myself in the moment, in America as it was, as it was becoming.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
listsnounUS /lɪsts/
plural of “list” — a database containing an ordered array of items (names or topics)
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading I had to live myself in the moment, in America as it was, as it was becoming.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
the force of workers available
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
middle-westerner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
a particular point in time
From this reading I had to live myself in the moment, in America as it was, as it was becoming.
used to form the superlative
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I had to live myself in the moment, in America as it was, as it was becoming.
verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
held or filled or in use
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
permanentlyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrmənəntli/
for a long time without essential change
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
select carefully from a group
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
PoenounUS /poʊ/
United States writer and poet (1809-1849)
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
rottenadjectiveUS /ˈrɑːtən/
very bad
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
an educational institution
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
scrapsnounUS /skræps/
food that is discarded (as from a kitchen)
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I was sorry they had the rotten luck to be born in a new land but could not stay permanently sorry.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
hard to endure
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
TwainnounUS /tweɪn/
two items of the same kind
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading I made little lists of names on the walls of my mind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
WhitmannounUS /ˈwɪtmən/
United States poet who celebrated the greatness of America (1819-1892)
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
which person or people
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
Wyck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was Van Wyck Brooks, the man who never wrote a line that did not give me joy, but his mind seemed altogether occupied with what had happened to Twain, Howells, Whitman, Poe and the New Englanders, men for the most part dead before I was born.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading I was a middle-westerner trying to pick up cultural scraps in New York, trying to go to school there.
