used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
achesnounUS /eɪks/
plural of “ache” — a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
ailmentsnounUS /ˈeɪlmənts/
plural of “ailment” — an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
candidadjectiveUS /ˈkændəd/
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
Chessingham
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
conjureverbUS /ˈkɑːndʒər/
summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
conscientiousadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːnʃiˈenʃəs/
characterized by extreme care and great effort
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
dearly loved
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
give a description of
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
doctor'snounUS /ˈdɑːktərz/
possessive form of “doctor” — a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
dwellverbUS /dwel/
think moodily or anxiously about something
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
entailverbUS /enˈteɪl/
have as a logical consequence
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
exaggerateverbUS /ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪt/
to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
opinion or judgment
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
a boy or man
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
headachenounUS /ˈhedeɪk/
something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
humornounUS /ˈhjuːmər/
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
imaginativeadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənətɪv/
(used of persons or artifacts) marked by independence and creativity in thought or action
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
infirmitynounUS /ɪnˈfɜːrmɪti/
the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age)
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
inquirynounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː/
a search for knowledge
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
a particular point in time
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
a form of address for a man
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
multitudenounUS /ˈmʌltətuːd/
a large indefinite number
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
neuralgicadjective
of or relating to or suffering from neuralgia
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
and nothing more
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
painsnounUS /peɪnz/
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
From this reading “But my dear fellow,” answered Mr. Romaine, with a flash of humor in his black eyes, “you know it is my infirmity to exaggerate my aches and pains.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
a human being
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
RomainenounUS /roʊˈmeɪn/
lettuce with long dark-green leaves in a loosely packed elongated head
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
seriousnessnounUS /ˈsɪriəsnəs/
an earnest and sincere feeling
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
a state of acute pain
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
symptomsnounUS /ˈsɪmptəmz/
plural of “symptom” — (medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
a special situation
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
triflingnounUS /ˈtraɪflɪŋ/
the deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
which person or people
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Only fairly good,” replied Mr. Romaine, and then went on with great seriousness to describe a multitude of trifling symptoms, such as any imaginative person can conjure up at any moment.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “What sort of a night did you have?” was the young doctor’s first inquiry.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Try and forget about your stiff shoulder, and your neuralgic headache, and that sort of thing.”
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading “The fact is,--to be perfectly candid with you,”--said Chessingham, who was a conscientious man, “if you allow yourself to dwell upon these trifling ailments they will entail real suffering upon you.
