Chapter XXIII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

matters of personal concern

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading ’Ah, now I begin to get things a little straight.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

used as intensifiers

From this reading I’ve sometimes been most awfully mixed up.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading I’ve sometimes been most awfully mixed up.

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading ’Ah, now I begin to get things a little straight.

highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading ’Her brother.’

a brother by marriage

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

the father of your spouse

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

start firing a weapon

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading ’Ah, now I begin to get things a little straight.

past form of “heap” — bestow in large quantities

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading ’Her brother.’

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading ’Ah, now I begin to get things a little straight.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I’ve sometimes been most awfully mixed up.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

and nothing more

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

From this reading I’ve sometimes been most awfully mixed up.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

used to form the superlative

From this reading I’ve sometimes been most awfully mixed up.

the mother of your spouse

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading ’Ah, now I begin to get things a little straight.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

move or cause to move back and forth

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

past form of “shiver” — tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

plural of “snap” — the act of catching an object with the hands

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading I’ve sometimes been most awfully mixed up.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

plural of “stepchild” — a child of your spouse by a former marriage

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

the husband of your mother by a subsequent marriage

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

successive (without a break)

From this reading ’Ah, now I begin to get things a little straight.

a tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing Edwardian style clothes

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

crush together or collapse

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading ’Ah, now I begin to get things a little straight.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading ’Ah, now I begin to get things a little straight.

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading I’ve sometimes been most awfully mixed up.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading She shivered a little as if she were cold, and Ted heaped more coal on the fire.

possessive form of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "My wife’s father-in-law," Farningham says, "my stepchildren," "my wife’s stepfather," "my mother-in-law," "my wife’s mother-in-law," "my brother-in-law," "my wife’s brother-in-law," just like one of those affairs like a little telescope you turn round, and see different snaps of things spluttering at you every blessed shake.