used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He spoke the last words with a gay laugh and some emphasis.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
cavalier's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
Clare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
embraceverbUS /emˈbreɪs/
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
emphasisnounUS /ˈemfəsəs/
special importance or significance
From this reading He spoke the last words with a gay laugh and some emphasis.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
Francis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading He spoke the last words with a gay laugh and some emphasis.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
graspingnounUS /ˈɡræspɪŋ/
understanding with difficulty
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
(astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing; the right ascension for an observer at a particular location and time of day
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
introduceverbUS /ˌɪntrəˈduːs/
cause to come to know personally
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
immediately past
From this reading He spoke the last words with a gay laugh and some emphasis.
the sound of laughing
From this reading He spoke the last words with a gay laugh and some emphasis.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
mortalsnounUS /ˈmɔːrtəlz/
plural of “mortal” — a human being
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
used to form the superlative
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
outrunverbUS /aʊˈtrʌn/
run faster than
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He spoke the last words with a gay laugh and some emphasis.
in the near future
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading He spoke the last words with a gay laugh and some emphasis.
spurnounUS /spɜːr/
a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
WaltonnounUS /ˈwɔːltən/
English composer (1902-1983)
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading You know I was always the most impatient of mortals, and strange, I fear, she thought me; for I could plainly see that she had never heard the name of Francis Clare before."
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading "I have used the spur, Charles," replied his friend, "on purpose to outrun you, and introduce myself to this fair lady without your assistance.
WorcesternounUS /ˈwʊstər/
United States lexicographer who was accused of plagiarism by Noah Webster (1784-1865)
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
the words that are spoken
From this reading He spoke the last words with a gay laugh and some emphasis.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Ha, Francis!" exclaimed Lord Walton, grasping the cavalier's hand with warm eagerness, as soon as he had received the embrace of his sister, "are you here before me?
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You must have used the spur from Worcester, if your letter left the good town before you."
