used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
altersverbUS /ˈɔːltərz/
third-person singular of “alter” — cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
feeling shame or guilt or embarrassment or remorse
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
Ay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Ay, shammin' _weak_.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
according with custom or propriety
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
binnounUS /bɪn/
a container; usually has a lid
From this reading The fact is, I've bin shammin', mates!"
a youthful male person
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
plural of “case” — an occurrence of something
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
elbownounUS /ˈelboʊ/
hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading The fact is, I've bin shammin', mates!"
feelin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
death of a person
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fact is, I've bin shammin', mates!"
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fact is, I've bin shammin', mates!"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
ladsnounUS /lædz/
plural of “lad” — a boy or man
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
leastwiseadverb
if nothing else (“leastwise” is informal and “leastways” is colloquial)
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
engage in
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
matesnounUS /meɪts/
a pair of people who live together
From this reading The fact is, I've bin shammin', mates!"
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
Molloy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
mustn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
the event of something being raised upward
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
raither
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
shammin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fact is, I've bin shammin', mates!"
Shamming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Shamming!"
Solomonproper nounUS /ˈsɒl.ə.mən/
A legendary king renowned for his wisdom and fabulous hidden mines.
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
a person, without saying who
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The fact is, I've bin shammin', mates!"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
warn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
wanting in physical strength
From this reading "Ay, shammin' _weak_.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, Billy boy, I may as well make a clean breast of it," said Molloy, raising himself on one elbow and becoming grave.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I do confess to feelin' raither ashamed o' myself, but you mustn't be hard on me, lads, for circumstances alters cases, you know, as Solomon said--leastwise if it warn't him it was Job or somebody else.
