used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
affluentnounUS /ˈæfluːənt/
an affluent person; a person who is financially well off
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
a cherished desire
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
banishedverbUS /ˈbænɪʃt/
past form of “banish” — expel from a community or group
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
defenselessadjectiveUS /dɪˈfensləs/
lacking protection or support
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
move gently or carefully
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
EdennounUS /ˈiːdən/
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
envynounUS /ˈenvi/
a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something that is possessed by another
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
erringadjectiveUS /ˈerɪŋ/
capable of making an error
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
divisible by two
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
Fred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
groundedverbUS /ˈɡraʊndɪd/
past form of “ground” — fix firmly and stably
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
the quality of being humane
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
idlenessnounUS /ˈaɪdəlnəs/
having no employment
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
infernonounUS /ˌɪnˈfɜːrnoʊ/
any place of pain and turmoil
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
on one occasion
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
inflected form of “permit” — consent to, give permission
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
pigsnounUS /pɪɡz/
plural of “pig” — domestic swine
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
prickedverbUS /prɪkt/
past form of “prick” — make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
Sabbath-school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
scornfuladjectiveUS /ˈskɔːrnfəl/
expressing extreme contempt
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
plural of “soul” — the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
Starratt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
not in physical motion
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
swillverbUS /swɪl/
feed pigs
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
textnounUS /tekst/
the words of something written
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading The first week passed in an inferno of idleness.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
at the time that
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He still remembered his Sabbath-school stories, particularly the scornful text with which the Lord had banished those two erring souls from Eden.
which person or people
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There once had been a time in his life when ambition had pricked him with a desire for affluent ease...
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading He had been grounded in the religious conviction that work had been wished upon a defenseless humanity as a curse.
wretches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fred Starratt grew to envy even the wretches who were permitted to carry swill to the pigs.
