used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
BITSnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading POWYS’S BITS OF PAPER.
boldlyadverbUS /ˈboʊldli/
with boldness, in a bold manner
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
Brownlow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
with self-possession (especially in times of stress)
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
rid of obstructions
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
directest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
incapableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkeɪpəbəl/
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
inspirationnounUS /ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃən/
arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
intentionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈtentʃənz/
plural of “intention” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
immediately past
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
madnessnounUS /ˈmædnəs/
obsolete terms for legal insanity
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
marchingnounUS /ˈmɑːrtʃɪŋ/
the act of marching; walking with regular steps (especially in a procession of some kind)
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading POWYS’S BITS OF PAPER.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
on one occasion
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
and nothing more
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
overwhelmingadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋ/
so strong as to be irresistible
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading POWYS’S BITS OF PAPER.
by chance
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
Powysnoun
British writer of essays; one of three literary brothers (1884-1939)
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
POWYS'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading POWYS’S BITS OF PAPER.
premeditatedadjectiveUS /priˈmedəteɪtɪd/
characterized by deliberate purpose and some degree of planning
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
promptverbUS /prɑːmpt/
give an incentive for action
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
successive (without a break)
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
swayedverbUS /sweɪd/
past form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
not known
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
precisely as stated
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
(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 Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
at the time that
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading He could not have explained why nor told what it was he proposed to himself; in short, he had in his own mind proposed nothing to himself.
wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/
to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree
From this reading He was swayed only by a vague, intense, and overwhelming necessity to have the matter before him set straight somehow, and, confused as his own mind was, and little as he knew of his own intentions, he yet went on, as by the directest inspiration, marching boldly, calmly, yet wildly, in a kind of serious madness, into the darkness of this unknown way.
but in spite of that
From this reading He was in one of those strange states of mental excitement in which a man is at once confused and clear; incapable of seeing before him what he is about to do, yet as prompt and distinct in the doing of it as if it had been premeditated to the last detail.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Mr. Brownlow, perhaps, did not know very well what he meant when he called young Powys into his room.
