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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
accomplishment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
aims
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
ambition
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
asked
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From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
bend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
better
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
blithe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
brave
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From this reading The imaginative grasp, the brave idealism of his youth was gone.
Buddenbrook
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From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
compromise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
deal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
depression
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
disgusted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Thomas Buddenbrook felt inexpressibly weary and disgusted.
enlightened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
even
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
fellow-burghers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
felt
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From this reading And Thomas Buddenbrook felt inexpressibly weary and disgusted.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The imaginative grasp, the brave idealism of his youth was gone.
graspnounUS /ɡræsp/
a firm hold in a specific situation in this story
From this reading The imaginative grasp, the brave idealism of his youth was gone.
great
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What there was in life for him to reach, he had reached.
half-earnest
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From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
half-whimsical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
honestadjectiveUS /ˈɑnɪst/
truthful and trustworthy
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
humour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
idealism
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The imaginative grasp, the brave idealism of his youth was gone.
imaginative
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From this reading The imaginative grasp, the brave idealism of his youth was gone.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
inexpressibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Thomas Buddenbrook felt inexpressibly weary and disgusted.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
life
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What there was in life for him to reach, he had reached.
limited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
little
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
make
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
necessary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
Often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
play
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
possessed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
provincial
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
reach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What there was in life for him to reach, he had reached.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What there was in life for him to reach, he had reached.
scepticism
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
spirit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
symbolic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The imaginative grasp, the brave idealism of his youth was gone.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
think
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
Thomas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
value
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
vitality
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
weary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Thomas Buddenbrook felt inexpressibly weary and disgusted.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Often, in an hour of depression, Thomas Buddenbrook asked himself what he was, or what there was about him to make him think even a little better of himself than he did of his honest, limited, provincial fellow-burghers.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To work at his play, to play at his work, to bend an ambition that was half-earnest, half-whimsical, toward the accomplishment of aims that even to himself possessed but a symbolic value--for such blithe scepticism and such an enlightened spirit of compromise, a great deal of vitality is necessary, as well as a sense of humour.
youth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The imaginative grasp, the brave idealism of his youth was gone.
