used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Well, and if I have," he returned unabashed.
botherverbUS /ˈbɑːðər/
take the trouble to do something; concern oneself
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
cheerfullyadverbUS /ˈtʃɪrfəli/
in a cheerful manner
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
a person who is in charge
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
dearly loved
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
a competitor thought likely to win
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
a boy or man
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
ghastlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡæstli/
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Well, and if I have," he returned unabashed.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Well, and if I have," he returned unabashed.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
not any; not one
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
on one occasion
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
puzzle-headed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
remindverbUS /riˈmaɪnd/
put in the mind of someone
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading "Well, and if I have," he returned unabashed.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
Samarcandnoun
city in southern Uzbekistan; Tamerlane's opulent capital in the 14th century
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
scepticaladjective
marked by or given to doubt
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
hard to endure
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
unabashedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈbæʃt/
not embarrassed
From this reading "Well, and if I have," he returned unabashed.
unaskedadjective
uninvited
From this reading "But let me remind you that this situation came to me unasked.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
(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, and if I have," he returned unabashed.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
at the time that
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The fellow went gravely about trying to "account to himself"--his favourite expression--for a lot of things no one would care to bother one's head about.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You have a ghastly imagination," I said with a cheerfully sceptical smile.
youngsternounUS /ˈjʌŋstər/
a young person of either sex
From this reading I am like a puzzle-headed chief- mate we had once in the dear old _Samarcand_ when I was a youngster.
