used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Lots of the things I did were needless, cruel, and beyond all condemnation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Lots of the things I did were needless, cruel, and beyond all condemnation.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
brutenounUS /bruːt/
a cruelly rapacious person
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
clenchedadjectiveUS /klentʃt/
closed or squeezed together tightly
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
condemnationnounUS /ˌkɑːndəmˈneɪʃən/
an expression of strong disapproval; pronouncing as wrong or morally culpable
From this reading Lots of the things I did were needless, cruel, and beyond all condemnation.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
crueladjectiveUS /ˈkruːəl/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Lots of the things I did were needless, cruel, and beyond all condemnation.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Lots of the things I did were needless, cruel, and beyond all condemnation.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
fistnounUS /fɪst/
a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
fro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
guiltnounUS /ɡɪlt/
the state of having committed an offense
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
a large number or amount
From this reading Lots of the things I did were needless, cruel, and beyond all condemnation.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
needlessadjectiveUS /ˈniːdləs/
unnecessary and unwarranted
From this reading Lots of the things I did were needless, cruel, and beyond all condemnation.
NickverbUS /nɪk/
cut slightly, with a razor
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lots of the things I did were needless, cruel, and beyond all condemnation.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
and nothing more
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
precisely, exactly
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
ruefuladjectiveUS /ˈruːfəl/
feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
SPEAKSverbUS /spiːks/
third-person singular of “speak” — express in speech
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
studyingnounUS /ˈstʌdiɪŋ/
reading carefully with intent to remember
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
undoingnounUS /ənˈduːɪŋ/
an act that makes a previous act of no effect (as if not done)
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “My undoing was the fact that nature gave me brute strength,” said he.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Those were hard, bad days, and I had a hard, bad fist; and together with the hot blood in me, and the Old Nick, things went pretty far.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS The captain clenched his right fist, and turned it to and fro, studying it with rueful attention.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If I could only get a little of the guilt and sorrow off my mind, that would be something.”
