used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
(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 But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
allowingverbUS /əˈlaʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
Bear-slayer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
bespeakverbUS /bɪˈspiːk/
be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
brought into existence
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
bulletnounUS /ˈbʊlət/
a projectile that is fired from a gun
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
a young person of either sex
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
cradlenounUS /ˈkreɪdəl/
a baby bed with sides and rockers
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
damselnounUS /ˈdæmzəl/
a young unmarried woman
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
a female human offspring
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
deafadjectiveUS /def/
lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing wholly or in part
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
dumbadjectiveUS /dʌm/
slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
esteemnounUS /əˈstiːm/
the condition of being honored (esteemed or respected or well regarded)
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
fourteenthadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːnθ/
coming next after the thirteenth in position
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
be suspended or hanging
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
infantnounUS /ˈɪnfənt/
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
justlyadverbUS /ˈdʒʌstli/
with honesty
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
take in marriage
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
many times at short intervals
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
ordainedadjectiveUS /ɔːrˈdeɪnd/
fixed or established especially by order or command
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
pledgedadjectiveUS /pledʒd/
bound by or as if by an oath
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a full supply
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
established beyond doubt
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
past form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
striplingnounUS /ˈstrɪplɪŋ/
a juvenile between the onset of puberty and maturity
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
SVÂN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
Svâns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
being of use or service
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
Ushkul
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
USI
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
precisely as stated
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading USI, THE SVÂN "I am Usi, of Ushkul, in the country of the Svâns; Usi the Bear-slayer was my name, as long as I lived among them.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading But as fortune ordained, the damsel proved deaf and dumb, though in other ways quite useful; and I very justly refused in the presence of all the village to marry her.
at the time that
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
which person or people
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
a late time of life
From this reading And this I did, when she was ten years old, allowing her plenty of time for others, who might esteem it to their pleasure and advantage to possess a wife without a tongue.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading When I was a stripling, the wife of our Priest produced him their fourteenth child, a daughter; and I was the first to go in at his door, and bespeak the young creature for myself.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading The custom of the country is that as often as a female child is born, any youth of the village who looks forward to his need of marriage may come to the cradle and hang his own bullet around the neck of the infant, and from that time she is pledged to him, and he must marry her when she is old enough.
