Chapter V · Chapter 5

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

to or in a foreign country

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He is much missed by his household, and, I own, by myself.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading "Old Smithson is dead.

having a sunken area

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

disappointingly unsuccessful

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

opinion or judgment

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

formed or conceived by the imagination

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

a movable barrier in a fence or wall

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

plural of “heir” — a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

a social unit living together

From this reading He is much missed by his household, and, I own, by myself.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading He is much missed by his household, and, I own, by myself.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "Old Smithson is dead.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

large or big relative to something else

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

something that is lost

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

a stingy hoarder of money and possessions (often living miserably)

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

not caught with the senses or the mind

From this reading He is much missed by his household, and, I own, by myself.

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

used when the speaker is also the object of the action

From this reading He is much missed by his household, and, I own, by myself.

not any; not one

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading "Old Smithson is dead.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

on the contrary

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

start suddenly, as from fright

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Old Smithson is dead.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

at the time that

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

a Caucasian

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

in the company of; together with

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading He was so shy and quiet, and kept so much within his own gate, that some fancied he must be a miser: but though he spent little on himself, his money made its way abroad, and his heirs are rather disappointed at finding the property no larger than when he came into it.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading He is less of a loss to the village than almost any other man would be.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You could not have seen him half-a-dozen times when you were here; but you may chance to recollect him,--a short old man, with white hair, and deep-set grey eyes.