adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
answersnounUS /ˈænsərz/
plural of “answer” — a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
authornounUS /ˈɔːθər/
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
casenounUS /keɪs/
an occurrence of something
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
ConradnounUS /ˈkɑːnræd/
English novelist (born in Poland) noted for sea stories and for his narrative technique (1857-1924)
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
Conrad'snounUS /ˈkɑːnrædz/
possessive form of “conrad” — English novelist (born in Poland) noted for sea stories and for his narrative technique (1857-1924)
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
criticismnounUS /ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm/
disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings
From this reading It misses occasionally the English idiom, and sometimes English grammar, which is a trivial criticism.
defineverbUS /dɪˈfaɪn/
determine the essential quality of
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
factnounUS /fækt/
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
grammarnounUS /ˈɡræmər/
the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
From this reading It misses occasionally the English idiom, and sometimes English grammar, which is a trivial criticism.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
helpfuladjectiveUS /ˈhelpfəl/
providing assistance or serving a useful function
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
idiomnounUS /ˈɪdiəm/
a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language
From this reading It misses occasionally the English idiom, and sometimes English grammar, which is a trivial criticism.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
insteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It misses occasionally the English idiom, and sometimes English grammar, which is a trivial criticism.
justicenounUS /ˈdʒʌstəs/
the quality of being just or fair
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
KansasnounUS /ˈkænzəs/
a state in midwestern United States
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
makeverbUS /meɪk/
engage in
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
migratedverbUS /ˈmaɪɡreɪtɪd/
past form of “migrate” — move from one country or region to another and settle there
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
missesnounUS /ˈmɪsəz/
plural of “miss” — a young female
From this reading It misses occasionally the English idiom, and sometimes English grammar, which is a trivial criticism.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
occasionallyadverbUS /əˈkeɪʒənəli/
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading It misses occasionally the English idiom, and sometimes English grammar, which is a trivial criticism.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
reputationnounUS /ˌrepjəˈteɪʃən/
the state of being held in high esteem and honor
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
sayverbUS /seɪ/
express in words
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
seanounUS /siː/
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
sometimesadverbUS /səmˈtaɪmz/
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading It misses occasionally the English idiom, and sometimes English grammar, which is a trivial criticism.
stylenounUS /staɪl/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
stylistnounUS /ˈstaɪlɪst/
an artist who is a master of a particular style
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
sumnounUS /sʌm/
a quantity of money
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
thinkernounUS /ˈθɪŋkər/
an important intellectual
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
ToparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To say that an author is a stylist is about as helpful as to say that he is a thinker.
trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/
(informal) small and of little importance
From this reading It misses occasionally the English idiom, and sometimes English grammar, which is a trivial criticism.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading In point of fact, much may be said, and with justice, against Conrad's style.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And Conrad would have had his reputation if he had migrated to Kansas instead of to the English sea.
writingnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋ/
the act of creating written works
From this reading In any case, these answers, which make up the sum of most writing about Conrad, do not define him.
![Definitions [First Series]](/static/images/covers-gen/definitions-essays-in-contemporary-criticism-first-series.webp)