used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
any cognitive content held as true
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
a young person of either sex
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
constrainedadjectiveUS /kənˈstreɪnd/
lacking spontaneity; not natural
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
declareverbUS /dɪˈkler/
state emphatically and authoritatively
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
instituteverbUS /ˈɪnstətuːt/
set up or lay the groundwork for
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
past form of “introduce” — cause to come to know personally
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
LEARnounUS /lɪr/
British artist and writer of nonsense verse (1812-1888)
From this reading LEAR.
LECTUREverbUS /ˈlektʃər/
deliver a lecture or talk
From this reading UPHAM'S LECTURE OX SALEM WITCHCRAFT.
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
malicenounUS /ˈmæləs/
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
OXnounUS /ɑːks/
an adult castrated bull of the genus Bos; especially Bos taurus
From this reading UPHAM'S LECTURE OX SALEM WITCHCRAFT.
perjurynounUS /ˈpɜːrdʒəri/
criminal offense of making false statements under oath
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
persuadeverbUS /pərˈsweɪd/
win approval or support for
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
SALEMnounUS /ˈseɪləm/
capital of the state of Oregon in the northwestern part of the state on the Willamette River
From this reading UPHAM'S LECTURE OX SALEM WITCHCRAFT.
scrutinynounUS /ˈskruːtəni/
the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
estrangement from god
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "Is there any cause in nature that makes these hard hearts?"
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
thoroughadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːroʊ/
painstakingly careful and accurate
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
transactionnounUS /trænˈzækʃən/
the act of transacting within or between groups (as carrying on commercial activities)
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
UPHAM'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UPHAM'S LECTURE OX SALEM WITCHCRAFT.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
morally bad in principle or practice
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
wilfuladjective
done by design
From this reading "I am constrained to declare, as the result of as thorough a scrutiny as I could institute, my belief that this dreadful transaction was introduced and driven on by wicked perjury and wilful malice."
WITCHCRAFTnounUS /ˈwɪtʃkræft/
the art of sorcery
From this reading UPHAM'S LECTURE OX SALEM WITCHCRAFT.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading There seems sometimes to be an element of evil in the heart of a child, that would almost persuade us to believe in original sin.
