Chapter IX · Chapter 9

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

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

in addition

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

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

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

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

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

bring into balance or equilibrium

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

a prominent attribute or aspect of something

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

grow worse

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

take in liquids

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

morally objectionable behavior

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

to certain extent or degree

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

providence by virtue of planning prudently for the future

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

at a previous time

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

plural of “fortune” — an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

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

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

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

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

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

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

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

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

be a signal for or a symptom of

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

reason by deduction; establish by deduction

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

plural of “inference” — the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

given to examining own sensory and perceptual experiences

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

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

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

immediately past

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

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

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

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

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

by chance

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

-ing form of “point” — indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

past form of “remark” — make mention of

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

take the place of or be parallel or equivalent to

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

passing from a more complex to a simpler biological form

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

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

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

tending to suggest or imply

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

express in words

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

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

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

in or at that place or location

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

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

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

precisely as stated

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

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

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”

at the time that

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading He picked it up and gazed at it in the peculiar introspective fashion which was characteristic of him.

in the company of; together with

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading He had foresight, but has less now than formerly, pointing to a moral retrogression, which, when taken with the decline of his fortunes, seems to indicate some evil influence, probably drink, at work upon him.

a late time of life

From this reading That the man was highly intellectual is of course obvious upon the face of it, and also that he was fairly well-to-do within the last three years, although he has now fallen upon evil days.

but in spite of that

From this reading “It is perhaps less suggestive than it might have been,” he remarked, “and yet there are a few inferences which are very distinct, and a few others which represent at least a strong balance of probability.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Then, pray tell me what it is that you can infer from this hat?”