Chapter III · Chapter 3

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

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

a French abbot

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

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

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

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

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

a conference (usually with someone important)

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

dearly loved

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

third-person singular of “declare” — state emphatically and authoritatively

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

a social unit living together

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading What for, pray?"

soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

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

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

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

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

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

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

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

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

a message describing how something is to be done

From this reading "Instruction, my dear Sir William," replied my mother.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

characterized by jokes and good humor

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

a woman of refinement

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

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

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

absolutely essential

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

above and across; more than

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

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

From this reading What for, pray?"

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading A FAMILY CONSULTATION.--A PRIEST, AND AN ERA IN LIFE.

inflected form of “reply” — react verbally

From this reading "Instruction, my dear Sir William," replied my mother.

precisely, exactly

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

an educational institution

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

term of address for a man

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

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

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

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

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

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

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What for, pray?"

at the time that

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

which person or people

From this reading "To school!" said my uncle, who was caressing his right leg, as it lay over his left knee,--"to school, Madam! you are joking.

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

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

combining clever conception and facetious expression

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "YOU are ruining the children, my dear Sir William," said my gentle mother, one day when I had been particularly witty; "and the Abbe Montreuil declares it absolutely necessary that they should go to school."