used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
acknowledgedadjectiveUS /ækˈnɑːlɪdʒd/
recognized or made known or admitted
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
balancedadjectiveUS /ˈbælənst/
being in a state of proper equilibrium
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
power to direct or determine
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
cultivatedadjectiveUS /ˈkʌltəveɪtɪd/
(of land or fields) prepared for raising crops by plowing or fertilizing
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
ElmsnounUS /elmz/
plural of “elm” — any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
at any time
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
Habituated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
Hardcastle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
impulsesnounUS /ˈɪmpəlsɪz/
plural of “impulse” — an instinctive motive
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
inmatenounUS /ˈɪnmeɪt/
one of several resident of a dwelling (especially someone confined to a prison or hospital)
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
irritabilitynounUS /ˌɪrɪtəˈbɪləti/
an irritable petulant feeling
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
jarredverbUS /dʒɑːrd/
inflected form of “jar” — be incompatible; be or come into conflict
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
meetingsnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋz/
plural of “meeting” — a formally arranged gathering
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
monotonynounUS /məˈnɑːtəni/
the quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
easily agitated
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
occupationsnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃənz/
plural of “occupation” — the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
and nothing more
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
passionsnounUS /ˈpæʃənz/
plural of “passion” — a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
plural of “power” — possession of controlling influence
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
reasonableadjectiveUS /ˈriːzənəbəl/
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
reasoningnounUS /ˈriːzənɪŋ/
thinking that is coherent and logical
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
recognisedadjectiveUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪzd/
provided with a secure reputation
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
reversedadjectiveUS /rɪˈvɜːrst/
turned inside out and resewn
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
only a very short time before
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
scientificadjectiveUS /ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/
of or relating to the practice of science
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
self-containedadjectiveUS /ˈselfkənˈteɪnd/
constituting a complete and independent unit in and of itself
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
societiesnounUS /səˈsaɪətiz/
plural of “society” — an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
temperamentnounUS /ˈtemprəmənt/
your usual mood
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
hard to endure
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
precisely as stated
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
wearilyadverbUS /ˈwerəli/
in a weary manner
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading VERY slowly and wearily the days went on at the High Elms.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Lord Hardcastle, now become an acknowledged inmate of the house, scarcely recognised himself in the life he was leading, so completely were his occupations and surroundings reversed.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
yearlynounUS /ˈjɪrli/
a reference book that is published regularly once every year
From this reading Habituated to the quiet monotony of a life of study, broken only by a yearly visit to London to attend the meetings of the various scientific societies of which he was a member, it was not the solitude of the house which jarred upon his nerves and feelings.
but in spite of that
From this reading Under the trying circumstances through which he had passed, his health had not suffered in the slightest degree, and yet here was he, reasonable and self-contained as ever, in a state of nervous irritability for which he could not account.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading He had from his earliest youth been accustomed to keep his impulses and passions well under control, and his highly nervous temperament had ever been perfectly balanced by his well cultivated reasoning powers.
