used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
in addition
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
pleasantly occupied
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
amusingadjectiveUS /əˈmjuːzɪŋ/
providing enjoyment; pleasantly entertaining
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
attachmentnounUS /əˈtætʃmənt/
a feeling of affection for a person or an institution
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
caressingnounUS /kərˈesɪŋ/
affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
dearly loved
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
elbownounUS /ˈelboʊ/
hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
encouragedadjectiveUS /enˈkɜːrɪdʒd/
inspired with confidence
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
to come or go into
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
entertraining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
fire-side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
gentleman'snounUS /ˈdʒentəlmʌnz/
possessive form of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
the act of giving
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
highest in quality
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
incapableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkeɪpəbəl/
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
insensibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsensəbəl/
incapable of physical sensation
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
kneee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
Leming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
lickedadjectiveUS /lɪkt/
having been got the better of
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
Louisa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
meritsnounUS /ˈmerəts/
plural of “merit” — any admirable quality or attribute
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
a particular point in time
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
naturalistsnounUS /ˈnætʃərəlɪsts/
plural of “naturalist” — an advocate of the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
represented accurately or precisely
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
SinclairnounUS /sɪnˈkler/
United States writer whose novels argued for social reform (1878-1968)
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
Sinclair's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
testifyverbUS /ˈtestəfaɪ/
give testimony in a court of law
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
past form of “thank” — express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading 'Some naturalists,' said I, 'have represented that animal as insensible of kindness, and incapable of attachment; but I cannot help thinking this is a great mistake.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
in the direction of
From this reading It licked his hand in a caressing manner, and seemed, by every means in its power, to testify the greatest affection towards him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
precisely as stated
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading From the old gentleman's kindness, in giving me so amusing an account of the Leming, I was encouraged to enter into conversation with him upon the merits of his cat.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
a Caucasian
From this reading A very beautiful, large, white cat, took possession of Dr. Sinclair's kneee, the moment he seated himself in his elbow chair by the fire-side.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I thanked Dr. Sinclair for his curious and entertraining account, with which, I hope, my dear Louisa, you also have been amused.
