Chapter IV · Chapter 4

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

inflected form of “admit” — declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

anew

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

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

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

a cherished desire

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

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

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

out of bed

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

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

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

widely known and esteemed

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

be fond of; be attached to

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

a person who is in charge

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

a small shelter for domestic animals (as sheep or pigeons)

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

an upholstered seat for more than one person

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

(of land or fields) prepared for raising crops by plowing or fertilizing

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

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

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

every day; without missing a day

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

cheerfully irresponsible

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

spatially or metaphorically from a higher to a lower level or position

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

past form of “droop” — droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

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

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

a man who is a native or inhabitant of England

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

divisible by two

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

devoid of good sense or judgment

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

free of deceit

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

toward heaven

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

advanced in complexity or elaboration

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

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

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

the relation between propositions that cannot both be true at the same time

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

in an industrious manner

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

in a laborious manner

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

plural of “le” — a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

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

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

the force of workers available

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

wrong in e.g. opinion or judgment

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

with modesty; in a modest manner

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

used as a French courtesy title; equivalent to English “Mr”

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

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

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

people having common origins or traditions and often comprising a nation

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

a colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube; one of the six inert gasses; occurs in the air in small amounts

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

and nothing more

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

(ballet) a step in dancing (especially in classical ballet)

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

worthy of high praise

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

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

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

not often

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

extremely

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a tetravalent nonmetallic element; next to oxygen it is the most abundant element in the earth's crust; occurs in clay and feldspar and granite and quartz and sand; used as a semiconductor in transistors

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

a male human offspring

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

that is looked for

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

not dense

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

sweep across or over

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

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

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

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

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

(law) any wrongdoing for which an action for damages may be brought

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

past form of “twirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

marked by dissimilarity

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

up to a particular time

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

the topmost one of two

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

directed up

From this reading It was, in fact, the guileless Alphonse's chief tribulation that, however industriously he cultivated that devil-may-care upward sweep, the sparse ornament to his upper lip invariably drooped downwards again before long.

compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

From this reading C'est la Vie "Les querelles ne dureraient pas longtemps si le tort n'etait d'un cote."

a way of regarding situations or topics etc.

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

at the time that

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

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

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

which person or people

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

in the company of; together with

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Monsieur Alphonse Giraud, unlike many men, had an aim in life--a daily purpose with which he rose in the morning at, it must be admitted, a shockingly late hour--without which he rarely sought his couch even when it was not reached until the foolish birds were astir.

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading The son of the celebrated Baron Giraud sought, in a word, to be mistaken for an Englishman--and what higher ambition could we, who modestly set such store upon our nationality, desire him to cherish?

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

From this reading In view of this praiseworthy object, Alphonse Giraud wore a mustache only, and this--oh! inconsistency of great minds--he laboriously twirled heavenwards in the French fashion.