used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then had you seen a merry spectacle!
accursedadjectiveUS /ˌæˈkɜːrst/
under a curse
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
bindverbUS /baɪnd/
stick to firmly
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
confined by bonds
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
door-post
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading I have had more than enough of it.'
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I have had more than enough of it.'
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I have had more than enough of it.'
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
a small worthless amount
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading Then had you seen a merry spectacle!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading I have had more than enough of it.'
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I have had more than enough of it.'
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
persistedverbUS /pərˈsɪstɪd/
past form of “persist” — continue to exist
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
participate in games or sport
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
securelyadverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrli/
in a secure manner; in a manner free from danger
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Then had you seen a merry spectacle!
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
express in speech
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
spectaclenounUS /ˈspektəkəl/
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight)
From this reading Then had you seen a merry spectacle!
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading I have had more than enough of it.'
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
tunenounUS /tuːn/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
at the time that
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading They took him at his word and bound him securely to the door-post; so that he was, so to speak, out of the dance when Jack took his pipe and began to play.
an affirmative
From this reading 'Yes, yes; I should like to hear it,' persisted his father.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading 'Then, if that is so, and you must hear his accursed tune, I beg that you will bind me to the door-post so that I cannot move.
