used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
Bess
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
relating to or characteristic of Christianity
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
cinder-hill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
commandmentsnounUS /kəˈmændmənts/
plural of “commandment” — something that is commanded
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
discoveringverbUS /dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “discover” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
fataladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtəl/
bringing death
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
finger-post
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
God'snounUS /ɡɑːdz/
possessive form of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
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 But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
Martha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
obediencenounUS /oʊˈbiːdiəns/
the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading THE OLD SHAFT.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
and nothing more
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
a course of conduct
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
SHAFTnounUS /ʃæft/
a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
From this reading THE OLD SHAFT.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
simplicitynounUS /sɪmˈplɪsəti/
the quality of being simple or uncompounded
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
single-heartedness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE OLD SHAFT.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Martha herself had not truly set out on the path of obedience to God's commandments; and it was not possible that she could teach Bess how to keep them.
precisely as stated
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading Black Bess began to visit the cinder-hill cabin very often.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading A Christian cannot be like a finger-post, which only points the way to a place, but never goes there itself.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But there was a fatal mistake, which poor Stephen, in his simplicity and single-heartedness, was a long time in discovering.
