actionsnounUS /ˈækʃənz/
plural of “action” — something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
in addition
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading INSECTS AND REPTILES.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
plural of “case” — an occurrence of something
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
confinedadjectiveUS /kənˈfaɪnd/
not invading healthy tissue
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
contemplatingverbUS /ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
descriptionsnounUS /dɪˈskrɪpʃənz/
plural of “description” — a statement that represents something in words
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
exactadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzækt/
Strictly particular and correct.
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
existverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪst/
have an existence, be extant
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
brought together in one place
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
an established custom
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
inanimateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnænəmət/
belonging to the class of nouns denoting nonliving things
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
INSECTSnounUS /ˈɪnsekts/
plural of “insect” — small air-breathing arthropod
From this reading INSECTS AND REPTILES.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
past form of “introduce” — cause to come to know personally
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
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 So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
the force of workers available
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
metaphorsnounUS /ˈmetəfɔːrz/
plural of “metaphor” — a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
not any; not one
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
notionsnounUS /ˈnoʊʃənz/
plural of “notion” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
amounting to a large indefinite number
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
plural of “object” — a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
the act of making and recording a measurement
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
peculiaritiesnounUS /pɪˌkjuːliˈerətiz/
plural of “peculiarity” — an odd or unusual characteristic
From this reading In numerous cases, also, the peculiarities of certain natural objects have furnished the poet with many excellent metaphors.
peculiaritynounUS /pɪˌkjuːliˈerəti/
an odd or unusual characteristic
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
playsnounUS /pleɪz/
plural of “play” — a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
relatingverbUS /rɪˈleɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “relate” — make a logical or causal connection
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
REPTILESnounUS /ˈreptaɪlz/
plural of “reptile” — any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms
From this reading INSECTS AND REPTILES.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
ShakespearenounUS /ˈʃeɪkspiːr/
English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
plural of “show” — the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
surveyornounUS /sərˈveɪər/
an engineer who determines the boundaries and elevations of land or structures
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
usingnounUS /ˈjuːzɪŋ/
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading So, too, he was in the habit of taking minute observation of the popular notions relating to natural history, so many of which he has introduced into his plays, using them to no small advantage.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Whether life or nature be his subject, Shakespeare shows plainly that he has seen with his own eyes.”
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading As Dr. Johnson has truly remarked, Shakespeare is “the poet of nature,” for “his attention was not confined to the actions of men; he was an exact surveyor of the inanimate world; his descriptions have always some peculiarity, gathered by contemplating things as they really exist.
