used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
apprenticenounUS /əˈprentəs/
works for an expert to learn a trade
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
bossnounUS /bɑːs/
a person who exercises control over workers
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
button-holes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
disgraceverbUS /dɪsˈɡreɪs/
bring shame or dishonor upon
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
divisible by two
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
at any time
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
opinion or judgment
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
FordnounUS /fɔːrd/
United States film maker (1896-1973)
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
gladdenverbUS /ˈɡlædən/
make glad or happy
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
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 Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
inspectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈspekʃən/
a formal or official examination
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
JacobnounUS /ˈdʒeɪkəb/
French biochemist who (with Jacques Monod) studied regulatory processes in cells (born in 1920)
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
liningnounUS /ˈlaɪnɪŋ/
a protective covering that protects an inside surface
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
Lucy'snounUS /ˈluːsiz/
possessive form of “lucy” — incomplete skeleton of female found in eastern Ethiopia in 1974
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
a form of address for a man
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
not any; not one
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
pearlnounUS /pɜːrl/
a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
Pray's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
rowsnounUS /roʊz/
plural of “row” — an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
seednounUS /siːd/
a small hard fruit
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
do one's shopping
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
stitchingnounUS /ˈstɪtʃɪŋ/
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
tailorsnounUS /ˈteɪlərz/
plural of “tailor” — a person whose occupation is making and altering garments
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
precisely as stated
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
vestverbUS /vest/
provide with power and authority
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
vestsnounUS /vests/
plural of “vest” — a man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
vowverbUS /vaʊ/
make a vow; promise
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
wagesnounUS /ˈweɪdʒəz/
a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Very well done; button-holes strong and even, lining smooth; stitching, like rows of seed pearl.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading So, I don’t ask what wages other tailors give; that don’t matter to me.
won't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading This is no apprentice work,” said Mr. John Pray, as he held Lucy’s vests up to the light for a more minute inspection.
workmannounUS /ˈwɜːrkmən/
an employee who performs manual or industrial labor
From this reading Well, I made a vow then, and thank God I have had grace to keep it, that if ever John Pray became a master workman, he would do as he would be done by.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “That’s a vest, now, as is a vest; won’t disgrace John Pray’s shop; it would gladden even the eyes of my old boss, Jacob Ford; and mighty particular he was, too, and mighty small wages the old man paid, as I have occasion to know.
