used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
accentnounUS /əkˈsent/
distinctive manner of oral expression
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
ain't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I am sorry to hear that," said I.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
barbernounUS /ˈbɑːrbər/
United States composer (1910-1981)
From this reading "No, suh, I ain't got no use fo' him, suh," continued the barber.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
Blease
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
without stop or interruption
From this reading "No, suh, I ain't got no use fo' him, suh," continued the barber.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
fonoun
an officer holding the rank of major or lieutenant colonel or colonel
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "I am sorry to hear that," said I.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
conformity or harmony
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
Mistuh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
negronounUS /ˈniːɡroʊ/
a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
not any; not one
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
presumedverbUS /prəˈzuːmd/
past form of “presume” — take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
razornounUS /ˈreɪzər/
edge tool used in shaving
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I am sorry to hear that," said I.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
a person, without saying who
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
From this reading "I am sorry to hear that," said I.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
strokingnounUS /ˈstroʊkɪŋ/
a light touch with the hands
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
stropverb
sharpen on a strop
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
suh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I am sorry to hear that," said I.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I am sorry to hear that," said I.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
the act of using
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
vigornounUS /ˈvɪɡər/
forceful exertion
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If I had been a blind man, I should have felt sure he was a negro, such was his accent.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
which person or people
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
in the company of; together with
From this reading "I ain't got no use fo' _Mistuh_ Blease, suh," the man replied, stroking his razor up and down the strop with a vigor entirely out of keeping with his presumed character.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "It would be pleasant to find somebody in the State who has some use for him; but so far it all seems to be the other way."
