Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

a positive feeling of liking

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

weapons considered collectively

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)

From this reading CHARLES R. FLINT, ESQ.

the protruding part of the lower jaw

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

having or capable of producing colors

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

enclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

a title of respect for a member of the English gentry ranking just below a knight; placed after the name

From this reading CHARLES R. FLINT, ESQ.

-ing form of “extend” — extend in scope or range or area

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

opinion or judgment

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

a hard kind of stone; a form of silica more opaque than chalcedony

From this reading CHARLES R. FLINT, ESQ.

the outside boundary or surface of something

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

the act of acquiring something

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

used of old persons or old trees; covered with knobs or knots

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

garments or white goods that can be cleaned by laundering

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

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 He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

move something or somebody to a lower position

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

plural of “nail” — horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

garment consisting of a folded cloth drawn up between the legs and fastened at the waist; worn by infants to catch excrement

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

unnatural lack of color in the skin (as from bruising or sickness or emotional distress)

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

strongly marked; easily noticeable

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading CHARLES R. FLINT, ESQ.

plural of “sac” — an enclosed space

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

being five more than sixty

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

to a small degree or extent

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

past form of “smell” — inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

long and lean

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

past form of “tarnish” — make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

in the direction of

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

not in or exhibiting good health in body or mind

From this reading He suffered from a chronic heart affection, and this gave to his skin a pronounced and unhealthy pallor.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

(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 This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

resembling milk in color; not clear

From this reading He had mild, pale eyes, a light blue as to colour, with heavy sacs under them, and whitish whiskers, spindly and thin, like some sort of second-growth, which were so cut as to enclose his lower face in a nappy fringe, extending from ear to ear under his chin.

in the company of; together with

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.

produce a literary work

From this reading This man that I have it in mind to write about was, at the time of which I write, an elderly man, getting well along toward sixty-five.

of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk

From this reading He was tall and slightly stooped, with long arms, and big, gnarled, competent-looking hands, which smelled of yellow laundry soap, and had huge, tarnished nails on the fingers.