used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading It now suddenly occurred to the government to tax the colonies without asking their permission.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
breakernounUS /ˈbreɪkər/
a quarry worker who splits off blocks of stone
From this reading “Woe to the law breaker!”
causingnounUS /ˈkɑːzɪŋ/
the act of causing something to happen
From this reading The law breaker causing this disagreement was the English government.
coloniesnounUS /ˈkɑːləniz/
plural of “colony” — a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading It now suddenly occurred to the government to tax the colonies without asking their permission.
permission to do something
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
deem to be
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
constitutionnounUS /ˌkɑːnstəˈtuːʃən/
law determining the fundamental political principles of a government
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
disagreementnounUS /dɪsəˈɡriːmənt/
a conflict of people's opinions or actions or characters
From this reading The law breaker causing this disagreement was the English government.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading The law breaker causing this disagreement was the English government.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading The law breaker causing this disagreement was the English government.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It now suddenly occurred to the government to tax the colonies without asking their permission.
set down according to a plan
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
the collection of rules imposed by authority
From this reading “Woe to the law breaker!”
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading It now suddenly occurred to the government to tax the colonies without asking their permission.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
approval to do something
From this reading It now suddenly occurred to the government to tax the colonies without asking their permission.
an angry dispute
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
representativesnounUS /ˌreprəˈzentətɪvz/
plural of “representative” — a person who represents others
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading It now suddenly occurred to the government to tax the colonies without asking their permission.
taxverbUS /tæks/
levy a tax on
From this reading It now suddenly occurred to the government to tax the colonies without asking their permission.
taxesnounUS /ˈtæksəz/
plural of “tax” — charge against a citizen's person or property or activity for the support of government
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The law breaker causing this disagreement was the English government.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Woe to the law breaker!”
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The law breaker causing this disagreement was the English government.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A Quarrel with the Mother Country We must now consider the reasons for the quarrel with the mother country.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading According to the English constitution, new taxes could not be laid upon the people without the consent of their representatives.
WoenounUS /woʊ/
misery resulting from affliction
From this reading “Woe to the law breaker!”
