used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
adoptedadjectiveUS /əˈdɑːptɪd/
acquired as your own by free choice
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
adoptsverbUS /əˈdɑːpts/
third-person singular of “adopt” — choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
a cherished desire
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
one who is the object of choice; who is given preference
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
convictionsnounUS /kənˈvɪkʃənz/
plural of “conviction” — an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
creednounUS /kriːd/
any system of principles or beliefs
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
crossesnounUS /ˈkrɔːsɪz/
plural of “cross” — a wooden structure consisting of an upright post with a transverse piece
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
destituteadjectiveUS /ˈdestətuːt/
poor enough to need help from others
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
epidemicnounUS /ˌepəˈdemɪk/
a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease; many people are infected at the same time
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
divisible by two
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
evilsnounUS /ˈiːvəlz/
plural of “evil” — morally objectionable behavior
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
extendsverbUS /ɪkˈstendz/
third-person singular of “extend” — extend in scope or range or area
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
the petals or sepals of a flower that bend downward (especially the outer perianth of an iris)
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
a rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
floatverbUS /floʊt/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
heart-sick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
ill-clad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
ill-fedadjective
not getting adequate food
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
ill-housed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
impressionsnounUS /ˌɪmˈpreʃənz/
plural of “impression” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
infectionnounUS /ˌɪnˈfekʃən/
the pathological state resulting from the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
infectiousadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfekʃəs/
caused by infection or capable of causing infection
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
infinitelyadverbUS /ˈɪnfənətli/
without bounds
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
majoritynounUS /məˈdʒɔːrəti/
the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
modesnounUS /moʊdz/
plural of “mode” — how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
moraladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrəl/
concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
many times at short intervals
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
a course of conduct
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
involving or characteristic of politics or parties or politicians
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
prejudicesnounUS /ˈpredʒədɪsɪz/
plural of “prejudice” — a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
propagatedverbUS /ˈprɑːpəɡeɪtɪd/
past form of “propagate” — transmit from one generation to the next
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
pursuitsnounUS /pərˈsuːts/
plural of “pursuit” — the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
similaritynounUS /ˌsɪməˈlerəti/
the quality of being similar
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
stimulateverbUS /ˈstɪmjəleɪt/
act as a stimulant
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
in or at that place or location
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
unfixedadjective
not firmly placed or set or fastened
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
unsettledadjectiveUS /ənˈsetəld/
still in doubt
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We talk of the infection of a fever, but we often forget that prejudices are infinitely more infectious.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading The poor man, ill-fed, ill-housed, ill-clad, destitute, heart-sick, and weary, falls victim to the first epidemic that crosses his path.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There is a strange similarity between the moral and the physical evils of life, which extends even to the modes by which they are propagated.
which person or people
From this reading How few are they in life who have chosen for themselves their political convictions; what a vast majority is it that has adopted the impressions that float around them!
in the company of; together with
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading So with the youth of unfixed faith and unsettled pursuits: he adopts any creed of thought or opinion warm enough to stimulate his imagination and fix his ambition.
