used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
tending to become more severe or wider in scope
From this reading ACTIVE VERBS GOVERN THE OBJECTIVE CASE.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
assembledverbUS /əˈsembəld/
past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading “A petition, your lordship,” said Dr. Verb, solemnly; “I beg for justice.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But what is the matter, Dr. Verb?
an occurrence of something
From this reading ACTIVE VERBS GOVERN THE OBJECTIVE CASE.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But what is the matter, Dr. Verb?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
destroyed or killed
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
GOVERNverbUS /ˈɡʌvərn/
bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations
From this reading ACTIVE VERBS GOVERN THE OBJECTIVE CASE.
GrammarnounUS /ˈɡræmər/
the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
the act of retaining something
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “A petition, your lordship,” said Dr. Verb, solemnly; “I beg for justice.
interruptingverbUS /ˌɪntərˈʌptɪŋ/
-ing form of “interrupt” — make a break in
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “But what is the matter, Dr. Verb?
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
the quality of being just or fair
From this reading “A petition, your lordship,” said Dr. Verb, solemnly; “I beg for justice.
hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
lordshipnounUS /ˈlɔːrdʃɪp/
a title used to address any British peer except a duke and extended to a bishop or a judge
From this reading “A petition, your lordship,” said Dr. Verb, solemnly; “I beg for justice.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “But what is the matter, Dr. Verb?
immediately following in time or order
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
OBJECTIVEadjectiveUS /əbˈdʒektɪv/
undistorted by emotion or personal bias; based on observable phenomena
From this reading ACTIVE VERBS GOVERN THE OBJECTIVE CASE.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
petitionnounUS /pəˈtɪʃən/
a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority
From this reading “A petition, your lordship,” said Dr. Verb, solemnly; “I beg for justice.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
solemnlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːləmli/
in a grave and sedate manner
From this reading “A petition, your lordship,” said Dr. Verb, solemnly; “I beg for justice.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ACTIVE VERBS GOVERN THE OBJECTIVE CASE.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
VerbnounUS /vɜːrb/
the word class that serves as the predicate of a sentence
From this reading “But what is the matter, Dr. Verb?
VERBSnounUS /vɜːrbz/
plural of “verb” — the word class that serves as the predicate of a sentence
From this reading ACTIVE VERBS GOVERN THE OBJECTIVE CASE.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What is this about?” he asked, interrupting himself, for Dr. Verb had gone down on one knee before the Judge, and was holding out a paper to him.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “But what is the matter, Dr. Verb?
at the time that
From this reading “And now, gentlemen,” said Judge Grammar, when next they were assembled.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “A petition, your lordship,” said Dr. Verb, solemnly; “I beg for justice.
