used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
any thing at all
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
complimentverbUS /ˈkɑːmpləment/
say something to someone that expresses praise
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor
From this reading He had never counted the cost of anything, for the simple reason that he had never been taught to.
countedverbUS /ˈkaʊntɪd/
past form of “count” — determine the number or amount of
From this reading He had never counted the cost of anything, for the simple reason that he had never been taught to.
dishonestadjectiveUS /dɪˈsɑːnəst/
deceptive or fraudulent; disposed to cheat or defraud or deceive
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
fellow-men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had never counted the cost of anything, for the simple reason that he had never been taught to.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
Haredale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
the state of being honored
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had never counted the cost of anything, for the simple reason that he had never been taught to.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
pretencenoun
a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
proneadjectiveUS /proʊn/
having a tendency (to); often used in combination
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading He had never counted the cost of anything, for the simple reason that he had never been taught to.
marked by correspondence or resemblance
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading He had never counted the cost of anything, for the simple reason that he had never been taught to.
term of address for a man
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
carry out
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading He had never counted the cost of anything, for the simple reason that he had never been taught to.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had not the least pretence to be a business man.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
a source of difficulty
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
underhandedadjectiveUS /ˈʌndərˈhændɪd/
marked by deception
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
valuationnounUS /væljuːˈeɪʃən/
an appraisal of the value of something
From this reading He had always been prone to take people at their own valuation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HONOUR BRIGHT As time passed Sir George Haredale began to think that trouble was really before him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He would never have done anything dishonest or underhanded, and he paid his fellow-men a similar compliment.
