1667
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
affirmednounUS /əˈfɜːrmd/
thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1978
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
Arbuthnot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
the time when something begins (especially life)
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
(criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
dealtverbUS /delt/
inflected form of “deal” — act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
divinitynounUS /dɪˈvɪnəti/
any supernatural being worshipped as controlling some part of the world or some aspect of life or who is the personification of a force
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
enrichesverbUS /enˈrɪtʃɪz/
third-person singular of “enrich” — make better or improve in quality
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
entersverbUS /ˈentərz/
third-person singular of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
EssaysnounUS /eˈseɪz/
plural of “essay” — an analytic or interpretive literary composition
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
at any time
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
folliesnounUS /ˈfɑːliz/
a revue with elaborate costuming
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
giftedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪftəd/
endowed with talent or talents
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
coins made of gold
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
Gulliver's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
humoristsnounUS /ˈhjuːmərɪsts/
plural of “humorist” — someone who acts speaks or writes in an amusing way
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
irresistiblyadverbUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbli/
incapable of being resisted
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
ludicrousadjectiveUS /ˈluːdəkrəs/
broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
mirthnounUS /mɜːrθ/
great merriment
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
used to form the superlative
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
an old word for “no”
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
not any; not one
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
peculiaritiesnounUS /pɪˌkjuːliˈerətiz/
plural of “peculiarity” — an odd or unusual characteristic
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
social relations involving intrigue to gain authority or power
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
reconciledadjectiveUS /ˈrekənsaɪld/
made compatible or consistent
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
rhymenounUS /raɪm/
correspondence in the sounds of two or more lines (especially final sounds)
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
RiddlesnounUS /ˈrɪdəlz/
plural of “riddle” — a difficult problem
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
runsnounUS /rʌnz/
plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
cut with a saw
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
estrangement from god
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
relating to human society and its members
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
Stella'snounUS /ˈsteləz/
possessive form of “stella” — United States minimalist painter (born in 1936)
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
moving very fast
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
Swift'snounUS /swɪfts/
possessive form of “swift” — United States meat-packer who began the use of refrigerated railroad cars (1839-1903)
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
temptedverbUS /ˈtemptɪd/
past form of “tempt” — dispose or incline or entice to
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
TravelsnounUS /ˈtrævəlz/
plural of “travel” — the act of going from one place to another
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
TubnounUS /tʌb/
a relatively large open container that you fill with water and use to wash the body
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
variedadjectiveUS /ˈverid/
characterized by variety
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
VarietynounUS /vərˈaɪəti/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
veinnounUS /veɪn/
a blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
venialadjective
warranting only temporal punishment
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Whether religion, politics, social follies, or domestic peculiarities come before him, he was irresistibly tempted to regard them in a ludicrous point of view.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading Swift--"Tale of a Tub"--Essays--Gulliver's Travels--Variety of Swift's Humour--Riddles--Stella's Wit--Directions for Servants--Arbuthnot.
writnounUS /rɪt/
(law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer
From this reading He says of himself-- "Swift had the sin of wit, no venial crime; Nay, 'tis affirmed he sometimes dealt in rhyme: Humour and mirth had place in all he writ, He reconciled divinity and wit."
writingsnounUS /ˈraɪtɪŋz/
the third of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures
From this reading A bright fancy runs like a vein of gold through nearly all his writings, and enriches the wide and varied field upon which he enters.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading The year 1667 saw the birth of Swift, one of the most highly gifted and successful humorists any country ever produced.
