used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
attemptsnounUS /əˈtempts/
plural of “attempt” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
chafedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪft/
painful from having the skin abraded
From this reading The prospect chafed him like a hair-shirt.
clear-headedness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
complexitynounUS /kəmˈpleksəti/
the quality of being intricate and compounded
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
crookedadjectiveUS /ˈkrʊkəd/
having or marked by bends or angles; not straight or aligned
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
despisedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspaɪzd/
treated with dislike or contempt
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
zealous in devotion or affection
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
erredverbUS /erd/
past form of “err” — to make a mistake or be incorrect
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
set up or found
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
hair-shirtadjective
self-sacrificing or austere
From this reading The prospect chafed him like a hair-shirt.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The prospect chafed him like a hair-shirt.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
homelyadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊmli/
lacking in physical beauty or proportion
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
the state of being honored
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
Hugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
issueverbUS /ˈɪʃuː/
prepare and issue for public distribution or sale
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
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 If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The prospect chafed him like a hair-shirt.
something that is lost
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
at the same time but in another place
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
morning'snounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/
possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
not any; not one
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
pathsnounUS /pæðz/
plural of “path” — a course of conduct
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
the possibility of future success
From this reading The prospect chafed him like a hair-shirt.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
smuglyadverbUS /ˈsmʌɡli/
in a smug manner
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
solutionnounUS /səˈluːʃən/
a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances; frequently (but not necessarily) a liquid solution
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
solvedadjectiveUS /sɑːlvd/
explained or answered
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
in or at that place or location
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Meanwhile a problem of some complexity remained to be solved.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading Hugh devoted the morning’s clear-headedness to vain attempts at solution.
viciousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪʃəs/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
virtuousadjectiveUS /ˈvɜːrtʃuːəs/
morally excellent
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading If he had erred, in times past, far from the paths of the homely virtuous, he had at least despised the crooked ways of the smugly vicious.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading From the position in which he found himself there was no issue without a loss of honour.
