1914
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
the month following July and preceding September
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
in addition to; as well as
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
billetnounUS /ˈbɪlət/
a short personal letter
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
encumbrances
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
come to pass
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
a republic in the Asian subcontinent in southern Asia; second most populous country in the world; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
JannounUS /dʒæn/
the first month of the year; begins 10 days after the winter solstice
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
lionsnounUS /ˈlaɪənz/
plural of “lion” — large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male
From this reading But Jan saw a thousand lions in the way.
joined in matrimony
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
take in marriage
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
marryingverbUS /ˈmeriɪŋ/
-ing form of “marry” — take in marriage
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
not any; not one
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
nobody'snounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiːz/
possessive form of “nobody” — a person of no influence
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
OctobernounUS /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/
the month following September and preceding November
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading Peter spoke testily.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
cut with a saw
From this reading But Jan saw a thousand lions in the way.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Peter spoke testily.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
testilyadverbUS /ˈtestəli/
in a petulant manner
From this reading Peter spoke testily.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading But Jan saw a thousand lions in the way.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading But Jan saw a thousand lions in the way.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He wanted Jan to marry him before he went back to India in October, and if he got the billet he hoped for, to follow him, taking the two children out, early in November.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
in the company of; together with
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading AUGUST, 1914 "No," said Jan, "it would be like marrying a widow ... with encumbrances."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "But you don't happen to be a widow--besides, if you were, and had a dozen encumbrances, if we want to get married it's nobody's business but our own."
