Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

(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 Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

preventing entry or exit or a course of action

From this reading But to sailors o’ the South that easy way was barred.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But to sailors o’ the South that easy way was barred.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

informal terms for a (young) woman

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

an artistic form of nonverbal communication

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading Duty?

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading But to sailors o’ the South that easy way was barred.

an old word for “before”

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

a person having kinship with another or others

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

plural of “partner” — a person's partner in marriage

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

a broken piece of a brittle artifact

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading But to sailors o’ the South that easy way was barred.

express in speech

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

put, fix, force, or implant

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

a lightweight cord

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

(of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy and without apparent attachment

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But to sailors o’ the South that easy way was barred.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

in or at that place or location

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It pulled with more than one string, This way and that, and anyhow a sting.

severe spasm of pain

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

the act of testing something

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

possessive form of “war” — the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading But to sailors o’ the South that easy way was barred.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading But to sailors o’ the South that easy way was barred.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

used to ask for information about something

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

during the time that

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

in the company of; together with

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

any of several low composite herbs of the genera Artemisia or Seriphidium

From this reading To some, dame, believe (and I speak o’ what I know), Wormwood the trial and the Uzzite’s black shard; And the faithfuller the heart, the crueller the throe.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Sentiment: ay, while suspended hung all, Ere the guns against Sumter opened there the ball, And partners were taken, and the red dance began, War’s red dance o’ death!—Well, we, to a man, We sailors o’ the North, wife, how could we lag?— Strike with your kin, and you stick to the flag!