used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Lord John had been a trouble to his family all his life.
(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 Lord John had been a trouble to his family all his life.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
BritainnounUS /ˈbrɪtən/
a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; “Great Britain” is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
eldestadjectiveUS /ˈeldəst/
first in order of birth
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
embarrassmentnounUS /ɪmˈberəsmənt/
the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
a social unit living together
From this reading Lord John had been a trouble to his family all his life.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
innumerableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnuːmərəbəl/
too numerous to be counted
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
intervalnounUS /ˈɪntərvəl/
a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Lord John had been a trouble to his family all his life.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Lord John had been a trouble to his family all his life.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Lord John had been a trouble to his family all his life.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
not one, and not any
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
nowadaysnounUS /ˈnaʊədeɪz/
the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
post-horses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
prudencenounUS /ˈpruːdəns/
discretion in practical affairs
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
any competition
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
representedadjectiveUS /ˌreprɪˈzentɪd/
represented accurately or precisely
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
scrapesnounUS /skreɪps/
plural of “scrape” — a harsh noise made by scraping
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
a male human offspring
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
in the near future
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The scrapes in which he had been were innumerable, and all his family were aware that nothing but embarrassment and trouble was likely to come to them from his hand.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
traditionsnounUS /trəˈdɪʃənz/
plural of “tradition” — an inherited pattern of thought or action
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
the act of going from one place to another
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
a source of difficulty
From this reading Lord John had been a trouble to his family all his life.
precisely as stated
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had been in the north, not very far away, so that the interval, though it represented much more difficult travelling than the journey from one end to the other of Great Britain nowadays, was not very long.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had followed none of the traditions of prudence and good sense which had made his race what they were.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Duke arrived with his eldest son as soon as post-horses could bring him.
