used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
(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 You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
confined by bonds
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
an occurrence of something
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
deserveverbUS /dɪˈzɜːrv/
be worthy or deserving
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
deservedadjectiveUS /dɪˈzɜːrvd/
properly deserved
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
let fall to the ground
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
divisible by two
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
at any time
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
exposeverbUS /ɪkˈspoʊz/
expose or make accessible to some action or influence
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
a young female
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading HER OWN WAY.
horridadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəd/
exceedingly bad
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
JupiternounUS /ˈdʒuːpətər/
the largest planet and the 5th from the sun; has many satellites and is one of the brightest objects in the night sky
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
and nothing more
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
KitnounUS /kɪt/
a case for containing a set of articles
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
miscreantnounUS /ˈmɪskriənt/
a person without moral scruples
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
nastyadjectiveUS /ˈnæsti/
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading HER OWN WAY.
Parker'snounUS /ˈpɑːrkərz/
possessive form of “parker” — United States saxophonist and leader of the bop style of jazz (1920-1955)
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
parlournounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
Parslow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
by chance
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
principlenounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəl/
a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
punishedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌnɪʃt/
subjected to a penalty (as pain or shame or restraint or loss) for an offense or fault or in order to coerce some behavior (as a confession or obedience)
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
Identical; not different.
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
sniffingverbUS /ˈsnɪfɪŋ/
-ing form of “sniff” — perceive by inhaling through the nose
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
in the near future
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
stealverbUS /stiːl/
take without the owner's consent
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
stocksnounUS /stɑːks/
a frame that supports a boat while it is under construction
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
inflected form of “steal” — take without the owner's consent
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
surprisesnounUS /sərˈpraɪzɪz/
plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I doubt if there ever was such a case before, though nothing ever surprises me.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading HER OWN WAY.
at the time that
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading It was very nasty of you to steal that dog—why, you might have come and stolen _Jupiter_, on the very same principle of a pretty girl—and you have been punished, even more than you deserved.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
in the company of; together with
From this reading You deserved a month in the stocks perhaps, with all the dogs in the village sniffing at you; but you did not deserve to lose your own wife, just when you had time to get fond of her.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “YOU must not let it drop, Kit; you can’t let it drop,” said Aunt Parslow, as she sat in our parlour, the next day, having ordered Parker’s fly, as soon as she received my letter; “for the sake of your sweet wife, you are absolutely bound to expose this horrid miscreant.
