used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
abnormalitynounUS /ˌæbnɔːrˈmæləti/
an abnormal physical condition resulting from defective genes or developmental deficiencies
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
adjustmentnounUS /əˈdʒʌstmənt/
making or becoming suitable; adjusting to circumstances
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
believingnounUS /bɪˈliːvɪŋ/
the cognitive process that leads to convictions
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
BennynounUS /ˈbeni/
East Indian annual erect herb; source of sesame seed or benniseed and sesame oil
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
a youthful male person
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
brimstonenounUS /ˈbrɪmstoʊn/
an old name for sulfur
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
childbirthnounUS /ˈtʃaɪldbɜːrθ/
the parturition process in human beings; having a baby; the process of giving birth to a child
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a particular cause, action, or attitude
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
crimesnounUS /kraɪmz/
plural of “crime” — (criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
damnationnounUS /dæmˈneɪʃən/
the act of damning
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
discussverbUS /dɪˈskʌs/
to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
divisible by two
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
fantasynounUS /ˈfæntəsi/
imagination unrestricted by reality
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
fieryadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪəri/
characterized by intense emotion
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
fundamentalistadjectiveUS /ˌfʌndəˈmentəlɪst/
of or relating to or characteristic of Protestant fundamentalism or its adherents
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
guiltnounUS /ɡɪlt/
the state of having committed an offense
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
any place of pain and turmoil
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
free from evil or guilt
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
gain knowledge or skills
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
literaladjectiveUS /ˈlɪtərəl/
being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
meritedadjectiveUS /ˈmerɪtɪd/
properly deserved
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
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 "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
the act of punishing
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
express in words
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
seeksnounUS /siːks/
plural of “seek” — the movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
estrangement from god
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
sinnernounUS /ˈsɪnər/
a person who sins (without repenting)
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
a male human offspring
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
subnormalitynoun
the state of being less than normal (especially with respect to intelligence)
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
vengefuladjectiveUS /ˈvendʒfəl/
disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
precisely as stated
From this reading He taught his son what he himself believed--a good but vengeful God, original sin, a very literal brimstone Hell, eternal damnation for the sinner.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
which person or people
From this reading His father--who raised Benny alone after his mother died in childbirth--was a fiery fundamentalist minister.
wishingnounUS /ˈwɪʃɪŋ/
a specific feeling of desire
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
wonderfullyadverbUS /ˈwʌndərfəli/
(used as an intensifier) extremely well
From this reading From what I can learn he seems to have been a wonderfully 'good' boy and probably did nothing that, even in his own mind, merited the punishment he now seeks.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I would say that his guilt feelings were given to him by his father.
you've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So much for his adjustment to society despite his subnormality and now to what you've been waiting for me to discuss, his abnormality, his fantasy of believing that he has committed crimes of which he is innocent and wishing to be punished for them.
