used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
appearingnounUS /əˈpɪrɪŋ/
formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in an action
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
bankruptcynounUS /ˈbæŋkrəpsi/
a state of complete lack of some abstract property
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/
in a beautiful manner
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he may not marry his cook.
castenounUS /kæst/
social status or position conferred by a system based on class
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading But he may not marry his cook.
debtnounUS /det/
the state of owing something (especially money)
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
take in liquids
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
in or to another place
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
frownedverbUS /fraʊnd/
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
to a considerable degree
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
an occurrence of something
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
intoxicatedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtɑːksəkeɪtɪd/
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
IrelandnounUS /ˈaɪərlənd/
a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
take in marriage
From this reading But he may not marry his cook.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
not any; not one
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But he may not marry his cook.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
retainverbUS /rɪˈteɪn/
hold back within
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
tolerantadjectiveUS /ˈtɑːlərənt/
showing respect for the rights or opinions or practices of others
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
vergenounUS /vɜːrdʒ/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Society in the west of Ireland is beautifully tolerant.
at the time that
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading A man may do many things there, things frowned on elsewhere, without losing caste.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading He may, for instance, drink heavily, appearing in public when plainly intoxicated, and no one thinks much the worse of him.
but in spite of that
From this reading He may be in debt up to the verge of bankruptcy and yet retain his position in society.
