Chapter XI

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

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

(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 With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

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

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

react verbally

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

the act of putting a person into a non-elective position

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

plural of “assertion” — a declaration that is made emphatically (as if no supporting evidence were necessary)

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

plural of “attraction” — the force by which one object attracts another

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

the people of Great Britain

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

rid of obstructions

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

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

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

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

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

placed crosswise

From this reading He had crossed his "t's" and dotted his "i's" with the utmost precision.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

son of Antigonus Cyclops and king of Macedonia; he and his father were defeated at the battle of Ipsus (337-283 BC)

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

having a pattern of dots

From this reading He had crossed his "t's" and dotted his "i's" with the utmost precision.

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

at any time

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

-ing form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

spectators at a golf or tennis match

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

a person of German nationality

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

past form of “glide” — move smoothly and effortlessly

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

a female deity

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

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

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

possessive form of “i” — a nonmetallic element belonging to the halogens; used especially in medicine and photography and in dyes; occurs naturally only in combination in small quantities (as in sea water or rocks)

From this reading He had crossed his "t's" and dotted his "i's" with the utmost precision.

a large mass of ice floating at sea; usually broken off of a polar glacier

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

contrary to accepted morality (especially sexual morality) or convention

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

plural of “illustration” — artwork that helps make something clear or attractive

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

have an emotional or cognitive impact upon

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

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

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

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

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

plural of “language” — a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

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

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

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

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

subject to death

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

not any; not one

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

of or pertaining to or characteristic of Judaism

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

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

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

the time that has elapsed

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

appeal or request earnestly

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

the quality of being reproducible in amount or performance

From this reading He had crossed his "t's" and dotted his "i's" with the utmost precision.

challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

past form of “result” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

adhering to moral principles

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

given to or marked by sentiment or sentimentality

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.

characterized by good substantial quality

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

possessive form of “t” — a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading He had crossed his "t's" and dotted his "i's" with the utmost precision.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

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

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

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

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

hard to endure

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity

From this reading He had crossed his "t's" and dotted his "i's" with the utmost precision.

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

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

which person or people

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

characteristic of or occurring in winter

From this reading "What is love?" asked Leah, the next day, at twenty minutes past four of a clear wintry afternoon.

in the company of; together with

From this reading With all his knowledge of five languages, Demetrius could find no answer, and rose from his knees with the feelings of a man who is trying to melt an iceberg with a lucifer match.

a man's courting of a woman; seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage)

From this reading From English he had glided into French, to plead the attractions of illicit passion: two minutes of German resulted in sentimental assertions of that passion's righteousness, and in illustrations of Wertherism; and, immediately before she asked that impossible question, he had harked back to her native tongue, to impress upon her the solid British common-sense of his wooing.

inflected form of “worship” — love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess; venerate as an idol

From this reading Ever since Lady Jim arrived to keep her appointment in the picture gallery, he had been explaining his feelings at length, and in the orthodox attitude of a mortal worshipping a goddess.