used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading It was absurd that I could not answer my question.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
react verbally
From this reading It was absurd that I could not answer my question.
eagerly desirous
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
Archdeaconnoun
(Anglican Church) an ecclesiastical dignitary usually ranking just below a bishop
From this reading The Archdeacon, I felt perfectly certain, knew what he had done.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading The Archdeacon, I felt perfectly certain, knew what he had done.
bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a particular cause, action, or attitude
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
concentratedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnsəntreɪtɪd/
gathered together or made less diffuse
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
deem to be
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was absurd that I could not answer my question.
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The Archdeacon, I felt perfectly certain, knew what he had done.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
elegancies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading The Archdeacon, I felt perfectly certain, knew what he had done.
flavournoun
the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Archdeacon, I felt perfectly certain, knew what he had done.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was absurd that I could not answer my question.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The Archdeacon, I felt perfectly certain, knew what he had done.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
Lalage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
joined in matrimony
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
not any; not one
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was absurd that I could not answer my question.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The Archdeacon, I felt perfectly certain, knew what he had done.
phrasenounUS /freɪz/
an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
proposalnounUS /prəˈpoʊzəl/
something proposed (such as a plan or assumption)
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was absurd that I could not answer my question.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
vulgaritynounUS /vəlˈɡerɪti/
the quality of lacking taste and refinement
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My mind concentrated on one question: Was I to consider myself as engaged to be married to Lalage?
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The Archdeacon, I felt perfectly certain, knew what he had done.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading A man ought to know whether he has or has not committed himself to a proposal of marriage.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The phrase, with its flavour of vulgarity, set my teeth on edge; but no other way of expression occurred to me and I was too deeply anxious to spend time in pursuit of elegancies.
