Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

gotten through environmental forces

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

anew

From this reading Lawyer Quince took a pinch of snuff and bent to his work again.

(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 Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

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

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way

From this reading Lawyer Quince took a pinch of snuff and bent to his work again.

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

a small house with a single story

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

argue with one another

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

an effort that is inconvenient

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

the power to use something or someone

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

take exception to

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

remove the dust from

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

be a farmer; work as a farmer

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

destroyed or killed

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

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

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

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

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

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

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

Scottish writer of rustic verse (1770-1835)

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex having red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edges

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

a cage (usually made of wood and wire mesh) for small animals

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

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

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

of less size or importance

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

United States bandleader of a popular big band (1909-1944)

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

above and across; more than

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

squeeze tightly between the fingers

From this reading Lawyer Quince took a pinch of snuff and bent to his work again.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

-ing form of “ply” — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

small Asian tree with pinkish flowers and pear-shaped fruit; widely cultivated

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

located or moved above the surround or above the normal position

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

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

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

the charred portion of a candlewick

From this reading Lawyer Quince took a pinch of snuff and bent to his work again.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

the rays of the sun

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

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

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

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

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading Lawyer Quince took a pinch of snuff and bent to his work again.

the commercial exchange (buying and selling on domestic or international markets) of goods and services

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

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

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

untroubled by interference or disturbance

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

not usual or common or ordinary

From this reading Mr. Rose, of Holly Farm, Hogg, the miller, and one or two neighbours of lesser degree appeared to be in earnest debate over some point of unusual difficulty.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

being of use or service

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.

during the time that

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading The London coach had gone by in a cloud of dust some three hours before, and since then the wide village street had slumbered almost undisturbed in the sunshine.

made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood

From this reading Lawyer Quince, so called by his neighbours in Little Haven from his readiness at all times to place at their disposal the legal lore he had acquired from a few old books while following his useful occupation of making boots, sat in a kind of wooden hutch at the side of his cottage plying his trade.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Hearing footsteps and the sound of voices raised in dispute caused him to look up from his work.