1087
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
1088
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
1787
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnson's _Works_ (1787), xi.
200
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 200.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
believeverbUS /bɪˈliːv/
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
bellyfulnoun
an undesirable overabundance
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
besiegedadjectiveUS /bɪˈsiːdʒd/
surrounded by hostile forces
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
bredverbUS /bred/
inflected form of “breed” — call forth
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
decoratedadjectiveUS /ˈdekəreɪtɪd/
provided with something intended to increase its beauty or distinction
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
diffusedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfjuːzd/
(of light rays) subjected to scattering by reflection from a rough surface or transmission through a translucent material
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
eruditionnounUS /ˌerəˈdɪʃən/
profound scholarly knowledge
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
ignorancenounUS /ˈɪɡnərəns/
the lack of knowledge or education
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
inadequateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnædəkwət/
lacking the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
ixnoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading Johnson's _Works_, ix.
Johnson'snounUS /ˈdʒɑːnsənz/
possessive form of “johnson” — English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading Johnson's _Works_ (1787), xi.
knowledgenounUS /ˈnɑːlədʒ/
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
learningnounUS /ˈlɜːrnɪŋ/
the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
lifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
mediocritynounUS /ˌmiːdiˈɑːkrəti/
ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
MennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
mouthfulnounUS /ˈmaʊθfʊl/
the quantity that can be held in the mouth
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
obtainverbUS /əbˈteɪn/
come into possession of
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/
many times at short intervals
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
ornamentalnounUS /ˌɔːrnəˈmentəl/
any plant grown for its beauty or ornamental value
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
provisionsnounUS /prəˈvɪʒənz/
a stock or supply of foods
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
purposesnounUS /ˈpɜːrpəsəz/
plural of “purpose” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
ScotlandnounUS /ˈskɑːtlənd/
one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
splendours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
townnounUS /taʊn/
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
UniversitiesnounUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsətiz/
plural of “university” — the body of faculty and students at a university
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
widelyadverbUS /ˈwaɪdli/
to a great degree
From this reading [1088] 'Men bred in the Universities of Scotland cannot be expected to be often decorated with the splendours of ornamental erudition, but they obtain a mediocrity of knowledge between learning and ignorance, not inadequate to the purposes of common life, which is, I believe, very widely diffused among them.'
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading [1087] 'It is with their learning as with provisions in a besieged town, every one has a mouthful, and no one a bellyful.'
WorksnounUS /wɜːrks/
buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading Johnson's _Works_ (1787), xi.
xinounUS /ʃiː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and one
From this reading Johnson's _Works_ (1787), xi.
