used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Now I'm telling you a fact.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
fried-eel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now I'm telling you a fact.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
and nothing more
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
lotsnounUS /lɑːts/
a large number or amount
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
MisternounUS /ˈmɪstər/
a form of address for a man
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now I'm telling you a fact.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
Quidnuncnoun
a person who meddles in the affairs of others
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
Identical; not different.
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
shouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
term of address for a man
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
SpottyadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːti/
having spots or patches (small areas of contrasting color or texture)
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
express in words
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading Now I'm telling you a fact.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
There's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading They call him Quidnunc--Mister Quidnunc, too, and don't you forget it.
precisely as stated
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading There's that about him I--well, sir, if it was to come to it that I had to lay a hand on him for something out of Queer Street I shouldn't know how to do it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "He served Spotty Smith the fried-eel man just the very same, and lots more I could tell you about.
