used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But, do not imagine I have always been a die-away swain.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading But, do not imagine I have always been a die-away swain.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
artsnounUS /ɑːrts/
studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills)
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But, do not imagine I have always been a die-away swain.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
charmedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːrmd/
strongly attracted
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
climatenounUS /ˈklaɪmət/
the weather in some location averaged over some long period of time
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
unvarying in nature
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
ContinentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/
one of the large landmasses of the earth
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
decliningverbUS /dɪˈklaɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “decline” — grow worse
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
die-away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, do not imagine I have always been a die-away swain.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But, do not imagine I have always been a die-away swain.
eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
elegantadjectiveUS /ˈeləɡənt/
refined and tasteful in appearance or behavior or style
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
embraceverbUS /emˈbreɪs/
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
enchantingadjectiveUS /enˈtʃæntɪŋ/
capturing interest as if by a spell
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
frequentedverbUS /ˈfriːkwəntɪd/
past form of “frequent” — do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
hastauxiliary verbUS /hæst/
an old form of “have”, used with “thou”
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
hauntsnounUS /hɔːnts/
plural of “haunt” — a frequently visited place
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But, do not imagine I have always been a die-away swain.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading But, do not imagine I have always been a die-away swain.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
LisbonnounUS /ˈlɪzbən/
capital and largest city and economic and cultural center of Portugal; a major port in western Portugal on Tagus River where it broadens and empties into the Atlantic
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
of or relating to or characteristic of literature
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
the force of workers available
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
not any; not one
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
and nothing more
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
by chance
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
preventedverbUS /prɪˈventɪd/
past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
pursuitsnounUS /pərˈsuːts/
plural of “pursuit” — the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
spendingnounUS /ˈspendɪŋ/
the act of spending or disbursing money
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
substituteverbUS /ˈsʌbstətuːt/
put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
swainnounUS /sweɪn/
a man who is the lover of a man or woman
From this reading But, do not imagine I have always been a die-away swain.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
express in words
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
past form of “visit” — go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
warmernounUS /ˈwɔːrmər/
device that heats water or supplies warmth to a room
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
the sensation caused by heat energy
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading No: I have frequented the cheerful haunts of men, and wit!--enchanting wit! has made many moments fly free from care.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "My declining health prevented my taking orders, as I had intended; but I with warmth entered into literary pursuits; perhaps my heart, not having an object, made me embrace the substitute with more eagerness.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I am too fond of the elegant arts; and woman--lovely woman! thou hast charmed me, though, perhaps, it would not be easy to find one to whom my reason would allow me to be constant.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I have now only to tell you, that my mother insisted on my spending this winter in a warmer climate; and I fixed on Lisbon, as I had before visited the Continent."
