used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
absurditynounUS /əbˈsɜːrdəti/
a message whose content is at variance with reason
From this reading The absurdity of his position moved him like a caricature.
abyssnounUS /əˈbɪs/
a bottomless gulf or pit; any unfathomable (or apparently unfathomable) cavity or chasm or void extending below (often used figuratively)
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
appetitenounUS /ˈæpətaɪt/
a feeling of craving something
From this reading The dangerous moment passed, and left him with a new appetite for life.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
caricatureverbUS /ˈkerəkətʃər/
represent in or produce a caricature of
From this reading The absurdity of his position moved him like a caricature.
commitverbUS /kəˈmɪt/
perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
convalescentnounUS /ˌkɑːnvəˈlesənt/
a person who is recovering from illness
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
convulsed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading The dangerous moment passed, and left him with a new appetite for life.
egoismnounUS /ˈiːɡoʊɪzəm/
(ethics) the theory that the pursuit of your own welfare in the basis of morality
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
enjoymentnounUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪmənt/
the pleasure felt when having a good time
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
facultiesnounUS /ˈfækəltiz/
plural of “faculty” — one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
plural of “feel” — an intuitive awareness
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
flingverbUS /flɪŋ/
throw with force or recklessness
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
flowsnounUS /floʊz/
plural of “flow” — the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The dangerous moment passed, and left him with a new appetite for life.
set up or found
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The dangerous moment passed, and left him with a new appetite for life.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
intense and profound fear
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
hoveredverbUS /ˈhʌvərd/
past form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
the quality of being just or fair
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
the sound of laughing
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading The dangerous moment passed, and left him with a new appetite for life.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The absurdity of his position moved him like a caricature.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
the force of workers available
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
a particular point in time
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The absurdity of his position moved him like a caricature.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The dangerous moment passed, and left him with a new appetite for life.
nimblyadverbUS /ˈnɪmbli/
in a nimble or agile manner; with quickness and lightness and ease
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The dangerous moment passed, and left him with a new appetite for life.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading The absurdity of his position moved him like a caricature.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
reactionnounUS /riˈækʃən/
(chemistry) a process in which one or more substances are changed into others
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
sicknessnounUS /ˈsɪknəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
soberest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
suicidenounUS /ˈsuːəsaɪd/
the act of killing yourself
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
moving very fast
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading But over that abyss his thought hovered but an instant, and the horror of that instant produced a swift reaction.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
uprisal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
at the time that
From this reading He felt the swift uprisal of faculties of enjoyment in himself such as the convalescent feels when the blood flows nimbly after sickness; and on a sudden he found himself convulsed with laughter.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading In that moment he understood why men commit suicide, why it may appear the soberest act of reason and of justice to fling away a life which has lost its value in losing its egoism.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The dangerous moment passed, and left him with a new appetite for life.
