used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
(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 “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Your father I do not regard as a man at all formidable.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Your father I do not regard as a man at all formidable.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/
any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
crueladjectiveUS /ˈkruːəl/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
CURnounUS /kɜːr/
an inferior dog or one of mixed breed
From this reading “CUR!”
desperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “Your father I do not regard as a man at all formidable.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
formidableadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmədəbəl/
extremely impressive in strength or excellence
From this reading “Your father I do not regard as a man at all formidable.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had a most interesting interview with him--to-day.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had a most interesting interview with him--to-day.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Your father I do not regard as a man at all formidable.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading I had a most interesting interview with him--to-day.
conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading I had a most interesting interview with him--to-day.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Your father I do not regard as a man at all formidable.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
used to form the superlative
From this reading I had a most interesting interview with him--to-day.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
necessarilyadverbUS /ˌnesəˈserəli/
in an essential manner
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
outburstnounUS /ˈaʊtbɜːrst/
an unrestrained expression of emotion
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
placiditynoun
a feeling of calmness; a quiet and undisturbed feeling
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
reckoningnounUS /ˈrekənɪŋ/
problem solving that involves numbers or quantities
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading “Your father I do not regard as a man at all formidable.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
seducernounUS /sɪˈduːsər/
a bad person who entices others into error or wrongdoing
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
with low volume
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
there'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had a most interesting interview with him--to-day.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Nothing so pleasant”--and the perfect placidity of his voice was more cruel than any outburst could have been.
(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 “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I had a most interesting interview with him--to-day.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “Well,” the other said desperately, “but there’ll be a reckoning for all this--my father----” “Not necessarily, my young seducer,” the Chinese said softly.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Your father I do not regard as a man at all formidable.
