used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Stephen Aikenhead was entirely right about that.
matters of personal concern
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
Aikenhead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stephen Aikenhead was entirely right about that.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
beneficentadjectiveUS /ˌbenəˈfɪʃənt/
doing or producing good
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
breweriesnounUS /ˈbruːəriz/
plural of “brewery” — a plant where beer is brewed by fermentation
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
a state at a particular time
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
confersverbUS /kənˈfɜːrz/
third-person singular of “confer” — have a conference in order to talk something over
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
criminaladjectiveUS /ˈkrɪmənəl/
bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
dividendsnounUS /ˈdɪvədendz/
plural of “dividend” — that part of the earnings of a corporation that is distributed to its shareholders; usually paid quarterly
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
docksnounUS /dɑːks/
plural of “dock” — an enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Stephen Aikenhead was entirely right about that.
ENVELOPESnounUS /ˈenvəloʊps/
plural of “envelope” — a flat (usually rectangular) container for a letter, thin package, etc.
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
accept an excuse for
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
exercisedverbUS /ˈeksərsaɪzd/
past form of “exercise” — put to use
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
floutverbUS /flaʊt/
treat with contemptuous disregard
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
forerunnernounUS /ˈfɔːrʌnər/
a person who goes before or announces the coming of another
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
independencenounUS /ˌɪndɪˈpendəns/
freedom from control or influence of another or others
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
irregularitynounUS /ˌɪreɡjəˈlerəti/
behavior that breaches the rule or etiquette or custom or morality
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
the collection of rules imposed by authority
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
limitsnounUS /ˈlɪməts/
plural of “limit” — the greatest possible degree of something
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
MAUVEadjectiveUS /mɔːv/
of a pale to moderate greyish violet color
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
railwaysnounUS /ˈreɪlweɪz/
plural of “railway” — line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
show unwillingness towards
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
precisely, exactly
From this reading Stephen Aikenhead was entirely right about that.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading Stephen Aikenhead was entirely right about that.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Stephen Aikenhead was entirely right about that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
ThriftnounUS /θrɪft/
any of numerous sun-loving low-growing evergreens of the genus Armeria having round heads of pink or white flowers
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Stephen Aikenhead was entirely right about that.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading (Within the limits of the criminal law, of course, but why be a criminal if you have enough to live upon?
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
but in spite of that
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Thrift, exercised by yourself or by some beneficent forerunner, confers independence; you can live upon the world, and yet flout it.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You lack the one really good excuse.) Imagine the state of affairs if it were not so--if banks, railways, docks, and breweries could refuse you your dividends on the ground of irregularity in your private life!
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading MAUVE ENVELOPES The first condition of being able to please yourself is to have enough to live upon.
