used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
alasexclamationUS /əˈlæs/
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
(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 All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
a cherished desire
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
amusingadjectiveUS /əˈmjuːzɪŋ/
providing enjoyment; pleasantly entertaining
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Biographers generally wish to produce an effect.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF LORD BYRON.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
attributedverbUS /əˈtrɪbjətɪd/
past form of “attribute” — attribute or credit to
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
biographernounUS /baɪˈɑːɡrəfər/
someone who writes an account of a person's life
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
biographersnounUS /baɪˈɑːɡrəfərz/
plural of “biographer” — someone who writes an account of a person's life
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
inflected form of “bear” — have
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
BYRONnounUS /ˈbaɪrən/
English romantic poet notorious for his rebellious and unconventional lifestyle (1788-1824)
From this reading CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF LORD BYRON.
Byron'snounUS /ˈbaɪrənz/
possessive form of “byron” — English romantic poet notorious for his rebellious and unconventional lifestyle (1788-1824)
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
the time of person's life when they are a child
From this reading CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF LORD BYRON.
clevernessnounUS /ˈklev.ər.nəs/
The quality of being intelligent, quick to understand, and resourceful in danger.
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
convictionsnounUS /kənˈvɪkʃənz/
plural of “conviction” — an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
defectsnounUS /ˈdiːfekts/
plural of “defect” — an imperfection in a bodily system
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
dilatedverbUS /ˌdaɪˈleɪtɪd/
past form of “dilate” — become wider
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
dilating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
dweltverbUS /dwelt/
inflected form of “dwell” — think moodily or anxiously about something
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
editornounUS /ˈedətər/
a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading Biographers generally wish to produce an effect.
featurenounUS /ˈfiːtʃər/
a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
usually; as a rule
From this reading Biographers generally wish to produce an effect.
that which is pleasing or valuable or useful
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF LORD BYRON.
engage in
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
monsternounUS /ˈmɑːnstər/
an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
used to form the superlative
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
mostlyadverbUS /ˈmoʊstli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
noticeableadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəsəbəl/
capable or worthy of being noticed
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF LORD BYRON.
many times at short intervals
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
prefersverbUS /prəˈfɜːrz/
third-person singular of “prefer” — like better; value more highly
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
bring forth or yield
From this reading Biographers generally wish to produce an effect.
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
a person who enjoys reading
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
repayverbUS /riˈpeɪ/
pay back
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
rootedadjectiveUS /ˈruːtəd/
absolutely still
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
sacrificedverbUS /ˈsækrəfaɪst/
past form of “sacrifice” — endure the loss of
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
saintsnounUS /seɪnts/
plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
satisfyingadjectiveUS /ˈsætɪsfaɪɪŋ/
providing abundant nourishment
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
scandalnounUS /ˈskændəl/
disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
sparknounUS /spɑːrk/
a momentary flash of light
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
to a sufficient degree
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
testimonynounUS /ˈtestəmoʊni/
a solemn statement made under oath
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
which person or people
From this reading All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading Biographers generally wish to produce an effect.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal--means by which it is easy, with a spark of cleverness, to make a monster of a saint: for, alas! the most rooted convictions are often sacrificed for the sake of amusing a reader who is difficult to please, and of satisfying an editor.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF LORD BYRON.
