used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His terror of his father was a lion in his way.
the state of being absent
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
consider or hold as true
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
how long something has existed
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
(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 He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
ardornounUS /ˈɑːrdər/
a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
boyishadjectiveUS /ˈbɔɪɪʃ/
befitting or characteristic of a young boy
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a particular cause, action, or attitude
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
consequencesnounUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwensəz/
plural of “consequence” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
cowardicenounUS /ˈkaʊərdəs/
the trait of lacking courage
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
declaringverbUS /dɪˈklerɪŋ/
-ing form of “declare” — state emphatically and authoritatively
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
deliberateadjectiveUS /dɪˈlɪbərət/
carefully thought out in advance
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
erredverbUS /erd/
past form of “err” — to make a mistake or be incorrect
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading His terror of his father was a lion in his way.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
moving swiftly
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
insupportableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnsəˈpɔːrtəbəl/
incapable of being justified or explained
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
LallynounUS /ˈlæli/
support column consisting of a steel cylinder filled with concrete
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
licensenounUS /ˈlaɪsəns/
a legal document giving official permission to do something
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male
From this reading His terror of his father was a lion in his way.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
obtainingverbUS /əbˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “obtain” — come into possession of
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
and nothing more
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
perjurynounUS /ˈpɜːrdʒəri/
criminal offense of making false statements under oath
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
preventedverbUS /prɪˈventɪd/
past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
the act of punishing
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
Rufus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
sparedverbUS /sperd/
past form of “spare” — refrain from harming
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
succornounUS /ˈsʌkər/
assistance in time of difficulty
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
suspensenounUS /səˈspens/
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
temptedverbUS /ˈtemptɪd/
past form of “tempt” — dispose or incline or entice to
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading His terror of his father was a lion in his way.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
thoughtlessnessnoun
the quality of failing to be considerate of others
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
create by training and teaching
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading His terror of his father was a lion in his way.
a flaw or weak point
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The hours of his father’s absence in London were full of an insupportable suspense to Rufus Black.
at the time that
From this reading And the act of perjury he had committed in declaring himself of age when obtaining his marriage license--an act more of thoughtlessness and boyish ardor than of deliberate lying--arose now between him and poor Lally like a wall of iron.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He had erred, and must accept the consequences, but he thought to himself that he would give all his hopes of heaven if Lally might have been spared his punishment.
wrongedverbUS /rɔːŋd/
past form of “wrong” — treat unjustly; do wrong to
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading He was tempted to hurry up to town by the next train, and only his weakness and cowardice prevented him from flying to the succor of his wronged young wife.
