1898
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
affairnounUS /əˈfer/
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
askedverbUS /æskt/
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
Bain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading These Notes, I considered, could only be of interest locally.
businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
ChinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
clericnounUS /ˈklerɪk/
a clergyman or other person in religious orders
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
consideredadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪdərd/
carefully weighed
From this reading These Notes, I considered, could only be of interest locally.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading These Notes, I considered, could only be of interest locally.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
diffidencenoun
lack of self-confidence
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
distributionnounUS /ˌdɪstrəˈbjuːʃən/
(statistics) an arrangement of values of a variable showing their observed or theoretical frequency of occurrence
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
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 In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
effortsnounUS /ˈefərts/
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
formnounUS /fɔːrm/
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
friendsnounUS /frendz/
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
giveverbUS /ɡɪv/
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading This led to my venturing to give him "Some Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
Hongkong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading These Notes, I considered, could only be of interest locally.
IntroductionnounUS /ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən/
the act of beginning something new
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
knownadjectiveUS /noʊn/
apprehended with certainty
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
lednounUS /led/
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading This led to my venturing to give him "Some Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life."
leisurenounUS /ˈleʒər/
time available for ease and relaxation
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
lenientlyadverbUS /ˈliːnjəntli/
in a permissively lenient manner
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
letternounUS /ˈletər/
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
LifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
literaryadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəreri/
of or relating to or characteristic of literature
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
locallyadverbUS /ˈloʊkəli/
by a particular locality
From this reading These Notes, I considered, could only be of interest locally.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
MailnounUS /meɪl/
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
MurraynounUS /ˈmɜːri/
British classical scholar (born in Australia) who advocated the League of Nations and the United Nations (1866-1957)
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading This led to my venturing to give him "Some Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life."
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
NotesnounUS /noʊts/
plural of “note” — a brief written record
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
occasionallyadverbUS /əˈkeɪʒənəli/
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading These Notes, I considered, could only be of interest locally.
overcomeverbUS /ˈoʊvərkʌm/
win a victory over
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
pamphletnounUS /ˈpæmflət/
a small book usually having a paper cover
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
putverbUS /pʊt/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
sailornounUS /ˈseɪlər/
any member of a ship's crew
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
Sailor'snounUS /ˈseɪlərz/
possessive form of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
sendverbUS /send/
cause to go somewhere
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
SomeadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading This led to my venturing to give him "Some Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life."
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These Notes, I considered, could only be of interest locally.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This led to my venturing to give him "Some Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life."
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This led to my venturing to give him "Some Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life."
treatverbUS /triːt/
interact in a certain way
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
trustingadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌstɪŋ/
inclined to believe or confide readily; full of trust
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
urgedverbUS /ɜːrdʒd/
past form of “urge” — force or impel in an indicated direction
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
venturingverbUS /ˈventʃərɪŋ/
-ing form of “venture” — proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
From this reading This led to my venturing to give him "Some Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
WaynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Notes by the Way in A Sailor's Life Introduction.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
whynounUS /waɪ/
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading In 1898 I was in Hongkong on a business affair which gave me much leisure, when Murray Bain, editor of the China Mail, whom I had long known, asked why I did not send him a letter occasionally.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading But some of my friends have urged me to overcome my diffidence and put them in pamphlet form, which I now do for distribution among my friends, trusting that they will treat leniently the literary efforts of one who is a sailor and not a cleric.
