used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
affirmverbUS /əˈfɜːrm/
establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
any person at all
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
assurancenounUS /əˈʃʊrəns/
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading For mankind is delightful in its pride, its assurance, and its indomitable tenacity.
austereadjectiveUS /ɔːˈstɪr/
severely simple
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
barrenadjectiveUS /ˈbærən/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
battlefieldnounUS /ˈbætəlfiːld/
a region where a battle is being (or has been) fought
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
clusteredadjectiveUS /ˈklʌstərd/
growing close together but not in dense mats
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
commentnounUS /ˈkɑːment/
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
cursoryadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrsəri/
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
greatly pleasing or entertaining
From this reading For mankind is delightful in its pride, its assurance, and its indomitable tenacity.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
exhortationnounUS /ˌeɡzɔːrˈteɪʃən/
a communication intended to urge or persuade the recipients to take some action
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
flickerverbUS /ˈflɪkər/
move back and forth very rapidly
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
formulateverbUS /ˈfɔːrmjəleɪt/
elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
imaginativeadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənətɪv/
(used of persons or artifacts) marked by independence and creativity in thought or action
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
inconceivableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnkənˈsiːvəbəl/
totally unlikely
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
indomitableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɑːmətəbəl/
impossible to subdue
From this reading For mankind is delightful in its pride, its assurance, and its indomitable tenacity.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading For mankind is delightful in its pride, its assurance, and its indomitable tenacity.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
immediately past
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
all of the living human inhabitants of the earth
From this reading For mankind is delightful in its pride, its assurance, and its indomitable tenacity.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
have ownership or possession of
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
phrasenounUS /freɪz/
an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
postulateverbUS /ˈpɑːstʃəleɪt/
maintain or assert
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading For mankind is delightful in its pride, its assurance, and its indomitable tenacity.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
sardonicadjectiveUS /sɑːrˈdɑːnɪk/
disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful and mocking
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
express in speech
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
stilledverbUS /stɪld/
past form of “still” — make calm or still
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
tenacitynounUS /təˈnæsɪti/
persistent determination
From this reading For mankind is delightful in its pride, its assurance, and its indomitable tenacity.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/
the starting point for a new state or experience
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
to-morrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
utterancenounUS /ˈʌtərəns/
the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
communicated in words
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
look attentively
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
which person or people
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
in the company of; together with
From this reading For my own part, from a short and cursory acquaintance with my kind, I am inclined to think that the last utterance will formulate, strange as it may appear, some hope now to us utterly inconceivable.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
the basic unit of money in South Korea
From this reading It will sleep on the battlefield among its own dead, in the manner of an army having won a barren victory.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
workshopnounUS /ˈwɜːrkʃɑːp/
small workplace where handcrafts or manufacturing are done
From this reading He is so much of a voice that, for him, silence is like death; and the postulate was, that there is a group alive, clustered on his threshold to watch the last flicker of light on a black sky, to hear the last word uttered in the stilled workshop of the earth.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It is safe to affirm that, if anybody, it will be the imaginative man who would be moved to speak on the eve of that day without to-morrow--whether in austere exhortation or in a phrase of sardonic comment, who can guess?
