used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
abilitynounUS /əˈbɪlətiː/
the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
achieveverbUS /əˈtʃiːv/
to gain with effort
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
achievedverbUS /əˈtʃiːvd/
past form of “achieve” — to gain with effort
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
surrounded by; in the company of
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
briskadjectiveUS /brɪsk/
quick and energetic
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
circulatingadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrkjəleɪtɪŋ/
passing from one to another
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
composingnounUS /kəmˈpoʊzɪŋ/
the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
-ing form of “consider” — deem to be
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
convincingadjectiveUS /kənˈvɪnsɪŋ/
causing one to believe the truth of something
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
delineationnounUS /dɪˌlɪniˈeɪʃən/
a graphic or vivid verbal description
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
dialoguenounUS /ˈdaɪəlɔːɡ/
a conversation between two persons
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
discussverbUS /dɪˈskʌs/
to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
distinctionnounUS /dɪˈstɪŋkʃən/
a discrimination between things as different and distinct on the basis of their characteristics or attributes
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
Drood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
EdwinnounUS /ˈedwən/
king of Northumbria who was converted to Christianity (585-633)
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
elaborationnounUS /ɪˌlæbərˈeɪʃən/
addition of extra material or illustration or clarifying detail
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
enableverbUS /eˈneɪbəl/
render capable or able for some task
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
endowedadjectiveUS /enˈdaʊd/
provided or supplied or equipped with (especially as by inheritance or nature)
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
ephemeraladjectiveUS /ɪˈfemərəl/
lasting a very short time
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
at any time
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
extraordinarilyadverbUS /ekˌstrɔːrdəˈnerəli/
extremely
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
factorsnounUS /ˈfæktərz/
plural of “factor” — anything that contributes causally to a result
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
FICTIONnounUS /ˈfɪkʃən/
a literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
gracefullyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪsfəli/
in a graceful manner
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
librariesnounUS /ˈlaɪbreriːz/
plural of “library” — a room where books are kept
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
lifelikeadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪflaɪk/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
creative writing of recognized artistic value
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
marvellousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrvələs/
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
and nothing more
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
neglectverbUS /nəˈɡlekt/
leave undone or leave out
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
not any; not one
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
nonadverbUS /nɑːn/
negation of a word or group of words
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
novelistnounUS /ˈnɑːvələst/
one who writes novels
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
novelsnounUS /ˈnɑːvəlz/
plural of “novel” — an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
OscarnounUS /ˈɔːskər/
an annual award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievements in motion picture production and performance
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
patronsnounUS /ˈpeɪtrənz/
plural of “patron” — a regular customer
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
plural of “person” — a human being
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
bring forth or yield
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
prolongedadjectiveUS /prəˈlɔːŋd/
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
prosenounUS /proʊz/
ordinary writing as distinguished from verse
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
qua
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
plural of “quality” — an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
a person who enjoys reading
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
requiresverbUS /riˈkwaɪərz/
third-person singular of “require” — require as useful, just, or proper
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
requisitenounUS /ˈrekwəzət/
anything indispensable
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
a relationship between two lovers
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
sinenounUS /saɪn/
ratio of the length of the side opposite the given angle to the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
speculativeadjectiveUS /ˈspekjələtɪv/
not financially safe or secure
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
carry out
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
truismnounUS /ˈtruːɪzəm/
an obvious truth
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
unfinishedadjectiveUS /ənˈfɪnɪʃt/
not brought to the desired final state
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
versatilitynounUS /ˌvɜːrsəˈtɪləti/
having a wide variety of skills
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
literature in metrical form
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
vexedadjectiveUS /vekst/
troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
at the time that
From this reading That he was endowed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and that his versatility was marvellous are factors that no one should neglect to take into account when considering the matter.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
which person or people
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
WildenounUS /waɪld/
Irish writer and wit (1854-1900)
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
in the company of; together with
From this reading To begin with, the story must be of sufficient interest to hold the attention of the reader, the dialogue must be brisk and to the point, and the delineation of character--a gift in itself--lifelike and convincing.
wittilyadverbUS /ˈwɪtəli/
in a witty manner
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading That the novelist should possess style is a _sine qua non_--that is, if his novels are to take their place as works of art and not merely achieve an ephemeral success amongst the patrons of circulating libraries--but to achieve distinction in the field of romance many other qualities are requisite.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Whether Oscar Wilde would, had his life been prolonged, have ever achieved success in this branch of literature is one of those vexed questions which may well be left to those speculative persons who love to discuss "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" and other unfinished works of fiction.
produce a literary work
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading THE FICTION WRITER FICTION That the gift of composing beautiful verse and the ability to write gracefully and wittily in prose does not of necessity enable an author to produce good fiction, is a truism that requires no elaboration.
