Chapter IX · A Letter from Calcutta

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

capable of wounding

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

form a curl, curve, or kink

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

make void or empty of contents

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

having an eye or eyes or eyelike feature especially as specified; often used in combination

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

in a fitful manner

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

the part of the face above the eyes

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

a young female

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

the act of departing

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading “And when she was good She was very, very good; And when she was naughty, she was ’orrid.”

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

a small worthless amount

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

shelf that projects from wall above fireplace

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

a particular point in time

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

in motion

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

suggestive of sexual impropriety

From this reading “And when she was good She was very, very good; And when she was naughty, she was ’orrid.”

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “And when she was good She was very, very good; And when she was naughty, she was ’orrid.”

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Irish descent

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

plural of “pocket” — a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

in a quizzical and questioning manner

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

precisely, exactly

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

except for; apart from

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading Paddy put her head on one side like a little bird, and eyed him quizzically a moment in silence.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

changing location by moving back and forth

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

in or at that place or location

From this reading “There was a little girl And she had a little curl Right in the middle of her forehead,” sang Paddy.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

precisely as stated

From this reading “And when she was good She was very, very good; And when she was naughty, she was ’orrid.”

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

at the time that

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.

an established custom

From this reading Paddy sat on the morning-room table swinging her feet, and Jack leaned against the mantelpiece with his hands in his pockets, biting at the end of an empty pipe fitfully, as was his wont when all did not fall out as he wished.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Are you going to save me the supper-dance, Paddy!” he asked, without moving.