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Chapter I
1885, reissued 1913. Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble! Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer! This is what I have to say: One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “This is what I have to say:”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.”
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!”
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.”
the one or ones belonging to us
From this reading “One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 1885, reissued 1913.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 1885, reissued 1913.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading This is what I have to say:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This is what I have to say:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
not any; not one
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
the one or ones belonging to us
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
above and across; more than
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 1885, reissued 1913.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This is what I have to say:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This is what I have to say:
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading This is what I have to say:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should and am a giddy-pated jester no longer!
in the company of; together with
From this reading One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours; one should never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of innocent jollity and mirth.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Here, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,--and you, over there, may hold the bauble!
