Chapter IX

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

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

how long something has existed

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

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

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

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

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Next week they hope you’ll come and stay Some time before you go away.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Next week they hope you’ll come and stay Some time before you go away.

propose a payment

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

a youthful male person

From this reading Dear boy, how pleasant it will be!

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

plural of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

dearly loved

From this reading Dear boy, how pleasant it will be!

a beloved person; used as terms of endearment

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

have supper; eat dinner

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading Ever your dearest Emily!’

the end of a word (a suffix or inflectional ending or final morpheme)

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

at any time

From this reading Ever your dearest Emily!’

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

plural of “holiday” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading Dear boy, how pleasant it will be!

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Dear boy, how pleasant it will be!

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

possessive form of “lawyer” — a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

informal terms for a mother

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Next week they hope you’ll come and stay Some time before you go away.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

on one occasion

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading Dear boy, how pleasant it will be!

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

express in words

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

a boy attending school

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Next week they hope you’ll come and stay Some time before you go away.

the act of spending or disbursing money

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Next week they hope you’ll come and stay Some time before you go away.

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 _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

up to a particular time

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Next week they hope you’ll come and stay Some time before you go away.

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

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

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

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Next week they hope you’ll come and stay Some time before you go away.

at the time that

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

in the company of; together with

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

a late time of life

From this reading Twelve years of age was I, and she Fourteen, when thus she wrote to me, A schoolboy, with an uncle spending My holidays, then nearly ending.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

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

From this reading _THE LAWYER’S FIRST TALE._ _Primitiæ, or Third Cousins._ I ‘Dearest of boys, please come to-day, Papa and mama have bid me say, They hope you’ll dine with us at three; They will be out till then, you see, But you will start at once, you know, And come as fast as you can go.

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Ever your dearest Emily!’