used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
affabilitynoun
a disposition to be friendly and approachable (easy to talk to)
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
audacitynounUS /ɑːˈdæs.ə.t̬i/
A willingness to take bold risks; insolent and daring boldness that defies all authority.
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
choirnounUS /ˈkwaɪər/
a chorus that sings as part of a religious ceremony
From this reading Indeed, as time passed this grew to be by no means the most trying part of the proceedings of the choir.
past form of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
decorousadjectiveUS /ˈdekərəs/
characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste in manners and conduct
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
decorumnounUS /dɪˈkɔːrəm/
propriety in manners and conduct
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
a man of refinement
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
gentlemanlyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒentəlmənli/
befitting a man of good breeding
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
good-naturedadjective
having an easygoing and cheerful disposition
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Indeed, as time passed this grew to be by no means the most trying part of the proceedings of the choir.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
humverbUS /hʌm/
sing with closed lips
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
hummed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Indeed, as time passed this grew to be by no means the most trying part of the proceedings of the choir.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
social deportment
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Indeed, as time passed this grew to be by no means the most trying part of the proceedings of the choir.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
absolutely essential
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
not any; not one
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Indeed, as time passed this grew to be by no means the most trying part of the proceedings of the choir.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Indeed, as time passed this grew to be by no means the most trying part of the proceedings of the choir.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
proceedingsnounUS /proʊˈsiːdɪŋz/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading Indeed, as time passed this grew to be by no means the most trying part of the proceedings of the choir.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
reverenceverbUS /ˈrevərəns/
regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
sheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
Theodore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
Theodore's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
transactverbUS /trænˈzækt/
conduct business
From this reading It became necessary to transact a great deal of business after the services had fairly commenced.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
hard to endure
From this reading Indeed, as time passed this grew to be by no means the most trying part of the proceedings of the choir.
tunenounUS /tuːn/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
tunesnounUS /tuːnz/
plural of “tune” — a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
undertonenounUS /ˈʌndərtoʊn/
a quiet or hushed tone of voice
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THIS was the beginning, but by no means the end.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading The smiling Theodore was a perfect gentleman, no doubt, as regarded affability of manners, and he carried his point, whatever it was, by sheer good-natured audacity, but reverence for the house of God seemed to have no place in his nature.
at the time that
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading When he wanted to hum a new tune during prayer time, why he hummed the tune, in decorous undertone, it is true, and looking perfectly good-natured the while; but to hum tunes and turn leaves seemed to be the gentlemanly Theodore's idea of decorum in prayer time.
