Chapter XXIV · Chapter 24

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

how long something has existed

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

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

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

confined by bonds

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

showing who or what does the action

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

carefully weighed

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

without stop or interruption

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

United States inventor; inventions included the phonograph and incandescent electric light and the microphone and the Kinetoscope (1847-1931)

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

all things; all of a situation

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

communicated in words

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

plural of “fortune” — an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

disability of walking due to crippling of the legs or feet

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

greater in size or importance or degree

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

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

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

a rhythmic thrusting movement of the legs as in swimming or calisthenics

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

plural of “laboratory” — a workplace for the conduct of scientific research

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

a contestant who loses the contest

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

and nothing more

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

the number that is represented as a one followed by 6 zeros

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

not any; not one

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

and nothing more

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

plural of “revers” — a lapel on a woman's garment; turned back to show the reverse side

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

cut with a saw

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

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

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

a thing, without saying which

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

inflected form of “spill” — cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

express in words

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)

From this reading "One of the striking things about Thomas Alva Edison is his gameness.

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

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

get lost, as without warning or explanation

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

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

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

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

From this reading "When his laboratories were burned or he suffered great reverses, Edison considered them merely the fortunes of war.

at the time that

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

which person or people

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

be the winner in a contest or competition; be victorious

From this reading In this respect he has been greater than Napoleon, who was not always a 'good loser,' for he had come to regard himself as bound to win, whether or no; so when everything went against him, he expressed himself by kicking against Fate.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

a late time of life

From this reading But when Edison saw the hard work of nine years which had cost him two million dollars vanish one night in a sudden storm, he only laughed and said, 'I never took much stock in spilt milk.'

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading THE GENIUS OF THE AGE "I want to tell you something more about the personal side of this great man," continued the voice from the horn.