used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
annihilatedadjectiveUS /əˈnaɪəleɪtɪd/
destroyed completely
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
baint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
capacitynounUS /kəˈpæsəti/
capability to perform or produce
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
companionableadjective
suggestive of companionship
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
confidentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnfədəntli/
with confidence; in a confident manner
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
congregationnounUS /ˌkɑːŋɡrəˈɡeɪʃən/
a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
deliververbUS /dɪˈlɪvər/
deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
zealous in devotion or affection
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
discreetadjectiveUS /dɪˈskriːt/
marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
disquietingadjectiveUS /dɪˈskwaɪətɪŋ/
causing mental discomfort
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
half the width of an em
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
at any time
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
fishermennounUS /ˈfɪʃərmɪn/
plural of “fisherman” — someone whose occupation is catching fish
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
genialadjectiveUS /ˈdʒiːnjəl/
diffusing warmth and friendliness
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
gingerbreadnounUS /ˈdʒɪndʒərbred/
cake flavored with ginger
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
the act of departing
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
inexhaustibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɪɡˈzɔːstəbəl/
that cannot be entirely consumed or used up
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
immediately past
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
marblesnounUS /ˈmɑːrbəlz/
a children's game played with little balls made of a hard substance (as glass)
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
neighbournounUS /ˈneɪbər/
a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
not any; not one
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Such was our Rector.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
parishnounUS /ˈpærɪʃ/
a local church community
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
parishionersnounUS /pərˈɪʃənərz/
plural of “parishioner” — a member of a parish
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
any competition
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
RectornounUS /ˈrektər/
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading Such was our Rector.
reverentadjectiveUS /ˈrevərənt/
feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
sakesnounUS /seɪks/
plural of “sake” — a reason for wanting something done
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
express in words
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
sermonnounUS /ˈsɜːrmən/
an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such was our Rector.
textnounUS /tekst/
the words of something written
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
in or at that place or location
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading No, but a kindly, genial old man; devoted to his parishioners, if not to his duties; clever too, and companionable in society, and inexhaustible to the boys of the parish in the matter of marbles and gingerbread.
unwiseadjectiveUS /ənˈwaɪz/
showing or resulting from lack of judgment or wisdom
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
in or at the place that
From this reading “If there baint no sea, then ’tis no place for I,” I heard a man say to his neighbour as he passed out of church; “and sakes alive, where be ’en going to get their fish from?”
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The last sermon I ever heard him deliver was on the text, “And there shall be no more sea”—an unwise and disquieting subject for a congregation, most of whom came of a race of fishermen, and gained their living from the element which he so confidently annihilated.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Not reverent or discreet, you will say, in his capacity of priest.
