Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
abandoned
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From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
abandoning
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From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
absolutely
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From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
any
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From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
approached
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
appropriating
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From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
assurance
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From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
baby
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From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
borne
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From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
boy
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From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
child
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From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
claim
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
deliberately
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From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
delight
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From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
demand
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From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
depriving
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From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
dividing
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From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
dwelling
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From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
Enemy
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From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
eternal
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From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
exercised
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
exhaustive
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
far
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
finally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
finder
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From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
helpless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
herspronounUS /hərz/
the one or ones belonging to her
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
how
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
humanity
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From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
humble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
indeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
inquiry
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
justified
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
liberate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
link
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From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
love-property
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
made
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From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
Maggie
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From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
meantimenounUS /ˈmiːntaɪm/
the period of time while something else is happening
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
paternal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
re-appropriate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
regarded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
regarding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
remaining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
rescue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
restoring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
seeing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
soutar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
splendid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
Surely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
triumph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
unseen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading For nothing could liberate the finder of such a thing from the duty of restoring it upon demand, seeing there could be no assurance that the child had been deliberately and finally abandoned!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Maggie, indeed, regarded the baby as absolutely hers by right of rescue; but her father asked himself whether by appropriating him she might not be depriving his mother of the one remaining link between her and humanity, and so abandoning her helpless to the Enemy.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In the meantime the said child, a splendid boy, was the delight of the humble dwelling to which Maggie had borne him in triumph.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading But the mind of the soutar was not a little exercised as to how far their right in the boy approached the paternal: were they justified in regarding him as their love-property, before having made exhaustive inquiry as to who could claim, and might re-appropriate him?
withhold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surely to take and withhold from any woman her child, must be to do what was possible toward dividing her from the unseen and eternal!
