Chapter III · Chapter 3

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

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

conforming to your own liking or feelings or nature

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

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

From this reading CONCERNING WÄRLI AND MARIE.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

lacking or showing a lack of due concern

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to

From this reading CONCERNING WÄRLI AND MARIE.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

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

From this reading "Ei, Ei!" he said to himself; "Marie is in a good temper to-day.

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

capable of arousing and holding the attention

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

a competitor thought likely to win

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading "Ei, Ei!" he said to himself; "Marie is in a good temper to-day.

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

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

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

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

a humming noise

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

an abnormal backward curve to the vertebral column

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

of great significance or value

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

capable of being apprehended or understood

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

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

From this reading "Ei, Ei!" he said to himself; "Marie is in a good temper to-day.

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

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

the literary culture

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

a specialist in linguistics

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading CONCERNING WÄRLI AND MARIE.

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

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

used to form the superlative

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

and nothing more

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

a wrapped container

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

a human being

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

a man who delivers the mail

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

(of animals) officially recorded with or certified by a recognized breed association; especially in a stud book

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Ei, Ei!" he said to himself; "Marie is in a good temper to-day.

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

express in speech

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

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

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

a sudden outburst of anger

From this reading "Ei, Ei!" he said to himself; "Marie is in a good temper to-day.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

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

From this reading "Ei, Ei!" he said to himself; "Marie is in a good temper to-day.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

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

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading He was a linguist, too, was Wärli, and could speak broken English in a most fascinating way, agreeable to every one, but intelligible only to himself.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

at the time that

From this reading Well, he came whistling up the stairs when he heard Marie's blithe voice humming her favourite spinning-song.

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

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

in the company of; together with

From this reading WÄRLI, the little hunchback postman, a cheery soul, came whistling up the Kurhaus stairs, carrying with him that precious parcel of registered letters, which gave him the position of being the most important person in Petershof.

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

From this reading CONCERNING WÄRLI AND MARIE.