used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading IN SEARCH OF A THIEF.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
Drummond
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
flogverbUS /flɑːɡ/
beat severely with a whip or rod
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
idlenessnounUS /ˈaɪdəlnəs/
having no employment
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN SEARCH OF A THIEF.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
JacobnounUS /ˈdʒeɪkəb/
French biochemist who (with Jacques Monod) studied regulatory processes in cells (born in 1920)
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
JoshuanounUS /ˈdʒɑːʃuːə/
(Old Testament) Moses' successor who led the Israelites into the Promised Land; best remembered for his destruction of Jericho
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
owning or consisting of land or real estate
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
engage in
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
not any; not one
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IN SEARCH OF A THIEF.
paternaladjectiveUS /pəˈtɜːrnəl/
belonging to or inherited from one's father
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
robbedverbUS /rɑːbd/
inflected form of “rob” — take something away by force or without the consent of the owner
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading IN SEARCH OF A THIEF.
a male human offspring
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
with strength or in a strong manner
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
supportingadjectiveUS /səˈpɔːrtɪŋ/
furnishing support and encouragement
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
THIEFnounUS /θiːf/
a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it
From this reading IN SEARCH OF A THIEF.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
ungratefuladjectiveUS /ənˈɡreɪtfəl/
not feeling or showing gratitude
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
precisely as stated
From this reading His paternal affection for Joshua had never been very great, and, now that his son had robbed him, his anger was strongly stirred against him.
villainnounUS /ˈvɪlən/
a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately
From this reading “The ungrateful villain! to make me such a return for supporting him in idleness all his life!”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
in the company of; together with
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading “If I get hold of him, I’ll flog him within an inch of his life,” he muttered, between his closed teeth.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading IT was with no pleasant feelings that Jacob Drummond landed in New York.
