used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
Abdallah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
(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 Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
applicationnounUS /ˌæpləˈkeɪʃən/
the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
ArabicnounUS /ˈærəbɪk/
the Semitic language of the Arabs; spoken in a variety of dialects
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
backsheish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
behaveverbUS /bɪˈheɪv/
behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
Damer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
dependedverbUS /dɪˈpendəd/
past form of “depend” — be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
obtain
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
an indirect suggestion
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
invokedverbUS /ˌɪnˈvoʊkt/
past form of “invoke” — summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
engage in
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
a form of address for a man
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
and nothing more
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
PyramidsnounUS /ˈpɪrəmɪdz/
plural of “pyramid” — a polyhedron having a polygonal base and triangular sides with a common vertex
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
with low volume
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading And then poor Mrs. Damer replied to an application for backsheish by the gift of a sixpence.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
sixpencenoun
a small coin of the United Kingdom worth six pennies; not minted since 1970
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
carry out
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune
From this reading Unfortunate woman!
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And then Abdallah, thus invoked, came up, and explained to the man in Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave himself a little more quietly; a hint which the man took for one minute, and for one minute only.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Unfortunate woman!
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Why don’t you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it, I would not give him sixpence!”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Abdallah!” shouted Mr. Damer, “why don’t you take this man away?
