Chapter I

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

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

extensive landed property (especially in the country) retained by the owner for his own use

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

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

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

very dark wood of any of several blackwood trees

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading TALES OF THE R.I.C.

a fractional monetary unit of several countries

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

-ing form of “consist” — originate

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

-ing form of “earn” — earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

the capital of Scotland; located in the Lothian Region on the south side of the Firth of Forth

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

a social unit living together

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

be a farmer; work as a farmer

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

plural of “farm” — workplace consisting of farm buildings and cultivated land as a unit

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

plural of “find” — a productive insight

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

usually; as a rule

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

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

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

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

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

common Old World heath represented by many varieties; low evergreen grown widely in the northern hemisphere

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

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

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

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

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

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

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading TALES OF THE R.I.C.

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

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

introducing a different topic

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

marked by a lack of interest

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

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

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

conformity or harmony

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

Irish version of burgoo

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

plural of “mystery” — something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading TALES OF THE R.I.C.

many times at short intervals

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

the local environment

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

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

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

a country person

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

for each

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air

From this reading TALES OF THE R.I.C.

the back of a military formation or procession

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

something left after other parts have been taken away

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

being one more than sixteen

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

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

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading TALES OF THE R.I.C.

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

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

From this reading TALES OF THE R.I.C.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

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

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

being five more than twenty

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

up to a particular time

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

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

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

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

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.

at the time that

From this reading Patsey Mulligan was one of a family of ten, brought up on one of these farms until he was seventeen, when his father told him that it was time he thought of keeping himself, and, incidentally, of earning some money for his mother.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading On such a farm a peasant will rear a large family, and how it is done is one of the mysteries of Ireland; but done it is, and often.

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

From this reading William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London In many parts of the west of Ireland one finds small mountain farms of from five to twenty acres, generally consisting of twenty-five per cent rock, twenty-five per cent heather, and the remainder of indifferent grass-land.