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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
abstain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
achieved
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From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
amountverbUS /əˈmaʊnt/
to reach or total a particular quantity or value
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ESMOND AND THE VIRGINIANS.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
assigning
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From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
attained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
Barry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
chain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
class
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
compare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
comparison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
deal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
doubt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
dramatist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
English
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
ESMOND
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ESMOND AND THE VIRGINIANS.
excellence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
FairnounUS /fair/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
fictions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
flight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
forethought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
giving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
greater
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
greatest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
hesitate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
high
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
highest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
justify
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
language
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
level
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
link
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
lower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
Lyndon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
Much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
niche
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
novel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
novelist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
novelists
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
number
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
placed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
placing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
poet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
prose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
rank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
regard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
special
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
stronger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
sustained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
Thackeray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ESMOND AND THE VIRGINIANS.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/
for that reason; as a result
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
ThoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
Vanity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
VIRGINIANS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ESMOND AND THE VIRGINIANS.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
weakest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as I think of _Barry Lyndon_ and _Vanity Fair_, I cannot quite say this of them; but, as a chain is not stronger than its weakest link, so is a poet, or a dramatist, or a novelist to be placed in no lower level than that which he has attained by his highest sustained flight.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Though I do not hesitate to compare himself with himself, I will make no comparison between him and others; I therefore abstain from assigning to _Esmond_ any special niche among prose fictions in the English language, but I rank it so high as to justify me in placing him among the small number of the highest class of English novelists.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
wont
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The excellence which has been reached here Thackeray achieved, without doubt, by giving a greater amount of forethought to the work he had before him than had been his wont.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The novel with which we are now going to deal I regard as the greatest work that Thackeray did.
