1698
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE AMSTERDAM EDITION OF 1698.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
AMSTERDAMnounUS /ˈæmstərdæm/
an industrial center and the nominal capital of the Netherlands; center of the diamond-cutting industry; seat of an important stock exchange; known for its canals and art museum
From this reading THE AMSTERDAM EDITION OF 1698.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
any thing at all
From this reading Not that Ducie had anything to forgive.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
Bon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
distastefuladjectiveUS /dɪˈsteɪstfəl/
not pleasing in odor or taste
From this reading It was not distasteful to him.
Ducie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
dulness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
the act of consuming food
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
EDITIONnounUS /əˈdɪʃən/
the form in which a text (especially a printed book) is published
From this reading THE AMSTERDAM EDITION OF 1698.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
stop blaming or grant forgiveness
From this reading Not that Ducie had anything to forgive.
forgivenverbUS /fərˈɡɪvən/
inflected form of “forgive” — stop blaming or grant forgiveness
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was not distasteful to him.
impingedverbUS /ˌɪmˈpɪndʒd/
past form of “impinge” — impinge or infringe upon
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not distasteful to him.
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
used to form the superlative
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not distasteful to him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE AMSTERDAM EDITION OF 1698.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
Repos
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/
an unvarying or habitual method or procedure
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
setsnounUS /sets/
plural of “set” — a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
in the near future
From this reading Captain Ducie soon fell into the quiet routine of life at Bon Repos.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE AMSTERDAM EDITION OF 1698.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was not distasteful to him.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
varietynounUS /vərˈaɪəti/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
vergenounUS /vɜːrdʒ/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was not distasteful to him.
at the time that
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
which person or people
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading To a younger man it might have seemed to lack variety, to have impinged too closely on the verge of dulness; but Captain Ducie had reached that time of life when quiet pleasures please the most, and when much can be forgiven the man who sets before you a dinner worth eating.
