Chapter VII · Only a Barnardo Boy

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

treat badly

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading And in the Riles’ home culture had come to be a thing misunderstood, and self-sacrifice a thing unknown.

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

plural of “builder” — a substance added to soaps or detergents to increase their cleansing action

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

a particular society at a particular time and place

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

plural of “curse” — profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

the domain ruled by an emperor or empress; the region over which imperial dominion is exercised

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

the state or fact of existing

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

be a farmer; work as a farmer

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

a boy or man

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

let have

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

where you live at a particular time

From this reading And in the Riles’ home culture had come to be a thing misunderstood, and self-sacrifice a thing unknown.

the home and adjacent grounds occupied by a family

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

engage in

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

wrongly understood

From this reading And in the Riles’ home culture had come to be a thing misunderstood, and self-sacrifice a thing unknown.

treat with contempt

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

a course of conduct

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

someone who helps to open up a new line of research or technology or art

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

continued in your keeping or use or memory

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

third-person singular of “rile” — cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

(biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

acting with less concern for yourself than for the success of the joint activity

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

(of meat) full of sinews; especially impossible to chew

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

not in physical motion

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

third-person singular of “survive” — continue to live and avoid dying

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

a special situation

From this reading And in the Riles’ home culture had come to be a thing misunderstood, and self-sacrifice a thing unknown.

bristling with perplexities

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

up to a particular time

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

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

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

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

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

not known

From this reading And in the Riles’ home culture had come to be a thing misunderstood, and self-sacrifice a thing unknown.

not made sweet

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

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

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

at the time that

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading _The Empire Builders._ Hiram Riles and his wife lived on a farm about two miles from the Grant homestead.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

a late time of life

From this reading But it’s a hardy rose that survives twenty years of pioneer life, and it’s a deep-rooted sentiment that can weather prosperity unelevated by culture and unsweetened by self-sacrifice.

but in spite of that

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.

a young person of either sex

From this reading “They’ll abuse him as a youngster, they will mock him as a man, They’ll make his life a thorny path in every way they can, Till he curses his existence and the day that it began, And he wishes he was rotting in the sod.”

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading They had come out from the East in the early days, when Riles was a strong, sinewy fellow to whom money-getting had not yet become a mania, and his wife still retained some of the roses and some of the sentiment of youth.