used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Thomas Hardy is an 'habitual writer,' but he is always amusing.
amusingadjectiveUS /əˈmjuːzɪŋ/
providing enjoyment; pleasantly entertaining
From this reading Thomas Hardy is an 'habitual writer,' but he is always amusing.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Thomas Hardy is an 'habitual writer,' but he is always amusing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
attractverbUS /əˈtrækt/
direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Thomas Hardy is an 'habitual writer,' but he is always amusing.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
causesnounUS /ˈkɑːzəz/
plural of “cause” — events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
chainsnounUS /tʃeɪnz/
metal shackles; for hands or legs
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
rid of obstructions
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation
From this reading Thomas Hardy is a distinguished exception.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
emphasizeverbUS /ˈemfəsaɪz/
to stress, single out as important
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
exceptionnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃən/
a deliberate act of omission
From this reading Thomas Hardy is a distinguished exception.
exceptionsnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃənz/
plural of “exception” — a deliberate act of omission
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
habitualadjectiveUS /həˈbɪtʃuːəl/
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading Thomas Hardy is an 'habitual writer,' but he is always amusing.
half-dozenadjectiveUS /ˈhæfdʌzən/
denoting a quantity consisting of six items or units
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
HardyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdi/
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading Thomas Hardy is a distinguished exception.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Thomas Hardy is an 'habitual writer,' but he is always amusing.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Thomas Hardy is a distinguished exception.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
not any; not one
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
novelistnounUS /ˈnɑːvələst/
one who writes novels
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
paragraphsnounUS /ˈpærəɡræfs/
plural of “paragraph” — one of several distinct subdivisions of a text intended to separate ideas; the beginning is usually marked by a new indented line
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
provesverbUS /pruːvz/
third-person singular of “prove” — be shown or be found to be
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
readableadjectiveUS /ˈriːdəbəl/
easily deciphered
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
plural of “story” — 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 That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There are as a matter of course more exceptions than one.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)
From this reading Thomas Hardy is a distinguished exception.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
which person or people
From this reading That he does attract and hold is clear to any one who has tried no more than a half-dozen pages from one of his best stories.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The following paragraphs are intended to emphasize certain causes of this quality in his work, the quality by virtue of which he chains the attention and proves himself the most readable novelist now living.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading Thomas Hardy is an 'habitual writer,' but he is always amusing.
