used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A PATHETIC BALLAD.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
BALLADnounUS /ˈbæləd/
a narrative song with a recurrent refrain
From this reading A PATHETIC BALLAD.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
earlier than; in front of
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
builder'snounUS /ˈbɪldərz/
possessive form of “builder” — a substance added to soaps or detergents to increase their cleansing action
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
cutsnounUS /kʌts/
plural of “cut” — a share of the profits
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
engine-turn'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
engineernounUS /ˈendʒəˈnɪr/
a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
to come or go into
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
United States labor leader (born in Ireland) who helped to found the Industrial Workers of the World (1830-1930)
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
engage in
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
the force of workers available
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
ninetyadjectiveUS /ˈnaɪnti/
being ten more than eighty
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
noughtnoun
a mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
PATHETICadjectiveUS /pəˈθetɪk/
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading A PATHETIC BALLAD.
plural of “pound” — 16 ounces avoirdupois
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
Redbreastnoun
small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
roadsnounUS /roʊdz/
a partly sheltered anchorage
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
cut with a saw
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
schemesnounUS /skiːmz/
plural of “scheme” — an elaborate and systematic plan of action
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
STERNEnounUS /stɜːrn/
English writer (born in Ireland) (1713-1766)
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
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 For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I saw the iron enter into his soul.”--STERNE.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
make an effort or attempt
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
Wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For, finding that the iron roads Were quite the public tale, Like Robin Redbreast, all his heart Was set upon a rail.
at the time that
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
which person or people
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But oh! his schemes all ended ill, As schemes must come to nought, With men who try to make short cuts, When cut with something short.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading John Jones he was a builder’s clerk, On ninety pounds a year, Before his head was engine-turn’d To be an engineer!
