used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
speak to
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
any thing at all
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
feeling shame or guilt or embarrassment or remorse
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
a youthful male person
From this reading But the boy checked them.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the boy checked them.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
checkedadjectiveUS /tʃekt/
patterned with alternating squares of color
From this reading But the boy checked them.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
deserveverbUS /dɪˈzɜːrv/
be worthy or deserving
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
ethicaladjectiveUS /ˈeθɪkəl/
of or relating to the philosophical study of ethics
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
at any time
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
widely known and esteemed
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
engage in
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
by chance
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
painfullyadverbUS /ˈpeɪnfəli/
unpleasantly
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
possession of controlling influence
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
self-respectnounUS /ˌselfrɪˈspekt/
the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
speakernounUS /ˈspiːkər/
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
tentativeadjectiveUS /ˈtentətɪv/
under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But the boy checked them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But the boy checked them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Slowly, painfully, he fought his way to a tentative self-respect.
won't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's not the point; I didn't make it; I didn't deserve it; I've been easy on myself; I've got to change; so some day my people won't be ashamed of me--maybe."
workernounUS /ˈwɜːrkər/
a person who works at a specific occupation
From this reading He might not ever be anything big, a power as his father was, but he could be a hard worker, he could make a place.
YalenounUS /jeɪl/
a university in Connecticut
From this reading A few days before a famous speaker had given an address on an ethical subject at Yale.
