used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
acquiredadjectiveUS /əˈkwaɪərd/
gotten through environmental forces
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Holy mackerel!" gasped Johnny, and sat down.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
beernounUS /bɪr/
a general name for alcoholic beverages made by fermenting a cereal (or mixture of cereals) flavored with hops
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
brought into existence
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
buoyancynounUS /ˈbɔɪənsi/
cheerfulness that bubbles to the surface
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
convertsnounUS /ˈkɑːnvərts/
plural of “convert” — a person who has been converted to another religious or political belief
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Holy mackerel!" gasped Johnny, and sat down.
drab-and-dun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny McLean found interest in masses, in the drab-and-dun village on the prairie.
fanaticnounUS /fəˈnætɪk/
a person motivated by irrational enthusiasm (as for a cause)
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
set up or found
From this reading Johnny McLean found interest in masses, in the drab-and-dun village on the prairie.
past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading Holy mackerel!" gasped Johnny, and sat down.
generositynounUS /ˌdʒenərˈɑːsəti/
the trait of being willing to give your money or time
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
a sacred place of pilgrimage
From this reading Holy mackerel!" gasped Johnny, and sat down.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
institutionnounUS /ˌɪnstɪˈtuːʃən/
an organization founded and united for a specific purpose
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
JohnnynounUS /ˈdʒɑːni/
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading Holy mackerel!" gasped Johnny, and sat down.
joyfuladjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪfəl/
full of or producing joy
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
immediately past
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
locomotivenounUS /ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪv/
a wheeled vehicle consisting of a self-propelled engine that is used to draw trains along railway tracks
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
mackerelnounUS /ˈmækərəl/
flesh of very important usually small (to 18 in) fatty Atlantic fish
From this reading Holy mackerel!" gasped Johnny, and sat down.
massesnounUS /ˈmæsəz/
the common people generally
From this reading Johnny McLean found interest in masses, in the drab-and-dun village on the prairie.
McLean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny McLean found interest in masses, in the drab-and-dun village on the prairie.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Johnny McLean found interest in masses, in the drab-and-dun village on the prairie.
outputnounUS /ˈaʊtpʊt/
final product; the things produced
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
outweighsverbUS /ˈaʊtweɪz/
third-person singular of “outweigh” — be heavier than
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
painfullyadverbUS /ˈpeɪnfəli/
unpleasantly
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading Johnny McLean found interest in masses, in the drab-and-dun village on the prairie.
proportionnounUS /prəˈpɔːrʃən/
the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Holy mackerel!" gasped Johnny, and sat down.
have in common
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
skittlesnounUS /ˈskɪtəlz/
a bowling game that is played by rolling a bowling ball down a bowling alley at a target of nine wooden pins
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
splendidlyadverbUS /ˈsplendədli/
extremely well
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
strenuousnessnoun
extreme effortfulness
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The proportion of fighting in the battle of life outweighs the "beer and skittles"; as does the interest.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Johnny McLean found interest in masses, in the drab-and-dun village on the prairie.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He found pleasure, too, and as far as he could reach he tried to share it; buoyancy and generosity were born in him; strenuousness he had painfully acquired, and like most converts was a fanatic about it.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading He was splendidly fit; he was the best and last output of the best institution in the country; he went at his work like a joyful locomotive.
