used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BRAVE EFFORT.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading A BRAVE EFFORT.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
a small house with a single story
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
someone who is a detective
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
duncenoun
a stupid person; these words are used to express a low opinion of someone's intelligence
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading A BRAVE EFFORT.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
a social unit living together
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
Forgetfulnessnoun
tendency to forget
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
set up or found
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
a state of high honor
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
groanedverbUS /ɡroʊnd/
past form of “groan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
Lubin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
Matty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
ProcrastinationnounUS /prəˌkræstəˈneɪʃən/
the act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or defering an action to a later time
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
reducedadjectiveUS /rəˈduːst/
made less in size or amount or degree
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
destroyed physically or morally
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
in the near future
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
happening unexpectedly
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
carry out
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
a special situation
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
trialsnounUS /ˈtraɪəlz/
plural of “trial” — the act of testing something
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
a source of difficulty
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
veriest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
which person or people
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Oh! why should this be--why should this be?" groaned Dick, as soon as he found himself alone; "why should I, the genius of the family, suddenly find myself reduced to the state of the veriest dunce?
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading It is a wise thing for those in trouble to try and search for the reason of their trials.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Why should I have a cottage so ruined and empty--I who had made its furniture my glory--I who had worked so hard and so well?"
of very poor quality or condition
From this reading Why should one wretched accident take from me more than Matty lost by Forgetfulness, or Lubin by Procrastination?
