used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
afaradverbUS /əˈfɑːr/
(old-fashioned) at or from or to a great distance; far
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
(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 forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
avoidedverbUS /əˈvɔɪdɪd/
past form of “avoid” — stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
barriersnounUS /ˈbæriərz/
plural of “barrier” — a structure or object that impedes free movement
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
inflected form of “behold” — see with attention
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
bendverbUS /bend/
form a curve
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading He lived as a bird lives, or a fish, or a wolf.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
Cann
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
debtsnounUS /dets/
plural of “debt” — the state of owing something (especially money)
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
a statement that represents something in words
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
discernedverbUS /dɪˈsɜːrnd/
past form of “discern” — detect with the senses
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
edgesnounUS /ˈedʒəz/
plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
one or the other of two
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
engagementsnounUS /enˈɡeɪdʒmənts/
plural of “engagement” — a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
ethicaladjectiveUS /ˈeθɪkəl/
of or relating to the philosophical study of ethics
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading He lived as a bird lives, or a fish, or a wolf.
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
forty-twoadjective
being two more than forty
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
the first of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures comprising the first five books of the Hebrew Bible considered as a unit
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading He lived as a bird lives, or a fish, or a wolf.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He lived as a bird lives, or a fish, or a wolf.
MacnounUS /mæk/
a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
moralitynounUS /mərˈæləti/
concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
not any; not one
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He lived as a bird lives, or a fish, or a wolf.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
PatsynounUS /ˈpætsi/
a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
a human being
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
without much difficulty
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
recogniseverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
show approval or appreciation of
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
reverenceverbUS /ˈrevərəns/
regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
cut with a saw
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
vaultedadjectiveUS /ˈvɔːltɪd/
having a hemispherical vault or dome
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
precisely as stated
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
volatileadjectiveUS /ˈvɑːlətəl/
evaporating readily at normal temperatures and pressures
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In truth Patsy Mac Cann was a very able person.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
weightyadjectiveUS /ˈweɪti/
having relatively great weight; heavy
From this reading Religion and morality, although he paid these an extraordinary reverence, were not for him either; he beheld them from afar, and, however they might seem beautiful or foolish, he left them behind as readily as he did his debts, if so weighty a description may be given to his volatile engagements.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Laws were for other people, but they were not for him; he crawled under or vaulted across these ethical barriers, and they troubled him no more than as he had to bend or climb a little to avoid them--he discerned laws as something to be avoided, and it was thus he saw most things.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs
From this reading He lived as a bird lives, or a fish, or a wolf.
a late time of life
From this reading For forty-two years he had existed on the edges of a society which did not recognise him in any way, and, as he might himself have put it, he had not done so very badly at all.
