used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
(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 "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
Belswin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
coarseadjectiveUS /kɔːrs/
of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
cursedadjectiveUS /kɜːrst/
deserving a curse; sometimes used as an intensifier
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
displayedverbUS /dɪˈspleɪd/
past form of “display” — to show, make visible or apparent
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
disturbancenounUS /dɪˈstɜːrbəns/
activity that is a malfunction, intrusion, or interruption
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
having the place or position changed
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
Dombrain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
drummedverbUS /drʌmd/
inflected form of “drum” — make a rhythmic sound
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
the organ of sight
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
frownverbUS /fraʊn/
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
hold firmly
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
hairyadjectiveUS /ˈheri/
having or covered with hair
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
with gusto and without reservation
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
judgingnounUS /ˈdʒʌdʒɪŋ/
the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
and nothing more
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
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 Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
loosesnounUS /ˈluːsɪz/
plural of “loos” — Austrian architect (1870-1933)
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
engage in
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
a particular point in time
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
moustachenounUS /ˈmʌstæʃ/
an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
a form of address for a man
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
nailsnounUS /neɪlz/
plural of “nail” — horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
outburstnounUS /ˈaʊtbɜːrst/
an unrestrained expression of emotion
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
pawnnounUS /pɔːn/
an article deposited as security
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
participate in games or sport
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
pleasantest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
professionaladjectiveUS /prəˈfeʃənəl/
engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
puppetsnounUS /ˈpʌpəts/
plural of “puppet” — a small figure of a person operated from above with strings by a puppeteer
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
plural of “remark” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
socially incorrect in behavior
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
stealthy-fingered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
successive (without a break)
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
stubblyadjective
having a short growth of beard
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
suavitynoun
the quality of being bland and gracious or ingratiating in manner
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
symptomsnounUS /ˈsɪmptəmz/
plural of “symptom” — (medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
thonounUS /ðoʊ/
a branch of the Tai languages
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
having come into contact
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
precisely as stated
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
victornounUS /ˈvɪktər/
a combatant who is able to defeat rivals
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
well-thought-out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest.
at the time that
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
winningadjectiveUS /ˈwɪnɪŋ/
having won
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
in the company of; together with
From this reading He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
would-beadjective
unfulfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
intense anger (usually on an epic scale)
From this reading Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all."
