used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "H'm; how did you make that discovery, my boy?" asked the old gentleman.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
have
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
according with custom or propriety
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
a youthful male person
From this reading "H'm; how did you make that discovery, my boy?" asked the old gentleman.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "H'm; how did you make that discovery, my boy?" asked the old gentleman.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
the act of discovering something
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
eh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
apart from; not including
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
a man of refinement
From this reading "H'm; how did you make that discovery, my boy?" asked the old gentleman.
H'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "H'm; how did you make that discovery, my boy?" asked the old gentleman.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
plural of “idea” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
inflictingverbUS /ˌɪnˈflɪktɪŋ/
-ing form of “inflict” — impose something unpleasant
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
immediately past
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
engage in
From this reading "H'm; how did you make that discovery, my boy?" asked the old gentleman.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "H'm; how did you make that discovery, my boy?" asked the old gentleman.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
One's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
precisely, exactly
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh?
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
a thing, without saying which
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
StanleynounUS /ˈstænli/
United States inventor who built a steam-powered automobile (1849-1918)
From this reading "That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life," replied Stanley, laughing.
Stanney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
express a supposition
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
talentnounUS /ˈtælənt/
natural abilities or qualities
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
at the time that
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?"
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading "One's ideas change, I suppose," replied the youth, with a smile,--"probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it."
