used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Yes, I should want to be a soldier!
anguishnounUS /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/
extreme mental distress
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
any thing at all
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Yes, I should want to be a soldier!
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/
-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
crisisnounUS /ˈkraɪsəs/
an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
enlistverbUS /ˌenˈlɪst/
join the military
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
gulpedverbUS /ɡʌlpt/
past form of “gulp” — to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
haven't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Yes, I should want to be a soldier!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
immediately past
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
MarianadjectiveUS /ˈmeriən/
of or relating to or venerating the Virgin Mary
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
not any; not one
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/
impressive in appearance
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
perplexitynounUS /pərˈpleksəti/
trouble or confusion resulting from complexity
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
participate in games or sport
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
scornfuladjectiveUS /ˈskɔːrnfəl/
expressing extreme contempt
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading “Yes, I should want to be a soldier!
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading “Yes, I should want to be a soldier!
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Yes, I should want to be a soldier!
tossverbUS /tɔːs/
throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading “No, I don't, I haven't any right to want you to do anything,” she gave her head a scornful little toss.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “Yes, I should want to be a soldier!
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What can be more noble than to fight for one's country?”
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Stephen gulped down something that rose in his throat; his breast seemed to swell to bursting with dull anguish, that it should be required of him to play so mean a part in this crisis.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes, I should want to be a soldier!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Why, Marian, I believe you want me to enlist!” he said at last in miserable perplexity.
