used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
in actual fact
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
affirmativeadjectiveUS /əˈfɜːrmətɪv/
affirming or giving assent
From this reading As I looked around, I received on this point a mute affirmative.
(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 “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading As I looked around, I received on this point a mute affirmative.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
aughtnounUS /ɔːt/
a quantity of no importance
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
coinagenounUS /ˈkɔɪnɪdʒ/
coins collectively
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
compos
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
DavynounUS /ˈdeɪvi/
English chemist who was a pioneer in electrochemistry and who used it to isolate elements sodium and potassium and barium and boron and calcium and magnesium and chlorine (1778-1829)
From this reading “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
Dothauxiliary verbUS /dɔːθ/
an old form of “does”
From this reading “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
Hartley's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “_Shallow_,--Yes, Davy--I will use him well.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “_Shallow_,--Yes, Davy--I will use him well.”
inquiringadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪərɪŋ/
given to inquiry
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
immediately past
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions on one's way of life.
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading As I looked around, I received on this point a mute affirmative.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
mentis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
a form of address for a man
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
muteadjectiveUS /mjuːt/
expressed without speech
From this reading As I looked around, I received on this point a mute affirmative.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As I looked around, I received on this point a mute affirmative.
persuadeverbUS /pərˈsweɪd/
win approval or support for
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading As I looked around, I received on this point a mute affirmative.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading As I looked around, I received on this point a mute affirmative.
respectfullyadverbUS /rɪˈspektfəli/
in a respectful manner
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
only a very short time before
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
Shakspeare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shakspeare.
ShallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading “_Shallow_,--Yes, Davy--I will use him well.”
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading As I looked around, I received on this point a mute affirmative.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
transactionsnounUS /trænˈzækʃənz/
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
the act of using
From this reading “_Shallow_,--Yes, Davy--I will use him well.”
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading “_Davy_.--Doth the man of war stay all night?
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “_Shallow_,--Yes, Davy--I will use him well.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading As I rode from Mr. Hartley’s, I could scarcely persuade myself that the transactions of the last two days were aught but a coinage of the brain, and took the liberty of respectfully inquiring of myself whether I were actually _compos mentis_.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “_Shallow_,--Yes, Davy--I will use him well.”
an affirmative
From this reading “_Shallow_,--Yes, Davy--I will use him well.”
