Chapter XIX · Chapter 19

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading CAPTAIN POLKINGTON Captain Polkington was watching a pan of jam.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

European herb somewhat resembling celery widely naturalized in Britain coastal regions and often cultivated as a potherb

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

(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 He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

in addition

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

From this reading CAPTAIN POLKINGTON Captain Polkington was watching a pan of jam.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

a refrigerator for cooling liquids

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

travel across or pass over

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

the quality of having an inferior or less favorable position

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

divisible by two

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

press tightly together or cram

From this reading CAPTAIN POLKINGTON Captain Polkington was watching a pan of jam.

“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

a room equipped for preparing meals

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

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 He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

used of unskilled work (especially domestic work)

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

an area that is approximately central within some larger region

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

a form of address for a man

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading CAPTAIN POLKINGTON Captain Polkington was watching a pan of jam.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

make a sweeping movement

From this reading CAPTAIN POLKINGTON Captain Polkington was watching a pan of jam.

reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

a human being

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading CAPTAIN POLKINGTON Captain Polkington was watching a pan of jam.

precisely, exactly

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

a state of acute pain

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading CAPTAIN POLKINGTON Captain Polkington was watching a pan of jam.

look attentively

From this reading He also thought it too warm to watch jam in the back kitchen and that occupation, though it was the cooler of the two, had the further disadvantage of being beneath his dignity.

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading CAPTAIN POLKINGTON Captain Polkington was watching a pan of jam.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading He did not know what business this person had come on; he had seen him arrive a few minutes back, had even heard his name--Mr. Alexander Cross--but that was all he knew about him; Julia had taken him into the parlour and shut the door.

during the time that

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

in the company of; together with

From this reading The dignity was suffering a good deal; was it right, he asked himself, that he, the man of the house, should have the menial task of watching jam while Julia talked business with some one in the parlour?

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading It was the middle of the day and warm; too warm to be at work out of doors, as Johnny was, at least so the Captain thought.