used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
consider or hold as true
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
accidentallyadverbUS /ˌæksəˈdentəli/
without advance planning
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
acquiredadjectiveUS /əˈkwaɪərd/
gotten through environmental forces
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
(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 There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
biasnounUS /ˈbaɪəs/
a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
brought into existence
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
brutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
callousnessnounUS /ˈkæləsnəs/
devoid of passion or feeling; hardheartedness
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
consistentadjectiveUS /kənˈsɪstənt/
(sometimes followed by “with”) in agreement or consistent or reliable
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
convincingadjectiveUS /kənˈvɪnsɪŋ/
causing one to believe the truth of something
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
credibleadjectiveUS /ˈkredəbəl/
capable of being believed
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
culturenounUS /ˈkʌltʃər/
a particular society at a particular time and place
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
depictsverbUS /dɪˈpɪkts/
third-person singular of “depict” — show in, or as in, a picture
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
discoveringverbUS /dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “discover” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
enlighteningadjectiveUS /ˌenˈlaɪtənɪŋ/
tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
exploitingverbUS /ˈeksplɔɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “exploit” — use or manipulate to one's advantage
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
guilenounUS /ɡaɪl/
shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
Hawthorne'snounUS /ˈhɔːθɔːrnz/
possessive form of “hawthorne” — United States writer of novels and short stories mostly on moral themes (1804-1864)
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
provoking horror
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
infernaladjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfɜːrnəl/
characteristic of or resembling Hell
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
inhumanadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈhjuːmən/
without compunction or human feeling
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
instinctsnounUS /ˈɪnstɪŋkts/
plural of “instinct” — inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
intercoursenounUS /ˈɪntərkɔːrs/
communication between individuals
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
lustnounUS /lʌst/
a strong sexual desire
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
the force of workers available
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
and nothing more
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
monstrousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːnstrəs/
abnormally large
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
moraladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrəl/
concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
passionsnounUS /ˈpæʃənz/
plural of “passion” — a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
persecutionnounUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈkjuːʃən/
the act of persecuting (especially on the basis of race or religion)
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
plural of “power” — possession of controlling influence
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
primitiveadjectiveUS /ˈprɪmətɪv/
belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
primordialadjectiveUS /prɪˈmɔːrdiəl/
having existed from the beginning; in an earliest or original stage or state
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
past form of “reveal” — make visible
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
only a very short time before
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
sensitiveadjectiveUS /ˈsensətɪv/
responsive to physical stimuli
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
plural of “soul” — the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
stupendousadjectiveUS /stuːˈpendəs/
so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading But that learning and culture could be acquired merely to the exploiting of such primitive passions was a stupendous enlightening.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
status with respect to the relations between people or groups
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
unfoldedverbUS /ənˈfoʊldɪd/
past form of “unfold” — develop or come to a promising stage
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a monstrous tale that he unfolded to me, scarce credible for the guile, the inhuman persecution, the infernal callousness which it revealed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There is a horrible tale of Hawthorne’s, which depicts the agony of a clean and sensitive soul upon discovering accidentally that _all_ the brother and sister souls of his familiar intercourse are on secret midnight terms with the powers of darkness.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading There are men born, one knows, without the moral bias--brutes “thrown back” on the primordial instincts for lust and blood.
but in spite of that
From this reading And yet I could not but accept it as consistent and convincing.
