used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
any thing at all
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
for the reason that
From this reading Richard Bransby had few friends because he tolerated few.
Bransby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Bransby had few friends because he tolerated few.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
channelsnounUS /ˈtʃænəlz/
official routes of communication
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
cheapadjectiveUS /tʃiːp/
relatively low in price or charging low prices
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
earnedadjectiveUS /ɜːrnd/
gained or acquired; especially through merit or as a result of effort or action
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
expensenounUS /ɪkˈspens/
amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures)
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Richard Bransby had few friends because he tolerated few.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Richard Bransby had few friends because he tolerated few.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Richard Bransby had few friends because he tolerated few.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Richard Bransby had few friends because he tolerated few.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
inferioradjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfɪriər/
of or characteristic of low rank or importance
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
itemnounUS /ˈaɪtəm/
a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
lavishlyadverbUS /ˈlævɪʃli/
in a wasteful manner
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
limitationsnounUS /ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “limitation” — a principle that limits the extent of something
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
magnificentlyadverbUS /mæɡˈnɪfəsəntli/
extremely well
From this reading He spent magnificently, but he never misspent.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
the force of workers available
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
misspentverbUS /mɪsˈspent/
inflected form of “misspend” — spend time badly or unwisely
From this reading He spent magnificently, but he never misspent.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He spent magnificently, but he never misspent.
not any; not one
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
paintverbUS /peɪnt/
make a painting
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
personalitynounUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈnælɪti/
the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
on the contrary
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Bransby had few friends because he tolerated few.
risksnounUS /rɪsks/
plural of “risk” — a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
self-searching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
shrewdadjectiveUS /ʃruːd/
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
sovereignsnounUS /ˈsɑːvrənz/
plural of “sovereign” — a nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary right
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
strenuouslyadverbUS /ˈstrenjuːəsli/
in a strenuous manner; strongly or vigorously
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
toleratedverbUS /ˈtɑːləreɪtɪd/
past form of “tolerate” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading Richard Bransby had few friends because he tolerated few.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
in the direction of
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
unlovableadjective
incapable of inspiring love or affection
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
Unlovingadjective
not giving or reciprocating affection
From this reading Unloving towards most, rather than unlovable, his life and his personality cut deep, but in narrow channels.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading To him pictures were—canvas and paint, and a considerable item of expense; for he was too shrewd a business man to buy anything cheap or inferior.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Knowing his own limitations as few men have the self-searching gift to do, he took no risks with his strenuously earned sovereigns, lavishly as he spent them.
