used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
actsnounUS /ækts/
a New Testament book describing the development of the early church from Christ's Ascension to Paul's sojourn at Rome
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
(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 In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
averred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
have
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
a youthful male person
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
Caliphronas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
CrispinnounUS /ˈkrɪspɪn/
patron saint of shoemakers; he and his brother were martyred for trying to spread Christianity (3rd century)
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
a female human offspring
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
deceiveverbUS /dɪˈsiːv/
be false to; be dishonest with
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
recognizable; marked
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
EastwardadjectiveUS /ˈiːstwərd/
moving toward the east
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
envelopedverbUS /enˈveləpt/
past form of “envelop” — enclose or enfold completely with or as if with a covering
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
opinion or judgment
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
faultsnounUS /fɔːlts/
plural of “fault” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
frownverbUS /fraʊn/
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
fumesnounUS /fjuːmz/
gases ejected from an engine as waste products
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
destroyed or killed
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
he's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
HonounUS /hoʊ/
a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group; occurs together with yttrium; forms highly magnetic compounds
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading Thus ruling husband, home, and wife, I will secure a home for life.
husband'snounUS /ˈhʌzbəndz/
possessive form of “husband” — a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
ImproveverbUS /ˌɪmˈpruːv/
to make better
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
InsistverbUS /ˌɪnˈsɪst/
be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
and nothing more
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
engage in
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
Maurice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
in such a manner as could not be otherwise
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
nicotinenounUS /ˈnɪkətiːn/
an alkaloid poison that occurs in tobacco; used in medicine and as an insecticide
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
obedientadjectiveUS /oʊˈbiːdiənt/
dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
be obedient to
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
no longer active in your work or profession
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
take something away by force or without the consent of the owner
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
rulingnounUS /ˈruːlɪŋ/
the reason for a court's judgment (as opposed to the decision itself)
From this reading Thus ruling husband, home, and wife, I will secure a home for life.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
get by special effort
From this reading Thus ruling husband, home, and wife, I will secure a home for life.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
smoking-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
snarenounUS /sner/
something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
snubverbUS /snʌb/
refuse to acknowledge
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
sons-in-lawnounUS /ˈsʌnɪnlɔː/
plural of “son-in-law” — the husband of your daughter
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
hurting
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
superviseverbUS /ˈsuːpərvaɪz/
watch and direct
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
swimverbUS /swɪm/
travel through water
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
they'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Thus ruling husband, home, and wife, I will secure a home for life.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were seated in the smoking-room by themselves, for the ladies had long since retired; and Caliphronas, unable to bear the fumes of nicotine, which, he averred, made his eyes sore and his head swim, had just gone off to bed.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For I can show the wife the way To make the servants her obey, Nor fail the husband’s acts to see, And rob him of his midnight key, Improve his faults with frown and snub, Insist he should give up his club; And if he’s an obedient boy, His home will be a place of joy.
wivesnounUS /waɪvz/
plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “So you have decided upon Eastward Ho?” said Crispin, as Maurice enveloped himself in clouds of smoke.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading In all good faith I do believe That sons-in-law their wives deceive; So, seeing marriage is a snare, My daughter needs her mother’s care; And if this couple young be wise, Their life they’ll let me supervise.
