used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
Alf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
react verbally
From this reading I went out and shouted his name, but no answer came back.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading I went out and shouted his name, but no answer came back.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
lacking funds
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
bucketnounUS /ˈbʌkət/
a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
BunyannounUS /ˈbʌnjən/
English preacher and author of an allegorical novel, Pilgrim's Progress (1628-1688)
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I went out and shouted his name, but no answer came back.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
Chyd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
a state at a particular time
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
createverbUS /kriˈeɪt/
make or cause to be or to become
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
criticiseverb
find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
set up or found
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
GuineanounUS /ˈɡɪni/
a former British gold coin worth 21 shillings
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
the act of departing
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
Lim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
maddenedadjective
marked by extreme anger
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
mainlyadverbUS /ˈmeɪnli/
for the most part
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading I went out and shouted his name, but no answer came back.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
not any; not one
From this reading I went out and shouted his name, but no answer came back.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
nowherenounUS /ˈnoʊwer/
an insignificant place
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
outcrynounUS /ˈaʊtkraɪ/
a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
having or expressing strong emotions
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
reasonableadjectiveUS /ˈriːzənəbəl/
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
restraintnounUS /rɪˈstreɪnt/
the act of controlling by restraining someone or something
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading I went out and shouted his name, but no answer came back.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
the season of growth
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
sworeverbUS /swɔːr/
inflected form of “swear” — utter obscenities or profanities
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
torturedadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːrtʃərd/
experiencing intense pain especially mental pain
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
violentlyadverbUS /ˈvaɪələntli/
in a violent manner
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Alf held himself in reasonable restraint until the old people were gone, and then he broke out so violently that I really feared for his reason.
at the time that
From this reading I went to the spring to get a bucket of fresh water, and when I returned Alf was nowhere to be found.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Guinea and Chyd, old Lim and his wife went to church the next day, leaving Alf and me alone.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading And it was mainly my fault for I read him a passionate poem, the outcry of a maddened soul, and he swore that it had been written for him, that it was his, and I caught his spirit and fancied that he might have written it, for I believed then, as I believe now, that great things do not come from a quiet heart, that quiet hearts may criticise, but that they do not create, that genius is a condition, an agony, a tortured John Bunyan.
