used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
(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 "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
any thing at all
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)
From this reading That was written by some enemy of King Arthur.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I tried to look as sorrowful as I could.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading That was written by some enemy of King Arthur.
Canutenoun
king of Denmark and Norway who forced Edmund II to divide England with him; on the death of Edmund II, Canute became king of all England (994-1035)
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
Canute's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I tried to look as sorrowful as I could.
courtiersnounUS /ˈkɔːrtiərz/
plural of “courtier” — an attendant at the court of a sovereign
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
characterized by great determination
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
an opposing military force
From this reading That was written by some enemy of King Arthur.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
gaspnounUS /ɡæsp/
a short labored intake of breath with the mouth open
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
highest in quality
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I tried to look as sorrowful as I could.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading That was written by some enemy of King Arthur.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading I tried to look as sorrowful as I could.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
be obedient to
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading That was written by some enemy of King Arthur.
a full supply
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
punishverbUS /ˈpʌnɪʃ/
impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading That was written by some enemy of King Arthur.
sorrowfuladjectiveUS /ˈsɑːroʊfəl/
experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss
From this reading I tried to look as sorrowful as I could.
express in words
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I tried to look as sorrowful as I could.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading I tried to look as sorrowful as I could.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There are plenty of good things that you know and might have told us; and so, to punish you for telling that, you shall tell us now about King Canute and his courtiers."
precisely as stated
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That was written by some enemy of King Arthur.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Now Helen did not like this any more than she liked telling about King Arthur, but she must have seen how very determined I looked, and she gave a little gasp and said: "King Canute’s courtiers told him that he was the greatest King in the world, and that the sea would obey him if he told it to do anything.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading That was written by some enemy of King Arthur.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You know very well," I said, "that that is not true at all.
