used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
a-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
a youthful male person
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading His family, of which his careful mother was the head, was never in want.
coiffurenoun
the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair)
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
comfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/
in mental comfort; without stress
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
Cruikshank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
at any time
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
a social unit living together
From this reading His family, of which his careful mother was the head, was never in want.
fanciesnounUS /ˈfænsiz/
plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
fashionableadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənəbəl/
being or in accordance with current social fashions
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
fatiguedadjectiveUS /fəˈtiːɡd/
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading * George Cruikshank never felt the pinch of poverty.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
coins made of gold
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
hairdressernounUS /ˈherdresər/
someone who cuts or beautifies hair
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading His family, of which his careful mother was the head, was never in want.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
inventingverbUS /ˌɪnˈventɪŋ/
-ing form of “invent” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading His family, of which his careful mother was the head, was never in want.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading * George Cruikshank never felt the pinch of poverty.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
not any; not one
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
under a moral obligation to do something
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
held or filled or in use
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
painter'snounUS /ˈpeɪntərz/
possessive form of “painter” — an artist who paints
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
paintingnounUS /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/
graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
pinchverbUS /pɪntʃ/
squeeze tightly between the fingers
From this reading * George Cruikshank never felt the pinch of poverty.
pinchbecknoun
an alloy of copper and zinc that is used in cheap jewelry to imitate gold
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
From this reading * George Cruikshank never felt the pinch of poverty.
prodigiouslyadverbUS /proʊˈdɪdʒɪsli/
to a prodigious degree
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
purchasersnounUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəsərz/
plural of “purchaser” — a person who buys
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
restoratives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
sterlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɜːrlɪŋ/
highest in quality
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
carry out
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
ThackeraynounUS /ˈθækəri/
English writer (born in India) (1811-1863)
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
two times
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading His family, of which his careful mother was the head, was never in want.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was an artist in Paris--an artist hairdresser--who used to be fatigued and take restoratives after inventing a new coiffure.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
at the time that
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His family, of which his careful mother was the head, was never in want.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
which person or people
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading And his wit, sterling gold as it is, will find no such purchasers as the fashionable painter’s thin pinchbeck, who can live comfortably for six weeks when paid for painting a portrait, and fancies his mind prodigiously occupied the while.
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading “As a boy,” Thackeray said of his friend George Cruikshank, “he began to fight for bread,* has been hungry (twice a-day, we trust) ever since, and has been obliged to sell his wit for his bread week by week.
