used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
matters of personal concern
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
aggressiveadjectiveUS /əˈɡresɪv/
having or showing determination and energetic pursuit of your ends
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
(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 For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
allowingverbUS /əˈlaʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
anglesnounUS /ˈæŋɡəlz/
plural of “angle” — the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
asperities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
calmedverbUS /kɑːmd/
past form of “calm” — make calm or still
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
cloudlessadjectiveUS /ˈklaʊdləs/
free from clouds
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
conjecturesnounUS /kənˈdʒektʃərz/
plural of “conjecture” — a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)
From this reading My sad conjectures were true.
unvarying in nature
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
contradictingverbUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪktɪŋ/
-ing form of “contradict” — be in contradiction with
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
contradictionnounUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃən/
opposition between two conflicting forces or ideas
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
diseasedadjectiveUS /dɪˈziːzd/
caused by or altered by or manifesting disease or pathology
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
dispositionnounUS /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/
your usual mood
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
divisible by two
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
apart from; not including
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
fanciesnounUS /ˈfænsiz/
plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
fatiguingverbUS /fəˈtiːɡɪŋ/
-ing form of “fatigue” — lose interest or become bored with something or somebody
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
FormerlyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrmərli/
at a previous time
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
an established custom
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
a social unit living together
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
impotentadjectiveUS /ˈɪmpətənt/
lacking power or ability
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
irritationnounUS /ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃən/
the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
itemnounUS /ˈaɪtəm/
a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
justifyverbUS /ˈdʒʌstəfaɪ/
show to be right by providing justification or proof
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
landscapenounUS /ˈlændskeɪp/
an expanse of scenery that can be seen in a single view
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
immediately past
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
meddled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
the force of workers available
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
used to form the superlative
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My sad conjectures were true.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
omissionnounUS /oʊˈmɪʃən/
a mistake resulting from neglect
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
opinionsnounUS /əˈpɪnjənz/
plural of “opinion” — a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
an amount of time
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
literature in metrical form
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
renderverbUS /ˈrendər/
cause to become
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/
worried and uneasy
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading My sad conjectures were true.
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
skiesnounUS /skaɪz/
plural of “sky” — the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
smoothedadjectiveUS /smuːðd/
made smooth by ironing
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
softenedadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːfənd/
toned down
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
soothingadjectiveUS /ˈsuːðɪŋ/
affording physical relief
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
stingingnounUS /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/
a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
a sudden outburst of anger
From this reading Formerly he did not lose his temper except for some special reason; now his irritation was constant.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading My sad conjectures were true.
hard to endure
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading My sad conjectures were true.
at the time that
From this reading At a period of life when the asperities of other men are softened and their angles smoothed, the disposition of this man became more and more aggressive.
whereforeadverbUS /werˈfɔːr/
an old word meaning “why” or “for that reason”
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading For the last few months he had taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction, without reason, without even trying to justify his opinions; he insisted on knowing the why and the wherefore of everything; grew restless under a delay or an omission; meddled with every item of the household affairs, and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done; never allowing them the slightest freedom of action.
a late time of life
From this reading The soft landscape, the warm atmosphere, the cloudless skies, the soothing poetry of this valley, which for fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind, were now impotent.
