aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
Aleck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading "Suppose, then, I do something brave than fighting you," said Aleck.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
cowardnounUS /ˈkaʊərd/
a person who shows fear or timidity
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Well, yes, perhaps it does," replied the middy.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
at any time
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
the act of fighting; any contest or struggle
From this reading "Suppose, then, I do something brave than fighting you," said Aleck.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
highest in quality
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
knockingnounUS /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
engage in
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
middynoun
blouse with a sailor collar
From this reading "Well, yes, perhaps it does," replied the middy.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
by chance
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "Well, yes, perhaps it does," replied the middy.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
cut with a saw
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
express in words
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
a thing, without saying which
From this reading "Suppose, then, I do something brave than fighting you," said Aleck.
in the near future
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
express a supposition
From this reading "Suppose, then, I do something brave than fighting you," said Aleck.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "Suppose, then, I do something brave than fighting you," said Aleck.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Suppose, then, I do something brave than fighting you," said Aleck.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
a source of difficulty
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
(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 "Well, yes, perhaps it does," replied the middy.
at the time that
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading "But it seems so stupid when we are in such trouble to make things worse by knocking one another about."
an affirmative
From this reading "Well, yes, perhaps it does," replied the middy.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You can't do it," said Aleck; "but _I_ say I don't want to fight."
you'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Perhaps not; but you'll soon find you'll have to, or I shall call you the greatest coward I ever saw."
