adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "You would make a better porter," said he.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
beatverbUS /biːt/
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "You would make a better porter," said he.
booksellernounUS /ˈbʊkselər/
the proprietor of a bookstore
From this reading This bookseller was Osborne, who had a shop at Gray's Inn Gate.
bookseller's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
BoswellnounUS /ˈbɑːzwel/
Scottish author noted for his biography of Samuel Johnson (1740-1795)
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
exitnounUS /ˈeɡzɪt/
an opening that permits escape or release
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
flyverbUS /flaɪ/
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
folionounUS /ˈfoʊliːoʊ/
the system of numbering pages
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
GatenounUS /ɡeɪt/
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading This bookseller was Osborne, who had a shop at Gray's Inn Gate.
Gray'snounUS /ɡreɪz/
possessive form of “gray” — a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading This bookseller was Osborne, who had a shop at Gray's Inn Gate.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This bookseller was Osborne, who had a shop at Gray's Inn Gate.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "You would make a better porter," said he.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
impertinentadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɜːrtənənt/
characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
incontinently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
InnnounUS /ɪn/
a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
From this reading This bookseller was Osborne, who had a shop at Gray's Inn Gate.
JohnsonnounUS /ˈdʒɑːnsən/
English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
leadverbUS /led/
take somebody somewhere
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
lexicographer's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
LieverbUS /laɪ/
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
lumpnounUS /lʌmp/
a compact mass
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
makeverbUS /meɪk/
engage in
From this reading "You would make a better porter," said he.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
OsbornenounUS /ˈɔːzbɔːrn/
English playwright (1929-1994)
From this reading This bookseller was Osborne, who had a shop at Gray's Inn Gate.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
patiencenounUS /ˈpeɪʃəns/
good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
pickedverbUS /pɪkt/
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
porternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading "You would make a better porter," said he.
prostrateverbUS /ˈprɑːstreɪt/
get into a prostrate position, as in submission
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You would make a better porter," said he.
sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
shopverbUS /ʃɑːp/
do one's shopping
From this reading This bookseller was Osborne, who had a shop at Gray's Inn Gate.
SirnounUS /sɜːr/
term of address for a man
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
steppingverbUS /ˈstepɪŋ/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
subsequentlyadverbUS /ˈsʌbsəkwəntli/
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
thoupronounUS /ðaʊ/
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
ToparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To Boswell Johnson subsequently explained: "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him."
tooadverbUS /tuː/
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
victimnounUS /ˈvɪktəm/
an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading He picked up a folio and incontinently let fly at the bookseller's head, and then stepping over the prostrate victim he made his exit, saying: "Lie there, thou lump of lead!"
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading This bookseller was Osborne, who had a shop at Gray's Inn Gate.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "You would make a better porter," said he.
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You would make a better porter," said he.
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading This was too much for the young lexicographer's patience.
