Chapter IX · Chapter 9

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

be present or associated with an event or entity

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

(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 The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

any thing at all

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

at or in or to any place

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

for the most part

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

past form of “congregate” — come together, usually for a purpose

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

poor enough to need help from others

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

capital and largest city and major port of the Irish Republic

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

a movement into or inward

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

the act of departing

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

the quality of being important and worthy of note

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

Reduced to poverty; having very little money or resources.

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

a positive motivational influence

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

a landowner who leases to others

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading MOHILL.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

not any; not one

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

third-person singular of “owe” — be obliged to pay or repay

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

on the contrary

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

a person who enjoys reading

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

pay back

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

express the need or desire for

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

having a supporting base

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

in or at that place or location

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

for that reason; as a result

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

a public road from one place to another

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

the commercial exchange (buying and selling on domestic or international markets) of goods and services

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

a source of difficulty

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

a fact that has been verified

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We must now request our reader to accompany us to the little town of Mohill; not that there is anything attractive in the place to repay him for the trouble of going there.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading Mohill is a small country town, standing on no high road, nor on any thoroughfare from the metropolis; and therefore it owes to itself whatever importance it may possess--and, in truth, that is not much.

at the time that

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The idea that would strike one on entering it was chiefly this: "Why was it a town at all?--why were there, on that spot, so many houses congregated, called Mohill?--what was the inducement to people to come and live there?--Why didn't they go to Longford, to Cavan, to Carrick, to Dublin,--anywhere rather than there, when they were going to settle themselves?"

the act of creating written works

From this reading It is, or, at any rate, was, at the time of which we are writing, the picture of an impoverished town--the property of a non-resident landlord--destitute of anything to give it interest or prosperity--without business, without trade, and without society.