used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
(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 I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Well, we took a fancy to one another.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
backbonenounUS /ˈbækboʊn/
a central cohesive source of support and stability
From this reading He was a big, jolly old boy, a thorough sportsman and Irish to the backbone.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was a big, jolly old boy, a thorough sportsman and Irish to the backbone.
a youthful male person
From this reading He was a big, jolly old boy, a thorough sportsman and Irish to the backbone.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
a boy or man
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
conventionnounUS /kənˈvenʃən/
a large formal assembly
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
daringnounUS /ˈderɪŋ/
a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
plural of “daughter” — a female human offspring
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
DublinnounUS /ˈdʌblɪn/
capital and largest city and major port of the Irish Republic
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading Well, we took a fancy to one another.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
gaietynoun
a gay feeling
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
a young female
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
hatingverbUS /ˈheɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “hate” — dislike intensely; feel antipathy or aversion towards
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a big, jolly old boy, a thorough sportsman and Irish to the backbone.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
past form of “introduce” — cause to come to know personally
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
IrelandnounUS /ˈaɪərlənd/
a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
IrishnounUS /ˈaɪrɪʃ/
people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
jollyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɑːli/
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading He was a big, jolly old boy, a thorough sportsman and Irish to the backbone.
and nothing more
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
a form of address for a man
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
on one occasion
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Well, we took a fancy to one another.
Payton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
sportsmannounUS /ˈspɔːrtsmən/
someone who engages in sports
From this reading He was a big, jolly old boy, a thorough sportsman and Irish to the backbone.
young nobleman attendant on a knight
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
thoroughadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːroʊ/
painstakingly careful and accurate
From this reading He was a big, jolly old boy, a thorough sportsman and Irish to the backbone.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Well, we took a fancy to one another.
trammels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was always a queer sort of chap, hating convention and all the trammels of society, and I liked the old man at once.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Well, we took a fancy to one another.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading I was taking a holiday in Ireland at the time; and daring a visit to an old friend in Dublin I was introduced to a certain Mr. Payton, an Irish squire, who had brought his two daughters up from the country for a few weeks' gaiety.
(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, we took a fancy to one another.
which person or people
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
a late time of life
From this reading "It is just four years since I met the girl who was to be my wife.
