used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading He quickly took advantage of this power.
(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 All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The old Puritan had always been an habitual writer of letters.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
authoritiesnounUS /əˈθɔːrətiz/
the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The old Puritan had always been an habitual writer of letters.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading He entered upon the task with religious joy.
executionnounUS /ˌeksəˈkjuːʃən/
putting a condemned person to death
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
habitualadjectiveUS /həˈbɪtʃuːəl/
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading The old Puritan had always been an habitual writer of letters.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The old Puritan had always been an habitual writer of letters.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He entered upon the task with religious joy.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading He entered upon the task with religious joy.
the literary culture
From this reading The old Puritan had always been an habitual writer of letters.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old Puritan had always been an habitual writer of letters.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading He quickly took advantage of this power.
PuritannounUS /ˈpjʊrətən/
a member of a group of English Protestants who in the 16th and 17th centuries thought that the Protestant Reformation under Elizabeth was incomplete and advocated the simplification and regulation of forms of worship
From this reading The old Puritan had always been an habitual writer of letters.
with speed
From this reading He quickly took advantage of this power.
relativesnounUS /ˈrelətɪvz/
plural of “relative” — a person related by blood or marriage
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading He entered upon the task with religious joy.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
supremeadjectiveUS /səˈpriːm/
final or last in your life or progress
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading He entered upon the task with religious joy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He quickly took advantage of this power.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He quickly took advantage of this power.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
uncertaintynounUS /ənˈsɜːrtənti/
being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He entered upon the task with religious joy.
VirginianounUS /vərˈdʒɪnjə/
a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He entered upon the task with religious joy.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading All uncertainty at an end to his execution, John Brown set his hand to finish the work of his life in a supreme triumph.
produce a literary work
From this reading The authorities of Virginia allowed him to write daily to his friends and relatives.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading The old Puritan had always been an habitual writer of letters.
