Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

in the past

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

(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 Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

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

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

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

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The lady must be, at least, twenty years his senior.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

lacking funds

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

applying to ordinary citizens as contrasted with the military

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

a man from your own country

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

a person who holds a commissioned rank in the United States Navy or the United States Coast Guard; below lieutenant junior grade

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

a happening that is distinctive in a series of related events

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

very good; of the highest quality

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

a boy or man

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

having an easygoing and cheerful disposition

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

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

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

the aggregate of past events

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

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

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

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

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading The lady must be, at least, twenty years his senior.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

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

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

the capital of Lombardy in northern Italy; has been an international center of trade and industry since the Middle Ages

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading The lady must be, at least, twenty years his senior.

characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

older; higher in rank; longer in length of tenure or service

From this reading The lady must be, at least, twenty years his senior.

serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

plural of “show” — the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

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

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

plural of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

express in words

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

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

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

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

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

a special situation

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

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

From this reading He is particularly civil to strangers, and this is his history--at least an episode of it.

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

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading The lady must be, at least, twenty years his senior.

a city in Veneto on the River Adige

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

precisely as stated

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

the waging of armed conflict against an enemy

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

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

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

at the time that

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

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

From this reading The war broke out; he returned to England, to serve--not his country, for that's Ireland, but England, which is a different thing; and _she_, heaven knows what she did.

which person or people

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

a late time of life

From this reading "Six-and-twenty years ago, Colonel ----, then an ensign, being in Italy, fell in love with the Marchesa ----, and she with him.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.

the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to

From this reading Oh, by the way, I forgot, when I wrote from Verona, to tell you that at Milan I met with a countryman of yours--a Colonel ----, a very excellent, good-natured fellow, who knows and shows all about Milan, and is, as it were, a native there.