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 Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

the process of paying close and continuous attention

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

(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 Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

any person at all

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

Directly under; in or to a lower position than.

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

(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 Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

plural of “brain” — that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading She had no real cupidity, and she was not greatly enamoured of brains.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

a publication containing a variety of works

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

following accepted customs and proprieties

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

approval

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

a car in which policemen cruise the streets; equipped with radiotelephonic communications to headquarters

From this reading Yet Jean Jacques' cruiser of life was not wholly unarmed.

extreme greed for material wealth

From this reading She had no real cupidity, and she was not greatly enamoured of brains.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

easy and not involved or complicated

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading She had no real cupidity, and she was not greatly enamoured of brains.

past form of “flutter” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

plural of “forebear” — a person from whom you are descended

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

past form of “found” — set up or found

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

a mental representation of some haunting experience

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

to an extraordinary extent or degree

From this reading She had no real cupidity, and she was not greatly enamoured of brains.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading She had no real cupidity, and she was not greatly enamoured of brains.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

without bounds

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

held dear

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

expressing sorrow

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

not any; not one

From this reading She had no real cupidity, and she was not greatly enamoured of brains.

United States operatic soprano (born in 1945)

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She had no real cupidity, and she was not greatly enamoured of brains.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

above and across; more than

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

the local environment

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. (Triết học, đạo lý nhân sinh.)

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

the French-speaking capital of the province of Quebec; situated on the Saint Lawrence River

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading She had no real cupidity, and she was not greatly enamoured of brains.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

an educational institution

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

the act of firing a projectile

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings)

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

a small number or amount

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

beneath the surface of the water

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

(used of persons or the military) not having or using arms

From this reading Yet Jean Jacques' cruiser of life was not wholly unarmed.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading She had some real philosophy of life learned in a hard school; and it was infinitely better founded than the smattering of conventional philosophy got by Jean Jacques from his compendium picked up on the quay at Quebec.

characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

From this reading From his Norman forebears he had, beneath all, a shrewdness and an elementary alertness not submerged by his vain, kind nature.

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

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

in or at the place that

From this reading Since her heart, such as it was, fluttered, a mournful ghost, over the Place d'Armes, where her Gonzales was shot, it might better go to Jean Jacques than anyone else; for he was a man of parts, of money, and of looks, and she loved these all; and to her credit she loved his looks better than all the rest.

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading Yet Jean Jacques' cruiser of life was not wholly unarmed.

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet Jean Jacques' cruiser of life was not wholly unarmed.