used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
alterationnounUS /ˌɔːltərˈeɪʃən/
an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
make certain of
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
BonenounUS /boʊn/
rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
cause to be bored
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
an occurrence of something
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
constablenounUS /ˈkɑːnstəbəl/
a lawman with less authority and jurisdiction than a sheriff
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
counternounUS /ˈkaʊntər/
table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
CountersnounUS /ˈkaʊntərz/
plural of “counter” — table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
highest in quality
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
plural of “habit” — an established custom
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
Hanslet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
go away from a place
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
lingeringnounUS /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/
the act of tarrying
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
Ludgrove
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
engage in
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
a form of address for a man
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
of an obscure nature
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
numberedverbUS /ˈnʌmbərd/
past form of “number” — add up in number or quantity
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading “I am an old man, and death cannot be far off in any case.
persuadeverbUS /pərˈsweɪd/
win approval or support for
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
like better; value more highly
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
PriestleynounUS /ˈpriːstli/
English chemist who isolated many gases and discovered oxygen (independently of Scheele) (1733-1804)
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
past form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
terrifyverbUS /ˈterəfaɪ/
fill with terror; frighten greatly
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
a message informing of danger
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
(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 The Bone Counters Mr. Ludgrove, as Hanslet had said to Dr. Priestley, bore the shock of the finding of the numbered counter extremely well.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I am not sure that I should not prefer a violent end to some lingering illness which might leave me helpless for months before it killed me.
Whyland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had refused to make any alteration in usual habits, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Whyland could persuade him to allow a constable to sleep in the house at night.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I can assure you that this mysterious warning does not terrify me,” he had said.
