used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
(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 PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
ambitiousadjectiveUS /æmˈbɪʃəs/
having a strong desire for success or achievement
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
audiencesnounUS /ˈɑːdiənsəz/
plural of “audience” — a gathering of spectators or listeners at a (usually public) performance
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
cheeredverbUS /tʃɪrd/
past form of “cheer” — give encouragement to
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
commitverbUS /kəˈmɪt/
perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
From this reading In one respect, nevertheless, I venture to commit myself.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
entertainingadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/
agreeably diverting
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
divisible by two
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
opinion or judgment
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
finestadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəst/
superlative of “fine” — being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
genuinenessnounUS /ˈdʒenjəwənɪs/
the state of being genuine
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
plural of “island” — a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
lagoonsnounUS /ləˈɡuːnz/
plural of “lagoon” — a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
engage in
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
marionettes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
musterverbUS /ˈmʌstər/
gather or bring together
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading In one respect, nevertheless, I venture to commit myself.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading In one respect, nevertheless, I venture to commit myself.
not any; not one
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In one respect, nevertheless, I venture to commit myself.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
pacesnounUS /ˈpeɪsɪz/
plural of “pace” — the rate of moving (especially walking or running)
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
pearl-diver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
PREFACEnounUS /ˈprefəs/
a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
be shown or be found to be
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading In one respect, nevertheless, I venture to commit myself.
responsibleadjectiveUS /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/
worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
express in words
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
skippernounUS /ˈskɪpər/
a student who fails to attend classes
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
stintnounUS /stɪnt/
an unbroken period of time during which you do something
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
story'snounUS /ˈstɔːriz/
possessive form of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
a special situation
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
tradernounUS /ˈtreɪdər/
someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
typewriternounUS /ˈtaɪpraɪtər/
hand-operated character printer for printing written messages one character at a time
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading In one respect, nevertheless, I venture to commit myself.
vouchverbUS /vaʊtʃ/
give personal assurance; guarantee
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
(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 I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
a Caucasian
From this reading I know the islands fairly well--white man and native; skipper, trader, and pearl-diver; the sea, the lagoons, the small and lonely bits of land; and I can vouch for the genuineness of the story's atmosphere.
which person or people
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading They are too wise even to glance at so dull a thing as a preface, but to you older people, who are responsible for what the young ones read, I have a word to say.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading PREFACE For some months past, my daily stint at the typewriter has been cheered by an ambitious hope: that this story might prove entertaining to the young--the finest of all audiences.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I make no claim, in the pages which follow, to have done more than muster the familiar marionettes and put them through their paces before your eyes.
