used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
(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 A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
any thing at all
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading What odd chaps you painters are!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
chapsnounUS /tʃæps/
plural of “chap” — a boy or man
From this reading What odd chaps you painters are!
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
any strong feeling
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
at any time
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
obtain
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another's advantages
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
engage in
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
the force of workers available
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
not divisible by two
From this reading What odd chaps you painters are!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
and nothing more
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
paintersnounUS /ˈpeɪntərz/
plural of “painter” — an artist who paints
From this reading What odd chaps you painters are!
a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
the state of being held in high esteem and honor
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
ludicrous, foolish
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
in the near future
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
in or at that place or location
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
a special situation
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
propel through the air
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw it away.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What odd chaps you painters are!
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading You do anything in the world to gain a reputation.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading What odd chaps you painters are!
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading A portrait like this would set you far above all the young men in England, and make the old men quite jealous, if old men are ever capable of any emotion.”
