used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
AdonisnounUS /əˈdɑːnəs/
any handsome young man
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
(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 Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
BasilnounUS /ˈbæzəl/
any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins.
third-person singular of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)
From this reading But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
coal-blackadjective
of the blackest black; similar to the color of jet or coal
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
dearly loved
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
destroysverbUS /dɪˈstrɔɪz/
third-person singular of “destroy” — do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins.
exaggerationnounUS /ɪɡˌzædʒərˈeɪʃən/
extravagant exaggeration
From this reading Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
harmonynounUS /ˈhɑːrməni/
compatibility in opinion and action
From this reading Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
horridadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːrəd/
exceedingly bad
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.
IntellectnounUS /ˈɪntəlekt/
knowledge and intellectual ability
From this reading Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.
of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.
ivorynounUS /ˈaɪvəri/
a hard smooth ivory colored dentine that makes up most of the tusks of elephants and walruses
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
modenounUS /moʊd/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.
a particular point in time
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
NarcissusnounUS /nɑːrˈsɪsəs/
bulbous plant having erect linear leaves and showy yellow or white flowers either solitary or in clusters
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
resemblancenounUS /rɪˈzembləns/
similarity in appearance or external or superficial details
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
rose-leaves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
ruggedadjectiveUS /ˈrʌɡəd/
sturdy and strong in constitution or construction; enduring
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
sitsverbUS /sɪts/
third-person singular of “sit” — be seated
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
(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 Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
in or at the place that
From this reading But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins.
which person or people
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you have an intellectual expression and all that.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Upon my word, Basil, I didn’t know you were so vain; and I really can’t see any resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair, and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and rose-leaves.
