Chapter VI · I Run Afoul of Cousin Lemuel

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading I felt almost as if I was to blame somehow.

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

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

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

From this reading I felt almost as if I was to blame somehow.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

of or relating to billiards

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

put or pin the blame on

From this reading I felt almost as if I was to blame somehow.

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person's thoughts and actions

From this reading And my conscience plagued me.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

possessive form of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

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

From this reading I was real sorry for old Ebenezer.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I was real sorry for old Ebenezer.

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

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

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

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading I felt almost as if I was to blame somehow.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

engage in

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

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

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading And my conscience plagued me.

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading And my conscience plagued me.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading I was real sorry for old Ebenezer.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

past form of “plague” — cause to suffer a blight

From this reading And my conscience plagued me.

participate in games or sport

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

a feeling of self-respect and personal worth

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

of or characteristic of rats

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

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

From this reading I was real sorry for old Ebenezer.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

a selfish person who is unwilling to give or spend

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

From this reading I felt almost as if I was to blame somehow.

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

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

a male human offspring

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone

From this reading I was real sorry for old Ebenezer.

United States composer and music critic (1885-1966)

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

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

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

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

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

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

From this reading Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.

not given to gentleness or sentimentality

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

a cunning or deceitful action or device

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

tested and proved useful or correct

From this reading Of course Taylor was a skinflint and a thorough-goin’ mean man, but Ratty was his son and his pride, and to have a son play a dog’s trick like that on the father that had, at least, tried to make somethin’ out of him, seemed tough enough.

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

From this reading I was real sorry for old Ebenezer.

(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 Well, to be honest, I felt pretty bad about that billiard room business.