used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
anew
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
bendverbUS /bend/
form a curve
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
next to; at the side of
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
in addition to; as well as
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
comfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/
in mental comfort; without stress
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
be the source of pain
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
and nothing more
From this reading "Now Toby thought he knew of just the one he wanted.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Now Toby thought he knew of just the one he wanted.
knitverbUS /nɪt/
make (textiles) by knitting
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
knittingnounUS /ˈnɪtɪŋ/
needlework created by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops using straight eyeless needles or by machine
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
loonnounUS /luːn/
a worthless lazy fellow
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
engage in
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
joined in matrimony
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Now Toby thought he knew of just the one he wanted.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Now Toby thought he knew of just the one he wanted.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Now Toby thought he knew of just the one he wanted.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
rheumaticnounUS /ruːˈmætɪk/
a person suffering with rheumatism
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
soupnounUS /suːp/
liquid food especially of meat or fish or vegetable stock often containing pieces of solid food
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
soup-kettle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
move an implement through
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
stockingsnounUS /ˈstɑːkɪŋz/
plural of “stocking” — close-fitting hosiery to cover the foot and leg; come in matched pairs (usually used in the plural)
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
tidyadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪdi/
marked by order and cleanliness in appearance or habits
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
TobynounUS /ˈtoʊbi/
a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat
From this reading "Toby did not mind knitting, but he did not like to make the soup.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading "Now Toby thought he knew of just the one he wanted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading That was what put it into his head to get married again.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
which person or people
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading It had never seemed to him to be a man's work, and besides, it hurt his old, rheumatic back to bend over the soup-kettle.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He thought if he could find a pleasant, tidy woman, who would stir the soup while he sat in the door beside the loon, and knit the stockings, he could live much more comfortably than he did.
