used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
adoptingverbUS /əˈdɑːptɪŋ/
-ing form of “adopt” — choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
bastardnounUS /ˈbæstərd/
insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “I didn’t want to be extra good.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
a young person of either sex
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I didn’t want to be extra good.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
extraadjectiveUS /ˈekstrə/
more than is needed, desired, or required
From this reading “I didn’t want to be extra good.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “I didn’t want to be extra good.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading You see I had nothing of my own—I had nothing in the world but my thimble.”
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I didn’t want to be extra good.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
and nothing more
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
used to form the superlative
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading You see I had nothing of my own—I had nothing in the world but my thimble.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading You see I had nothing of my own—I had nothing in the world but my thimble.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading You see I had nothing of my own—I had nothing in the world but my thimble.”
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
prostitute's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
cut with a saw
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading You see I had nothing of my own—I had nothing in the world but my thimble.”
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
do one's shopping
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
thimblenounUS /ˈθɪmbəl/
as much as a thimble will hold
From this reading You see I had nothing of my own—I had nothing in the world but my thimble.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I didn’t want to be extra good.
unspottedadjective
without soil or spot or stain
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “I didn’t want to be extra good.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading That is I do want to, of course, in a general way: but that wasn’t the reason then.
(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, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
in or at the place that
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading “Well, I went to see him at the place where he was (just where she had left him, with the woman of the house) and I saw what kind of a shop _that_ was, and felt it a shame an unspotted child should grow up in such a place.”
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading You see I had nothing of my own—I had nothing in the world but my thimble.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “That would have seemed to most people a reason for not adopting a prostitute’s bastard.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You see I had nothing of my own—I had nothing in the world but my thimble.”
