used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
CATHERINEnounUS /ˈkæθərən/
first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
opinion or judgment
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
plural of “give” — the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
he's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
ill-spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
incompetentnounUS /ˌɪnˈkɑːmpətənt/
someone who is not competent to take effective action
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
merestadjectiveUS /ˈmerəst/
superlative of “mere” — being nothing more than specified
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
a particular point in time
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
and nothing more
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
by chance
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
PERIGAL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PERIGAL.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
renouncingverbUS /rɪˈnaʊnsɪŋ/
-ing form of “renounce” — give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
sacrificedverbUS /ˈsækrəfaɪst/
past form of “sacrifice” — endure the loss of
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
express in words
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
in an aggressive manner
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
a particular situation
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading [CATHERINE _gives a little sigh of relief and delight_.
having a supporting base
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
precisely as stated
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
at the time that
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
a late time of life
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
you'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But while he’s in the very act of renouncing the world for your sake, look into his eyes, and perhaps you’ll see in them--oh, only for a moment, and you’ll have to look sharply--the shadow, the merest shadow of regret....
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading And perhaps in ten years, when I bring an ill-spent life to a close, you’ll say to yourself: If I hadn’t sacrificed him, he might be standing now in the shoes of that poor old incompetent Perigal.
