used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
actorsnounUS /ˈæktərz/
plural of “actor” — a theatrical performer
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
anew
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
amendverbUS /əˈmend/
make amendments to
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
amissadjectiveUS /əˈmɪs/
not functioning properly
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
AristophanesnounUS /ˌærəˈstɔːfəniz/
an ancient Greek dramatist remembered for his comedies (448-380 BC)
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
AtheniannounUS /əˈθiːniən/
a resident of Athens
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
commentsnounUS /ˈkɑːments/
plural of “comment” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
cultivatedadjectiveUS /ˈkʌltəveɪtɪd/
(of land or fields) prepared for raising crops by plowing or fertilizing
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
immediately past
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
magnanimitynoun
liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
not any; not one
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/
impressive in appearance
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
obviouslyadverbUS /ˈɑːbviəsli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
performancenounUS /pərˈfɔːrməns/
a dramatic or musical entertainment
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
participate in games or sport
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
pretendverbUS /priˈtend/
make believe with the intent to deceive
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
reconcilingadjectiveUS /ˈrekənsaɪlɪŋ/
tending to reconcile or accommodate; bringing into harmony
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
scepticaladjective
marked by or given to doubt
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
scrapnounUS /skræp/
a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
simplenessnoun
a lack of penetration or subtlety
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
young nobleman attendant on a knight
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
TorynounUS /ˈtɔːri/
an American who favored the British side during the American Revolution
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
unaccountablyadverbUS /ˌʌnəˈkaʊntəbli/
in an unaccountable manner
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
at the time that
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Or, again, in that noble scrap of sceptical magnanimity which was unaccountably cut out in the last performance:
which person or people
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading These are obviously the easy and reconciling comments of some kindly but cultivated squire, who will not pretend to his guests that the play is good, but who will not let the actors see that he thinks it bad.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading For nothing in this world can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But this is certainly not the way in which an Athenian Tory like Aristophanes would have talked about a bad play.
