Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

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

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

past form of “arrest” — take into custody

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

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

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

placed crosswise

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

recognizable; marked

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

plural of “degree” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

past form of “dive” — drop steeply

From this reading He dived in--well, well, never mind!

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

imprisonment (especially for a long time)

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

one or the other of two

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

all things; all of a situation

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

set up or found

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

a state of nervous depression

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

responsible for or chargeable with a reprehensible act

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

act or move at high speed

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

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

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

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

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading He dived in--well, well, never mind!

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

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

determine the result of (a competition)

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

a body of citizens sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence presented in a court of law

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

immediately past

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

plural of “mason” — American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading He dived in--well, well, never mind!

kill intentionally and with premeditation

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

a condition requiring relief

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading He dived in--well, well, never mind!

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

not any; not one

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

on one occasion

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

and nothing more

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

the act of punishing

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

plural of “prisoner” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

United States religious leader who founded the sect that is now called Jehovah's Witnesses (1852-1916)

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

in or at or to some place

From this reading It only need be said That somewhere in the last degree poor Russell dropped down dead.

past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

carry out

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

express in words

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

the ordinal number of thirty-three in counting order

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

being three more than thirty

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

up to a particular time

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

precisely as stated

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

morally reprehensible

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

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

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

(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 So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.

at the time that

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

in the company of; together with

From this reading They arrested all the Masons, and they stayed in durance vile Till the jury found them guilty, when the Judge said, with a smile, "I'm forced to let the prisoners go, for I can find," said he, "No penalty for murder in the thirty-third degree!"

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London Now, everything that Russell did, he did his best to hasten, And one day he decided that he'd like to be a Mason; But nothing else would suit him, and nothing less would please, But he must take, and all at once, the thirty-three degrees.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading So he rode the--ah, that is, he crossed the--I can't tell; You either must not know at all, or else know very well.