Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

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

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

how long something has existed

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

(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 We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

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

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

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

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading THE BOOK.

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

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

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

a religious residence especially for nuns

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

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

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

past form of “discolor” — lose color or turn colorless

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

divisible by two

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

be unsure or weak

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

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

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

the act of departing

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

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

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

plural of “han” — imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy; remembered as one of the great eras of Chinese civilization

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

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

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

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

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

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

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

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

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

a person whose occupation is teaching

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

the literary culture

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

engage in

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

plural of “monk” — a male religious living in a cloister and devoting himself to contemplation and prayer and work

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

covered with or smelling of mold

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

possessive form of “nephew” — a son of your brother or sister

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

not any; not one

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

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

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

many times at short intervals

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

the state of being in effect or being operative

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

above and across; more than

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

A stiff, flat, thin material made from the prepared skin of an animal, used for writing.

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

go across or through

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

a person who requires medical care

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

by chance

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

any tiny hole admitting passage of a liquid (fluid or gas)

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

with speed

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

interpret something that is written or printed

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

To recall to mind.

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

in an unfortunate way

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

A specialist in a particular branch of study; a distinguished student.

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

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

From this reading THE BOOK.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

in or at that place or location

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

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

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

inflected form of “undertake” — enter upon an activity or enterprise

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

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

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

exhausted

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

at the time that

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

which person or people

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading Hans' reading and spelling book was, perhaps, some musty old parchment manuscript, discolored by age; and he had to pore over it whole hours and days, before he could make out the meaning of a simple page.

belonging to which person

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

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

From this reading The monks who had to teach him, too, were not all of them so patient and kind as Father Gottlieb, his uncle, whose duties in the convent did not often allow him to be his young nephew's instructor; and there were hours and days when Hans grew sadly wearied of the task he had undertaken, and his resolution would waver and falter.

produce a literary work

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.

a late time of life

From this reading We must pass quickly over several years of the time during which Hans Gensfleisch was going through the tedious operation of learning to read and write.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading We can all of us remember it to be tedious, but in those days it was so even more than now; since there were no such things as spelling books, and children's story books to help on the young scholar, and the letters were not as plainly written, nor of such a simple form as our English letters.