adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/
anew
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
arriveverbUS /ərˈaɪv/
reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
ATprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE CURATE AT HOME.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
begunverbUS /bɪˈɡʌn/
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
bornadjectiveUS /bɔːrn/
brought into existence
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
butterflyverbUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/
flutter like a butterfly
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
calledverbUS /kɔːld/
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
caterpillarnounUS /ˈkætəpɪlər/
a wormlike and often brightly colored and hairy or spiny larva of a butterfly or moth
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
changesnounUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
chaoticadjectiveUS /keɪˈɑːtɪk/
lacking a visible order or organization
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
commencedverbUS /kəˈmenst/
past form of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
conditionnounUS /kənˈdɪʃən/
a state at a particular time
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
consequencenounUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwəns/
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
crudeadjectiveUS /kruːd/
not carefully or expertly made
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
CURATEnounUS /ˈkjʊrət/
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading THE CURATE AT HOME.
directionsnounUS /dərˈekʃənz/
plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
electricitynounUS /ɪˌlekˈtrɪsəti/
a physical phenomenon associated with stationary or moving electrons and protons
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
fairadjectiveUS /fer/
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
feelingsnounUS /ˈfiːlɪŋz/
emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
feltverbUS /felt/
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
fishnounUS /fɪʃ/
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
flashesnounUS /ˈflæʃɪz/
plural of “flash” — a sudden intense burst of radiant energy
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/
past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
flowernounUS /ˈflaʊər/
a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
fluidnounUS /ˈfluːəd/
a substance that is fluid at room temperature and pressure
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
foreknowverb
realize beforehand
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
formsnounUS /fɔːrmz/
plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
gnawingverbUS /ˈnɔːɪŋ/
-ing form of “gnaw” — bite or chew on with the teeth
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
HOMEnounUS /hoʊm/
where you live at a particular time
From this reading THE CURATE AT HOME.
hoveringverbUS /ˈhʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
ideanounUS /aɪˈdiːə/
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
indeedadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdiːd/
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
intermittentadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈmɪtənt/
stopping and starting at irregular intervals
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
leafnounUS /liːf/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
lifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
marvellousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrvələs/
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
massnounUS /mæs/
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
meanverbUS /miːn/
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
mentaladjectiveUS /ˈmentəl/
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
moraladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrəl/
concerned with principles of right and wrong or conforming to standards of behavior and character based on those principles
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
northernadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrðərn/
in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
occurredverbUS /əˈkɜːrd/
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
oceannounUS /ˈoʊʃən/
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
onceadverbUS /wʌns/
on one occasion
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
ownverbUS /oʊn/
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
passverbUS /pæs/
go across or through
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
passingnounUS /ˈpæsɪŋ/
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
perfectedadjectiveUS /pərˈfektɪd/
(of plans, ideas, etc.) perfectly formed
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
potentadjectiveUS /ˈpoʊtənt/
having great influence
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
potentialadjectiveUS /pəˈtenʃəl/
existing in possibility
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
rainbow-winged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
recogniseverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
show approval or appreciation of
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/
worried and uneasy
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
resultnounUS /rɪˈzʌlt/
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
rosenounUS /roʊz/
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
selfnounUS /self/
your consciousness of your own identity
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
spiritualadjectiveUS /ˈspɪrɪtʃuːəl/
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
stingingnounUS /ˈstɪŋɪŋ/
a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
strangelyadverbUS /ˈstreɪndʒli/
in a strange manner
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/
happening unexpectedly
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
swarmedverbUS /swɔːrmd/
past form of “swarm” — be teeming, be abuzz
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
symbolnounUS /ˈsɪmbəl/
an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
temperaturenounUS /ˈtemprətʃər/
the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment (corresponding to its molecular activity)
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CURATE AT HOME.
ThomasnounUS /ˈtɑːməs/
United States clockmaker who introduced mass production (1785-1859)
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
threateningadjectiveUS /ˈθretənɪŋ/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
tropicaladjectiveUS /ˈtrɑːpɪkəl/
relating to or situated in or characteristic of the tropics (the region on either side of the equator)
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
uncomfortableadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbəl/
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
uncouthadjectiveUS /ˈʌnˈkuːθ/
lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
undergoingverbUS /ˌʌndərˈɡoʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “undergo” — pass through
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
variousadjectiveUS /ˈveriəs/
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading A certain intermittent stinging, as if from the flashes of some moral electricity, had begun to pass in various directions through the crude and chaotic mass he called himself, and he felt strangely restless.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The spiritual fluid in which his being floated had become all at once more potent, and he was in consequence uncomfortable.
watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
Wingfold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading If we could arrive at the feelings of a fish of the northern ocean around which the waters suddenly rose to tropical temperature, and swarmed with strange forms of life, uncouth and threatening, we should have a fair symbol of the mental condition in which Thomas Wingfold now found himself.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It never occurred to him--as how should it?--that he might have commenced undergoing the most marvellous of all changes,--one so marvellous, indeed, that for a man to foreknow its result or understand what he was passing through, would be more strange than that a caterpillar should recognise in the rainbow-winged butterfly hovering over the flower at whose leaf he was gnawing, the perfected idea of his own potential self--I mean the change of being born again.
