Chapter I

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

generally approved or compelling recognition

From this reading On his last return to Anglicanism, he had accepted a country living.

anew

From this reading Poor papa has lost his faith again.”

someone who is doubtful or noncommittal about something

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

a Protestant who is a follower of Anglicanism

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

the faith and doctrine and practice of the Anglican Church

From this reading On his last return to Anglicanism, he had accepted a country living.

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

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

earlier than; in front of

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

of short duration or distance

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

in a brisk manner

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

showing who or what does the action

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

of or relating to or supporting Catholicism

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the Christian Church

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading On his last return to Anglicanism, he had accepted a country living.

plural of “creed” — any system of principles or beliefs

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

a person who dissents from some established policy

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading Poor papa had very often lost his faith during the fifty years of his life.

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

divisible by two

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Poor papa has lost his faith again.”

a social unit living together

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five

From this reading Poor papa had very often lost his faith during the fifty years of his life.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

plural of “forefather” — the founder of a family

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

possessive form of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

an established custom

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading Poor papa had very often lost his faith during the fifty years of his life.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading Poor papa has lost his faith again.”

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

the biological process whereby genetic factors are transmitted from one generation to the next

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading Poor papa has lost his faith again.”

where you live at a particular time

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

a person of subnormal intelligence

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

immediately past

From this reading On his last return to Anglicanism, he had accepted a country living.

someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Poor papa had very often lost his faith during the fifty years of his life.

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities

From this reading On his last return to Anglicanism, he had accepted a country living.

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading Poor papa has lost his faith again.”

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a form of address for a man

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Poor papa had very often lost his faith during the fifty years of his life.

many times at short intervals

From this reading Poor papa had very often lost his faith during the fifty years of his life.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk

From this reading Poor papa has lost his faith again.”

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading Poor papa has lost his faith again.”

influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading On his last return to Anglicanism, he had accepted a country living.

relating to or characteristic of people of Rome

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

for a short time

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a thing, without saying which

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

express in words

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

a source of difficulty

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

adherent of Unitarianism

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

precisely as stated

From this reading Poor papa had very often lost his faith during the fifty years of his life.

of or relating to Queen Victoria of Great Britain or to the age in which she ruled

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

(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 VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

at the time that

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

which person or people

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading Sometimes he became, from being an Anglican clergyman, a Unitarian minister, sometimes a Roman Catholic layman (he was, by nature, habit and heredity, a priest or minister of religion, but the Roman Catholic church makes trouble about wives and children), sometimes some strange kind of dissenter, sometimes a plain agnostic, who believed that there lived more faith in honest doubt than in half the creeds (and as to this he should know, for on quite half the creeds he was by now an expert).

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

a late time of life

From this reading Poor papa had very often lost his faith during the fifty years of his life.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.

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

From this reading VICTORIAN TOLD BY AN IDIOT A FAMILY AT HOME ONE evening, shortly before Christmas, in the days when our forefathers, being young, possessed the earth--in brief, in the year 1879--Mrs. Garden came briskly into the drawing-room from Mr. Garden’s study and said in her crisp, even voice to her six children, “Well, my dears, I have to tell you something.