used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
acquaintancesnounUS /əˈkweɪntənsɪz/
plural of “acquaintance” — personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
(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 Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
annoyancenounUS /əˈnɔɪəns/
the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
catholicadjectiveUS /ˈkæθlɪk/
of or relating to or supporting Catholicism
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
chafedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪft/
painful from having the skin abraded
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
chordsnounUS /kɔːrdz/
plural of “chord” — a straight line connecting two points on a curve
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
conservatismnounUS /kənˈsɜːrvətɪzəm/
a political or theological orientation advocating the preservation of the best in society and opposing radical changes
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
crashingadjectiveUS /ˈkræʃɪŋ/
informal intensifiers
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
delicatelyadverbUS /ˈdeləkətli/
in a delicate manner
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
diplomaticadjectiveUS /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk/
relating to or characteristic of diplomacy
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
divisible by two
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
having experience; having knowledge or skill from observation or participation
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
yet to be or coming
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
only a very short time before
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
keysnounUS /kiːz/
plural of “key” — metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
past form of “march” — march in a procession
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
mistakesnounUS /mɪˈsteɪks/
plural of “mistake” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
a particular point in time
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
musicaladjectiveUS /ˈmjuːzɪkəl/
characterized by or capable of producing music
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
Ordham
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
pangsnounUS /pæŋz/
plural of “pang” — a sudden sharp feeling
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
preciselyadverbUS /prɪˈsaɪsli/
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
any competition
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
recklessnessnounUS /ˈrekləsnəs/
the trait of giving little thought to danger
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
relentlessadjectiveUS /rɪˈlentlɪs/
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
reservenounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/
formality and propriety of manner
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
self-reproachnoun
a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
sensitiveadjectiveUS /ˈsensətɪv/
responsive to physical stimuli
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
surprisinglyadverbUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋli/
in a surprising manner
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
sympathiesnounUS /ˈsɪmpəθiz/
plural of “sympathy” — an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
tastesnounUS /teɪsts/
plural of “taste” — the sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
temperamentnounUS /ˈtemprəmənt/
your usual mood
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
temptationnounUS /temˈteɪʃən/
something that seduces or has the quality to seduce
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
tendencynounUS /ˈtendənsi/
an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
in or at that place or location
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
a special situation
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If there be such a thing as the diplomatic temperament, John Ordham may be said to have possessed it.
having come into contact
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading In spite of his British reserve he had little of the narrow conservatism of his race; his tastes, his sympathies, his points of view, were catholic.
warilyadverbUS /ˈwerəli/
in a wary manner
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
at the time that
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
belonging to which person
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Nevertheless, even the acquaintances made outside of his own world were never of a character to cause him future annoyance; and when he tired of them, they experienced pangs of self-reproach, or chafed at relentless fate.
a late time of life
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was hardly more than an instinct as yet, but he had made surprisingly few mistakes for a man of his years.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading Side by side with the recklessness of youth and a sensitive nature, marched already a tendency to regard life as a sort of musical instrument whose keys were to be touched delicately, warily; crashing chords to be struck at precisely the right moment or not at all—whatever the temptation.
