used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
anew
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
(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 Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
assnounUS /æs/
the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
ay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
brainsnounUS /breɪnz/
plural of “brain” — that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
cowardlyadjectiveUS /ˈkaʊərdli/
lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
someone who is a detective
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
fainadjectiveUS /feɪn/
having made preparations
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
faint-heartedadjective
lacking conviction or boldness or courage
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading "I'll go no farther.
plural of “find” — a productive insight
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
fouladjectiveUS /faʊl/
highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "I'll go no farther.
half-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
HildebrandnounUS /ˈhɪldɪbrænd/
the Italian pope who fought to establish the supremacy of the pope over the Roman Catholic Church and the supremacy of the church over the state (1020-1085)
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'll go no farther.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
mill-pond
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
not any; not one
From this reading "I'll go no farther.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
on one occasion
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
quitsadjectiveUS /kwɪts/
on equal terms by payment or requital
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
roguenounUS /roʊɡ/
a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
swamverbUS /swæm/
inflected form of “swim” — travel through water
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
an old word for “you”, as the object, speaking to one person
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
push forcefully
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
TutverbUS /tʌt/
utter “tsk,” “tut,” or “tut-tut,” as in disapproval
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
unconditionaladjectiveUS /ˌʌnkənˈdɪʃənəl/
not conditional
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
unparalleledadjectiveUS /ənˈperəleld/
radically distinctive and without equal
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
verilyadverb
in truth; certainly
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
precisely as stated
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
villainsnounUS /ˈvɪlənz/
plural of “villain” — a wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
(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 A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
which person or people
From this reading A bad business quits best at the beginning; if once we get to the middle, we might as well go on, or we may be like old Dick, who swam half-way through the mill-pond, and then, being faint-hearted, swam back again."
morally bad in principle or practice
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading Tut, that same cowardly rogue, of all unparalleled villains, is verily the worst.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Old Hildebrand finds some foul business on his hands, that he would fain thrust into our fingers.
wouldstmodal verbUS /wʊdst/
an old form of “would”, used with “thou”
From this reading "Look thee now, thou art a precious ass:--thou wouldst be a wit without brains, and a rogue, ay, a very wicked and unconditional rogue, without courage.
