used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
accountsnounUS /əˈkaʊnts/
plural of “account” — a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
(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 He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
conceivedverbUS /kənˈsiːvd/
past form of “conceive” — have the idea for
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
earning-power
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
deeply or markedly affected or influenced
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
incrementnounUS /ˈɪnkrəmənt/
a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
lackingadjectiveUS /ˈlækɪŋ/
inadequate in amount or degree
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
miscellaneousadjectiveUS /ˌmɪsəˈleɪniəs/
consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
a legal document giving official permission to do something
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
previouslyadverbUS /ˈpriːviəsli/
at an earlier time or formerly
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
profitnounUS /ˈprɑːfət/
the excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time (including depreciation and other non-cash expenses)
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
profit-taking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
purchasedverbUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəst/
past form of “purchase” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
revelationnounUS /ˌrevəˈleɪʃən/
the speech act of making something evident
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
skilfuladjective
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
stewardnounUS /ˈstuːərd/
someone who manages property or other affairs for someone else
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading "His profit can indeed not be small," he said to himself many times as he thought about the matter.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had never conceived of earning-power so high among servants as to permit of houses being purchased.
unearnedadjectiveUS /əˈnɜːrnd/
not gained by merit or labor or service
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The revelation of profit-taking, which grew out of his chance adventure, was, however, the matter which most deeply impressed him.
willedverbUS /wɪld/
past form of “will” — decree or ordain
From this reading He was a man so skilful with his miscellaneous accounts that from his unearned increment he did all things that he willed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Now he addressed the steward with a respect which had previously been lacking.
