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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
actions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
activity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
admitted
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From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
any
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From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
approximation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
cause
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
causes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
completeness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
complexity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
conditions
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From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
considering
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From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
continually
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From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
control
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
controlled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
convinced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
declared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
desire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
difference
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
directing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
East
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
essence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
event
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
events
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
general
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
gods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
graspnounUS /ɡræsp/
a firm hold in a specific situation in this story
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
happen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
happened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
hero
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
heroes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
historic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
historical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
history
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
implanted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
indifference
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
intelligible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
laws
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
lies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
Man's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
mass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
meaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
moved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
movement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
multiplicity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
Napoleon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
neednounUS /need/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
observationnounUS /ˈobservation/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
penetrate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
planets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
position
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
primitive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
prominent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
says
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
seem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
seems
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
separately
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
snatchesplural nounUS /snætʃɪz/
short, incomplete pieces of speech or writing
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
soul
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
stationary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
subject
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Man’s mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness, but the desire to find those causes is implanted in man’s soul.
understandnounUS /understand/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
upheld
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading But we need only penetrate to the essence of any historic event—which lies in the activity of the general mass of men who take part in it—to be convinced that the will of the historic hero does not control the actions of the mass but is itself continually controlled.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
West
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading In historical events (where the actions of men are the subject of observation) the first and most primitive approximation to present itself was the will of the gods and, after that, the will of those who stood in the most prominent position—the heroes of history.
wished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading And without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, he snatches at the first approximation to a cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!”
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading It may seem to be a matter of indifference whether we understand the meaning of historical events this way or that; yet there is the same difference between a man who says that the people of the West moved on the East because Napoleon wished it and a man who says that this happened because it had to happen, as there is between those who declared that the earth was stationary and that the planets moved round it and those who admitted that they did not know what upheld the earth, but knew there were laws directing its movement and that of the other planets.
