used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It does not appear to have been so plainly provided in his nature that he was called to be a writer of books.
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
AUTHORSHIPnounUS /ˈɔːθərʃɪp/
the act of creating written works
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It does not appear to have been so plainly provided in his nature that he was called to be a writer of books.
beforehandadjectiveUS /bɪˈfɔːrhænd/
being ahead of time or need
From this reading Here the prophecy could not have been so surely made--beforehand.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading It does not appear to have been so plainly provided in his nature that he was called to be a writer of books.
brushverbUS /brʌʃ/
rub with a brush, or as if with a brush
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the predestination does not seem so clear in the case of his authorship.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading It does not appear to have been so plainly provided in his nature that he was called to be a writer of books.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
an occurrence of something
From this reading But the predestination does not seem so clear in the case of his authorship.
rid of obstructions
From this reading But the predestination does not seem so clear in the case of his authorship.
constitutionnounUS /ˌkɑːnstəˈtuːʃən/
law determining the fundamental political principles of a government
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Here the prophecy could not have been so surely made--beforehand.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But the predestination does not seem so clear in the case of his authorship.
endowmentnounUS /enˈdaʊmənt/
natural abilities or qualities
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
GibsonnounUS /ˈɡɪbsən/
United States illustrator remembered for his creation of the “Gibson girl” (1867-1944)
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
HamiltonnounUS /ˈhæməltən/
Irish mathematician (1806-1865)
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It does not appear to have been so plainly provided in his nature that he was called to be a writer of books.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here the prophecy could not have been so surely made--beforehand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
illustratornounUS /ˈɪləstreɪtər/
an artist who makes illustrations (for books or magazines or advertisements etc.)
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
naturalistnounUS /ˈnætʃərələst/
an advocate of the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the predestination does not seem so clear in the case of his authorship.
observernounUS /əbˈzɜːrvər/
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
on one occasion
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
pencilnounUS /ˈpensəl/
a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading It does not appear to have been so plainly provided in his nature that he was called to be a writer of books.
predestinationnounUS /ˌpriːdestəˈneɪʃən/
previous determination as if by destiny or fate
From this reading But the predestination does not seem so clear in the case of his authorship.
prophecynounUS /ˈprɒf.ə.si/
A prediction of what will happen in the future, often divinely or magically inspired.
From this reading Here the prophecy could not have been so surely made--beforehand.
past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading It does not appear to have been so plainly provided in his nature that he was called to be a writer of books.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But the predestination does not seem so clear in the case of his authorship.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But the predestination does not seem so clear in the case of his authorship.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Here the prophecy could not have been so surely made--beforehand.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading By endowment and by desire he was marked for that career which made him at once the observer of nature and her illustrator by pencil and by brush.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading It does not appear to have been so plainly provided in his nature that he was called to be a writer of books.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading THE ACCIDENT OF AUTHORSHIP It was written deep in the constitution of his spirit that William Hamilton Gibson was to be a naturalist and an artist.
