used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A TRAITOR.
(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 Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
anxietiesnounUS /æŋˈzaɪətiz/
plural of “anxiety” — (psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
attentionsnounUS /əˈtenʃənz/
plural of “attention” — the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
betrayingverbUS /bɪˈtreɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “betray” — reveal unintentionally
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
boundenadjective
morally obligatory
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
a low-lying region in central France
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
the process of giving careful thought to something
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
distractverbUS /dɪˈstrækt/
draw someone's attention away from something
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
the state of being friends (or friendly)
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
the act of departing
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
impatiencenounUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəns/
a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
go away from a place
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
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 Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
Musgrave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
Pennithorne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
performedverbUS /pərˈfɔːrmd/
past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
a future prospect or potential
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
questnounUS /kwest/
a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
StantonnounUS /ˈstæntən/
United States suffragist and feminist; called for reform of the practices that perpetuated sexual inequality (1815-1902)
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
carry out
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
up to a particular time
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
TRAITORnounUS /ˈtreɪtər/
someone who betrays his country by committing treason
From this reading A TRAITOR.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
VicarnounUS /ˈvɪkər/
a Roman Catholic priest who acts for another higher-ranking clergyman
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Mr. Pennithorne was at the Castle almost all the day during which so many things occurred.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was no possibility of going upon that quest till the evening, and good Mr. Pen thought it his bounden duty to stay with John to “take off his attention,” to distract his mind if possible from the object of his anxieties.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was all John Musgrave could do, by way of consideration for an old friend, to put up with these attentions, but he managed to do so without betraying his impatience, and Mr. Pen thought he had performed the first duty of friendship.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading While the children wandered in the wood and young Lord Stanton went in search of them, the Vicar could not leave the centre of anxiety.
