Chapter IV

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

without advance planning

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

plural of “advantage” — the quality of having a superior or more favorable position

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

passing reference or indirect mention

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

(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 It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

obtainable or accessible and ready for use or service

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

to a severe or serious degree

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

a youthful male person

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

marked by blithe unconcern

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

recite with musical intonation; recite as a chant or a psalm

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

a young person of either sex

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

possessive form of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a chorus that sings as part of a religious ceremony

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

rid of obstructions

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

clothing in general

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a flock of coots

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a state in which you want to learn more about something

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

a line leading to a place or point

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

extended verbal expression in speech or writing

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

past form of “discuss” — to consider or examine in speech or writing

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

divisible by two

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

give expression to

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

apart from; not including

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

set up or found

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

a child who has been abandoned and whose parents are unknown

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

obtain

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

brought together in one place

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

the act of departing

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

light informal conversation for social occasions

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

a child of your son or daughter

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

plural of “gray” — a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

a song of praise (to God or to a saint or to a nation)

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

the act of designating or identifying something

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

plural of “inquiry” — a search for knowledge

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

take somebody somewhere

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

has a good chance of being the case or of coming about

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

engage in

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

attach a tag or label to

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a vaguely specified concern

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

the force of workers available

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

plural of “moment” — a particular point in time

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

used to form the superlative

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a form of address for a man

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

as might be expected

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

an old word for “no”

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

information about recent and important events

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

inflected form of “occur” — come to pass

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

on one occasion

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

and nothing more

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a person who plays an organ

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

-ing form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

marked by the reception of pay

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

the act of punishing

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

a separate part of a whole

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

a customary way of operation or behavior

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

with considerable certainty; without much doubt

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

unusual or striking

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

determined

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

worried and uneasy

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

plural of “robin” — small Old World songbird with a reddish breast

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

cause to go somewhere

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

a source of difficulty

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

Risen from sleep; conscious.

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

at the time that

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The penalty is that when they particularly want to hear any piece of news, they are not likely to hear it naturally like other people, but must go out of their way to make inquiries and evince a curiosity which at once makes them remarkable.

which person or people

From this reading Village Evidence--'Gray' on the Brain--Too Well He Knew--Mr Robins and the Baby--He Had Not Done Badly There is certainly a penalty paid by people who keep entirely clear of gossip, though it is not by any means in proportion to the advantages they gain.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Even Bill Gray knew the organist's ways too well to trouble him with the story, though he was too full of it himself to give his usual attention at the next choir practice, and, at every available pause between chant and hymn, his head and that of the boy next him were close together in deep discourse.

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

a poorhouse where able-bodied poor are compelled to labor

From this reading Now every one in the village except Mr Robins heard of the baby found in the Grays' garden, and discussed how it came there, but it was only by overhearing a casual word here and there that the organist gathered even so much as that the Grays had resolved to keep the child, and were not going to send it to the workhouse.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It had occurred to Mr Robins' mind, in the waking moments of that restless night, that there might have been--nay, most probably was--some mark on the child's clothes which would lead to its identification, and, for the next few days, every glance in his direction, or, for the matter of that, in any other direction, was interpreted by him as having some covert allusion to this foundling grandchild of his; but the conversation of some men outside his yew-hedge, which he accidentally overheard one day, set his anxiety at rest.