GLAD a.
sorrowful, or unhappy; -- said of persons, and often followed by of, at, that, or by the infinitive, and sometimes by with, introducing the cause or reason. A wise son maketh a glad father. Prov. x. 1. He that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished. Prov. xvii. 5. The Trojan, glad with sight of hostile blood. D…
HAD p.
as lief, Had rather, Had better, Had as soon, etc., with a nominative and followed by the infinitive without to, are well established idiomatic forms. The original construction was that of the dative with forms of be, followed by the infinitive. See Had better, under Better. And lever me is be pore and trewe. [And more…
LET v.
To cause; to make; -- used with the infinitive in the active form but in the passive sense; as, let make, i. e., cause to be made; let bring, i. e., cause to be brought. [Obs.] This irous, cursed wretch Let this knight's son anon before him fetch. Chaucer. He . . . thus let do slay hem all three. Chaucer. Anon he let t…
RELUCTANCE; RELUCTANCY n.
of being reluctant; repugnance; aversion of mind; unwillingness; -- often followed by an infinitive, or by to and a noun, formerly sometimes by against. "Tempering the severity of his looks with a reluctance to the action." Dryden. He had some reluctance to obey the summons. Sir W. Scott. Bear witness, Heaven, with wh…