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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.
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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
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1828.mshaffer.comWord [had]

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had

HAD, pret. and pp. of have; contracted from Sax.haefd, that is, haved; as, I had; I have had. In the phrase, "I had better go," it is supposed that had is used for would; "I'd better go." The sense of the phrase is, "it would be better for me to go."




Evolution (or devolution) of this word [had]

1828 Webster1844 Webster1913 Webster

HAD, pret. and pp. of have; contracted from Sax.haefd, that is, haved; as, I had; I have had. In the phrase, "I had better go," it is supposed that had is used for would; "I'd better go." The sense of the phrase is, "it would be better for me to go."


HAD, v.t. [pret. and pp. of have; contracted from Sax. hæfd, that is, haved; as, I had; I have had. In the phrase, “I had better go,” it is supposed that had is used for would; “I'd better go.” The sense of the phrase is, “it would be better for me to go.”]


Had
  1. See Have.

    Had 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 agreeable to me it is to be poor and true.]
    C. Mundi (Trans.).

    Him had been lever to be syke.
    [To him it had been preferable to be sick.]
    Fabian.

    For him was lever have at his bed's head
    Twenty bookes, clad in black or red, . . .
    Than robes rich, or fithel, or gay sawtrie.
    Chaucer.

    Gradually the nominative was substituted for the dative, and had for the forms of be. During the process of transition, the nominative with was or were, and the dative with had, are found.

    Poor lady, she were better love a dream. Shak.

    You were best hang yourself. Beau. *** Fl.

    Me rather had my heart might feel your love
    Than my unpleased eye see your courtesy.
    Shak.

    I hadde levere than my scherte,
    That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I.
    Chaucer.

    I had as lief not be as live to be
    In awe of such a thing as I myself.
    Shak.

    I had rather be a dog and bay the moon,
    Than such a Roman.
    Shak.

    I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Ps. lxxxiv. 10.

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Had

HAD, preterit tense and participle passive of have; contracted from Sax.haefd, that is, haved; as, I had; I have had In the phrase, 'I had better go, ' it is supposed that had is used for would; 'I'd better go.' The sense of the phrase is, 'it would be better for me to go.'

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Word of the Day

importance

IMPORT'ANCE, n.

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance.

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

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porte

PORTE, n. The Ottoman court, so called from the gate of the Sultan's palace where justice is administered; as the Sublime Porte.

Noah's 1828 Dictionary

First dictionary of the American Language!

Noah Webster, the Father of American Christian education, wrote the first American dictionary and established a system of rules to govern spelling, grammar, and reading. This master linguist understood the power of words, their definitions, and the need for precise word usage in communication to maintain independence. Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions.

This standard reference tool will greatly assist students of all ages in their studies.

No other dictionary compares with the Webster's 1828 dictionary. The English language has changed again and again and in many instances has become corrupt. The American Dictionary of the English Language is based upon God's written word, for Noah Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions. This standard reference tool will greatly assist students of all ages in their studies. From American History to literature, from science to the Word of God, this dictionary is a necessity. For homeschoolers as well as avid Bible students it is easy, fast, and sophisticated.


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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary

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