used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
how long something has existed
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
united by being of the same opinion
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
boomingadjectiveUS /ˈbuːmɪŋ/
very lively and profitable
From this reading Moreover business was booming.
confined by bonds
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
a youthful male person
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Moreover business was booming.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
a young person of either sex
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
contentmentnounUS /kənˈtentmənt/
happiness with one's situation in life
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
decentadjectiveUS /ˈdiːsənt/
socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
to an extreme degree
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading Fate, too, was treating him kindly.
a boy or man
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
made greater in size or amount or degree
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
James'snounUS /ˈdʒeɪmzɪz/
possessive form of “james” — a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading Fate, too, was treating him kindly.
Laura's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
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 He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
marryingverbUS /ˈmeriɪŋ/
-ing form of “marry” — take in marriage
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
the force of workers available
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
in addition to what has just been said
From this reading Moreover business was booming.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
RosemarynounUS /ˈroʊzmeri/
widely cultivated for its fragrant grey-green leaves used in cooking and in perfumery
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Fate, too, was treating him kindly.
in the direction of
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
treatingverbUS /ˈtriːtɪŋ/
-ing form of “treat” — interact in a certain way
From this reading Fate, too, was treating him kindly.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
precisely as stated
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
vigournoun
forceful exertion
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
weariedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪrid/
exhausted
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed
From this reading TIME drew on towards the wedding, and James's contentment increased.
(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 He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
at the time that
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
which person or people
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He felt very well that autumn--his summer holiday had agreed with him--and he was vain of his vigour at an age when many men are already a little wearied by life.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Mary had settled down, Laura's child was a boy, and a very fine boy, and here was Rosemary marrying an exceedingly decent young fellow who was bound to get on.
