used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
alasexclamationUS /əˈlæs/
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading The twins were alone in the school-room, grumbling and squabbling by turns.
a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
at or in or to any place
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
terminate
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The twins were alone in the school-room, grumbling and squabbling by turns.
CRUELadjectiveUS /ˈkruːəl/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
depressingadjectiveUS /dɪˈpresɪŋ/
causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
disconsolatelyadverb
in grief-stricken loneliness; without comforting circumstances or prospects
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
grumblingnounUS /ˈɡrʌmbəlɪŋ/
a loud low dull continuous noise
From this reading The twins were alone in the school-room, grumbling and squabbling by turns.
ill-temperedadjective
annoyed and irritable
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
incessantlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsesəntli/
with unflagging resolve
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
leadenadjectiveUS /ˈledən/
darkened with overcast
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
not any; not one
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
school-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The twins were alone in the school-room, grumbling and squabbling by turns.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
squabblingverbUS /ˈskwɑːbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “squabble” — argue over petty things
From this reading The twins were alone in the school-room, grumbling and squabbling by turns.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The rain fell incessantly, and there was no break anywhere in the leaden sky.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
plural of “turn” — a circular segment of a curve
From this reading The twins were alone in the school-room, grumbling and squabbling by turns.
twinsnounUS /twɪnz/
(mineralogy) two interwoven crystals that are mirror images on each other
From this reading The twins were alone in the school-room, grumbling and squabbling by turns.
under normal conditions
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The twins were alone in the school-room, grumbling and squabbling by turns.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading A CRUEL JOKE IT was Saturday, and, alas! a wet Saturday.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What shall we do?" asked George at length, looking disconsolately around the room.
witsnounUS /wɪts/
the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
From this reading They were not usually ill-tempered boys, but the dull November day was depressing, and they were at their wits' end for amusement.
