used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
awaitedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪtɪd/
expected hopefully
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
BarbernounUS /ˈbɑːrbər/
United States composer (1910-1981)
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
bethinking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
blindsnounUS /blaɪndz/
plural of “blind” — people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
decentlyadverbUS /ˈdiːsəntli/
in a decent manner
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
distastenounUS /dɪˈsteɪst/
a feeling of intense dislike
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
take in liquids
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
droopedverbUS /druːpt/
past form of “droop” — droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
earthlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrθli/
of or belonging to or characteristic of this earth as distinguished from heaven
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
encounteringverbUS /enˈkaʊntərɪŋ/
-ing form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
exchangingverbUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “exchange” — give to, and receive from, one another
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
futilitynounUS /fjuːˈtɪləti/
uselessness as a consequence of having no practical result
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
greetingsnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋz/
plural of “greeting” — (usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
half-mastnoun
a position some distance below the top of a mast to which a flag is lowered in mourning or to signal distress
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
indoorsadverbUS /ˈɪndɔːrz/
within a building
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
a small worthless amount
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
landladynounUS /ˈlændleɪdi/
a landlord who is a woman
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
masterlessadjective
having no lord or master
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
neighboursnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/
plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
information about recent and important events
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
not any; not one
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
regardingverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/
-ing form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading The captain shook his head, and exchanging greetings with a couple of neighbours, ordered something to drink.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
subduedadjectiveUS /səbˈduːd/
in a softened tone
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
express a supposition
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion
From this reading “No news, I suppose, Captain Barber?” said the landlady, regarding him with great sympathy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
ThornnounUS /θɔːrn/
something that causes irritation and annoyance
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
thoughtfuladjectiveUS /ˈθɔːtfəl/
having intellectual depth
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
uncertaintynounUS /ənˈsɜːrtənti/
being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The blinds at his windows were all decently drawn, while the Union Jack drooped at half-mast in the front garden.
plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire
From this reading Captain Barber walked to his house in thoughtful mood, and sighed as he thought of the uncertainty of life and the futility of earthly wishes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
womanlyadjective
befitting or characteristic of a woman especially a mature woman
From this reading He paused at the gate, with a strong distaste for encountering the subdued gloom and the wealth of womanly love which awaited him indoors, and bethinking himself of the masterless state of his craft, walked slowly back and entered the Thorn Inn.
