used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading He rang the bell and gave strict orders to Dolf:
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
one who is the object of choice; who is given preference
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
deepenedverbUS /ˈdiːpənd/
past form of “deepen” — make more intense, stronger, or more marked
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
Dolf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He rang the bell and gave strict orders to Dolf:
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
enduringadjectiveUS /enˈdjʊrɪŋ/
lasting a long time
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He rang the bell and gave strict orders to Dolf:
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
GOSSIPnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading KITCHEN GOSSIP.
Grantley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
to a considerable degree
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
incapableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkeɪpəbəl/
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
inventverbUS /ˌɪnˈvent/
come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading KITCHEN GOSSIP.
immediately past
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
lengthenverbUS /ˈleŋθən/
make longer
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
a room where books are kept
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
literallyadverbUS /ˈlɪtərəli/
in a literal sense
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
Mellen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading He rang the bell and gave strict orders to Dolf:
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
pleanounUS /pliː/
a humble request for help from someone in authority
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
compacted by ironing
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading He rang the bell and gave strict orders to Dolf:
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
self-restraintnoun
exhibiting restraint imposed on the self
From this reading He was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
not in physical motion
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
strictadjectiveUS /strɪkt/
rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard
From this reading He rang the bell and gave strict orders to Dolf:
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
a source of difficulty
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
(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 was alone at last, and that was well; he was literally incapable of enduring any farther self-restraint.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
which person or people
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The day was passing--that long, terrible day--in which the moments seemed to lengthen themselves into hours, while with every one the gloom about the old house deepened and pressed more heavily down.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Grantley Mellen was in his library still, it had been a busy day with him; it appeared as if every creature within reach who could invent a plea of business had chosen that time to trouble him with it.
