used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
beetlesnounUS /ˈbiːtəlz/
plural of “beetle” — insect having biting mouthparts and front wings modified to form horny covers overlying the membranous rear wings
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
firefliesnounUS /ˈfaɪərflaɪz/
plural of “firefly” — tropical American click beetle having bright luminous spots
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
jutted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
conformity or harmony
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
layersnounUS /ˈleɪərz/
plural of “layer” — single thickness of usually some homogeneous substance
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
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 watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
being perceived or observed
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
many times at short intervals
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
and nothing more
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
transparentadjectiveUS /trænˈsperənt/
transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity
From this reading He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store.
precisely as stated
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
wantonlyadverbUS /ˈwɔːntənli/
in a wanton manner
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading He watched the many large beetles and fireflies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
(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 The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
at the time that
From this reading How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly broken when at home!
in or at the place that
From this reading Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night.
