used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
Andy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
Andy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
billsnounUS /bɪlz/
plural of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading They were a mass of bills which the young man evidently had for collection.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
CAMPUSnounUS /ˈkæmpəs/
a field on which the buildings of a university are situated
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
collectionnounUS /kəˈlekʃən/
several things grouped together or considered as a whole
From this reading They were a mass of bills which the young man evidently had for collection.
reach, make, or come to a decision about something
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
documentsnounUS /ˈdɑːkjəmənts/
plural of “document” — writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
take in liquids
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading They were a mass of bills which the young man evidently had for collection.
accept an excuse for
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They were a mass of bills which the young man evidently had for collection.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
HavennounUS /ˈheɪvən/
a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
a boy or man
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading They were a mass of bills which the young man evidently had for collection.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading They were a mass of bills which the young man evidently had for collection.
the force of workers available
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
poringverbUS /ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “pore” — direct one's attention on something
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
for a short time
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
sizingnounUS /ˈsaɪzɪŋ/
any glutinous material used to fill pores in surfaces or to stiffen fabrics
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
studentnounUS /ˈstuːdənt/
a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
studentsnounUS /ˈstuːdənts/
plural of “student” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
studious-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
surreptitiouslyadverbUS /ˌsɜːrəpˈtɪʃəsli/
in a surreptitious manner
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
create by training and teaching
From this reading ON THE CAMPUS Andy's train rolled into the New Haven station shortly before dusk.
hard to endure
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Then Andy, making an excuse to get a drink of water, passed his seat and looked at the documents.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were a mass of bills which the young man evidently had for collection.
which person or people
From this reading One was, he had set that down as certain--a quiet, studious-looking lad, who seemed poring over a book and papers.
in the company of; together with
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
YalenounUS /jeɪl/
a university in Connecticut
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading On the way the new student had been surreptitiously "sizing up" certain other young men in the car with him, trying to decide whether or not they were Yale students.
