used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading To get mumps at a time like this, he mused, was almost unprincely.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To get mumps at a time like this, he mused, was almost unprincely.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
beadsnounUS /biːdz/
several beads threaded together on a string
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
biggishadjective
somewhat large
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But now he had the mumps.
decidedlyadverbUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdədli/
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
inflected form of “drink” — take in liquids
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
a rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
gelatinousadjectiveUS /dʒəˈlætənəs/
thick like gelatin
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading To get mumps at a time like this, he mused, was almost unprincely.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But now he had the mumps.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But now he had the mumps.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
inflatedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfleɪtɪd/
enlarged beyond truth or reasonableness
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
held dear
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
in addition to what has just been said
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
mumpsnounUS /mʌmps/
an acute contagious viral disease characterized by fever and by swelling of the parotid glands
From this reading But now he had the mumps.
musedverbUS /mjuːzd/
past form of “muse” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading To get mumps at a time like this, he mused, was almost unprincely.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
not any; not one
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But now he had the mumps.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
puffyadjectiveUS /ˈpʌfi/
being puffed out; used of hair style or clothing
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
royaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/
of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Moreover, he had a fever, and his royal knees felt decidedly gelatinous, and the doctor had said he must stay in bed.
a lightweight cord
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
plural of “subject” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
swallowverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊ/
pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
swallowingverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “swallow” — pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But now he had the mumps.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading To get mumps at a time like this, he mused, was almost unprincely.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading To get mumps at a time like this, he mused, was almost unprincely.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
unprincely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To get mumps at a time like this, he mused, was almost unprincely.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
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 He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
at the time that
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading He was as puffy as if he had attempted to swallow a pair of inflated water wings, and when he drank a glass of water it was like swallowing a string of biggish beads.
an affirmative
From this reading Yes, there was no question about it, his subjects loved him.
