used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
matters of personal concern
From this reading "There is a curse upon my love affairs," said the musician.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
betokening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
claspverbUS /klæsp/
hold firmly and tightly
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
comfortingadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtɪŋ/
providing freedom from worry
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading "There is a curse upon my love affairs," said the musician.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
engagementsnounUS /enˈɡeɪdʒmənts/
plural of “engagement” — a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Why should those letters never reach her?
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "There is a curse upon my love affairs," said the musician.
the literary culture
From this reading "Why should those letters never reach her?
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading "There is a curse upon my love affairs," said the musician.
musiciannounUS /mjuːˈzɪʃən/
someone who plays a musical instrument (as a profession)
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading "Why should those letters never reach her?
precisely, exactly
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "There is a curse upon my love affairs," said the musician.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "Why should those letters never reach her?
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
the state of being asleep
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
a male human offspring
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
SonnynounUS /ˈsʌni/
a male child (a familiar term of address to a boy)
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
not in physical motion
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "There is a curse upon my love affairs," said the musician.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading "Why should those letters never reach her?
thumbnounUS /θʌm/
the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
very small
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "My engagements never do seem to go right," sighed the musician.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "There is a curse upon my love affairs," said the musician.
on a floor above
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
which person or people
From this reading But he was not thinking of Sonny, although the clasp of the tiny fingers was comforting, as betokening some one who still believed in him.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why should those letters never reach her?
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was sitting in the little bedroom upstairs by the side of his sleeping son, with his thumb tightly clasped in a fat brown hand.
