used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
ascertainverbUS /ˌæsərˈteɪn/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
catchingnounUS /ˈkætʃɪŋ/
(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
cordialadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːrdʒəl/
diffusing warmth and friendliness
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
cuttingnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋ/
the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
flurrynounUS /ˈflɜːri/
a rapid active commotion
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading LETTER FROM PAT.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
let have
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
Grant'snounUS /ɡrænts/
possessive form of “grant” — any monetary aid
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
greetedverbUS /ˈɡriːtəd/
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
inquireverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪr/
address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
JerrynounUS /ˈdʒeri/
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading LETTER FROM PAT.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
come together
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
not any; not one
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
PATverbUS /pæt/
pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
From this reading LETTER FROM PAT.
PatricknounUS /ˈpætrɪk/
Apostle and patron saint of Ireland; an English missionary to Ireland in the 5th century
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
reformnounUS /rəˈfɔːrm/
a change for the better as a result of correcting abuses
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
determined
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
RileynounUS /ˈraɪli/
United States poet (1849-1916)
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
male cat
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
Tom'snounUS /tɑːmz/
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading The old lady knew how hard Pat had tried to reform, and greeted him in a most cordial manner.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
in or at the place that
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Before this he had been glad to meet no one; but now he felt a keen desire to ascertain where his father had gone; and resolved to return by the way of Tom Grant's, though a flurry of snow filled the air, and inquire whether Mr. Riley had been seen of late.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why, Patrick!" she exclaimed, catching hold of his arm, "Come right in out of the snow.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Mrs. Grant, Tom's mother, was getting dinner, while Jerry was at work cutting wood in the back yard.
