used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
Alec
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
eagerly desirous
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
the month following March and preceding May
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
awfullyadverbUS /ˈɑːfli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
Bobbie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
the act of burning something
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
dearly loved
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading His train was not due until midnight.
opinion or judgment
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
Father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
hairpinnoun
a double pronged pin used to hold women's hair in place
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His train was not due until midnight.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading His train was not due until midnight.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His train was not due until midnight.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
roll-top
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
scribbledverbUS /ˈskrɪbəld/
past form of “scribble” — write down quickly without much attention to detail
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
sleepyadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpi/
ready to fall asleep
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
create by training and teaching
From this reading His train was not due until midnight.
hard to endure
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading I was awfully anxious to wait up for him, but at ten o'clock I was so sleepy that I couldn't keep my eyes open another minute.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On a certain night in April I was in the sitting-room trying to keep awake until Alec came home.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
at the time that
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Bobbie_," and fastened it with a wire hairpin on the light that I left burning.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading So I went to Father's roll-top desk and scribbled this on a piece of paper: "_Dear Alec--Be sure and stop at my room when you come in.
