used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading OTHO’S LETTER-BAG A November morning, five years later.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sky gray and brooding, the trees still and leafless.
Askam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
betokened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
breakfasting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
brightnessnounUS /ˈbraɪtnəs/
the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
broodingnounUS /ˈbruːdɪŋ/
sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body
From this reading The sky gray and brooding, the trees still and leafless.
burlyadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrli/
muscular and heavily built
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
correspondencenounUS /ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns/
communication by the exchange of letters
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
drearadjective
causing dejection
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
divisible by two
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading OTHO’S LETTER-BAG A November morning, five years later.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
usually; as a rule
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading The sky gray and brooding, the trees still and leafless.
an established custom
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
hearthrugnoun
a rug spread out in front of a fireplace
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading OTHO’S LETTER-BAG A November morning, five years later.
lawnsnounUS /lɔːnz/
plural of “lawn” — a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
leaflessadjectiveUS /ˈliːfləs/
having no leaves
From this reading The sky gray and brooding, the trees still and leafless.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
LETTER-BAG
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OTHO’S LETTER-BAG A November morning, five years later.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading OTHO’S LETTER-BAG A November morning, five years later.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading OTHO’S LETTER-BAG A November morning, five years later.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
many times at short intervals
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
Othonoun
French pope from 1088 to 1099 whose sermons called for the First Crusade (1042-1099)
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
OTHO'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OTHO’S LETTER-BAG A November morning, five years later.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
give money, usually in exchange for goods or services
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
perusedverbUS /pərˈuːzd/
past form of “peruse” — examine or consider with attention and in detail
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The sky gray and brooding, the trees still and leafless.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
not in physical motion
From this reading The sky gray and brooding, the trees still and leafless.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sky gray and brooding, the trees still and leafless.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
Thorsgarth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
in the direction of
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The sky gray and brooding, the trees still and leafless.
trimlyadverb
in a trim manner
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
under normal conditions
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A letter was in his hand, to which he seemed to pay more attention than it was usually his habit to give to his correspondence, for he turned it about, and perused it often.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Within, in a small room which he generally used for breakfasting, Otho Askam stood on the hearthrug, with his burly back turned towards a large fire.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Everything outside betokened the drear season of the year, and even the trimly kept lawns of Thorsgarth could not give brightness to this mood of Nature and the time o’ day.
a late time of life
From this reading OTHO’S LETTER-BAG A November morning, five years later.
