used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
anew
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
awfullyadverbUS /ˈɑːfli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading ‘I’m sure I beg your pardon.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
calculationsnounUS /ˌkælkjəˈleɪʃənz/
plural of “calculation” — the procedure of calculating; determining something by mathematical or logical methods
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
crumpling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
at any time
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
Humph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Humph!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘I’m sure I beg your pardon.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading I was really lost in thought.’
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
(Old Testament) the guardian archangel of the Jews
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
newspapersnounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpərz/
plural of “newspaper” — a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
accept an excuse for
From this reading ‘I’m sure I beg your pardon.
PLANTEDadjectiveUS /ˈplæntɪd/
(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading I was really lost in thought.’
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
Identical; not different.
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
be seated
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
not in physical motion
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading ‘I’m sure I beg your pardon.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
THORNnounUS /θɔːrn/
something that causes irritation and annoyance
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I was really lost in thought.’
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
WASauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
whirringnounUS /ˈwɜːrɪŋ/
sound of something in rapid motion
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading A man whirring about the room, and crumpling up newspapers without ever reading them is not the best sort of help in working out calculations.’
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading HOW A THORN WAS PLANTED ‘Look here, Michael, if you ever mean to sit still again, I should be awfully glad if you would begin to do it now, if it’s quite the same to you.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘I’m sure I beg your pardon.
