used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They had a little human being of some sort.
quickly and without warning
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading They had a little human being of some sort.
a youthful male person
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
casuallyadverbUS /ˈkæʒəwəli/
not methodically or according to plan
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
child'snounUS /tʃaɪldz/
possessive form of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Except this was a man, scaled down to child's size.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Except this was a man, scaled down to child's size.
apart from; not including
From this reading Except this was a man, scaled down to child's size.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had a little human being of some sort.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading They had a little human being of some sort.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They had a little human being of some sort.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Except this was a man, scaled down to child's size.
matnounUS /mæt/
a thick flat pad used as a floor covering
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
necktienounUS /ˈnektaɪ/
neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They had a little human being of some sort.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
scaledadjectiveUS /skeɪld/
having the body covered or partially covered with thin horny plates, as some fish and reptiles
From this reading Except this was a man, scaled down to child's size.
shinyadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪni/
reflecting light
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They had a little human being of some sort.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading They had a little human being of some sort.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Except this was a man, scaled down to child's size.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
hard to endure
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading The things abruptly started their business, trying to act casually as if they hadn't been waiting for me to look at them at all.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
accept gladly
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
at the time that
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
which person or people
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was the size of a small boy, like the small boy who looked like me that they used to destroy when I was locked up with them in the dark.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
worriedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrid/
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading He had sort of an ugly, worried, tired, stupid look and he wore a shiny suit with a piece of a welcome mat or something for a necktie.
