used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
ABOUTprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
agentnounUS /ˈeɪdʒənt/
an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
ah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
(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 He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
cautionnounUS /ˈkɑːʃən/
the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
communicationsnounUS /kəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃənz/
the discipline that studies the principles of transmiting information and the methods by which it is delivered (as print or radio or television etc.)
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
without stop or interruption
From this reading The strange travellers continued their wanderings.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
deemverbUS /diːm/
keep in mind or convey as a conviction or view
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
divisible by two
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
set up or found
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
happieradjectiveUS /ˈhæpiər/
comparative of “happy” — enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
holieradjectiveUS /ˈhoʊliər/
comparative of “holy” — belonging to or derived from or associated with a divine power
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
indefiniteadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdefənət/
vague or not clearly defined or stated
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
L'Estrange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
held dear
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
Maurice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
MoscownounUS /ˈmɑːskoʊ/
a city of central European Russia; formerly capital of both the Soviet Union and Soviet Russia; since 1991 the capital of the Russian Federation
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
information about recent and important events
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
continue talking
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading The strange travellers continued their wanderings.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The strange travellers continued their wanderings.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
travellersnounUS /ˈtrævələrz/
plural of “traveller” — a person who changes location
From this reading The strange travellers continued their wanderings.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
wanderingsnounUS /ˈwɑːndərɪŋz/
plural of “wandering” — travelling about without any clear destination
From this reading The strange travellers continued their wanderings.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He did not seem to be in Moscow, although for the time all communications were to be addressed to an agent there.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In any of the places through which they passed it was possible Maurice Grey might be found.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
in the company of; together with
From this reading News reached them at Paris about the object of their journey, but news so indefinite that L'Estrange thought it well to proceed with caution.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading _A TALE ABOUT THE STARS._ Could we but deem the stars had hearts, and loved, They would seem happier, holier, to us even than now; And ah! why not?--they are so beautiful.
