used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
at or in or to any place
From this reading "But it isn't getting us anywhere," said Burley.
astro-physicist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
being joined in close association
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
availverbUS /əˈveɪl/
use to one's advantage
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
Bauml
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
a youthful male person
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
Burley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But it isn't getting us anywhere," said Burley.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But it isn't getting us anywhere," said Burley.
civilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
contactingverbUS /ˈkɑːntæktɪŋ/
-ing form of “contact” — be in or establish communication with
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
dark-complexioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
futileadjectiveUS /ˈfjuːtəl/
producing no result or effect
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading "But it isn't getting us anywhere," said Burley.
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
plural of “idea” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But it isn't getting us anywhere," said Burley.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "But it isn't getting us anywhere," said Burley.
Jules
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
and nothing more
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
attach to a support
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
notedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəd/
widely known and esteemed
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
ObservatorynounUS /əbˈzɜːrvətɔːri/
a building designed and equipped to observe astronomical phenomena
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
Palomar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "But it isn't getting us anywhere," said Burley.
second-handedly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
shirtnounUS /ʃɜːrt/
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
slacksnounUS /slæks/
(used in the plural) pants for casual wear
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "I've heard, second-handedly, some interesting ideas from this boy."
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
transportedverbUS /trænˈspɔːrtɪd/
past form of “transport” — move something or somebody around; usually over long distances
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
except if; if not
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "But it isn't getting us anywhere," said Burley.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Henry had learned that this was Dr. Jules Bauml, a noted astro-physicist attached to the Mount Palomar Observatory.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "He thinks we have been transported through time and that it is futile to try contacting our own civilization unless we avail ourselves of a time machine.
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
a Caucasian
From this reading "Just a minute," said a small, dark-complexioned man wearing a black shirt, white slacks and dark glasses.
