used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
AfricanadjectiveUS /ˈæfrəkən/
of or relating to the nations of Africa or their peoples
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
how long something has existed
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
from appearances alone
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
a youthful male person
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
curlingnounUS /ˈkɜːrlɪŋ/
a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
Dennis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
wanted intensely
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
desiringverbUS /dɪˈzaɪərɪŋ/
-ing form of “desire” — feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
put on clothes
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
in a serious manner
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
HauntedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/
having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
imprisonedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprɪzənd/
being in captivity
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
jailernounUS /ˈdʒeɪlər/
someone who guards prisoners
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
juvenileadjectiveUS /ˈdʒuːvənəl/
of or relating to or characteristic of or appropriate for children or young people
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
a boy or man
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
social deportment
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
negronounUS /ˈniːɡroʊ/
a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
NeronounUS /ˈnɪroʊ/
Roman Emperor notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64) but the Roman Empire remained prosperous during his rule (37-68)
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
performedverbUS /pərˈfɔːrmd/
past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
inflected form of “permit” — consent to, give permission
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
prepossessingadjective
creating a favorable impression
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
regularlyadverbUS /ˈreɡjələrli/
in a regular manner
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
sixteenadjectiveUS /sɪkˈstiːn/
being one more than fifteen
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
express in speech
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
not in physical motion
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
suppliedverbUS /səˈplaɪd/
inflected form of “supply” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
Sydney'snounUS /ˈsɪdniz/
possessive form of “sydney” — the largest Australian city located in southeastern Australia on the Tasman Sea; state capital of New South Wales; Australia's chief port
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
untiringadjective
characterized by hard work and perseverance
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
vaultnounUS /vɒlt/
An arched structure of masonry forming a ceiling, or a secure subterranean storage room.
From this reading _The African and his Mistress--the Haunted House--Night of Terror._ Nero, the African, still remained a prisoner in the vault beneath Sydney's house.
vigilancenounUS /ˈvɪdʒələns/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading The interview being granted, the boy made known the object of his call by earnestly desiring to be permitted to visit the imprisoned black.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
which person or people
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading He was a handsome lad, of easy, graceful manners, and long, curling hair; his dress was juvenile, and his whole appearance extremely prepossessing.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was regularly supplied with his food by Dennis, who performed the part of jailer, and was untiring in his vigilance to prevent the escape of the negro under his charge.
a late time of life
From this reading One afternoon a boy of apparently fifteen or sixteen years of age called upon Dennis and desired to speak with him in private.
