used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
(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 Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
in addition
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
in a state of sleep
From this reading James Cannon, however, was not asleep.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
CannonnounUS /ˈkænən/
a large artillery gun that is usually on wheels
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
a young person of either sex
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
company'snounUS /ˈkʌmpəniz/
possessive form of “company” — an institution created to conduct business
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
fretfuladjectiveUS /ˈfretfəl/
nervous and unable to relax
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading James Cannon, however, was not asleep.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
leversnounUS /ˈlevərz/
plural of “lever” — a rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrum
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
provideverbUS /prəˈvaɪd/
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
regulationsnounUS /ˌreɡjəˈleɪʃənz/
plural of “regulation” — an authoritative rule
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
sixteenadjectiveUS /sɪkˈstiːn/
being one more than fifteen
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading James Cannon had been on duty since six in the morning—sixteen hours already at the levers.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But the company's regulations could not be expected to provide for that.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading James Cannon, however, was not asleep.
waveringnounUS /ˈweɪvərɪŋ/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading He had his eyes fixed on the distant signal on the high bank, as he caught the gleam of it wavering through the storm.
weaklyadverbUS /ˈwiːkli/
in a weak or feeble manner or to a minor degree
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then he had also been up nearly all the night before with a weakly and fretful child.
