used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
answersnounUS /ˈænsərz/
plural of “answer” — a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
awfullyadverbUS /ˈɑːfli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Sorry, but I’ll have to ring off.”
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
Chot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
chumnounUS /tʃʌm/
a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
chumsnounUS /tʃʌmz/
plural of “chum” — a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
communicateverbUS /kəˈmjuːnəkeɪt/
transmit information
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
dennounUS /den/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Sorry, but I’ll have to ring off.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Sorry, but I’ll have to ring off.”
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
and nothing more
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
immediately following in time or order
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
occupyingverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “occupy” — keep busy with
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Sorry, but I’ll have to ring off.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
and nothing more
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
compacted by ironing
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading “Sorry, but I’ll have to ring off.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “Wait and see.”
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
SorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
From this reading “Sorry, but I’ll have to ring off.”
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
swimmingnounUS /ˈswɪmɪŋ/
the act of swimming
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “I’m awfully busy,” he said one day to Chot, when his chum rang him up and asked him to go swimming in the creek.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading “Wait and see.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
at the time that
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
winkedverbUS /wɪŋkt/
past form of “wink” — signal by winking
From this reading For the next few days Fleet kept away from his chums for the greater part of the time, and when they pressed him to know how he was occupying his time, he merely winked, and said:
in the company of; together with
From this reading Hour after hour he spent in his den, the door locked, and the only way they could communicate with him at such a time was by means of a telephone, and then his answers were sometimes short.
