used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
(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 had slept--and slept snug--in worse beds, and indeed in no bed at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
assignedadjectiveUS /əˈsaɪnd/
appointed to a post or duty
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
completely unclothed
From this reading To the old campaigner the bare quarters were not physically uncomfortable.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
bedsnounUS /bedz/
plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading He had slept--and slept snug--in worse beds, and indeed in no bed at all.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
campaignernounUS /kæmˈpeɪnər/
a politician who is running for public office
From this reading To the old campaigner the bare quarters were not physically uncomfortable.
ceiled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
a body serving in an administrative capacity
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
DadnounUS /dæd/
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
eavesnounUS /iːvz/
the overhang at the lower edge of a roof
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had slept--and slept snug--in worse beds, and indeed in no bed at all.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading He had slept--and slept snug--in worse beds, and indeed in no bed at all.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
Marcia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
the light of the Moon
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
not any; not one
From this reading He had slept--and slept snug--in worse beds, and indeed in no bed at all.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading To the old campaigner the bare quarters were not physically uncomfortable.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
physicallyadverbUS /ˈfɪzɪkəli/
in accord with physical laws
From this reading To the old campaigner the bare quarters were not physically uncomfortable.
past form of “pour” — cause to run
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
housing available for people to live in
From this reading To the old campaigner the bare quarters were not physically uncomfortable.
raftersnounUS /ˈræftərz/
plural of “rafter” — one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading He had slept--and slept snug--in worse beds, and indeed in no bed at all.
snugadjectiveUS /snʌɡ/
offering safety; well protected or concealed
From this reading He had slept--and slept snug--in worse beds, and indeed in no bed at all.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
uncomfortableadjectiveUS /ənˈkʌmfərtəbəl/
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort
From this reading To the old campaigner the bare quarters were not physically uncomfortable.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading To the old campaigner the bare quarters were not physically uncomfortable.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
wide-eyedadjective
exhibiting childlike simplicity and credulity
From this reading COUNCIL OF WAR Dad lay on a bed a little too short for him and looked up wide-eyed at the rafters above his head.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Through its one window poured in a flood of summer moonlight.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading He had slept--and slept snug--in worse beds, and indeed in no bed at all.
but in spite of that
From this reading The room to which Marcia had assigned him was under the eaves and had not yet been ceiled.
