used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I seemed to be marking time.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
commonplaceadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmənpleɪs/
completely ordinary and unremarkable
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
compactnounUS /ˈkɑːmpækt/
a small cosmetics case with a mirror; to be carried in a woman's purse
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
true confidential information
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
emanating from God
From this reading I listened to hear the divine drumbeat.
drumbeatnounUS /ˈdrʌmbiːt/
the sound made by beating a drum
From this reading I listened to hear the divine drumbeat.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading I listened to hear the divine drumbeat.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I listened to hear the divine drumbeat.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
inspiringadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪrɪŋ/
stimulating or exalting to the spirit
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
lackingadjectiveUS /ˈlækɪŋ/
inadequate in amount or degree
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading I listened to hear the divine drumbeat.
march in a procession
From this reading I set myself to march under sealed orders.
markingnounUS /ˈmɑːrkɪŋ/
a distinguishing symbol
From this reading I seemed to be marking time.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
used to form the superlative
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I set myself to march under sealed orders.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading I set myself to march under sealed orders.
pessimismnounUS /ˈpesəmɪzəm/
the feeling that things will turn out badly
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
ploddedverbUS /ˈplɑːdɪd/
inflected form of “plod” — walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
ploddingnounUS /ˈplɑːdɪŋ/
hard monotonous routine work
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
Professor'snounUS /prəˈfesərz/
possessive form of “professor” — someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/
an unvarying or habitual method or procedure
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
sealedadjectiveUS /siːld/
established irrevocably
From this reading I set myself to march under sealed orders.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading I seemed to be marking time.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading I set myself to march under sealed orders.
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I listened to hear the divine drumbeat.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading I seemed to be marking time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I listened to hear the divine drumbeat.
unchangedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʃeɪndʒd/
not made or become different
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading I set myself to march under sealed orders.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The duties which lay at my hand were unchanged, and I was plodding along as I had plodded before through a commonplace routine.
wofully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To most of us the Professor's speech had been pessimism compact; to me it was inspiring, though wofully lacking in details.
