used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
(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 You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
blightedadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪtɪd/
affected by blight; anything that mars or prevents growth or prosperity
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
placed in a grave
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
childhoodnounUS /ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/
the time of person's life when they are a child
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
enlistedverbUS /ˌenˈlɪstɪd/
past form of “enlist” — join the military
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
opinion or judgment
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
set up or found
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
haltingadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːltɪŋ/
disabled in the feet or legs
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
the act of retaining something
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
leanverbUS /liːn/
to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE MISSING MAN.
manhoodnounUS /ˈmænhʊd/
the state of being a man; manly qualities
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
not able to be found
From this reading THE MISSING MAN.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
not any; not one
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
and nothing more
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
reednounUS /riːd/
tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
sensationsnounUS /senˈseɪʃənz/
plural of “sensation” — an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
a person, without saying who
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading I stood in the dark grounds, holding the girl's hands and looking into her eyes: and that was a new experience for me.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MISSING MAN.
a special situation
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
thwartedadjectiveUS /ˈθwɔːrtɪd/
disappointingly unsuccessful
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
trustedadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌstɪd/
(of persons) worthy of trust or confidence
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading God knows what good was in me, and only God and time could bring that good out of me; for I had had no childhood, and my manhood had been a thing thwarted and blighted.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
which person or people
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
in the company of; together with
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
produce a literary work
From this reading I find it difficult to write, in my halting fashion, of what my sensations were at that time.
a late time of life
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
but in spite of that
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You have to understand that in a matter of a few days I had lived years of an ordinary life; had been in prison, and had escaped; had come near to death; had found myself buried and done with, and yet enlisted on life under a new name; and, to crown it all, now come face to face with someone who believed in me and trusted me--broken reed though I was to lean upon.
