used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
adoptedadjectiveUS /əˈdɑːptɪd/
acquired as your own by free choice
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They had been happy to Breeze McCloud; happy and busy years.
a youthful male person
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading They had been happy to Breeze McCloud; happy and busy years.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading They had been happy to Breeze McCloud; happy and busy years.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
captain'snounUS /ˈkæptənz/
possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
GloucesternounUS /ˈɡlɑːstər/
a town in northeastern Massachusetts on Cape Ann to the northeast of Boston; the harbor has been a fishing center for centuries
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had been happy to Breeze McCloud; happy and busy years.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
feeling or showing love and affection
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
McCloud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had been happy to Breeze McCloud; happy and busy years.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
not any; not one
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
plural of “parent” — a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
go across or through
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
pleasanter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
with speed
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
rarelyadverbUS /ˈrerli/
not often
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
a male human offspring
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading No other children had come to them since they had taken him into their hearts and home, and he was their pride and delight.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had been happy to Breeze McCloud; happy and busy years.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
precisely as stated
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading No boy in Gloucester had a pleasanter home or more loving parents than he, though he was but an adopted son.
at the time that
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading He rarely thought of this, though, for Captain McCloud had, from the very first, been a true father, and the captain’s wife a loving mother to him.
a late time of life
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
but in spite of that
From this reading Fifteen years seems a long time, and yet when they are happy years how quickly they pass!
