used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
in the past
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
aviatornounUS /ˈeɪvieɪtər/
someone who operates an aircraft
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
Brian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It vexed me that Brian should show concern.
broomsticknounUS /ˈbruːmstɪk/
the handle of a broom
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
something that interests you because it is important or affects you
From this reading It vexed me that Brian should show concern.
Couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
Dierdre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
enquired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
accept an excuse for
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
flownverbUS /floʊn/
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
a person of German nationality
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
a young female
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It vexed me that Brian should show concern.
become part of; become a member of a group or organization
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
kidnappedverbUS /ˈkɪdnæpt/
inflected form of “kidnap” — take away to an undisclosed location against their will and usually in order to extract a ransom
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It vexed me that Brian should show concern.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
O'Farrell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
and nothing more
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It vexed me that Brian should show concern.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading It vexed me that Brian should show concern.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
believed likely
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
express in words
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If only he knew how the girl had looked at him a few hours ago!
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
trumpedverbUS /trʌmpt/
past form of “trump” — produce a sound as if from a trumpet
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
unsympatheticadjectiveUS /ənˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/
not sympathetic or disposed toward
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
vexedadjectiveUS /vekst/
troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances
From this reading It vexed me that Brian should show concern.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My heart, however, was sure that nothing had happened and I suspected that her brother had trumped up an excuse to join us.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I felt unsympathetic, and wouldn't have cared if Miss Dierdre O'Farrell had flown off on a broomstick, or been kidnapped by a German aviator.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Couldn't they tell you in the hotel at what time she went out?" he enquired.
