used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
accordverbUS /əˈkɔːrd/
go together
From this reading "Well, that disposes of the theory that Finn wandered away of his own accord," said the Master.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
for the reason that
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
calfnounUS /kæf/
young of domestic cattle
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
daintinessnoun
the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
an urgent or peremptory request
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
dennounUS /den/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
dishnounUS /dɪʃ/
a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
disposesverbUS /dɪˈspoʊzɪz/
third-person singular of “dispose” — give, sell, or transfer to another
From this reading "Well, that disposes of the theory that Finn wandered away of his own accord," said the Master.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
divisible by two
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
fatted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
FinnnounUS /fɪn/
a native or inhabitant of Finland
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
Finn'snounUS /fɪnz/
possessive form of “finn” — a native or inhabitant of Finland
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
fore-paws
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
KennelsnounUS /ˈkenəlz/
plural of “kennel” — outbuilding that serves as a shelter for a dog
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
morning'snounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/
possessive form of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
being perceived or observed
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "Well, that disposes of the theory that Finn wandered away of his own accord," said the Master.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
proceedingsnounUS /proʊˈsiːdɪŋz/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Well, that disposes of the theory that Finn wandered away of his own accord," said the Master.
sardinesnounUS /sɑːrˈdiːnz/
plural of “sardine” — small fatty fish usually canned
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
slip-collar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
spiritedadjectiveUS /ˈspɪrɪtɪd/
displaying animation, vigor, or liveliness
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading At an early stage in proceedings the Master noticed, and removed, the slip-collar.
TARAnounUS /ˈterə/
a village in eastern Ireland (northwest of Dublin); seat of Irish kings until 6th century
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Well, that disposes of the theory that Finn wandered away of his own accord," said the Master.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading "Well, that disposes of the theory that Finn wandered away of his own accord," said the Master.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
toastverbUS /toʊst/
make brown and crisp by heating
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading "Well, that disposes of the theory that Finn wandered away of his own accord," said the Master.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
welcomedverbUS /ˈwelkəmd/
past form of “welcome” — accept gladly
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, that disposes of the theory that Finn wandered away of his own accord," said the Master.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But this came later, and was polished off by Finn more by reason of its rare daintiness and his desire to live up to what the occasion seemed to demand of him, than because he was hungry.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The fatted calf took the form of a dish of new milk and some sardines on toast which had been prepared for the next morning's breakfast.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading THE HEART OF TARA The Mistress of the Kennels held on to one of Finn's fore-paws as though she feared he might be spirited away from the den, even while he was being welcomed home there.
