used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a rainy Sunday afternoon.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Alec's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Letter-writing had become a dreaded task now.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading What was there to tell them of himself that he cared for them to know?
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
coalnounUS /koʊl/
fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Letter-writing had become a dreaded task now.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
gratenounUS /ɡreɪt/
a frame of iron bars to hold a fire
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading What was there to tell them of himself that he cared for them to know?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a rainy Sunday afternoon.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading What was there to tell them of himself that he cared for them to know?
immediately past
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
lazilyadverbUS /ˈlæzəli/
in a slow and lazy manner
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
Letter-writing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Letter-writing had become a dreaded task now.
a room where books are kept
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
lumpsnounUS /lʌmps/
plural of “lump” — a compact mass
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
rainyadjectiveUS /ˈreɪni/
(of weather) wet by periods of rain
From this reading It was a rainy Sunday afternoon.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading It was a rainy Sunday afternoon.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading Letter-writing had become a dreaded task now.
express in words
From this reading What was there to tell them of himself that he cared for them to know?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A few lumps of coal burned in the dingy grate in Alec's room.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading What was there to tell them of himself that he cared for them to know?
in or at that place or location
From this reading What was there to tell them of himself that he cared for them to know?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What was there to tell them of himself that he cared for them to know?
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a rainy Sunday afternoon.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What was there to tell them of himself that he cared for them to know?
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
yawningadjectiveUS /ˈjɔːnɪŋ/
gaping open as if threatening to engulf someone or something
From this reading He had slept for several hours, had finished reading his last library book, and now, as he clasped his hands behind his head, yawning lazily, he remembered that he had not written home for two weeks.
