used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
anew
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "You'd better spend the morning out-of-doors," remarked Mrs. Brown.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
BILLY'SnounUS /ˈbɪliz/
possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading BILLY'S PRESENT.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading "You'd better spend the morning out-of-doors," remarked Mrs. Brown.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/
on a floor below
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
fineradjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnər/
(comparative of “fine”) greater in quality or excellence
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
the father of your father or mother
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
grievousadjectiveUS /ˈɡriːvəs/
causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
heavy-eyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
intense and profound fear
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "You'd better spend the morning out-of-doors," remarked Mrs. Brown.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
out-of-doorsnoun
where the air is unconfined
From this reading "You'd better spend the morning out-of-doors," remarked Mrs. Brown.
poorlyadverbUS /ˈpuːrli/
(“ill” is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well
From this reading NEXT morning Billy came downstairs looking heavy-eyed and poorly.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading BILLY'S PRESENT.
raidverbUS /reɪd/
search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading "You'd better spend the morning out-of-doors," remarked Mrs. Brown.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
express in words
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading "You'd better spend the morning out-of-doors," remarked Mrs. Brown.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
a special situation
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
washing-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading "It couldn't be finer weather—a good thing, too, as it's washing-day.
(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 He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
at the time that
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had had bad dreams, he said, when his grandfather asked him if he had not slept well; but he did not say that in them he had lived again through the night of the air raid and the grievous time which had followed, so that the hours of darkness had been a horror to him.
You'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You'd better spend the morning out-of-doors," remarked Mrs. Brown.
