used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
ABOUTprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
Alicia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What are you dreaming of, Robin?” exclaimed Alicia gaily.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading YOKED TWAIN AND TWAIN.
any thing at all
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “What are you dreaming of, Robin?” exclaimed Alicia gaily.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
a flexible container with a single opening
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
doughnounUS /doʊ/
a flour mixture stiff enough to knead or roll
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
dreamingnounUS /ˈdriːmɪŋ/
imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake
From this reading “What are you dreaming of, Robin?” exclaimed Alicia gaily.
one or the other of two
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “What are you dreaming of, Robin?” exclaimed Alicia gaily.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
a ceremonial dinner party for many people
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
yet to be or coming
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
gailyadverbUS /ˈɡeɪli/
in a gay manner
From this reading “What are you dreaming of, Robin?” exclaimed Alicia gaily.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
grandfather'snounUS /ˈɡrændfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “grandfather” — the father of your father or mother
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
leisurenounUS /ˈleʒər/
time available for ease and relaxation
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
not any; not one
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “What are you dreaming of, Robin?” exclaimed Alicia gaily.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
preachingnounUS /ˈpriːtʃɪŋ/
an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
preoccupiedadjectiveUS /priˈɑːkjəpaɪd/
deeply absorbed in thought
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
prepareverbUS /priˈper/
make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
the upper part of anything
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
TWAINnounUS /tweɪn/
two items of the same kind
From this reading YOKED TWAIN AND TWAIN.
precisely as stated
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
wedding-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had a very preoccupied look, as if he were looking either far back into the past or far forward into the future, and had no eyes for anything near him.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What are you dreaming of, Robin?” exclaimed Alicia gaily.
at the time that
From this reading ABOUT an hour afterwards, when baby had been made over to his grandfather’s care, to give his mother leisure to prepare for her wedding-day feast, Robin came in from village preaching.
YOKEDverbUS /joʊkt/
past form of “yoke” — become joined or linked together
From this reading YOKED TWAIN AND TWAIN.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What are you dreaming of, Robin?” exclaimed Alicia gaily.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You must not put your bag of books on the top of my dough.”
