used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
matters of personal concern
From this reading But here was a new John, nevertheless, a successful man of affairs.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
a youthful male person
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
of short duration or distance
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But here was a new John, nevertheless, a successful man of affairs.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
cheapadjectiveUS /tʃiːp/
relatively low in price or charging low prices
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
deformitynounUS /dɪˈfɔːrməti/
an affliction in which some part of the body is misshapen or malformed
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
the organ of sight
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/
being the right size and shape to fit as desired
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading But here was a new John, nevertheless, a successful man of affairs.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading But here was a new John, nevertheless, a successful man of affairs.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
nearbyadjectiveUS /ˈnɪrˈbaɪ/
close at hand
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading But here was a new John, nevertheless, a successful man of affairs.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading But here was a new John, nevertheless, a successful man of affairs.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
not any; not one
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But here was a new John, nevertheless, a successful man of affairs.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
ready-madeadjective
made for purchase and immediate use
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
Roger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
sallowadjective
unhealthy looking
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
seasidenounUS /ˈsiːsaɪd/
the shore of a sea or ocean regarded as a resort
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
softenverbUS /ˈsɑːfən/
make (images or sounds) soft or softer
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
sprucenounUS /spruːs/
light soft moderately strong wood of spruce trees; used especially for timbers and millwork
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome
From this reading But here was a new John, nevertheless, a successful man of affairs.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading He had on a spruce new suit of brown, no cheap ready-made affair but one carefully fitted to conceal and soften his deformity.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
tightadjectiveUS /taɪt/
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
two times
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
uneasinessnounUS /ˌʌˈniːzinəs/
feelings of anxiety that make you tense and irritable
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
vacationsnounUS /veɪˈkeɪʃənz/
plural of “vacation” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
vigornounUS /ˈvɪɡər/
forceful exertion
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The next morning on his arrival in town, Roger went to his office.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He had little cause for uneasiness there, for twice in the summer he had come down to keep an eye on the business, while John had taken brief vacations at a seaside place nearby.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The boy had no color now in his cheeks; as always, they were a sallow gray with the skin drawn tight over high cheek bones; his vigor was all in his eyes.
