used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
(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 His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
bewilderedadjectiveUS /bɪˈwɪldərd/
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
a youthful male person
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
bungledadjectiveUS /ˈbʌŋɡəld/
spoiled through incompetence or clumsiness
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
CheerionounUS /ˈtʃɪrioʊ/
a farewell remark
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
Cheerio's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
defendverbUS /dɪˈfend/
argue or speak in defense of
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
command with authority
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
equippedadjectiveUS /ɪˈkwɪpt/
provided or fitted out with what is necessary or useful or appropriate
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
glibadjectiveUS /ɡlɪb/
marked by lack of intellectual depth
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
hasteningverbUS /ˈheɪsənɪŋ/
-ing form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
Hilda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
inabilitynounUS /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/
lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
intentionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈtentʃənz/
plural of “intention” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
come together
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
obtuselyadverb
in a stupid manner
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
many times at short intervals
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
punishmentsnounUS /ˈpʌnɪʃmənts/
plural of “punishment” — the act of punishing
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
Reggie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
resultedverbUS /rɪˈzʌltɪd/
past form of “result” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
situationsnounUS /ˌsɪtʃuːˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “situation” — the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
stammering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
swift-witted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
in a swift manner
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading His brother, Reggie, swift-witted and glib of tongue, was far better equipped to defend and care for himself than the often bewildered and stammering Cheerio.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
unjustadjectiveUS /ənˈdʒʌst/
not fair; marked by injustice or partiality or deception
From this reading As a boy, Cheerio’s inability swiftly to explain or defend himself, had resulted in many unjust punishments.
verandahnoun
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
precisely as stated
From this reading He had changed very little, and his love had made him now almost obtusely blind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
which person or people
From this reading As he hurried eagerly across the verandah to meet Hilda who was hastening in her direct way for that “show down” which her peace of mind demanded, Cheerio held out toward her the intended gift.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was not stupid, but became easily confused, and with the best of intentions, he bungled into unfortunate situations.
