used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A LITTLE PRODIGAL.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
(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 landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
next to; at the side of
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
boardersnounUS /ˈbɔːrdərz/
plural of “boarder” — a tenant in someone's house
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
a youthful male person
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
chain-puzzle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
concertnounUS /ˈkɑːnsərt/
a performance of music by players or singers not involving theatrical staging
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
disconsolatelyadverb
in grief-stricken loneliness; without comforting circumstances or prospects
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
one or the other of two
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
entertainingadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/
agreeably diverting
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
forebodings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
intricateadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəkət/
having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
landladynounUS /ˈlændleɪdi/
a landlord who is a woman
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
LEEnounUS /liː/
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A LITTLE PRODIGAL.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
causing physical or psychological pain
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
parlornounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
PRODIGALnounUS /ˈprɑːdɪɡəl/
a recklessly extravagant consumer
From this reading A LITTLE PRODIGAL.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
plural of “story” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
in a swift manner
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
TaffynounUS /ˈtæfi/
chewy candy of sugar or syrup boiled until thick and pulled until glossy
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The clock in the hall struck ten before either of them was aware how swiftly the time had passed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
travelsnounUS /ˈtrævəlz/
plural of “travel” — the act of going from one place to another
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
up-stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading The landlady was up-stairs with the nurse, and all the boarders had gone to a concert, so the parlor was vacant, and David took the boy in there.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
at the time that
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
in the company of; together with
From this reading LEE was waiting disconsolately on the stairs, with Taffy beside him, when David opened the door and stepped into the hall.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading He gave him an intricate chain-puzzle to work first, and afterward told him such entertaining stories of his travels that Lee forgot his painful forebodings.
