used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
achingadjectiveUS /ˈeɪkɪŋ/
causing a dull and steady pain
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/
having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
attainverbUS /əˈteɪn/
to gain with effort
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
(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 He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
complainedverbUS /kəmˈpleɪnd/
past form of “complain” — express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
a rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
start firing a weapon
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
having the pinkish flush of health
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
set up or found
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
inaudibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnɔːdəbəl/
impossible to hear; imperceptible by the ear
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
incipientadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsɪpiənt/
only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
jointsnounUS /dʒɔɪnts/
plural of “joint” — (anatomy) the point of connection between two bones or elements of a skeleton (especially if it allows motion)
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
locksnounUS /lɑːks/
plural of “lock” — a fastener fitted to a door or drawer to keep it firmly closed
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
mattedadjective
tangled in a dense mass
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
mutteringsnounUS /ˈmʌtərɪŋz/
plural of “muttering” — a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
restlesslyadverbUS /ˈrestləsli/
in a restless manner
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
RODERICK
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _RODERICK_.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
slumbernounUS /ˈslʌmbər/
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
smouldered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
tossingverbUS /ˈtɔːsɪŋ/
-ing form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading His eyes were closed, and his lips moved in inaudible mutterings, as he turned restlessly from one side to the other.
twingings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He complained of an acute pain in his side which caught his breath, and a dull aching that smouldered like fire in his bones and joints, which he fancied he could count by their separate twingings.
uneasilyadverbUS /əˈniːzəli/
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
at the time that
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
in or at the place that
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When Mary reached home she found her brother already in bed, where he lay tossing uneasily in search of the rest and slumber which he could not attain.
in the company of; together with
From this reading His cheeks were flushed with incipient fever, and the tangled hair hung about his face in matted locks.
