used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
(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 ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
any thing at all
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
weapons considered collectively
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
bangingnounUS /ˈbæŋɪŋ/
a continuing very loud noise
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
behavesverbUS /bɪˈheɪvz/
third-person singular of “behave” — behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
make calm or still
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
a young person of either sex
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
a teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity (circa 4 BC - AD 29)
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading § There were explanations next day.
a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
dumbadjectiveUS /dʌm/
slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
explanationsnounUS /ˌekspləˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “explanation” — a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading § There were explanations next day.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
Jocelyn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
LukenounUS /luːk/
(New Testament) the Apostle closely associated with St. Paul and traditionally assumed to be the author of the third Gospel
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading § There were explanations next day.
not any; not one
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
and nothing more
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
plaintivelyadverbUS /ˈpleɪntaɪvli/
in a plaintive manner
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
one of four equal parts
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
To recall to mind.
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
rigidadjectiveUS /ˈrɪdʒəd/
incapable of or resistant to bending
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
witty remark
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
Salvatia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Salvatia, Jocelyn dearest--_do_ remember,’ called Mrs. Luke plaintively after him.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
sofanounUS /ˈsoʊfə/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
sootheverbUS /suːð/
give moral or emotional strength to
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
tactfullyadverbUS /ˈtæktfəli/
showing tact or tactfulness; in a tactful manner
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
in or at that place or location
From this reading § There were explanations next day.
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
unresponsiveadjectiveUS /ˌʌnriˈspɑːnsɪv/
not responding to some influence or stimulus
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
precisely as stated
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But how can one soothe and calm anything that behaves exactly as if it were a very rigid, unresponsive, and entirely dumb stone?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading And in the room overhead Mrs. Luke put her arms round Sally, and did her best, while tactfully asking no questions, to soothe and calm the child.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
in the company of; together with
From this reading ‘Oh, Christ!’ muttered Jocelyn, banging the sitting-room door behind him and throwing himself on the hard narrow sofa from which, only a quarter of an hour before, he had got up, all warm with love, to go to his wife.
