used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
(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 All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
astiradjective
out of bed
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
beamnounUS /biːm/
a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
an occurrence of something
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
COLEnounUS /koʊl/
a hardy cabbage with coarse curly leaves that do not form a head
From this reading OLD KING COLE Hennessy was feeding the swans.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
contentmentnounUS /kənˈtentmənt/
happiness with one's situation in life
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
crampedadjectiveUS /kræmpt/
constricted in size
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
customaryadjectiveUS /ˈkʌstəmeri/
in accordance with convention or custom
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
diminutiveadjectiveUS /dɪˈmɪnjətɪv/
very small
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
early-summer-afternoon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
feedingnounUS /ˈfiːdɪŋ/
the act of consuming food
From this reading OLD KING COLE Hennessy was feeding the swans.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
your parents
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
foremostadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmoʊst/
ranking above all others
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
a quick look
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
Hennessy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD KING COLE Hennessy was feeding the swans.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
inviteverbUS /ˌɪnˈvaɪt/
increase the likelihood of
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
and nothing more
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading OLD KING COLE Hennessy was feeding the swans.
immediately past
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
neurasthenicnoun
a person suffering a nervous breakdown
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
O'Leary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading OLD KING COLE Hennessy was feeding the swans.
out-of-doorsnoun
where the air is unconfined
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
patientsnounUS /ˈpeɪʃənts/
plural of “patient” — a person who requires medical care
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
rest-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
rusticadjectiveUS /ˈrʌstɪk/
characteristic of rural life
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
sanitariumnoun
a hospital for recuperation or for the treatment of chronic diseases
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
sensibilitiesnounUS /ˌsensɪˈbɪlɪtiz/
plural of “sensibility” — mental responsiveness and awareness
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
Sheila
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
sillnounUS /sɪl/
structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber forming the lowest member of a framework or supporting structure
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
the rays of the sun
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
swansnounUS /swɑːnz/
plural of “swan” — stately heavy-bodied aquatic bird with very long neck and usually white plumage as adult
From this reading OLD KING COLE Hennessy was feeding the swans.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OLD KING COLE Hennessy was feeding the swans.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
in or at that place or location
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
twenty-four-hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading How those first warm days called the sick folks out-of-doors and held them there until the last beam of sunshine had disappeared behind the foremost hill!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading OLD KING COLE Hennessy was feeding the swans.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading She had just come off a neurasthenic case--a week of twenty-four-hour duty--and she wanted to stretch her cramped sensibilities in the quiet peace of the little house and invite her soul with a glimpse of Hennessy and the swans.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All about her the grounds of the sanitarium were astir with its customary crowd of early-summer-afternoon patients.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Sheila O'Leary leaned over the sill of the diminutive rustic rest-house and watched him with a tired contentment.
