used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
declared publicly; made widely known
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
APPLESnounUS /ˈæpəlz/
plural of “apple” — fruit with red or yellow or green skin and sweet to tart crisp whitish flesh
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
attitudesnounUS /ˈætətuːdz/
plural of “attitude” — a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Then he stopped short and eyed the children keenly.
a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
cozyadjectiveUS /ˈkoʊzi/
enjoying or affording comforting warmth and shelter especially in a small space
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
without deviation
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
doubledadjectiveUS /ˈdʌbəld/
twice as great or many
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
eyedadjectiveUS /aɪd/
having an eye or eyes or eyelike feature especially as specified; often used in combination
From this reading Then he stopped short and eyed the children keenly.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
the father of your father or mother
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading “Where is your grandmother?”
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Where is your grandmother?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
and nothing more
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
keenlyadverbUS /ˈkiːnli/
in a keen or penetrating way
From this reading Then he stopped short and eyed the children keenly.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
engage in
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
information about recent and important events
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
noon-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Then he stopped short and eyed the children keenly.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Then he stopped short and eyed the children keenly.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
imagine to be the case or true or probable
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he stopped short and eyed the children keenly.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
verandanounUS /vərˈændə/
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading GREEN APPLES “I have a piece of good news,” announced grandfather one afternoon a few days later, as he came up on the front veranda.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading He had driven into the village directly after the noon-day dinner and had just returned.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were each sitting in a big chair, in attitudes too much doubled up for mere cozy comfort, and they were neither of them talking—a fact sufficient in itself to make one suspect that everything was not just as it should be.
in or at the place that
From this reading “Where is your grandmother?”
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Where is your grandmother?”
