used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he was a little excited over his mother’s home-coming, it seemed.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
chordsnounUS /kɔːrdz/
plural of “chord” — a straight line connecting two points on a curve
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
rid of obstructions
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading “Oh, Mr. de Vere, you play the piano?
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
dreamyadjectiveUS /ˈdriːmi/
dreamy in mood or nature
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading But he was a little excited over his mother’s home-coming, it seemed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
set up or found
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
gasnounUS /ɡæs/
the state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by: relatively low density and viscosity
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
home-coming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But he was a little excited over his mother’s home-coming, it seemed.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
indescribableadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈskraɪbəbəl/
defying expression or description
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
set afire or burning
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But he was a little excited over his mother’s home-coming, it seemed.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
a form of address for a man
From this reading “Oh, Mr. de Vere, you play the piano?
NormannounUS /ˈnɔːrmən/
United States operatic soprano (born in 1945)
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
oddlyadverbUS /ˈɑːdli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, Mr. de Vere, you play the piano?
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
go across or through
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/
a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
participate in games or sport
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading But he was a little excited over his mother’s home-coming, it seemed.
a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
Vere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, Mr. de Vere, you play the piano?
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Norman waited something over half an hour, and found himself growing oddly impatient for his mother’s return.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A servant came in and lighted the gas, and then to pass the time away he sat down at the grand piano and began to play some dreamy chords that sounded strange in his own ears, it was so long since he had played before.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
world-wearyadjective
tired of the world
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Oh, Mr. de Vere, you play the piano?
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading I’m so glad!” cried a clear voice, with that indescribable ring of hope and youth in it that is so sweet to world-weary ears.
