used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
annuitynounUS /əˈnuːəti/
income from capital investment paid in a series of regular payments
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
EarlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading At half-past ten he went upstairs, in response to a request for his presence.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
half-past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At half-past ten he went upstairs, in response to a request for his presence.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
to a considerable degree
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
ten 10s
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
intentnounUS /ˌɪnˈtent/
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
something that is lost
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
occupyingverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “occupy” — keep busy with
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
paler
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
by chance
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
plural of “pound” — 16 ounces avoirdupois
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading At half-past ten he went upstairs, in response to a request for his presence.
express the need or desire for
From this reading At half-past ten he went upstairs, in response to a request for his presence.
responsenounUS /rɪˈspɑːns/
a result
From this reading At half-past ten he went upstairs, in response to a request for his presence.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
required or under orders
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading At half-past ten he went upstairs, in response to a request for his presence.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
a source of difficulty
From this reading The office learned in due course that he had had some trouble and had taken a day off.
on a floor above
From this reading At half-past ten he went upstairs, in response to a request for his presence.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading Gray appeared at his desk the next morning at his usual hour.
precisely as stated
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading George Early was occupying his accustomed place, perhaps a little paler than usual, but very intent on business.
weighverbUS /weɪ/
have a certain weight
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading At half-past ten he went upstairs, in response to a request for his presence.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading The loss of an annuity of five hundred pounds a year did not appear to weigh on him so heavily as might have been supposed.
