used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
(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 The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading And how intensely each of them wanted to belong!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
cadetsnounUS /kəˈdets/
plural of “cadet” — a military trainee (as at a military academy)
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
an occurrence of something
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
CommandantnounUS /ˌkɑːmənˈdɑːnt/
an officer in command of a military unit
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
CorpsnounUS /kɔːr/
an army unit usually consisting of two or more divisions and their support
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
crammingverbUS /ˈkræmɪŋ/
inflected form of “cram” — crowd or pack to capacity
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
deficientadjectiveUS /dɪˈfɪʃənt/
inadequate in amount or degree
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading And how intensely each of them wanted to belong!
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
examinationsnounUS /ɪɡˌzæməˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “examination” — the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
apart from; not including
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
fatefuladjectiveUS /ˈfeɪtfəl/
having momentous consequences; of decisive importance
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/
occurring at or forming an end or termination
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
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 Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
graduatedadjectiveUS /ˈɡrædʒuːeɪtɪd/
marked with or divided into degrees
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
graduationnounUS /ˌɡrædʒuːˈeɪʃən/
the successful completion of a program of study
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
Hanlon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
Hanlon's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And how intensely each of them wanted to belong!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
intenselyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtensli/
to a high degree; extremely; in high concentration or density
From this reading And how intensely each of them wanted to belong!
Inter-Stellar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
keyedadjectiveUS /kiːd/
fitted with or secured by a key
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
immediately past
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
outcomenounUS /ˈaʊtkʌm/
something that results
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
permanentadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrmənənt/
continuing or enduring without marked change in status or condition or place
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
plusnounUS /plʌs/
a useful or valuable quality
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
postedadjectiveUS /ˈpoʊstɪd/
publicly displayed
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
an educational institution
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
plural of “subject” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
suretynounUS /ˈʃʊrəti/
something clearly established
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
tensenessnoun
the physical condition of being stretched or strained
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And how intensely each of them wanted to belong!
not expected or anticipated
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
universitynounUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəti/
the body of faculty and students at a university
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading And how intensely each of them wanted to belong!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The cadets were all keyed up about graduation, now so near, and most of them were cramming at every opportunity on the subjects in which they felt themselves deficient.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Four days had now passed since George Hanlon's fateful interview with the Commandant of Cadets, and its unexpected outcome.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Such tenseness is natural before any final examinations, but in their case more so than it would have been in an ordinary school or university.
a late time of life
From this reading For not until the final marks were posted from these last examinations, plus their marks for the entire five years, would any of them--except Hanlon, of course--know for a surety that he would be graduated and become a permanent member of the Inter-Stellar Corps.
