used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The verdict of the doctors was a foregone conclusion.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
a young person of either sex
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
From this reading The verdict of the doctors was a foregone conclusion.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
Darche
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
doctorsnounUS /ˈdɑːktərz/
plural of “doctor” — a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading The verdict of the doctors was a foregone conclusion.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
divisible by two
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
examinationnounUS /ɪɡˌzæməˈneɪʃən/
the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
facultiesnounUS /ˈfækəltiz/
plural of “faculty” — one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
a social unit living together
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
foregoneadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrˈɡɔːn/
well in the past; former
From this reading The verdict of the doctors was a foregone conclusion.
a man of refinement
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
improvementnounUS /ˌɪmˈpruːvmənt/
a change for the better; progress in development
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
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 The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The verdict of the doctors was a foregone conclusion.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
physiciannounUS /fəˈzɪʃən/
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
recoverynounUS /rɪˈkʌvri/
return to an original state
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
specialistsnounUS /ˈspeʃələsts/
plural of “specialist” — an expert who is devoted to one occupation or branch of learning
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The most that could be done was to give the old gentleman the best of care so long as he remained alive.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The verdict of the doctors was a foregone conclusion.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no hope of recovery, he said, nor even of improvement.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
verdictnounUS /ˈvɜːrdɪkt/
(law) the findings of a jury on issues of fact submitted to it for decision; can be used in formulating a judgment
From this reading The verdict of the doctors was a foregone conclusion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The verdict of the doctors was a foregone conclusion.
which person or people
From this reading The family physician, who was one of the three, the other two being specialists, stayed behind and explained to John Darche the result of the examination.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
a late time of life
From this reading Little by little his faculties would fail, and in a few years, if he did not die, he would be quite as helpless as a little child.
