used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A PLEASANT DISCOVERY.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
how long something has existed
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
attirenounUS /əˈtaɪər/
clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
a youthful male person
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
compassionnounUS /kəmˈpæʃən/
a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
without stop or interruption
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
the act of discovering something
From this reading A PLEASANT DISCOVERY.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
an instinctive motive
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
being perceived or observed
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
observingadjectiveUS /əbˈzɜːrvɪŋ/
quick to notice; showing quick and keen perception
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading A PLEASANT DISCOVERY.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
refrainedverbUS /rɪˈfreɪnd/
past form of “refrain” — resist doing something
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
Identical; not different.
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
soundlyadverbUS /ˈsaʊndli/
deeply or completely
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
not in physical motion
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
express a supposition
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
in the direction of
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
vagrantnounUS /ˈveɪɡrənt/
a wanderer who has no established residence or visible means of support
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
wakingadjectiveUS /ˈweɪ.kɪŋ/
Risen from sleep; conscious.
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
warmedadjectiveUS /wɔːrmd/
having been warmed up
From this reading He had a boy of about the same age, and the thought came to him that some time his boy might be placed in the same situation, and this warmed his heart towards the little vagrant.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading One of the boat hands passing through noticed him, and was on the point of waking him, but, observing his weary look and thin attire, refrained from an impulse of compassion.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "I suppose I ought to wake him up," he reflected, "but he isn't doing any harm there, and he may as well have his sleep out."
in or at the place that
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading The night wore away, and still Mark, the match boy, continued to sleep soundly in the corner of the cabin where he had established himself.
